My Panther Mate & Our Little Cub novel · Chapter 23 of 24

Chapter 23: Claiming Night

Tuck skidded into the leg of the table, bounced, and shook himself.

Darek went down on one knee and held out his hand.

The cub sniffed it, pounced and sank four tiny teeth into his thumb.

"Ow," Darek said happily.

"Good.

That's a good bite."

Hesper set the egg basket on the table with a thump.

"Don't get comfortable," she said.

"It's the full moon tonight, and the Ashmark claims its mates under it.

You two are the only pair in the valley who haven't done it.

The clan is already carrying food up the path."

"Tonight?" I said.

"They've been at it since sunrise.

Last I looked there were four pigs."

I stared at her.

By dusk the ridge was a field of lanterns.

They came up the path in a stream, with baskets and pots and spits and children on their shoulders.

The grain merchant brought a cheese the size of a wagon wheel.

The oil-scarred hunter brought a jug and a shy smile.

He also brought the first apology I had ever seen delivered in the form of a ham.

Brannoch's mate came on a neighbor's arm, her hair freshly braided.

She squeezed my hand and said nothing at all.

They ate at the long table until there wasn't space, and then on the ground, and then on each other's laps.

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