Talia Of Animalistic 11 The Hunters

When Richy wakes up the next morning, all six children, Talia's two nephews and his four little second cousins, are all on the rollaway mattresses on the floor sitting together, talking quietly and sharing information. The Water Tribe is as small as it was when it was first flown in from Hawaii nearly a century ago, but it was never a tribe with more than one or two guardians at a time. The last guardian before Fjord was his uncle, Chief Shark, who coincidentally died in the same rock slide as Talia's father. So the main example Richy's little second cousins have had for a guardian is Fjord.

Richy looks for what he thinks of as the internal switch for his guardian. He thinks of it like a dimmer switch. Not only can his guardian be turned off and on with it, but the intensity can be adjust with it as well, turned to maximum or set to minimum. Richy turns his guardian off as Otter calls the children for breakfast. Richy could maintain his guardian form indefinitely like any other guardian. Except the guardian form burns a lot of energy and he wants to eat with Talia.

"Do you want us to bring you something," Beaver ask Richy as he pauses by the bedroom door.

"No thanks," answers Richy. "I'll come get something when Talia wakes up." Beaver runs out after the other children. Richy watches Talia sleep for a couple of minutes. But the need to urinate makes him carefully slide out of bed so he doesn't wake Talia.

As he stands at the urinal relieving himself, he can still see Talia sleeping peacefully. Roar enters the bedroom carrying a tray of herbal tea steeping in a carafe style tea pot.

As he sets the tray of tea, honey, lemon and mixed nuts on the nightstand, Roar is staring at Talia still sleeping. Then he glances at Richy as he's urinating and is shocked by the size of what Richy is urinating with and exclaims, "Mother Earth."

Richy's brow furrow as he steps up to the sink to wash his hands and tells Roar, "Shush, you'll wake Talia."

It's not every day Roar sees a man as well-endowed as himself. And while Richy is tall and well built, he's still not as tall and broad as Roar, so that makes it look even bigger. He steps into the bathroom doorway and ask Richy in an outraged whisper, "You put that inside my little sister?"

Richy shakes his head as he dries his hands and answers, "Yeah, and she likes it… But I kind of wish I had known she was a virgin our first time. Not that I have a clue how to deflower one painlessly. I always avoided females with little or no experience."

"So you were a ladies man before you met Talia," says Roar as he watches Richy organize what he needs to change Talia's bandage.

"And I suppose you weren't before Zenith…," responds Richy. "I never tried to be a ladies' man. I spent the last few years before I met Talia celibate. I guess you could say I never enjoyed the game. I wanted something more, something special, something that meant something."

Richy pulls the chair up next to Talia's bedside and sits. He carefully pulls aside enough sheet to have access to the soiled bandage. Then he carefully picks at the tape and manages to remove the bandage without waking Talia. He applies a generous amount of antibiotic ointment to the fresh bandage to keep it from sticking to the wound and tapes it in place without waking Talia.

Roar whispers, "She doesn't usually sleep so late."

"She'll wake soon to use the bathroom and eat," says Richy as he throws away the soiled bandage. Then he steps into a pair of boxer-briefs, "Then she'll go back to sleep for me." He slips on a comfortable pair of sweat pants, "Thanks for bringing the tea."

Roar smiles with perfect straight bright white teeth even though he's never been to a dentist, "Just an excuse to look in on my baby sister. I have to admit guiltily, that I had accepted she'd probably never have a mate. And the thought that she may have a true-mate in the world somewhere never crossed my mind. What kind of big brother am I to not have hope for her to find someone that would love her like she deserves… to let our own people shun her like a criminal just because they don't understand her?"

Richy clasp a hand onto one of Roar's broad shoulders. "I think you love your sister very much and you love your people too. You spent a lot of time with your heart torn in two. But sometimes if you're patient enough, some problems solve themselves. I think you're a patient brother and a patient leader. No sense in feeling guilty over things you could not control."

Roar nods thoughtfully, "We'll keep the children outside during the day. They understand she needs rest, but they all insist on sleeping in here at night."

"That's fine," responds Richy pouring two cups of tea as Talia begins to stir.

Then Talia's black orbs blink open and focus on Roar and Richy. She tells them, "Let me guess, I'm the last one to wake up again."

Roar smiles. "I'll run down to the kitchen and get you two breakfast." And Roar leaves the bedroom.

Richy helps Talia up from the bed, but she walks to the bathroom on her own. After relieving herself, she stands at the sink washing her hands and face and brushing her teeth. Then she ask Richy, "Could you find me a t-shirt or something, please?"
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"I kind of like you naked," responds Richy from the bathroom doorway.

Talia spits toothpaste in the sink. "If it was just the two of us in the house, I wouldn't mind. But we have a house full of people including my domesticated Uncle Bob."

"I'll find you something," Richy a.s.sures.

"Preferably something that's also comfortable to sleep in," Talia calls after Richy.

Richy can see that pretty much everybody is outside as he walks past the sliding gla.s.s doors on his way to the kitchen where he finds his Aunt Seal and his cousin Otter helping Roar put together a breakfast tray for him and Talia.

"Talia's asking for something to wear that'll also be comfortable to sleep in," Richy tells his aunt and cousin.

"What's wrong with being naked," ask Roar.

Richy shrugs, "Lots of people around and she already feels vulnerable… I'm not one to do much going about naked either when there's lots of people around."

"Otter," Seal recalling an outfit she has, "go up to our room and get that stretchy skirt and top you never wear."

Otter doesn't hesitate and rushes up the back stairs to their room over the garage. She's only up there for barely a minute, then she's right back down to the kitchen.

