-To Feel-
It was dark when the food ran out and the music slowed to a halt. Most everyone had gone to the hotpools as a closer for the evening, yet Shadowflame and Nightshade remained, talking. They stood inches apart, nearly touching.
"That...was so much fun. The most fun I've had in a long time."
"I'm glad."
It was the first time that night that Shadowflame had had a chance to really look into his eyes, to see if what Rainlight had said was true. It didn't take long for Shadowflame to see that it was, every bit of it. She could see the love in Nightshade's eyes, could feel it between them. Her eyebrows knitted together.
"You are in love with me aren't you."
"Yes, more than ever."
He reached out one hand to her, and they touched their finger tips together. They stood like this for several minutes, looking deep into each other's eyes, searching for for the things that each of them wanted to find in one another. Nightshade removed his hand from hers after a time, and trailed his spidery fingers up her arm, over the silks sleeve, to her neck. Hand behind Shadowflame's neck, Nightshade pulled her to him in one clean movement. Gently, he bent his head to kiss her neck. Shadowflame felt his muscled body pressed against her. She stifled a moan as Nightshade's hand trickled down her spine. She wanted so much for him to continue, but then the words of Rainlight returned to her mind.
"Go slow with this one, Shadowflame..."
With one reluctant hand, she pushed him away.
"No, please, it's not right, not now."
Nightshade stopped and backed away from her. He seemed hurt somehow, but mustered a grin.
"Whenever you'll have me, Shad."
"Come on, let's soak a bit with the others."
This time it was Shadowflame who had to take his hand as they strolled down the path. The entire group had converged on a pair of hotpools situated in the middle of the slowly sloping hill. Few realized that Nightshade and Shadowflame had arrived late, and together. Friends groaned as they were forced to move over so the two could squeeze into a hotpool.
"So, did anyone hear about Bloodfang?" said a young girl with tousled baclk/white hair.
"Oooo I did." Rainlight chuckles.
"Whatta 'bout 'im?" Rainlight's brother, Icefalcon asked gloomily.
"Well, it seems the other night, he threw all of her clothes and possesions out of their ekele while she was away!" explains Rainlight.
"Oh, that's awful!" cries Shadowflame.
"No, not really, you see she was with Leafdancer...and it wasn't an innocent meeting either!" Rainlight and the rest of the pool erupt with laughter.
"So, what's she gonna do now? Wasn't her old ekele given to some lad who'd just moved out of his parent's?" Thia again from the black/white haired one, Moonglow.
"Maybe she'll move in with Leafdancer." suggested Icefalcon.
"I doubt it, after he finds out about Bloodfang. And if I know Leafdancer he has already." Moonglow snickers.
"He's probably halfway to K'Sheyna Vale by now!"
"And Bloodfang hot on his trail I'll bet!" Nightshade managed a smile.
The entire group stopped to glance at Shadowflame and Nightshade, who were even then holding hands beneath the water. Guiltily they disengaged their hands. Rainlight shared a secret smile with Shadowflame.
"So, when are you two going to-"
"Treefire..." Moonglow glares at the older man warningly.
"What, I was only going to say move in together." His look was pure innosence.
"If I know your dirty mind you were thinking a lot worse." Moonglow rolled her eyes and gave him another withering look.
"And when are you two going to move in together?" Nightshade chuckled, wickedness swirling in his eyes. Again the pool laughed.
"You're like a bonded couple already, with all the arguing you do." Rainlight was still trying to stop giggling.
"Oh, be quiet Rainlight." Moonglow splashed at the girl playfully.
"Say, why don't we sneak off and..." Treefire bent to whisper the rest in Moonglow's ear. She blanched, the began to blush fiercely.
"TREEFIRE!" She nearly whacks him on the side of the head, but he managed to dance away before she could contact. Everyone roared laughter.
"Oh, go on, Moonglow. We know you want to." Icefalcon grinned at the evil look Moonglow gave him. She turned to look Treefire over, while he struck his best pose, flexing strong biceps and showing two rows of white teeth. He was handsome, with patterned green-brown hair, sapphire eyes and tanned skin. Finally Moonglow sighed and grinned.
"All right, bit I warn you, I may not be that flexible." She let herself be yanked out of the pool and half-dragged down a path as the pool's chuckles followed.
"Now, who's next..." Icefalcon smiled, evidently enjoying the matchmaking. His gaze traveled to an up-til-now silent man at the opposite end of the pool. "Coldlake."
The man opened one turqouise eye and gazed at Icefalcon. He was medium height and thin, with magewhite hair and a lean, smooth look about him. He siad nothing as Icefalcon thought for a minute. Rainlight looked frigid death at Icefalcon, for some strange reason,
"How about...Rainlight!"
Rainlight turned purple with rage as Coldlake closed the eye, took his hands from behind his head and sat up, then opening both eyes. The two chosen ones looked each other over for a few tense minites, until finally Collake sidled over next to Rainlight, and wrapped one thin arm around her neck. Rainlight blushed and was yanked into Coldlake's side. The dancing-eyed man the began to whisper things with his musical bell-like voice into Rainlight's ear. The poor girl alternately blushed, giggled, and look to be in heaven until finally the two slipped off into the night. It was just Icefalcon, Shadowflame, and Nightshade in the pool now.
