FSE

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Long before Sharra glimpsed a tall figure threading his way through the pines and boulders below her, his scent was carried to her sensitive nose by the gentle breeze swirling up the hill and through the trees. At the first hint of that very welcome scent, her ears perked up and her tail began to wag as though it had a mind of its own. She sniffed deeply of the unique aroma of her mate, sorting away in her mind all of the subtle markers that made it singular to him and him alone. A happy sigh escaped her and a smile grew on her muzzle. She fought the impulse to run headlong down the hill to greet him and instead perched her furry self on an outcrop of weathered grey stone and waited as patiently as she could for him, eyes, ears and nose eagerly tracking his progress.

Their Link was serene flow of calm thoughts and sensations in that moment. John was being as guarded as ever with his feelings yet she could sense a curious mix of emotions flowing forth from him. At the forefront of that wave was eager anticipation for their reunion. Sharra was certainly happy to feel that even though it was tempered by a strong sense of uncertainty. There was also concern, trepidation and a few other odd feelings all mixed up under the surface of his conscious thoughts which seemed unusual, even for one as strange as her human partner. After carefully sifting through the layers of thoughts and feelings that ebbed and flowed through their special bond, a growing sense that something profound had happened to her mate during his two days of solitary introspection strengthened in her mind.

At her touch her mate brightened perceptibly yet the unsettled core of his emotions remained unchanged. Curious as ever, Sharra gently probed deeper and was met with a surge of unexpectedly playful resistance. Surprised, she withdrew from their Link as John jokingly poked back and admonished her to be patient for another minute or two.

It was not any easy thing for her to do! Even though the peak of her Mad Season was several days behind her now, the hormones still surged in her veins and she missed him so much that all she could think of was being close to him again and feeling the warmth of his body against hers. She fidgeted constantly on her perch, even getting up to pace back and forth for a moment as time seemed to slow down as she awaited the reunion with her mate.

His enticing scent grew stronger and soon she was able to hear the sound of each of his footsteps as he approached. Even though it was only a moment, it felt like an eternity before he finally stood before her, a welcoming smile creasing the lines of his face.

“Hello, Sharra."

John stumbled as he was tackled by an ecstatic Tokkaran female. Sharra's tail was a blur and a wide, panting grin split her muzzle as the one she had waited so patiently for finally had come home. John, chuckled, his arms coming up to hold her tight. Sharra gave him a lick that stretched from chin to eyebrow and settled contentedly in against him, breathing in deeply of his soothing scent.

“You came back."

The human shifted his stance to look down at her.

“Of course I came back." He said, “After everything we've been through together I couldn't just disappear on you. I needed some time alone to think, that's all."

“Did you find the answers you were looking for?"

A long pause ensued and John's emotions in the Link grew twisted and strained.

“Those answers …" He swallowed convulsively, “They found me."

Sharra could hear the awe and disbelief in his voice. She pulled herself away from her mate and cocked her head, curiosity rising in her amber eyes. The muscles in John's arms were tense under her fingers.

“What happened?"

A distant look entered her mate's eyes. His jaw worked but he was silent for a span of time.

“I had another damned crazy dream, and I don't mean the one that you shared with me. But I'm pretty sure this one wasn't just a dream. Remember what happened to me after I made those charcoal drawings on the wall of our cave? This was the same damn thing only it wasn't the Mother that came to me this time."

Sharra's jaw dropped open, her eyes, wide. Awed, she reached up to hold John's face in her hands. She gently turned his head so she could look into his eyes. The look of helplessness that stared back at her was strong enough that her ears folded back and her wagging tail stilled.

“What did you see?" she whispered, almost afraid of the answer he would give.

“The unexpected." John's jaw clenched, teeth grinding. His eyes held an empty despair she hadn't seen in months and she felt the effort it took for him to force the words out. “I was back home, and at the place where my life finally began to turn for the better. I was working away and all of a sudden there was this other presence there with me. When he stepped from the shadows I knew right away who he was even though I'd never laid eyes on him before."

“The Father," Sharra breathed.

John nodded.

“Tough looking guy. I wouldn't want to tangle with him. Bet he could run a marathon then wrestle a moose into submission without even breaking a sweat."

“You are fortunate indeed!" Sharra couldn't keep the excitement from her voice. “To have been visited by both the Mother and the Father is an honour beyond comprehension!"

“Is it?" John grimaced. “I wish your so-called 'Gods' would stop taking such a personal interest in my life. It would be a hell of a lot better for my sanity."

Sharra couldn't help but snicker at that statement. John shot her a dark look.

“And the Father gave you the answers you sought?"

A thoughtful frown creased the human's face.

“He may have, but deep down I think the answers were within me all along. He just opened my eyes, pointed me in the right direction, and gave me a kick in the ass."

Some life seem to come back into John at that realization. He smiled at her and the tension that had ruled their Link earlier began to dissipate. He eased his pack and his bow off of his shoulder and dropped them gently to the ground. He turned away from her and knelt down, reaching into his pack.

“The Father was right about a lot but in this one thing he had a really good idea."

Sharra sniffed deeply, her curiosity piqued. She craned her head to look over her mate's shoulder.

“What are you—?"

“Hey! No peeking!"

Sharra's ears flicked back and she retreated a step. John stood slowly, an amused yet slightly worried grin fluid on the lines of his face. His right hand remained hidden behind his back. Sharra's ears came back up and she sniffed intently, cocking her head to the side. Seeing the intensely curious expression on his Linkmate's face and sensing the strength of it through the Link, John's expression softened. The grin on his lips betrayed a surprising warmth and his pale blue eyes glittered.

“Now that I'm pretty sure you're not going to beat the crap out of me for leaving you all alone when you needed me most, I have something for you."

John slowly brought his hand out from behind his back. Gripped gently in his huge fist was a small bunch of multicoloured flowers. Sharra's mouth opened slightly and she looked up at her human partner in surprise. The human grinned and continued speaking in a low and rumbling voice.

“Among my people, when a man does something idiotic and his girl suffers as a result, a gift of flowers is one way for him to apologize to her and try to make amends. It's an odd tradition, I know, and it's one I've never fully understood. I doubt it will mean to you what it means to the females of my own species but I don't know how else to say I'm sorry and how much I … care for you."

There was an odd hiccup in John's voice as he finished speaking and it was mirrored in his feelings through the Link. Gently Sharra reached out and took the proffered flowers. On an impulse she put her nose amongst the blossoms and inhaled deeply. She'd never paid much attention to flowers before and it was surprising to her how the subtle fragrances that swelled in her nose were both pleasing and relaxing. She closed her eyes for a moment and sighed, a happy smile growing on her muzzle. When she opened her eyes again, John was staring at her, a ghost of a smile curling his lips.

“An odd tradition for sure," Sharra said, “and one I also do not fully understand." She sniffed the flowers again, tail wagging. “But I do like it."

“I'm happy to hear that." John sounded relieved. “Finding flowers this time of year is no easy feat. It took me a long time just to find those few. You have no idea how worried I was that I wasn't going to find any and I'd have to show up empty handed. I figured that might not have been good for my health."

Sharra barked out a laugh and stared at her mate with a calculating grin.

“A wise conclusion."

A sudden thread of worry twisted through the Link and John's eyes widened. Sharra's grin just got bigger as she stared him down. She tried her best to keep her tail from wagging but it was a lost cause. Once John saw the traitorous appendage begin to wave he relaxed and a lopsided grin lifted the corner of his mouth.

“You had me going there for a minute. I've been worried about what you were going to do to me when I got back since this morning. I wasn't sure if you were going to rip my throat out or jump me and try to have your way with me."

“Mmmm…" Sharra rumbled, “That second option sounds like fun."

John just stared at her. The Link momentarily surged to life with dismay before he managed to gain control.

