When Eyes Meet Eyes…

Part 5

**You got to be kidding!**

"No Strongbow I'm not. I just want to observe them." Bearclaw was standing with his hands folded over his chest, the archer standing in front of him, bow propped up on the ground and leaning on it. "I just want to know where I can catch them on."

**You'll get yourself killed! Do you know what happens when they find out where we live?** Strongbow was furious. He could not understand the crazy mind of his chief. They were friends as well, but Strongbow never let a chance pass by to react to his Bearclaw's ideas. He found them crazy, thoughtless and above all against 'The Way'. But this was absolutely the line. "But, don't you want to get rid of the humans, so we can live without fear we'll be caught."

**But it's wrong! There must be another way.** It almost seemed as if the archer's eyes were glowing of anger, because of the fierceness in his sending. Bearclaw sighed inwardly and grabbed Strongbow by his arm. "Listen to me! If you want our cubs to be dead before their adulthood, that's your problem, but I will go through with this, whether you like it or not!" Strongbow pulled himself out of Bearclaw's hold and walked away, anger obvious in his every movement. He was tired of his chief's insane ideas and he couldn't set his mind to think it might be a good idea.

"Strongbow!" Behind him, Moonshade came running up to him. He stopped and turned to glare at her. **What do you want?** he sent gruffly. He was in no mood to talk to someone. "I have something I have to ask you."

**Yeah?** He replied in a tone that showed no interest. **What?**

"I was thinking… Now, since we are recognized, and we are getting a child? Would it be better if you moved in with me or if I moved in with you? Because--"

**I'm not moving in with anybody!**

"But, but, I thought--"

**I don't care! I don't want to know! Just leave me alone!** With all the rage he had in him, Strongbow walked away. He didn't want to hear about it. Not now. His mind was preoccupied with other things, not with moving in with someone. And he didn't realize Moonshade was staring at him as he walked away.

She turned to look at Bearclaw, and the chief shrugged. "Go talk to him later, when he's reasonable again," he said. Moonshade smiled and walked back to her den.

*****

"Strongbow?"

Strongbow looked up from where he sat, sharpening his arrows. Moonshade stood against a tree not far away from him, some hides in her arms.

**What do you want?** He asked, still an edge of irritation to his mental voice. Moonshade sighed and approached the archer slowly. "I wanted to talk to you earlier tonight, but I guess I came at the wrong time--."

**Yes, you did,** Strongbow replied, before Moonshade could proceed. "Well?"

**Well, what?**

"What do you think about it?"

**About what?** He looked at her as if she'd asked him the stupidest question he had ever heard. All he had to was laugh, which, of course he didn't. She had absolutely no idea whether to ask him again or wait until later. She decided to do the first. But not after a few inward sighs and crossing her fingers underneath the hides.

"I would like you to move in with me." Finally, that was out of her mouth. But it was not over, yet. The archer just kept staring at her, not saying a word. "But," she added quickly, "you don't have to move in with me, if you don't want to." She had no idea what she was about to say now, her mind was to slow for her mouth to follow. "I can also move in with you." Unconsciously, she sighed deeply and ran her tongue over her lips. Only silence followed as she saw Strongbow proceeded with his sharpening as nothing had happened.

**I'm not moving in with anybody.** The answer was suddenly -–and straight-- and Moonshade was stunned, not able to say or do anything.

Finally she managed to say "oh", as she looked at him with a piercing look, as if she wanted to say; "What do you mean?". Strongbow didn't look up as he sent to her; **It's not your fault.** A little relieved, Moonshade sat down next to him and laid down the hides. "What is it then?" She asked, carefully. She put a hand on his shoulder, but he shook it off. **I don't want to talk about it.**

"You can tell me everything. I will understand," the tanner tried, but the look she got from Strongbow told her not to push further. There had to be something that was bothering him. She so wanted to know what it was. Was it her or the child that was coming? She wished she could look into his mind to see what was wrong. On the one hand he was nice to her and sometimes a little flirtuous –- most of the times unconsciously -- but on the other he was pushing her away, never showing his mind to her, not ever the slightest bit.

"Will you at least think about?" she asked after a long moment of thinking, hope obvious on her face. Strongbow shrugged, not really in the mood to tell her anything. **There is nothing to think about.**

"Think about it, ok?" She unconsciously pushed him to the point where he would say yes, but all he gave was a slight wave with his hand, if saying; "Yeah sure, whatever".

"Thank you," Moonshade said softly, before turning, and walking away.

To Be Continued…