” Nothing here is natural. It never was. Nature demands that we live and die and disappear, and I refuse to. I’ve already broken the laws of natur....“You just found a loophole,” I gestured to Yavara, “but this, Alkandi… this will kill you.” I’m in control. “She already rejected you once. Face it, she’s stronger than you. Even at your most powerful, you couldn’t do a fraction of the things she’s done.” She is powerful, Zander, but she is weak. She needs someone like me to balance her.“She. I don’t mind you looking at me – I’m quite flattered actually.” She paused for a couple of seconds. “You shouldn’t really though should you? I think I’m old enough to be your mum.” I found this hard to believe her and told her so. She laughed and grinned at me.“You say the sweetest things!”“No I mean it.” I replied. “You don’t look that old anyway…” my voice trailed off as Jenny looked at me in mock seriousness.“I think we’ll stop right there!” I must have looked contrite as she quickly. I pull away slightly before going back for more. He pulls me towards him and I do the same to him. We can’t seem to get close enough. He slowly lets me fall back into the water, until my feet are on the floor of the pool. His lips never leave mine. I lean backwards, his hands on the small of my back. I dip my head into the water and let the weight of it pull my hair away from my face. I come back up with my eyes closed, and I feel his lips on mine. He pulls me up and I wrap my legs around his. A wedding was arranged, but it was explained that this was only a wedding of convenience. When Chief Cave Lion returned, Ptarmigan would return to her filial duties. When the shaman returned, Ivory would once again serve as her apprentice. But until this joyous day the village needed to be united around a chief and the chief's wife, and in the interim these roles would be occupied by Ptarmigan and Ivory. This was the wish of the spirits of the Mammoth Hunters in collaboration with the spirits.