Marriage

Most of their conversation was to get to know his views of running a household. How he would educate children on the respect and worship of the Tiger. He answered as he would had he still been in his own tribe—not sure how else he could answer the Elders or even what answers they were looking for. He was grateful that the Q&A ended with Sibbecai's arrival.

"Ah, Sibbecai. Here you are," the Wolf Elder said. "It seems Tiger Spirit has found you a mate."

"Yes, Elder," she replied, her expression mixed.

"Are you not happy with the match?" the Bear Elder asked.

"The match is fine. Was there another reason you called?"

"Are you any closer to gaining your spirit's complete acceptance?"

"No." She struggled to keep her eyes from drooping. She barely managed to keep them open.

"Sibbecai, are you well?"

"I am simply worn out, Elders. Forgive me."

"Then we shall allow you to rest. We'll perform the ceremony tomorrow."

She nodded once then left the village.

Zichri followed her.

"Do you have to follow me?!" she snarled before he could say anything.

"What is the custom of your people on the night before the marriage ceremony?"

"The night is spent saying goodbye to parents then spent in solitude to prepare for the union."

"Are you not going to say goodbye to your parents?" he asked, since she had left the village straightway.

Sorrow laced her angered expression. "They said goodbye to me long ago."

"I'm sorry."

"Only because you have a death wish," she muttered before climbing into a tree.

"Death wish?" he asked, looking up after her.

But Sibbecai didn't respond.

The pre-wedding tradition was different in the Zuled tribe. Once a spouse was selected, they worked together to set up a tepee before a few hours of sleep at their parent's places. The ceremony often started in the morning and lasted all day. He hadn't been expecting to be united with someone so quickly. Nor was he sure about how he could spend the rest of his life with Sibbecai if how she spoke to him was normal. Zichri felt a pull on his tail and turned to face his opponent.

"Supi?" Zichri asked.

"Well done, Zichri. I am pleased that Sibbecai will no longer be alone."

"Is she always this angry?"

"Only when she is tired. She should be back to her normal self again by morning."

Zichri nodded then sat at the base of the tree where Sibbecai slept. There would be no saying goodbye to his mother. Not if another hunter who knew him well couldn't even recognize him. He leaned back against the tree a little more and fell asleep.

"How long can you sleep?" Sibbecai asked, waking Zichri up.

"What?" he asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up more.

"Time to get moving. There's a lot to do before the ceremony."

"Will you tell me what things we need to do?"

"Set up a home, hunt, and cleanse our bodies."

"What time is it?" Zichri asked, noticing it was still dark.

"A few hours before sunrise. Let's go." She pulled him to his feet and he leaned on her.

"But mom, I don't want to get up yet," he whined, seeing if he could get Sibbecai to be a little more playful.

"You're worse than the kids, Zichri," she replied, moving him off her shoulder and walking away. "You coming?"

"Yeah," he said, softly. He wasn't sure if he liked what was normal either.

Zichri followed her to the center of the village where they accepted materials for a tepee from the village Elders, just like in his village. Together they selected a place close to the trees and set up their home. They ate a few small fruits before they went on a hunt. Sibbecai was so silent that if he couldn't see her beside him, he would not know she was there. They moved as one, and Zichri could see she carried no weapons.

"How do you hunt?" he asked, as they moved deeper into the trees.

"Same way we fight," she replied.

Her steps slowed then stopped. Zichri was about to speak when a low growl issued from her throat. Her muscles tensed before she burst through the bush with a cry. He could only watch as Sibbecai attacked a deer and tore its throat open with her teeth. The deer didn't suffer, dying immediately. Her tail snaked behind her as she walked around the deer. Her face was bloody, and her eyes seemed to glow a little brighter. When she seemed satisfied, she whistled. Two who had been chosen by the hawk spirit came out of the surrounding trees and carried the deer to the village.

"Sibbecai?" Zichri asked.

"The next kill is yours, Zichri. Then we can return to the village."

"I don't think..." He looked away from her bloody face.

Sibbecai approached and kissed him, allowing him to taste the blood. She knew he felt the Tiger within him stir as he pulled her a little closer and started licking the blood off her face. He maintained his hold, but rested his forehead against hers. Tasting the blood, tasting her, was pleasurable. Pleasurable in a way it would not have been before his change. Before Supi united the tiger to his spirit so intimately.

"We need to finish our hunt," Sibbecai said.

He nodded, though feeling unsure. They continued their hunt. It wasn't long before Sibbecai stopped again. Her eyes turned to Zichri and she growled softly. He did the same and she stopped. Zichri felt the hunting instinct increase and it wasn't long after his muscles tensed that he attacked. He was able to take the deer down, but not enough to kill it. In his hesitancy and panic, he reached for his knife. Sibbecai caught his wrist.

"Finish it like you started it," she said.

