Hunters moon

46: Soft side of the saber

The desert evening was beautifully hued in pink, no real wind was blowing so it was still as hot as always. Quintin and Katja sat on a dune looking at the sunset, he heard her sigh making him peek over to her. Her face dreamy, a soft smile with semi squinted eyes.

"You thinking of something?" He asked and she moved her eyes to him only.

"It's so beautiful here, it's kinda romantic"

He looked out at the horizon where the sun has already set, the pink started to take on a more orange color "Yeah, it is pretty"

"Did you and Naomi sit here watching the sunset?"

He shook his head "No, we didn't get moments like this"

"Do you miss her?"

He thought of how Naomi glared at him back in Angola, then what Kishra said about her sacrificing herself for him "I'm not sure how I feel about her Katja, I think, I'll just let it go, it hurts too much"

She looked at him as he now stared into the sky "Hurt?"

"Yeah, she wasn't a bad person, I really liked her. Losing her hurt worse than any wound ever inflicted on me"

Katja felt her heart sink "So, you won't try again right?"

He looked at her blushed face "Try again?"

"You know? Give another girl a chance?"

He smiled "Maybe, later" He said looking back over the desert again, not realising Katja was still looking at him for further explanation.

"I'm too afraid to get hurt like that again, call me a p***y"

Katja flinched at the words then looked away, she knew she was going into this new world with him, as this sabertooth he was bargaining on being the only one, and Katja knew because of that he would never really have a normal life.

But now she's been drawn into this, all that lied before her was an adventure, and because she was going to be the same as him, the thought of falling in love has occurred to her, but it seems he shut that thought out. She made a vow to herself, she will make him fall in love again, even if she had to force him, because love in itself, is another adventure all together... One she never got to experience really.

"The moon is coming" Quintin said getting up. Katja saw in the distance where the sky was darker, the bright shine of the white orb lifting it's head.

"It's, so bright!"

"Here in the desert there are no man made light to block the moonlight out, so this is the prefect place to see the moon at it's best, and in all it's shimmer" Quintin said feeling his heart rush. He grabbed a backpack they brought with and took out the extra hotdogs.

"You ok?" She asked.

"I can feel that shine" He said munching the hotdogs.

"You're not going crazy are you?" She asked panicking.

Quintin did a mental assessment, he could feel this happening, but it felt different, more controlled, he wasn't angry or in rage, maybe now with these calm conditions he'd be able to shift without going ape s**t.

"Quintin!?"

"I, feel fine, I, for now" He said quickly drawing the shirt off his torso, Katja blushed at his ripped figure, never expecting him to look that good, but the clear s***h scars over his entire upper body was proof of his run-in's with werewolves, and that made him all the more manly in her eyes.

"Katja, please avert your eyes quickly" He said unbuckling his belt and dropping his pants, he had underwear on but Katja couldn't look away quick enough and managed to grab a peek before she flung away.

"I'm taking off all my clothes, so please just, look away for a few seconds ok" He asked and she nodded.

Katja could hear him grunt and heave, the bones cracked and she heard he was grinding his teeth. She dared look over her shoulder slowly and saw him mid shift, double his original size, black fur around his body.

Already a long tail swung behind him and his ears triangular on his head. Katja's gaze got stuck to him as his canines elongated into sabers, his claws sprung like triggers from his wide paws, and his voice now a deep bellowing rumble.

Katja felt uneasy, he panted not looking at her, was he in control? She slowly took another hot dog out of the bag but he heard her and turned on her, she screamed holding the hotdog out like a sword to him and closing her eyes, but when nothing happened she opened her eyes.

"Now that's funny" He said in a deep voice and laughed.

She stubbornly stomped a foot into the sand "You asshole!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise you were panicking about the situation"

"You stayed quiet I thought you lost it!"

"Ok, I'm sorry, really"

She looked at him up and down, then slowly approached "C, can I? Pet you?"

Quintin felt his face go warm under the fur "Pet me?"

"Yeah, you know? On the head?"

He sagged his ears "Hmm?"

"Please" She said producing her best puppy eyes.

Quintin couldn't say no to that!

"Ok... Sure" He cringed bending over and going on all fours.

She lifted her hand and placed it on his head, it was wide, and the fur was not soft, but not bristle either, she moved her hand over and caressed his ear, scratching it softly, Quintin realised he was enjoying this, but he didn't realise he was purring.

He closed his eyes and subconsciously moved closer to her, pressing his whole head into her chest, she took both her hands and stroked both his ears, he was in heaven, it felt so good he could melt, Katja started a giggle and he snapped out of his trance.

"What!? What happened!?" He said standing away from her, but she burst out with laughter.

"You're so cute! Please can I rub you some more?"

"Wh, no, you're doing magic on me!"

"Please...?"

"Not the puppy eyes again?"

She gave him a sweet smile making him plop down on the sand "Have at it then"

"Ha! Persistence prevails!" She said coming around and caressing his ears again.

"No, puppy eyes prevailed"

Katja laughed "It's my secret weapon"

Quintin fell into the trance again as she stroked his ears, how could one not enjoy this!? That's why dogs and cats usually seem to enjoy this!?

"You know?" Katja asked looking around whilst rubbing.

"Hmm?" He mumbled.

"There are wild animals around here right? Like antelope?"

"Yeah, hmm like, I saw somme Oryx roamming arounnnd" He slurred over his words and fell back towards Katja but forgetting his size he completely toppled her over and ended on top of her, she gave a hysterical giggle when he flew up again.

"I really have you like putty in my hands every time I scratch your ears don't I?"

"It, feels really good, it must be witchcraft!" He said shaking his head but that made her laugh more.