Roman
I watched in awe as my mate took charge and amputated an arm. She was a healer. The only people I've met who could do an amputation, were doctors. Around these parts, a healer was very sought after. Doctors were scarce, if not impossible to find. Nearest one was over a week's journey on horseback. Although our species could heal fast, even our abilities had limitation. That arm, for example. Human or not, you would need an amputation.
I watched as a hunter went and puked in some bushes as she cauterized the wound. I almost laughed. To see a large bulky warrior loose his dinner while this small petite woman remain perfectly calm, was humorous. Man, she is going to give me a run for my money I thought to myself as I smiled. A woman like that can't be easy to win over.
"Was it worth it?" my mate looked up him angrily. Instead of responding to her question, I watched in horror as the warrior backhanded my mate with enough force to knock her to the ground. Anger like I had never felt before coursed through my veins as I struggled to keep from going and ripping the hunters throat out.
"I am the future Chief, you do not speak to me that way!" The warrior yelled as spit left his mouth. For a future chief, he knows nothing about how to lead people. The fact that he laid hands on a woman, says a lot about a man's character. He was going to be a problem.
"What the hell is your problem man?" the hunter my mate called Tarak yell angrily. When I looked up I saw Tarak shove the future chief. "You think because you are the future Chief, that it entitles you to hit women?" Without hesitation, the future Chief punched Tarak in the gut, making him double over gasping for air.
"Shut your mouth and keep your hands off of me." The future chief said lowly into Tarak's ear as he continued to struggle to breath.
"Taza, I think everyone needs a minute to cool off." A man that resembled the man called Tarak said as he gently touched Taza, the future chief's shoulder. Taza turned his back and went to his tent. Another warrior who had been silent during the exchange, and focused on splining the wounded warrior, walked over to my mate and Tarak to help them up.
"I am sorry, Tarak." My mate said with tear stained cheeks, as she embraced him. Normally, when a wolfs mate touches another in such fashion, we tend to get possessive. Oddly enough, my wolf wasn't bothered by their embrace. How unusual.
"You don't have anything to be sorry for. Taza is letting his ego get to big, and he needs to be put back in place." Tarak said with a weak voice as he began to breath normally.
"While I agree with you, it's best to keep low till we are back home. The only one that can straighten Taza out, is Chief Delshay." The warrior that helped them up said, making Tarak and my mate both nod simultaneously.
"Let's get Elan to his tent, then go to bed." My mate said just before holding open the warrior, Elan's tent flap while Tarak and the other warrior carried him in.
Tarak and the other warrior left Elan's tent, leaving my mate inside. My wolf became on edge at the thought of her along with a man in his tent. Logically I know as their healer she has to take care of him, but my wolf wasn't so easily convinced. A few frustrating moments later, she exited the tent. I felt the possessiveness of my wolf instantly calm down and I inhaled her scent. I couldn't help but feel that I needed to get closer. The urge to run my nose along her collarbone and up her neck overwhelmed me, and for a split second, I almost gave in.
I watched my mate as she went to the warriors tent, stopping in front of it.
"Hey Kuruk? Did you splint Elan's arm?" she asked him. Ah, so his name is Kuruk.
"Yes, why? Did I not do it right?" he asked as he peaked outside of his tent.
"Oh no, it's fantastic. I just wanted to say thank you. I feel ashamed that I didn't wait until I was done fixing him up, before mouthing off to Taza." She said looking away guiltily.
"Ah. Well, I'm glad I did it right. As far as mouthing off to Taza, I would have done the same thing." Kuruk said as he gave her a small smile. Sure it was friendly, and most likely the smile didn't have any double meaning, but that doesn't mean that my possessive wolf could grasp the concept.
My mate nodded gave back a small smile before turning and retreating to her tent. I waited to hear her breathing to slow and even out before leaving. I didn't want to leave until she was asleep. Now I need to go search for Adam. Still in my wolf form, I ran towards where the hunters had went came from earlier.
After 5 minutes of following the hunters scent from earlier, I had begun to smell blood. I kept a sharp ear out as I began to slow down. Continuing to follow the trail, I could hear breathing. It was just up ahead. I ducked behind some bushes as I peered through them to get a better look. On the other side was a small clearing with a metal cage. In the metal cage I could see Adam in human form.
"I can smell, ye ken." Adam said with a thick Scottish accent. Shifting into my human form, I approached the cage.
"Adam, what the hell ye doing here ye wee scunner?" I asked as I visually assessed his condition. He had lots of cuts and bruises, blood and dirt allover him. He now had stubble on his face, which started keeping shaved for his mate Ellen. Ever since she got pregnant she said his beard had bothered her.
"I look worse than I feel. The natives came an hour ago and injected me with wolfs bane." Adam said tiredly.
"The silver iron cage and wolf bane. The native must be talking with werewolf hunters. The last time we had this problem we were in Scotland." I said with disgust. The cage alone bought up memories that were better off left alone.
"I'm sorry Roman. I was on my way home to my Ellen when they grabbed me. I did give them a good chase though." He said with a weak smile.
"Aye, that ye did. Yer scent was allover the damn place. I couldna pinpoint you. I had to follow the hunters and wait till they got back." I looked back in the direction the hunter and my mate currently slept.
"Aye. I ken ye would find me eventually. How are ye gonna get me out of here?" he asked.
"Well I recon will need to get the key from Future Chief." Thinking about the Future Chief, I brought back what I had witnesses thirty minutes ago.
"Ye alright lad?" Adam voiced was laced with concern.
"Aye, I am fine. I am struggling to keep my wolf in check."
"Is something the matter?"
"I uh- met my mate." I said as I cleared my voice.
"Oh Aye? When did ye find her? There isn't many other like us ye know."
