Just a Hunt

Long black curls covering a set of broad, golden shoulders and a strong, slender back. No need to see her face to know it was her. Her laugh was as captivating as ever. Acantha was appearing in my dreams again. As she had done most nights ever since she left the steppes without a word. She bore fresh tattoos interlacing along her arms. The old ones she got from her first successful hunt reached beside the two little divots of her lower back and peeked out of her canvas trousers and leather skirt up her full hips. My former betrothed, we were barely entering adulthood the last time I had truly seen her. She was a woman now. Her leather scandals looked foreign. They wrapped around her calves, exposing the betrothal tattoo that I bore on my ankles as well. Her clan’s tattoo maker had broken several needles trying to pierce my thick orc skin.

A few years ago, I would have run to her, hoping it was real. Now that view filled me with bitterness.

My cousin Batsi smacked my back hard enough to make me realize I was wide awake. “What are you waiting for Okull?”

Acantha must have heard him because she turned her head to us the moment she heard my name. For a moment she just smiled examining me as I had done her. She had another fresh tattoo on her sternum right above her breasts that were bursting out of her cuirass. She was overdue to have a new one made. She let out a giggle and ran to me. I almost toppled over when she threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders.

She had gall to hug me like this. She was pressing herself so tight against my body, I was heavily tempted to wrap my arms around her. But there was this bitterness coming up my throat. Eight years. She had left eight years prior, in the night, without any explanation nor a goodbye. Even more concerning, her father refused to tell me the reason why this whole time.

She let go to look at my face. Her head had to tilt up. Before she left, I was the one who had to look up to meet her gaze.

“Okull.” She grinned. “You got so tall!” Her orcish hadn’t gotten rusty.

As an Amazon she was taller than all the female orcs and most of the males in my village. She was always the tallest in the barbarian clan her father led.

“You got short.” I replied coldly, repressing the itch to ruffle her hair now that I had a little height on her.

“Don’t let it go to his head too much.” Batsi spun her around. He might have been shorter. He was still strong enough to lift her. He let her down back in front of me. “Okull is set to become our next head after Uncle. But surpassing you in any way will bring him much more pride than that.”

“And you are still jealous of him, Batsi?” she smacked his shoulder, having him topple slightly.

“I have nothing to be jealous of.” He clamoured full of pride. Then he looked around the back of the little crowd gathering. “Aslei, my love, please come here.” He motioned to his wife. She was a shy half-orc from three villages over. Batsi spent four years trying to seduce her after they met at a summer gathering. “This is my wife.” Now that he had greeted his old friend, he only had eyes for Aslei. “She is the most generous, caring and beautiful woman there is.” He wrapped an arm around his wife’s waist, whom he towered over with a head more.

“Nice to meet you—” she gasped when Acantha stole her from her husband to hug her.

“You’re so adorable!” The amazon let go looking down at the other woman. She had more than a head on the half-blood. “You must be stubborn to put up with him.”

“He makes up for it.” Aslei snuck back to my cousin, who kissed her forehead.

He pulled her in to hug her from behind, covering her growing stomach with his hands. She was clearly pregnant, but they had not announced it yet.

“Okull!” Ogull, my father, approached along with Ekon, Acantha’s father. “Let’s see if you can beat her now.”

“You two should go hunting for elk in the northern plains.” Ekon handed his daughter a cup of Ogull’s berry wine.

“I have just arrived.” She took it. “But if you feel up to it Okull,” she turned to me, “I’m up for a friendly competition.”

“Why elk?” I knew her clan had a tradition of serving elk meat at weddings. Using the antlers as serving platters, the couple was supposed to hunt the beast themselves. It was meant to show the community they worked well together. I learned of their betrothal traditions at a young age, soon after having met and fallen in love with Acantha.

“We found fresh tracks on our way here.” Ekon had a plan in mind.

“Let’s see which of you can bring the biggest one.” Father was in on it.

We would need two to serve food for her clan and my village. At least enough for everyone to get a taste of our hunt.

“Why two?” Acantha turned to me. “We spot the biggest one and compete on who kills it first.” Her father pulled her down to speak in her ear. “Oh! … Oh?” she frowned confused as she glanced at me. “Alright.” She said in the common tongue. She was pushed towards me red-faced. “Do you agree to come hunting with me?”

I crossed my arms. Her timid expression had me dig my nails in my palm to prevent me from doing anything she would request of me.

