Outback Love

Sunset

Blane jerked his head back in surprise. “You can speak?” He asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders and looked away.

“Mira?” He said looking into her eyes.

She turned away and dove into the cool clear water. He sat on the rock ledge watching her swim. He knew he had ruined the moment and he could only hope he would get another one. He slid down into the water and looked around at the land. It was amazing, he could picture eco tours and glamping under the stars. He definitely could not picture mining the life out of it.

He watched as she swam to the shallow water and walked out to the towels. She picked one up and wrapped it around her body. He groaned inwardly. He had really messed up. She waved for him to follow her, and he dived into the water, swimming to the shallow end. He walked out and picked up his towel, using it to dry his face.

Her tinkling giggle got his attention as he looked up to see her walking towards him with a cooler. She dropped the towel on a rock in the shade of the gumtree and sat on it naked. He did the same, moving closer to her.

She handed him a cold beer and a sandwich. He noticed straight away it wasn’t vegemite and breathed a sigh of relief.

They began to eat in silence, watching the changing landscape as the sun began to lower overhead.

“Should we be heading home soon?” Blane asked. 

Mira shook her head and put her hands together to pretend to sleep and then pointed at the stars.

“Are we sleeping under the stars?” He asked.

Mira smiled and nodded.

Blane continued eating his sandwich and watching the scenery.

“My Dad never took me camping. He was always busy being a mining mogul and Alpha to our pack. I remember once my Beta Luke and I ran away to go camping. He didn’t even come looking for us. We couldn’t figure out how to put the tent up and forgot to take food, so we were home 5 hours later.” Blane grinned.

Mira laughed. Her eyes lit up when she laughed and Blane was convinced he could watch that all day, every day for the rest of his life.

“You are so beautiful.” He murmured. She smiled and put her beer down. She used her finger to beckon him forward. He took the last swig of his beer and put the bottle off to the side, moving towards her. He could feel himself growing hard and he knew she could see it. He moved between her legs, kissing her stomach, her thighs, her hips. She groaned as she gripped his hair, bringing him gently up to kiss her. He kept himself raised above her body, so he didn’t press her into the hard rock she lay on.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not shut his brain off. He thought about this morning, her reaction to seeing him wearing Jacks t-shirt. He didn’t know how long it had been since Jacks death and if she was ready to move on. Was he her second chance mate?

Mira stopped kissing him and placed her finger under his chin, raising his head so she could look him in the eye. She pushed him back and stood up. He groaned inwardly, had he blown it again?

As she looked into his eyes, he heard her bones begin to c***k and her body change shape. He watched fascinated as she shifted into a dingo. His shifts were much faster, as an Alpha he needed to be able to shift quickly. She walked forward and nudged him. He stood up and shifted. His wolf was huge and powerful, but he had no doubt she could hold her own if needed. The Dingo turned and began to trot away from the car. Blaze followed, easily able to keep pace.

Mira stopped in front of Blaze, and he looked around. He could see Mira had her nose to the air sniffing. She turned slightly and sat down, looking off into the distance. Blaze followed her gaze and found she was watching a group of kangaroos. He sat beside her, watching as they bounded towards another waterhole off in the distance. Mira stayed still not even making the slightest movement.

The kangaroos stopped at the waters edge, taking a drink. Blaze was amazed by the sight; they were simply amazing. He had never seen anything like it before. They watched until the kangaroos moved away. 

Mira got up and walked towards the waterhole the kangaroos had stopped at. It was smaller than the one they had been at earlier. Mira walked behind some trees and shifted back to her human form. When Blaze saw she had shifted, he reluctantly did the same. Blane had not let him out for some time and he had needed the run.

Blane looked at the rocky wall behind the waterhole, noticing the quartz embedded in the rocks. In the sunlight it shone beautifully.

“If you are trying to get me to fall in love with this country you are doing a fine job.” He smiled at Mira. “It is simply beautiful. I have never seen anything like it.”

Mira smiled as she walked over to Blane and put her head on his chest.

“Sister?” A voice called out behind them. They both turned to see a man standing before them. “I thought it was you when I saw your dingo but who this fella?” The man asked.

“Names Blane. Blane Wright.” He smiled as he held out his hand in greeting.

It was then he remembered he was naked and dropped his hand to his side.

“Big wet coming Mira. Day, maybe 2. Make sure you’re somewhere safe aye?” The man said.

Mira nodded and held a thumb up.

“Make sure you come see us soon. We’ll have big cook up.”

Mira nodded her head, smiling.

The man nodded and turned to walk away.

“Excuse me, what is the big wet?” Blane called.

