HORNS (BoyXBoy)

Chapter 145

Chapter One Hundred and Forty Five

The best part of getting ready for the dance was gathering all the wood necessary to make a bonfire, I think. After texting Sebastian to let him know what had happened with the cops, I'd thought of my father and realized I hadn't told him about my plans to dance or even my agreement to do the blood dance with Luka. So, after asking Luka if it would be inappropriate to invite him and receiving a gawking, disbelieving stare, and then an indignant, "Big Horst should be inviting Papka for important moment like sacred blood dance!" I'd called him. He, of course, had picked up before the first ring even finished.

"Hey, Horst," he'd greeted, sounding rather surprised. "What's up?"

"Wanna spend the night here?" I'd bluntly asked, lips quirking as I'd launched into a quick but detailed explanation about getting ready to experience my first time dancing with other satyrs tonight. He'd seemed rather concerned when I'd brought up the blood dance bit, but I'd reassured him that it was one hundred percent harmless and put it exactly how Chi had. He'd remained quiet for a time after that.

But then, he'd said, in the softest voice I'd ever heard, "I'll be there before it starts. I want to be present for your first real dance, even if its only to let you know you're supported."

My throat, of course, had tightened up.

I'd thanked him. Told him I'd loved him. And then, I'd hung up so I could focus on gathering wood for the bonfire with Luka and Dari. The only real downside was that Goober followed me the entire time--he'd practically been stuck to me since we'd stepped foot back into the barrier, flipping his lips up and bobbing his head with many a whistle-pop and a cluck.

I swore, the stinky boy was more chicken-bird than elk.

I wound up spending hours with Luka and Dari just grabbing huge logs and breaking them while they gathered sticks, fallen branches, and deadwood that already lay on the forest floor while Sasha started on a huge fenced-in area for my bunch of wild animals.

I asked her why at one point, but she'd just shrugged. I didn't really blame her--the deer seemed rather keen on not going anywhere, and Goober's muzzle was literally squished against my ass at nearly all times. It was annoying, and it made carrying things a little harder since I was constantly trying to avoid getting poked by his massive antlers for pretty much the entire day.

Dari wasn't much better than him, too, constantly bouncing back and forth between my personal space and Luka's with excited childlike chatter about the woods and the plants and the dancing we'd be doing with many boasts about how well he could play his pan flute.

Conversation was pretty light and easy while we built the bonfire away from the trees and wigwams near the center of the clearing, though, and for the most part my mind was occupied and full of anticipatory yearning, because deep in my heart I genuinely wanted to dance. I hadn't been this excited about anything since I'd first been allowed to go to college.

It was pretty late in the afternoon when Dari, Luka, and I finally finished making it. As the three of us stepped back, my heart pounded and I could feel something deep and primal stirring inside me, something that made my groin tingle and my hooves twitchy.

"We did it," I chuckled, glancing up at the evening sky, alight with reds and golds and blues; I checked my phone for the time and sighed when I saw that it was 6:23 P.M. "Damn, its gonna get dark soon. This took all day to make."

"Yah, we be making bonfire carefully so no start fire and be hurting forest!" Dari gleefully bleated, bouncing around and darting between Luka and myself, happily prancing and spinning in graceful circles. I watched him with curious eyes, flicking my ears up at his wild display of happiness, and then I glanced at Luka to see him grinning as well, eyes lit up. The same smile he'd always had, without any of the recent sadness.