Chapter 7
K’var whimpered in pleasure, his claws scrabbling at R’shan’s muscular back. The big hunter was moving within him strongly but slowly, and the glowing golden eyes were pinning his as big hands cradled his hips. They were pushing and pulling him up-and-down, which was good since K’var had lost most of the control over his limbs. This was so good! R’shan bent his head and bit lightly at K’var’s neck, nipping at the arched tendons. K’var cried out, his whole body tensing, feeling that amazing wave rising up inside of him again. His nails broke skin, and little beads of blood welled up on R’shan’s back as K’var spasmed in the hunter’s lap and began to come.
“Ahh, ahh!” K’var wailed, shuddering. A raspy tongue traced along his jaw, and then he dimly heard a low grunt as R’shan bucked up into him and he felt a wash of warmth inside of his body.
Panting was the only sound that could be heard for a moment, then K’var stirred. He lifted his head, his hair damp with sweat, and blinked at R’shan. The hunter smiled down at him slightly, even as he ran his big hands up-and-down K’var’s sides. “You’ve tired me out, K’var,” he noted huskily. “I think I need to rest.”
K’var scrambled off of his lap hurriedly. “Lay down,” he said, making motions at the fur-draped bed anxiously.
R’shan chuckled a bit as he maneuvered his big body down onto the bed. “Will you lay with
me, K’var?” he asked, holding out his hand.
K’var crawled onto the bed very carefully and maneuvered himself up against R’shan’s big body gingerly. He snuggled up against the hunter, burying his nose in the sweaty chest and taking a deep breath of R’shan’s musky scent. “Is this good?” he asked, looking up at R’shan.
The hunter’s big hand made circles on his back. “This is very good, K’var,” he replied simply.
Traggen stood on the porch and kissed his mate goodbye. “I’ll see you in a few days, J’Dran,” he said. “Be careful out there.”
The big hunter nodded. “I will, Traggen. And hopefully…” he added with a grin, “I’ll return with news of our cub.”
Traggen nodded. “Uncle Avhonari and I will be busy making over that little store room into a bedroom for the cub. Thank the Gods that it has windows; I wouldn’t want the poor thing to have to live in a stone cave.”
J’Dran snorted cheerfully. “I’ll return as soon as I have word,” he said, setting his fingers under his mate’s chin and caressing lightly.
Traggen nodded and waved him off as J’Dran strode away toward the jungle. The human felt both nervousness and a touch of anxiety as he watched his mate leave. He would not only worry about J’Dran’s safety while he was gone; he’d also fret a little about the cub that J’Dran might be bringing home with him. Yes, he was sure that he was ready to be a parent; but that wouldn’t stop him from feeling nervous about something so new and different.
“Is J’Dran gone?” he heard Avhonari’s voice ask, and turned to see his uncle emerging from the house.
“Yeah,” he replied, leaning back against the rail to have something to grip with his hands, “For better or worse he’s on his way to find us a cub.”
Avhonari studied his face. “You shouldn’t be so anxious about this, Traggen,” he said gently. “Both you and J’Dran will make fine parents. Any cub will be lucky to have you.”
Traggen snorted. “If you say so.”
Avhonari nodded firmly. “I do. Besides, this isn’t your first time at being a parent,” he noted.
When Traggen threw him a questioning look, he smiled slightly. “Both of you have acted as surrogate parents to K’var over the years,” he told Traggen. “Yes, he always had both me and Z’sharan, but you two were always there for him as well. And frankly, that’s a good deal of what parenting is about - just being there when the child needs you. And if you ever need any help, both of us will be here for you. It will be nice to have another child around here. I thoroughly enjoyed raising K’var.”
“Hard to believe that he’s an adult, now,” Traggen mused. “A REAL adult,” he added with a wicked grin.
Avhonari shook his head. “I try not to think about that,” he said with a grimace.
Traggen laughed. “What? It disturbs you to think about your cub mating with someone? I say that it’s about time,” he said. “I had my first sexual encounter when I was all of thirteen.”
Avhonari eyed him. “Why am I not surprised? Who was it?”
