The Tribes Luna

CHAPTER 12

ASTRID'S POINT OF VIEW

I listened to my father give the usual speech about the challenge. I know it off by heart now, not because we have lots of challenges, although there are quite a few of them as well, but because when I take over from him I'll have to be the one giving it.

I look around at the members of the crowd gathered around and shoot a few glares at some of the unmated members of the tribe, both female and male, who are ogling at my mate. They looked away from both me and Erik, having enough sense to look ashamed.

I feel like I only blinked, but the next thing I know, my father is announcing for the fight to begin. My heart began to beat slightly faster as I watched the fight start.

When I see Erik get hurt, an involuntary whimper escapes my throat and I shuffle slightly on my feet, as though I would know what to do with his injuries. This is wrong because my medical skills only go to washing a graze clean and putting a plaster on it. Then I heard Mona's voice come into my head.

"You do know one of our powers is healing."

"Really? That's great! How does it work?"

"You'd need to make contact with the wound, then imagine it healing in your mind's eye. A song or melody usually helps keep your mind focused, plus it tends to keep the person your healing calm."

"What kind of song?"

"Any song that really makes you feel calm should do it."

I cast my mind about trying to think of a song. It took a few moments but then it came to me. Lyfjaberg or The healing mountain. It's a song that my Mother would sing or hum when I was hurt, either physically or emotionally. Just having it playing in my mind right now calms and comforts me.

I focused my attention back on the fight happening in front of me. I smile encouragingly at my mate when I see him looking my way. When he's shifted into Fenrir, the crowd looks around weary and it's easy to guess why. Even if you didn't know about the legend or what he was meant to look like, his size alone would scare anyone. He's nearly 9 feet tall, probably more, with pitch-black fur. He'd be impossible to see at night.

I glance around, and I catch a few people's eyes before they quickly look away. I noted that men have pulled their mates closer to them, and women and older siblings get a tighter grip on the younger ones, readying to run almost. As though they thought he might suddenly lunge and attack them like some rabid beast.

I caught Fenrir's eyes and couldn't help but let out a small gasp. They are beautiful, terrifying, yet so beautiful. They were like molten amber burning deep inside a volcano, almost as if they were fire themselves, they practically glowed.

My head begins to overflow with thoughts of how, when I take over, with Erik by my side, how my people, my tribe will react. I shake my head slightly and re-focus my attention solely on the fight, not wanting to think about all the bad possibilities. The fight didn't last long. Soon Mathias submitted, although looking very angry at himself, almost like he really didn't want or hated the fact that he did.

My Father removed the Rune stone and announced Erik as the winner. When the dome was down completely, Geir went in, bound Mathias and took him away to his cell. Erik's brothers ran charging in and cheering him on his victory. I gave him a few moments to get a pair of trousers on. But when we made eye contact, I saw the look he had in his eyes, it was as though he was starving, but not because of food.

He stalked towards me, still holding my gaze with that hungry look. I knew what he wanted, I desperately wanted to kiss him too, but more than that, I also wanted to make sure he was okay. I looked at his wounds and was thinking about what Mona had told me. I placed my hands gently on the wound going down his arm and chest, I took a deep breath and focused all my energy on new skin and muscle forming where it was needed. I started to sing softly under my breath.

"Sal din hug og lat den ri og renna

Med blinde augo vil du vegen finna

Djupt du dreg anden inn – let tankar svinna

Langsamt slepp anden fri – i vinden rida

Spinn spindel – tvinn i tankar, kverv i syn

Seidsongen, lint den lokkar hug or ham

Fram gjøno døri, gjøno kongro-sløri

Fram, ber med bare føt, den tunge børi

Ut in ditt indre ventar bratt ein sti

Høgt der på Lyvjarnut stend møyar ni"

(TRANSLATION)

"Saddle your hug and let it ride and slide

With blind eyes you will find the way

Deep you draw in - let thoughts fade

Slowly release the other free - in the wind ride

Spin spindle - twists in thoughts, twists in sight

Seidsongen, lint den lokkar hug or ham

Front gjøno door, gjøno kongro-veil

Forward, prays with bare feet, the heavy burden

Out into your interior, a steep path awaits

High there on Lyvjarnut stand nine islands"

When I felt like I was going to collapse, I had to stop, feeling very dizzy. Maybe I should have eaten breakfast. I opened my eyes and looked at Erik's arm and smiled, it was good as new. While he examined his arm for a few moments, utterly baffled, I looked around at the crowd. Some people looked awe-struck, a few looked confused, and others had a mix of fear or anger, maybe? I wasn't sure they were difficult to read.

Before I could dwell too long on that thought, Erik scooped me up in a hug, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around and I forgot all about them. I was giggling at his reaction, he put me back down and before I pulled away he placed both his large warm hands on both my cheeks and kissed me tenderly. It felt like several days could have passed before he pulled away, even though it was probably only a few seconds. He was still holding my cheeks lovingly while he gazed back down at me.

"You are truly amazing, Angel," he said so matter of factly, I didn't know what to say back. I felt my cheeks begin to redden and I turned my head away, not wanting him to see me blush. "Hey," he said softly, as he placed his forefinger so gently under my chin and turned my head so I was looking directly into his beautiful eyes, "You are."

And just like that, I believed him. I nodded slowly, not breaking eye contact with him, knowing at that moment, that whatever he said I'd always truly believe him.