Chapter 5-Hunters' Bond
1071 Words
After receiving a gift for the first time from Althea, a sense of deep fulfillment and healing bloomed within Cloud's heart. Years of ostracization had left him with many unfulfilled longings, and a simple gift awakened emotions he'd never known. He felt as if someone had heard his silent wish and granted it.
Cloud beamed brightly at Althea. His cheerful face, unbeknownst to him, pierced Althea's heart with a bittersweet pang. Seeing Cloud so happy over a simple gift intensified her desire to shower him with affection. However, the fear of overwhelming him kept her in check. One step at a time, she reminded herself.
The afternoon sun dipped low in the sky. After a brief period of relaxation, Althea rose, grabbing her bow and quiver of arrows.
Cloud's gaze followed Althea's movements.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
Althea turned to him, the quiver slung over her shoulder. "I'm going hunting. You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Cloud nodded and quickly stood up. "Then let me help you."
The two of them were seasoned partners, having hunted together numerous times during their escape from the tiger clan. Initially, Cloud harbored a misconception that Althea, being female, wouldn't be adept at hunting. Althea, however, swiftly dispelled that notion, proving she was a capable survivor who had thrived in the forest long before their paths crossed.
Althea and Cloud ventured into the woods. Althea climbed up the tree while Cloud, on the other hand, hid behind a bush, lying low, waiting for a prey to ambush.
Althea slightly bent her knees and her eyes swept over the atmosphere. She's looking for meat-abundant birds for her Clouds. She still could not forget how malnourished he was because of his hunted prey, such as birds and rabbits constantly getting stolen by John and his gang.
Althea swore to herself that she would train Cloud to become the Tiger King of the Azune Continent and have Cloud rule over the world. That day, she would have Cloud get her revenge on those childish gangs.
Cloud, hidden beneath Althea's perch, strained his ears for the telltale rustle of prey. Just as he sensed movement, a thud echoed through the trees, followed by another, and another. Ten meters away, a pile of carcasses materialized with sickening thuds. Cloud's nose twitched, picking up the metallic tang of blood. Confusion warred with a primal alertness. He started to rise when a flash of movement startled him. Althea, a blur of otherworldly grace, leaped from the tree, landing squarely in front of him.
Cloud's hair stood up in goosebumps and was surprised and suddenly stumbled. Althea's reaction was quick, and she held Cloud's waist subconsciously. Their bodies collided suddenly, and their faces got so close that just one inch and their noses would collide.
" Oh, did I scare you? My bad~" Althea's eyes widened in innocent surprise, then suddenly smiled mischievously seeing Cloud's cute, flustered expression.
Their faces were impossibly close. Cloud could feel the warmth of her breath against his lips, sending a shiver down his spine. He blushed furiously, his mind a whirlwind of confusion. A part of him instinctively recoiled, yearning for a sliver of space. Yet, Althea's grip on his waist tightened, a subtle pressure that held him captive.
As if guided by an unseen force, Althea leaned in further. Cloud found himself mirroring her movement, his back arching unconsciously. A playful tease escaped her lips, "So, tiger boys are as flexible as the rumors say?" A playful pinch landed on his side, hitting a hidden tickle spot that sent a jolt through him.
A strangled sound escaped Cloud's throat, a mix of surprise and a strange, tickling, unfamiliar pleasure. Blood rushed up to his spine and Cloud's cheeks turned crimson red.
Cloud's body reacted before his mind could catch up. He shoved against Althea's shoulder, breaking free from her hold. Confused and flustered, he bolted, his white fur a blur as he weaved through the undergrowth.
"Dangerous," he repeated under his breath, the word a mantra against the strange heat that pulsed beneath his skin. It was a feeling he couldn't explain, a primal mix of fear and… something more.
He'd never experienced such a powerful reaction to another being, let alone enjoyed the sensation.
' Enjoyed?!! '
Cloud suddenly paused in his tracks when such a thought jumped across his mind.
" Maybe I've gotten crazy because of hunger. "
Cloud thought that he should go back and help Althea but, the thought of getting teased by such an unserious woman. Cloud decided to just wait for her to come back with the prey rather than get teased by her again.
Cloud sat down in the makeshift tent they made and silenced enveloped his whole being. Each tick of the passing second stretched into an eternity. A strange emptiness gnawed at him, a feeling he couldn't quite grasp. He'd always been alone, ostracized and shunned. But now, the solitude felt different. It was a stark contrast to the constant presence he'd grown accustomed to – Althea's vibrant energy, her teasing laughter, even her occasional smothering protectiveness. A pang of… longing? No, it couldn't be. Yet, the thought of her absence left a hollow ache in his chest.
Cloud stared listlessly at the ground, tracing absent circles with a twig. A sudden prickle of concern jolted him from his reverie. Why hadn't he started the fire? Althea could be back any minute.
Cloud sprang into action, the memory of Althea's teasing momentarily forgotten. He gathered dry tinder and kindling, his movements brisk and purposeful. A flicker of surprise danced in his eyes as Althea emerged from the foliage, a bounty of feathered prey slung across her shoulders.
Cloud looked at the meaty prey and gulped in hunger. He's really starved during their arduous journey.
Althea set to work with practiced ease. With deft strokes of her knife, she skinned the prey, her movements precise and efficient. She then turned her attention to chopping the meat on a flat wooden board. It was clear she possessed a deep familiarity with handling a blade and preparing food.
Cloud watched, a flicker of something akin to respect sparking in his eyes. Back in his tribe, such tasks were traditionally seen as the domain of the males. But Althea wasn't one for following conventions. . Since Althea is domineering, Cloud would in no way interfere in her work.
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