“If I do,” I gave her a condition. “You will tell me why you left like that, for eight full years.”

I wanted to punch myself for making her look this painfully ashamed. She glared at her father, “You didn’t tell him?”

“It was a secret.” He defended himself.

Did this mean she had expected me to know? She sighed with a frown before turning back to me, “Once we are alone. Ask and I will tell.”

“Then I will go with you.” I confirmed.

“You can leave today!” Ekon pressed us. “Acan, you already have your travel-pack ready from traveling your way here.”

“Batsi and Aslei can help you pack.” Father put a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll have a surprise for you two once you are back.”

“Let’s go Okull.” Batsi dragged me to my hut. Aslei was hot on our tail.

“They’re going to marry us, aren’t they?” I stated the obvious once my cousin’s wife had closed the door.

“What are you talking about?” her husband played innocent.

“Probably.” She was more honest than him. “But you two like each other, don’t you? You were engaged and you never took on a wife while she was gone. You talk about her a lot too. It’s nice to meet her in person. As friendly as she is.”

Batsi took me aside, “You go on a hunt and have fun with Acan, then come back to a big party. It’ll be fun.”

“How can I marry the woman who left me like a thief in the night? Not knowing if or when she would come back.”

“But she came back. She’s here now. What are you going to do about it? Moan and groan around like you did these past eight years.” He only reminded me of her betrayal. “You know she probably had a good reason. I trust she didn’t do it to hurt you, Okull.”

“She left once, why not twice?”

“I doubt she will leave if you two marry.” Aslei pointed out.

“She said she would tell you why. Aren’t you curious?” Batsi egged me on.

“She does owe me an explanation.” I rolled my travel furs into a bundle.

“It will be good for you two to have time alone.” Aslei handed me some ties. “It’ll give you two the occasion to catch up.”

“Make up for all that time apart.” Batsi wriggled his eyebrows at me as he handed me my basket of hunting gear.

The butchering blades in it had been a gift from Acantha four days before she left. I had planned on giving her the hand axe I had looted from the farm of a retired adventurer. Our union had symbolized the friendship between the orcs and barbarians of the western steppes. That was until my dear Acantha disappeared with her travelling gear.

“I haven’t forgiven her.” I tied my bundle to the basket.

“Forgiving doesn’t mean forgetting, Okull.” Aslei handed me my water gourd.

It was true that I would never forget. I tied the gourd to my waist.

“Don’t forget to pick up some dried meat.” Batsi pushed me out of my own hut.

I returned to the village square. My mother, Kana, was talking to Acantha, who wore a foreign leather bag on her back. I walked up to their chuckling.

“Okull,” Mother turned to me. “Don’t forget to bring this.” She handed me a short bag.

The inside smelled like dried deer.

“Thank you, Mother.”

“Thank you, Kana.” Acantha stepped to my side.

“Don’t delay now, while the tracks are still fresh.” Mother gave her a warm smile.

My former betrothed and I trekked out in the plains until nightfall following the elk tracks Acantha and her father had found in the path between their clan and our village. We barely spoke even as we made our beds for the night. Maybe it was because I replied to all her queries with grunts.

Even a fool would notice she had packed too light to sleep under the stars. Wool blankets were all she had brought to sleep in. She needed furs like mine to protect her from the winds. Indeed, when it came time to sleep, she kept rustling around.

“You won’t warm up if you keep shifting in your blankets.”

If she were cold, she could speak up for herself.

“I forgot how cold the plains would get that time of year. I left my furs in the village.”

“That’s because you’ve been gone for eight years.”

“Okull…” She knew I was weak to her dragging the L’s of my name, pleading. “I’m cold.”

“You should have brought your furs then, like I did.”

“It’s a bit late for that. Maybe we could—”

“No.” I wasn’t going to play her game. Not when she hadn’t explained herself.

“Listen, if we join our bedding and sleep together, then we’ll both be warmer.”

“I’m not cold.” I had been incredulous the first week she was gone. I kept telling myself she had gone hunting.

“Please Okull… I’m freezing.”

I bit my lip. No matter past betrayals, her voice tugged at my heart. Once, she had been mine to care for. She was supposed to become my wife until she—

“No.” I took a breath. “Not until you tell me why you left.”

She grunted,

“We were threatened.”

“Then you should have told me.”

