A Jungle Full of White Roses

LOVE IN A WATERFALL

Three days passed since that night.

I saw Amber off and on. She left the home more often, often accompanied by Lanala or other armed females. The men bothered her often now that she was out and about…I think I am to blame for that (more words from Shuka said she was talking to the captain about the notadrach whose arm and chest were white), not for the behavior of the men, I felt that that was always there, but for her sudden ambition to move around the village. She did not greet me or boldly acknowledge me, but I saw her often, and she did smile every time we passed. She came to Shuka’s hut for salt early that morning for the hot baths, by herself, though a group of young men stood a good distance away attempting to look into Shuka’s hut through the windows and catcalled loudly and often until Shuka gruffly closed her curtains.

We already had bath salts made, but I made a fresh batch, an hour to two hour long process of mixing, heating, and grinding sea salt. It took me almost three. Amber, sitting on my cot (my faced blushed with embarrassment of what conspired there days earlier) watched with curiosity as I worked, picking out different scented herbs and oils she wanted to add to the salts. She did not grow bored as she watched. Shuka occasionally glanced in. Kip and Stark were obnoxious as ever punching each other in arm and hissing at each other about Amber’s presence (making numerous jokes) as they attempted to husk dried seed pods and grind umber.

She left with the salt in a bark skin bag. Shuka cracked me across the back of the head after she left, complaining about a waste of good salt, oil, and time. It was all in play though. She banged Stark and Kip’s head together because they covered the flooring in spilt seeds and umber dust and stormed out the hut. We laughed.

I thought to myself.

Amber did not go the hot baths that day. I did not see any smoke from the building. I did see her walking down the beach, the umbrella up, walking just a few inches away from the thick line of seaweed and offal the ocean waves left. I was to collect massive seashells that could be used as storage, tools, and gifts for the shaman hut at some point that week, and felt that today was a good day to get ahead on my duties.

I walked a good distance down the beach so that Amber would run into me. Near the coconut trees was an excellent spot for finding large shells, conch shells which made excellent containers and burners for resin, and scallop shells for scoops, jewelry, charms, and burners as well. I shook the coconut trees, heavy with young coconuts whose soft developing meat (now thick jelly) was very sweet, though hard to come by. By luck two coconuts fell, one for Amber and one for myself (I am fond of coconut jelly, but if only one fell, I would have handed it to Amber with no complaints).

I found few shells unfortunately. The young were up on the beach earlier and must have helped themselves. I sat on the beach breaking the thick husk off of the green coconuts with my machete. I had finished eating mine when Amber came crossed my path.

When she saw me, she had the expression of “I knew you’d be here” on her face, which soothed the awkwardness of how I was going to offer her green coconut out of nowhere, but an entirely new awkwardness arose. She waved, I waved back.

I hurried down the beach and bowed before her, offering her the nut. With one whack of the hatchet, I broke the top off and offered her it with a smile. She thanked me and took the coconut from my hands and gently sipped it.

I joined her as she walked down the beach, feeling a bit awkward myself, with a machete dripping with coconut milk in my one hand and a jingling net bag barely a quarter full of shells over my shoulder. Amber was dressed in a light yellow dress with the lengthy gloves (now it appears stained with coconut milk, I felt horrible) with the now closed umbrella over her shoulder.

As we walked I collected shells. Amber picked up several small ones, not realizing what particular kind I was looking for. I took them anyway, allowing her to dump them into the bag. Shuka would crack me doubly later tonight.

The yellow sands of our beach ended by a lagoon formed from black stones. It was great water to find shellfish and fish who became trapped during high tides or storms. Behind the lagoon was a small cave chocked full of mussels and smaller less edible shellfish. At the lagoon’s edge I sat on a smooth rock, polished from years of use for such purpose. I took my boots off and rolled my pants up to my knees and waded into the lagoon. Amber stood on the rocks, the umbrella now opened against the blaring sun, using her gloved hand as a visor as she attempted to discern what I was doing.

The water of the lagoon was piss warm, much warmer than the ocean. Each step sent tiny brightly colored fish in shades of neon blue, purple, and silver darting. I combed the thin layer of sand with my fingers and feet for shells.