Sharra sighed, looking away as her ears went back. After everything that had happened he still wasn't ready. She could sense the trepidation in his thoughts as easily as she could read the uneasiness that suddenly gathered in the lines of his infinitely flexible face.

“I see you are still as stubborn as ever." She grunted, hands on her hips as she looked up into his eyes. “Come, let us return to the cave and eat. We have much to talk about."

She could feel John's eyes on her back as she walked away. She put a little extra sway into her hips to see if he would notice. Something rose in their Link, an indistinct feeling he was trying so hard to mask that only the slightest sensations of it reached her mind. A smirk formed on her muzzle when she took hold of that feeling and tugged hard, exposing it for what it was. It seemed that perhaps John wasn't completely immune to her charms after all. His confused embarrassment at the exposure of his nascent physical interest in her was a palpable thing in her mind and he stood rooted the spot for a moment before his feet crunched on loose shale as he followed her to their home.

#

Sharra had kept a small fire burning in the hearth at the mouth of the cave since the very first inkling of her mate returning to her had grown in their Link. She knew that he would be hungry after his long journey from the cabin and she wanted to surprise him with a meal when he returned.

She had hunted early this morning and brought home fresh meat. Two ruffed grouse had fallen beneath her claws after short hunts in the golden light of sunrise. These she had gutted and skinned, skewering them on two of John's failed arrow shafts. Had John been Tokarran, she would have saved the hearts and livers as a treat for him. Knowing his aversions to such delicacies, she had indulged herself and gobbled them down while still warm. She doubted her mate would mind. While she would have preferred they eat the birds while still warm after the kill, she knew John and his people had a healthy distaste for raw meat. Her bird she would warm beside the fire while his, with a little guidance, she would cook for him.

The sharing of food was an ancient ritual among her people with deep roots in long forgotten ancestors competing to survive in a harsh world. Food was life and to share that life giving sustenance was to show trust in the one you shared it with. To share a meal with a stranger in need was to forge a bond of friendship, while to refuse food to one wasted by hunger was a deadly insult. Among families shared meals reinforced familial bonds and brought everyone together, between clan members it strengthened the connections of the social hierarchy and reminded all that working together and sharing resources was important to survive.

Between mates, the sharing of a meal often had more subtle meanings beyond just the physical need for sustenance. It became an gesture of love and affection as mates hunted for their partner's favourite foods, often saving the choicest and tastiest bits from their kills for the one they loved. It was with this thought in mind that Sharra had hunted the grouse and saved them until John's return, despite her hunger for meat still warm and full of blood.

John sat down beside her at the fire, looking slightly uncomfortable. He sat close to her, but not close enough. She scooted closer to her mate and leaned into his shoulder, tail swishing over the stone behind her. John's hand came up and scratched behind her ears for a moment.

“I am so happy you are back." She sighed happily as the human's long, dexterous fingers worked through her pelt. “I missed you.'

“I missed you to, and more than I thought I would. Seems I'm not cut out for the single life anymore."

The pace of Sharra's wagging tail picked up at those words.

“Hungry?' she asked, picking up one of the skewered grouse.

“Starving."

“Good. I may require some help to cook this for you. I still have not figured out how to tell when it is done."

“It takes a little practice to get it right. Cooking over an open fire isn't easy."

Sharra placed the skewered bird over the coals, resting the ends of the spit on the knee high pillars of flat stone her mate had built on each side of the hearth explicitly for this purpose.

Silence took over in the cave as Sharra leaned back against her mate. John's fingers worked idly through the thick fur on the back of her neck. She sensed that the close contact with her, that the simple act of scratching his fingers through her pelt was slowly relaxing her partner. The link was a calm ebb and flow of contentment and Sharra welcomed that simple feeling as it washed over her senses. After the last two days of uncertainty it was the most wonderful thing in the world.

Grease sizzled on hot coals and soon the cave began to fill with the aroma of cooking grouse. Sharra found it to be a pleasant scent even though the idea of cooking meat was alien to her. She propped up the second bird close to the fire in order to warm it up to something close to body temperature. It was a poor substitute for the warmth of meat fresh from a kill but it would do.

Silence smothered the cave and John's emotions were indistinct beneath the weight of it. He continued to work his talented fingers through the thick fur on the back of her neck and shoulders but he offered no conversation. The Link betrayed deep thoughts just below the surface but little else. His faded blue eyes reflected the dancing light of the fire as he stared out the mouth of the cave, the slight curve of a whimsical smile playing on his lips. Sharra settled back into her mate with a contented sigh. She sought out his unoccupied hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

John favoured her with a sidelong glance, a fleeting smile on his lips.

“You might want to turn that bird."

Sharra leaned forward and turned the spit, anchoring it in its new position with flat slab of rock. When she leaned back John's fingers once again went to work.

“Smells good," he said.

“Oddly enough, it does."Sharra agreed. “But it would still taste better fresh from the kill."

“For you maybe, but eating it like that would only serve to make me sick."

Silence once again took over as Sharra sensed that John was in more of a mood to think instead of talk. A span of time passed and she reached out to turn the grouse over the fire once more. John produced his knife from his belt and began to sharpen it on a flat piece of stone.

A few minutes later, he tested the edge with his thumb.

“Good enough." He grunted, and set the blade down beside him. “I think that bird is probably done."

Sharra stood and deftly levered the grouse from its spot over the fire. It sizzled and steamed and she had to admit it really did smell better than it looked. It even smelled better than her own bird warming slowly beside the fire. She passed the cooked bird to John and he nodded his thanks to her with a smile. Plucking his knife from the hides beside him, he whittled off a chunk of his bird, popped it in his mouth and chewed enthusiastically.

“Tasty," he mumbled.

Sharra's tail swept the stone behind her.

“I am happy you like it."

“You've figured out how to cook. Maybe I should marry you."

Sharra's tail wagged harder and her ears perked up. Even though she sensed that John's words were meant in jest, she knew from the deep sharing of minds and memories that John had gifted her two months ago,

what the human word 'married' meant.

“Yes, you should." Sharra replied, her voice low and even.

John kept chewing, suddenly very interested in the patch of stone between his feet.

When he offered no reply, Sharra sighed and turned her attention to her own meal. John retreated once again into his own thoughts

For several minutes the only sounds in the cave were the crackling of the fire, and the sounds of eating occasionally punctuated by the crunching of hollow bones.

Their meal done, the leftover bones and gristle were tossed into the fire. John leaned back on his hands, a content expression settling on the lines of his face.

“That hit the spot," he said. “Thanks for the meal."

Sharra wagged her tail.

“You are very welcome."

Silence took over once again and after it dragged out for several minutes she made an effort to break the silence.

“You are awfully quiet this evening."

“Just doing some thinking. I have a lot on my mind."

“That much is obvious. Care to share some of those deep thoughts?"

John hesitated for a moment, lips pursed, pale eyes lost in the sunset over the distant mountains.

“I hardly even know where to begin. Once again someone who claims to be a God has turned my whole world on its ear." Another long pause ensued as John tried to find the right words. “I now have a bit of information as to why I was brought here and I don't know what the hell to think about it."

Sharra's ears perked up.

“It's tough for me to explain in a way you will understand but apparently I was brought here to give something to your people. The Father said that he and the Mother have been working a long time to guide your species towards some nebulous future that only they can see. In his words, you and I are 'the nexus from which that future will spring'."

Sharra was so shocked by that statement that it took a while for her to realize that her mouth was hanging open. John chuckled at her expression.

“Yeah, that was pretty much my reaction too."

“But what does that mean?"

“Damned if I know, but combined with a couple other things I was told I think it means if I you and I …" John gestured futilely with his hands, grasping for the the right words. “… Get it on while your Mad Season is still upon you there may be some … unexpected consequences."

