Radiance Ch. 25

He dropped the gooey dripping mess that had once been their leader right in the lap of what was obviously his second in command and fixed him with a rage-filled stare through his visor, "Don't come back" he snarled and Runs repeated his words in their language.

It worked beautifully, without another word the riders turned tail and fled as fast as their horses could carry them, Seven leaned on Wisp for support as his head pounded like someone was hammering a nail into the back of his skull, "Holy shit Seven, don't you think that was a little too far?" Wisp asked sounding concerned as she rotated her metallic head to look at him.

"Honestly I was wondering that myself but then I thought about what those bastards had planned for those two innocent girls we pulled out of their clutches and then I thought it probably wasn't far enough, there's only one language people like that understand and it isn't words and threats, its action and promises, now they've seen with their own eyes what we are both capable and willing to do to protect these people, now the choice rests with them, they either heed the warning or they come at us with everything they have" he replied straightening up as Visa and the others appeared from the bushes and Visa instantly grabbed him upon seeing how unsteady on his feet he was.

The chief of the Dead Horses looked stunned and he spoke to Runs who answered him, "What's he saying?" Seven asked as Visa propped him upright.

"He wants to know if you are a shaman or a demon, I tell him, powerful shaman, I tell him that you possess power of great vengeful spirit inside you and you use it to do good" Runs said, Seven thought about trying to correct him but figured it would just take too long to try and explain it, so vengeful spirit would do nicely for now.

The chief led them back into the village and closed the gates behind them, the people began to reemerge and the chief addressed them telling them what he had seen and they all looked stunned for a moment looking at Seven in awe and wonder before they started whooping and yelling in joy, this was obviously the first time they had won a fight with the White Legs without losing a single person.

"You know that the White Legs will want blood for this don't you?" Gregory asked looking at Seven and he nodded.

"Yeah but I'm hoping that kick in the balls I just gave them will set them back just long enough for us to not only help these people shore up their defences but to come up with a plan to put an end to them once and for all, I mean I'd honestly prefer to try and do this without killing if at all possible but I highly doubt that that's going to be an option," Seven said.

"Same but we should look into all-out options before settling on wiping out a people just because we can" Wisp said and both claws agreed.

"Indeed as much as I will lose no sleep over killing bad humans, my love for my good human has changed my mind about their worth and value to this world, if there is but one good human among their number then we should try to save them and that goes doubly for any hatchlings among their number, I will not harm innocents, no matter what," Ven said darkly and Gregory reached up and stroked his big claw boys horns both lovingly and soothingly.

"And I know Seven would never ask you to my scaley lover, Seven is a good man, he would never do such a vile thing even to protect others," he said making Visa nod in agreement.

"Agreed, their village will be filled with such innocents, just like this one is, you saw and felt our grief at the loss of the nest at the train station and I saw the grief in your eyes, my love, you felt the same pain as I at the loss of those innocent young lives, I know and trust that you would never be a part of something so vile," Visa said proudly.

Seven nodded, "Agreed, the village is off-limits, we either fight them on a field of battle away from potential innocents or in defence of this place, if it comes down to it I will find a way to remove their children from any potential harm but I won't let them get hurt, no matter if it costs me my life in exchange, at least then if there is a realm of spirits like Runs said I can stand there with a clean soul knowing that I did my best to protect the innocent" Seven said.

Suddenly the chief appeared again and he seemed to want the group to follow him, they did so and he led them to a group of three Tee Pees in the centre of the village, he spoke to Runs and pointed to the tent-like buildings.

"Chief says these are for you so you can live among us until White Legs are no more" Runs explained Seven turned to the chief and offered him a hand to be shaken, the chief nodded and shook his hand.

"Thank you chief Fights-Many-Bears, we accept your hospitality," he said and the chief nodded and headed off leaving them to it.

"Well, I guess it's two to a tent, well except Wisp you get one to yourself," Seven said stepping forwards and peering into the sparsely decorated simple space of one of the teepees.

"What about ussss?" Riss asked looking at Runs.

"Oh yous will live with I, that is I's home there" Runs said proudly pointing at another teepee a little ways off, "Soars-With-Eagles and I's lived there, now it just I's and you's," he said both sadly and happily at the same time.

Riss obviously sensed his pain and stepped forwards and wrapped her human up in her love, wrapping her long arms around him and her long tail as well.

"Alright peeps let's get some rest eh? Something tells me we're going to need it" Seven said heading into one of the teepees swiftly followed by Visa, Gregory and Ven vanished into another one.

"Think I'm gonna take a roll around the village and get a feel for it, don't exactly need much in the way of rest" Wisp said and she rolled off swiftly picking up a little trail of children as she went like a metal pied piper.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Runs took Riss's paw and led her to his home, for some reason Riss began to feel somewhat nervous, she had never been invited into the home of another before, let alone the home of someone she loved, it seemed to carry a rather unusual amount of emotional weight with it.

Her tail began to rattle softly and Runs glanced down at it then up at her, "What worries you beautiful one?" he asked.