Traggen shrugged. “A stable boy. I always had a thing for them, if you’ll remember. He was only two years older than me, but he was pretty experienced already. He taught me a lot. I always remember him fondly. Don’t tell J’Dran that,” he mock-whispered to his uncle.
Avhonari laughed rather sardonically. “I believe that J’Dran knows all about the fact that you were…very active…sexually once upon a time,” he noted.
“You mean that I was a total slut? Sure, he knows that. But that’s generally. I don’t want to remind him specifically, because he gets all jealous,” he said with a grin. “Sometimes that’s a good thing, because when he’s all worked up he…ah…never mind,” he said, seeing the expression on his uncle’s face.
“But sometimes when he gets jealous over my past it just leads to arguments between us. And there’s no reason for that; it’s not like I’d ever sleep with anyone else but him anymore. J’Dran’s fine with that, and I know he trusts me, but he can’t help but get a little snarly if I remind him of the men I slept with before I met him. He just doesn’t want to hear it, and that’s fine. I don’t really want to hear about the men that HE slept with before he was with me, either. It’s better not to know.”
Avhonari nodded in wry agreement. “I like to think that Z’sharan was completely unspoiled before he came to me,” he said, his black eyes twinkling with amusement at himself.
Traggen chuckled. “Unfortunately, that’s not something that J’Dran can do with me. He knew what a slut I was before we even slept together. Ah, well…the truth is, I wouldn’t change a thing about my past even though I was a pretty nasty little toad in my youth. I enjoyed every one of those sexual encounters thoroughly, and I got it all out of my system before I came here so it was much easier for me to just be with J’Dran and no one else. Not that it would be difficult, anyway…he’s the best lover I’ve ever had.”
“Yes, wereleopards make fine lovers,” Avhonari agreed readily.
Traggen got an evil look in his eyes. “Something which I’m sure K’var is learning about right now,” he murmured.
“Oh, Gods,” Avhonari groaned, putting a hand over his eyes, “Thank you SO much for reminding me, Traggen.”
“You’re welcome, Uncle,” Traggen replied cheekily.
K’var awoke late in the afternoon, groggily lifting his head from where it was resting against R’shan’s broad chest. The hunter was still asleep, and K’var took a moment to admire his handsome face before he slipped carefully off the bed. He winced as he moved, because while the natural lubrication had saved him from most of the pain of his first(and second, and third) time, he still felt the discomfort of the stretching as he moved away from R’shan’s sleeping form. Still, it had all been worth it. He felt great otherwise, relaxed and happy and energetic.
He leaned over and kissed R’shan on the cheek, careful not to wake him. Then he slipped out of the tree house and climbed down the trunk(very carefully) , making his way through the village to the cook fire to get some food for both himself and the hunter. The person manning the fire eyed him while she talked to him, and then she visibly smirked as she handed him some meat and roasted tubers wrapped in leaves. He blushed a little, ducking his head, as he scurried away. Her laughter followed him, and he felt like his face was burning as he climbed back up the tree to R’shan’s house. She’d known exactly what he and R’shan had been doing! Probably everyone would who got a good look at him. Including…oh, Spirits…his parents!
K’var was not looking forward to that. It was too embarrassing to even think about.
R’shan awoke when he stepped back into the house, lifting his head and twitching his nostrils at the smell of food. “My thanks, K’var,” he grunted as he sat up slowly and carefully and reached out to take the leaves from his hands.
K’var sat down next to him even more carefully, wriggling a bit to find a more comfortable spot. “It smells good,” he noted, and R’shan nodded as he divided up the food and handed K’var half of it.
They ate mostly in silence for awhile, then R’shan sighed and swallowed the last piece of meat. “Does your leg hurt?” K’var asked in concern.
The hunter grimaced. “It’s a bit stiff, but if I apply some more of the paste it should be fine.”
“Let me do it,” K’var jumped up and went over to fetch the clay container, returning to kneel down in front of R’shan. “Spread your legs,” he commanded.