Sharra cocked her head.

“Like what?"

“Children."

Hope lurched in Sharra's breast and she was so stunned that she nearly forgot to breathe. Her ears wilted and her jaw worked but she could find no words. Could it really be possible? She had given up on the idea of ever being a mother when the Link had sprung to life between her and John. For much of her adult life she had wanted that one thing more than anything but what her mate was telling her seemed so far fetched that she hardly dared believe it was possible.

John's pale eyes scrutinized her with startling intensity, gauging her reactions. The cave was silent save for the crackle and pop of the fire. The human reached past her to add fresh fuel to the flames. His eyes settled on her again, searching, questioning. Sharra's tail began to wag, slowly at first but quickly picking up speed. A tear crawled down from the corner of her eye. John's eyebrows drew together and he was caught by surprise as she wrapped her arms around him and buried her head against his chest. His arms came up to hold her close as he suddenly understood these were tears of joy, not sadness.

“I thought you might like that. But, it does change things. For both of us." He cautioned.

Sharra tilted her muzzle up to him and he gently wiped the tears from her fur, a warm smile softening the lines of his alien face.

“This is a dream come true." She whispered.

A sigh escaped her mate and resignation crept into his words. “I figured you'd say something like that."

“When the Link formed between us I thought I would never be able to have my own pups."

“I can imagine that's a tough pill to swallow for any female."

“But now … I can hardly believe it is possible." Sharra could only shake her head.

John's face screwed up into a weird expression. “Before you get ahead of yourself, I only think it's possible. It fits the pattern but I could be wrong for all I know. For us to be able to have children together is something that should be impossible. Two completely different species are not be able to mate and produce any offspring. Genetics doesn't allow things like that." The human took a deep breath before continuing. “If it is a real thing I think your Gods have been doing a little tinkering with me behind the scenes, which is terrifying in its own right, but wouldn't surprise me at this point. Hell, after what I've been through, nothing surprises me anymore."

John's voice drifted off and he shook his head.

“God knows what our kids would end up looking like." he muttered. “Hopefully a hell of a lot more like you than me."

A wide eyed stare was all Sharra could come up with as a reply for that statement.

“An interesting thought." She said. “And you are right. This does change things."

“How so?"

“If our mating has a chance of producing pups we must make sure we are prepared for it and have their best interests in mind. Creating new life is not a decision to take lightly."

John breathed a sigh of relief.

“I'm happy you think that way. I was wondering if you would be able to understand that in your current state."

“Just because the Mad Season is upon me does not mean I am some kind of wild animal in heat." She snapped. “Pups are a precious gift. To bring new life into the world is to take on a great responsibility."

“Okay, okay." He relented, hands up, palms facing out. “We're on the same page by the sounds of it. At any rate, I'm not ready to be a father."

Sharra's ears wilted.

“But-"

“Sharra." John said sharply, an exasperated sigh escaping past his clenched jaw. “We've been together for what, six maybe seven months? I barely even know what you are, never mind who you are. It's just the two of us and it's been hard enough for us to survive until now. Winter is fast approaching and you're a far better hunter than I. How do you think we'll fare when you are no longer able to hunt and an extra mouth arrives in the spring? Assuming we survive that, what kind of life is the kid going to have stranded out here in the wilderness with no one else around? What happens to our child if one of us gets hurt or dies? Nothing good, that's for sure." John shook his head. “One day I may be ready to have children but I don't think here and now is the right time."

Sharra took a deep breath and let it out slowly, eyes downcast. At length she nodded.

“You are correct," she admitted. “but there is a way to address all of those problems."

The human drew back, brow furrowing. “Really? How the hell do you figure that?"

“We could return to my people."

There it was, finally out in the ope. John drew back from her, eyes wide, and she sensed that her words had caught him by surprise. The expressions that crossed over his face were inscrutable. Flowing and merging together like the waters of the river in the depths of the valley, his expression finally settled into something that might have been pensive uncertainty. Silence reigned for a long moment before he began speaking again.

“Now that's an interesting thought. I know it was just your Clan killed in the fire but I always had it in my head if there were other people close by you would have fled to them instead of coming here."

“There are others." She said slowly. “Most of them are friendly to those of my Clan."

John leaned back, long fingers stroking through his beard.

“Guess I should have known. Do you want to return to your people?"

“Yes." Sharra whispered, eyes rising to meet his.

“But," John spoke evenly, “Something is holding you back."

“It is late in the season to begin the journey. The trip is difficult and it would take two, maybe three months of hard traveling for us to reach the lands I once called home. Some of the rivers I had to cross …" Sharra shuddered involuntarily. “With winter drawing near I am not sure if you would survive the trip."

“Fair enough."

“I am also uncertain as to how others of my kind will react to you. Many will no doubt be afraid. Others may hate you. Beyond that it is hard to say what might happen. I believe most will think you beneath them in the Clan hierarchy but a rare few may see you for what you truly are and the knowledge you could bring to them. One or two may even grow to call you 'friend'."

“Wonderful." John grimaced, sarcasm all too evident in his voice. “It took me long enough enough just to get used to you. I'm not sure if I could cope with a whole clan of your people."

“We may not have a choice."

“Really?' John snapped, eyes narrowing. “There's always a choice and I'll be damned if I'm going to choose to put myself into a situation that's going to be worse than the one I'm in now."

Sharra's ears folded back.

“I did not mean it like that ... I just … sometimes I get lonely. For my own kind, I mean. I miss being around people and the sense of community clan life brings with it. I miss having friends and playing with the pups of the Clan."

John sighed and ground his teeth. Sharra could sense through their Link that the truth of her words had hit home.

“But what about me? What happens if I just can't hack being with a large group of your people? What happens if they decide I'm good to eat?" John shook his head slowly. “I have to admit the whole idea terrifies me."

“I understand your fears. But, if our mating produces pups a Clan of my people would be the best and safest place for them to grow and learn." Sharra said in a quiet voice. A frustrated growl escaped her mate and his eyes became stony as the wheels turned between his ears.

“True enough," he conceded after a moment. “But you're holding on to the hope that us mating will actually happen. There's a lot of 'ifs' in this whole equation. It takes two to tango, you know, and I'm still a little weirded out about the whole idea not only of us having sex but being able to have children."

Sharra's ears went back and her eyes pleaded with him. John drew in a troubled breath and released it slowly. His trademark crooked grin slowly came to life and his eyes softened.

“What am I supposed to do with you?" He said tenderly, the grin remaining on his lips. “That 'sad puppy' look you're giving me is tough to ignore."

“You could just go where your heart is leading you. Our Link is telling me a far different story than your words are."

John's grip on the Link tightened and his thoughts became opaque. He stared at her evenly.

“You're too damed perceptive for your own good."

Sharra wagged her tail, a happy grin curving the lines of her muzzle.

“I know how much you care for me. While your mind may not have completely accepted the reality of what must happen between us, your soul has embraced it. A mate and a family is something you too have always desired. I have sensed this truth from you many times."

“Sometimes I wonder if you know me better than I know myself." John muttered as he straightened up. “You're right, a mate and a family is something I do want at one point in my life. However I've always thought they would be human, and that's why your Mad Season and potential consequences of it have thrown me for a loop." He paused to take a deep breath and collect his thoughts. “Now that the possibility of actually having a family seems to be real I'm just calling for a bit of caution, that's all. I know how much you want children but you can't rush decisions like that, especially when it's just the two of us in a survival situation. Say we decide to head back to your people in the spring. Do you really want to attempt that journey with a newborn?"

Sharra sagged and shook her head. “That would be a poor idea at best. As usual, you look farther into the future than I and often see problems I do not."

“The way I see it we have the whole winter to think about it and decide what we're going to do."

“I know, but my dreams are so close I can almost smell them. It is so hard to wait!"

