Morning Hope Rising, Part 7

Author’s Note: This part might be more graphic than you’re used to from me. Proceed with caution.

“Snowcat, you’re beautiful. Your body is stunning in moonlight. Let me show you how much.”

She tilted her head, focusing her green eyes on his brown eyes, wordlessly telling him she was as ready as she’d ever be.

Crossing the floor, he laid his body beside her, facing her. He traced his fingertips from her forehead down the side of her face to her chin. His love sword jumped, but instead of flinching she moved in and caught it with her thigh.

He began stroking her ribs; she kissed him deeply, alternating between gentle nibbles on his lips and strong thrusts with her tongue. She shivered as his hands moved from her ribs to trace the curves where her breasts meet her ribs.

He was pained at how prominent her ribs were, but then she started to massage his love sword with her thigh, and he couldn’t think. He moaned gently as she nibbled his lips and pumped his love sword. He’d needed her, and something in her muscle memory was taking over.

As she continued kissing him, his fingers moved from tracing the curve where her breasts meet her ribs to brushing over her nipples and then following the moon beam to her love box.

As she felt his fingers approach her love box, she almost stopped. She looked him in the eye, and the green stars pierced his soul. His eyes started to brim with tears and fears she wouldn’t finish.

Her thigh continued pumping his love sword, and she stroked his face, brushing away his tears. She started to nibble his neck while rubbing his shoulders and touching his chest.

He eased back and began tracing every curve and cranny of her love box. His love sword tensed against her thigh as he physically prepared her for union.

With one hand he continued to trace her ribs and the curve of her breast and with the other he traced her love box. She continued to nibble his lips, alternating between gentle nibbles and forcefully dancing in his mouth with her tongue.

At a moment when he thought he couldn’t wait much longer, he slowed and pushed away gently. She looked at him.

“Snowcat, I think… it might be just about time. Okay to finish?”

She closed her eyes, and he waited, fearing she’d stop everything.

Time stood still. All he could hear was the irregular rhythm of her breathing.

She breathed deeply and sighed. “Yes. Please. For our union.”

He reached down and maneuvered his love sword to align with her love box.

“Okay, Snowcat.”

He pushed his love sword into her love box. From prior unions, everything felt like he’d worked it right so he shouldn’t physically hurt her.

She responded to the entry by moving her body the way she’d moved her thigh. She continued alternating between nibbling his lips and dancing her tongue in his mouth. He reveled in the feel of her ribs and the curve under her breasts.

His delight was complete when the union succeeded at the same time for both of them. It never did happen that way too often. Somehow, the separation made everything work just right.

He lay back, and she draped across him. He could feel his love sword was shrinking and coming out of her love box. Both were breathing heavily.

After a few moments, she started to tremble and his chest got wet. She could cry almost soundlessly because of skirmishing experience. He got scared, afraid he’d pushed too hard.

The chee-chin moved from the hearth and were lining up along the side of the union furs.

“Hey, hey. What gives? Why the tears? That was one of our best unions.”

She silently sobbed, then pushed off his chest and rolled over, not looking at him.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Her silent sobs got deeper and more violent.

“Slow down. Tell me. I will lie here. I won’t touch you unless you ask.”

“Hurting. Broke union. Didn’t know it wasn’t you.” She sobbed.

He was stunned. The War God had shown him what had happened. She was never in the wrong.

“No, Snowcat. You were faithful. Once you knew it wasn’t me, you fought back.”

She sobbed more deeply.

“But… I… let… it… touch me. I… thought… you… it…”

“But you didn’t have a union with it. All you did was sleep there. You didn’t know.”

He started to reach for her shoulder. As he connected, she rolled into a fighting stance, searching for her sword.

He threw himself into an instant pose of submission. He’d thought after the first approach following the War God’s instructions he wouldn’t have to fear his lover. His heart pounded.

Without warning, she collapsed and curled like a clover crawler. The chee-chin did not approach, but they did something he’d never seen except as part of finding new chee-chin farmers.

They moved so that they were all touching each other. Their eyes got wide and looked as though their eyeballs were spinning. Then they began to make a sound. It was almost melodic.

He was stunned. This usually only happened in spring as part of finding new farmers. It didn’t affect her. She continued sobbing.

“Snowcat, I am coming to you. I am going to hug you and hold you. What happened wasn’t your fault, or your War God wouldn’t have helped you. I will not argue with a deity even if it’s one I don’t serve. If you want, I will dress both of us to make you feel more comfortable.”

He crossed to her body and wrapped his arms around her. As the chee-chin continued the odd sound, he managed to calm and soothe her enough that he could sit up against a wall and hold her between his legs while she sat with him. He hugged her from behind, and she was too spent to fight.

“Sorry, Snowcat. I forgot about nothing from behind. I am not that thing. You did nothing wrong. I will keep our union; I still choose to honor you.”

She collapsed back against him, almost spent.

“I know… but don’t… believe.”

He was stunned into discomfort by her guilt, shame, and doubt.

“The warriors and healers say it takes time, and the chee-chin will help.”

After what seemed like forever, she fell asleep leaning against his chest. The chee-chin silenced themselves. He sighed, wishing he knew what was next.