Warlord by Elizabeth Vaughan

sitting close together, silent.
     
    I leaned closer, and put my lips to his ear. "What did Marcus mean? About the first meat?" I leaned back to look into his face.
     
    Keir made a face, and put his lips to my ear. His breath tickled as he spoke. "A warlord is given the first meats, the heart, liver, and stomach, of the ehat as an honor, to keep or to share as he sees fit." I raised an eyebrow. He sighed. "I hate the taste of first meats. Always have."
     
    I chuckled in spite of myself.
     
    "So, I make a great show of sharing the meats with all my warriors. Out of my generous spirit and in honor of my warriors." Keir rolled his eyes. "I still have to eat some, but usually only a bite or two. With four ehats, my plate will overflow tonight."
     
    I covered my mouth to stifle my laughter. "Marcus knows?"
     
    "Marcus knows. And now you. My most shameful secret."
     
    I opened my mouth to respond, but Keir placed a finger on my lips, and shook his head. His hand tightened on mine, and I looked over to see a creature making its way to the water.
     
    It was big, its yellow eyes bright in the fading light. Its fur was striped like the grasses about us, black and orange. It padded to the water's edge and started to drink.
     
    "What is that?" I whispered, barely breathing.
     
    "A cat," Keir breathed back.
     
    A cat? That was no cat, no cat like I'd ever seen in the mountains. I could easily see this creature pulling down an ehat by itself. I sucked in a breath as it lifted its head and looked straight at us. Then it shook its massive head, yawned, and started to drink again.
     
    Goddess above, it had a lot of teeth.
     
    "The scent of the kill pulled it close. The scouts told me it was lurking near here. I'd hoped to show you the symbol of my Tribe. Another gift of the elements." Keir sounded smug and very pleased with himself. "We are favored, you and I."
     
    "Do you hunt those?" I asked quietly.
     
    "No," Keir answered. "Unless they take to hunting among the people of the Tribes. Then there is no choice. But the body is buried with honor, and the spirit mourned."
     
    The cat lifted its head, testing the breeze. Its mouth curled back in a silent snarl, and then it turned and padded off into the darkness, fading into the grasses in the blink of an eye.
     
    "Come." Keir tugged my hand. "I'll bathe closer to people this night."
     
    I readily agreed.
     
     
     
    Keir bathed quickly, with the other men and women of the musk teams who had waited to give the dirt and grasses time to work. I stayed on the bank with his clothes and weapons and snuck glances of my naked, wet Keir. Rafe and Prest stayed close. There were others about, cavorting in the water, men and women warriors alike. I still flushed at some of their antics. But most knew my customs, and I noticed that an effort was made to stay out of my view.
     
    Keir, however, made sure I could see him.
     
    Once he was dry, he dressed. Marcus had given him some soft brown leather trous, a vest of black leather, and a tunic of soft white cotton. I could hardly wait to get him out of it, if I were to be honest with myself.
     
    But that would have to wait.
     
    We started back, laughing and talking. He was describing the celebration to me, how the ehat spirits would be thanked, the honors awarded, the first meats handed out, and the merriment that would follow well into the night.
     
    I took his hand as we neared the camp. "I've yet to see you dance, Keir."
     
    "I'll dance this night," he promised. "I'll dance this night for everyone to see, and then we'll dance together, you and I." He pulled me close. "In the privacy of our tent, beneath the blankets.
     
    I blushed, and he laughed, keeping his arm around my waist. We walked right into their midst without a warning, not even aware they were there.
     
    It was Marcus's stiffness that told us both something was wrong. Marcus jerked his head to the side, and we turned to see a horde of mounted warrior-priests, filling the