A sympathetic expression crossed John's face and he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.

“There's an ancient proverb among my people that says 'good things come to those who wait'."

Sharra placed her hand on top of John's.

“The patient hunter will find success," she echoed.

John inclined his head.

“That's an interesting way of putting it."

“I know we must wait, it is just ... difficult to do so, especially with the Season still singing in my blood. The desires in my head and heart can be almost unbearably strong."

“How much longer is this 'Mad Season' of yours supposed to last anyway?"

“Most of it should pass within six or seven days. It would be wise to wait another seven days after that."

“Wait? For what?" John's brow furrowed.

“For us to have a little fun." Sharra grinned. She opened up the Link to her mate and let her intimate desires out to play as she ran a hand slowly up the inside of his thigh. The Link exploded with activity when her desires invaded John's thoughts and touched the nascent arousal there.

Caught by surprise, John froze, an odd, open mouthed, wide-eyed expression on his face. As much as he tried to clamp down on the Link Sharra could sense the pleasurable tingle that her touch and her desire had sent coursing through his body and soul.

“Sharraaaa …?"he squeaked, voice rising in pitch as he fought against the arousal that suddenly and unexpectedly rose through his body. Sharra grinned a lascivious grin. He was responding! Even after everything she had felt from him she still had not been sure how he would react when the time came. It was a good sign, and one she had hoped desperately for but sadly, now was not the right time. A battle within ensued as she fought her desires to a standstill, her hand stopping short and the grin fading from her muzzle.

A note of stunned surprise remained in John's pale eyes for a long moment after Sharra withdrew her hand. He swallowed convulsively a couple of times and blinked, trying to clear his head. Sharra chuckled and wagged her tail.

“See?" she nudged him playfully with her elbow, “That was not so bad, was it?"

John was at a complete loss for words. His mouth worked as he stared at her but that was all. Sharra laughed and pulled him into hug. He was as rigid as a tree in her arms.

“You need to loosen up," she murmured in his ear, “You are far too tense."

She playfully nipped his earlobe and the human nearly jumped out of his skin. Releasing him with a quick lick to the chin, Sharra leaned back and smiled at her human mate.

John was quiet for a long time, watching her with startled grey eyes.

“That," he finally said, “was interesting."

Sharra laughed.

“Not what you expected?"

“No." John shook his head in wonder. “Not even close."

“Just a little taste of what awaits you in fourteen days

John's blue-grey eyes grew troubled and tension grew in his expression as he clenched his jaw.

“I'm still not so sure about this-"

“Oh come on!" Sharra barked, glaring at him as sudden frustration took hold. “Even after that you still resist? You are the most stubborn male I have ever heard of."

John shrugged, a sad, helpless expression flowing across his features. Had he been Tokarran, his ears would have been back and his tail tucked low.

“It's no fault of yours Sharra. It's all on me and that's just the way I am."

Sharra snarled, a flash of white teeth glinting beneath her lips.

“It must suck to be you."

John sighed and stared out the mouth of the cave. Sharra could sense turbulent feelings of shame, sorrow, and even a subtle touch of desire warring within their Link.

“Some days it does." He spoke quietly and evenly, trying to clamp down on the feelings that stormed within. “I'll make you a deal. Give me a bit more time and some space to come to grips with this new aspect of our relationship and one day soon I'll give you what you want, Assuming I can even figure out where to begin. I have a feeling the buttons I'm used to pushing for a woman aren't going to work on you."

“You had better figure it out within fourteen days." She growled, unamused by her mate's dogged procrastination. “After that it is going to happen whether you like it or not."

John turned to her, one eyebrow raised. She could sense him probing their Link trying to determine the truth behind her words.

“I will try." He said, plucking her her hands from her lap. “By the way, just because I'm being a stubborn ass doesn't mean that I don't care for you. I know it's tough for you to understand at this point but I have to be sure that if we're going to be … mates and raise a family it will be because I want to not because it's been ordained by some so called 'Gods'."

As much as she wanted to, Sharra couldn't argue against that.

“I love you." She said, “Never forget that. I know you struggle with our differences but this is something I need from you. Mating is nothing to be afraid of. It is as natural and as important as breathing. It is also a lot more fun."

She grinned.

“That last part I know." John replied, brightening slightly. “We'll see what happens over the next two weeks."

#

Long shadows angled over the rocky ground as a lazy sun lifted above the ridge behind the cave. Frost glittered on tufts of grass and thin fingers of ice crawled out from the edges of every puddle. The fog of my breath caught the morning light as it drifted slowly down the hill towards the valley. I rubbed my hands together and stretched, shivering as the chilly morning air bit through my worn clothing.

Sharra stood at my side, ears twitching at the sounds of a late summer sunrise. She looked far happier than I thought someone should look when confronted with the first frost of the year. Then again, only one day remained out of her two week timeline for me to get my shit together so maybe that was the reason for the happy and content feelings I sensed from her through our Link. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know. On the bright side of things, her hormones had finally calmed down over the last week and she had mostly reverted back to the Sharra I knew and cared for deeply.

I had to give her credit for her actions following my return from my introspective retreat to the old cabin. Far from the pushy, physical teasing and pressure through our Link that I was expecting, she showed surprising strength in mastering her desires and did her best to let me come to grips with my slightly uncomfortable and certainly odd situation without trying to influence my thoughts and desires. It was an unexpected surprise and I liked and respected her better for it.

I caught my partner's eye and smiled at her. Her eyes met mine with a quick sidelong glance. A smile grew on her muzzle and the tip of her tail wagged before she turned away. She stepped forward a couple of steps, leaned forward and stretched her lithe body, giving me an ample view of her furry yet surprisingly shapely posterior. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught me looking. Her ears relaxed and a teasing grin lit up her muzzle. She struck a sultry hands on hips pose, slowly wagging her tail at me as she gave me her best come hither look.

I quickly glanced away when I felt heat creep up my face. Sharra's chuckle reached my ears and her mirth lit up our Link.

“Yeah, real funny hairball. Last I checked I still have one day left."

“I know."

She grinned brightly as she stepped towards me. Her voice dropped to a low whisper as stopped at my side and curled her arms around my shoulders. Her breath was warm on my ear as she rested her muzzle on my shoulder. “But I do love it when you look at me."

“Uh …"

Sharra's ears perked up, a playful spark dancing in her eyes.

“I know you were looking. The Link betrayed your thoughts to me."

The heat began to rise on my face again.

“… Maybe I was."

Sharra's tail swished slowly from side to side.

“Did you like what I showed you?"

And that was an interesting question, and one that left me at a loss for words. For some reason, I actually had enjoyed the view Sharra so generously offered and for the life of me I couldn't understand why. My brain shouldn't have been wired to find Sharra's fur covered, long tailed and flat chested figure attractive in that sense even if it was somewhat vaguely human shaped in a few of the right places.

I was silent for a moment, trying to wrap my brain around this sudden realization. The longer I stayed silent, the bigger the smile on my partner's muzzle grew as the Link once again betrayed my thoughts to her. With a wagging tail and a brief snicker she licked me on the cheek and detached herself from my shoulder.

“You are so cute when you are embarrassed."

That earned a dark look from me. Sharra snorted at that.

“Okay, I get it. I will leave you alone for the rest of the day."

“I'd appreciate that."

Sharra rolled her eyes and then stared off into the distance, hands on her hips. A frown grew on her muzzle and the playfulness that had ruled our Link earlier fled.

“Let us go for a hunt. I am hungry."

“Fantastic idea."

A quick trip back into the cave for my bow, knife and a quiver with a half dozen of my best arrows and I was ready to go. I gestured to the main trail that led down in to the valley.

“Lead on, fuzzball."

