Everyone turned their heads to the direction of the sound. It was their chief, an old woman they called 'Gufōn Pali' she looked in her late 80's with an unreadable expression she approached the scene the villagers creating paths for her
"What is going on here?" She spoke up authoritatively. Veronica started shedding crocodile tears pulling away from Maya roughly, "Ma, she started it. This unknown woman came out of nowhere and attacked me for no reason" She accused.
Maya's eyes widened in shock and irritation at her lie. Damon quickly stepped up to explain "Mom- I mean Chief let me explain" He said keeping it professional. "I found this woman, Maya in the forest, she was lost and confused I couldn't just leave her there so...I brought her here and Veronica picked and started a fight with her out of nowhere. You know how she is" Damon defended Maya without care of what his people would think. "No Damon that's not true" Veronica stomped her foot looking angry and red with annoyance.
Pali stared at him critically before walking up to Maya and suddenly dropping on her knees to everyone's shock. "Oh like the gods said last night, a goddess will be sent down to the village soon. I didn't expect it to be so Soon" she said with a grateful teary tone. Everyone gasped, talking in hushed voices. Maya looked confused and shocked "what? No please this is a mistake. Please get up ma'am" she spoke up quickly, making Pali shake her head in refusal.
"Yes yes I am always right, I see your spiritual light. You are the goddess. The gods have truly blessed me, you don't need to hide your identity it's not going to work, after all ..." She straightened up finally with a soft grunt. "There's no family or couple with your color close by here, so where did you come from and with that weird looking attire(her PJs). This is just proof that you fell from above to us. No trace. And your color is so rare to find, that we consider it a blessing." She smirked slightly.
Maya's eyes remained wide with shock and confusion. "But I....I" she was interrupted. "No buts, I will deal with Veronica personally for her disrespect, let's get you cleaned up" The villagers looked surprised but reasoned Pali's words partially true. Like where did this woman fall from? Why in the forest? How did the usual cautious Damon bring her here without question. As Pali took her hand leading her away, some bowed awkwardly to her, she cringed at the sight feeling uneasy. Damon followed closely behind.
As she was taken into the hut. Pali tended to her wounds in silence, humming to herself. Maya sat there with furrowed brows, she felt something was fishy, was she really in another world right now? Everything felt too real to be a dream, if so, does it have something to do with this weird old woman?. Pali finished up and straightened up with a smile. "All done. We'll have a celebration tomorrow to welcome you, Damon you did a good job bringing her here" Pali praised making him smile slightly. "Thank you, chief" He accepted. "Okay I'll leave now, I have to go discuss with the other heads about our new guests" she winked before taking her leave. Maya turned to Damon instantly "Why do you all wear coded leopard clothing?" It reminded her of cult. She had to ask. He squatted down beside her as she was seated on a wooden chair. "Because we're a clan, we're leopards" his ears and spotted tail suddenly puffed out of nowhere causing her to flinch slightly.
"Woah... I didn't expect that" she said in shock. All she did since when she got here was to be shocked upon shock. Half animals? Wow now it's started to sound like the novel she read...yes the novel! Her eyes were wide again as she thought of it. Did she get... No way! She squirmed uncomfortably, making his ears twitch in confusion. "What's wrong?" He asked gently probing. She just shook her head slowly "no it's nothing" then she noticed the faint red mark on his cheek, remembering she hit him earlier. "About that...I hit you didn't I? I was just a bit frustrated and hit anyone that came my way" She reasoned. Damon shrugged it off without much thought. "It's fine but you were quite energetic when you did it" he smiled before looking at her clothes "That looks stuffy, you can always change into much comfortable clothes" he suggested softly.
