Chapter 3

[Beast]

 

I growl as pain runs through my body. Her blade missed the vital organs, but it still hurts like nothing I’ve ever experienced. My mind flashes back to when I first transformed, and I amend my statement to almost like nothing I’ve ever experienced. 

 

I rip the arrow out of my shoulder, a cry of pain and frustration escaping my lips. I’m lucky my healing speed doesn’t decrease in my more human form, otherwise I might bleed out before my wounds can seal. I curl up in a ball, licking my wounds and thinking over the fight.

 

She is strong. Maybe stronger than me. But I can’t stop, not until I’m at full power. There are maybe 6 more days until the moon is at its apex. That is when I shall fight her again. Until then, I need to bid my time, keep her distracted, if I can.

 

My mind wanders to her form. It’s wild and fierce, not unlike the way I fight, but there is more control behind her swings. The way she dances through the darkness, and slips between my claws and teeth is beautiful and terrifying. 

 

I can’t help but shiver as I remember how she took a hit just to land a blow against me. I didn’t just leave because of the gut wound. I left in part because the look in her eyes pierced me to my core. I felt it deep within me. The urge to submit, the desire to give in completely to the superior hunter.

 

But I can’t. I still have my pride, and the moon is not yet full. If she can defeat me at full strength, I will submit to her. Whether that means death or servitude, it doesn’t matter. I will have lost my status as the apex predator, and the very core of my being demands that I submit to the one who defeats me.

 

It’s almost disturbing how much I want it. I curl up tighter, whimpering as I fight a losing battle against my instincts. I don’t want to submit. Yet I desire nothing more than to lay at her feet, and run with her through the woods on a hunt. I don’t understand these thoughts, and the comfort they bring scares me.

 

And so I fight. I fight myself, I fight my Gift, and I will fight The Hunter. I will fight until either my body gives out, or my mind submits.

 

I do my best to ignore the traitorous part of me that wants it to be my mind that submits.

 

*****

 

My ears perk up to the sound of rustling leaves. The sun has risen, and the wind has shifted. I can smell The Hunter. She is coming for me, there is no doubt about that in my mind or my body. Somehow, I have become the prey in our little engagement.

 

I leave my cave immediately, taking off into the woods away from her. She is likely strong enough to overpower me in my weakened state. That’s the justification I use as I run, never mind that she is also wounded. Somehow, I know deep in my bones that I can’t win.

 

I save my energy, remaining in my humanoid form as I slip through the forest. Prioritizing stealth over speed, I make for the creek. My plan is to shift from bank to bank, hopefully disguising my tracks and masking my scent. Not that I know how she tracks, but I don’t want to take any chances.

 

Unfortunately, this plane is dashed almost instantly when an arrow embeds itself in the tree next to me. However she is tracking me, it’s better than my stealth capabilities. So I run. No stealth, only speed. As fast as my legs will carry me, even shifting briefly to avoid slowing for obstacles. 

 

It takes hours, but eventually she slows enough for me to rest. I curl up in some brush, and close my eyes to sleep…

I snap awake, dashing wildly away from where I was. She is close, almost within striking distance.I let out a snarl, feeling my form shift as we dance between the trees. Apparently it’s sunset, so I got some sleep if nothing else.

 

She catches up, and we clash. My body sings with power as my claw meets her blade. Her eyes are wild with excitement, and I know mine are filled with the same. Blows are traded, her leg is scratched and my arm stabbed. It’s not much, but it gets me to space to retreat.

 

Once I’m a safe distance away, I curl up again, licking my new wound and letting sleep take me… Only to snap awake a handful of hours later. The chase continues, and despite my pain, I have never felt so alive.

 

[Anna]

 

I’ve been chasing her for days now. We run through the forest, our blades and claws dancing when we meet. After each meeting, we separate to lick our wounds. I could have possibly ended this yesterday, but I refrained. After all, she is getting stronger. Each time the moon rises in the sky, she gets stronger. I suspect the full moon will be her peak, and I want to fight her then.

 

It may be a mistake. It may just be foolish vanity. But I cannot claim a proper victory until I have proven that I am stronger at any time. I know I’m making the right choice, as the unknown bond between us grows ever stronger.

 

I’ve also seen that she is, or at least was once, human. She has a gift, and it’s taken her over completely. A part of me worries that my Gift is taking me over as well, but it’s difficult to worry about that when every single clash with her causes such powerful euphoria in both my mind and my body.

 

That’s the second reason I have yet to catch her. I no longer want to kill her. No, I want her to submit fully to me. I want her to be mine, and I want to take her with me as I hunt my last prey. If I am to fight an army, I would like to have a companion strong enough to stand up against even the fiercest of demons.

 

In addition, she is very attractive. While her beast form is fierce and primal in its beauty, her more human form has a sort of softness to it. It’s still fierce and wild, but in a more approachable way. Like a dog that you coax by your fire, before feeding and collaring it. Something about that sings to me. I’ve never had that sort of dynamic in a relationship before, yet I find myself unable to consider any other option for my prey.

 

She will be mine, and she will submit.