"Here," Otter hands the two piece outfit to Richy, "it's a tube skirt with matching tube top. It's made out of stretchy material that makes it hold tight without being binding. I traded for it because I like the color."

"Thank you," responds Richy gratefully. He test the stretchiness of the purple material as he heads out of the kitchen. He finds Talia looking out one of his bedroom windows.

"Try these," Richy tells Talia as he decides the longer of the two items must be the skirt. He gets down on one knee by Talia and she steps into the skirt for him. It slides up easily hugging Talia's curves and holding itself in place. Then there's the top to deal with. The wound is preventing full range of motion for Talia's left arm. So, Richy slides it under and over Talia's left arm first. Then pulls it over her head and she pushes her right arm up and out as Richy slides the top down over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

"How does it feel," ask Richy appreciating that the little outfit leaves the bandage uncovered as well as the way it hugs Talia's curves. She almost looks like she's on her way to a club for dancing.

"Comfortable," answers Talia as she adjust the outfit a little here and there. "Almost as good as being naked."

"I was fine with you naked," states Richy. Then he gives her a slow deep kiss.

"Breakfast," Roar announces carrying in the tray of food.

Richy sets up the stand and Roar sits down the tray. Roar then hugs Talia and kisses her forehead, "You're looking much better."

"I slept like a rock," shares Talia as she sits on the edge of the bed.

Richy sits next to her. "Well, let's get you fed so you can go back to sleeping like a rock."

Talia rolls her black orbs and sighs, "Fine," as Richy makes her a plate: scrambled eggs with diced peppers, tomato and onion, a slice of whole wheat toast, two links of his aunt's deer sausage and sliced strawberries.

"I'll be outside with everyone else," says Roar heading for the door, "Cougar, Wildcat and I have decided you need a picnic table and Uncle Bob's going to help."

"Uncle Bob," says Talia around a mouth full of egg with her eyebrows raised to the ceiling. "I've never even seen the man hold a hammer."

Roar's eyes are twinkling with amus.e.m.e.nt as he a.s.sures Talia, "He'll be fine. We're gonna have fun," and he leaves the room grinning happily.

Richy is just as amused as Roar by Talia's worried concern for Uncle Bob. Just because she's never seen the man hold a hammer, doesn't mean he never has. Richy's sure that's not the case because most men pride themselves in having some knowledge of tools and being able to fix some things around the home, even domesticated men. So Richy's sure Uncle Bob has held a hammer before. But to put Talia at ease he tells Talia, "Eat up and sleep for me, and I'll go make sure Uncle Bob doesn't lose a finger."

Talia stops chewing and gives Richy a hard stare. She swallows her food. "That's not funny."

"Uncle Bob losing a finger wouldn't be funny," Richy agrees smiling on the edge of a laugh. "But even if by some miracle the man has never held a hammer before, they're not going to let him get hurt."

Talia concedes, "I know… I just wish I could help. I love wood working, and you have a lot of cool tools in the garage."

Richy kisses her forehead, her cheek and then her mouth. "Then eat, sleep and heal so you can get in on the next project." He takes a bite of egg and sausage he wrapped in a piece of whole wheat toast.

Talia nods her agreement and does as instructed. She eats heartily and after a quick trip to the bathroom goes to sleep. Richy then trades the comfortable around the house sweat pants for a pair of old st.u.r.dy jeans with lots of pockets for tucking tools into. He leans over his sleeping Talia and kisses her lovely neck. Then he gently scent marks her shoulder with his jaw. He'ld love to bury himself deep in the feminine warmth of her body, but knows with the wound, and even with him holding her still, that he wore her out last night. So he's going to be a good boy today; even though, she would gladly let him be bad and enjoy every nanosecond.

Richy joins the other men to find them organizing wood he stashed away in the shed for a projects like this. Every time he comes across a fallen or dead tree, he collects it. Small branches and limbs get put into the burning pile for use in the cooking pit or fireplaces. The trunk and good sized limbs get stored in the shed for later use.

"So what are we up to," Richy ask the other men.

Wildcat informs Richy, "We've decided on two picnic tables."

"A kids' table," supplies Ba.s.s.

"And an adult table," supplies Cougar.

"Uncle Bob has drawn up plans for us," Roar informs Richy.

Uncle Bob hands over his sketches to Richy and asks, "What do you think?"

Richy nods approvingly as he looks at the sketches, "These are excellent Uncle Bob. I think you may have missed your calling."

"This one is for the children," Uncle Bob points out, "and this one is for the adults."

"I like the way the corners are rounded off for the kids," shares Richy, "and the fact that it's all one unit. No separate benches for them to tip over on. And this raised dais in the center of each table for ketchup, mustard and stuff is a cool feature. Maybe we can find a way to make the one on the adult table rotate."

All the men's faces light up. They like the rotation idea.

"You know that woman sleeping in my bed," says Richy smiling humorously, "has never seen you with a hammer in your hand Uncle Bob. She's actually worried that you might get a splinter."

Roar puts an arm around Uncle Bob's shoulder and tells him jokingly, "You can't get a splinter."

"No splinters," throws in Wildcat.

"What happens if he gets a splinter," asks Ba.s.s as if this is a serious issue.

"The woman in Richy's bed is what'll happen," answers Cougar, "and we don't want that."

"That would be bad," says Wildcat scanning the other men's faces.

"Very bad," adds Roar.

"What'll she do if he gets a splinter," ask Ba.s.s.

"Unspeakable horror," answers Cougar.