Our feet followed a familiar trail that had we had traveled many times. Welcome for even a momentary distraction from my romantic troubles, I immersed myself in the hunt as I trailed Sharra through a forest slowly waking from the night. I watched my partner with intense interest as she stalked through the trees, knowing that it was likely she who would find game before I did. When she stopped to sniff the shifting air currents, I did the same even though my sense of smell was nearly non-existent compared to hers. Every time I did so, a strange thing happened. I'd begun to notice over the last two weeks that hints of what Sharra scented on the wind often filtered down through our Link to me. Much to my disappointment I found I lacked the experience to interpret what those subtle traces actually meant. Maybe in time I would be able to figure them out but for now I found those dim, unfamiliar odours more confusing than anything else.

A similar thing had been happening with Sharra's keen hearing. When I concentrated hard or when we worked together hunting, I had been noticing this odd feedback overlapping certain sounds that reached my ears. Again, it was a new thing that I'd only noticed for the last couple weeks. I had this eerie sense that I was hearing sounds that I shouldn't have been able to, mostly high pitched noises that would have been far out of the range of my normal human hearing, the key word here being 'normal'. The Link had apparently changed what normal meant and I began to wonder if it was changing me in other subtle and nebulous ways. Something was happening, that was for sure and it was unsettling as hell. I didn't know whether to embrace it or be terrified.

The Mother and the Father had both warned me that taking on this new life would require me to accept the changes that would come with it. On some level I wondered if I'd even had a choice in the matter. I tried to remember the person I was before I was brought to this world, the life that I had lived, and was startled when I realized that those memories had become as faded and as thin as the tattered blue jeans I wore.

Concentrating on the hunt, Sharra left me alone with my thoughts. Our Link was strong in my mind yet quiet as each of us concentrated on separate things and the sense of our bond was bright and keen like the edge of a freshly sharpened knife.

We drifted through the forest like ghosts, making no more noise than the wind in the trees. Sharra's furry, clawed feet stepped lightly through the mossy forest floor. My worn hiking boots followed in her steps, the blinding difference between the two looming large in my mind.

A sudden dizziness seized me, a heightened awareness suddenly rising within. I nearly stumbled but caught myself against a pine sapling as unfamiliar and exciting sensations spun through my mind, stimulated by the strange and distant scents that reached my nose.

The forest became an encircling blanket of green wrapped in the soothing scent of pine resin and a creeping, uncertain euphoria stole over me. The strung bow in my left hand was forgotten. Mosquitoes buzzed and sweat suddenly trickled down my forehead. My thoughts swam oddly between the real and the unfathomably strange. One moment, all was as it should be, and the normal, human sensed scents of a conifer forest swirled through my mind. The next instant I was plunged into a world of incomprehensible odours. Some were stark and piercing while others were subtle and nebulous, yet profoundly deep. Those unfamiliar scents grew in magnitude, overwhelming my poor senses. For one weird and unsettling instant my skin crawled and then suddenly the sensation was gone as quickly as it came.

My toe caught a protruding root. The resulting stumble made me halt and shake my head, blinking rapidly, trying to clear my thoughts. Sharra looked back over her shoulder at me, questions stealing into her thoughts and her eyes before she returned her attention to the hunt. A moment later a stronger whiff of a sharp and pungently unfamiliar scent curled in to my nose on a shifting undercurrent of air that drifted in from my left. Instantly, a cold sweat stole over me and my hands became clammy. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and it felt like the rest of my skin was doing its best to turn inside out.

Unconsciously my fingers plucked an arrow from my quiver. A strange and darkly familiar murmur from the deepest recesses of my mind whispered urgently in my thoughts.

The Silent Danger stalks from the shadows. Sharp teeth and grasping claws. The Hunters are now the Hunted.

I'd felt and heard that alien voice before. It was the same one that had directed me to build the bow that I held in my hands. Despite coming from deep within my mind it was not part of me.

Sharra began to turn towards me, sensing the sudden shift in my emotions through our Link. I could see the question that she wouldn't have time to voice in the set of her ears and the stillness of her tail. Everything played out in slow motion and my fingers brought arrow to string.

I saw it in that single, fractured moment. The thing that had triggered a such strange and primal fight or flight response through senses heightened far beyond the level any human could experience. A tawny brown patch glimpsed through the branches of the pines fifteen paces off to my left and slightly behind me. In that accelerated instant of horrified realization that tawny form uncoiled from its hiding place, knotted muscles bulging under tan fur.

In that strange, detached moment, as my arms raised the bow and I drew the arrow back, one thought came to my mind.

I don't like cats.

The cougar was heading straight at me. It had been lying in wait, hidden low in the wealth of soft moss and Labrador Tea as Sharra led the way through the forest, oblivious to the danger lurking in the shadows of the trees. A fluke current of the wind had brought its scent to my nose only and Sharra had simply walked on past it. The cougar paid no attention to her. Perhaps it was so fixated on me that it completely ignored Sharra, or perhaps it knew better than to go after her. Regardless, after we had passed it, the big cat launched from its hiding place with lunch on its mind.

A terrified cry rose in my throat as I loosed the arrow from my bow. As fate would have it my panicked shot glanced off of a sapling and missed the target entirely. The cougar never even twitched as the arrow sailed harmlessly past its side.

I saw eternity in the intense focus of those golden eyes and my soul recoiled from it. There was no time to draw my knife. Instead I wielded my bow like a club. Fear gave me strength and with a yell I prepared to swing it down on my attacker with every shred of strength I could muster.

White hot rage suddenly flooded my Link with Sharra and in that last, strange and fluid second before the cougar reached me, a spear sailed a hair's breadth over the cat's back followed closely by a snarling grey missile. Sharra slammed into the cat's side a scant step in front of me, knocking the cougar off balance and sending it spinning into the underbrush. Sharra went with it, teeth bared, ears back, hands clutching at tawny fur and snarling like the devil incarnate.

Yowls of rage from the cougar and vicious snarling from Sharra rang loud in my ears. Chunks of moss were torn up and flung far and wide. Tufts of fur drifted through the air and clung to pine branches. I was so stunned by this sudden turn of events that I stood rooted to the spot, mouth hanging open. When my senses returned I threw my bow to the side, drew my knife and sprang into the fray, seeking to find purchase for my blade in the tawny form of the cat but I was forced to hold back. Sharra and the cougar were moving so fast that I was terrified of accidentally stabbing my mate. I dodged and weaved as they thrashed about, trying desperately to draw the cougar's attention away from Sharra. I searched constantly for an opportunity to slash or stab but it was just too risky. My opening finally came when the cat twisted and hooked needle claws into Sharra's arm as she clung to her foe, teeth buried in its side at the point where shoulder met neck. She lost her grip and the cougar managed to throw her off her feet. With a muffled yip of pain she spun heavily to the forest floor and the cougar closed in for the kill. In the split second before it could pounce on top of her. I sprang forward, grabbed the cat's tail in my left hand and yanked back as hard as I could, stabbing down at its tail with the knife clenched in my right hand. With an unearthly scream of pain and rage the cougar forgot all about Sharra. It spun around with lightning speed and swatted at me. I dropped its tail and jumped back but it was too fast. I felt a tug at my chest as its claws clipped through my jacket and I staggered away. My unorthodox attack wasn't what I'd hoped for but it turned out to be enough. My distraction allowed Sharra to gain the upper hand. She'd lost her knife during the battle but as I backpedaled away from the cougar she rose up from the ground, teeth bared in a wicked snarl of rage and with a stout tree branch as thick around as my arm clenched in her hands. Her fury burned like a supernova in my mind as she jumped forward two strides and clobbered the cougar over the top of the head with the branch as hard as she could.