R’shan’s lips twitched slightly, but he complied. He watched as K’var bent forward with an intent look on his face, dipping his fingers into the container. He breathed deeply as K’var’s fingers smeared the paste onto the large, ugly bruise, and not from pain either. His penis twitched, coming to life as K’var continued to touch him. But the hunter endured, breathing slowly and evenly, as K’var finished his task. He was grateful when K’var finally lifted his hand from his thigh, and he almost laughed when the younger wereleopard suddenly gasped as he got a glimpse of his effect on R’shan with his touches. The color that spread over his cheeks entranced R’shan. He reached down to pull K’var up half into his lap, his voice growly as he said: “You see what happens when you touch me, K’var?”
K’var panted, nodding his head in lieu of speaking(since he would have had great trouble doing that just at this moment anyway). R’shan’s lips lifted off his fangs a little, and he yanked K’var up so that their mouths could meet hungrily. The little mewl that escaped the younger wereleopard he drank down, his hands exploring the soft skin of the squirming body that he’d pulled all the way into his lap now. This was the best form of healing that R’shan had ever had, and he vowed silently to experience more just like it in the near future…
K’var knew that he should go home, but he was reluctant to do so. He wanted to stay with R’shan. But he knew his family would worry, so at last he sighed and untangled himself from the hunter’s strong arms. “I have to go home,” he explained unhappily.
R’shan nodded, although he was frowning a little. “You’ll come again tomorrow?” he asked as K’var got lithely to his feet.
K’var nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes,” he said. “I’ll come back.”
R’shan looked satisfied. “Good.” he reached out and pulled K’var in for a kiss, which left him rather breathless. His fingers slid through K’var’s hair before he let the younger wereleopard go. “I will see you then.”
He smiled, then slipped out of the tree house with a last lingering glance. He climbed down the tree, wistfully looking upward as he made his way to the ground. His feet rather dragged as he made his way into the jungle, and it was the slowest that he’d ever gone making his way home. He missed R’shan already. Was this how his parents felt about each other? He thought it might be - no wonder Father Avhonari’s eyes always lit up whenever Father Z’sharan emerged from the jungle each evening, even after all of this time of their being together as mates. It seemed strange to him that up until two days ago, he’d hated R’shan and resented him completely. But that was before the hunter had touched him, and kissed him, and…
His eyes went a bit dreamy, and it was a good thing that no dangers emerged out of the jungle to attack him. Probably they’d have been able to finish him off before he noticed enough to fight back. But as it was, he made it safely through the jungle, and emerged out into the meadow where his Father Avhonari had built a large stone house when he’d first come here with Father Z’sharan. K’var padded up toward the porch through the soft grass, and saw his Father Avhonari emerge from the house to stand on the porch and greet his returning child.
“K’var,” he said. “Are you well, my son?” his dark eyes searched his cub’s face, which K’var could feel hesitating a little.
“I’m well, Father,” he replied, meaning it.
Something in his expression made Avhonari look resigned, and he nodded. “And how is the hunter R’shan?”
“He’s good, Father!” K’var scrambled to say, then turned red as he realized how that had come out sounding.
Avhonari chose to ignore the double entendre in his cub’s words. “I’m glad to hear that. Are you hungry? Dinner is almost ready.”
“Yes, I am,” he said, meaning it. Despite having eaten no more than two hours ago, he was growing hungry again. That was because he and R’shan had burned all of that food off in the most pleasant way possible…
He squirmed at this thought, as Avhonari remarked tactfully: “Go and take a bath before dinner, K’var. Oh, and your Uncle J’Dran will not be eating with us tonight.”
He looked up at this. “He won’t? Why not?”
Avhonari smiled slightly. “He left this morning after you did, to go and look for an orphan cub that he and Traggen can raise.”
Startled but delighted, K’var brightened up and clapped his hands together. “That’s wonderful, Father! So we’ll have a cub around here again?”
Avhonari’s smile widened at his excitement. “I’m not sure what you mean by again, my son,” he teased, his eyes twinkling.
K’var stuck his tongue out at his father’s teasing. “I’ll go and take a bath.” he skimmed off into the house, making Avhonari shake his head. It was good to see that his cub was not entirely grown up yet, even if he had taken a big step toward being an adult. He wouldn’t mind if K’var remained a cub for a little bit longer…
His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of his mate out of the jungle. Z’sharan walked toward the house, lifting his hand in greeting. Avhonari smiled in welcome and stepped off the porch to envelope Z’sharan in a close embrace. He kissed his mate, taking pleasure in Z’sharan’s easy, ready response. A low growl of pleasure rumbled out of the wereleopard’s throat when they finally parted. “You seem in a good mood, Avhonari,” he noted, looking up into his mate’s eyes.