A sudden blue screen appeared in front of her making her raise a brow as it wrote and said in a robotic voice "would you like for Damon to change your clothes?yes or no?" The bot said. This just confirmed she was in the novel which made her stomach twist nervously because that means Damon was going to be one of her love interest since she's the main character. Yes. She accepted without much thought because she felt quite hot in this Pj's. The atmosphere here isn't as friendly as Canada, sometimes. Damon automatically helped her up and began taking off her clothes leaving her standing there in undies and a strapless bra, embarrassed. Damon walked into a closet to bring out leopard fabric to tie firmly around her chest and waist.(He can't see the bot) It dissapeared like a fade.
"Thanks" she appreciated gently. He simply smiled. "It's okay". "You seem like a pretty great guy I wonder why you hang out with that woman" Maya said without thinking. He sighed slightly knowing who she was talking about without asking, "Veronica is a way too obsessive about making me her mate, she says I am the only one worthy of her. I don't think she even understands what "no" means" He shook his head, Maya was used to hearing husband and wife instead and mate and matee or whatever it all just seemed weird. Maya frowned slightly "it's easy to get her to back off without using no" she spoke calmly. He raised an eyebrow "how?" Leaning closer with intrigue.
She smirked "Just find a woman and make Veronica think you're taken, she'll back off". He contemplated before sighing again "she'll just get jealous again and try to snatch me back"
"She will but once she sees you're not giving in and you start getting real cold towards her. She'll learn"
Damon looked around thoughtfully before blushing as he asked "will you be the woman that I can...?" He trailed off shyly, not used to asking women these kind of things. He cleared his throat at her silence. Maya just stared wide eyed at him. The bot appeared again asking if she wanted to, and she reluctantly accepted. He smiled slightly "You don't have to if you don't feel like it" he says softly even though he badly wanted her to say yes.
"It's fine, just pretense. It's my fault for giving you the idea" Maya rolled her eyes making him smile slightly.
He paused before saying calmly "I'll need my scent over you, to make this more convincing."
"You say what now?" Was all that came out of her mouth in a raise of shock. He looked down feigning shy "There's a lot of reasons for that... she'll think we got intimate and know it's serious" He insisted. "Just a hug will do" he added quickly. She hesitated fiddling with the fabric around her waist, the bot appeared asking if she wanted to hug Damon, she hesitantly accepted. Damon automatically pulled her into a hug
He inhaled her scent gently, jasmine and honey filling his nostrils. He buried his face in her hair slightly, the strong apple scent awakened and drove his inner leopard wild, his hands tightened around her suddenly making her blink in suprise. "Damon what are yo-" she didn't finish her sentence as he began mumbling soft words she couldn't hear, his tail wiggling gently with cute tingles, his ears twitching agitatedly, his leopard has finally been awakened. - Leopard instincts fully awaken when they find potential mates-. She didn't know that so she looked worried instead "Yo, you alright?" She said quickly. His arms around her like iron bands as he whispered his breath suddenly hot "mate..." Barely audible into her hair.
She didn't hear him clearly"okay I think that's enough" she tried pulling away slowly but he didn't budge. "Damon" she got annoyed when he wasn't being obedient. He suddenly bit down on her neck gently causing her to shudder involuntarily.... "Damon what's with you? please refrain from this" she argued. "You smell good..." He mumbled softly "Something about you feels right...". He continues. She gulped slowly regretting her agreement as his lips began to trail down her shoulders, she felt goosebumps over her skin then slowly he nipped taking a deep bite that left a mark and made her shriek in pain.
It's like his senses returned because he quickly pulled at her scream. His eyes wide and regretful "I am sorry I don't know what came over me" He apologized, ears folded back in guilt. Her temper flared up, "Is that why you wanted to hug me, to take advantage of me?" She snapped. He shook his head in panic "No no... that's not..."
"Get out!" She yelled at him. His ears flattened in sadness, his leopard clearly dissapointed, as he turned to leave the hut he whispered "sleep well". Vanishing, he left her alone with her thoughts, she seemed annoyed as hell, holding her bit shoulder with a frown. She decided to find the bed, her mind wandering to different places all at once.