Gabal

Chapter 4

The heat of flames flickered like a phantom over her flawless skin as she jolted into consciousness. She noticed the change in bedding, or the lack thereof, and registered the weight against her back pinning her down. Her body coiled, readying her will for a split second before—

A booming growl tore through her body, turning her muscles to jelly and extinguishing any tension. A surprised mew left her, confusion rising to the forefront of her mind. What in the name of the Goddess was that?!

The witch lifted her head slowly, worried at what she could find keeping her captive. Just because she could not die, did not mean she could not hurt. And though she was powerful enough to defeat just about all with ill intentions, she was never, ever one to underestimate a potential enemy. But, what she saw staring back at her was a first.

It was a bearman. A big bearman. Wet nose, toothy maw, big, round, fluffy ears, thick, furry neck, broad, defined shoulders, biceps as big and half again the thickness of her thighs. Goddess. The thing that sat under her was strong. She pushed herself up against the force on her back, and he willingly freed her, sliding his giant hand to rest at her waist, the other coming to cup her thigh. As her eyes trailed down she bore witness to the tattoos of war that decorated the skin of his chest. The skin that should have grown fur was populated largely with scar tissue. The stories of teeth, swords, pikes, guns, fire, and other wounds she could not recognize flared up at her. The fur of his upper body only extended to a few inches under his pectorals, before gradually becoming scarce towards the abdominal. He looked normal there, like a regular, but a bit hairy man. He had on a pair of sweats for modesty, and though she was disappointed her visual exploration had come to an end, she was relieved to know he was respectful of possible boundaries. The flow of air against her sensitive nipple did not go unnoticed however.

Inspecting her sleep shirt more carefully, she realized that there were long slashes in the soft cotton, undoubtedly caused by the wicked claws that rested delicately against her skin. She pursed her lips and fixed her gaze on the bear.

"Are you able to talk in that form? Because I would like an explanation for this," she said, lifting her sleep shirt in gesture, unknowingly flashing him a slip of lace and the skin of her navel. A sight he was happy to take advantage of. "As well as the invasion and damage caused by the beasts under your command." Her voice was honey, slipping over him like a balm against his chafed soul. He unconsciously rubbed his thumb across her ribs, wincing a bit when his thumb accidentally tore more fabric. He gave the shirt an apologetic glance, sharing the look with his Given as she studied him.

Her eyes had softened and her full lips had relaxed, understanding lit her face. "I suppose you would sharpen them for battle," she pondered quietly, surprising him with her knowledge. Though, if the stories were anything to go by she was nearly as old as him. It would be strange if she had spent all this time on the Earth, among the different Tribes and not learned a thing or two. "One question answered," she stated, bringing him back to present. "Can you speak? And if not, will you change back for me?" Without answer, a leathery, furbacked hand came and covered her eyes. The body under her shuddered for a second and seemed to deflate slightly under her thighs. When light met her eyes again, her breath stalled. A tiny squeak escaped her lips, drawing a rumble from the mountain man beneath her. It took her a moment to process the noise as a chuckle.

Looking back at her was like her every wet dream come to life. The hair atop this man's head seemed to have migrated south. The top was smooth and glossy. The chin was covered with a long, thick, black beard with two stripes of white running down from the corners of his mouth. His skin was dark. The warm color reminded her of the heart of a walnut tree, and seeing the contrast of her milky thighs against his strong intercostals sent a satisfying zig to them both.