Hunting the Hunter Ch. 05

Inanna found Feric's sister, Bellane, more commonly known as Bella, watching over the three youngest cubs in one of the empty halls. "Hey there, I was just heading up into the light of day to wash the smell of 'yuck' out of my hair, you want to come with to the lake? I figure it'll be safe enough for the cubs with both of us there." She nodded to the fur balls who had ceased their wrestling in order to watch her. Bella raised her head up from her paws, blinking, then grinned and shifted.

"God yes, get me out of this bloody dungeon."

Minutes later they were at a small lake that lay just south east of the lair. It was bigger than the one she'd met Feric at, but with a less impressive waterfall. The rocky and uneven terrain in these parts made these little watering holes common enough that they didn't have to wander far afield for the pleasure of a bath...the non-kitty type at least.

Inanna wasted no time and the little ones were hot on her heels. She got out of the way fast enough not to get a face full of fur, but didn't miss the accompanying splash. When the littlest one came up he had shifted back to his human form and grinned ear to ear. She could only grin back and send a gentle splash back at him. He sent an equally gentle splash back at her. Talon, however, she felt free to go ahead and dunk with a vengeance, and did so. At which point all three went in for the kill...the little sharks.

One half hour of vengeance, counter vengeance, and counter counter vengeance later, Inanna dragged her defeated self out of the pool and flopped dramatically onto one of the more flat-ish boulders lining the miniature lake.

"Mercy, you vicious little creatures." She groaned and threw her forearm over her brow "I am vanquished." The itty bitty ones giggled, and Talon gave her one last splash for good measure. She gnashed her teeth at him and got up off the rock, heading for Bella's drier perch so that she could dry off a little before she got dressed again. She sat next to the woman and Bella gave her a wry smile in return.

"Can't believe you let those little beasts beat you."

Inanna chuckled.

"Three to one, the odds were against me." She yawned and turned her gaze out over the surrounding trees. "You wanna take a go?" Bella shrugged.

"Maybe. I just like to sit in the sun mostly...that damned ruin is so dark and damp...just plain hideous really." She turned her face up to the burning ball in the sky and closed her eyes with a contented expression on her face. "I miss the sun."

They sat for a while in silence. Though Ina found it to be a companionable enough. She hadn't spent much time around her, but Ina found Bella a very easy person to be around...her husband too for that matter. There was something...comfortable about them. Something oddly familiar.

"So how long have you two been mated?" she asked after a while. Bella turned back to her, as her eyes had been busy scanning the trees for signs of danger, then shrugged.

"Twelve years. Not long."

Inanna arched a brow at her. "Not long?" She laughed lowly. "I've never stayed with anyone that many years in a row, not even my parents."

"Well, eventually you might want to have children, then you'd likely find someone to settle in with. That's what usually happens...and to the best of us." she winked at her, earning a chuckle. "...or would you?" She asked, arching a brow and giving Ina a sly grin.

Inanna shrugged. "Oh sure, I guess. I'd be happy enough to be knocked up if I managed it, but that doesn't mean I'd settle down permanently with anyone."

Bella paused to consider this and Inanna began combing out her hair with her fingers, letting her eyes wander back over to the edge of the wood.

"Is that usual? For Dunmer I mean?"

"Yes and no. Really, there is no 'usual' as far as I'm aware. Family is big, kinship is important, with those you choose and those you're stuck with in equal measure, but relationships of a sexual nature tend to be a little more fluid. We live a long time, and people change. Besides, the whole institution of marriage is as much political as anything else. That goes for Ashlanders almost as much as for the great houses. Plus we have a pretty strange fertility cycles by human standards, and if a husband and wife are in different places when it hits, then the whole ensuring rightful progeny thing, that so many marriages seem fixated on, becomes a moot point. If you're a man and you want to pass on your legacy, the only thing you can do is find a Mer female in fertility and hope it sticks."

She laughed. "Are you trying to tell me your men are all cuckolds?"

She shrugged again and smiled. "I wouldn't say that. From what I've seen, it's an odd balance of possessiveness and understanding. And it goes both ways. If you're with someone because you choose to be, then you aren't going to be keen on sharing. However, if you're separated for some long period of time, and you dally, it's generally understandable. Of course" she paused holding up a warning finger, "if you're obvious about it, or pursue something without their blessing while they're still right there, then that's considered the height of impropriety and is most definitely frowned upon."

