The Red Moon's Power 05: End & Begining

Hello everyone! First I would like to straighten out some confusion in my story page. My Red Moon series has four chapters and currently one side story. Well actually this is my 5th chapter but yeah, you get the idea. Ch1 was The Red Moon's Power, Ch 2 was Rescue, Ch 3 was Escape, and Ch 4 was Preparing. Hope that helps with the confusion! For those of you who don't like sappy romance stuff this isn't the story for you. Sorry! As for me I love this stuff lol. I would like to thank my editors and readers for all their support. Enjoy.

Shinai had traveled for nearly a month before approaching her homeland. She longed for Aiden to the point of insanity but forced herself to move on. Fallin had ordered two of his hunters Gale and Kobe to join her. The two men were like a comedy team; always causing trouble for each other. She couldn't help but feel glad they were there; after all, she would have probably just wallowed in self-pity without them. Both men wore jeans at Shinai's insistence. Walking around with two naked guys was not what she needed right now.

"I'm telling you, that is not the way you catch that big thing, moron." Kobe's light voice said. The man was as gorgeous as any of his clan but his quick wit made him stand out very nicely.

"Shut up you damn bastard I know what I am doing." Gale growled. Unlike most of his brothers Gale stood out much like Fallin did. Instead of Fallin's dark gold skin his was almost silver which contrasted drastically with his black stripe like birthmarks that covered his body randomly. He had bright blue eyes and silver grey hair that only made him more striking. He was the same build as Fallin which was smaller than Kobe's but both of them were intimidating. The man stood knee deep in a stream catching their dinner, or attempting it anyhow. His aim was for a much larger fish and when he struck he put all of his weight into it.

A large splash made Shinai turn around to see Gale soaking wet in the water looking very irritated. Kobe laughed. "I told you! You don't catch big ones like that!" he said between laughs. Before the larger man could move back Gale took one large sweep of his arm soaking the man.

"Heh now that's funny!" Gale grinned.

"Why you damn White Tiger!" Kobe attacked him and the two of them wrestled in the water. Shinai blinked trying to hold back a fit of laughter.

"Hey guy's we're almost to my clan's territory." She said. Both men froze and looked at her. Kobe's hand was pulling on Gale's mouth and Gale was holding a punch frozen in the air. The look the two men had on made the laughter she was holding back come out hysterically. "Oh my god, the two of you look hilarious!" She laughed even harder when both men blushed and quickly straightened themselves out. Neither of them were really used to female attentions outside of the few women in their clan.

"You see what happened, you made me look like a fool in front of Shinai." Gale mumbled.

"You don't need my help, idiot." Kobe said picking up the basket of the fresh fish Gale had caught earlier.

"Listen guys why don't we eat a little further in the forest. The fire will alert my sisters that we are here so they aren't surprised." She said still laughing. Both men agreed reluctantly and followed her further to her home.

That night smoke was spotted at the edge of Jaguari territories.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Saori sat in her tent awaiting her mother, the head of the Jaguari clan to come. She wore a long sliver gown that fit to her body like a second skin, the simple string laced back ended at the curve of her butt. The Jaguari Ceremonial gown made her light gold skin glow and her golden green eyes shimmer. Her wavy black hair framed her face and shoulders. She was one of the most beautiful of the Jaguari, but all she wanted to do was tear off that dress and run. She should have left with Shinai...at least then she would have a purpose; instead she's just continuing her family line. Her mother entered.

"You look lovely dear, just lovely." Her mother smiled warmly.

".....Must I really do this mother? I am only 18 years old, none of our sisters' just sleep with the men, only a few have actually claimed one as their mate."

"Now child this is your duty as it once was mine. You have to chose a mate and produce a child with him. I regret that we no longer have the male hunters we once had, they had long died out even before my own mother was born. It is only one year of being with a male, you can do it."

"......I understand. I wish Shinai were here to at least be by my side..." She missed her friend terribly.

"I am sorry child...Shinai made her choice to leave the clan. I know you were very close." A knock from outside got both of their attentions and one of the warrior guards entered.

"Forgive me Mother Head for interrupting but I wish to inform you that smoke was spotted last night to the east. We do not know who caused it just yet." The woman informed her.