He turned pleading eyes to her.

"Quickly, Zichri, he's suffering."

Zichri closed his eyes a moment before biting deep into the deer's neck. He swallowed a lot of blood as he felt the life force depart. A life that departed with both a thank you and a you're welcome. Slowly, he sat up and Sibbecai knelt beside him. After a kiss, she licked the blood off of his face.

"Are you satisfied with this kill, Zichri?" she asked.

"The flesh is sufficient," he said, softly, still not sure how to take in all of the information this deeper connection to Spirit was giving him.

Sibbecai whistled again and two chosen by the falcon spirit came and took the deer away. Zichri could only kneel there and feel as if he had become someone else. He turned slightly when he felt Sibbecai's claws against his cheek. There was a slight pull on his tail as she smiled softly. His felt the tiger spirit's pleasure. The acceptance of the deed he'd just done.

"We need to head back now," she said. "Will you be okay?"

"How do you accept these feelings, Sibbecai? How can you feel, and do, these things and know you're still… yourself?"

Her expression changed. "It is still something I am coming to accept for myself."

Zichri nodded and pulled away. He helped Sibbecai to her feet and they started their run back to the village. He stopped part way then started running in a different direction. Something smelled good. Sibbecai tackled him to the ground and he turned on her. Growling, he attacked her. He swiped at her, but she dodged and knocked him to the ground again before she pinched his nose. She held it closed until he stopped struggling.

"Stupid!" he said, knocking his head against the ground.

"You're still learning, Zichri. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Zichri shook his head. "Spouses are supposed to be evenly matched."

"We would be, had we been born in the same tribe. As it is, there is much we can learn from each other."

She let him up and they continued towards the village. Zichri took her hand when he thought he smelled something else good that would take him away from the village. He felt like a little child and almost didn't want to let go when she did so they could get cleaned up before the ceremony.

A corn meal mush was given to each of them after a bath. After they ate, several tribe members came to them individually to help them dress for the ceremony. Zichri's black hair was trimmed short and the tunic of his old tribe was changed for short trousers, which exposed the patches of fur that had grown in. When he was left alone, he wondered how Sibbecai would be dressed. He didn't have to wait long because he was soon escorted before the Elders.

Sibbecai was already standing in front of the Elders. She was still dressed in her chest covering and short skirt. But her usually loose hair had been tied into a long braid and many flowers had been weaved into it. On her right hip was a thin tipped knife. What was it for? Already he could tell this ceremony would be very different. The entire village was silent as the Wolf Elder stood.

"Chosen by the spirits and bound together with their blessing. May your union never falter. Offer the symbols of your union."

Zichri turned to Sibbecai, who placed the knife in his hand. Then she placed his other hand over her braid and bowed her head.

"Sibbecai?" he whispered, not sure what to do.

"Sever the braid and throw it in the fire. Then hand the knife back to me."

Holding the knife near the base of the braid, he cut it off and let it fall into the fire. Her head came up as he placed the knife in her hand.

"Bend your head," she said, softly.

Hesitantly, he did. He had no hair to cut so what was the knife for? A little pain was felt in his right ear before he felt her fingers put something in his ear. He lifted his head as she tossed something bloody into the fire. Zichri started to lift his hand, but Sibbecai took it.

"Relax. It's only an earring."

"But the fire..."

"Was the second earring," she replied softly, putting the knife away.

Now the Bear Elder stood. "Zichri, Sibbecai, please stand next to me."

He followed her around the fire. She held out the knife to the Elder and bowed her head. Zichri followed suit.

"May this serve as a reminder to the village of this union."

Another small pain pierced his right ear and something else was put in. Everyone in the village erupted in celebration.

They were led to the head of the tribal circle and the feast began. Once dinner began, Zichri felt he had wandered back onto familiar ground. They ate and the Elders told stories about the animal spirits and the variations they allow their followers. These tales were less prejudice than the stories told by the Zuled tribe and not too far different than how he had been taught to worship the animal spirits.

Children ran all over the place, intermingling and associating with each other, regardless of what spirit had chosen them. The other tiger couple sat across the circle from them and Zichri could see the two earrings in his right ear and the one in his mate's ear that matched one of the two he had. Their faces were solemn as the older female tiger rested her head on her husband's shoulder.

"Sibbecai," Zichri asked. "Why does the other tiger couple seem sad?"

"I'm not sure," she replied. "Are you doing all right?"

"Yes." His fingers ran through her short hair.

Sibbecai purred and closed her eyes as his hand brushed through the fur on her right cheek. His hand fell away and her eyes opened. "Zichri, what's wrong?"

"I suddenly feel unwell."

"Then we should go home."

"We would dishonor your people by leaving early."

She shook her head, making the earring move. "We would dishonor our people by remaining, if you are sick."

"All right," he said, closing his eyes against the rising nausea.