"Unspeakable," repeats Uncle Bob shaking his head vigorously.

Richy tells them, "She's up there in my bed looking beautiful and lovely like she couldn't hurt a fly, but don't be fooled men."

Cougar raises his hand, "Sorry, I'm already a fool."

"It's ok," Richy tells Cougar, "you're excused. But the rest of you men stay sharp. Uncle Bob, if you get a splinter, no bleeding."

"No bleeding," Uncle Bob nods giving the thumbs up.

"Not a drop," Richy stresses, "because if she smells it, she'll punish us all…"

"All of us," says Cougar ominously.

"Now men," Richy puts his hand out and the others lay a hand on, "let's build us some picnic tables."

The women glance over at the barking men.

"What are they up to," ask Amazonia helping peel potatoes, something that one of her male consorts would usually be doing. In the Amazon Tribe, the women are still usually taller than the men, and the cooking, cleaning and child care, except for nursing babies, is done by the men.

Otter tells Amazonia, "Just releasing some stress. Looks like they found themselves a project."

"Good," says Seal, "it'll keep them busy. If we get lucky, the boys will take an interest in whatever the men are up to and it'll keep them out of mischief."

A couple of hours later, lunch is roasting in the fire pit and Richy checks on Talia, who's sleeping peacefully. He rejoins the men outside. They're making excellent progress on the children's picnic table. They expect to have it finished by lunch time. They have the pieces for the children's picnic table cut and predrilled and are carefully sanding the pieces. Can't have the children getting splinters in their b.u.ms.

A squabble breaks out between the three youngest children, an argument over whose turn it is for the board game they're playing. The adults won't interfere unless it looks like it's going to get physical. Plus, if it looks like it's going to get physical, the three older children will intervene.

Sh.e.l.l is not happy with the solution Clam and Talon have come up with. She thinks the two boys are cheating. So she grabs the game pieces and runs with them. Clam and Talon chase after her, but she manages to elude the two boys. And Sh.e.l.l forgets that they're supposed to stay outside except for trips to the bathroom, and that they're to use the downstairs bathroom so they don't disturb Aunt Talia while she's resting. Sh.e.l.l just knows Aunt Talia will listen to her. She slams the sliding gla.s.s door open and dashes upstairs with Clam and Talon not far behind her.

Talon yells, "Not upstairs!"

But Sh.e.l.l doesn't stop. She dashes into Richy's room and leaps onto the bed landing on Talia. Sh.e.l.l's little knee shoves deep into Talia's wound.

Talia had been in a deep dead sleep. She just barely registers that the sudden and excruciating pain is caused by Sh.e.l.l. And manages to keep from lashing out violently at Sh.e.l.l.

Squirrel and Otter rush in after the three young children, but it's too late.

Otter grabs Sh.e.l.l off the bed as she ask, "Sh.e.l.l, what did you do?"

"She jumped on Aunt Tali," answers Talon.

Richy comes in just expecting to shoo the kids back outside with Squirrel and Otter with a reminder that they need to let Aunt Talia rest so she can heal. But Otter shouting tells Richy that something is very wrong. He rushes up the steps and the scent of Talia's pain hits him before he's even in the room. He steps into his bedroom to see Talia's body bowed on the bed with pain. He attempts to make eye contact with Talia, but her eyes are glazed and staring at the wall behind her. Her mouth is open in a silent scream, but she's not breathing.

"Tali… Baby, can you hear me," ask Richy ready to panic. He orders, "Get Cougar!"

The two boys run out of the room. A minute later, Cougar runs into the room followed by the other men. The first thing Cougar notices is the sheet pushed into the wound and he carefully pulls it out. Then as he's carefully pulling the bandage out of the wound, Talia's skin ripples as her body vibrates.

Richy informs Cougar startled, "Her eyes just turned white and her lips are starting to turn blue."

Before Cougar can take a look at Talia's eyes, her claws lengthen and punch holes onto the mattress and sheet below her as her face and ears reshape themselves. Her tail spills out beneath the tube skirt and she becomes at least a head taller as her feet lengthen and shape into a cat-like hind paws.

Taliguardian collapses back down onto the bed unconscious. Her chest rises slowly and the lips in the reshaped face become a healthy vibrant dark pink again, Cougar lifts an eyelid to find a completely white orb. He asks his father, Wildcat, "Dad, have you ever seen anything like this?"

Wildcat looks closely at Talia's white orbs and shakes his head no as he answers, "Never. Her scent's changed too… She smells less human, more… like a big cat."

"What do you think's happening," Roar ask Wildcat worried.

Uncle Bob shares, "Talia told me something about wounds affecting control over the gift."

Wildcat nods, "And I think that's just what happened. I think the pain was so intense that the gift took over. It's not going to allow her to spend any more time than necessary in this vulnerable state. But when she wakes up like this, there may not be much of the Talia we know present. We have to keep the children out of here until she comes down from this state. She may be very dangerous until she's herself again. One child has already caught her off guard. She won't let it happen again. Squirrel, Otter, get them kids out of here and keep them out."

"Come on children," Aunt Seal commands, "All of you out." Squirrel and Otter help Seal usher all of the children out of the room. Angel leaves the room, takes a dining chair and sits outside the bedroom door.

"Fresh blood," says Cougar unhappily as he carefully recleans the wound.

Talia's white orbs pop open and focus on Cougar. She starts to emit a low warning growl and Richy's arm comes across her chest. He tells her softly, "Its ok. It's just Cougar. Let him clean and rebandage the wound."

The growl stops. But Talia's eyes don't leave Cougar until he steps away. Then those strange white orbs scan the room.