“It was my maternal grandmother. She was ascending to the leadership position on the island. My presence here was a big, sore point for her. Her and her followers came to bring me back. They snuck into our familial hut at night. They threatened war with my clan. One of her soldiers woke up my father with a knife to his throat. So, I left with them. It took me eight years of training to beat her in a duel. Once I did, I was able to declare I was no longer of her bloodline.”

She had recounted her escape from Amazonia when we were younger. How her father snuck her out after her mother’s passing. She had been badly poisoned in battle.

I couldn’t fault her for what happened. It annoyed me. I had been upset for so long and—Of course, she had left for a good reason. It was Acantha. Her father didn’t tell me because he knew I would have gone to look for her. It was something she had to deal with herself. It had been easier to be angry rather than miss her all these years.

Sighing, I got up. She still had her back to me as I draped my warm furs over her.

“Move.” I crouched down to get in.

She scooted a bit, allowing me to crawl in. The space was tight, so I grabbed her by the waist to drag her close. I let go, as I felt a hefty amount of bare skin. Something was afoot.

“If you’re so cold.” I pondered. “Why are you topless?”

“It’s not like I’m wearing much less than you.”

“You usually wear more than me.”

She backed against me, pulling my arms around her. In the process she grinded that plump ass of hers against my lap. She had grown more curves when she was gone. She moved some more.

“What are you doing?” I took a deep breath to calm down, but it resulted in me taking in too much of her scent. I had missed her for so long. Now she was in my arms for real.

“You got so big in my absence. I’m not used to being the small spoon.” She shifted again.

At this rate I was about to rip that flimsy loincloth right off those meaty cheeks she teased me with. Everything about her called upon me to go on a breeding frenzy. The way she leaned her head over my arm, exposing her long neck. Her ripe scent mixing with mine. Her hand playing with my fingers under her breasts. Back to her soft curves pressing up against my crotch. I knew she could feel just how much I was eager to take her. But she still tried to play innocent.

I grabbed her jaw, letting my hot breath warm her ear. She couldn’t hide her pleased smile.

“I think I know what you are doing.” I ran my thumb across her cheek.

“Why did you ask then?” She rolled her hips.

“Do you know what you’re getting yourself into?”

“The breeding frenzy? I’m counting on it.”

“Quit moving.” I held her still against me. My jaw clenched so hard, I might have chipped a tooth. “I need to think.” And it was getting very hard to do so.

“What is there to think about?” She tempted me.

“How long do you plan to stay?”

“Depends on what you decide to do. I won’t stay to watch you build a life with another woman.” That was all it took.

I bit her shoulder, not enough to have her bleed. Not yet. I tugged on the little clothes she had on. I couldn’t pull it past her full hips.

“Take that off before I rip it.”

She untied it, allowing access for me to reach her core. Her thighs clenched on my hand. I grabbed her top leg and pulled it over my hip.

“Keep yourself open Acan.” I felt her whole-body shudder at the vulnerable position. My hand reached down again. “Be my good little Amazon.”

This slight height difference had gone to my head. But I knew she revelled in it. She had always been the tallest of us two. It never made her the dominant one. In private she was more at ease being submissive. Often waiting for my approval on things or letting me lead her even if she knew more.

I nipped her high under her chin as I squeezed her clitoris between two fingers. She cried out, holding onto my hair. Upon further inspection, I found her to be very swollen and sensitive. As if—

“Have you been touching yourself this whole time?” I gently played with her bundle of nerves.

All that shifting around was not from the cold. It would explain how alluring her scent was.

“I was getting ready for—.” She gasped as I pushed a lucky finger inside of her.

She took it well. The next too.

“You had everything planned.” I curled my fingers. “A perfect fool, am I? Falling right into your trap.” She only replied with a breathy moan. “You think you are ready for my cock, or should I play with you some more?”

I nibbled on her ear while making a come-hither motion inside of her. She squeezed my fingers tight while tilting her hips to ride my hand. Fuck, I needed my dick inside of her. There was still a hesitation on my part. I knew that, soon after, my first breeding frenzy would come in. Those only would come to orcs when our heart was into it. My heart had been waiting for her to come back all this time.

She was not an orc. I did not want to hurt her. A memory of Batsi and Aslei came to mind. After their honeymoon hunt, they didn’t come back with any kills, but it wasn’t expected of a recently wedded couple. Aslei was only a half orc. My cousin had to carry his wife all the way back home. Her usually light-green face was burgundy, and she glared at him. She forgave him rather quickly.

