River spend the next few weeks, staying with Yamien during the whole day.

Before dawn would break, she would be up and out of his tent, and after the dusk settled in, she was buried in her quilt and saddled way over to the side of the pallet they shared.

It's not like she didn't sense him. Oh the love of God, she felt him right at the moment he slid into their bed, the heat was like a magnetic pull which she forced herself not to wrench him to her side and nuzzle into his deep scent.

The way she kept her back to him, knowing those onyx eyes were staring a hole into her spinal cord. What was he thinking?

She had already overlooked, tried to bloody overlook that her heart beat could never settle down when she was around with him, so the best she did was to ignore him.

Surprisingly it was easy for her because that tall bastard did the same. Effortlessly.

He knew her pulse raced while being in the same room, let alone the fact, she was still forced to share the pallet. But he chose to let her have a disturbed solace and he never gave a fuck.

Even after everything, he had simply grunted a 'no' when she said should she bunk with Yamien, seeing how he had singled her out and even then, her stupid heart ached.

She knew he didn't care anymore, the interest was gone because he never once touched her and nowadays Yuh, was hanging around like the leftovers piling in the garbage behind a trendy restaurant.

River tried to avoid Yisrael whenever they'd meet. A coward move but so far, it had been effective but painfully. It seemed as if he allowed it. He didn't talk to her, didn't once look at her.

He was back to his own duties and from what it looked like, he hadn't spilled the beans about their little thing of doomsday sex in the cave.

God...she still had ruptured dreams about that night.

His heat, that roughness and everything in that bubble of unnamed things because honestly, she had no words for it.

However, staying with Yamien also brought her to the lifestyle of their people. She was dying to know about this weird mating thing that happens between the Iborians but she didn't want to spell it out without sounding too interested. She didn't want her to know anything.

They were currently plucking out aguaje from the palm trees. Well, technically Yamien was high up, clung expertly on the trunk and throwing down the small fruits into the basket River was holding out for her.

"So..I'm curious about something." Be subtle, River.

"About what?" She threw another round of the reddened scaled fruits down. Her aim was on spot, not once did she miss.

"Did you kiss Yosemite?" She kept her face neutral as she saw Yamien momentarily freeze. Good, make it about her.

"Why would you ask me that?" She began to climb back down swiftly like a monkey and she let out an exhaled breath with her cheek coloring.

Eyes widening, she stumbled upon a awkward realization. "Did you kiss Yosemite?"

She tucked her dark curly hair behind her ear, and looked around to see if anyone had heard. There were other women who were busy collecting for storage but they were too engrossed into their own bubble.

"Well, not yet but thanks to you something has changed between us rapidly. After the feast, he invited me for a walk and we went to the little pool down below and began to talk. Since then, all we do is talk and talk. It's been really nice to know he had such deep thoughts. He's so calm and agile. And so handsome..." River smirked at how lost she looked. Then, she tried not remember how most of the time she sported the same look when she thinks of Yisrael.

Yamien continues, unknown to River's own personal turmoil. "I just- I don't know the other day, he was looking down at me with such awe and heat, there was this moment. I couldn't help it but think he wanted to kiss me and I kinda froze out and he didn't notice but he was blushing too."

Yamien covered her mouth, trying to cover up her flush. She fanned herself, pressing a palm over her forehead, "Besides a kiss like that is stressful but it's powerful."

This was where a River carefully inserted her question. "Right and why is that?...I mean does that mean anything to you?" Careful, River.

They began to walk back, heading down the same pathway they came from while carrying two heft baskets of fruit.

"Well, I don't know if you know this but all Iborians revere the kiss more than we do with sex. Sex is still healthy but I never was comfortable with just letting anyone touch me just like that. I do not like 'sleeping around'."

"So the kiss is like what a seal?"

"That's the bite. The kiss is always the first sign to the matehood."

"What does all of that mean?" Suddenly River was getting worked up.

Catching her tension, Yamien looked at her sideways. "Why are you so interested? You never were before."

Think fast, River. She cannot know. "Oh just doing homework for Chris."

She then frowned. "I do not like that boy. I get a weird feeling when I see him snooping around. The chief has warned-nothing."

She caught herself before she gave away too much information. That instantly got her River's antenna up.

"What? That wasn't nothing."