"So basically if you're discreet and sensible about it, no one bats an eye?"

"More or less...though really it's so variable...and so many choose not to be in permanent or formal arrangements which changes things completely. Take my mother for example. She had a lover whom she was very fond of, I dare say she even loved him, but she was on an extended scouting trip with several others on inter-tribal business during a period of fertility. My father was among them, and since he was a pretty piece of flesh, and since she was stuck there and feeling frisky, she decided to jump his bones in order to take the edge off. I, of course, was the product. She came back and left with her lover. When she discovered she was pregnant she returned so my father could see his child, and I generally spent my growing years between them. Really it worked out for the best since the partner of her choice couldn't give her children anyway."

"Huh. Was that difficult, going between parents? Did you ever feel torn?"

"No, not at all. They'd often spend some time together with, and even without me. Though sometimes I'd miss mother and Do'Sekket when they'd be gone for long periods of time, especially when I was stuck at home with the tribe and Serjo-papa, er my father," she smirked and shrugged at her slip, "made me study with the wise woman. But when I was old enough Mother took me with them to teach me to hunt. Do'Sekket...Sek-sera I used to call him, was her original lover, and was also like a father to me. He was a skilled hunter and absolutely devastating in a fight, a master of at least two hand to hand martial arts that I knew of. He taught me as much, or more than either of my blood parents. He was never fully accepted by the whole tribe since he was an outsider, but he was accepted in the degree that my mother and I had laid our claim on him and accepted him as family."

"And he didn't mind that you weren't his? That he was raising another man's child?"

Inanna stopped combing her hair out then and brought her knees up to her chest to rest her arms on. "I don't know. Like I said, he and mother couldn't have children anyway. He wasn't Dunmer, but he seemed just fine with it, he was always good to me, and I adored him. We were heartbroken when he died. Even father was a little broken up about it. They had a great deal of respect for one another, and eventually became close friends." She chuckled, "And naturally they bonded over the delights of dealing with a teenage version of me.

"The most terrifying experience of my life was when I was in my early twenties and they both were told by the same rat that I'd skipped out on the wise woman and had been mucking around with Deadra instead. They both came at me at once. Father literally turned purple he was so pissed. Not so much about the Deadra thing, but over the disrespect he felt I'd shown my teacher. I got a epic lecture on the ancestors, followed by Sek-sera taking me out behind the proverbial woodshed and kicking my ass in a very serious way. He didn't approve of Deadra worship."

"What did 'mom' have to say about it?"

Ina chuckled darkly. "She sauntered over after they were done with me and had left me propped up against a tent pole, bloodied and bruised. I remember looking up at her, and feeling her tap my leg with her boot. She said, "ya' liked that?" I being the smart ass kid I was answered, "yeah, it was all right...but I could have done without all the talking." She just nodded, and told me to stick with Azura or Boethia, because, and I quote, "those other sly fetchers are a right pain in the ass." She told me to consider it a lesson in 'not getting caught,' though if she did catch me playing patty-cake with a bunch of cackling Sheogorath worshipers she'd disown me. Apparently that was her only stipulation. No Sheogorath...and stop getting caught."

"Sounds like an interesting woman."

"You don't know the half."

"What was he anyway, her lover, if he wasn't a dark elf like yourself? Human?" She paused and looked uncertain, "Is, is that ok to say, 'dark elf'? I've never heard you use it."

Ina did grin at that. "It's fine. We don't use it, but I don't get worked up over those things, it's pretty much common usage here...though if you ever travel east, I'd stick with Dunmer so as not to twist anyone's knickers." She grinned. "And, ah, he was a Khajiit."

Bella started slightly, her eyes widening briefly as well, then narrowing with mirth. The both laughed. Bella looked like she wanted to say something, then just shook her head, still chuckling.

They both fell silent again, watching the cubs and the forest's boarder in turns. After another long while it was Inanna who felt compelled to ask another question.

"Do...do your kind tend to make permanent partnerships then?"

Bella turned to her with an unreadable expression on her face. "We do. Always."

