The Hunt (Lupa/Da 'vid)

"Early is the best time to hunt, or late," Da'vid added, "most of the creatures where I am from we hunt in the morning. It is both easier to track them through the day light and at night we do not have an encounter with the night marchers."

He stood, once again towering over the girl, "What shall we hunt?"

Lupa nodded before looking up at the tall warrior, she thought for a moment of all the creatures that they could hurt. "Well sir there are many animals that we could track tomorrow, mayhaps a lion or a giraffe... Or mayhaps we can wait to see what we find first tomorrow." She said with a smile.

"Lions? Giraffes?" Da'vid asked as he looked over his new friend. "I must say that my people do not have such exotic animals. Perhaps I will look around your kingdom first. I wish not for my men to be overpowered by an animal when men are the real hunt."

Lupa nodded, "I saw show you everything tomorrow if you wish it sir." She said with a smile before hearing the calls of her grandmother, it was getting sundown and the feast was moments away. "The feast is about ready to start."

Da'vid smiled and held out an arm to Lupa, "Please, accompany me. Someone as beautiful as you shouldn't walk to such a thing alone, no matter how good you are at hunting and defending yourself."

Lupa gave a small smile before reaching forward to take his arm, "Thank you, I would be honored to accompany you." She took his arm and looked towards the warm barnfire that the feast would be around.

Da'vid smiled and wrapped an arm with hers, patting her hand comfortably. "I would be honored for you to accompany me."

He walked with her, reveling in the light of the fire. "So tell me, why do you have a fire outside? My men have a hall for such things."

Lupa smiled, letting him lead the way, she loved to soft glow of the fire and warmth it gave the cool air. She smiled before answering, "We have a hall for winter, but during the summer we like to dance out under the stars and nature. You will see one of the clans dances tonight i should say, it is a big part of the welcoming feast."

"The summer months are often rainy where I am from," Da'vid smiled as they walked near the glow of the fire. In the glow, his body shone and gave him a formidable look; almost as if he were made of a material far stronger than stone. "The dances must be a fascinating cultural ritual."

Lupa smiled as she walked him to on of the many logs that had been laid out for sitting on, she found herself even more enamored with the warrior at her side. She smiled as the light of the fire hit her, giving her the look of a child of nature in her hunteress gurb.

Da'vid couldn't help but smile at the image of Lupa bathed in both the moonlight from above and the firelight by the fire which they sat. She was beautiful, something that he had swore never to think about any woman.

"Tell me, Lupa, what of the men who court you?" Da'vid asked, making a casual conversation out of it.

Lupa smiled as she looked up at the night stars, "Most are no more then simple boys, hopeing to snag the prize. Other's are warriors that give up when they realize I cannot be controlled and others are fools that think they should give up their loves to try for the prize." She glanced back at him, "None of these men are for me... I will not marry any man that I cannot respect or care for and all the men here are the same..." She paused for a second, "Save you the honored guest, I do not think you are like the men here..."

"No, I would not say that I am like most men. Most men would not listen to a woman complain about their own kind where I am from," Da'vid grinned at her, leaning back against the log that he sat in front of. "You are most unlike any woman I have met in my lands. You are more adventerous, which is good for a woman. It means you are uncommon and being uncommon is a great honor."

Lupa smiled at him, he was truely a man she could respect and enjoy his company. And she found herself smiling shyly, something she had never done to another man ever. "Then I am truely happy to be most uncommon." She said before a woman came over and pulled her over to the other women getting ready for the dance for the guests. She smiled and glanced over as Da'vid as she prepared.

Meer smiled as he walked over to Da'vid, "I see you and my grandaughter have pushed the foul mood from earlier behind you two."

Da'vid bowed to the most noble leader of the clan, "I was in the wrong earlier when we had a foul mood for each other. She is not a prize to be won by any man but instead a beautiful flower with sharp thorns that will not allow just any man to pluck her up for their own. A man who persues her must be of the most kind and most noble variety."

Meer smiled and carefully sat down, looking at his friend. "Truly she will need a man that she sees and respects as a true and noble warrior. And no man from our small clan and village will ever earn her love." He smiles as he saw his grandaughter's eyes seeking out his friend. "Though... I believe mayhaps a man has caught her eye..."

The sound of drums started as the women started the dance, Lupa taking the lead. Her graceful moments stood out among the others. She knew many of the men's eyes would be on her, but she wished only one would look at her.

Da'vid frowned, "A man has caught her eye? It must be one of my men. If it is Auselmo, I will feel most sad to have to break her heart."

His eyes caught sight of her as she danced, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. Never before had he seen someone so beautiful, so graceful. Watching the movement of her hips, his breath caught in his throat and he thought he would surely die if he were forced to watch her fall in love with one of his men and never have the ability to posses her himself.

Meer smiled knowingly, it was not hard at all to see that the young man was starting to fall for his grandchild. And he had a good feeling that it was the same for Lupa, he hoped they would both realize it without his having to meddle. "It is not your brother Da'vid, that much I can assuredly say. And I know it is not one of your men..." Meer hoped he would get his meaning as he moved a little ways away.

Lupa smiled as once the dance was finished and she headed over to where she had left Da'vid.

Da'vid smiled at Meer, nodding, "If you so say Chieftan. Auselmo is a married man, she would be much upset if she did love him. My men are all trained to keep their wits about them when a beautiful woman wanders onto their path, as am I."

He knew he loved her but he didn't think that Lupa, a beautiful young woman with grace and strength, could love him. "Lupa, you looked most beautiful..."

Lupa was glad the night hid most of the rare blush that glaced her cheeks. She had been called beautiful before, but never had her heart fluttered when a man at said it to her. But now it was and she was almost certain that it was love, her mother had told her the way she had felt about her father. "Thank you, I am glad you liked the dance."

"Tell me, what does it symbolize? Most dances in my culture stand for something," Da'vid asked, curious about this woman and everything that she did. He did not know love, though he knew that his parents had cared for each other deeply.

"It means welcome, good heath and long friendship, our people have danced it since the beginning of the Fleetfoot clan. It is done for close allies and friends, never anyone else." Lupa explained with a smile, sitting besides him on the log once again. "Do your people do dances like that to in your land?"

Da'vid smiled and leaned against the tree his back was to, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes. "Well it is a most wonderful dance that you're people have seemed to have perfected for your allies. I am most honored to be one of them."

"We have no dances that stand for welcome and those things. Most of our dances represent myths and legends my people have told over the course of a lifetime. Perhaps if my men are not to tired, we will recite to you and preform the Siva Tau. It is a war dance."

Lupa smiled as she listened in awe, she wanted to learn everything she could about his homeland and customs. "We are honored to have you as our allies as well." She said as she looked over at him. "I would love to see it someday and I would love to hear and see all your legends and myths."

"Well mayhaps I will tell you some during my time here. I must admit, I find your culture fascinating as well. It is the first time that I have felt this way about some place other than my home or Sakura, our close allies," Da'vid nodded with a smile. He ran his hand over the log before gently placing it on Lupa's.

"M'lady would you honor me with a walk after we preform our dance for the likes of you and your kinsmen?"