Totoka River [m] fire dancer

he enjoyed her wonder and the youthfully worshipful, near fearful way she regarded him now, as if this simple act made him her world entire and she had only just realized it. cen helped red leaf to lie down among the robes, pulled dried caribou from its hide, and lay it close for her.

the hard eyes of the hunter had softened in these moments; he looked to her gentle red eyes, then the billowing curve of her side as it subtly mounded the white-haired caribou hide drawn over her hip. 

at last, cen was still, gazing deeply into her eyes.

"i do not regret what i gave black stick and fern and the sharadoii to have you, red leaf."

his smile was slow, tame, unfamiliar, and he looked again with affection toward the evidence that he had not lost his ability to be a man.

"now;" he straightened and shook soil from his coat; "i will bring fresh meat. blood. heart-flesh. you need it."

cen turned, stalking off, and soon the straight, lean lines of his body were lost from view.