** Image does not belong to me. Saw it on Pininterest titled Beauty and Fire saved by Vesna Delevska, which later shows to have been on Etsy as well.

Listening to my hearts steady pounding beat helps me to keep my face calm as I watch the many males lined in front of me.

By passing them, my eyes wander to Natasha's place. Beside her are my brothers Cruz and Bruce who are showing uncommonly serious eyes. On her other side stands the brown headed male from nine winters ago along with another male. She also has interested males standing a few distance away from her campfire. Most probably they'll end up fighting with Bruce and her other males to obtain a spot in her family. Glancing to the other females I realize that I don't see my mother participating. Where is she? Searching for her, I end up spotting Elena who was sitting happily on Bronco's lap as she gulps a piece of meat. I knew it, this summer she'll be a spectator instead.

A warm hand slips into my own as I blink my eyes back to our campfire.

"As always, our tribe healer will state the rules of the Fire Mating Ceremony" howls Leader Axel.

Everyone quiets down as we show respect to our tribe healer.

Healer Liam walks to the center along with his apprentice Charles.

"As you should know by now, this ceremony is to for our single males to openly and formally court an interested female. The difference in this ceremony is that if the female agrees, the male is automatically added to the female's family."

Healer Liam stops as many howls and growls are sounded from the excited males.

Waiting till their noise dies down, Liam raises his palm in the air. This movement effectively made everyone shut it.

Charles then speaks, "the interested female would bear a floral head wreath on their head and will stand with her family or guardian in front of a campfire." Charles then stops and observes the participating females.

His eyes land on me longer than the other females to which he adds, "if a female only has one male to her family, the interested males if not chosen immediately by the female, would have to fight each other till the winner can court her." Then finalizes by saying, "if a female has more than two males to her family, the interested males, if allowed by the female, could decide to fight them instead of fighting each other."

Healer Liam interrupts with a warning, "males, remember not to handicap your fellow tribesmen!" then adds with a louder growl, "but do show the females your strength!"

With this the males howl in agreement, soon their glowing eyes began to openly stare at their competitor.

Radu squeezes my hand. Remembering what we spoke about the night before, I look back at the interested males. There I can see a mixture of bear, wolf, and leopard beastmen. Some of them, I can remember from grandpa Liam's class many winters ago. Others I believe I've seen them either at the river of bears or in the village. I do not however see Vick.

Maintaining my expression and my eyes from wandering, I move my head to look at a two marked sand curly hair male whose grey eyes look shyly back at me. Despite him having a tall handsome slender muscular body, seeing this male gulp made my lips unconsciously tilt up.

As practiced, I initiated my ceremony with, "what is your name male?"

The beige colored skin male lowers his head to me and responds, "Leo." Yes, he is that Leo from grandpa's Liam's class. "Leo, you stood beside my brother Bruce when he presented himself in front of gr.. cough.. Healer Liam's class."

Leo immediately began to widen his eyes and looks at me so adoringly, "you remember!" He's acting as if he was complemented by his favorite idol. Glancing at the other interested males, I try to keep my lips from twitching when I see that they're also looking at me with expecting glistening eyes.

Ahem, "I do, as well does my male, Radu." I've kept my eye on you since I've seen your sincerity to us. However, Radu, this hot potato is now yours! Radu, knowing that this wasn't how we practiced, speaks anyway, "we have observed you and seen your many strengths..."

Half way listing some of the leopard beasts strengths, Radu's eyebrow began to twitch. Here, I decided that this would be a good time to step in before Radu's tail could begin to swing in irritation. Holding my hand toward Leo, I gesture him to come closer. As he walks toward me, I lift my head up to his reddening face and with glowing light brown eyes I ask "will you become part of my family?"

Leo gulps, licks his lips and nods. Noticing that I'm waiting for him to say it, he immediately glows his grey eyes and growl "yes!" Purring at his answer, I kiss his lips and then nuzzle my cheeks against his. Leo happily keeps nuzzling his face to my cheeks and I begin to feel my own face starting to blush, but when Leo hears a cough from Radu, he reddens his cheeks and bounces over to my other side as he looks beamingly back at the other waiting males.

Going back to a flat expression, I give the waiting males a what I hope is a tender smile. "I have chosen but will choose again at the winning male." Before they could growl their agreement, I raise my hand up and morph my claw into nails. Looking at my nails as if they were fascinating, I calmly added, "but remember, if you are to be part of my family, you....". Pausing and looking back at their expectant gazes, I again glow my eyes as I enlongate my teeth, "will respect and honor my males." I ended with a threatening growl.

Far away my ear twitch as I hear a familiar voice shout, "that's my girl!" Mama?

Instead of being intimidated, the males began to growl deeply with glowing eyes. Nodding their head in agreement they then walk further away to a place where they could freely fight each other.

Besides me Radu growls in approval and comments, "whoever wins will cherish our family." I nod my head as I move my tense shoulders. Before Radu could speak, Leo comments, "let me." He then stands behind me and massages my shoulder. Feeling my muscles begin to loosen, I let out a happy sigh. Radu, nodding approvingly at Leo's thoughtfulness, grabs a basket filled with grapes and begins to feed me as we three watch the fighting males.

The sky that was once bright has now darken, making each campfire stand out all the more. During this time, Radu and Leo have taken turns in hunting prey for our meals. Yes, it has taken this long. And it appears that Natasha and a few other females are also waiting for the last standing male. On another side Elena is drowsily petting her stomach while she waits to see our selection. Behind her I can tell that Bronco and her males are wanting to take her back to their den.

Looking back at the fight in front of me I can now say that from my ten interested males, the number has gone down to two beastmens. A wolf beastmen is heavily fighting to stay up against a bear beastmen. In this ceremony, to lower any chance of fatal attacks, they are to fight without their beast form. Only one can win this summer's fight, the loser would have to keep on courting me the usual way. However, being the second best is not bad, since it also shows that this beast does have strength. For example, the wolf beastmen shows a high level endurance and quickness to the other's attacks. The bear beastmen shows power behind his throws and intellect to know where the vital points are and the when he should attack. Yet, who will win?

Sniffing the air, I don't see Vick. But a part of me senses that he's coming.