“Well, now that he’s healed up, he should be sleeping less and hunting more.”
Preferably hunting his ass.
Mmm your ass is mine.Connal said it in his head, and he could tell, just like before, that his mate was still asleep. Even in his sleep Con babbled.
He couldn’t help his grin. Seriously, what else was he supposed to do?
“What are you smiling about?” Nolan asked with a knowing look.
He stuck his tongue out. “Nothing. How’s everything going with Ryder, by the way?”
“We’re having a great life, getting ready for the winter, really.” Nathan sipped his tea. “Gathering food and pillows and blankets. Anyway, have you seen the big den yet? If you never actually have...”
Wait, what? “What big den?”
“I haven’t seen it myself, but the rumor is there’s a great big room somewhere in this house that is just pillows and blankets and big enough for many, many bears.”
He tilted his head. “Really? Shall we go look for it?”
“I think we should.” Nolan got up, taking his mug of tea with him. They had demolished the pastry; he had kept a bunch more back for his mate.
He grabbed his own teacup, and they headed off, systematically searching the ground floor, which was where he assumed it would be since it would probably be a sunken sort of den that had to hold a lot of weight. It took what seemed like forever because there was a warren of rooms that had been organically added onto the cabin.
Some of them were just full of art; some of them had furniture; some of them had what seemed to be weird open bathrooms. Finally toward the back of the house, as it was pushed toward the mountain, they found the den.
“Oh this is amazing.” Nolan stepped into the room and stared around. There was a sunken area that went down two stairs, which they stood at the edge of, the hardwood floor almost like a deck around it. Down in the depression, though, it was just pillows and blankets and the floor was padded when they walked down and put their feet on it. It smelled like lemons, honey, and berries.
And bear, which was a little funky but, since they were both bears, he and Nolan were not going to complain about that.
Mate, can we wallow in the bear den for a minute? Me and Nolan?
Connal’s answer came back right away.Of course you can. Make sure you put your clothes in the little chest off to the left side of the room and then bear out all you want.
Should we invite your brothers?
I will. Later. You two explore first. You haven’t been bears together in a long time.
We haven’t.Tears actually stung his eyes. “He says leave our clothes in the little press there.” He stripped off, his bear pushing behind his eyes, in his chest right under his breastbone.
Nolan nodded, opening the wooden chest and stripping off quickly. His low vocalizations were already pure bear.
This room was amazing, and Race leapt into the center of the cushions with a happy growl, rolling around.
Oh, it was glorious.
The only thing better would be if his mate were here, and if there was water close by. He was going to have to arrange with Connal to put in a big, warmed pool, somewhere they could splash.
Mmmm. Yes. Have fun, mate.
He grunted. rolling right into Nolan, who was wallowing with him.
Nolan barreled over the top of him, batting his head with his big paws playfully, like he had when he was a kid, and then scrambled over to a corner and stood up on his hind legs and went “rawr!”
Race snorted and then stood as well, realizing all of a sudden that his brother’s bear was relatively large.
It was so odd to see Nolan beared out, but really he was a good-sized bear, impressive. That meant that Race would have to go for the legs.
He went in low, barreling over to his brother to take him down, the padding on the floor softening the brunt of it. They rolled around and gnawed on ears and paws like a pair of cubs.