The stick broke over the cat's head with a heavy thunk. I was pretty sure I heard its teeth clack together The cougar let out a weird half growl, half yipe sound and stumbled off, shaking it's head. With a hateful snarl Sharra hurled the rest of the branch at it. The stick thumped into its ribs and the cougar lurched another step away from us and blinked groggy eyes. Blood trickled down its shoulder and it looked back and forth between Sharra and I. I stepped beside my mate, knife clutched in a death grip in case the cat renewed its attack, but I needn't have worried. The intensity was gone from the cougar's eyes, replaced with a flickering uncertainty as its gaze moved back and forth between Sharra and I. The odds were no longer in its favour and with single jump it melted away into the forest.

I could hardly believe it was over even though the whole episode had taken maybe thirty seconds. Adrenaline still sang in my veins and my heart hammered in my chest. I felt weak and lightheaded as my head swam in a sea of strange scents. I could smell the coppery tang of fresh blood and the pungent scent of the cougar still hung heavy in the air. Above all of that was the reassuring, pleasing and subtly enticing scent of my mate. I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of these new sensations from between my ears. When that didn't work I turned uncertain eyes to my saviour and for the first time since I met Sharra on that winter day so long ago I saw her in a new light. She had shifted position so she was in front of me, placing herself in between the retreating cat and I. She was all puffed up from the battle. The fur on her neck, shoulders and on a line down the center of her back was standing on end and it made her look far larger and more intimidating than I ever would have thought possible. Her beautiful ears were fully perked as she tracked the sounds of the cougar retreating through the forest. Her hackles lifted in a snarl, revealing her perfect white teeth and a low, threatening growl rumbled up from the depths of her chest. She was crouched at the ready, almost like a sprinter waiting for the shot of the starter and every muscle was tense. A trickle of blood marred her left shoulder where the cougar's claws had found purchase in her flesh. More blood stained the short fur on her left forearm. I couldn't tell if it was hers or whether it had come from the cougar. Her low growl was suddenly interrupted as she coughed and spit out a large tuft of tawny fur.

The thoughts and feelings that coursed through the Link from Sharra to me were nothing short of primal and thrilling.

Mate is in danger. Must protect. Defend until the threat is gone.

I blinked in surprise at the power of the emotions that suddenly seized me. Awe, wonder, and a nearly crippling worry about her safety combined with profound gratitude that she had risked herself to save me from serious injury were a swirling mess between my ears. In her puffed up, defensive posture, Sharra was magnificent and beautiful all at once and in that fleeting, highly charged moment the dam I'd kept in place between us for the last month finally broke. In that cresting wave of emotional feedback I suddenly realized that somehow, somewhere over the last month the respect and friendship I held for this furry friend of mine had grown into love. But there was something else underneath that stunning realization of love, there was an all encompassing sense that the two of us had truly become one through the trials of the last six months. A strange sensation swelled in my chest as I suddenly understood that this wonderfully brave and odd furball had become my partner, my other half, my mate.

That realization was like the ring of a gong in our Link. Sharra's low growl suddenly ended with an 'urk'. She started, head spinning around and astonished amber eyes regarded me from an inhuman face.

Another astonishing revelation hit me in that moment. Those alien eyes set in that grey and black masked white face and framed by softly furred triangular ears, they were as inhuman as anything I'd ever seen. Yet, despite that, I'd grown to understand what a special and unique treasure this fluffy, wolf-like person was.

I grinned at her, a happy grin full of warmth that was completely out of place in the aftermath of the previous minute of insanity. That grin grew sheepish the longer my partner stared incredulously at me.

“Yeah, I'm an idiot." I said as I allowed my unspoken thoughts to flood unrestrained through our Link.

Sharra's jaw dropped open and her ears wilted. She was coming down from her adrenalin fueled battle high and weakness began to take over as the reality of what had just transpired in the last minute set in. As the enormity of my revelation struck her I could sense she was confused and relieved, but also very happy. A whine escaped her as she stumbled over and wrapped her arms around me, her head firmly against my chest. I returned the embrace without hesitation, quietly stroking fur on top her head and her beautiful, soft ears.

“I love you, you crazy hairball. I can truly say that now. I'm sorry it took me so long to get that figured out."

At my words, Sharra began to cry. I just held her tight and took solace in the fact that these were happy tears.

“I owe you one too. You just took on a really pissed off cat that was a good bit bigger than you, and holy shit was that one of the wildest and craziest things I've ever seen! I didn't know you had that in you. If you hadn't tackled it just before it got to me I'd have been in a world of hurt. Thanks for saving my sorry ass."

On an impulse, I kissed the top of her head. Sharra shuddered and hugged me tighter. The feelings that flowed from her were a wonderful and loving combination of ecstasy and relief that was tough not to get lost in. It was only the twinge of pain from my chest that flared when I shifted positions that brought my thoughts back to reality.

I gently disentangled myself from Sharra's embrace.

“Are you OK?"

Sharra sniffled and nodded her head.

“I think so. My arm hurts but I do not think it is anything serious."

“Let me have a look."

Sharra endured my searching fingers without so much as a flinch. A quick inspection of her arm turned up some nasty looking torn skin over her deltoid muscle courtesy of the cougar's claws. A few superficial scratches and a couple shallow tooth punctures on her wrist rounded out her injuries. Not bad for diving into a scrap where she was seriously outclassed in size and weaponry.

“I think you'll be fine once I clean you up. There's no serious damage that I can see."

Sharra didn't offer up a reply. Her amber eyes were fixed on my chest. She suddenly grabbed my jacket and yanked it open. I looked down to see the front of my sweatshirt had been torn open by the cougar's claws. Blood had spattered the fabric at the lower edges of the tear.

“You are hurt!" She cried.

“It's just a scratch."

I couldn't see anything but the top of Sharra's head as she surveyed the damage. Her ears went back slightly and I winced as her rough fingers probed my chest. I didn't think that was a good sign.

“Could be worse." She said “We are done with hunting for the day. I need to get you patched up before infection takes root."

I didn't argue. We both knew well the dangers of infection.

We set about to find our weapons which had been strewn about during the battle. In doing so, my mate discovered a rather gruesome trophy.

“John …" Her voice held an element of awe and surprise that caught my attention.

I turned to see Sharra holding up a chunk of the cougar's tail almost as long as my forearm.

There was wonder in her eyes as she looked at me and beneath that I could feel the warmth of her love for me flowing through our Link. A canine grin lit up her face and her tail began to wag.

“I wondered how you managed to get its attention so completely. Now I understand. That cat will think twice before going after you again."

“I sure hope so!"

“This token has Power," Sharra said in a low voice. “A trophy won in battle protecting your mate from harm, it must be displayed for all to see in our home. That way its story can be told and people will know of your fierce devotion to your mate. Had you not jumped in when you did it would have been I that would have been in 'a world of hurt'".

“We're a good team."

I slipped my arm around her shoulder. I couldn't take my eyes off the chunk of cougar tail Sharra held. I suddenly became aware of the stickiness of blood on my hands and I took solace in knowing it wasn't mine.

Sharra pulled away from me, her tail wagging grin brightening up even more. She gently tucked the trophy in among the arrows in my quiver.

“We are that." She said, and the flow of emotions through our Link told me just how important that idea was to her. When I felt the deep-to-the-core belief that it was true from my mate it was my turn to grin.

“Come," she said, gently guiding me back the way we came. “We must return home to lick our wounds. Hunting can wait for another day."

#

“I still do not understand how I missed scenting that cat." Sharra growled in frustration as she sat cross legged on several layers of soft hides she and John had placed at the mouth of the cave. The tone of her voice made John look up from where he sat beside her, bent to the task of cleaning dried blood out of the fur on her shoulder.

“They can be sneaky, those things. I've heard of them going after people before but I never thought I'd have the bad luck to be on the wrong end of an encounter with one. I've never liked cats much and I like them even less now that one tried to have me for lunch."

