Soulmates Across Borders

Chapter 7

Tokah carried Solí all the way to the high nohonga where his father, the chief of the bear tribe, lived, while his bonded beast followed them. The large bear certainly made Solí's heart race.

"Father!" Tokah called out.

"What brings the wolf princess to our village?" the bear king said as he appeared at his doorway, which was covered by a simple decorative blanket. Inside, Solí glimpsed the bear king's bear lounging on the nohonga floor.

Solí squirmed out of Tokah's arms and stood on her own two feet. "The beastmen have attacked our village. We need lilacs so we can retreat, and we need a place to stay until we can rebuild our village. My father sent me to request your aid."

"How many lilac sprigs do you need?"

"As many as I can carry. It may take several trips to bring everyone. What we don't use, I'll return to you once everyone arrives."

The bear king glared. "We have a treaty with the wolf tribe. We will help you."

"My tribe thanks you, great bear king," Solí said, bowing her head to show him honor. That's when she realized she had failed to bow before him initially. That was most surely why he had glared at her.

"Tokah, take her to our store of lilac, and see to it that she gets as much as she needs."

Tokah nodded and motioned to lift Solí up. She accepted the help, since she knew her legs were still weak from all the running she'd been doing. He carried her through the village, Pango padding along behind them, panting with his tongue lolling out. It was sweltering. They needed water before they returned.

"We require water."

"Then I'll take you to the river first," he said. And he switched directions and carried her across the village to the river. This river flowed downhill from the sacred waterfall and up to the moon's side and out to sea. It was holy water, and Solí looked forward to drinking it. It was the only thing she looked forward to about living here with Tokah.

Once they were outside of the village and away from watching eyes, Tokah dropped Solí from his arms as if she was a bag of shit. "You failed to show my father honor until after he had agreed to help your people." He spat at her. "You must beg forgiveness the next time you see him."

"Yes, Tokah," Solí said through gritted teeth. She struggled to stand. The fall had cut her thigh when she hit the sharp rocks. She limped toward the river and knelt to cup some water in her hands, while Pango followed right beside her and lapped at the water with his tongue.

The ass has the goll to drop you? he said with a growl. I'll rip his throat out and blame it on a wild wolf. Then you'll be free of your betrothal.

If only you could. I have to ask you something.

You want to ask me about that strange beastman who drew you away from us.

What do you think of him?

He's a vile beastman. Somehow I hate him more than Tokah, and that is really saying something. Why did you go up to him?

I couldn't help it. He was calling to my very soul. I'm worried he's my soulmate.

How could such a thing be possible?

I don't know. I need to speak with Waiata. She would know for certain. The tribe's old wise woman knew many things. Though she didn't have a soulmate herself, Waiata knew what it would feel like from memorizing all the legends about the soulmates. I'll ask the twins too. They might know. The twins were soulmates. They were the only soulmates Solí knew personally, though she'd heard of several soulmates throughout the nation of Väria.

With how often the Värian people bonded with beasts, it seemed like there should be more soulmates. Solí guessed many people never found their soulmate because they never traveled around the nation to visit all the villages. Solí had traveled all over the nation, though she never found her soulmate.

Until now.

What would happen to her if her soulmate was the enemy?

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