Amber enjoyed the rest of her night with her family and got ready for bed. She fell asleep thinking about Nick and the beast world. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see Nick staring at her in wonder. He hugged her so tight, and she gasped, "What's wrong?"
Nick couldn't believe she was back at first and didn't want to let go in case she was just in his dreams. He had been searching the entire beast world for her for a year and it was driving him crazy! He had leveled up to a four-striped beastman since she went missing.
He was so angry at himself for not being strong enough to protect her. He went hunting for large animals that looked like pre-historic dinosaurs. The beastmen called them behemoths. The behemoths that ate plants were larger than the ones that ate other animals and harder to kill.
He had killed many of them over the year and collected the gems that they dropped. These gems were green and helped to prolong a beastman's life by up to 10 years. They also helped females to stay young and beautiful. These gems also had healing abilities. The carnivore behemoths dropped clear gems that could increase a beast man's stamina and heal him even if he was near death.
Nick had consumed the clear gems himself to help him level up faster so he didn't need to sleep as much. He was so shocked about Amber's sudden reappearance that he didn't hear her at first. She patted his back and repeated her question. "Nick, What's wrong?"
He finally heard her and backed up just enough to see her face. He was on the verge of tears. He asked, "Where did you go? I looked all over the beast world for you. I couldn't find you anywhere."
She felt bad that he was so scared about her leaving him. She thought this was her subconscious way of expressing her abandonment issues. Ever since her dad left her and her mother when she was 3 years old, she had suffered from abandonment issues and felt unloved. She knew her mother and siblings loved her, but she always craved a father's love.
She soothed him with pats on his back in a circular motion and replied in a calm voice. "I woke up in my bed at home. I was thinking about you and couldn't wait to see you again!" Nick looked happy that she was thinking about him but worried that she would leave again.
He whispered, "It's been a year, but I always hoped to see you again. That is why I come back to my den to sleep at least once a month. I was hoping to find you here and now you are back! I couldn't sense you without a mate mark."
Amber was shocked that it had been an entire year in her dream world. It was only a day in her world. Why didn't the time match? She thought it didn't need to happen since it was all a dream. She asked, "What is a mate mark?"
Nick looked at her confused and delighted that she didn't know what a mate mark was. He explained, "When a male and a female mate, the female gets a mate mark on her body to prove they are mated. The closer it is to her heart proves how loved the male is to her. It helps the male find his mate if she is lost or taken. The female will also get an attribute from the male to help her survive in this beast world."
Amber looked excited to hear about this new cheat in her dream. She thought of it as a free level-up in a game. She excitedly replied, "I want one!" Nick looked at her as if she had just made all his dreams come true.
He asked, "Are you sure you are ready? Have you had your first estrous cycle?" He wanted to make sure she was of age. Females were considered adults after they had their period. Amber was a little confused about what an estrous cycle was, but thought about her period and asked, "Is it when a female bleeds for a few days?" He wagged his tail and nodded excitedly.
Amber shyly replied, "Yes, I have. About 2 years ago." Nick wagged his tail and hugged her tighter. If she was of age and agreed to have his mark, he was happy to give it to her. It would help him to avoid another crazy year where he was hopelessly looking for her. This time, he would know where she was even if she was on the other side of the beast world!
Nick kissed Amber slowly at first and then passionately. Amber was shy at first, but then she began to enjoy the kiss. She started to heat up and Nick removed her clothes. She was shy at first and tried to cover herself. He held her hands and looked at her in awe. He whispered, "You are the most beautiful female I have ever seen." She blushed and he continued to worship her.
Amber didn't worry too much because this was all in her dream. She just enjoyed herself and let Nick worship her body till the next morning. Nick had treated her as if she was the rarest treasure in the entire beast world at first, but soon his animal instincts kicked in and he couldn't hold back.
Amber woke up sore the next morning and couldn't sit up without help. Nick was sleeping behind her and hugged her all night. He was terrified that she would disappear again, so he watched her all night.
He cleaned her body as she slept with a wet fur towel and clean water. He noticed his mate mark was above her heart. It filled him with love to know that his mate loved him as much as he loved her.
Amber groaned and tried to sit up. Nick helped her and fed her a green gem. Amber was surprised at first but then noticed the soreness in the body started to fade away instantly.
She thought it must be medicine in her dream to help her. She thanked Nick, "Thank you, what was that?" Nick replied, "I hunted many behemoths while you were missing and collected many gems. The green gems help to heal and prolong your life for 10 years. It will also help you stay young and beautiful."
Amber thought that was a neat addition to this dream. She was happy that Nick was happy, and she noticed that she was naked. She looked down and saw a tattoo of a cheetah above her heart. She gasped and thought, 'My mom, is going to kill me! I'm too young to get a tattoo.'
She calmed down when she remembered it was a dream and asked Nick, "What is this?" Nick was happy to answer, "That is my mate mark on you. It proves that we are mates, and you love me as much as I love you."
Amber blushed. She was not used to someone speaking so honestly about love. She thought he was better than those schoolboys. He was probably better than all the other guys in her world!
She was glad she found such a great beastman in her dream and only wished she could find a guy like him in the real world. She asked, "So this will let you find me next time?" Nick wagged his tail excitedly and replied, "I will be able to find you no matter where you go."
Amber thought, 'I wish I could bring him back to my world!' Then she thought his tail and ears would make him stand out too much. She asked him, "Nick, do you always have your tail and cheetah ears?"
Nick had never thought about it. His tail helped him balance and his cheetah ears helped him to hear things females couldn't hear. He tried to transform without the cheetah ears and tail. He stood before her as a naked man!
She shyly looked away. Even though they mated last night, she was not used to seeing naked men. Especially one as handsome as Nick. He was lean and muscled all over. She asked, "Can you put some clothes on please?"
Nick laughed at her shyness and expressed, "We are mates now. I have seen every part of you, and you can look at me without embarrassment. I am all yours!" Amber blushed harder and looked for her clothes. She found them, but they had been torn by Nick.
She asked, "What am I supposed to wear now?" Nick had made many outfits while she was missing in hopes of her return. He showed her a wooden chest and pulled out the fur outfits one by one. His sewing skills had improved over the year, and he showed her the most recent and best ones.