When Eyes Meet Eyes…
Part 4
Strongbow sat down on a branch in the fathertree. It was his turn to keep watch this day. Actually, the fact was, it wasn't really his turn. He had asked for it, no, he had insisted. It was the only time he could think without being disturbed. He didn't know exactly what it was he had to think about, because he was so confused. What Woodhue had told him, was something he had not realized. Moonshade always had a crush on him. And he had known it for a long time. He just kept denying it. He never really paid much attention to it. But last night everything had become clear to him. Moonshade expected him to be her lifemate. But he didn't want to. He couldn't. Not yet. She was indeed beautiful, but her beauty didn't blind him. He knew her well enough to look beyond that beauty and he really didn't want to spend the rest of his life with her.
He saw some sunrays touch the ground and he knew it was day. He always hated the days. Too bright and it reminded him of humans. No one hated humans more than Strongbow. Humans murdered his parents when he was still young. The older Wolfriders had told him it was an accident. They just wanted to protect him from becoming a fierce hater of humans. But he knew better. He had seen them being killed. First his father, then his mother. And he had seen what the humans did to them, all the horrible things they had done. The image he had in his mind was all in red shades, shades of anger. He didn't cry for them. He never cried for them. And even now, not a single tear was shed for them. He had said goodbye to them like a wolf, he howled for them…
His thoughts brought him back to Moonshade. How he had hated her, hated her childish behavior and the way she always managed to annoy him. But everything changed when he recognized her. He saw the loveliness and the sweet part of her, a part he never imagined she would possess. He wished nothing had changed. He never liked changes.
Suddenly a hand on his shoulder startled him. Quickly he turned and looked into the face of Clearbrook.
**Do you want dead or something?!** He sent angrily. But Clearbrook smiled and sat down next to him. "If I was a human you'd be the one dead by now."
**What are you doing here?** He demanded as he watched her untangling her braid. She didn't answer at once, but observed him from the corner of her eye. She had been right. He looked quite confused. "I talked to Woodhue."
**Woodhue,** he snorted, **always saving everyone's life.**
"What do you expect? Do you think we never had problems with our recognition? Do you really think everything went perfect when we recognized?" This time she didn't smile. "We, too, had to sacrifice our free life, to get used to each other. Life is never that easy, you know?"
Strongbow just listened, arms crossed, his back against the tree, as Clearbrook continued.
"You know Woodhue as good as I do. You are practically his soulbrother. He tells you more than he does to me. I can't blame him, because I think he needs someone to tell his problems to, besides me. I think it would stand between us if he told me everything. Most of the time I can feel it. But it wasn't always that way."
Strongbow could remember the time when Woodhue came to him, all angry about Clearbrook being too pushy about telling his feelings to her. Strongbow had never been good at giving advice and Woodhue had been angry at him, too, because the solution, the archer had suggested, didn't help. It had only made things worse. The two friends didn't talk to each other for almost a season. But eventually, everything came back to normal.
"Do you remember that time when you and I had that argument?" Clearbrook chuckled. "I don't ever wish to see you that angry again."
**But the things you said to me, you were really going too far.**
"Yeah, I know. But I was so, so, I could strangle you right there and then." Now it was Strongbow's turn to chuckle, though it was more a movement of his shoulders, rather than a real laugh. **You don't want to know what I wanted to do with you.**
"No, I don't think I do." Clearbrook softly slapped the archer's leg and laid her head against his shoulder, while grabbing his hand. "You should explain Moonshade how you really feel. I know she'd appreciate it. If you tell her you can't live with her because you're not ready yet, she will understand."
**I'm afraid I will hurt her.**
"Hey, what happened up there? Are you suddenly compassionate? What did you do with the real Strongbow?" She grinned, but became serious again. "Recognition is cruel, I know."
**It's terrible. I hate it.**
"You hate everything," a smile played on her face as she cuddled close to him, "everything."
**I don't!**
"Yes, you do. And don't deny it." She yawned and closed her eyes, slipping away into dreamland. Strongbow sighed and closed his eyes as well, not to sleep, but to rest as he kept his ears open for every unusual sound, for the humans in particular…
To Be Continued…