“My Clan has lost members to their stealth and hunger." Sharra slowly shook her head and old sadness well up in her thoughts. “Sometimes a young pup that strayed too far from the safety of the village was taken. Cougars are masters of stealth and can be tough to spot and the young are often distracted. Still," The frustrated growl made a resurgence. “This one I should have scented. It was close and the wind was favourable. How did you manage to spot it? The feelings I sensed from you just before it attacked were something new to me."

John leaned back from her and she sensed him trying to collect his thoughts. A blackened pot full of steaming water sat at the edge of the fire at his elbow. Another pot of water sat at the edge of the fire, boiling furiously. Shortly, he dropped the remnant of cloth he had been using to clean her wounds into the closest pot. Tendrils of red bled from the cloth to turn the water a murky red.

“Honestly, I don't know."

His voice was distant and he suddenly looked away from her, pale eyes scanning the world outside the mouth of the cave. It was late afternoon and the light grew warm as the sunk sank slowly towards the horizon.

“I think something is happening to me." His voice was tight and his thoughts were unsettled, the Link betraying the deep apprehension that he felt.

“Something … happening?" Shara cocked her head. “How do you mean?"

“It's not easy to explain." John sighed, his eyes still focused on the line of distant mountain peaks visible out through the mouth of the cave.

“I've noticed some differences over the past couple weeks. The changes began slowly enough but they seem to be getting stronger."

John's feelings through the link twisted into a tight knot.

“I could smell it Sharra. I shouldn't have been able to, but I could! At first I thought it was an echo of your senses filtering through the Link to me but it wasn't. It passed through my own nose and it made my skin crawl when I smelled it. I had no idea what that scent was but a strange voice in the back of my head warned me of danger."

Her mate's voice trailed off and his hands clenched into fists.

“My eyesight is better than yours but even I didn't even see the damn thing until it started moving."

“Yet you knew it was there."

John nodded.

“That one whiff of it gave me the chance to get an arrow on bowstring. If it hadn't been for that voice in my thoughts warning me of danger I doubt I would have known it was there until it was on top of me."

The human picked up a stick and used it to pluck the rag from the pot of steaming hot water. With one huge hand he squeezed the excess water from it. Sharra watched his face closely, seeing the struggle she felt in his thoughts mirrored on that familiar yet so alien visage.

“You did well to get that chance. Few do when a cougar has marked them."

John looked up sharply, pale eyes glistening in the light from the mouth of the cave.

“I had some help when I needed it the most." The grin that creased his face and lit up those faded blue eyes set Sharra's tail to wagging.

“I love you."

A burst of warmth stormed through the link and the expression on John's face softened. He held her gaze for a long moment, eyes never wavering.

“I love you too." He said softly, “And I owe you an apology. I pushed my feelings for you deep within and tried to pretend they weren't real. It was wrong of me to do that."

Sharra stared at her mate, tail slowly sweeping the hides behind her. The smile on her muzzle grew until it was evident in her eyes and her ears. An echoing smile appeared on John's face and his pale eyes glittered.

“Let me see your arm." He said.

Sharra was amazed at the tenderness displayed on the human's face and the gentleness in his touch as he sponged the blood from the short fur on her wrist and forearm. As he worked he kept talking in a low voice.

“My hearing is changing too." John bit his lip and paused for a moment in his cleaning of her wounds. “I have this feeling that I can hear things that I shouldn't be able to, mostly higher pitched noises. At first I though it was our Link messing with me once again but I'm not sure anymore."

Sharra nodded slowly.

“I sensed a touch of that right before the cougar went after you. I do not know what to make of it at. It came from deep within you but that is all I can tell you."

John dropped the rag into the water and stirred it around with the stick. A touch of embarrassment coloured his thoughts before he started speaking again.

“And then there's the things I feel when I look at you." John couldn't meet her eyes. He just stared into the fire, his voice was hesitant. “There's an … attraction there at times, a physical thing … and I'm not sure what to think about it at this point. It's something that has grown in strength since my talk with that damned Father god of yours."

Sharra's grinned, tail thumping against the floor of the cave. She reached out and took one of John's large hands into hers and pulled gently, coaxing him to look at her. Reaching into the Link with her thoughts, she did what she could to ease her mate's embarrassment.

“I have felt that too." She smiled softly at her mate. “It is not a bad thing and I am not unhappy about it. Quite the opposite in fact."

“I never would have guessed," John said wryly, “But it's strange and unnerving thing to me. My brain, my body, they are wired to find the curves of a human women attractive. No offense intended, but someone who looks like a two legged cross between a wolf and a sled dog really shouldn't affect me in that manner."

Sharra cocked her head, thinking. “I understand what you are saying. I have not thought much about it but now that you speak of it I recall that a similar thing has occasionally happened to me."

She sniffed deeply, and her ears relaxed as a dreamy expression crossed over her face.

“There are times I find your scent almost irresistible. I do not know why. I too should not be 'wired' for such a thing. Your scent is nothing like the males of my kind."

John stared at her evenly for a long moment and his smoky blue eyes held deep questions.

“Interesting to hear you say that," he finally remarked. “even though it worries me." Sharra sensed deep thoughts suddenly churn in the Link.

“How do you mean?"

“I have a feeling that your 'Gods' have been messing around with both of us."

Sharra had no idea what to say to that.

“I think they've changed something. The Father did hint at it but I wasn't sure until now." John continued, “On some level I believe they've modified our responses to certain stimuli, and I think it began right at the time I arrived here, or maybe even before. How they managed to do it is way beyond me but why they did so has become pretty obvious over the last couple weeks."

Echoing her mate's thoughts, Sharra nodded, her voice soft.

“I think I understand … To bring us closer together. That is why it was done."

“Yes." John frowned, eyes growing troubled. “I don't like being a pawn in someone else's game. It makes me wonder if I even have any say in my own actions and in my own future."

He gently pulled his hand free from Sharra's and clenched it into a fist before stretching out his fingers. His eyes followed the movement of his calloused fingers and his voice fell to a whisper.

“There are times I wonder if I'm even completely human anymore."

Sharra's ears went back when she felt sudden anxiety swell in her mate's thoughts.

“Human or not, I still love you." She smiled.

An echoing smile lit up the human's face and his earlier anxiety fled.

“I know, and I think I've always known that. Even before we …" John's voice trailed off and his smile faded. There was a strange and momentary shift in his thoughts that Sharra nearly missed. John dismissed them with a shake of his head and turned his attention back to his mate. He plucked the rag from the pot and squeezed the water from it.

“Let me see that arm again. I think I'm nearly done with it."

Sharra submitted to his inspection in silence, strange thoughts circling in her mind. Had the Mother and the Father really changed her? She still felt the same as she always had, but John had a point. Her attraction to and the Link she shared with this one that could only be described as anything but a Tokarran male didn't seem quite right without a little help from those above. And even if she and John had some help guiding them together was it such a bad thing? The only answer that Sharra could find for that question was a resounding 'NO!'. She'd come to know and love John for the person he was and it sounded like he'd finally come to a similar realization. Even if they'd had a little help in growing closer, she resolutely decided that she wouldn't let it affect her.

“Do you really love me?" She blurted out.

John stopped cleaning the blood from her arm and looked up sharply, brow furrowing. No doubt he had felt some measure of her thoughts through the link. He dropped the rag into the pot of water.

“I do." He said, and the look in his eyes left no doubt of that fact. A sudden thrill coursed through Sharra's body.

“Then what does it matter if the Mother and Father used their influence to push us together? If we love each other and are happy together then we have been given a wonderful gift."

John pursed his lips and his brow furrowed.

“You do have a point."

Sharra wagged her tail and licked him on the cheek.

“I know, you silly furless thing. Now strip off that shirt and let me have a look at your chest."