"I have trouble imagining that."

Bella laughed. "And I have trouble imagining what you've just described so entertainingly."

Inanna gnawed her lip thoughtfully. "Not at all?"

"No."

"Ok....theoretical question. Let's say your mate disappeared on a long trip, and didn't come back when expected. A great deal of time has passed....years even, and you've seen nothing of him...you wouldn't take pleasure or comfort in another?"

Bella smiled softly and looked back out over the still splashing cubs below them. "I couldn't. Not if he were still alive. At least I couldn't imagine that, seeing as it's not ever happened to me."

"Well, that's the thing, you can't know that. How could you?"

"I could...we....well we know. It's the link."

"Link?" That certainly peaked her interest. "What kind of link? Like a magical binding or something?"

"Yes, actually, it is a little like a binding. There is a bond, a connection formed with ones mate that can't be broken or even ignored really, and it draws you to the other and dampens any attraction you might feel for another. You can still feel attraction, but it lacks the same intensity and pull you feel with one you've fully mated with. I've only had one real mate, but I've heard you can feel it, unequivocally, when they pass, or even when they're in great pain or distress."

"Have you felt that?"

Bellane's face darkened. "I..there was a time when I might have, but I was experiencing such pain myself, that I could not discern his from mine to tell any difference."

Inanna considered dropping it and changing the subject since whatever was going on in the woman's head wasn't pretty, and she wasn't so good with the consolation thing, as a general rule. She didn't have to make the decision because before she could think of something to lighten the mood, Bella continued, still looking off into the woods.

"The twins weren't our first cubs you see. I was in heat shortly after we mated," she darted a glance back at her, "we too have long cycles of fertility..." She sighed. "A little girl. Yasmin. She was four."

"The hunter's?" Inanna asked, her voice sounding incredibly tight to her ears, and an itching heat that wasn't fire burning her throat and face.

"Yes. Ambush. Many were lost and injured. Mirisa's mate as well." Her voice and face were calm...no doubt that stillness that comes after one has exhausted themselves of their sorrow so many times there is nothing left to do but be still and calm. There was another long moment where Inanna fought to find something to say. She could not.

"I'm sorry." It wasn't much...it was nothing. But what can one say or do? To say? Nothing. Do? Well...for the first time since she's lit those damned candles, that sick feeling disappeared. That's what she was doing. If it meant getting dirty. Fine. If it meant displeasing the ancestors...fuck 'em, they were generally stuck up jackasses anyway. It was worth it. It was worth it to see that this kind, good hearted person didn't have to watch another of her small children slaughtered.

Her eyes turned to the twins and talon. It was worth it. There were lines one didn't cross, those were the rules...but even those rules had exceptions. She decided to make the exception. She would claim them, it was decided. They might not like or get it, but they didn't need to. Her ancestor's would probably pitch a fit...but again...fuck 'em. They're dead, what are they going to do but whine?

They both stared out at the distance for a while, and had fallen into such a thoughtful silence that Bella's words almost made Ina jump when they came.

"Do you want me to braid that for you before it dries? I do a mean Breton twist...I get lot's of practice with three young girls. Mirisa isn't really the type one asks to braid her hair." She smiled mildly. Inanna returned the smile with a stunned look, then thought, why not. She repeated the thought out-loud.

Inanna felt a little shy about it as Bella turned and indicated Ina turn her back to her. It was a weird feeling. It felt a little like she was a child who'd been called in alone to see the wise woman and hadn't done anything wrong...that they knew of. She relaxed pretty quickly as Bella's fingers ran lightly through her hair, loosing what tangles remained with gentle skill, and pulling the length of it into workable segments.

"Tip your head forward a bit."

She obeyed. Then waited. Nothing happened. Then Bella dropped the hair she'd been holding.

"Bella? Everything ok?" Nothing. Her ease was gone and she was on high alert, throwing out her senses in all directions and whipping around to find Bella. She was kneeling right there looking back at her with wide eyes. "Bella? What's wrong?" She only blinked and inhaled sharply.

"Ah...um...I, ah, nothing. It's nothing. Turn around, I'm sorry."

