The Jaguar's Mate

TEN

Inca mythology 

Mama Killa - Mother moon, Goddess of the moon, defender of women. Oldest sister and wife of Inti

Inti- Sun god, source of light and warmth. Most revered deity. Brother and husband of Mama Killa

 “What you are saying is, if I let him smell my scent, he will think I am his mate too?”

“If your jaguar is right Olivia, he won’t just ‘think’ it. He will know it and his wolf will know you are their mate”.

“Once he knows, he can reject me right? So I have to reject him first.” 

Olivia could barely get the words out, she felt physical pain at the thought of Aiden rejecting her. It was better if she just dealt with it and rejected him before she became anymore attached to him. 

“Olivia, don’t act impulsively. Do you think it’s just to make such a decision without his full knowledge or recognition of you as his mate?”

The elder looked at Olivia with sympathy, inter-species matings were rare and frowned upon, only humans were accepted most of the time because they could be converted. 

“But elder Carmen, do you honestly think that the wolves will approve of me like nothing? I’m a freaking jaguar. Besides how can I control Killari’s nature, MY nature and suddenly become monogamous??? We can’t mate for life!!”

Olivia’s voice rose and she fidgeted with a little branch she had found on the forest floor. The elder had asked her to meet by the river at the other side of camp. They had both double checked the area for anything or anyone that could eavesdrop.

“Child don’t make assumptions based on generalized notions.” 

“But it’s impossible! Jaguars and wolves can’t have s*x!! How will our animals have a normal relationship?”

Olivia raised her hands in exasperation at the impossibility of that. She made sure to block Killari out of the conversation for this.

“Olivia...don’t judge things you don’t understand. Love perpetually overcomes every boundary we create.” 

Olivia looked at the elder with confusion, why was she so calm?

“Why are you so unfazed by this?”

“The connection between you and that wolf was palpable. He is already feeling the pull of the mate bond and you haven’t even allowed him to smell your scent so he can recognize you as his.”

Olivia felt uncomfortable at the idea of people noticing or she belonging to anyone, so she blurted out

“Aren’t you concerned about losing our bloodlines if I chose to stay with this wolf?”

“Olivia, reserve the concerns of blood-mixing for bigots and segregators. You know better than to consider such matters above the covenant of the mate bond, a tie which was commanded by the Moon Goddess herself.” 

“Sorry yes, of course you are right. I have just never heard of this happening between were-species. And there’s not many of us left...”

“The literature suggests the lines don’t mix, but rather offspring inherit either their mother or father’s were-genes or none at all. Most importantly, the Goddess always has a plan and we are no one to judge it or see it fully, we must only follow the path she leaves for us.”

Olivia nodded, the elder was right but she still had doubts, questions, and one thing was flirting and being friends, another marking and mating.

“But—“

“Enough buts child. I asked you here because I have something to share with you, there are parts of were-history that are often left out of books and hidden from our collective knowledge” 

*FLASHBACK circa late 15th century*

I pretended it was the foul odor of decay that poured into my lungs which awoke me, but in certainty it was the shining light before me which forced my eyes open. The dark of the night sky greeted with no stars, the full-bodied moon pulsed, and red-rimmed it dripped dark beads of blood. The harrowing red-hot liquid soaked the canopy, it scurried along the trees and pooled around me, it was illuminated by the bright light that only revealed the fragments of flesh and bone that lay surrounding me. Only my eyes moved, and I faced the light that stood beating at me, sudden awe spread through my soul at the view of the most beautiful being my eyes had laid upon. Her light scorched my eyes and tears of torment, or blissful joy? blurred my sight of her.

“I came to impart a gift. A curse you must now carry”

A voice so beautifully-burned that my ears couldn’t endure its tormented melody, she cried blood tears that stained her white dress. She knelt by me and spoke with unmistakable allure

“My daughter. They ravaged the temple of your soul that is your sacred body. They wounded your jaguar-spirit and slaughtered your kin for the fleeting benefit of their earthly-lives.”

She traced her index finger along the side of my face, caressing, healing, erasing the pain and the sorrow from the exterior of what was left of my humanity. Is she…

“G-Goddess? Mama-Killa?”