Avhonari nodded. “Yes, I am. K’var’s returned, and he’s bouncing around the house like a miniature whirlwind. And J’Dran left a bit after you this morning to go and find a cub for he and Traggen to raise.”
Z’sharan looked pleased by his news. “Ahh. So even though our cub has grown up, we’ll still have a young one around the house,” he remarked in satisfaction.
Avhonari nodded as they started into the house together. “Yes, Traggen and I spent the day turning that extra storeroom into a bedroom for the new cub. It was a lot of hard work, but worth it. I’ll show it to you after dinner.”
Z’sharan glanced sideways at him. “And K’var? How did he look?”
Avhonari sighed, shrugging a bit. “Like someone who has learned a very adult thing,” he replied with a faint grimace.
Z’sharan laughed gently at him. “It was inevitable, Avhonari. I’m just glad that our cub has found someone who touches his heart.”
Avhonari gave him a startled glance. “His heart? I don’t think that’s what R’shan was touching, Z’sharan…”
The wereleopard snorted. “Do you really think for one moment that our cub would mate with someone who DIDN’T touch his heart, Avhonari? K’var is not the type to indulge in mere idle pleasure, with no feelings involved.”
Avhonari had to agree that this was true. Their tender-hearted cub would never give himself to someone physically if he hadn’t already given his heart to that person as well. “We’ll just have to assume that he will become R’shan’s mate, and prepare to welcome the hunter into our family,” he said aloud.
“He could have chosen worse people,” Z’sharan assured him. “R’shan is over-serious and sometimes overbearing as well - but K’var will soften him. He can’t help but succumb to our cub’s charms. Everyone does.”
Avhonari smiled. “Yes,” he agreed as they entered the house together arm-in-arm. “Everyone does.”
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K’var whimpered in pleasure, his claws scrabbling at R’shan’s muscular back. The big hunter was moving within him strongly but slowly, and the glowing golden eyes were pinning his as big hands cradled his hips. They were pushing and pulling him up-and-down, which was good since K’var had lost most of the control over his limbs. This was so good! R’shan bent his head and bit lightly at K’var’s neck, nipping at the arched tendons. K’var cried out, his whole body tensing, feeling that amazing wave rising up inside of him again. His nails broke skin, and little beads of blood welled up on R’shan’s back as K’var spasmed in the hunter’s lap and began to come.
“Ahh, ahh!” K’var wailed, shuddering. A raspy tongue traced along his jaw, and then he dimly heard a low grunt as R’shan bucked up into him and he felt a wash of warmth inside of his body.
Panting was the only sound that could be heard for a moment, then K’var stirred. He lifted his head, his hair damp with sweat, and blinked at R’shan. The hunter smiled down at him slightly, even as he ran his big hands up-and-down K’var’s sides. “You’ve tired me out, K’var,” he noted huskily. “I think I need to rest.”
K’var scrambled off of his lap hurriedly. “Lay down,” he said, making motions at the fur-draped bed anxiously.
R’shan chuckled a bit as he maneuvered his big body down onto the bed. “Will you lay with
me, K’var?” he asked, holding out his hand.
K’var crawled onto the bed very carefully and maneuvered himself up against R’shan’s big body gingerly. He snuggled up against the hunter, burying his nose in the sweaty chest and taking a deep breath of R’shan’s musky scent. “Is this good?” he asked, looking up at R’shan.
The hunter’s big hand made circles on his back. “This is very good, K’var,” he replied simply.
Traggen stood on the porch and kissed his mate goodbye. “I’ll see you in a few days, J’Dran,” he said. “Be careful out there.”
The big hunter nodded. “I will, Traggen. And hopefully…” he added with a grin, “I’ll return with news of our cub.”
Traggen nodded. “Uncle Avhonari and I will be busy making over that little store room into a bedroom for the cub. Thank the Gods that it has windows; I wouldn’t want the poor thing to have to live in a stone cave.”
