Intended Ch. 04

"I believe this would be an ideal location," Jakal proposed, pointing at the suggested path across the waterway.

"How deep is the water?" Sala asked nervously. After her last experience crossing the great river when they left their camp, she was not particularly eager to repeat it.

When her companion first revealed they would have to cross the river again in order to reach the Fox Clan's Camp, the woman found herself more than a little agitated. Why did she go through all that fear creeping her way across the turbid, rushing water, hanging on for dear life to a log, only to have to do it all over again?

The Tracker explained the first time had been a maneuver to throw their pursuer off their trail, or at least delay him. Despite the fact neither of them heard nor saw any indication they were being followed, the man insisted on maintaining a fast pace from dawn till dusk. When they were alone with the moon and stars he kept up his guard, scanning the darkness beyond the campfire for signs of an intruder. His tension even extended to the furs, where he was unable let go long enough to share bodies with Sala after they retired for the night.

Jakal told her about the dream he had that chilly morning two days ago when they abruptly departed from the haven they occupied for five unforgettable days; he was absolutely convinced it was a warning from the Spirits to make haste because another now pursued them both. His primary concern was reaching the settlement; once they were mates, it mattered less if they were found.

Although the woman worried about him, she said nothing and followed his lead without question. She trusted him and recalled that his instincts eventually led him to her. But she drew the line when he informed her they would need to cross the river again, insisting they find a place where it was shallower or otherwise easier to pass. She would not repeat their first crossing; they had to find another way.

With his companion's parameters in mind, the Tracker kept a watchful eye for places which might prove promising. Unfortunately, Sala was not enthusiastic about any of the options he had presented so far. He indulged her, understanding her anxiety; he also felt a little guilty because his strategizing had served as the catalyst for her new fear.

Still, it grew increasingly imperative they cross soon. They could not afford to lose time on unnecessary detours. Jakal could not rid himself of the fear they were being followed and knew he could not rest until he and Sala were joined.

As much as he sympathized with his woman's phobia, he recognized now was the time to take action.

The water actually appeared significantly shallower here, he thought. The river was wider, but less deep. He turned to her. "Wait here. I will measure it with my walking stick."

Taking off his foot coverings and leggings, Jakal waded out into the river. Sala watched as the water grew deeper with his every step until he was up to his waist a little more than halfway to the other side. Reaching forward with his walking stick, they both watched as the top of it disappeared underneath the surface.

A sickness rose from the pit of the woman's stomach and her heart began to pound as she broke out in a cold sweat. No, no, we cannot do it here. It is too deep. We, I will be swept away, she panicked, her breath growing quick and shallow.

As he approached Jakal saw that she was overtaken by another bout of panicked fear. Realizing they would be going nowhere until they quieted her anxiety, he embraced her though his body was dripping wet.

"Calm breathing, my sweet woman," he crooned, running his large hands the length of her back as her heart thumped against his bare chest.

At last her pulse began to slow and she took her first deep, albeit jagged, breath.

When he believed she had regained control Jakal asked, "What caused your fear, Sala?"

A shudder rocked through her body and the man held her, waiting.

"When you put your stick in the water, it disappeared under the surface...It, it is too deep. We, we might get swept away."

"The river moves slowly here," he reassured her. "When we reach the deeper water close to the other side, I want you to hold onto me and I will bring us both the rest of the way. It is not as far a distance as you think."

"I...do not know, Jakal. Can we not find another way?"

"We must cross sometime, and this great river stretches beyond anything we can see. I truly believe this place is the best location to go back over to the other side."

"But..."

"Sala, have I ever lied to you?"

It was not what she expected to hear. "No," she answered honestly.

"Do you trust me?"

She nodded.

"I need you to do something for me. I need you to trust me when I say that the river runs slowly here, and that I will make sure we both reach the other side safely. I promise you this." He lifted her chin and gazed into her dark brown eyes. "Will you trust me with your life, Sala?"

Though she was still afraid, Jakal's question reminded her of what she had asked of him only a few nights before. She knew there was only one answer.