Acantha wiggled out of my grasp to lay on her stomach while dragging me atop of her.

“Fuck me Okull. Fill me to the brim.” She grinded against me while presenting her neck, dragging her curls out of the way. “I want your frenzy.”

It took me a second to process her words. She had already spread her legs waiting for me. My cock was crying to be freed from my fur wrap. I broke the leather ties one-handed. We were tight for space in our makeshift bed. I had to stay crouched down over her not to expose us to the wind. It was a hard task to find her entrance one handed to guide my cock.

“Time to give you what you want,” I whispered to her, pushing myself into her bit by bit. “Acan breathe.” She was too tense and gasped at my last thrust. Now fully inside of her, I kissed the side of her face, squeezing my hand below her to massage her clit. It made her restless, but she didn’t oppose. Her whole body was quaking as she gripped the forearm, I held myself up under her shoulder. Her hand moved to mine. She tried to take deep breaths. “Seems like your little Amazon pussy wasn’t made for orc cock.”

“I can take it.” She tilted her hips tentatively.

“If you say so.” I tried to pull out a little bit but fingers crushed mine.

“Wait! Wait.” She was panting just as hard as me now.

“Does it hurt?” For now, I was still ready to pull out and let her be.

“No. Are you fully—?”

“I am.” I grunted in her ear after a sharp exhale through my nose.

“Fuck,” she whimpered with a high-pitched voice that called for me to rut into her.

“Either I start pulling out or I fuck you. We can’t stay like this.”

She nodded softly, prompting me to lay kisses on the side of her face again. I gave her a short thrust. A little whine accompanied her inhale as she clenched around my pressing erection.

“Okull.” She whimpered again.

I stopped praying she wouldn’t tell me this was too much for her,

“What?”

“I love you.” She stopped us? To say this?

I was on the verge of being consumed by my frenzy to the point it was painful.

“Don’t get emotional now.” I let out an annoyed sigh. “We’re just getting started.”

“Say it back.” She pleaded, squeezing me.

I pressed hard over her clit as payback having her moan in a cry before I used both my arms to support myself. I thought that what we were doing was already proof I had forgiven her. I had not forgotten. But I would get over it eventually.

“I love you.” I gave her a deep thrust that had her eyes flutter and her lungs gasp for air. “I love you a lot more than I let on.”

“I’m sorry I left.” She whispered with a tear in her eye.

“I forgive you.” I licked part of her tear and kissed the edge of her mouth. “Now hush, my little Acantha. No more questions while I’m fucking you.”

“Yes!” she cried out at my next thrust.

I blacked out for a moment. Her voice brought me back. She was swearing in the common tongue under her breath. Acan grew tighter and hotter until she cried out my name in heaves.

When I came to, it was midday. Acantha was no longer in the furs with me. All dressed in the grass next to me, she gazed at my sleepy figure in our makeshift bed. All the washes in the world would get the smell of sex out of it. All the sweat and—

“I don’t think they expect us to bring back any elk.” She was munching on jerky from the bag my mother had given us.

Acantha was covered in bite marks all over her throat and neck, shoulders and arms. Some of them bruised, others had scabs on them. Yet her face had a healthy glow to it, that and a beaming grin as she threw me a chunk of dried meat.

“We’ll need one elk at least.” I sat up. My own neck was cracking as I stretched it.

“Why?”

“For our wedding feast.”

Her jaw dropped, “Our what? I thought you were still mad at me.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, “I thought you were in on it. What did they tell you while I was preparing my hunting gear?”

“That getting you in bed with me would help you forgive me faster.”

It had…

She sighed and rolled on top of the furs against me, “So that’s the surprise they alluded to.”

“How are you feeling?” I put a hand on one of the bruised bites.

“I’m a little sore.” She shrugged, then chuckled, “especially down there.” She pointed to her core.

“Did I hurt you?” I glanced at a scab, “Well, hurt you too much.”

“Okull,” she laughed open throat, “I’m strong, you know. I can run for days without sleeping. And once you get to see more of my body in daylight, you’ll notice I have a lot more scars. It’s not fucking rough for half a day that’s going to make me useless in a hunt.”

I guess I had been worried over nothing, “Then we better catch up to those elk and show them how strong we are.”

“And I’ll get the biggest.” She pecked my cheek before getting up in a stretch.