The Hunt (6/?)

          A split second after she decided to run, Sheila wondered why she’d done such a thing.  She probably gained a nanosecond of an edge when K’avir nearly fell over, but that edge evaporated quickly.  Her study of the surrounding terrain gave her another edge and she would have to rely on that to help her. Her face stung from getting swatted in the face with long, thin switch-like branches.  She ran, heart pounding, mind miles ahead, juking left and right to stay a second ahead of her husband’s fingertips.  If he was able to grab ahold of her top, it would all be over… 

There was a dropoff nearby.  She knew that much.  There was also a river; she could hear the rushing water.  The transmitter in her ear let her know that she wasn’t out of range of the receiver.  Sheila stumbled, regained her balance, and K’avir’s fingers brushed over the back of her halter.  Instinctively, she juked left, spinning out of his grasp, and saw a clearing a few feet ahead and a very thick vine hanging right before it.  Grateful for Gerri, Sheila reached out, grabbed the vine and jumped as high as she could.  Her momentum carried her into the air.  K’avir, whose reflexes were top-notch, stopped at the edge of the drop-off and looked up.

“SHEEE-LAAAAAH!” he screamed.

It hurt her heart to hear his anxious plea.  She didn’t know his mental state; was it possible he was experiencing moments of lucidity?  She couldn’t dwell on it.  With a grunt, she jerked her body to the right just before she reached the apex of the arc, hoping the weight shift would carry her around the trunk.  She hoped that she wouldn’t hit the tree and closed her eyes for a split second before common sense told her to open them back up.  The vine swung round the tree, barely missing it by micrometers.  Sheila’s arm actually scraped the bark and she bit back a cry.  There was a moment—a snapshot of time—and then K’avir was in front of her.  She gripped the vine, bent her knees and hurled towards him like a shotput.  K’avir grunted as she kicked him off the cliff. 

The vine swung back and Sheila released it, hitting the ground with a muted thump!  She got to her feet, peered over the dropoff and saw her husband swimming to the surface.  Sheila reached in her halter and took out the hypo.  She injected herself, checked to make sure she had her knife, took a deep breath, and then leapt over the precipice.

The receiver beeped clearly in her ear, which meant that she was within the 500-ft range of the transmitter.  Sheila inhaled as she plunged into the warm water.  It felt so good.  Once she bobbed to the surface, she started swimming towards land, unsure of where K’avir was.  She glanced around, but didn’t see him.  When she reached the shore, Sheila quickly got out of the water and looked down at her sodden clothing.  She wrung out her skirt, her hair, and then wiggled her feet.  Her toes squished in her boots and she knew she would be disrobing soon; but not here, not now.  She had to find cover. 

 Sheila walked at a brisk pace, turning around repeatedly, her mind on alert.  She wasn’t going to run; she was too tired and it was time.  It frustrated her that she hadn’t thought to bring a tranq, but she would be certain to have one next time.  She spared a moment of regret for not having her bag; she was hungry and could have made quick use of the energy snacks she had stowed away.  But no matter; once K’avir was done, she was going back for her bag and then she was going to her hiding spot to sleep.  She wasn’t far away from it; the receiver beeped steadily, reminding her that she was within range of the transmitter.  Nyx told her that she could probably snag an hour or two of rest; it depended on the power of K’avir’s climax.  The next time, she was going to keep her bag nearby in case she had to run.

Sheila stopped walking and leaned against a tree with a low overhang.  She was fatigued and she couldn’t take the squishy feel of her shoes against her bare feet.  After taking a moment to catch her breath, she removed her soggy boots and stripped off her soaked uniform.  She reattached her holster to her thigh and made sure her knife was dry.  It made sense to get naked, because it was only a matter of time before K’avir found her.  She started walking towards another clearing, dimly glowing with the rays of the sun. 

He was watching from the lush, dense foliage from the moment she hit the water.  His heart raced and his body trembled due to the overflow of hormones in his blood.  He knew that she couldn’t see him, but he could see her and more importantly, could smell her.  Her fragrance was intoxicating.  He wanted to go to her, but his instinct told him to wait....wait and watch.  She leaned against the tree.  He saw her pulse beating at her throat; a rapid quickening and he was overcome with need, but the instinct told him to wait...wait and watch.  He watched her take off her wet shoes, saw her remove her halter, stared as she discarded her bra, gaped while she took off her skirt, and gazed as she took off her panties.  She wrung the water out of her clothes and reattached her knife before wringing her hair.  She glanced around constantly, obviously looking for him, but she was looking way too high.  She spread her clothes out over some branches and started to walk towards a sunny spot.

The sun was so warm that it dried her damp skin immediately.  Sheila couldn’t help herself; she stretched her arms and legs wide and turned her face up to the sun, warming herself.  Her breathing had slowed, but she was still watchful.  She removed the two wide clips that secured her once-dry hair to her head and quickly wrung out her hair again.  Sheila quickly parted it down the middle and wound it into two fat twists before securing it again.  It would have to do; she needed her hair out of her face.  She moved in a circle around the clearing; the grass was lush and soft, more of those enormous purple flowers grew on both the grass and on the trees.  The petals were large, but soft.  Were they edible?  She closed her eyes, thinking about Gerri’s data.  She bent to smell one; it had a light, sweet fragrance.  She wondered if, with a bath and proper positioning, she could mask her natural scent with the giant purple flowers?  It was something to consider, for they grew everywhere. 

Her scent made his nostrils flare and his mouth opened as a dribble of saliva leaked out of the corner of his mouth.  He remained low on the ground, moving stealthily in the underbrush, watching her walk; observing her long, long legs, her high round ass, her back, which was grace incarnate…her swinging arms, her wet hair, her profile…she was splendor, absolute glory, his haven, his refuge.  The fruit between her thighs flashed with every stride and it was like a hand wrenching him forward, but his instincts told him to wait....wait and watch.  He followed quietly, stalking his wife...his prey.