She took a full, shaky breath and nodded. "Yes, Jakal," she almost whispered, "I trust you with my life. Let us cross here."

The next morning they arose early as always. This day, however, they anticipated their arrival at the Fox Clan's Camp. They had made good progress the first two days, and the Tracker estimated they would reach the settlement before the sun dropped from the sky.

Both looked forward to visiting with their people, but they were also nervous about what would happen once they revealed their intentions. Still, Sala felt more at ease with the idea of being at this Camp than their own. At least here no one was out to do her harm.

The day grew long. The couple began to wonder if their earlier estimates had been too ambitious. Then, in the distance, Jakal spied smoke rising into the air. Campfire. Filled with new energy the pair quickened their pace, narrowing the distance between themselves and the smoke. Finally the dwellings and huts of the Camp stretched out before them.

The residents saw the approaching visitors at about the same moment the travelers first laid eyes on their destination. Sala and Jakal saw tiny figures rushing around, running back and forth, more appearing, all of them watching their approach.

Before they reached the settlement two men walked down the hill toward them. When the men saw the familiar appearance and clothing of their own people, they visibly relaxed.

Smiling widely, one of them waved and shouted out, "Welcome Sister and Brother. It is good to see you this day."

The couple returned their smile. "Thank you Brothers," Jakal called back. "It is also good to see you this day."

The four individuals met in the middle, grasping forearms with both hands as they greeted each other.

The large man who called out to them spoke first. "I am Tejed, Leader of Fox Clan." He gestured toward the man at his right. "This is Rilom, our Lead Trader."

Tejed must have seen the puzzled looks which crossed their faces when he introduced his companion, for he smiled and said, "As a Trader, Rilom is highly skilled in making first contact with strangers; he also speaks many languages. We did not realize you were of our people until only a few moments ago."

Impressed by the Clan Leader's ability to interpret their reaction, they smiled broadly. Internally, they made a note to be cautious about speaking untruths to this man; he was clearly highly perceptive.

"I am afraid you knew my thoughts," Jakal admitted.

"And mine. I am Sala, and my companion is Jakal."

"From which Camp do you come?" Tejed inquired.

"Wolf Clan," the Tracker answered.

"Ah, Keta's people. She is a strong Leader. You are fortunate to live in her Camp."

The man and woman smiled and nodded. They did not say anything else for fear he would uncover more than they wished to say.

"Come, Sala and Jakal," the barrel-chested Clan Leader beckoned. "You must be hungry for food, and we are hungry for new stories. Sadly, it is not often that we receive visitors, and it is even rarer when one of those visitors is a Light-Eyed One. We hope you will stay as long as you can."

"Thank you for your welcome, Tejed," Sala replied. "It would be an honor to share food and stories with you."

After Tejed and his companion turned around to lead the young couple up the hill to their Camp, the woman glanced at her partner. They locked eyes for a moment, sharing the same thought. Jakal smiled at her encouragingly; when it came time to tell stories he would begin, and she would follow his lead.

As they expected, the people of Fox Clan were highly enthusiastic to receive visitors from one of the more distant Camps. They were even more enthusiastic that one of them was a Light-Eye. Sala observed the tension in her companion's muscles as they crowded around the pair, touching Jakal as if his luck would rub off onto them.

The Camp's Leader also noticed his guest's discomfort. In a booming voice he shouted, "Please, my people, allow our Sister and Brother to pass. They are tired and hungry. Let us show our friends from Wolf Clan how Fox Clan treats its honored guests."

Almost immediately the crowd parted; nevertheless, it did not stop the residents from staring at the Light-Eyed One as he walked with Sala and Tejed toward the Gathering Place.

After they had eaten their fill, the Clan Leader asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "So tell us, Sala and Jakal, what brings two people from Wolf Clan so far away from home that they would end up here?"

Sitting cross-legged, Jakal settled comfortably into the soft pile of furs while the others waited expectantly.

"I am a Tracker for our Clan," he began, "and as you know one of the duties of a Tracker is to find those lost or injured." Motioning to the woman beside him, he continued. "Sala became separated from us and grew...disoriented, wandering in the wrong direction. I went out to find her."

