me.” She looks determined and not at all unsure or embarrassed, and Jerath relaxes into her touch.
“I do trust you.” He trusts her with his life, so of course he’ll trust her with this too. He just hopes he doesn’t mess it up. “It’s just I’ve never… and I don’t—”
“Jerath.” Serim cuts him off before he can get into a panic. “It’s me, remember? I know all this.” She reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses him softly on the cheek. “We’ll work something out.”
She smiles at him and steps away. “Besides, we still have two days of walking to do before then, so stop worrying and let’s go.”
Jerath nods, relieved to be dropping the subject for now at least. They grab the few things they have and head south again.
T HEY walk all day. The sun is warm when it breaks through the trees, but the forest is still too thick in places to let it through. They break for lunch and eat more of the fish. They have to eat it raw this time, since they don’t want to waste time building a fire. Jerath moans that he doesn’t want to eat fish again for at least three months. Serim laughs and informs him that unless they find something else to eat, they’ll be having it for supper as well.
They don’t find anything else and so fish it is. They can’t exactly catch anything, since the only weapon they have is Jerath’s small hunting knife—useful for gutting and skinning, but not for actually catching things. The other alternative would be for Serim to hunt as her panther, but she’d have to leave Jerath’s side for far longer than either of them is comfortable with at the moment. When the fish run out, though, she may have to.
“How far do you think we’ve come?” Jerath asks. They’ve both finished off the last of their fish and are lying beside the small fire Jerath made.
“I’m not sure exactly, but the edge of the forest is about two days’ walk from our village, so we’ll probably reach the plains sometime tomorrow.” Serim shifts onto her side to face him. “I think we should stay in the forest to complete the ritual.”
It’s the first time they’ve talked about it since this morning, and Jerath starts to feel uncomfortable all over again.
“The Goddess of the Forest needs to bless our union and allow your animal form to come through, so I don’t think it would be wise to try and do it out on the plains.” Serim looks thoughtful, not a trace of embarrassment to be seen anywhere. Her easy manner makes Jerath relax a little. If she’s really okay with doing this, then he should be too.
“Yeah, I think you’re right.” Jerath has enough bad luck as it is; he doesn’t want to invite any more. “Can we afford the time, though?” he asks, fidgeting slightly. “Shouldn’t we focus on finding help first?” He wants to find his animal form more than anything, but not at the expense of the others’ lives.
“It will be much safer for us both if you can shift, Jerath.” She reaches out and squeezes his hand. He nods in return and they let the subject drop.
They settle down for the night again, just like before: Serim in her panther form, pressed along the length of Jerath’s body to keep him warm.
This time when Jerath wakes in the morning and runs his tongue along the smooth surface of his fangs, a frisson of excitement flows through him. Tonight is the full moon. He can feel the slight tingling in his blood that happens every month at this time, but tonight will be different. He has waited months and months for this day, and it’s finally here.
Jerath can’t help but wonder what form his animal will take—panther, lynx, tiger, or jaguar? Jerath will be happy with any of them. He just wants that tattoo on his back and to experience the shift for the first time.
“Someone’s happy this morning.” Serim is just pulling on her tunic when Jerath looks up at her.
“Yeah.” He grins, unable to keep it in, and Serim smiles in return. “I’m a little
“I do trust you.” He trusts her with his life, so of course he’ll trust her with this too. He just hopes he doesn’t mess it up. “It’s just I’ve never… and I don’t—”
“Jerath.” Serim cuts him off before he can get into a panic. “It’s me, remember? I know all this.” She reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses him softly on the cheek. “We’ll work something out.”
She smiles at him and steps away. “Besides, we still have two days of walking to do before then, so stop worrying and let’s go.”
Jerath nods, relieved to be dropping the subject for now at least. They grab the few things they have and head south again.
T HEY walk all day. The sun is warm when it breaks through the trees, but the forest is still too thick in places to let it through. They break for lunch and eat more of the fish. They have to eat it raw this time, since they don’t want to waste time building a fire. Jerath moans that he doesn’t want to eat fish again for at least three months. Serim laughs and informs him that unless they find something else to eat, they’ll be having it for supper as well.
They don’t find anything else and so fish it is. They can’t exactly catch anything, since the only weapon they have is Jerath’s small hunting knife—useful for gutting and skinning, but not for actually catching things. The other alternative would be for Serim to hunt as her panther, but she’d have to leave Jerath’s side for far longer than either of them is comfortable with at the moment. When the fish run out, though, she may have to.
“How far do you think we’ve come?” Jerath asks. They’ve both finished off the last of their fish and are lying beside the small fire Jerath made.
“I’m not sure exactly, but the edge of the forest is about two days’ walk from our village, so we’ll probably reach the plains sometime tomorrow.” Serim shifts onto her side to face him. “I think we should stay in the forest to complete the ritual.”
It’s the first time they’ve talked about it since this morning, and Jerath starts to feel uncomfortable all over again.
“The Goddess of the Forest needs to bless our union and allow your animal form to come through, so I don’t think it would be wise to try and do it out on the plains.” Serim looks thoughtful, not a trace of embarrassment to be seen anywhere. Her easy manner makes Jerath relax a little. If she’s really okay with doing this, then he should be too.
“Yeah, I think you’re right.” Jerath has enough bad luck as it is; he doesn’t want to invite any more. “Can we afford the time, though?” he asks, fidgeting slightly. “Shouldn’t we focus on finding help first?” He wants to find his animal form more than anything, but not at the expense of the others’ lives.
“It will be much safer for us both if you can shift, Jerath.” She reaches out and squeezes his hand. He nods in return and they let the subject drop.
They settle down for the night again, just like before: Serim in her panther form, pressed along the length of Jerath’s body to keep him warm.
This time when Jerath wakes in the morning and runs his tongue along the smooth surface of his fangs, a frisson of excitement flows through him. Tonight is the full moon. He can feel the slight tingling in his blood that happens every month at this time, but tonight will be different. He has waited months and months for this day, and it’s finally here.
Jerath can’t help but wonder what form his animal will take—panther, lynx, tiger, or jaguar? Jerath will be happy with any of them. He just wants that tattoo on his back and to experience the shift for the first time.
“Someone’s happy this morning.” Serim is just pulling on her tunic when Jerath looks up at her.
“Yeah.” He grins, unable to keep it in, and Serim smiles in return. “I’m a little
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