John's eyebrows jumped up into his hairline and he hesitated. Sharra put her hands on her hips and stared him down.

“Now," She growled.

“Okay, okay." John held up his hands. “No need to get all snippy about it."

Pain flared in the Link and a grimace distorted his face as he pulled his torn shirt over his head. He breathed a sigh of relief when he finally extricated himself from the stained piece of clothing. With a grunt, he tossed the shirt behind him into the shadowy depths of the cave. Pale skin glistened in the dancing firelight and John looked down at his chest, poking about with a calloused thumb. Flakes of dried blood were crusted on his skin and two scabbed over scratches angled sharply across his chest from just below the collar bone on the left side, across his sternum and stretched down to the last couple of ribs on his right.

“Son of a bitch." He swore, “Why the hell does everything out there with teeth bigger than mine have to try and eat me?"

“Maybe it would help if you quit looking like food."

John snorted and he looked up sharply. “Very funny, hairball."

Sharra snickered and John turned his attention back to his lacerated chest.

“Ouch." He grumbled. “If this goddamned world gives me any more scars you'll be able to use my hide for a road map."

“You could use some thicker fur to cover those scars. That sad looking pelt on your chest really is not helping."

He looked up at Sharra, and one side of his mouth twitched upward into something that may have been a wry grin.

“And here I thought I'd never meet a girl that liked a man with a hairy chest."

Sharra had to laugh at that. All she had to do was look in to the memories that John had shared with her to know that many human females weren't big fans of excessive body hair on their mates. She shook her head as she dragged the second pot of water away from the edge of the fire and dropped the rag in it to let it soak.

“You humans are a strange bunch,"

John smirked, eyes twinkling.

“Coming from someone who looks like she should be running around on four legs and howling at the moon, that doesn't mean much."

“Ha!" Sharra barked, “That is hardly an insult. Wolves play an important role in the balance of life, you know that, and they are held in high regard by my people. You would do well to learn from them .. and from me." A predatory grin grew on Sharra's muzzle as she stared down John but she didn't get the response to her words that she thought she would.

The human's mood abruptly changed. Sighing, he leaned back on his hands and turned his eyes to the setting sun outside the mouth of the cave.

“You're right." His voice was distant and he didn't look at her. “There are so many things I need to learn from you. I need you to teach me how to survive the winter that grows closer every day. It worries me and I will need all the help I can get. And you must teach me how to live among your people for when we leave to join them when the snow melts."

John turned liquid eyes to her and a soft smile played on his lips.

“And I really need to learn how to love you the way you need me too."

Those last words tugged at Sharra's heart. Her ears splayed out to the sides and she bowed her head, trying to hide the happy tears that welled up. At a loss for words, her tail thumped against the floor of the cave and she reached out a hand to her mate's shoulder. John's eyes met hers and he smiled. There was warmth in those alien eyes that were the colour of a deep lake when it reflected the sky … and there was also love. A love that echoed the feelings that coursed through her own body.

“I will help you figure that out." She said softly

“I know." He reached over to where her hand lay on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You are so good to me, even when I don't deserve it."

“I am your mate." She said simply. “Now lean back. I need to clean your wounds."

Dutifully, John leaned back on his hands. Sharra pulled the fresh pot of water beside her and sat down beside her mate. She levered the rag out with a stick. It was hot to the touch but not scalding. She squeezed the excess water from the cloth and bent to her task.

John drew in a sharp intake of breath when the hot cloth touched his bare skin. Sharra washed away the dried blood with the gentles of touches, watery red rivulets trickling down pale skin as she worked. The scratches from the cougars claws were only superficial at worst and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that. John's wounds would heal cleanly as long as infection was kept at bay.

“You are very lucky," Sharra commented. “The cougar's claws barely broke the skin. You will be fine in a day or two and you will have another set of scars to help you to remember your adventures in this world."

A single grunt and a nod of his head was her reply, otherwise John remained still and silent as she worked. He watched her with soft grey eyes and a hint of a relaxed smile on his lips. She could sense through his occasional twinge of pain that he was enjoying the attention she lavished on him. Sharra smiled shyly at her partner. That part of her that was the Healer enjoyed giving aid freely for the benefit of another, but the part of her that was mate to this human absolutely loved the closeness and the physical touch.

Sharra suddenly pulled back from John, hesitating as thoughts formed in her mind. His two week grace period to get himself together was up and she needed something else from him. A plan formed in her mind and she carefully masked her thoughts from her mate.

“This would be easier if you would lie down."

John looked at her pointedly but didn't say anything. A sense of curiosity swirled through the Link to her as he picked up on some small clue in her body language or in her thoughts. Hesitating at first, he slowly eased himself down on the thick layer of soft hides. Sharra rinsed out the rag and scooted up to his side. John's hand found her knee and rested there, fingers idly working through the fur.

When she was almost done cleaning the scratches on her mate's chest, Sharra stood up. A disappointed expression crossed John's face as she moved away from him and she smiled at that. Did he really not know what she planned?

Stooping to rinse the rag out for the last time, Sharra stretched her lithe form, making sure that her mate was watching. His expression turned curious, then grew into surprise mixed with trepidation as Sharra stepped over him and slowly lowered herself down to straddle his hips. He tensed up at first but slowly relaxed as Sharra gently cleaned the last of the dried blood away from the scratches on his chest. Tossing the rag off to the side, Sharra grinned at her mate, a frankly wanton grin that spoke volumes. John's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something but Sharra shook her head and he lapsed into silence.

“Just relax," Sharra purred, “I am not going to hurt you."

Leaning forward, Sharra began to explore her mate's body. The feel of bare skin under the pads of her fingers was a strangely exciting sensation. She traced the contours of John's torso, teasing the sparse fur that grew across his upper chest, fingers following the lines of the muscles that were so easily seen under the human's pale skin.

John drew in a shuddering breath and the feelings through the Link were nearly indescribable. Suddenly, Sharra knew what it was like to have no fur and how the gentlest of touches on bare skin could send a surprising thrill from head to toe. It was a new and exciting sensation and she was delighted to feel the pleasure her partner was taking from her touch was not insignificant.

Acutely aware of just where exactly she was sitting on her mate, Sharra squirmed around a bit, settling herself in, tail swishing against John's legs. She soon felt the response to her toying that she was hoping for.

A mass of confused and conflicted feelings suddenly welled up in their Link and John struggled against them. His hands came up to touch her but stopped short, hovering uncertainly in midair.

“Sharra ..." He swallowed nervously. “I …"

She brought gentle fingers against his lips.

“Shhhh…" she whispered. “I need this. We need this." She took hold of his hands and held them tight for a moment before bringing them to her chest and then slowly moving them down until they rested on her hips.

John' mouth worked but no words came forth. His eyes were liquid in the light of the fire and Sharra could feel the conflict within him. She bent down over her mate until they were almost nose to nose. The longer fur on her chest and belly tickled John's bare skin as she moved and sent a fiery tingle of pleasure into their Link. A loving smile graced her features as she gazed down at her mate with soft eyes.

“You said that you need me to teach you to love me the way I need to be loved. Consider this your first lesson."

Sharra opened her mind to the Link, setting free the last parts of her that she had kept hidden away since the fire killed Mallek and destroyed her Clan.

John's eyes widened as the reality of the intimate trust his mate was sharing with him possessed his mind. A new flamed burned in his thoughts, sweeping all others away and rushing forth through their Link in a fiery wave. Tentatively at first, he began to move his hands through his partners pelt, caressing, exploring, tickling as his confidence grew.

As the last rays of the setting sun bathed the rough stone walls of the cave in a warm orange light and brought to life the charcoal drawings John had left there, his arms encircled his mate and held her tight.

Giving in to the desire that welled up in his soul, he whispered the three special words in her ear that had once been so alien to him

“I love you."