"It took me many days to find her as she had wandered far; the others had not noticed she was missing for some time because they were focused on other things. This is a very busy time of year for all our people, stockpiling food, making repairs to tools and dwellings and other tasks in preparation for the upcoming winter. I think they took for granted she was there; just because they themselves had not seen her did not mean she was missing.

"I had been out on another excursion and when I arrived everyone was panicking because at last they realized she was gone. By the time I set out after her, she had been separated from the rest of the Clan for more than a day."

A collective gasp filled the space. Tejed nodded. His instincts told him something was a little off, but he could not quite figure out what it was. "Please continue."

Jakal took Sala's hand. "Sala is my Intended, so you can imagine I was very motivated to find her. It was such a relief to know she was safe that we spent the next several days together sharing furs." A twitter of knowing giggles and pleased grunts flowed through the crowd.

"During one of those nights, we had a sacred vision, a shared dream, and it brought us closely together, even closer than we had been before. The Spirits spoke to us.

"When I finally found Sala, we were much closer to your Camp than our own." The Tracker paused for dramatic effect, noticing the people of Fox Clan were rapt listeners as his tale unfolded.

"After the Spirits whispered the same message in both our ears, we sensed strongly they must have revealed what they did, when they did, for an important reason. We both felt a great urgency to follow their counsel. That is why we are here. We believe the Spirits led us to Fox Camp because they wanted us joined as quickly as possible."

Gasps and excited whispers swept the room. Not only did they have visitors, one of whom was a Light-Eye, these visitors were now asking to be joined at their Camp.

A new voice, powerful and feminine, addressed the storyteller. "And why do you suppose the Great Spirits felt it important you be mated straight away instead of waiting a few more days to return your own Camp?"

Jakal and Sala looked up into the eyes of the Spiritwalker, an old woman whose white hair was plaited and twisted behind her head, the mass of braids held together by thin lengths of wood stuck in at different angles. She was both slight of size and strong of bearing, and her nearly black eyes seemed to penetrate into their spirits as she studied them carefully.

Forcing himself to keep steady, the young man replied, "We are not certain, Spiritwalker, but the feeling we sensed was that of impending challenges, even danger. We believe the Spirits see us as stronger together, and that the sacred bond will strengthen us when we face these obstacles, whatever they may be.

"Perhaps we could have waited until we returned to our Camp to be joined, Spiritwalker, but what if some unknown danger fell upon us along the way? Perhaps this is why they revealed their wisdom to us so close to your Camp. They may have thought it safer to travel the shorter distance to your settlement than the longer distance to our own."

The old woman looked him in the eye, her gaze unwavering. He tells true things but not necessarily the truth, she thought to herself.

The Spiritwalker turned her attention to Sala. "You have remained silent, young Intended of the Light-Eyed One. Have you anything to add to his story?"

"Jakal's words are my own, Spiritwalker. We truly believe the Spirits guided us here for an important purpose. But even if we somehow misinterpreted the Spirits' message to us both, we have come far, and our feelings for each other run deep. Will you assist Jakal and I by joining us in the sacred bond?"

She is like her Intended, the old woman thought. Something is missing from this story, something important. I will have to question them further, in private. Whatever their full motives may be, they clearly care for each other. What does it hurt to perform the ceremony? It will be notable for our Clan to host the joining of a Light-Eyed One. Besides, my people could use a reason to celebrate; they have been working hard this summer.

"Very well, young visitors from Wolf Clan. You will have your joining here. I will need time to prepare," the Spiritwalker responded at last.

Raising her voice so the entire group could hear, she announced, "People of Fox Clan, the day after this one we will celebrate the joining of Sala and Jakal in the sacred bond. The ceremony will take place on the hill outside the Gathering Place, just before the sun drops from the sky. The celebration which follows will take place here. Please make the necessary arrangements for an event of this nature."

That was the signal for the crowd to disperse. Giving the couple one last glance, the old spiritual leader left to return to her dwelling. She had much to do.

Sala and Jakal were left alone with Tejed on the pile of furs.