"Talia," questions Richy.

She looks at him, but doesn't answer. She snuggles closer to him, closes her eyes and goes to sleep. Richy looks at Wildcat hoping for an explanation.

Wildcat shrugs, "All I can do is speculate. Richy, you're her mate. She seems to recognize that and a.s.sociates it with safety. Right now, I a.s.sume how she's perceiving us is very basic: mate, relative, non-relative. Anyone who falls into the non-relative category will likely be seen as a potential threat. I recommend anyone that falls into that category stay out of the room unless accompanied by Richy or a close relative like Roar."

The phone rings, Richy's direct line for the peace office. Richy answers it unhappily, "Someone better be dead or dying, because I really don't have time for anything petty."

Margie sighs unhappily, "I'm sorry, Richy. Talia not doing well today?"

"Not exactly," answers Richy.

"Well, there are three men here claiming they were just camping yesterday when a big crazy wild man invaded their camp babbling about his little sister being shot and threatened them."

Richy looks at Roar, "There are three men at my peace station who are complaining about a big wild man threatening them over his shot sister when they were only camping."

"Camping my a.s.s," says Roar.

"You should both go," Zenith tells Roar and Richy. "I'll stay here with her until you get back. I'm Roar's mate. She'll accept my presence.

"I'll stay too," Uncle Bob firm.

"But you're domesticated," says Wildcat unsure, "I don't know that she'll recognize you as a relative."

"I'm her uncle," states Uncle Bob positively. "She'ld never harm me."

Roar looks at Richy, "I'll come with you."

"Margie," says Richy calmly, "tell our guests that I'm on my way."

"Yes sir," responds Margie and she hangs up.

Richy steps into his closet to throw on a uniform. "Roar, do you have any pants? Like some jeans?"

"Yeah," answers Roar, "I brought a pair with me. But I only usually wear them during cooler weather."

"Throw 'em on," Richy tells Roar, "for appearances sake."

Roar does as requested and meets Richy at the front door wearing a pair of black jeans and carrying his satchel over one shoulder. It's been a long time since Roar's road in a vehicle. To a domesticated person all the trees may look the same, but not to Roar. By sight alone, he could find his way back to Richy's house.

Roar follows Richy up the steps and into the peace station. Margie looks at Richy and flicks her eyes in the direction of the three men sitting in the waiting area. Deputy Al sits up straighter at the desk next to Margie's.

"Roar," Richy introduces him, "this is Margie. She's my number one around here. And this is my number two, Al. This is Talia's older brother, Roar."

Roar shakes Margie's hand as he leans over and sniffs her neck, "Nice to meet you."

Margie inhales Roar's scent, a good masculine scent, "Like wise."

Then Roar shakes Al's hand. The skinny little man is obviously in awe and shakes Roar's hand enthusiastically. Roar only leans over slightly to inhale Al's scent, a subtle movement so he doesn't scare the much smaller man, "Good to meet you, Al."

Al's responds with a childish grin on his face, "Wow."

"Al," Richy getting his awe struck deputy's attention, "keep Roar company a moment while Margie introduces me to our so called campers."

"Gentlemen," Margie's neutral cop face is in place, "this is Sherriff Richard Griffin. Sherriff, this is Mr. Cho, Mr. Grimm and Mr. Ross."

Richy has on his good old boy smile as he shakes each man's had, "Mr. Cho, Mr. Grimm and Mr. Ross," but Richy doesn't ask them to call him Richy, "What seems to be the problem?"

Mr. Grimm, a red haired man with freckles and the oldest of the three men takes the lead. "Well, Sherriff, we've been camping for a few days in Wild Territory, getting away from it all for a few days, and things were fine until yesterday." He nods in Roar's direction and his calm serious voice goes to a whisper, "That big wild man came into our camp and made a scene, shouting something about his sister getting shot by hunters. He threatened to kill us."

"Really," Richy feigns shock for a moment. "Gee… You know I don't really have any kind of authority in Wild Territory. They're self-governing. You'ld have to speak with the chief of his tribe and he's kind of the chief. I don't know how open minded he'll be. In the meantime, let's test y'all for gunshot residue. And I'll send a deputy out to search your vehicle to verify you don't have any firearms."

"What for," ask Mr. Grimm trying to conceal his unease.

"To help verify your story for one," explains Richy. "Plus it's been my experience that wild folks don't make wild accusations. I need to verify you weren't hunting in Wild Territory because it's against global law to take firearms into Wild Territory, punishable by fines and/or jail time of up to ten years."

"Ten years," gasps Ross.

"Where's Sherriff Norton," ask Mr. Grimm.

Richy smiles broadly as he informs Mr. Grimm, "It's been quite a while since you were last through here. Norton was dirty. He's currently serving twenty to life. He's gone and I fired everyone that worked for him. I've been sheriff here now for nearly a decade. Margie, get the gun powder residue kit for me please."

Margie's neutral cop face takes on a pleased look, "Yes, sir."

"And have Abbot go out and search their vehicle," adds Richy.

"Yes, sir," and Margie steps into the back offices.

"You can't do that," insist Mr. Grimm.

"What's the problem," ask Richy. "If you were only camping, then there's no need for you to be uncooperative."

The three men look at each other. Then their eyes focus on Margie as she steps back through the double doors that lead to the back offices followed by a big beefy deputy, taller and thicker than Richy, but not as tall as Roar. The deputy pauses to be introduced to Roar by Al. Then takes a position standing behind Margie with his thick arms crossed as she sets up the kit on her desk.

