Chapter 16. Partings

Out in the yard, Malik was with Nate and the other young males. Nisreen watched him through the front room window. Why wasn’t he with her? Their time was ticking away. As a young unmated female she couldn’t just join Malik or any of the young males. There would be talk. It was so stupid. For several weeks he had slept less than thirty feet away from her. If anything inappropriate were to happen it would have been then, not now in the company of so many others. It was bad enough being a Carrion Eater, and worse when one was born female. She felt a hand slip onto her shoulder. When she turned she was face to face with Auntie. She asked, “So you miss him already?”

Nisreen nodded.

With a smile, Auntie softly hissed, “I know spring seems far away, but it not. In six weeks, the snow will begin to melt, an you two will be joined.”

The word ‘joined’ filled Nisreen with joy and fear in equal measures. Her whole world would change. The consequence of her mating weighed heavy in her heart. Malik was looking for an abandoned home for them to share. In the caste system of their world, just as they survived on the remains of what was left, this also included the homes in which they inhabited. No one would sell to a Carrion Eater, but homes could be abandoned to them. Malik had found a rotting garden shed by a mostly burned out house. Only one stone room survived the fire. Nisreen hadn’t seen it yet. It was several miles flight from this house, this house where she now stood. How she would miss this house and her family when she moved.

As if reading her thoughts, Auntie gripped her shoulder a little tighter. She said, “You will adjust. It will take a bit of time. Its best you aren’t all starry eyed thinking it will be perfect bliss as a new mate with a new mate. It takes time to learn to live together.” Auntie spoke from experience. When she was young she did have a mate. Nisreen had vague memories of Uncle. He was a kind quiet male, though he rarely spoke to her, she never felt unseen by him. One evening when he had been flying home, a Killer with a gun and several bottles of whisky in him, had shot and killed Uncle for no reason. Of course in the Court of Killers, that Killer was not punished. Beyond the wall where the Killers lived, he had a home a mate and children, while Auntie did not. Life could be incredibly unfair.

Behind them females hissed and grunted in the kitchen. It sounded like a pit of snakes were conversing with pigs. Their language was not pretty. Unlike the males, the females had the sense to stay out of the cold. Auntie left her side. Alone Nisreen continued to watch Malik, hoping to catch his eye. Whatever the young males were talking about seemed to have totally absorbed him. Behind her the kitchen had gone silent. She felt the eyes of the other females upon her. They knew what she was doing and she felt her face warm with embarrassment. Though she didn’t want to, she turned away from the window and faced them. Their red eyes held kindness and good humor. No one teased her. Was it possible they understood?

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Granny said, “There now child, you will have time for your good bye. Come join us.”

Nisreen went into the kitchen and sat down at the card table. They were playing Bats and Wings. It was a simple game, and didn’t take much brain to play, also she was good at this game. As she played her mind for a little while forgot everything except winning, which she did.

*

Sunlight smeared the evening sky with color. Family and friends were beginning to take to the sky for home. Malik’s parents had already left. He stood beside Nisreen. The few things he had brought with him were in his bag. Time was not creeping it was running. He had to get home before dark. Softly he hissed, “Lets go for a walk.”

With her throat tight with tears all Nisreen could do was nod. His hand slipped into hers and they headed for the trail. Once they were out of sight of the house, Malik led her to the shelter of an old live oak. It’s branches still had leaves. Under this canopy, no one could see them from the sky. He pulled her to him. So close she could feel and almost hear the beating of his heart. Without a word, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. A timid fire leapt inside of Nisreen. It wavered and burned, but it didn’t consume her, her thoughts were too focused on Malik’s leaving for that. When he pulled away from her, she looked up at him with tear blurred yes. He ran his long thumb along the rim of her lower lashes catching her tears.

“Its okay, my love, soon we will be together all the time.”

She nodded.

“I don’t want to leave either. If we could begin tonight as mates, I would be so happy.”

In her mind, Nisreen couldn’t go that far. She wasn’t ready to be a mate. All she wanted was for him to be near enough, in the home where she had grown up. Was that wrong? Did it mean she didn’t love him as much as he loved her. Maybe? He pulled her close. She stood in his arms silent, confused while silent tears continued to slip down her cheeks. He didn’t let go of her, they didn’t talk or kiss, he just held her until, the sky began to darken and then she said“I must go.”

She stepped back and nodded.

He told her, “I will miss you so much.”

“And I you.”

He pressed a gentle kiss on her forehead, stepped from beneath the oak’s canopy and took to the evening sky. Nisreen stood staring after him, watching him until he disappeared from sight. The shadows were getting long and she needed to get home.