"I see. Most likely some lost human fools. I want you to find out who is here before tonight's celebration." The Mother informed her. The guard nodded and left.

"I will have Leila stay with you for now Saori, please stay calm." With that her mother left and her friend Leila entered. The girl was the same age as her; with a curvy figure, long straight brown hair and the same golden skin as her sisters. Her big orange-yellow eyes gleamed happily at her. Unlike Saori, Leila had an even harder future. In one year she will become a pleasure whore.

"You look beautiful Saori!" She smiled brightly. "I wish I could wear a ceremonial dress too."

Saori looked at her friend with tears in her eyes. Look at yourself; she thought; here in front of you is a girl who wants nothing more than to belong to one person forever but already knows she can't and here you are feeling sorry for yourself. She screamed into her head.

"Thank you Leila." She whipped the tears away. "And don't say that, even if you're a pleasure cat, it doesn't mean you won't marry one day. There is a law that states you can if someone claims you."

Her friend smiled sadly. "Not even those sad excuses of males would want a pleasure whore for a mate Saori, but thank you."

Saori stood up and pulled out a pale white gown similar to her own. This was the Ceremonial gown for the normal clanswomen. "Put this on. We will slip out of here and go to our favorite spot until nightfall."

"I couldn't!" Leila tried to argue but Saori wouldn't have it. She forced her friend into the dress and did her hair. Leila stood there looking nothing like a pleasure whore. With that Saori took her hand and slipped out from the back. Today they would both be happy...at least for a few hours.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

They had not even stopped to sleep last night and Shinai was growing tired. It was her own suggestion, knowing her sisters would attack them without thought if they put their guard down. She needed to reach her village before they were found in order to speak to her Mother Head. The fact that she hadn't slept decently since she said goodbye to Aiden had a huge toll on her and soon Gale and Kobe forced her to take a nap.

The two men watched over their sleeping guide worriedly.

"I don't like how she's pushing herself. I can't believe her mate left her like this." Kobe said.

"She told him to leave the night before we left remember? I'm going to go scout the area a little, stay with her alright?" Gale said. Before Kobe could argue he stripped off his clothing and shifted into his beast form. Out of all their clansmen only 5 in every 200 cubs are born white tigers. Even rarer still was Tigaree like Fallin, who are so dark they are almost black. Gale's bright blue eyes blinked up at his partner as he shook his white fur. With one giant leap he was off, sprinting through the uncharted territory.

He ran at full speed, powering through the trees swiftly. His muscles had ached to run and he was letting all of it out. He was even aware of the Jaguari huntresses that had spotted him but he decided to make a game out of it, letting them chase him. He found himself disappointed when they couldn't keep up.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Back at the Jaguari village the women were in an uproar. None of them knew what to do about the strange white beast found in their territory.

"Mother Head we have a very big problem!" one of the huntresses came running into her tent.

"What is going on? Is it the intruders?" She was growing tired of all this nonsense.

"No Mother, it is a strange beast! None of our sisters can even come close to it never mind catch it. We have never seen anything so powerful." She panted. "I wasn't even able to keep it in my sights for more than 5 minutes."

That got the Mother's attention. This particular huntress was one of her fastest outside of Shinai and a few others. If she couldn't catch it....what in god's name is this thing? She thought.

"Alert me of any changes, I need to go speak with my daughter." The girl nodded and left. The Mother Head took a tired breath and went to her daughter's tent. "Oh my God... Saori!" She came running out, ordering all available huntresses to find her daughter immediately.

Elsewhere Saori and Leila sat at a waterfall. Both girls laughed as they remembered all the years they had come here. It had been their favorite spot since they were small, jumping off the large rocks into the water, fishing, even just telling stories were all done here. The only other person who knew about this place had been Shinai. In fact she had been the one who first took them here.

"...I wish I had gone with Shinai...I wanted to help our sisters as well." It had been the first time Saori had said this to anyone, not even her own mother.

"Why didn't you?" Leila asked. She had been glowing ever since she had put the gown on.

