Raw

Chapter Four - Risks

Mhor stroked my body as we lay wrapped together. He smiled as he whispered to me, and I loved his smooth, rich voice. What amazing luck to have a male like him come as a mate.

"Where will you go?" I asked as the strength of my scent faded. "Father will come to drive you out soon."

"There is an abandoned crevice by the waterhole. I hid my food in there while the fights raged. I think I'll be safe if I remain there." He kissed my shoulder, stroking my breast. "Stop by to see me if you can."

I grinned, stroking his cheek. "I will bathe just for you."

"Zora." He kissed me deeply, sliding on top of me. He parted my legs, as if going in to mate again.

I pulled my head back. "But I'm not on heat."

He smiled. "So? Why not do it for pleasure?"

"Pleasure?" I tilted my head. "No one does it for pleasure."

"My father always did." He slid inside me.

Although the ravenous lust had gone from me, the sensation of him inside felt... good. He rocked, smiling as I stared up at him.

The door burst open. Mhor covered me.

"Get off her!" Father ripped him away.

I curled up, grasping a blanket. Mother knelt beside me, stroking my brow.

Father lunged at Mhor, hitting him across the jaw. "Her heat is over. Get off my territory."

Mhor grasped his pants as Father slashed his side.

"Father." I moved toward Mhor.

"No!" Mhor raised his hand for me to stay back. "I must go."

Father punched his chest, and I realized his attacks were warnings, not savagery. This was Father's land, his pride. Mhor posed a threat to his females and children, so he had to go.

Mhor tugged on his pants as Father shoved him out the door, following him all the way out. Mother helped me sit up, wrapping a robe around my shoulders. "I will take you to the waterhole to bathe. We must remove the scent."

"But the room, the mat...?"

"Your father and the other females will clean it up." Mother smiled gently and led me out of the hut.

Father stood at the edge of the camp, watching the broad shoulders of Mhor trotting away through the golden grass. Mother stopped us beside him as we watched in silence. When Mhor vanished into a thicket, Father said, "You are not to seek him out, understand?"

I nodded. Father wouldn't let me go until I carried a child. He didn't do it with any of my sisters, but as his favorite female's only daughter, he wouldn't let me go until the last moment.

"Go, bathe." He kisses my head. "It saddens me that you have come of age. I wanted to keep you for so much longer."

"Mhor is a kind mate," I said, squeezing his hand.

His face darkened as he looked out across the grassy plain. "He is. But you must be careful from now on. Always have someone with you when you leave here. The twins didn't leave for the entire time, even after Mhor entered for you. I fear they may try to abduct you."

I drew a sharp breath, clinging to his wrist. Not the twins!

He touched my cheek, then looked to Mother. "Take her. I will deal with the rest."

At the waterhole, Mother helped me through the bathing. It had to be thorough, more thorough than ever before, to remove all the sweat and fluids from the mating. Once I finished, I dressed in my normal skins and sat beside her to let my hair dry in the warm sunlight.

She wrapped her arm around my waist. "I love you, Zora, more than any of your brothers."

I chuckled, resting my head against her shoulder. "It's a special bond we share."

"You are my only daughter." She stroked my bare arm. "I don't want you to go far once you conceive. Maybe we can convince your father to cut out a piece of his territory for Mhor. Your father's territory is the largest in the area. I'm sure he can sacrifice a piece to keep you near."

"I'd like that." I smiled wistfully, scanning the waterhole for the crevice Mhor spoke of. I'd have to do a sweep of the area at some time, because the trees and bushes were too thick. "I'm hungry, Mother."

She nodded. "Of course. Come."

She and I walked with our arms wrapped around each other back toward the camp. As we passed a cluster of trees, rustling caught our attention. Her head snapped around as she pushed me on the other side of her.

A young male stood in the shadows, watching.

"Who is that?" I whispered.

"One of the thrust out males," Mother said, quickening our pace. "Your father will need to run his territory to flush them out."

Back at the camp, our hut lay wide open to air out. The females hung the mats and blankets outside to dry after being washed. My younger brother approached, his head hanging. "Zora, I'm so sorry. I'm so embarrassed."

I touched his shoulder, but Father appeared, snarling at him. He backed away, hiding behind a nearby hut. Father wrapped his arm around my shoulders, guiding me toward the central fire pit.

"Your scent is fading," he said, scanning the area. "Now I can smell the males that linger." He took another deep breath, then watched one of his females. She walked sluggishly as she hung a blanket. "Hmm."

He released me and walked toward her. Mother stepped beside me as we watched Father catch her arm and pull her away.

"It seems the smell of your heat overpowered the scent of others," Mother said as Father took the female into a hut. "Your mate will have to be quick to deal with your heats."

Mother left me to clean the hut.

Curious, I headed toward the hut my father had entered. As I approached, I heard his soft moans and her whimpers.

"I'm ready for another child," she said breathlessly.

"I know, Juniper," Father replied. "I will take this slowly."

Pulling back the window flap, I peeked in. The female lay on the mat, naked, her small breasts bouncing as Father thrust into her. He held her by the shoulders, his large muscular form encompassing her. She threw her head back, letting out a cry of pleasure.

My genitals quivered as memories of Mhor giving me the same pleasure surfaced. He had said we should mate for fun, but no one mated for fun... except apparently his father. But as I listened to this female enjoying my father, I desperately wanted to seek out Mhor and try this mating for pleasure. Once Father had secured his territory again, I would go out and find Mhor.