The gurgling sound of blood and saliva muffled my words, I tried to move but it was futile, my body was locked to the earth.

“Shh shh. Listen to my command. The burden which I lay upon you today will tie you and your descendants to the earth. Your jaguar-spirit is in perpetuity linked to the ground it touches and to the creatures it feeds forevermore. Their pain will now be yours and you must protect the land you touch until the day you are no more. Your jaguar-spirit will be hence known as the light of the moon, for you are now my light on earth. Worse days will come but you will not perish because this mandate was given under my word with the sanctioned authority of Inti, my sweet love. Under my plea he will give you and your chosen descendants the mate your jaguar-spirit needs to restore your broken soul and the broken earth. Now you must travel north and find the antithesis you need, the sunlight within the wolf-spirit of your mate.” 

She leaned down and with one soft kiss a surge of vitality encircled my every bone, a rush of fresh air wiped away the pain in my bodily frame. My jaguar roared a victorious boom and the light that had been, ceased to shine. Darkness again. The corporal relief did not expunge the pain in my heart, the void in my soul. Where was he, my light, my love, my wolf?

*FLASHBACK end*

Olivia didn’t know what to say. The parallels in the legend were eerily similar to her situation today, she wondered why she had never heard of this story. Most encounters with the Goddess were recorded, whether they were true or not there was always debate, but the stories always provided knowledge and wisdom.

“I don’t get it elder Carmen, I have studied were-history and were-mythology thoroughly and not once I have encountered this story”

Olivia looked at the elder skeptically, she pondered if the elder might be making this up, but if she was, what on earth will she gain from it?

“Child, not everything the history books teach is what is. History is always told from the perspective of those who write it, and those who do, tell it to their benefit and for their own glory. This story is forbidden in were-history because of the implication of species mixing, and because it demonstrates that the Goddess was opposed to the systematic abuse of the land and its people that began to take hold after the century from which this story was told.” 

“That’s interesting, do we have more information on this story and if she ever found her mate?” 

“There are only rumors, stories that have been passed through the generations orally only. This is the last physical scroll, it is said that it was written by the female jaguar herself. It was part of a series of scrolls, however, the rest are assumed to have been burned when extremist zealots found them.”

Olivia thought for a moment, she had more questions than answers and all she could do was deduce or assume, something she hated to do.

“So, we know my gift is just like the one imparted to the female-jaguar in the story, and I might have a mate wolf...so that’s the same. But why haven’t other female-jaguars been mated to wolves? This gift is unique to my bloodline, and we know of a few recorded female-jaguars that had it too, I looked at the matriarcal line myself.”

“Look at what the story tells us Olivia. The gift, or curse given to the jaguar is for the protection of the earth. But the mate she gave her was a personal gift, a plea the Goddess bargained with her own groom. It was a gift that would heal her soul, and in return strengthen her in a time where her gift needed to be amplified. With the threat of the pipeline, this time is exactly it.”

“Apart from the current threat we have, you are basically also saying that I’m broken, and I need a man to make me whole…”

The thought of that exasperated Olivia, it seemed depending on someone else for her much needed inner-healing was a major irrationality. 

“No, I am not saying that Olivia. The Goddess didn’t just give the female-jaguar her mate, she gave her a task, a journey, and the possibility of a companion that would aid her in her own healing, she gave her a soul-healing task. The circumstances under which it was given were ones of threat to the earth as well, where the strength of her soul needed to match the one in her body.”

The elder’s words sinked in Olivia’s mind. She couldn’t possibly imagine how this whole situation would work out, but she needed to discuss it with someone she trusted. She needed to talk to her siblings.

“I see what you mean. I will consider telling him this week”

“Olivia, be smart about this. Breaking the bond will scar you and him for the rest of your life. This is the Goddess’ gift to you, listen to her wisdom.”

“Thank you elder for this. I will contact you if I find a trace of elder Maria. One more thing”

Olivia paused, hating to talk about this subject

“We have not seen her dear, we have not seen Sandra or her jaguar anywhere since you three left, and there is no word of her.”