"....I'm not a huntress...I would have gotten in Shinai's way...but I feel like I would have been able to accomplish something other than just baring a child. I don't want someone who is even weaker than me to claim me." Shinai had trained her in combat when she was younger, although she was not in a hunters class she could handle herself well. One of those weak men fit only to help bare children was not what she wanted. Just as she was about to continue, the noise of rustling leaves made both girls jump and look in fear towards the sound. Had they been found? She thought. Saori froze at what she saw.

Gale blinked down at the two females below him. Both were beautiful but the one in the silver gown had his full attention. The beast in him wanted to pin her down and claim her. He paused at the thought. He never wanted to do that with one of the other female. He turned his head towards the approaching Jaguari and he knew he would be caught if he stayed there. He turned back at the women and blinked. The girl in silver stood in front of the girl in white ready to defend her. He laughed inside and jumped down into the waterfall, his white fur gliding deep into the water.

Saori stood her ground in fear. The white beast had disappeared into the water just as she heard her sister hunters running past them. None of them even noticed them.

"Saori...what is that thing? It kind of looked like a large cat." Leila whispered from behind her, fear in her voice.

Just as she was about to say something a shadow appeared from deep within the water. She expected the white beast to come out and stood her ground. Instead a man burst out of the water.

Gale's head flew back gasping for air. "Shit I stayed down there too long." He coughed up water and shook his hair like it was fur.

Saori stared at the man. She had never seen anything like him. He had large wide shoulders, a muscular back and a slender waist. He was probably 3 times the size of the men in her clan. He looked up with the most amazing blue eyes and blinked. The same blue eyes as the white beast.

"Heh.... Yo" he smiled up at both of them. Gale particularly liked the way she looked him over. "I don't bite...unless you want me too." He winked at his green-eyed vixen with a grin. She bushed and took a step back.

"Who are you?" She shouted. Gale decided he liked her voice too.

"Your future husband?" he said jokingly.

Saori's face went crimson at the thought of being this man's mate. For a strange moment she thought he was much better than those other men she'd have to choose from. She shook the thought off. "Absolutely not! Now answer me before I call my sisters back." She fumed.

Gale burst out laughing. She took him seriously did she? Well then he'd have to take his claim. Saori blushed even more at the man as he laughed. He definitely had a nice laugh, she thought.

"Come closer Kitty and I'll tell you all you want." His eyes gleamed with mischief. If he wanted he could command her to come to him but where was the fun in that? She'd be his soon enough. He leaned against his folded arms on the rocks, the rest of his body submerged in water.

She found herself ready to take a step closer but Leila's hand stopped her when she grabbed the hem of her dress.

"Don't listen to him Saori, he's dangerous." Leila said.

"So your name's Saori, very nice." Gale grinned.

Saori blushed and Leila covered her mouth in shock, she had told the man her best friend's name. The man just kept smiling.

"So who are you? What are you?" She managed to say to him. Leila still held firm to her dress ready to stop her if she was tempted to go to him.

"Hmm I wonder If I should tell you, your being rather mean staying so far away." He pretended to be hurt.

"So....if I come closer you'll tell me?" She mumbled shyly.

"Saori don't...." Leila tried to stop her but Saori walked forward, stopping a foot away from the man. He grinned and gestured for her to come closer. She took a deep gulp of air and sat down so she was almost at eye level.

".....not quite what I wanted but alright." He smiled again. "So ask away Kitty."

Leila sat right next to her wanting to protect her from the strange male. Odd since she knew nothing of defense.

"Tell me your name" Saori whispered. No longer sure this was a good idea. She felt dizzy when she looked straight at him.

"Gale."

"What are you?" She asked again. She found herself whispering his name in her mind over and over again.

"The same as you, I'm a Katsari."

That answer surprised both girls. "no way, no Jaguari looks like you, especially not the males." She said. She wanted the truth.

He laughed again. "I am a Katsari; I never said I was a Jaguari. I'm a Tigaree hunter.

"Impossible, I never heard of a Tigaree before." Saori refused to believe him...if she got her hopes up and learned he was Katsari she probably would go to him.

"Well frankly I didn't know about your clan either until a month ago. Some of your clanswomen escaped from the Sentari and found our clan. One of them is here to ask for help with a war, maybe you know her. Her name's Shinai."