J’Dran snorted cheerfully. “I’ll return as soon as I have word,” he said, setting his fingers under his mate’s chin and caressing lightly.
Traggen nodded and waved him off as J’Dran strode away toward the jungle. The human felt both nervousness and a touch of anxiety as he watched his mate leave. He would not only worry about J’Dran’s safety while he was gone; he’d also fret a little about the cub that J’Dran might be bringing home with him. Yes, he was sure that he was ready to be a parent; but that wouldn’t stop him from feeling nervous about something so new and different.
“Is J’Dran gone?” he heard Avhonari’s voice ask, and turned to see his uncle emerging from the house.
“Yeah,” he replied, leaning back against the rail to have something to grip with his hands, “For better or worse he’s on his way to find us a cub.”
Avhonari studied his face. “You shouldn’t be so anxious about this, Traggen,” he said gently. “Both you and J’Dran will make fine parents. Any cub will be lucky to have you.”
Traggen snorted. “If you say so.”
Avhonari nodded firmly. “I do. Besides, this isn’t your first time at being a parent,” he noted.
When Traggen threw him a questioning look, he smiled slightly. “Both of you have acted as surrogate parents to K’var over the years,” he told Traggen. “Yes, he always had both me and Z’sharan, but you two were always there for him as well. And frankly, that’s a good deal of what parenting is about - just being there when the child needs you. And if you ever need any help, both of us will be here for you. It will be nice to have another child around here. I thoroughly enjoyed raising K’var.”
“Hard to believe that he’s an adult, now,” Traggen mused. “A REAL adult,” he added with a wicked grin.
Avhonari shook his head. “I try not to think about that,” he said with a grimace.
Traggen laughed. “What? It disturbs you to think about your cub mating with someone? I say that it’s about time,” he said. “I had my first sexual encounter when I was all of thirteen.”
Avhonari eyed him. “Why am I not surprised? Who was it?”
Traggen shrugged. “A stable boy. I always had a thing for them, if you’ll remember. He was only two years older than me, but he was pretty experienced already. He taught me a lot. I always remember him fondly. Don’t tell J’Dran that,” he mock-whispered to his uncle.
Avhonari laughed rather sardonically. “I believe that J’Dran knows all about the fact that you were…very active…sexually once upon a time,” he noted.
“You mean that I was a total slut? Sure, he knows that. But that’s generally. I don’t want to remind him specifically, because he gets all jealous,” he said with a grin. “Sometimes that’s a good thing, because when he’s all worked up he…ah…never mind,” he said, seeing the expression on his uncle’s face.
“But sometimes when he gets jealous over my past it just leads to arguments between us. And there’s no reason for that; it’s not like I’d ever sleep with anyone else but him anymore. J’Dran’s fine with that, and I know he trusts me, but he can’t help but get a little snarly if I remind him of the men I slept with before I met him. He just doesn’t want to hear it, and that’s fine. I don’t really want to hear about the men that HE slept with before he was with me, either. It’s better not to know.”
Avhonari nodded in wry agreement. “I like to think that Z’sharan was completely unspoiled before he came to me,” he said, his black eyes twinkling with amusement at himself.
Traggen chuckled. “Unfortunately, that’s not something that J’Dran can do with me. He knew what a slut I was before we even slept together. Ah, well…the truth is, I wouldn’t change a thing about my past even though I was a pretty nasty little toad in my youth. I enjoyed every one of those sexual encounters thoroughly, and I got it all out of my system before I came here so it was much easier for me to just be with J’Dran and no one else. Not that it would be difficult, anyway…he’s the best lover I’ve ever had.”
“Yes, wereleopards make fine lovers,” Avhonari agreed readily.
Traggen got an evil look in his eyes. “Something which I’m sure K’var is learning about right now,” he murmured.
“Oh, Gods,” Avhonari groaned, putting a hand over his eyes, “Thank you SO much for reminding me, Traggen.”
“You’re welcome, Uncle,” Traggen replied cheekily.
