I went up the stairs and found myself in a very pretty room. The walls were covered with tapestries and carvings, in the center of the floor was a large fur rug. Rather than a bed, there was a hammock made from giant leaves. I carefully laid on the hammock, taking extra care to not cause myself more pain, and found it to be very comfortable!
I closed my eyes, lost in thought. What a wild ride this has been. First I was worried about being able to walk, then about being discovered as a human… I spent so much time worrying, but everything turned out all right. I transmigrated about a month ago. I have spent every day since getting here working hard to get stronger, smarter, better. My immediate goal was to be able to survive on my own and explore. I strengthened my body and learned as much as I could about the world and the flora/fauna.
I relaxed in the very comfortable hammock, prepared to take a cat nap. I could finally rest easy. Tomorrow I will head back to town and… Right… I have no idea where town is. I took off running and didn't pay attention. Maybe Dania will know. I could hear the crickets outside, and I felt myself drift off.
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BACK IN HILRAINE...
The house was completely destroyed, Marshall overturned everything in his frenzy while searching for his mate. His eyes gave off a dangerous glow as he overturned the last table in the house.
"Honey, calm down, we don't yet know-" I started to placate my son but was cut off by his wolf.
"WHERE. IS. SHE?!" He sniffed the room, looking for clues.
He has done this several times, as if he would find something different by doing this again.
I gave up on trying to be gentle. I released my wolf and suppressed him with my growl, standing as tall and imposing as I could. "MARSHALL. CALM DOWN" I growled. "You need to talk to me or I can't help you."
He backed off then transformed back into a human. I shifted as well.
"It's hard for us to stay calm, mom. She's not close by, I can't sense her." He ran his hand through his hair as he continued, "I came home and she was gone. She never leaves without her shoes, the ground hurts her feet. But her shoes! They were still here" He seemed almost manic.
I grabbed his shoulders and tried to get him to focus. "that doesn't mean she was taken, you can calm down. She could come back any minute."
"When I got home, there was an unfamiliar scent in here. It was in our bed. Something I've never smelled before. What if someone took her? Mom, she's small and defenseless."
I didn't bother to tell him that someone saw her running through town like she was running for her life. It would only make him panic further.
"It's dark, and she is all alone." He seemed to have thought of something and squared his shoulders to look me in the eyes, "Mother, I need your permission to leave. I have to go find her and bring her back."
I took a deep breath. My giant of a son is still a pup. He has no idea of the true dangers out there. I was prepared to talk him out of it when I heard my husband's voice in the doorway.
"You have my permission." His booming voice said, the moonlight behind him cast shadows on his face, so I couldn't read his emotions.
Next to him stood my brother, Harris, who had a satchel in his hands. He reached out to hand it to Marshall as we approached them. "Here, boy. These are in case of emergency." And he patted Marshall on the shoulder.
I looked at my husband with skepticism. I am in charge of this pack, He never makes decisions like this. He picked up on my mood and reach over to pull me towards him. "Harris tells me that she is his mate." He said quietly in my ear, "We can't stop him from finding her. Heavens knows no one would be able to stop me if it were you." He rested his chin on my head, and I knew he was right.
I mustered up my courage and said to Marshall, "You better come back alive. Or I will find you and kill you myself." I pulled him in for one last hug.
He nodded, "We both will."
I watched as he transformed into his majestic white wolf, and my brother secured the satchel around him.
"She was last seen along the eastern border. If you hurry you should still be able to catch her scent. Bring her back home, where she belongs." Harris said as he finished his job and patted Marshall on the back.
I watched my last surviving son run off towards the border. A cold chill ran down my spine as I prayed this one would make it back. My husband sensed my worries and held me closer.
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MIKA POV:
I woke up, starving. There was a window in the room which allowed the sunlight to dance on the walls. The light breeze carried the fresh smell of foliage and sunshine. I woke up feeling in a great mood. I stretched and prepared to get up but the sharp pain in my ribs was reminder of my misfortune.
As I stood from the hammock and gingerly placed weight on my legs, I realized I was in better shape than I could have hoped. My ribs seem to be the only thing bothering me today. I walked over the wash bowl placed on the dresser and checked my appearance. One side my face was bruised, swollen, and scraped up. I gently washed my face and tamed my hair using my fingers. I look like a Frankenstein creation, and was a little embarrassed to be seen, but the hollow feeling in my stomach prompted me.
I headed downstairs, Dania was already in the kitchenette eating. She had a handful of seeds and nuts in her hand and had just shoved them into her mouth. Her cheeks were full of food as she turned to see me descending the stairs. She waved at me as she moved her jaw at lightening speed to chew her food. By the time I came to sit next to her she was done eating.
"Sleep well?" She asked with a smile.
"Yeah, thanks." I said, trying to hide my smirk. She was a chipmunk through and through, I giggled internally.
"I prepared a bowl of fruit for you, it's not much but it's better than starving." She said as she grabbed a bowl from the counter and placed it in front of me. In the ceramic bowl was various berries and little tiny apples that were the size of cherries. "If you are a carnivore, I apologize…" she added when I didn't dig in right away.
"Oh, no! I'm an omnivore, and this looks great! I've never tried these fruits before, could you tell me if they have seeds in them?"
We talked as I ate. She taught me the various names of the fruits and vegetables of the region, and she talked at length about her favorite foods to make with them. We got to the topic of her house and why she is living alone. She told me that she lived in this house with her mate before he died. Their village was hit with a plague that forced them all to scatter to prevent death. Her and her mate lived in this house together before he died 10 years ago.
"You don't look old enough to have been widowed for 10 years. Were you together long? " I asked
She laughed and replied, "It is true that we did get mated a little younger than most, I think we were both around 17 when we met. And we were happily married for.." she paused and looked thoughtful for a moment, "I think we were in our 20th year together." She finished with a smile.
I nearly choked. That would make her almost 50?! She looked like a teenager to me, but she's old enough to be my mom!!! I recognized the look on her face when she saw my shock, so I told her my fabricated story.
"I ended up losing my memory a while back, after an accident. Some things I can remember but other things I can't." I smiled sheepishly, "How long is a normal lifespan?"
"Poor thing, no wonder you had trouble controlling your jumps. I can be your mentor! I'll teach you everything you need to know! Demi-humans tend to live around 200 years more or less depending on genetics and species." She was very enthusiastic and I could help but think that she was quite gullible for a 50 year old.
I made a mental note to ask Marshall his age. Here's hoping I didn't sleep with a grandpa.
"I appreciate your help!" I said to Dania. "I appreciate the hospitality as well, it's nice to meet someone…" I almost said someone my age, but she's not. Looks sure are deceiving. "As kind as you!" I finished the sentence.
She blushed and waved her hand at me, "such flattery."
We laughed and talked some more while we drank fresh squeezed juice. I told her about Marshall and the dire-wolf village I had been staying in. She told me about the village she used to live in. She told me that she was part of a big family, but she was just one of many children so she never got a lot of attention. Probably why she and her mate hooked up so early.
As we talked she mentioned the mate bond a couple times. She explained it to me when I asked.