Ember

“Ember? Ember!”

Blinking my eyes open, I saw Rosaline leaning over me, and past her the sky.

“What happened?” I asked, sitting up. Stars danced in front of my eyes, and Rosaline’s hands came to my shoulders to steady me.

“You passed out. We should get you some food,” she said, sliding her arms under me and lifting me up.

“I’m fine, really,” I protested as she set me on the saddle.

She didn’t respond, swinging up in front of me and wrapping my arms around her middle.

“Rosaline, I’m fine,” I said again, squeezing her middle.

She turned around, and I saw the pain in her eyes. “I was so scared when you passed out. And no, you’re not fine, you need food. Your body doesn’t lie.”

“I’m not even hungry!” I countered, crossing my arms.

Rosaline

Ember’s mouth was set in a stubborn line. Taking a deep breath, I tasted the bitter smell of hunger in the back of my throat. Nearly coughing, I swallowed the sound and looked at Ember sternly.

“We’re getting you something to eat, end of story. Can you stay here, on Sundancer, while I find food?” I asked, meeting her gaze.

“I guess,” she replied, giving a large sigh.

Swinging off the horse, I took off my cape and draped it over the saddle. Taking off into the forest, I opened my mouth so I could catch the scent of something to eat.

The tangy scent of a deer came to my attention, and I turned that way and took off through the trees.

Flying through the branches, barely rustling a leaf, I found the deer. It didn’t even know what had hit it. The deer was killed within seconds, painlessly.

I quickly skinned and gutted the deer, gathering the meat into a small backpack I had brought with me. After burying the guts, I went back to Ember, who was still waiting on the horse for me.

“Find something?” she asked, nodding at my bag.

“Yep. Here, let me help you down,” I said, holding my arms out towards her.

She slid down off the horse and into my arms, and time paused for a moment as we sat in the embrace.

Then time began again and I let her go.

“So will you cook that?” Ember asked, sitting down on the ground.

“Of course,” I said, and went to start a fire.

By the time we had finished cooking and eating, the sun had gone down. We sat together in the flickering light of the fire, Ember with a blanket wrapped around her. She hadn’t spoken with me since she asked about the meat.

I sat in her silence, waiting for her to speak.

Eventually, when the fire was getting low, she spoke.

“Am I...your mate?”