SNOW HUNTER-FF Chapter 6 part 1

Chapter 6 (part #1)

HIM

Arnav awoke still groggy and slouched around on the blanket, moving his arm lazily over the cover. As he slowly opened his eyes and caught his bearings, he realized where he was.

"Khushi?" he called.

Sitting up in a jiffy, he looked around but she was nowhere to be seen. Panic took hold of him and he was up in an instant.

"Khushi!" he called out again, louder this time but no response came his way. He took a quick look into the tent and around their camp area without avail and decided he'd better scout further around. His heart was racing and ready to jump out of his heart with worry as he started to walk in one direction calling out her name. She couldn't run away. There was no need to. Then, where are you Khushi? He thought, anxiously, as he hurried to find her.

Arnav took a rounded route and kept calling Khushi's name for a while. He failed to understand why she had wandered. The alternative would be that something sinister had happened to her. Thinking thus, he quickened his pace, refusing to believe the alternative.

Close to the river side, he heard an unfamiliar sound. Changing course, he followed the river as the ground became steeper and found a path leading gently down the slope amid the yellowed oak trees. He noticed that the river was gurgling down at top speed, next to the path when suddenly he heard the sound again, this time more clearly above the rush of water.

HER

She watched the dense wall of water as it thundered down into the pool. Surrounded by thick canopy of oak and the soothing reflection of the fall colors in the crystal clear pool, brought a smile to her face. The water had been cold but after the first dip, she had felt so invigorated that she had been wallowing in the water ever since. The spray of cold droplets calmed her nerves and she giggled with delight, singing her favorite song.

A while back, when she had woken up snuggled in Arnav's arms, she had felt content and safe like she hadn't in a very long time. It had been the most natural and comfortable thing to be in his arms, curled up next to him. But her enchantment had been fleeting and soon she realized that the new morning had brought the moment of separation closer and there was nothing to be done. She had slid away from him then and sat up, watching his relaxed features as he slumbered. Unable to curb the sudden impulse to touch him, she had placed a hand on his rough cheek and mourned the approaching farewell.

Desperate to get away from the pain, Khushi had walked up to the river to sit by the water and found the path leading down to the waterfall, instead. It had been exactly what she needed to unwind, so she took off her dress and placing it on a branch carefully, jumped entered the water in her cotton thigh-high slip.

THEM

Arnav trod along the slope and soon came to the edge of a small mound overlooking the waterfall. He could barely make out the pool through the trees though the Khushi's song could be heard plainly. He swiftly crossed the trees to a clearing from where one could walk down to the pool and finally saw her. Back- paddling close to the edge of the clear pool, when the drops of water on her sleek body caught the sunlight and sparkled, she looked like a silvery mermaid, singing a melody he had never heard. He stepped down slowly, his eyes fixed on her, held by her magical beauty. When he reached the edge, he bent down and reached for her left wrist, pulling her to him.

Shocked by the sudden contact, Khushi looked up and stared into his dark eyes. Electricity filled the air as their eyes locked and the world seemed to melt away from existence. Arnav leaned over and watched her wet lips quiver in response and the tiny droplets of water on them teased him, begging him to kiss her. His heart hammered in his chest in anticipation as he closed in and kissed a droplet at the corner of her mouth. Khushi caught her breath as a flood of sensation threatened to overcome her. She moved her free hand up to his shoulder and to the back of his neck to steady herself.

"Arnav." A faint whisper escaped her lips that unhitched him and he took her lips in hard, wanton kiss, instantly deep and desperate, collapsing all his yearning into one moment of solace, igniting a passion that overwhelmed him. Her hand rolled into his hair, as she gave in to the kiss knowing full well that it could only end poorly. Disregarding all sensible thoughts, she lost herself in his fervent embrace, crumpling to bits in the infernal kiss.