Margie double checks that everything is in order, then motions to the chair next to her desk as she asks, "Who's first?"

The three men don't move. "s.h.i.t," Mr. Ross says softly.

Roar opens his satchel and pulls out a gallon sized zip-lock style plastic bag Seal gave him after he arrived at Richy's. Roar opens the plastic storage bag and the smell of stale rotting blood fills the room. It's a stench even domestic noses can detect. The three men stay where they are, so Roar makes sure he speaks loud enough for the three men to hear him.

"My sister's name is Talia. She's not just my little sister; she's my only sister, my only sibling and so I'm very protective of her. This is the outfit she was wearing when she was shot." Roar takes out Talia's ruined skirt and carefully lays it on the corner of Al's desk. Then he shakes out the ruined tank top and walks over to the three men who take a step back.

Roar's not offended. He can smell their fear. He drapes the top over his left arm and points, "This is where the bullet entered her back." He flips it over, "And this is where it exploded out her front."

Roar doesn't have a cop face of any kind so his emotions dance across his face. He steps back over to the desk noticing Al is printing something for Richy as he lays the top over the skirt. He pulls the towel out of the clear storage bag, but he doesn't bother to shake it out. "This is one of the towels she used to help keep herself from bleeding to death." He sits the ruined towel on top of the ruined outfit. Then he removes one last item from the bag and hands it to Richy, "And that's the bullet."

As Richy accepts the bullet from Roar, he loses his cop face for a moment. But he quickly screws his good old boy face back on. "Let me share with you gentlemen what I know… One, you got a lot of nerve coming in here to lodge a false complaint and lying straight to my face. But then, you didn't know Norton doesn't run things round here no more. Next, I know you're going to test positive for gun powder residue because I can smell it on you. Just like I know when I send Abbot there out to search your vehicle, he's gonna find firearms because I could smell the gun metal, gun oil and gunpowder when I walked past it."

"Listen," says Mr. Ross nervously, "we never saw a woman or girl or anyone else until yesterday when he and another guy came and talked to us."

"Free people have a tendency to avoid hunters," Richy tells Mr. Ross. "Do you think after you shot her she was just going to step out and say 'hey, be more careful, you might hurt someone with that thing.'"

"For years domesticated men have come into our territory, our home, claiming they're deer hunting," adds Roar, "When they're really hunting us."

"That's why firearms aren't permitted in Wild Territory," states Richy firmly. "Now, who's first for the gun powder residue test?"

"We don't have to submit to that," Mr. Grimm grits through his teeth.

Richy picks up the two pages Al printed for him and holds up the first. It's a picture, ahead shot of a beautiful woman with a round tan face, full bee stung lips pulled into a beautiful relaxed smile. Her deep brown almondish shaped eyes have a playful twinkle. Her naturally tan skin has a honey tint to it and there's a barely noticeable dusting of freckles across her nose, a nose that was just a tad wide in the domesticated world, but was somehow cute and perfect on her face situated between excellent cheek bones that a plastic surgeon could never recreate. Then there was all that gorgeous wavy black hair that seems to have life of its own. She isn't wearing any make-up and she doesn't need to.

Richy puts the second page in front of the first. It's another picture of the same woman. Richy didn't know why he was taking it the other day. The three men see it's the same woman from the first picture. She's lying on a bed sleeping. Her hair has been braided into numerous tiny little braids. She's nude, but the flat sheet is covering her pelvis. Her left arm is held tight to her body covering her left breast while the hand is curled into a loose fist. The right arm is more relaxed with the right hand laying loosely over the right breast. It should be a beautiful picture of a beautiful woman sleeping peacefully. Except her skin and lips are ashen from blood loss and there's an ugly red hole in her body below her left arm. Richy took the pictures with his phone when he got up in the middle of the night to change her bandage.

Mr. Cho steps forward with tears in his dark eyes, takes the pictures from Richy and says, "I think it was me. I saw tan streaking through the trees off in the distance. I was sure it was a deer and fired. I've never been hunting before. This trip was Grimm's idea to celebrate my recent divorce. I don't even own a gun. The rifle I used belongs to Grimm. He said it would be a good time, said he knew a guy that could get us some wild girls. I don't know what I was thinking. I've been so numb. I didn't know my wife was unhappy…" He looks again at the picture of the woman smiling and ask, "Who is she? Where is she now? Is she going to be okay?"

"Why isn't she at a d.a.m.n hospital," sneers Grimm angrily because he's sure Cho has just ensured they're all going to prison for a long time.

Roar explains to Grimm, "Talia has a unique body chemistry, unique even for free folk. A hospital would probably do her more harm than good."

"Talia Devonshire, gentlemen," says Richy thinking he doesn't like Grimm. Grimm is a dishonest man. But Cho is just an honest man hanging with a bad man. Richy wants to dislike Cho, but he mostly just feels sorry for the sad confused man. Ross he's still undecided on, but at least Ross hasn't tried to lie to his face, "continues to lay in my bed fighting for her life. Will she be ok? You better pray she'll be ok?"

"Your bed, Sheriff," says Grimm grinning wickedly. "You f.u.c.king that pretty little wild thing? Sweet little wild thing like that could make you a whole lot of money. I told my a.s.sociates there's nothing better than a wild piece of a.s.s. So name your price, Sheriff. Every man has a price. What's your price to make this go away and for you to share a bit of your little wild b.i.t.c.h?"

Both Cho and Ross take a step away from Grimm shaking their heads. Ross tells Grimm, "You are a twisted son of a b.i.t.c.h."