 

*****

 

Tonight is the full moon. I’ve chased and hunted her relentlessly, but never actually sealed the deal. The other day I didn’t even attack. I just watched her hunt; watched her move. I’ve studied her more thoroughly than I ever thought I would. 

 

I stretch my limbs, feeling the breeze across my skin as I gaze out across the silent forest. The sky is clear, letting the pale light of the moon reveal everything. I crouch low, letting my bare feet slide across the forest floor with all the sound of a mouse, scurrying through the underbrush. 

 

I stashed my pack, my shoes, and anything else that would needlessly encumber me for this final chase. All I have now are my blades, my bow, six arrows, my leather tunic, and my trousers. I slashed my normally long hair short the other day after it got snagged in a bramble bush. Sort and jagged ends tease the tips of my eyebrows, but don’t disrupt my vision.

 

I see her tracks, and follow them, not that it’s needed. I know that tonight, she is hunting me as much as I am hunting her. This is the final confrontation. We both know it, and neither of us will suffer the position of prey without a fight.

 

I hear a rustle in the bushes near me, faint enough that it could easily be the breeze, if the air wasn’t completely still. I dive to the side, narrowly avoiding the flash of fur and fury that passes me by, silent and deadly.

A grin lights across my face as I break out in a run, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I hear another rustle from the other side, and this time I twist under her as she leaps, drawing my short blade and swiping at her in the same motion. My eyes can’t help but widen as the blade glances off her fur coat.

 

Using my remaining momentum to swing myself around a tree, I reverse direction for a clearing I saw earlier. Moving purely on instinct, I strafe to the left just in time to avoid her. I draw my second blade, and go on the offensive, driving her towards my chosen battlefield.

 

I slash repeatedly, although none draw blood like I’m used to. Still, the force of my impacts forces her on the defensive, and I rely on my speed and flexibility to keep her off balance. Seeing an opening, I toss my blade in the air, close the gap between us, and slam my elbow into her solar plexus.

 

A pained yelp escapes her lips, giving me enough time to disengage and catch my blade. In the same motion, I spin my body through the air and brace both my feet against a tree. Holding my blades in a reverse grip, I launch myself at the beast, knocking her off her feet. Taking advantage of the energy I’ve built, I sprint the last distance to the clearing.

 

Once I’m in the center of the clearing, I stop, discard my bow, and turn to face her. She follows after me, all attempts at stealth over. I stare across the moonlit clearing at her, and she slows to a stop staring at me. We stand like that for what feels like an age, gazing into each other’s eyes with an intoxicating mix of bloodlust and desire.

 

Without warning, I kick off and charge her. With a feral growl that sends shivers down my spine, the beast charges to meet me. I catch her claws with my long blade, flipping my short blade into a standard forward grip to stab at her underarm, which should be more fragile. She twists slightly in response, catching the flat of the blade between her arm and body.

 

I release the blade as her other claw swipes at me, ducking down and sweeping my leg against the back of her knee. I feel her shudder at the impact, but she does not fall. I shift into a two handed stance with my remaining weapon, putting all my strength into an upward slash. I feel the slightest give as the blade scratches her, letting the grin across my face stretch even further.

 

My breath is promptly taken away when her mouth catches my blade, snapping it between her jaws. The sound of metal shattering beneath powerful jaws has me feeling all sorts of ways, and excitement is the easiest catch-all for the cocktail.

 

I discard the handle of my now broken blade, raising my fists against her. She lets out a howl, and I can see the triumph in her gaze. I let out a feral howl of my own, dashing into close range and punching her. I land a hit on her chest, and she retaliates by swiping a claw across my back, my leather tunic shredding like cotton to a shear.

 

My knee raises, connecting with her outer thigh and pushing her to the side. I dodge her teeth, but take a blow to my side as compensation. Another blow, another dodge, and another blow. The whole world falls away and all that remains are our bodies, locked in combat under the light of the moon.

 

I connect my fist to the side of her head, knocking out a tooth. She falls to her back, and I leap onto her prone form to press my advantage. Straddling her bestial body, I unleash a flurry of blows, deftly avoiding her snapping maw in the process. She raises a clawed hand to swipe at me, and I catch it before it reaches me. I do the same with her other hand, my muscles tensing as I hold her still.

 

She whines and struggles, unable to move as I pin her down. A predatory smile crosses my face, and I don’t bother to hide the possessive thrill that runs through my entire body.

 

“Submit” I say, my voice echoing through the empty forest. She whimpers, squirming under me as I meet her eyes.

 

“Submit before me, for I am the Hunter, and you are my prey.” I say, my voice hoarse from running and howling.

 

Her fur begins to recede even as she struggles. Her limbs shrink slightly, until my hands fit completely around her now human arms. Her snout recedes, revealing the face of a woman near my age. She is pale, and even as a human she is all toned muscle. Her hands have long claws at the end of them, and when she bares her teeth at me, her canines are long and fang-like. All her teeth are sharper than typical human teeth for that matter.

 

She snarls and twists, although I can see the fight leaving her eyes. “You are mine now, and together we will Hunt.” I say, leaning in closer to her.

