Changing Rain

The kiss

Eric swung his scythe over the golden stalks of grain that grew in one of his fields. The stalks fell with a soft rustling, like that of a sigh. It felt as if a lifetime had passed since he last worked in the fields.

Eric paused in his work to gaze about his surroundings. The tall majestic trees were gilded in gold, laced in crimson, and there was a certain freshness to the air. Surrounding him was a sea of pale gold that sent rippling waves across the whole expanse with the slightest caress of wind.

Harvest was definatly his favorite time of year.
He looked behind him to check on Raiyne, who was laying on her belly amid the uncut stalks, mostly hidden in the dappled light. She watched him with steady silver green eyes that smoldered in the half light. A chill ran down his spine, but it was not unpleasant.

"Do you intend to help, or merely lay about today?"

A lazy smirk touched her lips. "And deprive you of the chance for you to build character through some honest labor? I think not."

"So everything else I've done today, repairing John's roof, chopping firewood, and dragging you around all day through each little task, what does that qualify as then?"

"A delight. I am marvelously helpful."

Eric gave a good natured snort

Still laying mostly hidden in the grain, She gave him a sleepy smile, and closed her eyes, enjoying the world around them.

With a small smile himself, Eric turned and raised the scythe ready to resume his work, and suddenly Jessica was there in front of him.

" Jessica! What are you doing clear out here? Shouldn't you be with Hilda?" Jessica looked flustered and a little beat down, her blonde hair coming out of the bun at the back of her head.

" No no, Sarah is tending to her for a little while." She beamed at him, though it seemed a bit false.

Poor Hilda had been so ill lately, she was losing weight and rambled to herself late at night. Whenever she saw Raiyne she would start ranting about Gretchen, and revenge.

" How is Hilda doing? Has she improved at all?" Jessica sighed and shook her head.

" Worse, actually. I think she's convinced herself that Raiyne is a shifter. " Eric couldn't help but scoff.

" If Raiyne's a shifter, so am I." She gave him a dissaproveing look before she resumed speaking.

" I was just wondering Eric, if you would go for a walk with me?"

" Uhhh... That would be great, but I have to..." He turned to motion to where Raiyne was lying, but she wasn't there.

" Uh...Alright, but I can't put off the threshing too long."

" Great." Jessica looped her arm within Eric's, and began to lead them towards the forest.

" I haven't seen you about much, what have you been up to?" Jessica asked in a polite tone.

" Oh, mostly I've been helping with the repairs on Mister Denner's barn, somehow it managed to nearly collapse during our fight with the shifters. "

" I just can't belive that shifters would attack our village like that. It was all so very unusual before the men came. "

" How do you mean? " She scrunched her nose thinking back.

" They came off the steep hill near Widow Greth's house, and there was fighting but something...odd happened. " Eric's full attention was finally focused on Jessica, he quit looking for Raiyne and turned to look her in the eye.

" What?" Jessica looked almost as distracted as he had been, and she gazed at the approaching tree line.

" Well, they really didn't fight to hard. No boys besides Jared..." She trailed off as she caught sight of the pained expression on Eric's face.

" Uh, anyways, a wolf got in the way of another shifters kill. They...didn't seem to agree on something." Eric stayed quiet digesting this new piece of information as they walked beneath the tree line. This didn't change anything about how he felt about the wolf shifter, it probably wanted to take the life of the boy itself.

They stopped next to a small stream that gurgled as it ran it's way through the forest. Suddenly Eric was very much aware of how very close Jessica was. She shyly gazed up at him from her tiny height. He felt himself blush deeply as she leaned closer to him, and looked him in the eye with her big brown eyes.

" Eric, I... I really enjoy your company, and...and, I want to, I want us to..." She trailed off again, but didn't back away, despite her awkward sentence. Eric was quiet for a long moment, unsure of what to say. He liked being with her as well, she was kind and capable, and she could be funny at times. But did she mean she wanted him to court her? He wasn't sure if that was what he....

Eric's thought process was sharply cut off as Jessica swiftly stood on her tip toes, laced her fingers around the back of his head, then pulled his lips down to meet hers. Eric's heart thudded so hard that it sounded in his ears. He couldn't think, he couldn't move.

Eventually Jessica stopped the kiss, but she didn't let go of him. Eric stared into her eyes, stunned. He had never kissed a girl before, and he had never really cared or given it much thought until now. But he was a man now, and wasn't a man expected to have a wife? He did like Jessica, when she was around he was happy, and it appeared that she felt the same. Wasn't that all one needed for a happy marriage?

He slowly lifted his dangleing hands and put them around Jessica's waist. And kissed her back.

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Alright people, I don't usually do this. But I'm telling you that I need comments. I don't care if it's constructive criticism, or your telling me what you liked about it. Fact is I need opinions to strengthen my writing skills.