Richy steps over to Margie and whispers in her ear, "Turn off the digital recorders."

Margie complies with a silent nod. Abbot and Al don't know much about Richy's private life, but they know he prides himself on being clean and keeping his home town virtually crime free. And even though they can't smell how p.i.s.sed off he is like Roar and even Margie, they know he's p.i.s.sed.

Richy steps back over to Grimm calmly, much too calmly. Then lightening quick he s.n.a.t.c.hes the vile man off his feet and thumps him hard against the back wall. Roar is afraid of what Richy might do. Richy is an inexperienced guardian which can be a very dangerous thing.

Al ask Margie, "Do you think he's gonna kill him?"

Margie answers, "If he does, we help him get rid of the body. You two, Cho and Ross, if he kills that rotten son of b.i.t.c.h, your story is you got separated in the forest and you came here to report him missing."

"But he's on the digital record," states Al.

"I can fix that," states Abbot confidently.

"Mist, he's not worth it," Roar tells Richy afraid he just may kill the vile man.

"What does money mean to wild folks," Richy asks Grimm as he holds him off his feet against the wall.

"Nothing," Grimm answers with a sneer.

"Is he right, Roar," ask Richy.

Roar answers, "That's correct. I don't have any real interest in money. It seems to bring out the worst in many domesticated people."

Richy ask Roar, "Do you have a price? Can you be bought?"

Roar answers, "No, I don't have a price."

Then Richy ask Roar, "What about me? What's my price?"

Roar smiles as he says, "Well, Mr. Grimm knows that money doesn't mean anything to wild people. And being a wild man like myself, you don't have a price. You can't be bought."

"Now that we've established that I can't be bought because as a wild person money is of no real interest to me, what are the odds Mr. Grimm that I would ever, ever share my mate with a man like you? Not that you truly qualify as a real man," says Richy.

Ross plops down hard on a Formica chair and starts to rock back and forth as he says, "His mate. s.h.i.t, we're not going to jail. We're all going to die."

Richy orders, "Abbot, Al, get all the firearms from their vehicle," and they don't hesitate.

"You didn't know Norton was out of business," Richy tells Grimm giving him an extra thump against the wall. "Where have you been for the last decade?"

"Go to h.e.l.l," sneers Grimm.

"New China," answers Cho. "Our company's had him in New China. He just relocated back a couple of months ago."

"Thank you, Mr. Cho," says Richy looking Grimm in his soulless eyes as Abbott and Al return with the firearms.

"Mr. Grimm," Richy continuing to hold him off his feet, "we're keeping all your firearms. And the only reason I'm not locking you up and throwing away the key is I don't have time for the data work. I need to get back to my mate. So just remember this, Mr. Grimm, there's no fun to be had here anymore. You or any a.s.sociates of yours are not welcome round here." He drops Grimm, "Now get out of my territory. I don't ever want to smell the stench of you ever again."

Grimm dust himself off and heads for the doors. He grabs the handle and tells Richy, "I'm an executive for Drumpt Enterprises, Sheriff. We're a big account for Devonshire World Law. Yes, I recognized her name. But even Devonshire isn't foolish enough to risk that for a wild niece. I'm going to ground you to dust, Sheriff," and he slams the door behind himself.

Ross and Cho don't head straight for the door. Ross says in disbelief, "I can't believe you're letting us go."

Richy shares, "She's not doing well today and I need to get back to her. Arresting y'all would have me stuck here for the rest of the day, and most of the next week"

"You really p.i.s.sed Grimm off," says Ross as he glances out the window and is surprised Grimm hasn't pulled off without him and Cho. "I hope you have friends in high places. He may be able to make good on his threat."

Richy shrugs it off, "I'll worry about him later if I have to."

Cho steps up to Richy and Roar and as he blinks, a tear escapes one of his dark eyes. "I am truly sorry. And I sincerely hope she makes a complete and speedy recovery." He hands Richy back the two pictures.

"Mr. Cho," Richy getting the man's attention before he steps outside, "I happen to know Devonshire World Law is always looking for honest hard working people."

"Thank you, sir," responds Cho. Then he steps out as Ross holds the door for him. He pauses to give Richy and Roar a solemn nod then steps out behind Cho.

"Margie, I want a copy of Mr. Grimm's attempted bribe," request Richy. "I think Uncle Bob will find it quite interesting."

Margie nods, "I'll bring it out to you myself later." She and Bob are supposed to have dinner later. But if Talia's not doing well enough that Richy just let them go so he can get back to her, she's not expecting Bob to still want to go out.

"Are you alright," Roar asks Richy concerned.

Richy shakes his head no. "I never wanted to kill a man before in my life." Richy begins to vibrate with the unused tension and energy of his pent up urges, mostly his fear of losing Talia before he's really has a chance to build a life with her, "But I wanted to rip that man to pieces with my bare hands."

Roar hugs Richy, "It's ok my brother. You showed great restraint and great inner strength. Men like Mr. Grimm always get what's coming to them eventually, one way or another."

Margie combs Richy's hair away from his face as he clings to Roar. He usually has it in a ponytail for work. "Richy, you are a better human being than most. I would have killed him. h.e.l.l, Abbott and I were both ready to hide his body."

"Me too," adds Roar.

"We got things covered here, Richy," Al a.s.sures him. "Go on home and look after Miss Talia."

Richy nods his agreement and Roar leads him to the doors. Roar glances back, "We'll see ya later, Margie. Thank you, gentlemen. It was good to meet you both."

As Al watches Richy and Roar climb into Richy's sheriff's vehicle he says, "That Roar sure is a big man. The biggest I've ever seen. I hope he never gets made at me."

