Anton and Oana were stretched out on the soft grass. They were both exhausted. The bond that was now between them caused them to want to keep making love to each other. They were both able to figure out exactly what the other one needed at the exact moment that they needed release.

It was amazing.

It was perfect.

Anton stared up at the sun setting between the leaves of the canopy. Oana was running her fingers up and down his chest. They needed to be getting back to the village soon. He sat up bringing both him and Oana to a sitting position.

"We need to head to the village now," she sounded disappointed. "Do we?"

Anton tucked a stray hair behind her ear and nodded. "We do."

Oana sighed as she stood up, brushing the grass off of her. She grabbed her clothes and pulled them on, motioning for Anton to do the same. Once they were both dressed, they started their walk to the village. Anton noticed when they came to the edge of the village how everyone stopped and looked at them.

The looks that he was getting weren't nice. They were full of distrust and hatred. Completely different than the looks he had been getting.

Oana grabbed his hand and squeezed it as she led them quickly to her hut, pulling him in with her. She closed the makeshift door and locked it. Her hut was small and dark. Clay dishes were scattered throughout the hut and in the middle was what looked like a nest made out of furs.

Anton pointed at the nest and raised his eyebrow.

Oana smiled as she shrugged. "Those furs are not from other morphers." She walked over to them and flopped down. "They are from other animals in the forest." She held out her hand and he walked over and laid down beside her.

Anton laid on his side and rested his hand on her stomach. "They don't like me too much now, huh?"

Oana rolled her eyes. Her smile disappeared. "Not at the moment." She looked up at him. "It will be a while before they can accept that a Morpher can mate with an utoshie." She grabbed his hand and started to slowly push his hand down her body.

Anton chuckled. "Aren't you tired?"

Oana nodded. "I need more, Anton." She continued to push his hand down and he never stopped her. "You caused me to go into heat, Anton."

He moved his hand faster and cupped her area. Her breath hitched as her body arched slightly. He lightly moved his fingers over her, causing her to shiver. "Are you in pain?" He looked down at her and smirked. Anton could feel himself changing every day that he was with this woman. This beautiful woman was getting unraveled by the tiniest touch of his fingers.

Her lashes fluttered up at him. "Only when you are not touching me." She brought her hand up and cupped his face. "The heat will end tonight. Anton," she wrapped her hand in his hair and pulled his face down to hers. "I want you to keep filling me until the night is over."

Anton smiled as he bent down and kissed her lips. "I'll do whatever you say, Oana."

---

Artur followed behind Flaviu as they continued their trek through the jungle. His hand held on tightly to his backpack as he stared at Flaviu's back. He still couldn't believe what he witnessed last night.

Flaviu Arterberry was a fucking Morpher.

How?

Artur's eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out why Flaviu is there with them. Why he wasn't with other Morphers and why he was experimenting on them. He didn't understand.

"You're being unusually quiet, Artur," Robert spoke up behind him.

Artur looked back at the man and tried to give his best smile as he shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't sleep well last night."

Robert nodded as he gave him a small, understanding smile. "First night sleeping in a tree, huh?"

Artur nodded. Was Robert one of them as well? What could he morph into?

Robert chuckled. "You'll get used to it, Artur. The more you come on these missions with us, the more opportunities you'll be sleeping in a tree."

Artur shook his head as he turned back around to face Flaviu. "I don't know if I'm looking forward to sleeping in a tree again. Especially with that thing-"

"A fadaar," Robert interrupted him.

"Yes," Artur huffed. "That. Especially with the fadaar chasing us into a tree."

"You'll quickly learn how to look for signs of them and other creatures the more that you're out here," Flaviu finally spoke up. "You'll have to learn if you're wanting to survive."

Artur didn't answer him. He didn't trust himself to speak to him without bringing up what he saw last night. He still didn't fully understand what he saw. He could be mistaken and that it was just part of a dream that he was having last night. It could have been the light of the jungle playing a trick on him.

Artur shook his head quickly trying to get those thoughts out of his head. He couldn't be thinking those things, he still had to focus on getting that stupid kid back. He promised his sister that he wouldn't mess with or hurt Anton, but he might break his promise.

Anton was an idiot for stepping foot in the jungle without anyone with him. He shouldn't have even gotten out of his tent at night. The boy was probably dead by now and they were just going to find his body. Artur hoped that they didn't find him dead, but he wouldn't be surprised if they did. He could have run into another fadaar and gotten trampled.

They walked in silence for an hour until Artur heard movement on either side of him. Flaviu had already stopped. He looked around him quickly. Artur started to open his mouth when he felt Robert place his hand on his shoulder. He looked behind him and saw Robert shaking his head with his finger pressed against his mouth.

Artur jumped when they heard a loud trilling sound come from his right. Both Flaviu and Robert spun towards the sound. They looked at each other briefly before Flaviu took off.

Robert shoved Artur hard in the direction that Flaviu was running. "Go!"

Artur didn't hesitate to obey. He took off with Robert running next to him. He didn't know what had spooked them, but he wasn't about to question. He did exactly as he was told. He ran.

He didn't know how long they were running before he started to feel out of breath and his legs were starting to ache. He had to keep going. He focused his attention on Flaviu's back.

Artur heard a whipping sound coming from his right and then something wrapping around his feet. He fell hard on his face and screamed as he was dragged through the jungle. He clawed at the whip around his ankles, trying to free himself. He looked on either side of him and noticed that both Robert and Flaviu were being drugged along with him.

It wasn't long until they came to a clearing with small huts scattered around. Artur didn't stop struggling as they came to what looked to be the middle of the huts. A group of people wearing hides stood there watching the three men struggling against their captors.

Artur was stopped and forced onto his knees, his hands being tied behind his back. He wasn't able to get a good look at whoever was tying him up; they were moving too fast. He looked around him at the people staring, men moving their women and children behind them. He started to open his mouth when he spotted someone familiar standing right in front of him. He looked up and glared at the man.

Anton.