Range land

Mika jumped up behind him and held on tight as Koda danced nervously up the hill. When Jarlon dismounted Mika also dismounted and walked next to him. When they got to camp she pulled to blankets from her pack and offered him on while wrapping the other around herself. She then quickly dressed part of the kill of five rabbits. Taking one for her and one for Jarlon and giving the other three to the cats. She then started roasting the rabbits over the fire. She laid out her wet clothes near the fire to dry them and then came scampering back to the log and sat down shivering a bit in the blanket but with that silly smile still on her face.

I accepted the blanket and quickly removed my shorts (yes still has wet shorts underneath) and laid them by the fire so they would dry quickly. As she scampered off to hang her clothes I continued turning the rabbits in the fire so they wouldn't get burnt. As she sat back down and shivered I smiled sweetly at her. "Chilly isn't it" I stated obviously. It's funny how one can get jittery when they are around someone that makes them feel human. I knew that this couldn't last but it didn't keep me from doing it. Why I didn't know. The rabbits finished and I handed one to her on a stick. "So....." I hesitated "The one you were petrothed to, what was he like?" I asked while licking my fingers

Mika watched the fire and nodded. "Just a wee bit" she smiled. She gladly took the rabbit and slowly started eating. It tasted wonderful. She considered his question. "Um...well he was about a head taller than me, fit, had long black hair, was very competitive about "warrior" skills, but kinda like a big brother and didn't mind teaching me some of them. As we got older we got closer. Started learning new games" she laughed nervously "We never actually "did" anything but there was probably times we shouldn't have been left alone" she blushed "But then again we were betrothed so maybe they figured we were for each other anyway. We did love each other..but it was at time more of a friendship, always been there love. It never got to blossom into true love..." she said softly and trailed off.

I listened intently and smiled "So in your eyes, what is true love?" I asked looking back at the fire

"Truthfully I don't really know...I had a dream once where I felt it..I didn't see the face of the man but I felt the love..I know what it feels like..but...I can't explain it" she said softly "I guess I'll know it when I feel it again" "What about you? What do see as true love?"

"You didn't see the face? Did you see anything else?" I asked confused. "True love for me? Well I have never felt it before but I'd like to see it as a true friend, someone that you can spend all your time with and never get tired of them. No matter what you do they are there for you. I don't know" I blushed

Mika smiled softly and tried to remember the dream. "I remember I was laying on the floor on my back and we were head to head I cocked my head back and looked at the man and I just felt such a love and warmness when I looked at him...I just knew. I just knew he was the one I was spending my life with...he had a face but I don't remember it...I didn't remember it even the morning after I dreamed it." (This is actually a real dream lol, I had it about..3 years ago ) She smiled slightly again and listened. "That sounds like it to me as well" she said quietly and carefully put her stick aside with the remains of the rabbit. "I think true love grows...I once heard...love isn't always flashy and fireworks...sometimes love just comes softly" she smiled and blushed pulling the blanket around her a little tighter. She shivered slightly and looked into the fire again. Whisper and Imatari had settled down and were sleeping about a foot from each other. Beauty and Koda had lowered their heads and were relaxed. The crickets had sensed the storm had passed and began singing again.

I looked at her with stars filling my eyes as my heart bounced around in my restricting rib cage. Oh how I had wished I had a dream like that, to where someday, I would be in a situation like that and be like, this is her, this is it. Unfortuently dreams had never fortuned me like that. Instead they were usually torturing me. "Sounds magical" I briefly looked back into the fire as it danced and flickered into the night, disapating as it bounced into the air. As my head turned back into her direction I saw her shiver. Wrapping my arm around her with my blanket draped over my arm as well I pulled her closer. "Easier to stay warm if there is body heat to share" I grinned

Mika smiled and snuggled closer. She took the blanket that had been around her and draped it over the front of both of them. "That it is" She chuckled. They sat for awhile just enjoying each others company. Finally Mika looked up and noticed it was getting very later almost early actually. She sighed slightly gently took the blanket in front of them and laid it out on the ground closer to the fire but still far enough away. She then got up and layed down on it. She then looked back at Jarlon. "You coming? We'll stay warmer if we conserve body heat" she smiled. The fire's flames reflecting off her bare skin and black hair. The stars reflected in her dark eyes.

I snuggled closer to her and rested my head on hers. My eye lids began to grow heavy when she began to move beneath me. She walked over to the fire and laid out the blanket and laid down. Light dancing along her skin like baloet dancer on a sandy beach. I cocked an eyebrow "if you say so" I laid down behind her as she settled into me. I put my arm around her ribcage and had it bent at a ninty degree angle to where I could have my hand in hers. Before I knew it I was drifted off to sleep

Mika smiled as he came and laid down. She snuggled into him and spread the other blanket over them. She felt his hand on hers and intertwined her fingers with his quickly falling asleep. She had never felt so safe and secure.


