My Wild Beast
Chapter 41: The Hunt

Chapter 41: The Hunt

The trees whooshed by them as Yoa sprinted, holding Nova like she weighed nothing. She expected nothing less from him. He kept trying to keep to the shadows, to hide while escaping their pursuers.

Yoa’s speed did not falter. He was a master of the hunt, to hide and stalk, and run. To be the one hunted was no different, especially when those hunting them were specifically after Nova. He clutched her tighter to him, protectively.

If he and Vulcan come face to face again, he would ask what his obsession is with Nova. She was a stunning woman, exotic and wonder to look at but Vulcan was not one to be swayed by looks. The Silver Feather tribe had beauties, all vying for his attention as the Sky Matron’s son, yet Vulcan was indifferent to their advances, never sparing them more than a glance. Or so Yoa had seen the few times he’d visited their nests for a meeting with Ixana.

There had to be something else. Yoa glanced at the woman he’d almost mated, her scent mixed with his. Frustration welled in his body and he was more than eager to fight the eagles if only to release his pent up energy. But his priority was Nova right now and finding a safe space for them.

He leapt and ran through the forest, swinging with vines when needed to and flipping occasionally. Nova was in awe of his skills and the flexing of his muscles as he manoeuvred them through the forest. She’d seen it before, but would it ever get old? Absolutely not.

It was whilst admiring this wild man’s athleticism that Nova then realised they weren’t heading in the direction of his hideout. "Yoa?" She whispered, aware he could hear her over the noise of the chase.

"Can’t reveal the location," he spoke low in her ear, the brush of his lips inciting heat in her body once more. She cleared her throat and her mind from the thoughts of what almost happened at the lake.

There was no embarrassment about it even now as her thoughts were clearer and they were racing through the jungle. She wanted him then and still did now. It had been steamy and she craved him, and she didn’t care if half her body was covered in muck.

Nova couldn’t imagine Chad ever wanting to do something like that. It was too dirty, and would ruin his precious hair. With Yoa it had been so raw and primal that nothing would have stopped them from sleeping together right then and there on the lake’s shore—that was until a few damned birds decided to show up.

Seriously what was up with them?! WORST TIMING EVER.

"Where to?" Nova asked him quietly, her face close to his as he sprinted along interconnecting branches of the trees, shadows falling over them, sunlight filtering across them as they breezed by.

"Lose them first," Yoa grunted as he braced himself and leapt across a greater distance from one tree, arm outstretched to grab onto a vine. Gravity ripped them downwards, lowering down the vine until Yoa’s grip tightened and they swung off it and landed gracefully on the ground.

Nova recognised the area but the capuchins territory were to their left. For some reason Yoa didn’t go further right and as she looked that way, she noted a few birds nests. They weren’t ordinary nests and they weren’t ordinary trees.

Samaúma, ’Queen of the Forest’, Felipe had called them, stating many tribes admired them and were sacred. Atop them these giant nests built from smaller branches were placed on flattened wood—landing sites, Nova realised. The majestic trees had then wrapped some of their branches around the nests, and upwards forming shelter.

Trees fell in her line of sight before Nova could gaze upon them more.

"Silver Feather territory," Yoa explained quietly.

"Silver Feather..." Nova murmured, filtering through her mind to the name. "Ixana’s flock?"

Yoa nodded once, his gaze trained ahead to the running water. He’d risked passing them but there had been a few harpy eagles on their trail. Vulcan was among them and he’d been closest on their trail, shifting back into his human form to chase them under the canopy of trees unlike the others.

If Yoa read the situation correctly, however, Vulcan didn’t want his mother to find out about his latest obsession. He glanced behind him where Vulcan’s broad wings flapped, muscles taut, jaw setting as his sharp eyes narrowed on them and flicked to the nest.

Vulcan’s hesitation cost him his speed as he calculated his next move. He raised his hands to his mouth, and called out, three whistles sounding more like a short melody, signalling the disbanding of his flock. Vulcan did not halt his pursuit, however, whizzing by the other side of the trees, keeping himself from view of his mother’s viewpoint.