Relieved, Olivia thanked the elder again and made her way back to camp. 

…

Olivia didn’t have much time to spare before she had to meet Aiden, but she had to speak with her siblings about this mess, so she updated them as fast as she could.

“That is INSANE Olie?! Are we sure Killari didn’t go mad and that this scroll is legit?”

Tamara squealed, making Nico flinch. He had never gotten used to that high-pitched whine that made his sister who she was.

“Tamara you could say the same thing without having to speak like a little child.”

“Shut up Nico, this is serious!!”

She whined again and just as Nico was about to issue his retort, Olivia spoke.

“Okay enough. We need to figure this out because Killari is meeting Helios today and honestly I am kind of freaking out at what might happen then.”

“Who the f**k is Helios?”

Nico asked completely confused

“Ugh Nico, do you even listen? In their conversation earlier today, Aiden told Olivia about Helios, his wolf! Duh”

Tamara said shaking her head from side to side and sticking her lips out in annoyance.

“Umm DUH to you two, air-heads! Do you realize what the meaning of the word Helios is?”

Realization hit Olivia like a semi-truck driving at full-speed, she looked at Nico, mouth open and head shaking vigorously.

“No, no, no!! NOPE! I needed you to deny this for me Nico, not confirm it further. UGH this is a disaster”

Olivia shook her head as she covered her face with her palms.

“What? What’s happening I don’t get it?”

Tamara looked from Nico to Olivia, puzzled at the unspoken understanding

“You really need me to spell it to you don’t you.”

Nico said with a smirk and mockery all over his face

“Just explain Nico!!”

“In Greek mythology, Helios was the personification of the sun.”

“Okay so?”

“So?? did you even hear the legend Tamara??”

Tamara just looked at him even more confused, so he asked

“For the Goddess sake Tami! What does Killari mean?”

“Killari means moonlight...oh wait like what the Goddess said to the jaguar!! You are my light! What does that have to do with Helios?” 

Exasperated, Nico continued with dramatic mimicry as he quoted the story

“And the end of the story, Tami: ‘you must travel north and find the antithesis you need, the sunlight within the wolf-spirit of your mate’”

Understanding hit Tamara too and she squealed with more excitement than Nico or Olivia wanted or needed

“OH MY GODDESS! Aiden is YOUR sunlight Olivia!! Killari is THE moonlight! OH WOW! This makes so much sense now, it's true! I can’t believe it!!”

“Yea it very well explains why Olivia is so mellow now”

Olivia looked at Nico, eyes changing to her cat-yellow as she issued a low-growl

“Well, mellow with him at least”

Nico said while laughing, and Olivia just shook her head again at the realization that her siblings weren’t as bothered by this as she was. They weren’t helping her at all in trying to find a way to back away from this situation.

Tamara looked at Olivia and she knew that Olivia was more than just worried, she was deeply scared of commitment and did not want to be vulnerable with anyone. She had to remind her that it was okay to love someone apart from them and that it was okay to fall in-love.

“Olie...stop worrying so much. He is not a bad guy, look at what he has done to help all over the world. Sam says he is a good and kind leader, and that he is always fair. Yea, he acts like an i***t-man sometimes but that is just part of every man’s package”

Tamara and Olivia laughed and Nico snorted, Tamara didn’t lose this opportunity and continued

“Just give him a chance, you don’t have to mark him or even mate with him until you are ready. But give this situation an opportunity and give yourself the option of falling in love. Consider letting him recognize your scent, he should know the truth Olie.”

“Thanks Tami, when did you get so wise? I want to get to know him better before I tell him. I don’t want the mate-bond to influence this situation more.”

“Ok but don’t drag this so much Olie...you are just avoiding it.”

“Okay I will tell him by the end of the week. In exactly 3 days, how about that?”

“Fine, if you don’t tell him then I will kick your butt”

Tamara said so jokingly, knowing very well who would win that fight

“I would like to see you try!”

Olivia laughed and hugged Tami, then Nico, and then headed out to meet Aiden.

Shit, I’m late

That’s your middle name Olivia

Ready to meet Helios, Killari?

Absolutely ready to meet my mate