mind, flowing to the forefront each time that original thought echoed.
She nearly touched me.
When this storm finally cleared—later today or on the next day, by the feel of it—Leyloni and Serek would move on, and Arysteon would be alone. These humans had given him a taste of life with a clan again. They’d granted him that sense of belonging, had reminded him how nice it was to have someone near, even through the silence. They’d reminded him of how it felt to care for others and be cared for in return. All that in two days.
He slowed as the elk scent grew stronger still. It had been lent a certain muskiness by the rain, that peculiar smell fur assumed when it was wet. Leyloni’s hair had not taken on that scent even when soaked. Was that why humans had separate words for the fur on their bodies and that on other creatures?
Arysteon liked Leyloni’s hair. It was wild, fiery, and looked so soft.
Remaining low, Arysteon crept forward, extending and retracting his tongue repeatedly to keep the scent trail as clear as possible. Even if the storm had eased enough to coax elk out of hiding, the animals were most likely sheltering through the darkest hours of the night. Though these conditions dulled Arysteon’s senses somewhat, they were advantageous—they had the same dulling effect on his prey’s senses, and additionally would mask his scent and the sounds of his passage.
Arysteon drew himself between two large trees, scanning the forest for signs of his prey. It was only because of his heightened state of awareness that he noticed the infinitesimal lightening of the sky. Dawn was approaching—which meant his prey was likely to be on the move soon.
His heart thumped slow and steady, his limbs were languid, and his spark, despite his deepest thoughts, remained a low, controlled hum. The calm that had settled over his body was nothing new—it was simply the calm before the storm. This was that instant of quiet and stillness before a lightning strike.
The elk scent had become so strong that he could smell it clearly without using his tongue. His eyes settled upon a thicket ahead. That was the place; he knew without seeing them that not one elk, but several, were sheltering there.
Further slowing his movements and his breathing, Arysteon advanced on the thicket. His predatory instincts, which always lurked at his core, rose to the surface, forcing out all conscious thoughts but one.
She nearly touched me…and I wanted it.
Leaves rustled just ahead; something was moving in the undergrowth.
Arysteon’s muscles coiled, his spines flared, and he leapt into the thicket. His body crashed through the overgrown vegetation, creating a cacophony that drowned out the storm.
The ensuing chaos was almost indecipherable, but Arysteon didn’t need to think. Several animals scrambled out of the thicket, their hooves pounding the sodden ground with all the panic that must’ve been pumping the creatures’ hearts.
Arysteon pushed out of the thicket. The fleeing elk were easily discernable even in the slowly fading gloom. His gaze fixated on the largest animal of the bunch, and he gave chase.
As fast and graceful as the elk was, it could not match Arysteon’s speed. Arysteon plowed through the obstacles his quarry was forced to navigate. Within a few heartbeats, he was close enough to strike. The air was redolent of the majestic animal’s fear; that scent always managed to break through Arysteon’s instincts and strike him with a pang of sorrow.
He swept his head down, clamping his mouth on the elk from overhead. Before the animal’s terror could explode, Arysteon bit down. His teeth sank into flesh and crunched bone. The final breath flowed from the creature’s lungs, its struggles ceased, and it fell limp.
Arysteon released a huff through his nostrils. The tang of the elk’s blood upon his tongue made his stomach growl in anticipation. He’d not eaten in days, but it was not yet time for him to eat. He had to ensure his human took all she needed from this meat before he allowed himself to partake.
Lifting a hand, he adjusted the elk to take a more secure hold of it in his mouth. Once it was better balanced, he turned and started back toward his lair. The heat that had built in him during the brief pursuit was soothed by the cool rain.
Now that he’d caught food, he could not hold back his thoughts concerning Leyloni, and he could not ignore where they had gone just before he’d attacked the elk.
He