Nova followed Yoa’s gaze, her lips gaping as she saw Vulcan clearly for the first time. She couldn’t deny how majestic he looked, or how awesome those wings were, but a stalker was still a stalker no matter his looks. The creep had hunted her down on more than one occasion.

This man had also interrupted their time at the lake. Intentional or not, Nova was pissed.

There was also a part of Nova that wanted to get captured by this feathered beast so she’d know what the hell this stalker wanted from her. Then there was the rational side, the side that was trying to keep her alive, screaming at her that she was INSANE! Who knew what the hell he wanted?!

It had only been one century since some of these tribes were sacrificing their own to appease the Gods.

The sounds of growls and roars from big cats suddenly echoed along the forest floor. The jaguar’s call would never lose its ferociousness. It made Nova jump and cling to Yoa more, head whipping back around as a jaguar leapt towards them, pouncing from behind a bush, camouflaged well.

It’s claws outstretched towards them, its lithe body sprung into action. Before it could touch Yoa, however, another, paler looking jaguar pounced on it, taking it out before it’s claws could shred into Yoa. By now, Nova knew he could handle a little cat like that.

Another jaguar, bigger, eyes greener than the last, leapt towards them, a guttural roar rumbling through the trees like thunder as it passed them and slammed into something behind them. "Thank you, brother." Nova looked behind them to see Atia’s jaguar form had taken Vulcan down, his claws sliced through Vulcan’s wings, Atia’s jaw firmly tight on his jugular, blood oozing down his body.

Nova looked away as the paler jaguar whimpered, slamming into a tree, the other one who wanted to attack Yoa shaking it’s head, blood trickling from it’s lips as it glowered at Yoa with pure hatred.

"Aiyana!" Atia released Vulcan, now in his human form, his focus now on their friend as he sprinted for the paler furred jaguar. The cat, Aiyana, glowered at Atia, sharing a look with him as the other jaguar prowled towards Yoa and Nova who were now at the river edge, the water gushing by them.

Atia changed direction and shifted mid-leap, pouncing on the other jaguar before it could attack Yoa’s back. Whistling sounds ripped through the forest from high above and Nova gazed up to see two harpy eagles, much smaller in size compared to Ixana and Vulcan, yet still much bigger than an average eagle.

As her gaze lingered on their forms, the air whooshed out of her lungs as wind whipped her hair back. Yoa had jumped. Her wide eyes looked back just in time before cold water engulfed them.

Nova was still watching them when the wind whipped her hair back, knocking the breath from her lungs. Yoa had jumped. Her wide eyes flicked back just in time before they crashed into the cold water of River Soluma.

The current dragged them down stream instantly. Yoa held onto Nova tightly, legs kicking to the surface before his body slammed into a rock, shielding Nova from the blow. "Yoa!" Nova cried, worried about him.

Yoa smirked. "Will take more than that to hurt me, little mouse," he mused, lightning the moment even if they were currently in choppy waters leading towards a waterfall.

The harpy eagles dived towards them but their wings spread outwards suddenly as their sharp gazes flicked to their fallen leader. "Hold your breath," Yoa ordered before they went under again, using the water to conceal them as it knocked them into boulders, the water unyielding, uncaring who was in it’s depths.

Nova’s arm grazed one of them, her lungs pinching as they remained under water, trusting Yoa completely. That one graze made him take every blow since. They resurfaced further down stream and he pushed off boulders, directing them away from the river flowing towards a deadly drop.

Nova was gasping, air forced into her lungs, eyes wide, clinging to Yoa as she saw the water’s edge, the waterfall with the pummelling sounds of water hitting rocks and earth below. Yoa managed to steer them to the other side of the river, where it began to separate.

"They’re gone," Nova gasped out, eyes flicking to the sky as the adrenaline roared in her ears.

"We’re not out of danger yet." Even though the stream calmed and they were no longer about to fall to their deaths, Yoa’s gaze had moved to something ahead of them. "We’re going into Apatka territory."

The serene waters were laid ahead, looking tranquil, if for only a few bubbles floating up and popping on the surface. They were then followed by two ancient, reptilian eyes breaking the surface—unblinking, patient, and cold as stone.