--------Next Morning------>

Bird songs and the first rays of morning light woke Mika before Jarlon. She felt his strong arm around her and his warm body behind her and smiled. It hadn't just been a dream. She slowly turned so she was facing him and got a mischievous smile on her face. She made her fingertip ice cold and gently touched his nose. It twitched and she barely contained a giggle.

I felt a cold nip on my nose. At first I thought it was just the morning dew kissing my nose so I went to burry my face in Mika's hair when I relized her head wasn't right by mine. In despare my eyes jolted open and were quickly put to ease when she was laying right there with a grin on her face and a giggling in her voice. "You know, pay backs are he**" I smiled "Good morning" I filtered in

Mika smiled with mock wide eyes. "I can't wait" she giggled "Good morning, ready to find some horses? We can pick out some for Vandecar as well if you want. I saw a few stocky ones in there. They could probably be trained to pull that plow."

I rolled over and got up and began to fold the blankets and spread the ashes of fire. "Well, I don't know if we have enough grain and hay yet to feed horses, us and you. So I think I'll wait a year and get resources built up." I said while rolling everything into the blankets. Imatari got up and stretched and yawned exposing her perfect row of white mean looking teeth. "Ready?" I turned and asked

Mika nodded and got up to. Her clothes were finally dry and she quickly got dressed. She purposely pulled the amulet and charm back out from under her shirt and wore it proudly on the outside. She then went over and checked on the horses, making sure there was no lameness from yesterday's work. They seemed fine. She smiled and looked over at Whisper who was still sleeping on her back with her paws in the air. Mika shook her head and walked back over. "Want some berries for breakfast? I believe I saw some rasberries and blackberries over there.." she said as she pointed to the cluster of trees. She yawned slightly and ran a hand through her hair before shaking it out.

I watched as she got dressed, sitting on a log twisting the amulet that lay around my neck. "Used to the responsibility yet?" I asked watching her pull it out and place it on her chest. "berries huh, I'm good, unless you want some."

Mika smiled and cocked her head. "Well I guess in some ways I was always kinda the one urging the village on.." she said softly "So ya I guess I am" she laughed softly. She considered his question. "Na I think I'm fine" ~Whisper! Get up!~ ~Snooooooooor~ Mika rolled her eyes

I grinned at the snoaring cat. I got down on all four and morphed into a very large buffalo bull. I walked up close enough to her to get her attention but paw striking distance away. I gave off a loud snort and a diffensive scraping of the hooves.

Mika smiled as she crossed her arms and watched. As soon as he snorted Whisper flew about 3 ft into the air and simultaneously fluffed up, claws came out, tail started whipping, and she landed on her feet hissing. Mika burst out laughing and almost fell down. ~What's so funny?~ Whisper snapped while keeping a eye on the buffalo.

The amulet dangled from the massive buffalo's neck and a snicker escaped him. I pawed my hooves again watching as the large cat was about twice the size now due to the hair on end syndrome. Claws exposed and ears back I stood my ground. Imatari who had watched me morph walked up beside me and looked at whisper

Whisper looked between them. She snarled in disgust as she figured it out. She quickly sat down and started licking the fur on her shoulder. ~I was just practicing. I meant to do that~ She said coolly ~Mhum..right~ Mika snickered and turned to finish packing up.

I morphed back to myself and got up and stretched "awake now?" I laughed. Imatari grinned ~Don't worry that isn't the worst he could have done~ She laughed. After everything was packed I mounted up on Koda and turned to Mika "So how many do you have marked?"

Whisper growled slightly but shook it off and went over and purred against Mika. She sent Jarlon a chilling glare and stuck her nose in the air and went and sat and waited for them to be ready to go. Mika just watched her with an amused smirk. "Hmm? Oh I found about 20 that would be good but I was only thinking of bringing in 3-4 today. We don't have any grain and only some pasture. We probably could harvest some of the grazing fields for hay. But we don't have the tools to do it. Plus our Cahoon population seems to have dropped a little.." she said as she swung up onto Beauty.

"Ya three or four would probebly be a number to start with. Besides each indivual animal is going to need alot of attention if you want to domesticate it before winter, plus-once you breed and domesticate a small herd you'll be able to turn the mothers loose while pregnant with a second hand studd, they'll roam the forest till they are ready to foal. They will come home to the comfort of the barn." I suggested "If things shrink down to much let us know, we aren't to big eather, and if needed we could combine a village for a year or two till we get caught up." I also offered

Mika nodded as she listened and they rode. "Sounds good to me." Alot of what he was suggesting coincided with what she had learned managing her tribes herds on the plains. "Ya we'll have to see, we might want to combine for winter.." she shrugged. They came upon the meadow and she pointed towards the large herd of horses. "Take a look" she smiled