"She is a Native. A healer in the hunter group that imprisoned you." I said as I looked away.
"Does she know?" he asked softly.
"No. She knows nothing about us. While I was waiting for the hunters to led me to you, I got to spend a little time watching my mate."
"It's a blessing and a curse. On one hand she isn't actively trying to kill you, and on the other is going to take a lot of time and patience to win her heart. We don't know how diluted her wolf blood is."
"Her hearing is more than half as good as ours. I'm thinking parent or grandparents." I said to him. I watched as Adam's eyes grew big as saucers.
"Roman. How old is she?" he asked me.
"I dinnea ken. At the very least eighteen, no more than twenty. Why?" I asked confused.
"Beta Simon." That was all he needed to say for me to get his meaning. I felt frozen, unable to move.
"If it's true, then it's only a matter of time before they kill her too." I growled loudly at his words.
"No one is taking my mate from me. I dinnea care if I have to fight her entire tribe for her. I already failed her once, I'll no do it again."
Onawa
I was awoken by screaming. With adrenaline coursing through me, I rushed out of my tent and went to where the screaming was emitting from. Without hesitation, I opened Elan's tent and went in to see Elan frantically unwrapping his arm.
"Elan, calm down! You are okay. Nothing is going to hurt you." I said trying to settle him down. I grabbed his hand to take it away from causing further damage to his stump and grabbed his face with my other hand.
"Close your eyes and take slow deep breaths." I said to him an a calming voice. Elan did as was told and when his eyes opened I let go of his face.
"What happened to my arm?" Elan asked me with a pained expression.
"Before you react, please know that I had no choice. Okay?" I said to him. He gulped and nodded in understanding.
"Elan your arm was bitten to the point where there was no way I could save your arm. I had no choice but to amputate." I said to him gently while gauging his reaction.
"What kind of man am I now?" Elan's eyes filled with tears. "How will I provide for my family? How will I hold my child when he's born?"
"Elan, you are no less a man than you were yesterday." A voice behind me answered. When I turned to look I saw that the other hunters were outside the tent watching. It was Taza who answered.
"Taza is right. You aren't less, just different, and that's okay. You will still be able to hold your son. Its just going to take time to heal and adjust. Your going to have to pace yourself as you learn how to do things and compensate. Remember, not less, just different." I said to him.
"Thank you, Onawa. You saved my life." Elan said.
"My pleasure, Elan." I said with a small smile. "Now, let me change your bandage."
After Elan's arm was bandaged, I left the tent. I noticed that the other hunters, with the exception of Tarak, had left camp.
"Where did the others go?" I asked him.
"They went to get us something to eat." Tarak said as he put more wood on the camp fire.
"Did they put you on guard duty again?" I asked him. I wondered if they were sticking Tarak with guard duty because he is the youngest of all the hunters.
"Actually no. I volunteered." He said as he used a stick to rearrange the firewood.
"Why would you do that? You're a hunter, wouldn't you rather be out hunting with the others?" I asked him. I was confused why he would volunteer to sit out. He loved hunting, and he took it seriously.
"Lets just say it's as much for your safety as it is for my peace of mind." He said.
"I'm not sure I understand."
"You don't have to understand, Onawa!" Tarak snapped. I felt as if I had water splash in my face. What did I say that was so wrong? After seeing my expression, Tarak's face softened.
"I am sorry. I am just stressed. I didn't mean to take it out on you. With everything that's going on, I'm on edge. The others made me promise not to tell you what's going on, but keeping this from you is eating me alive." Tarak said as he ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
"I am sorry, Tarak. I didn't know."
"Its not your fault. I just wish I knew why they are keeping you in the dark about everything." He said.
"Have you asked them why?" I asked him.
"I have. The only thing they tell me is that it's none of my business. I think that if I knew the reason why, then it would push me to tell you everything." Tarak paused to look around and stepped closer to me.
"I've been thinking, they told me I can't tell you what's going on. They didn't say anything about showing you. If you are going to be dealing with our wounds and making that herb for us, you deserve to know the truth." Tarak whispered.
"Are you serious? I asked him.
"If all goes well, we will be able to leave tonight to go. We'll have to be quick, but don't worry about getting caught. I have a plan." Tarak whispered.
"Sure hope you got that fire going good!" Taza bellowed, effectively startling Tarak and I. "We got us venison today!"
"Onawa, you should get to it! We are hungry!" Taza laughed. I could tell Tarak was struggling to keep his cool, so I placed my hand on his arm to draw his attention. I know that its no ones job in particular to dress and cook our food, but Taza always singled me out because I am a woman. My role here was to be a healer. To show Tarak it was okay, I playfully winked at him and smiled before approaching the buck that Kuruk placed on the ground.
As I started dressing the buck, I couldn't help but dwell on Taza's habit to be a misogynistic prick. I am a woman, so I shouldn't speak unless spoken to and I should always do as I am told. I feel sorry for the woman that becomes Taza's wife. I could tell Tarak has a problem with the way he treats me, but there isn't anything he can do about it. Taza is head hunter and next in line to be Chief. Those facts alone are what makes Taza have a big head.
I also don't want fighting between Tarak and Taza. If Tarak retaliates, I'm worried about what his punishment would be. I wouldn't want that for him, especially not for my sake. I can take the derogatory comments and the small acts of humiliation. I'm not a weak woman. I won't let a man like Taza have the satisfaction of hurting me, especially with words.
As I looked up to look around at the hunters, I could see them all in a circle, whispering so I couldn't hear. Every once in a while Tarak would look in my direction, and at one point he mouthed 'are you okay' to which I smiled and nodded. I knew that Tarak was worried about not only how Taza treated me, but also the information they are keeping from me. I was worried too.