Chapter 55: Farewell at Dawn
Kellar got up early, while darkness still dominated the inside of the cabin. He adjusted his dagger to his belt, grabbed his mallet, and geared up to leave. He made sure not to make a single sound, gazing for a second at his family resting on the furs. He wanted to slip away quietly so as not to disturb their rest, but the slightest shift of the blankets woke them right up.
"Were you really going to leave just like that, without saying goodbye?" Mila whispered, jumping up alongside Meli and Maya, surrounding him in a second.
There was no beating around the bush. The three of them pounced on him, hugging him tightly, wrapping their arms around his neck and pressing their warm bodies against his.
"Ohhh, fuck, yes..." Maya moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist while Meli grabbed the back of his neck, plastering her mouth to his in a wild kiss. "You’re not leaving empty-handed, hunter."
Their hands dropped frantically to his pants, freeing his steel-hard dick in a matter of seconds. Mila dropped to her knees without hesitation, engulfing his head in her warm mouth while Meli opened her thigh so Maya could press her soaked pussy right against Kellar’s hand. He found her center and shoved two fingers inside at once, feeling her walls contract sucking him in with frenzy.
"Holy shit!" Maya cried out, arching her back and digging her nails into his back. "Kellar... ahhh... how can you get us like this so early? You’re going to make us sick for you!"
Kellar looked at her, stunned. His fingers were dripping wet with her juices, Mila’s mouth was devouring his cock, and Meli was whispering dirty things in his ear while squeezing his ass. The only thing he could do was move his fingers faster, deeper inside Maya, while kissing them back with equal fury.
"Come back safe, please!" Meli gasped out between panting breaths, clutching his chest. "Come back whole so we can give you all of this and more! Do whatever you want to us when you get back!"
Maya screamed, shuddering from head to toe, and then it happened: her body locked up, quivering violently as she hit an intense orgasm right over Kellar’s hand. A warm, slick fluid soaked his fingers, dripping down his wrist while all three of them clung to him in one final, passionate farewell embrace.
Kellar understood their thoughts completely and knew how much they dreaded being separated from him, so he chose to leave in silence, speaking no further words to avoid causing any more pain than his departure already brought.
He stepped out into the open air. The sun had not yet risen above the horizon, and the snow fell slowly, brushing against his face. The scene instantly reminded him of his past life, walking to work during cold winter nights. A fleeting spark of nostalgia touched him before he brushed it off and broke into a steady trot.
At that moment, the white cat reappeared out of nowhere and settled onto his shoulder.
"We’re going deep into the forest," Kellar warned without slowing down. "Will you be fine?"
"Yes," the creature replied calmly. "The beasts inside won’t bother me."
"Excellent, then let’s hurry," said Kellar.
This time, the cat didn’t jump down as they approached the settlement area. She remained resting on his shoulder until they reached the meeting point. To Kellar’s surprise, despite arriving well before the agreed-upon time, he was the last one to arrive. The hunters were already assembled, carrying packs filled with specialized hunting gear.
Across the clearing, the distinct expedition parties were easily identifiable. Each group had a specific zone designated for their hunt, keeping their distance to ensure their routes would not cross at all.
Among the assembled parties, tension quickly reared its head. Mark, Tor’s uncle and leader of one of the neighboring patrols, eyed Kellar up and down with disdain before turning to Krag.
"Are you serious about taking this kid into the deep zone, Krag?" Mark said with a mocking sneer. "He’s just going to be dead weight. Out there, we don’t need deadbeats who don’t know how to hold a spear when a real beast corners us."
Krag didn’t even flinch, though his eyes narrowed firmly as he adjusted the thick strap of his pack over his shoulder.
"If we’re talking about dead weight, Mark..." Krag replied in a sharp tone, "your nephew Tor hasn’t done or proven a damn thing to earn a spot on a deep-forest expedition. And yet, here you are bringing him along to carry basic supplies. That really makes me wonder which of our groups is carrying the actual burden."
Tor, who was standing a few steps back adjusting his pack’s ropes, clenched his teeth upon hearing his name, but Krag’s stern glare made him hold his tongue.
"Tor is here to learn how to carry the team’s load, as fits anyone of his bloodline," Mark countered, patting the bundle strapped to his back. "We’re covering the eastern sector, the ridge route. We carry the gear, the climbing ropes, and the iron traps. My party can’t afford any weakness."
"And my party is heading to the central basin, the area with the highest beast density," Krag shot back, pointing to the compact yet specialized packs his men wore. "We don’t need bulk; we need agility and immediate reaction time. Kellar already proved what he’s capable of on the periphery by bringing in prey you wouldn’t dream of hunting on your own. Every single one of my men carries his own weight and knows what to do with it. So stick to your own routes and make sure your nephew doesn’t drop your precious traps."
"You’re a fool for not appreciating good advice," Mark spat, clenching his fists in anger.
"And you’re an idiot for thinking I need it," Krag shot back without a second’s hesitation.
Before the argument could escalate any further, a silence fell over the clearing. The crowd parted to make way for the clan leader and the tribe’s shaman, who stepped forward with firm strides to inspect the departure of the patrols. While the leader sternly examined the gear and formation of the parties, the shaman locked his eyes onto Kellar. His glare, brimming with icy malice and unhidden contempt, promised that the danger on this trip wouldn’t just come from the beasts of the forest.