But honestly, Riss couldn't answer that because she honestly didn't know herself, Runs reached up and placed his warm strong hands on the sides of her face, her tongue flicked out and tasted his wrist, tickling him and making him smile, "Worry not Riss, yous is welcome in I's home, is yous home now too, yous is one I loves" he said softly stroking her face before reaching up and without a single hint of shame or care as to who may be watching, kissed her full on the mouth.

Turns out Runs was a lot sneakier and smarter than Riss gave him credit for which made her feel slightly ashamed of herself because while she was distracted by the kiss he pulled her through the doorway of his home and into the interior.

When they parted Riss realised what he'd done and smiled at him, "Sssneaky human" she said softly and he smiled up at her.

"See nothing to fear loved one, is your home too now, come sit, let me feed you and make you comfortable," he said and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"It sssshould be me who lookssss after you," she said and he simply guided her over to a large comfy looking padded bedroll that was padded with fleece and soft leather where he sat her down.

"Yous and yours friends saved mys people today, I loves you with all I am, I is your man and a man should take care of his woman, so say the laws of the spirits, so I's will take care of my woman, I's will make Soars-With-Eagles proud to be mys sister and yous proud to be my woman," he said proudly.

Riss just utterly couldn't believe that it was possible to love someone as much as she loved this beautiful man right now, her eyes roamed over his exquisite masculine body, watching his muscles flexing and twisting as he started preparing a meal for her, she watched him light a fire in a deep pit set right into the floor and then start setting up pots to make them a beautiful stew made from prime cuts of venison making her mouth water as the scent of cooking meat coated her tongue setting her tail happily rattling away as it played out her heart's tune.

After their meal was done Riss insisted on cleaning up nearly having to restrain him to stop him trying to help, but finally she got him to relent and she happily washed the pots and pans stacking them back where she found them, she'd had to cross the village to the water pump they'd built and she could see a lot of people looking at her as she walked but none of the looks was either angry or disgusted, more curious and much to her continuing surprise, happy.

Riss slipped into the tent and she found Runs waiting for her with a smile on his face, her tail instantly began to rattle as she looked him up and down, he was just so incredibly beautiful, her tongue tasted the air and she could taste his scent in the air and it lit her heart and her loins on fire oh how she wanted him, how she utterly yearned for him, for his taste, for his touch, tonight was her night, she was going to love and take care of this beautiful man in the most beautiful way.

She couldn't take it any more, he was just too fucking beautiful, quick as a striking snake she shot across the room and swept the startled human up into her strong arms smashing her scaley lips to his warm soft fleshy ones, as his mouth opened to gasp her tongue shot right into his mouth and seized hold of his.

Runs made a soft little whimper noise in his throat that made pure electric thrills run up and down her spine making her tail go crazy, the taste of his mouth and his tongue lit her mouth aflame, the taste of his mouth and saliva was exquisite, she pulled back and looked right into his beautiful milky brown eyes, "I want you sssso badly my beautiful male, pleasssse let me have you tonight, let me sssshow you my love" she said and Runs searched her eyes before nodding.

"I's belongs to you if you wants I then I's is yours to have," he said softly and she smiled but then a thought came swimming back to her.

"Runssss I want to assssk you ssssomthing, do you love me becassssue you believe you owe me ssssomething or becaussse you truly love me?" she asked softly and suddenly a look of hurt passed through his beautiful eyes.

"I's loves you for who you are, yous is most beautiful woman I ever sees in my life," he said sounding hurt.

"I am ssssorry to asssk but I wasss worried, I needed to hear it," she said softly and suddenly Runs lifted her chin and kissed her mouth deeply and powerfully.

"I's loves you with whole heart Riss, you is I's woman and I's is your man, that is all I's needs, it is all I's will ever needs and so much so that when I's people is safe I's will come with yous and Seven where ever yous will go, where ever yous treads I's will be there shoulder to shoulder with yous, I's will be proudly at yous side as yous husband," he said proudly filling Riss's heart with joy.

Infact her heart felt like it was going to burst through her ribs as she felt the true weight of his words hit her, "H-H-Husssband?" she exclaimed in shock and right before her Runs dropped to his knees and held out what appeared to be a beautiful handwoven bangle covered in beautiful hand-polished beads and braided feathers.

"Will Riss be I's wife?" he asked presenting the bangle to her.

Riss broke, her emotions couldn't take such pure joy and tears began to stream from her eyes, she took the bangle and placed it on her wrist before sweeping her beautiful male off his feet and hugging him tightly to her chest as he dangled, "Yesssss!!! Yessss I will be your wife my Runssss!!" she exclaimed and locked him into a deep and powerful kiss.

When they broke he beamed at her brightly, "Soars-With-Eagles made that bangle for I's to present to woman who I's wished to be I's wife and now is yours, now if yous still wants I's, please Riss, make love to I's, I's will be yours and only yours this night and all nights from now on" he said softly.

Riss kissed him deeply and it took all of her strength not to simply tear his clothing from this beautiful man and throw him on the bed before ravishing him, but instead, she chose to gently lay him down, because tonight was going to be a night of pure and gentle love, the way it should be.