"Aw, poor Icefalcon, all alone. Wait, I think I have just the man for you." Shadowflame grinned and called to someone in the other pool. Icefalcon, infamously saych, tried desperately not to flush. Nightshade chuckled at the bird-like little man. He was only five foot three, and nearly as thin as a sapling. True to his name he had ice blue eyes and icier white hair and skin. The man Shadowlfame called over was a known flirt, thin with shining violet eyes and black hair, named Duskbird. He lead the smiling Icefalcon off into the bushes. Now, it was just Nightshade and Shadowflame in the pool. It seemed that the others were pairing off as well and wandering away to more private quarters. Shadowflame leaned sleepily into Nightshade, wishing she had the courage to do that as well. But of course, Nightshade didn't seem to mind.
"That was...odd." Nightshade stared into the water.
"Sure was. Coldlake and Rainlight, who woulda thought."
"Ha ha, that surprised me...but Icefalcon seemed to know something we didn't."
"He sure looked happy when I intrduced him to Duskbird."
"Yeah."
"Know what." Shadowflame snuggled into Nightshade's shoulder.
"No, what?"
"I have a feeling this is going to be a great year."
"Me too."
They fell asleep like that soon after.
-To Be-
A year had passed, a wonderful year, just as Shadowflame had predicted. Realtionships grew, wyrsa attacks were down considerably, and the weather was mild, as always, inside the vale. Shadowflame and Nightshade grew into one another, as did Coldlake and Rainlight, Moonglow and Treefire, and Icefalcon and Duskbird. Everyone thought that the other's relationship would be just a one night stand, but it seems that some bonds were formed that night.
Shadowflame continued to make Nightshade wait, even though he had tried several times to get her into his bed. Shadowflame couldn't blame him, for she wanted nothing more than to be in his bed, but she wanted to go slow, and, for the most part, respected that. There came a time however, that Shadowflame decided to give into her passions. She made a pact with herself that the next time Nightshade made an advance, she would not push him away. And if he did not make one soon, then she was going to have to take things into her own hands.
His next advance came after a post-bonding cerimony party for Frostlily and Starstone. With a wild smile on his face, Nightshade pulled her into a small clearing and began to kiss her all over, face, lips, neck, and arms. He no doubt expected her to pull away after a while, but she did not. Instead she kissed back, the year of passion for him pouring out. She deepened the kisses, and he, responding wonderfully did so as well. His strong hands ran down her back, and up again, down her buttocks and onto her upper theigh, then traveled around front and slipped between her legs. Shadowflame was about to cry out with joy, when she heard voices just outside the clearing. In a husky voice she whispered,
"Let's find a more private place, hm?"
Nightshade, bearly able to contain himself, grabbed Shadowflames arm and dragged her out of the clearing. Before Shadowflame knew it, they were in another clearing. This time nothing stirred, and there were no voices anywhere. On their way in, Shadowflame had flipped over the indicator card that said the clearing was in use.
"Now, then where were we."
They started out as they originally had, this time with even more passion, and even more noises. Unable to wait any longer, Nightshade's hands rose up to Sadowflame's taut stomach, rans lightly over it, then slid slowly up her breasts. He went over them with care, and indicated that Shadowflame should lift her arms so he could remove her shirt. When that was done he moved his head downward, kissing each and every inch of her chest. With an animal growl, Shadowflame ripped off Nightshade's shirt and felt all over his muscular back. She nibbled his ear tenderly and he took time out from kissing her to moan lowly. Almost simultaneously, they reached for each other's ties on the beeches.
"No," Shadowflame whispered " Do mine first."
Nightshade gladly did so, carefully sliding them down over Shadowflame's shapely hips. Shadowflame impaitently kicked them off, then undid Nightshade's. In seconds they two were cast onto the ground. Nightshade, gasping, dropped to his knees and began to kiss her belly, then lower and lower and lower until Shadowflame gripped his shoulders tightly and screamed out her pleasure. He reached up and felt her buttocks and lower back again, still kissing her inner thigh. With an alomst inhman strength, Shadowflame dragged him up off the ground.
"Goddess, I want you," she growled in his hear, and he chuckled. Slowly, he drew her down onto the ground. Then, when she lay full out, ready for him more than ever, he teased her, made her whine and claw at him, until finally he too became tired of the game. With one angry plunge he was in her, and finally Shadowflame was complete. Over and over she reached the height over their senses, never tiring of the exhilerating feeling she got from Nightshade's mere touch. Fireworks filled her vision.
~--~
Later, they both lay on the ground, watching the stars. It was nearly dawn now, and soon others would be looking for them. Sahdowflame turned to Nightshade.
"Do you think anyone will notice?"
"Probably. But, I don't think they'll be surprised." He chuckled and wiped a long strand of hair from Shadowflame's eyes.
"No, probably not."
"I'm so glad we waited this long." Nightshade whispered.
"So am I."
Before either of them could stop it, they had started the process anew, and if anybody noticed that the two were missing for the rest of the day, no one said a word.