[Complete] Eroh has reached his seventeenth spring and has finally become a man. With manhood comes a gift: marriage to the woman he loves. But when a strange new woman from another world enters his life, he is stuck with the decision to honor his...
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Huntlock village was too cold and desolate. If Eroh didn't live out here, and Lylef wasn't his sister, I would've never tracked thirty miles to come see them.
I felt like my rump had turned to abused leather. How anybody could desire riding was something I pondered from time to time. Today was one of those days. We settled into the camp a few hours ago, but all I thought about was filling my belly, having a word with Eroh, and trying to make Lylef notice me. She saw us come in. And when I locked eyes on hers, she ran like I had the herd plague. Lylef was only thirteen, but she was growing fast, and already had a woman's frame. I was not the only boy who noticed. Every time I was in the village, some new boy was trying to fight for her attention. Nhedri was the only other girl who had this prowess. Maybe that's why they stuck together since she arrived; trying to keep all the boys away... but that only drew us all together like wolves on the hunt.
Eroh finally freed himself from the crowds who'd gathered around his kill. I'd never seen a fish like it. Half the torso was flesh and bone, while the other was scales and fins. I'd mistaken it for a girl at first glance, a once beautiful girl, before the spear that went through her tail and out her mouth screwed up her face.
"Eroh!" I yelled, waving frantically. He looked my direction, but took his time coming over. I frowned, "Now that you're a man you don't have time for your brother?"
He grinned, then started our secret handshake. Bumping elbows. Slapping hands. And holding two fingers for horns. I mirrored his movements.
"You know I never could forget you." He examined my frame longer than I felt comfortable. "You're too much not to remember."
"What's that mean?"
"I mean, look at you ... you've put on some extra meat."
It was a chilly night, yet I went bare-chested like the other men who celebrated Eroh's catch. It was tradition. But without my tunic and leathers, I could not hide my sagging chest and rounded belly.
I chucked and slapped my flab. "Maybe a few ..."
Eroh chuckled, then pointed towards two young beauties, gowned in ceremonial hides, and wearing horned beads around their necks.
"You think she noticed?"
My eyes drew to the girl with the milky skin and long, braided dark hair. Whose beauty reminded me of snow in the fall. "Lylef?"
"No, you turd. Nhedri."
I turned my eyes on the olive-skinned girl who was a year older than Lylef, yet they stood the same heighth. Her hair was the same golden-brown as her hide, with a face that glowed of summer. Beautiful ... but not my taste. I smiled at Lylef, though she'd never see it nor know I had.
"Notice what?"
"What? My catch!"
"Seems they're not interested in that." I said. Which made my lips rise. All the boys were looking at the strange catch, and all I wanted to look at was Lylef. If only I had my tunic, I'd go say something to her-