She maintains eye contact, even as her gaze begins to waver. Finally, she breaks off with a whimper, her ears flattening against her head as she stops resisting me.

 

“Good girl.” I say, pinning her arms above her head. Her face flushes as I speak, and I can feel her tail wagging underneath me.

 

“Do you have a name?” I ask, leaning in close as I ask.

 

She looks me in the eyes again, and her expression has shifted completely to one of submission. “Rel.” She says, her voice torn and whispery from under use.

 

“Well Rel, you are mine now. We have hunted, and fought, and I have won. I can do whatever I want with you. I have to ask though, will you come with me? Will you hunt my enemies at my side, share my fire, and warm my bed?” I whisper, continuing to stare into her eyes.

 

“Please. I am yours. Take me, mate me, and let me run at your side, Great Hunter.” She whispers, desire and need pouring out of every syllable.

 

I lean in and catch her mouth in a kiss, feeling her moan and shudder beneath me. One kiss turns into two, and our lips become frantic with lust. The way she shivers when I bite her lower lip sends a powerful heat through my body; A heat that settles in my loins and begins to soak through my clothes.

 

I pull back breathless, looking down at her prone and messy figure. I reach up and remove the shredded remains of my tunic, bearing my breasts to the open air as she gazes up at me.

 

“You are mine.” I say again, feeling it settle within me like a truth. She shudders and squirms at my declaration, and I lean down to hungrily kiss her. My hands run across her bare body, feeling the nicks and bruises from our fighting. The way she shudders when my hands press into her healing side sends a thrill through my body.

I feel her now free hands grip me in return, one of them reaching around and clutching my now bare back. Specifically, she clutches the wound on my back, sending a wave of pain through my body. I flinch into her, moaning as our lips continue to clash. This encourages her, and her roaming hands get bolder, one of them slipping into my trousers and rubbing my bare legs and ass.

 

I let out a light growl as she strays towards my pussy, and her hand stops before moving away. One of my hands is occupied with her breasts, but I let the other move towards her furry nethers. The bush of hair covering her is soft and fluffy, and I can’t help but run my fingers through it.

 

My teasing is rewarded with a pleading whine, and I grin through our frantic kisses as I let my hand slide the short distance to her lips. My fingers brush against the outside, playing with her labia and carefully circling the nub that is her clit. Her squirms and whines intensify, and I can’t stop myself from chuckling.

 

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you.” It’s a statement, not a question, but it doesn’t stop her pleading gaze as I pull back from her mouth. “To think you thought you could hunt me. No, you’re just a beast in heat. My beast in heat.” I grin, inserting a finger into her wet entrance as my thumb gently starts to roll across her clit.

 

Her panting gets more intense, and I can feel her tensing and shuddering underneath me. She’s close to climax already, and I speed up my movements to match the grinding of her hips.

 

“Come for me, pet.” I whisper in her ear, nibbling the tip slightly after I do so. The effect is immediate, and she lets out a howl of pleasure, her body arching with the sheer force of her orgasm. I don’t stop my movements, extending the pleasure as much as I can. Eventually she collapses, panting and out of breath.

 

“I hope you have more energy, because I’m just getting started.” I say with a feral grin, standing up and shuffling off the rest of my clothes. Rel stares at my now exposed crotch, covered by a bush of dark hair that isn’t nearly as thick as what she has down below. I know she can smell me, I know she can see the moisture dripping out of my twat and down the inside of my thighs.

 

I shift my position, getting on my knees above her head and pressing my pussy against her face. “Pleasure me.” I command, and immediately feel her tongue lapping against my lips. I let out a moan of my own as her powerful tongue explores every contour of my taint, from the folds along the outside to the vaginal walls within. Her hands grip the side of my legs, one of them pressing against a large bruise I gained in the fighting.

The pain only increases my pleasure, as it reminds me of the battles we fought over the last week. My hands grip my breasts, kneading them as she works to fulfill my order. I hold off as long as I can, but it’s not long before I am howling with pleasure, grinding my crotch against her face to eke out every last bit of ecstasy that I can.

 

I move off her face, finding her blissed out and covered in my juices. The sight of it causes yet more warmth to stir within me, and my hands begin to caress her body. Her eyes meet mine, and there is a powerful need there that I know I have to fulfill.

 

Our bodies meet again and again, our howls of pleasure piercing the night. It’s only when we’re curled up under a tree, too exhausted to do much more than cuddle that I notice something interesting. She is mine. That doesn’t just mean that she does what I command and desire. It also means that I need to take care of her and satisfy her.

 

I can feel our bond, her emotions bleeding into me and my own bleeding into her. She wants to feast on the flesh of her prey, and I want to hunt. She wants to serve me, and I want to command her. She wants to pleasure me, and I want her to be pleasured. This isn’t as one sided as I thought.

 

I kiss her forehead as she shifts in her sleep, a hand running through the thick hair on her head. She’s so soft and fluffy. So warm and comfortable. We are linked, and nothing can change that. I shiver as the full consequences of what we’ve done sinks in. For this is something that we did together, not something I did on my own. I am as much hers as she is mine.