Grace of An Elder

Chapter 15

T'ahrou watched the females interacted from a vantage point in the nearby treetops; Dahdtoudi was left near the edge of the homestead looking more than a little confused, and the older female Rachel walked away looking irritated. "Zaiyu," He began, "I thought the kiande-amedha killed the clan that lived here."

Zaiyu nodded, hopping onto a branch closer to the larger male. "From what my father told me, the kiande-amedha wiped out the original inhabitants, but a neighboring clan moved onto the territory and rebuilt the civilization." T'ahrou clicked in understanding. "Apparently the two groups would join through mating rituals, but they lived separately to avoid overpopulation."

"What if that's what they're trying to do now?" Both of them looked down to Aichu who was laying a ground trap for small animals. "Since Dahdtoudi is the last survivor of her clan, and this clan is wanting to take her in...what's to say they're not trying to pick up where they left off?" T'ahrou and Zaiyu gave no verbal response, only shared a concerned expression from beneath their bio-masks.
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Dahdtoudi walked along the shore, watching a group of young children having a pretend sword fight with sticks. Her grey eyes tracked their movements, taking in their wobbly stances and sloppy tactics. They seemed so happy in the game, and she couldn't help but wish that she'd had that same opportunity when she was young. What would it have been like to grow up with the pyode-amedha? To feel the joy of playing make believe with a gaggle of companions? What kind of being would she have grown to become had she not been taken in by her father?

"Father..." She cast her eyes toward the nearby ship, and she heard soft footsteps approaching from behind. She turned to see the human known as Jason; he smiled at her as he walked with his hands in his pockets. "Do you require assistance, Jason of Loriette?"

"What? No, I was just coming to check on you. You look pissed."

"Pissed..?" She repeated the word as she tilted her head to the side, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, pissed off. You know, mad. You look mad." Dahdtoudi clicked in understanding before shaking her head.

"I see...no, I am not 'pissed', Jason of Loriette."

"Just 'Jason'." She tilted her head once more, and the boy gave an exasperated chuckle. "Just call me 'Jason'. Don't use that title crap. You're one of us." She said nothing, but turned her focus back to the group of children. "Have you ever thought about having some?"

"Having some crap?" Jason laughed hard now, but Dahdtoudi showed no amusement.

"No, no, kids..! Have you thought about having kids?"

Dahdtoudi shook her head once more, her tresses swinging lightly with the motion. "I have never needed to consider the possibility. I am unable to mate with anyone of my clan."

"I'd mate with you." Dahdtoudi's eyes widened at the brazen remark, and Jason took on a flirtatious expression. "You're with my clan now, Sarah. You could be my mate. We could have kids. I would treat you like a princess..." He reached a hand out as if to grab her buttocks, but Dahdtoudi caught his wrist in her hand before lurching him forward, throwing him over her hip, and slamming his body into the sand with a heavy thud. As Jason groaned and tried to push himself up, she brought a heavy foot down atop his skull and pinned the side of his head against the ground with said foot.

"You may call me a princess all you like...but you will treat me as if I am a queen. You will show me respect, Jason of Loriette. You will bow down on your knees in my presence. I am not one of your submissive females that you chase after from dawn till dusk. I am sain'ja...a warrior." She pressed his face further into the soft sand, earning a frustrated grunt from the male. "I am Dahdtoudi of the Dark Blade Clan...I am not the 'Sarah' you speak of. And I will never take you as a mate."