The man turned around.

“Big rains fella. Storms, lots a wind. Can be very dangerous.” The man nodded his head.

“Thankyou.” Blane smiled.

“You the fella here to build the mine?” The man asked.

Blane sighed. “I am from Wright Mining, yes. Mira has been busy showing me what I will be destroying.”

“You come see my people, we show you what you’ll be destroying. This our land, this land of our ancestors. It’s part of us, our culture. When the big wet gone, you come see us.” The man nodded.

Mira nodded her head.

“I will do that. I promise no decisions have been made as yet.” Blane replied.

The man nodded and walked away.

Blane looked up at the colour that was beginning to streak the sky. Even in summer he didn’t remember ever seeing anything like this back home. While the air could be a little stifling with humidity, it was clean and fresh. He had realised when he let Blaze out that he could smell more individual smells than ever before.

Mira tapped him on the shoulder and nodded back towards the way from which they had come. He watched as she shifted and he did the same, following her along the path worn by many a visitor to this place.

They arrived back at the car as the colours in the sky deepened. Blane shifted again and sat on a rock, watching as the landscape changed with the colours in the sky.

“Mira, this is beyond anything I can find words for. I feel like I could stare at these sky’s and this land forever.” Blane sighed.

Mira smiled as she walked over and leaned into him. She put her hand up straight.

“Stop?” Blanes asked.

Mira shook her head and repeated the movement. Blane thought about it for a moment.

“Wait?” He asked.

Mira smiled and nodded. She pointed at the sky and wriggled her fingers.

“Stars?” Blane asked.

Mira nodded, clapping and smiling.

“Wait for the stars?” He asked.

She moved forward, wrapping her arms around his waist and putting her cheek to his chest. He leant down, breathing in her scent as he wrapped his arms around her.

She smelt fresh like nature, and he found it intoxicating. He had spent his childhood growing up with the cloying smells of over strong perfumes and his mother’s beauty products. If you were looking for her you simply follow the scent.

Mira wasn’t like that at all. He didn’t think a woman could come more natural than Mira. Her hair was a glorious mass of curls she sometimes tied up but mostly it just fell over her shoulders and back. She wore no makeup; her eyebrows were natural. She didn’t even shave or wax her underarms or legs.

Blane was so drawn to her natural beauty. He had never encountered that before and it was impossibly alluring.

He realised they had both been naked half the day and he hadn’t even given it a second thought. Wolves were naturally unconcerned about nudity given they often shift in groups but it was rare they he would just wander around naked. Although, after today he wondered if it wasn’t something he could get used to.

Mira pulled away and began to look around.

“What are you looking for?” Blane asked.

Mira pointed to a branch on the tree and then the ground.

“Wood?” He asked.

Mira smiled and nodded her head.

Blane began to look around amongst the trees. There were some smaller pieces but nothing that would make a roaring fire. The night was warm so he assumed this was for cooking and not warmth.

He carried what he could find back to the campsite and dropped it in a pile. There was a used fire pit someone had dug out that had stones surrounding it. Blane began to stack the wood he had found into the fire pit.

“Mira, do you have something to light this with?” Blane asked.

She smiled and sat down, reaching over to grab a piece of wood and a stick. She held the piece of wood between her feet as she sat with her legs like a butterfly. She began to twist the stick between her hands. Blane watched in fascination as a small tendril of smoke appeared. Mira reached over to pick some dry grass and added it to the wood, blowing gently. A small flame appeared and Mira transferred it to the fire pit. Blane clapped his hands, smiling as Mira took a little bow.

She went to the back of the car and opened the car fridge. She removed some meat and vegetables and put them on top of a plastic box that held other ingredients, carrying them all to the fire.

“Can I help with anything?” Blane asked.

Mira smiled and shook her head, so Blane sat down to watch.

She brought out 2 cast iron pots and put one over the fire. She began to add the meat and cut up some vegetables, adding them as well.

She then took out a bowl and began to mix some flour and salt, oil and water.

Blane wandered to the back of the car, getting two beers out of the cooler. He took off the lids, holding one out for Mira. She laughed, holding up her hands that were covered in the mixture she was preparing. She poured it into the spare pot and put the lid on, putting it into the fire. Blane put it down beside her and went back to the rock he had been sitting on. 

The sun had moved and was preparing to set. The colour in the sky was a magnificent sight to behold and he sat, taking it all in. Before the sun had even set the first stars twinkled in the sky.

Mira came to sit beside him, beer in hand. She held her beer out to him and clinked his own to hers. She settled in to his body as they took in the final rays of the sunset together.