"Shinai!" Both girls yelled. They had believed she had died along with their captured sisters when she left the clan.

"Sister Shinai is alive and coming here?" This time Leila spoke to him. Saori didn't like her speaking to him. She shook her head at the absurdity

"Yup, along with my partner, He's also a Tigaree hunter." Gale's eyes never left Saori's.

"We have to report this to the Mother Head Saori." Leila said. Saori agreed, but going back meant she had to choose a mate.

"......Go back and tell my mother Leila...I want to stay here a bit longer." She told her friend. Gale grinned.

"But Saori..."

"Go, Leila! That's an order from your future clan head." She hated ordering her friend but she knew Leila would never go otherwise. Her friend said nothing as she stood up; with one look back she headed for home.

Saori knew this place would no longer be unknown to her sisters now but she could not face her clan yet. 'Is Shinai safe?" she asked him.

"You sent your friend away to ask about Shinai? That's boring." Gale muttered. "She's fine."

".....I just don't want to go back yet, is that wrong?" She felt bad about disappointing her mother and sisters.

"No, not wrong. I kind of wish you just wanted to stay here with me, but I guess not." He said almost pouting. "Ahhh and now, I have to get back. You should tell your clan we'll be there tonight now that I know where it is."

"Wait how do you know?"

"I can smell your sisters in the air; the place with the most scents is your home I assume." He picked himself up out of the water and Saori jumped back. She had never actually seen a naked male before but she doubted any of the Jaguari men looked like him. He was even larger then she thought. Her eyes started to drift down but she forced them to his face. Gale laughed.

"You can look, I don't mind." He lowered his head down to whisper into her ear and she squeaked like a scared mouse. The beast in him took over and he pushed her down onto the ground, his body sitting over hers. She tried to struggle but when he placed his lips to hers she whimpered. He slid his fingers into her hair and licked her lips, nibbling on them until she opened her mouth inviting him further in.

Saori couldn't breathe, all of her blood rushed to her face as she moaned and cooed under him. She wanted more, so much more. Just as she thought she'd like to be his mate he stopped and pulled away. She stared up at him with big wanting eyes.

"Not now Kitty, it's probably not a very good idea for us to continue now." Gale didn't want to stop but they were running out of time.

"Don't stop! If you stop I'll have to go back and chose a mate!" She didn't want that. Not after that kiss she just had.

"What did you just say?" he growled. The mere thought of someone else touching her infuriated him.

She blinked up at him. Up until now he was all smiles and jokes but now he was genuinely angry. "Tonight is my claiming night. I am the daughter of the clan head so in order to prolong the line I have to mate and produce children after my first red moon."

He growled again. "Then choose me."

Again she blinked up at him. "Technically I can since you are Katsari but...if you're not there at midnight I have to choose someone else.... Do you really want me to choose you? You probably have plenty of females of your own right?" She felt insecure about all of this; she kind of hoped he would claim her by force after that kiss. He was still on top of her but she no longer wanted him off.

"...We don't have many female in our clan, the ratio is like 5 female for every 100 male. As for me wanting someone else, think again. I knew you would be mine the moment I laid eyes on you." He growled down at her, kissing her once more before getting off of her. "Don't worry, I'll get there at midnight so don't you even think about choosing another." With that he shifted back into his beast form and ran off.

Saori watched him go before standing up and brushing the dirt off of her dress. Just as she was about to head back she the huntresses ambushed her and what was even worse...her mother.

"I cannot believe you! What were you thinking! This of all days to go off like this, we only have a few hours before the ceremony!" Her mother yelled.

"...Did Leila tell you about Shinai?" She asked her, there was no point arguing with her.

"Leila will be punished for what she has done, as soon as she told me where to find you she was placed in jail."

"What, why?"

"She dared to wear a sacred ceremonial gown, a mere pleasure whore! She will be rightfully punished, and if you were not my daughter you would be with her!"

"Do what you want to me but leave Leila out of this! I told her to wear it, I wanted at least one of us to be happy tonight! All she wants is for someone to want her and only her but because of the way she was born she is forced to be something she doesn't want! I know exactly what that feels like. Please mother let her go and I'll go through with the ceremony peacefully."