She sighed and then settled on giving in. "I'm not supposed to say this but he has told us to keep an eye out on you both. Yisrael and Yuri were discussing this last night with the clan because they witnessed Chris hedging around the dragon of fire more than twice."

Wow, why did that sting? Did Yisrael not trust her anymore? Of course, he bloody didn't.

Noticing her dismayed look, she gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Between you and me, I think you are a safe one."

She smiled sadly even though the hollow remained. "That's sweet, Yamien."

"So what were we talking about? Right matehood. Yeah, well when an Iborian man bites a women right where her pulse is that's a bond. It's like instincts guide them. It's usually when the man kisses the woman and soon the bite follows."

"Why do you hold a kiss so sacred?"

"Because we believe in the spirit of love. Our god, the jaguar of the underworld's first kiss was led to his own love and ultimately the great sarcrife to save him by dying for him. Which is why he preaches and holds love highly."

"Is that what the great sacrifice story is for?"

"Yes well, those are the stories about our god."

"It's so interesting in a weird way. So, what about the bite? Do you bite just anyone?"

"It's only the males who bite their females and it happens once. I haven't heard anyone biting twice. My own father fell in love with my mom because he knew in his gut, she was the one for him."

Out of habit, the next question followed. "Didn't he get bored with her?"

"Why would he? He loved her."

The way Yamien said it had River look at her weirdly. Her response was so normal, a matter of fact. It was as if she asked her, 'hey do you eat food?' and she go like, 'Duh.'

Sometimes, when all your years, you have a mantra, you find a workable system. A system that has helped one go through the works and tweaks of the big machine we all known as life. It should work. Definitely screw the tight loose ends of the knob and seal it shut.

That's why a system worked. Like hers.

Never give in.

All her life, she knew people were interested in one thing and that's it.

Wham! Close the box and hit the road. Some people were commitment-phoebes, some are all things wrong, some only want sex and nothing else, then the life long lesson, 'don't fall in love it's scary', all these little bundles were clamped and compacted in her box labeled, 'Beware'.

Why do people get rules on how to avoid pain and not how to enjoy pleasure? Or why wasn't she been given some guidance on what if she meets this man who makes her feel like everything around her doesn't deserve her but maybe he does. What about those regulations?

What do you do when you actually get someone like...Yisrael?

All her life, she's been guarded against the bad that she forgot how to react to something...good.

He told her so directly. No camouflage. Just blunt words. You are falling for me.

She gulped as she entered the village, moving closer to Yamien's tent. Dumping the heavy baskets onto the moldy ground, River began to help her by dusting all of fruits.

"Are you in love with him?"

"Okay why all these questions? Are you not telling me something?"

At that moment, she saw at the far end. Yisrael coming out of the main tent. He wore his simple brownish skin pantaloons, his feet and chest were naturally bare. His hair was tied to his bun as he turned back around, waiting.

After that fateful night, he had gone extremely cold. Rubbishy cold. Like the the type of ice cold scrapes that stayed at the end of the freezer, never been cleaned out. And when you touch it, it numbs you.

Numb is worse than pain. No feelings, no breath, no way of knowing are-you-still-alive?

Maybe the one lesson her mom forgot to give insight to or probably River didn't see it from another point of view because suddenly it made sense why her mum stuck around with her dad.

Maybe Elaine didn't want to give them up. She didn't want to give up on her love and waited for him to come back.

She didn't give up.

It shouldn't be: never give in.

It should be: never give up.

Her eyes moved back to his rugged back she noticed Yuh skidding down from the same exit and walked down to Yisrael, her hand encircling around the same bicep.

They had no gold bands. It looked too empty.

Suddenly, she clicked one more piece. Those bands were associated to him and when she was with him, they meant his attention was only on her and him. No one else.

Just them.

He became the center of the fucking universe. She was unraveling and the intensity burning.

She needs this man back.

Her ridiculous pumping heart jumped in anguish when she saw Yuh secretly taking him into a lane that lead to the waterfall down below for privacy. Oh no, like hell they need privacy!

"Your heart's jumping."

"Yeah. I know."

She began to walk in the same pathway when she also spotted Chris heading towards the entrance of the village, he secretly looked around as if making sure no one watching him.

She really should follow him and find out what his ass was after. It was clear he is hiding something.

She just hoped it was easily defeat-able because her stupid feet went trailing behind the path that led her down the waterfall.

Let instinct guide her for once.