K’var awoke late in the afternoon, groggily lifting his head from where it was resting against R’shan’s broad chest. The hunter was still asleep, and K’var took a moment to admire his handsome face before he slipped carefully off the bed. He winced as he moved, because while the natural lubrication had saved him from most of the pain of his first(and second, and third) time, he still felt the discomfort of the stretching as he moved away from R’shan’s sleeping form. Still, it had all been worth it. He felt great otherwise, relaxed and happy and energetic.
He leaned over and kissed R’shan on the cheek, careful not to wake him. Then he slipped out of the tree house and climbed down the trunk(very carefully) , making his way through the village to the cook fire to get some food for both himself and the hunter. The person manning the fire eyed him while she talked to him, and then she visibly smirked as she handed him some meat and roasted tubers wrapped in leaves. He blushed a little, ducking his head, as he scurried away. Her laughter followed him, and he felt like his face was burning as he climbed back up the tree to R’shan’s house. She’d known exactly what he and R’shan had been doing! Probably everyone would who got a good look at him. Including…oh, Spirits…his parents!
K’var was not looking forward to that. It was too embarrassing to even think about.
R’shan awoke when he stepped back into the house, lifting his head and twitching his nostrils at the smell of food. “My thanks, K’var,” he grunted as he sat up slowly and carefully and reached out to take the leaves from his hands.
K’var sat down next to him even more carefully, wriggling a bit to find a more comfortable spot. “It smells good,” he noted, and R’shan nodded as he divided up the food and handed K’var half of it.
They ate mostly in silence for awhile, then R’shan sighed and swallowed the last piece of meat. “Does your leg hurt?” K’var asked in concern.
The hunter grimaced. “It’s a bit stiff, but if I apply some more of the paste it should be fine.”
“Let me do it,” K’var jumped up and went over to fetch the clay container, returning to kneel down in front of R’shan. “Spread your legs,” he commanded.
R’shan’s lips twitched slightly, but he complied. He watched as K’var bent forward with an intent look on his face, dipping his fingers into the container. He breathed deeply as K’var’s fingers smeared the paste onto the large, ugly bruise, and not from pain either. His penis twitched, coming to life as K’var continued to touch him. But the hunter endured, breathing slowly and evenly, as K’var finished his task. He was grateful when K’var finally lifted his hand from his thigh, and he almost laughed when the younger wereleopard suddenly gasped as he got a glimpse of his effect on R’shan with his touches. The color that spread over his cheeks entranced R’shan. He reached down to pull K’var up half into his lap, his voice growly as he said: “You see what happens when you touch me, K’var?”
K’var panted, nodding his head in lieu of speaking(since he would have had great trouble doing that just at this moment anyway). R’shan’s lips lifted off his fangs a little, and he yanked K’var up so that their mouths could meet hungrily. The little mewl that escaped the younger wereleopard he drank down, his hands exploring the soft skin of the squirming body that he’d pulled all the way into his lap now. This was the best form of healing that R’shan had ever had, and he vowed silently to experience more just like it in the near future…
K’var knew that he should go home, but he was reluctant to do so. He wanted to stay with R’shan. But he knew his family would worry, so at last he sighed and untangled himself from the hunter’s strong arms. “I have to go home,” he explained unhappily.
R’shan nodded, although he was frowning a little. “You’ll come again tomorrow?” he asked as K’var got lithely to his feet.
K’var nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes,” he said. “I’ll come back.”
R’shan looked satisfied. “Good.” he reached out and pulled K’var in for a kiss, which left him rather breathless. His fingers slid through K’var’s hair before he let the younger wereleopard go. “I will see you then.”
He smiled, then slipped out of the tree house with a last lingering glance. He climbed down the tree, wistfully looking upward as he made his way to the ground. His feet rather dragged as he made his way into the jungle, and it was the slowest that he’d ever gone making his way home. He missed R’shan already. Was this how his parents felt about each other? He thought it might be - no wonder Father Avhonari’s eyes always lit up whenever Father Z’sharan emerged from the jungle each evening, even after all of this time of their being together as mates. It seemed strange to him that up until two days ago, he’d hated R’shan and resented him completely. But that was before the hunter had touched him, and kissed him, and…
His eyes went a bit dreamy, and it was a good thing that no dangers emerged out of the jungle to attack him. Probably they’d have been able to finish him off before he noticed enough to fight back. But as it was, he made it safely through the jungle, and emerged out into the meadow where his Father Avhonari had built a large stone house when he’d first come here with Father Z’sharan. K’var padded up toward the porch through the soft grass, and saw his Father Avhonari emerge from the house to stand on the porch and greet his returning child.
