Barbarian Song - Chapter 3 part 2
They woke the next morning with Mez’s arm wrapped around Keena. She felt the warmth of her hero’s arm and felt protected for the first time in days. Mez was able to whisper into her ear as they lay like two spoons fitting perfectly against each other.
“Keena, I will never let you go. We can lie here forever.”
He knew this wasn’t true, but in that moment, all he could think about was the need to protect his brave little elven beauty. His voice vibrated into her ear, giving her a warmth in her soul she had never felt before. She wanted to believe it—that they could live in a cocoon of love at the base of this magnificent and deadly waterfall—but it was not to be. Keena closed her eyes and fell asleep for a few more minutes, dreaming of never leaving her warrior’s arms.
The sound of rocks crashing into the pond a few meters from the cove where they had slept woke her. Mez’s arms were no longer around her. She sat up quickly and saw Mez sitting next to the small fir that had warmed them overnight.
“I can’t lift my arms yet, but I think I can walk… we need to leave this place quickly,” said Mez, struggling to talk through the pain in his torso.
They slowly made their way into the maze of caves, using Keena’s elven instincts and memory to find their way out. The barbarians yelled and howled in the distance, their terrifying voices bouncing off the cave walls, causing confusion and dread to rise in Keena’s chest. Mez’s body was heavy, muscular, and long as he leaned on her shoulders. Keena’s ankles burned from balancing on the wet rocks, and she felt as if she might give up.
Just as hope began to fade, her heart filled again—not just with love, but with hope. She could see a small sliver of light coming from the exit of the tunnels.
Somehow, the two lovers made it past the horrors inside the dark and damp maze carved by centuries of floods. Mez smiled as he saw sunlight piercing through the canopy of thick rainforest trees above. Keena could no longer bear the weight of her mighty mate. They crashed into some brush off the side of the narrow trail, rolling over each other as they tumbled through soft, wet foliage.
Though his arms were still weak, the strong warrior managed to shield his beautiful elf. His will to protect her prevailed as they came to a stop at the base of a large, flowing river. Even as they slid down the slope through the undergrowth, she couldn’t help but feel the spark inside her spirit for this hunk of muscle and power. As she lay on his chest, startled from the fall, she tasted the mix of his sweat and mud, and she felt free—for the first time in her life.
They lay resting on the warm rocks for a moment. Then she bathed in a calm, swirling pool, safely away from the swift, deep blue water. She took her rags off, letting the warm sun kiss her nude body. Her small but firm breasts were cleaned by the cool river water. Goosebumps appeared on her arms, and her nipples stiffened from the chill as she sank beneath the surface.
Keena then cleaned Mez’s body. He smiled and whispered to her as she washed his broad shoulders and chest. The water from her rag glistened on his neck in the noonday sun. She remained nude, loving the feel of the sun on her soft, golden-brown skin.
Mez lifted his head toward her.
“Behind you. On the other side,” the warrior whispered.
Keena turned to what she had assumed were deer watching from the flatter, more open side of the river. But as she focused, she realized they were fauns—half man, half deer. The lower bodies of powerful stags, paired with the lean, hairless torsos of men. Their long brown hair was tied up in artful designs to keep it from their eyes. They reared up on their hind legs, clearly excited by the sight of Keena’s naked, bent-over body.