"Then you better hope he never finds out you took a shot at his baby sister," replies Margie.

Abbot just shakes his head because he can't believe Al took a shot at Talia himself.

"It was an accident," insist Al whinily. "She was a bear."

"With clothes on," reminds Margie. "How many real bears do you think are running around out there wearing people clothes."

When Rich slides behind the steering wheel, he's basically himself again. The ride home is quiet, and when they get there, the children are having a nap on a blanket in the shade, all lumped together like puppies except for Sh.e.l.l. She's curled up by herself on one corner of the blanket. Wildcat, Cougar, Ba.s.s and Amazonia finished putting together the children's picnic table, stained it sunshine yellow and sealed it. The water resistant sealant isn't quiet dry yet. Things are just very quiet.

Richy's aunt, Seal, is sitting in the chair outside Richy's bedroom door giving Angel a break. Inside Richy's bedroom, Zenith is sleeping on her right side with Talia at her back. Talia has rolled onto her good side and is sleeping pressed to Zenith's back with her left hand resting on Zenith's swollen womb. Uncle Bob is sitting at Talia's back against the wall. He's dozed off with his chin resting on his chest and his hand on Talia's head. The sight of them all sleeping peacefully allows Richy and Roar to relax.

As Richy strips out of his uniform down to his boxer-brief, Roar wakes Zenith and asks in a whisper, "I take it things have been quiet while we were gone?"

Zenith slides carefully away from Talia to the edge of the bed and confirms, "Yes. She's been sleeping this whole time. Cougar took up the mattresses from the floor. The children are disappointed they won't be allowed up here for a while."

Zenith steps around the bed and pats Uncle Bob's knee, "Roar and Mist are back."

Uncle Bob acknowledges with a nod as he slides the fingers of his hand through his hair. He comes around and sits on the edge of the bed Talia's facing. He picks up one of Talia's hands and asks Roar in a whisper, "Have you seen this?" He presses the pad of one of her fingers and a razor sharp claw pops out like magic. Uncle Bob says delighted, "Retractable, isn't that something?"

Roar nods his agreement, "Impressive." Then he touches Talia's tail and admits with a sigh, "I always wanted a tail, and she was worried about being scary."

Richy steps over by Uncle Bob, who gets up out of the way, and looks down at Talia as she's sleeping on what used to be his side of the bed. "She's beautiful. But I don't know if I like her being as tall as me."

Zenith reminds Richy, "It's not permanent. And she's small for a guardian. If you were your inner guardian right now, the normal height difference between you would be present."

Richy sits on the edge of the bed and Talia's left arm snakes out lightening quick and pulls him to her with a strength Richy hadn't expected, putting an astonished look on his face.

Uncle Bob notes, "She didn't even open her eyes."

Roar explains, "She didn't need to. She heard him, smelled him and felt his weight shift the bed."

Richy shares, "Well now I have an idea of how she felt when I did that to her the first time. It's a little disorienting."

Zenith smiles as she leans into Roar, "Dominate male behavior."

Roar shrugs as he admits unashamed, "Guilty." Then he tells Richy, "Talia hasn't told us yet how you met."

Richy looks down at his sleeping mate and runs a finger gently over her cattish ear which twitches slightly in response. "A couple called in their lost kid. Al and I were looking for the little girl. I had her scent, but it was dissipating. I pushed through some bushes the little girl had pushed through and startled a beautiful woman and a buck she was racing. Startled her so bad, she turned into a bear… The deer ran in one direction and the beautiful woman in another. I considered it a bonus that the woman's scent stayed close to the little girl's scent. Then she appeared with the little girl. Talia walked her back to her parents with us. Then the mother insulted her… I had her hand and I was apologizing for the mother's ungrateful behavior and thanking her for her help and I didn't want to let go of her. I wanted to toss her over my shoulder and take her home with me that night. And after I finished with the Spencers, I was tempted to go after her. But she had agreed to come into town to give me a statement for my report… I must have described her to Margie a dozen times while I waited for her. Around eleven a.m. I decided if she didn't show, I was going back out to where I'd seen her last and find her. I needed to smell her again, needed to touch her and if I didn't see her again soon, I was gonna go crazy. I was pacing in my office and I was gonna go out and describe her to Margie again. I opened my office door, and there she was ready to knock on the door… I just grabbed her and pulled her against me, inhaled her sweet scent and I don't know how I kept from kissing her right there. I just kept thinking 'Be cool Richy. You're making her nervous.' I'd never been anxious about a woman before in my life. I could smell her attraction for me, but she wasn't throwing herself at me like they usually do and I knew she was smelling my attraction to her… Then I had to think of how to keep her near me once the statement stuff was finished. So I asked her to join me for lunch. She was worried about being barefooted. But I took her over to Mama's Café and found myself guarding her from every male in the place. It was the best meal, the best conversation, I had ever had with a woman. But before the meal was even over, that thought was back: 'how do I keep her with me?' …I went to the restroom and when I came out, she was talking to some harmless old men, Old Bill and his buddies. She was just being nice and sociable, but it burned through me. I pulled her against me again and this time I scent marked her. I didn't even know I could actually scent mark a female before that. And I wanted to bend her over the table and mount her right there. But she was scared after I scent marked her. So I walked her straight to my vehicle and drove her straight here."

"You hijacked my sister," states Roar amused.

Richy pulls his fingers through the mult.i.tude of tiny braids in Talia's hair as he somewhat admits, "Kind of, I guess. But things didn't just fall into place when we got here. She stepped out of the car and made a run for it before I could show her around the property or the house. She climbed into the tree house and turned into a mountain lion before I could catch her."