“K’var,” he said. “Are you well, my son?” his dark eyes searched his cub’s face, which K’var could feel hesitating a little.
“I’m well, Father,” he replied, meaning it.
Something in his expression made Avhonari look resigned, and he nodded. “And how is the hunter R’shan?”
“He’s good, Father!” K’var scrambled to say, then turned red as he realized how that had come out sounding.
Avhonari chose to ignore the double entendre in his cub’s words. “I’m glad to hear that. Are you hungry? Dinner is almost ready.”
“Yes, I am,” he said, meaning it. Despite having eaten no more than two hours ago, he was growing hungry again. That was because he and R’shan had burned all of that food off in the most pleasant way possible…
He squirmed at this thought, as Avhonari remarked tactfully: “Go and take a bath before dinner, K’var. Oh, and your Uncle J’Dran will not be eating with us tonight.”
He looked up at this. “He won’t? Why not?”
Avhonari smiled slightly. “He left this morning after you did, to go and look for an orphan cub that he and Traggen can raise.”
Startled but delighted, K’var brightened up and clapped his hands together. “That’s wonderful, Father! So we’ll have a cub around here again?”
Avhonari’s smile widened at his excitement. “I’m not sure what you mean by again, my son,” he teased, his eyes twinkling.
K’var stuck his tongue out at his father’s teasing. “I’ll go and take a bath.” he skimmed off into the house, making Avhonari shake his head. It was good to see that his cub was not entirely grown up yet, even if he had taken a big step toward being an adult. He wouldn’t mind if K’var remained a cub for a little bit longer…
His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of his mate out of the jungle. Z’sharan walked toward the house, lifting his hand in greeting. Avhonari smiled in welcome and stepped off the porch to envelope Z’sharan in a close embrace. He kissed his mate, taking pleasure in Z’sharan’s easy, ready response. A low growl of pleasure rumbled out of the wereleopard’s throat when they finally parted. “You seem in a good mood, Avhonari,” he noted, looking up into his mate’s eyes.
Avhonari nodded. “Yes, I am. K’var’s returned, and he’s bouncing around the house like a miniature whirlwind. And J’Dran left a bit after you this morning to go and find a cub for he and Traggen to raise.”
Z’sharan looked pleased by his news. “Ahh. So even though our cub has grown up, we’ll still have a young one around the house,” he remarked in satisfaction.
Avhonari nodded as they started into the house together. “Yes, Traggen and I spent the day turning that extra storeroom into a bedroom for the new cub. It was a lot of hard work, but worth it. I’ll show it to you after dinner.”
Z’sharan glanced sideways at him. “And K’var? How did he look?”
Avhonari sighed, shrugging a bit. “Like someone who has learned a very adult thing,” he replied with a faint grimace.
Z’sharan laughed gently at him. “It was inevitable, Avhonari. I’m just glad that our cub has found someone who touches his heart.”
Avhonari gave him a startled glance. “His heart? I don’t think that’s what R’shan was touching, Z’sharan…”
The wereleopard snorted. “Do you really think for one moment that our cub would mate with someone who DIDN’T touch his heart, Avhonari? K’var is not the type to indulge in mere idle pleasure, with no feelings involved.”
Avhonari had to agree that this was true. Their tender-hearted cub would never give himself to someone physically if he hadn’t already given his heart to that person as well. “We’ll just have to assume that he will become R’shan’s mate, and prepare to welcome the hunter into our family,” he said aloud.
“He could have chosen worse people,” Z’sharan assured him. “R’shan is over-serious and sometimes overbearing as well - but K’var will soften him. He can’t help but succumb to our cub’s charms. Everyone does.”
Avhonari smiled. “Yes,” he agreed as they entered the house together arm-in-arm. “Everyone does.”
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