I stand in the crystal water unable to move for a few seconds, as I watch him walk away into the shadows. My entire body tingles in satisfaction. I have never felt so alive as I do at this moment.
Breaking the enchantment, I wade back into the shallows and retrieve my soap container so I can finish my bath. Lathering the soap across my body I run my hands over my engorged breasts, and gasp involuntarily when my fingers reach the sensitive nipples. I reluctantly move my hands away to wash the rest of my body and then I dive into the cool water to rinse off the soap.
When I get on shore, I grab my towel and dry my body, taking time to squeeze the water out of my hair. I spread the damp towel over a huge flat boulder and lie down on it, letting the heat from the sun and the boulder dry every inch of my body. I stretch out arching up my breasts up toward the sunshine before relaxing back down to the rock, closing my eyes. I promptly fall into a deep relaxing sleep.
I wake up about one hour later refreshed, and ready to go, feeling completely energized. I get dress quickly. Brushing the tangles out of my thick hair with my fingers, I smooth my wayward tresses down long enough for me to braid it, and tie it off with a piece of leather I keep around my wrist. Gathering my belongings, I hike back up the hill to my camp site.
The shadows are getting longer, I need to hustle while there is still light to see. I remember a spot where there are a few huckleberry bushes. I want to pick some of the berries for dessert before it gets dark. Grabbing a bag from camp, I begin the trek up the steep incline. When I reach the spot, I am amazed at how bountiful the dark purple berries are. They are almost the size of grapes, plump, sweet, and juicy.
I pick berries from a bush close to me and feel the heat of the late afternoon sun beating down on my back. There are small birds chittering away to each other in the pine trees, and I spot a fat chipmunk scampering through the underbrush in search of fallen berries. Meandering up the slope picking berries, I am unaware of what I am about to walk into, until I feel the sharp pain biting into my ankle.
There is a burning sting, over and over again on my ankle. I am suddenly aware of the buzzing sounds rising up from the tangled undergrowth. I wandered right smack dab in the middle of a yellow jacket's nest. Without another thought I hurdle wildly down the slope, jumping over fallen logs and crashing through the brush in my attempt to escape the stinging hoard.
By the time I reach the bottom of the slope I had left the yellow jackets far behind me. My entire ankle is now burning and so swollen I can barely put my weight on it. The only satisfaction I have is in the fact that I didn't lose any of the berries during my downward flight. My next reaction is to sit down and cry, both scared and feeling sorry for myself. After a bit I try to stop the watershed, and I wipe my eyes while sniffing from a red nose when I look up to see my warrior standing in front of me. His head is tilted to one side and he wears a deep smile across his face which sparkles out through his brown eyes. I feel like such a dopey kid, instead of a grown woman, for him to see me this way blubbering like a total idiot.
"Let me see," and he kneels down in front of me to look at my swollen ankle. His hands are warm, his touch is soothing and my tears slowly begin to dissolve away into hiccups.