"What would you have done if you had caught her," asks Uncle Bob concerned.

Richy's uncomfortable with his honest answer. He could get a lie past Uncle Bob, but Roar and Zenith would smell the lie, "Thrown her to the ground and mounted her."

Uncle Bob's shock is loud and clear even though he's speechless.

"It's okay, Uncle Bob," a.s.sures Roar, "I know what it sounds like, but it wouldn't have been ****. That's impossible between true-mates. A mating this intense is rare, but the sooner they establish themselves as mates in this situation, the better. Because until they do, they're both very dangerous. They can't help it. Their instincts are on too high, like Talia right now… Richy brought Talia out here on instinct, but it was the right thing to do. Their instincts wouldn't allow them to date like domestic people do. They needed the isolation so they didn't accidentally kill anyone."

"Tell us what happened next, Mist," request Zenith enjoying his sharing of how he met Talia.

Richy shares, "Talia spent the night in the tree house. I got called into work early the next day when I had planned to take it off to spend with Talia, try to coax her out of the tree. Spoke to her briefly before I left, made sure she knew she was welcome in the house. I had to bring Cougar home with me from work. And I was worried because she was still sitting in the tree house as if she hadn't left it all day. But she had. I could smell her throughout the house. She'd gotten a shower, washed her clothes and napped in my bed. She even noticed that I had left for work without eating breakfast. She came in real early the next morning and made breakfast. I was gonna see if I could get her to come in and eat with me, but I had Cougar wandering around naked with a hangover… I went out to find her after I ate. She was sitting in the tire swing. She nearly fell getting out of it when she saw me coming… You should have seen her straighten her shoulders as she held that tire between us. I half expected her to say, 'I meant to do that.' I thanked her for making breakfast and she shrugged it off as 'the most important meal of the day,' like she hadn't done anything special. It made me smile and she let her guard down… I pushed that swing out of the way and grabbed her before the thought even fully formed in my head. When I inhaled her scent, I licked her neck and kissed her jaw. Her breath hitched for a moment, but she returned the greeting and added a s.e.xy little nip. I don't know how I made myself go to work. I told her I was gonna have her and she said she wasn't going anywhere. Then I warned her to stay away from Cougar. He'd mentioned they'd had a little history the night before. Cougar's my best friend, but I knew I'ld hurt him if he tried anything with her."

"A little history," questions Uncle Bob curious.

Roar shares, "Cougar nearly took Talia's virginity, and would have if our father hadn't checked on her. She and Cougar were very close for many years."

Richy continues, "Cougar's wife came out here unannounced while I was at work. Cougar said Talia just appeared behind Sheila, grabbed her by the hair and checked her for my scent. Scared Sheila real good and p.i.s.sed her off real bad. She's not the kind of person to let things go… My family arrived later before I got home. And when I got back from work, Talia was back in the tree house and the kids were with her. She hadn't come down to meet anyone. But being with the children had relaxed her and I took advantage and stole a kiss. I wanted her to come down so I could introduce her, but they weren't finished with their story. She let me have the next kiss… I checked in with Cougar, checked his scent of course. He told me about Sheila dropping by, and then I went in and changed out my uniform. Came back out, greeted my Aunt Seal, greeted my cousin Ba.s.s and I was preparing to greet my cousin Otter, but Cougar realized something was wrong before I did. Contrary to popular belief, the man's not stupid. He just likes people to think that… He grabbed Otter and I grabbed Talia before she could manage to rip Otter's face off."

"But Talia's always been so gentle and kind," interrupts Uncle Bob. "She wouldn't hurt anybody."

Richy shrugs, "She still is… but I wasn't thrown off by her behavior in any way. I set her in the house. She flipped the dining table. I excused myself from my family and came in after her. I stepped into the kitchen, she threw a gla.s.s at me, I caught it, but it was still ruined. So I threw it away."

"My Talia did that," interrupts Uncle Bob in disbelief.

"Instincts, Uncle Bob," reminds Roar. "They're very powerful. She wasn't fully herself. Go on, Richy."

Richy nods. "She kept the kitchen table between us while she asked me some questions about Otter and other women. But when I asked her why she was still here, why she hadn't left even though she'd had plenty of opportunity, she got confused and frustrated, and she forgot to keep that table between us… She didn't try to fight me or resist me anymore, but her body language was confused, like she wasn't sure what to do, which turns out she didn't know exactly what to do. I figured that out shortly after I bent her over the table. (Richy's eyes tear up) She was still a virgin and I bent her over my kitchen table."

Uncle Bob is surprised and says, "But she dated Lance for years. Are you saying the lying little cheat was nailing everybody but her?"

"I don't know if he's really nailing anybody," answers Richy. "Tali said he's got a premature e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n problem."

Roar laughs, "That's fate at work for you if you ask me. But even I was surprised to learn she'd managed to stay a virgin this long. I didn't see her for months when she was away studying at New Harvard. I thought she had just never thought to tell me about any of her boyfriends until she accused me of expecting her to stay a virgin forever. Her life has been more lonely and isolated than I am capable of imagining. I'm very glad you found each other."

"Ditto," Uncle Bob agrees with a firm nod.

They stand and head for the door to leave Talia and Richy alone for the night. Zenith pauses and looks back at Richy, "You may think the way you took her virginity isn't romantic. But the way you feel about it, the way you wish it was different because of the way you feel about her, the love in your eyes when you look at her, makes it romantic."