Like hell it was nothing. She gave the stuttering woman a disbelieving look. And Bella gave her a strange little smile, and then a weird half laugh in return. "Please...it's ok..." she didn't finish the thought, but grabbed Ina's shoulders and physically turned her and taking up her hair in a firm way that said, 'we are now no longer talking, so sit and be quite.' So she was. The shy feeling was worse now, however, and she fought not to squirm in her seat as the her hair was slowly twisted back from her face and swept up to be tucked in a knot at the back of her....oh....damn. Her neck. The bite marks...she'd have to know what that was all about, and who'd put them there...damn.

She wondered if she should say something, or if Bella would say something. Oh man. So awkward.

Eventually Bella finished and patted her shoulder.

"There, all done." She wasn't going to say something. Ina sighed. Neither of them looked at each other.

"Bella..."

"..."

"Was it the...marks that freaked you out?"

"A...a little. Sorry about that. I wasn't ex-...he never said anything is all. It surprised me. I figured he'd have at least...well, never mind."

Ok, now this was ten times worse than being trapped alone with the wise woman. She sighed again.

"Listen, I...I don't think he wants it getting out...you know? Trying to focus on the job at hand and get that over with first..."

"Yeah."

Ina licked her lips then turned and looked at Bella who had been frowning at her lap. She looked up and their eyes met. Inanna's were hopeful, Bella's were searching. Eventually they both gave up on looking for whatever they were looking for and gave each other a small tentative smile.

"Awkward, eh?" Inanna smirked. Bella chuckled in response.

"You said it sister."

The weird tension was momentarily broken, though Bella was still thoughtful and there was still a strange expectancy in the air. There were a few attempts at speech which ended in expressive exhalations until Bella finally just shrugged.

"Well, shit."

Inanna snorted out a chuckle.

Bella's face then went through a remarkable transformation, from amused wonder, to sudden, blinking shock, to incredulity, and finally settling into a darkly amused leer. "You know...it occurs to me that in order for him to leave those marks he would have to have been --"

In the corner of her eye she spotted Talon preparing to jump off a rather high jagged looking rock and sent him a heartfelt mental thanks.

"Talon," she called with some sternness, interrupting Bella's observations, " Come down from there, that pool isn't deep enough for a jump like that, you'll crack your head open." Talon made a face, and she flicked her eyes at Bella to see her smirking knowingly back at her. She cleared her throat and turned a searing glare on the impish little boy. "Now boy, or I'll crack it for you."

She was was about to jokingly tell Bella to kindly stop smirking at her like that, but something else caught her eye in the distance, a flicker of movement beyond the edge of the woods. It was almost non-existent and easy to dismiss as wind to sunlight playing on the leaves...but her gut told her differently. She frowned and nodded to the woods edge.

"I think I saw something...You see anything?" She glanced back to find the other woman giving her an even wider smirk...she smirked back. "No, I know. Talon was avoidance...but I honestly think I saw something." Bella frowned and looked behind her. They both watched the forest, but there was nothing. Still...

Bella shifted and growled softly, not taking her eyes off the forests edge. Inanna licked her lips and quickly dressed, pulling her clothes on in record time and arming her bow the moment it was ready. The three cubs stopped their play and looked towards them, pulling themselves out of the water and shifting as well. The group made their way slowly back to the ruins, they could only go as quickly as the shortest legs among them. Bella and Ina could have managed to carry them in an emergency...but that would have left both of them unarmed, so they padded cautiously along instead.

They encountered nothing until, in a little clearing about 100 yards from the ruin, they were stopped short by a rustle in the brush which was followed by the emergence of a club wielding minotaur. The creature turned to them instantly and snorted, its black eyes widening. It let out a great bellow and Ina lifted her readied bow as soon as her mind processed the shift in its weight to its left leg.

Before it could take that first step or she could fire her first shot, a silent streak of gold came down on the beast from above. A small lion landed on the creatures shoulders, it's claws digging into the meat of its shoulders and back as the bared teeth clamped down around the beasts throat.

The minotaur thrashed in response, trying to throw the animal off. Ina cursed and held her fire, waiting for a clearer shot. There was too much thrashing and she didn't want to hit the lion. At first guess the size told her it was either Ambrose or Mori, and her knowledge of their respective temperaments told her it was likely the later.