A man stepped out of the bushes and Cassia froze, mouth open. He was tall and pleasantly muscled with shoulder-length black hair. He wore black breeches and a black tunic with long sleeves, collar hanging open to reveal a tanned chest. He stepped forward with just a slight limp, and a pearly white smile filled his face reaching up to mischievous golden-green eyes.
"Huck!" Cassia gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, "Oh Huck!" She ran to him then and jumped into his arms. He chuckled and stumbled backwards, holding her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. She kissed him all over his face. Huck laughing now, leaned back against a tree trunk to keep him upright. "Well, hello to you," he laughed, "I wasn't expecting this."
"What are you talking about?" she demanded, pressing a kiss into his cheek and leaning back to meet his eyes, "I've missed you so much!"
"We've been together woman," he smiled, confused.
"We have but you've been a wolf. I've missed your voice. I've missed talking to you. When have we ever gone so long without talking?"
"Well there have been times in our lives I've gone so long with out speaking," he said with a smirk, "But you wouldn't have noticed since it didn't slow down your talking."
Cassia gasped in mock offense, shoving his chest. He lowered her but hugged her to his chest tightly in his strong arms. She rested her head against his shoulder and reveled in the feel of him. When he had been dragged off to jail she had wept and begged her parents to save him. They hadn't cared to even try. She had run to the den she had made with Huck long ago and curled up there as a grey fox hardly moving for more than a day. Cassia had felt so alone, being without him for the first time since they were children and had met in the woods after being left behind by their older siblings. It was in that den that she had decided that she had to get him out, even if it put her own life at risk. She couldn't go on with her life knowing he was in jail for saving her or that he had died alone there from his injuries. Cassia had gone there terrified with only half a plan to save him. Now, after all the terrible things, they were finally free and well and happy together.
"I missed being able to talk to you too," he assured her, leaning his forehead down against hers.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears slipping from her eyes. Now that he could speak back, she thought she could really apologize for what had happened. "I'm sorry you had to stand up for me an that he did this to you and that you were taken to jail and...."
"Shh," he hushed her, tugging her to his chest again, "I'll always protect you Cass, you know that. None of that was your fault. It was all Ferdinand. He and your Mother..."
"Huck?"
The pair turned to see a nervous Nico watching them. He smiled bashfully and moved from one foot to the other, not sure what to do. Cassia turned back to Huck and saw his face was set and serious as he watched the other man. She kissed his cheek then stepped back from him, taking his hand and pulling him towards her friend. "Nico I would like to officially introduce you to Huck. And Huck you can finally say hello to Nico."
Nico smiled nervously and stuck a hand out to Huck, "Very nice to officially meet you."
Huck glanced down at his hand then back to his eyes. Cassia felt her nerves building, worrying Huck was going to let his displeasure with Nico be known. He was quiet and still, thinking. At last he took Nico's hand in his own and gave it a firm shake. "Nice to officially meet you as well," he said with a genuine smile, "Thank you for getting us out of the river and taking Cass out with you. I thanked your Mother for everything this morning. I'm afraid I gave her quite a fright."
"Did she not tell you you were well enough to shift?" Cassia asked surprised.
Huck shrugged squeezing her hand in his, "She said it would be another week or so but I felt well enough so I tried."
"Huck!" Cassia exclaimed pulling her hand from his and looking at him in disapproval, "She's a healer! If she didn't think you were well enough you should've waited."
"I was tired of waiting," he said stubbornly, frowning at her, "I wanted to talk to you and I didn't feel good about you always being out here alone. What if someone showed up from our woods?"
"I promise I never left her alone," Nico interjected, "I wouldn't have ever let her get hurt."
"I appreciate you saying that Nico but has she told you her brothers from her litter are both lions? Their next brother older than them is a panther and the sisters above him are a puma and a grizzly bear? She's one of 9 and most are predators." Huck was telling the truth but the words were harsh and Cassia hated what he was suggesting of Nico.
"I can appreciate that they have teeth and muscle Huck, but I have speed and agility. And I expect you've never been kicked in the jaw by a deer?" Nico stated with a forced smile on his lips that didn't reach his eyes.
"Nico I know I'm safe with you," Cassia interrupted before things got nasty, "Huck is just protective. We've been looking after each other since we were very small. Huck I promise I've never been in any danger with Nico. And now we can all be together so we'll be able to keep an eye on one another."
Huck nodded, "True Cass... we can all keep an eye on one another."
She directed a look at him that could not be misinterpreted and he stared right back, not willing to back down. Knowing he was going to have to get over this on his own, Cassia decided to just change the subject. Huck had always been stubborn and when his mind was made up on something it was a hard battle to fix it.
"So you shifted before Agatha told you you were ready. I'm guessing that's why you're limping now?"
Huck shrugged, looking out at the river, "It's not bad. Just stiff. I need to get out more."
Cassia rolled her eyes, "I don't know why you couldn't have waited. I could've stayed at home with you if you wanted me to."
"You could've but you wouldn't have," Huck stated. Cassia opened her mouth to disagree but he continued before she could, "I thanked Agatha for everything she's done for us. She said we could stay a while longer."
"She did," Nico shook his head and smiled, "But have you seen my Dad since you shifted?" Huck shook his head. "Ivan will be the one you'll want to talk to," he continued, "He might not agree."
"That's true," Cassia bit her lip.
"Well, then lets go find Ivan," Huck smirked.