My alien mate (Alien planet , #1)

Da'r POV - Mate

As the leader of the tribe, I have to make sure everyone is feed, clothed, and has a hut. As the very hot season approaches, I need to hut more, because many beasts will sleep or migrate until the hot season will return.

My tribe once had many proud x'lems, now only twenty-nine lived. And there are only nine females in my tribe left. We take great care of them because they were precious to us, only females can have kits. But I knew my tribe, my people had no hope. We hadn't had a matting ceremony in ten planet-rotations, and without mates, we can't have kits, and without kits, my people will disappear. I know I will never find my mate but I still had to work hard for my tribe.

As the darkness gave way to the lightness I exit my hut and went to the center of the tribe. To my surprise, M'ana was already awake, preparing food.

-Good lightning, M'ana, I say to her.

She smiles at me, offering me food.

-Good lightning to you too, Da'r. Have you find a mate, yet?

Ah, Great Spirits. She always asked me that because, when I still a kit I promised her that I will not rest until I will find my mate. And now it was our joke. M'ana was the mother of my best friend, Ka'r. She was the daughter of the last female, from the tribe of the Rainbow Feather, who became a mate for a male from my tribe, The Cliff tribe. After that, the Rainbow Feather tribe disappeared. Scouts were sent out, some never returned, but those that returned told the same story, that the village was deserted. Everything was still there, except the tribe people, they just vanished. It was a mystery to us as to where they have disappeared or how they disappeared.

-Not yet, maybe this lightning, I say to her smiling.

-Maybe someone from the Great Ocean tribe, then. We need a gathering to find mates for everyone, she says.

I smile at her. A gathering. I used to listen to my father talking and talking about gatherings. The last one was when my father was a small kit. All the tribes would come together every five-planet rotations, to find mates, share news, things, compete in many games, and much more. It was only my tribe left, and the one that lived next to the ocean but they lived beyond the deadly swamp, and we could not gather.

-Maybe, I agree after a while.

After I finish eating I thank her for the food and decide to go back to my hut because there was still time before leaving. When the time came I went to the place we set to meet.

-Good lightning, I hear Ka'r from behind. His sister was with him. Ready for the big hunt? he asks.

-Yes, but we have to wait for the others.

Heartbeats later Ja'k and the brothers D'vv and S'vn appear, ready for the hunt.

We make sure we have everything we need, bows and quivers, swords sharpened, food for the way, our water skins full with water, a few knives. Once everything is checked and everyone is ready, we go.

Today we go to the hot desert, in the look of the big ap'pa. It has plenty of meat and its fur can be used for many things. The ap'pa doesn't usually live in the desert, but sometimes we will find them in the desert.

We only have to walk two lengths of arm to get to the Little Forest. The desert was up on the Big Mountains and the only way to get there was through a tunnel. The tunnel was in the Little Forest.

As we approached the Little Forest I was getting more impatient.

-Are you feeling well? Ka'r asks me.

-Yes, but I have the feeling that something important will happen, I say.

-Like what? Ka'r asks me but I don't reply because a rich smell of the kake fruits hits me, filling me, embracing me, and it was impossible because there weren't any kake trees in the Little Forest.

My heart is beating fast with anticipation of what is going to happen. And then I see her, a strange, small female. I am unsure of what she is because she is not x'lem or orrok. She is kneeling beside one of our trap pits, talking in a soft voice with whoever or whatever what there. A bow and quiver were resting on her shoulder.

Who is this small female and how this she get here? She is delicate, her hair long and black, and her skin pale. She is not facing me and I can not see how she looks like but yet I know she is beautiful.

My heart is pounding faster, and all I want to is to get this small female and keep her safe from everyone.

"Mine," the instinct whispers in my head. I am shocked at the realization. My second heart starts beating fast and strong, only for her, my mate.

I will forever protect her, forever cherish her, and will kill anyone that will try to harm her. Because she is everything I ever wanted, she is mine! She is my hearts!

A growl escapes me, as I approach , and I see her grabbing the bow and turning fast, pointing the arrow at my chest.