"At our Camp, visitors sleep in the Gathering Place, on this very platform. It is acceptable to you, my friends?" the burly Leader asked.

The woman reached down to feel the silky pelts beneath them. "After many days of sleeping outside, we welcome being inside on such a luxurious sleeping place. This will be wonderful; thank you."

The older man returned her smile and felt his manhood twitch. She is quite attractive, he observed. The Light-Eye seems to have chosen well.

He stood up. "Come, my friends. Will you join me in my dwelling for a special beverage? You can meet my mate, Affa, and start the celebration a little early. What say you?"

Jakal looked at Sala and then smiled broadly at the Clan Leader. "We accept your offer, Tejed. Thank you."

The young couple stumbled into the wide open space of the Gathering Place, leaning into each other for support. It was so strange to have the enormous room entirely to themselves, but they intended to make good use of it. They laughed, giddy from drink and the knowledge that by this time the day after this one, they would be mates.

Sala wrapped her arms around Jakal's neck and pulled him close. As she kissed him feverishly he slid his arms around her back, but it did not take long for him to stray downward. Sliding his hands over her smoothly curved backside he squeezed lightly, enjoying the feel of her pliant flesh.

Seeking contact with her silky skin he took hold of her tunic and lifted it up and over her head. She stood before him naked, breath heavy with anticipation. The fire cast a faint light against her rounded form, emphasizing the femininity of her well-proportioned body.

Jakal slipped his hands back to her bottom and once again took handfuls of her luscious curves within his grasp. "Woman, your soft body is exquisite," he moaned.

He moved his hands to the waist of his leggings, but Sala stopped him with her own hands. "Let me remove them for you," she offered, her voice low. Slowly she untied the thong and skimmed his skin with the supple leather as she freed him of his clothing.

As she squatted, the woman's eyes fixated on his jutting member. Despite knowing that he generally preferred to release joined with her body, she so enjoyed orally pleasuring him that she could not resist a taste of his manhood filling her mouth.

Sala pulled back his foreskin to reveal the bursting head, first blowing on it lightly with her hot breath. Jakal shivered as the stream of warm air stimulated the most sensitive area of his organ. With a satisfied smile she eagerly drew him into her mouth, focusing her efforts on the leaking tip.

After a time she brought him deeper and deeper inside, exploring his full length with her tongue. Using only her lips to hold him within her, she reached around to his muscular buttocks, feeling their strength as she grasped them with her hands. She pictured how his backside must look as he pumped in and out of her and she groaned, blazing with arousal.

Her vocalization vibrated against his shaft. "Ahhh," he groaned. "Ohhh, Sala..."

Turning her attention back to his stiff tool, Sala pulled back, licking and suckling him with enthusiasm. Feeling his body quake on the verge of reaching the pinnacle, she disengaged herself from his member, but not without giving the shuddering tip one last circling with her tongue.

"You brought me so close to the edge, I was not sure I could pull away from it," Jakal confessed before kissing her passionately, exploring her mouth with his searching tongue while his hands slid up to her supple breasts.

He felt her trembling under his fingers, arching her back, pressing herself into his cupped hands as he teased her tight nipples. Responding to her silent plea, he continued fondling her breasts and lowered his head to nibble the line from her neck to her shoulder.

Moving up to the platform, he drew the woman up to follow him and coaxed her onto her back atop the furs. Gently parting her legs, his manhood surged with excitement when found her burning for him, her juices wetting her thighs. Deciding to take a detour, he slid down between her legs, licking her inner thighs clean as she shivered and moaned with pleasure.

"Ohhh yesss," she sighed, kneading her aching nipples.

Jakal redirected his attention to her pouting folds, drawing them into his mouth and enjoying the delicate feel and unique taste of the woman who writhed under him. By the time he reached her erect node, she was already on the brink. Surrounding it with his lips, he slipped two fingers into her steamy opening. He suckled her nub for only a brief moment before she cried out, body jumping and jerking.

Sliding himself up along her soft curves, he kissed Sala, enjoying her moans as she tasted herself on his lips and tongue.