I brought a purple murex shell to Amber, cupping it in my hands and opening them before as she stood a few feet above me on the stones. Amber was a little taken back at what I offered her. She took the Murex shell, careful of its many spikes and held it up, finally appreciating the beauty of the purple shell. Amber admired the murex for several moments. I felt bad taking it from her, but it was still alive. I placed back towards the small cave so I did not risk stepping on it, not because of respect for its life, but the shell hurt like hell if you stepped on it.

I brought Amber many shells, most empty, a few of the most beautiful and odd specimens alive. I wanted her to keep the empty shells, but she put them back in the water, however, I saw her slip a snail shell, a bright jade green with gold stripes into her pocket.

We were at the lagoon for several minutes, Amber spending most of the time standing before sitting down, awkwardly onto the rock. She took off her shoes, removed her bonnet, and kicked off her boots and placed her feet into the water. I brought her more shells, brightly colored pieces of coral, and one of the brightly colored fish which easily survived in the small pool of water in my hands, and which she promptly dropped when it flopped out of her hand onto the stone, flopped around on the rock before joining the rest of its school.

I chuckled at her facial expression and she laughed afterwards because I laughed at her.

Of course our revelry did not last long. I expected the young would eventually come down to the lagoon and bother us, as the lagoon was their own personal playground. They have been cooped up as of lately, mostly staying in their homes or playing in the village center. Their parents fear the man in white since he lashes out at the young quite often and quite violently.

Unfortunately for Amber and me it happened to be the latter come crashing down onto the lagoon. The man in white did not make his presence known until I had my back turned in the lagoon. I heard Amber scream bloody murder when he grabbed her by the coils of her hair and pulled her by her hair up the rock. He shouted at her shoving the charm (somewhat fixed with a sap mixture) into her face, holding onto her hair with his one hand. Amber’s face was contorted, and scrunched up, prepared to cry. The shoulders of her dress were falling down from the force he yanked from the lagoon and onto the beach.

He kept shout at her, pulling at her hair, gesturing to her shoes, umbrella, and bonnet lying beside my machete, boots, and bag. He raised his hand to strike her.

I do not know whether the man was aware of my presence or did not assume I would not interfere with his reprimand of Amber. He was shocked when I came between them, pushing between the two, but facing him. Amber was knocked backwards to the woods and he into the surf. I faced him, keeping my head down and nostrils flared in aggression, but silent.

He stood back while Amber sobbed softly from the ground. He screamed at me, shaking the charm at me and tried to go around me to Amber, but I stood in front of him, keeping him from her. He shouted me, at the two of us, but me mostly, I assume, shaking the charm. I remained still, like a wall between him and Amber. He snarled, bearing his teeth, facing turn so red I expected him to launch himself at me.

He turned and left, ambling down the beach.

I immediately fell limp breathing out loudly. I helped Amber up. She clutched at my arm as I gathered our belongings. She put her shoes on while I carried everything else. I knew I had to take her back to the village, I opted to go through the jungle, since we would avoid the man in white and any other unsavory persons. I opened the umbrella and held it above my head like she does.

Amber laughed as she gripped onto my forearm. We entered the jungle. I had to carry Amber through most of the trip since her dress kept snagging on the branches and thorn bushes. I did not complain…neither did she other than when I unexpectedly picked her up on the umpteenth time her dress caught. She kept her arms around my neck but looked at the passing flora as I strode with ease through the forest. I set her down outside the limits of the village, and this was the other time she complained.

She hiked up her skirt and trudged the last twenty feet to the village. She turned and looked towards me, chewing on her bottom lip and then left.

It was not until later that day did I realize I still had her umbrella.

Later that night I had finished collecting, drying, and curing herbs for Shuka. It was passed nightfall, and all the shelters of my people were silent. Embers from fires burned down, leaving a red-orange glow in the windows. My arms were covered in salt, plant stains, and dust to the elbows. As well, my mouth was dry with the taste of the aforementioned. I crept out of Shuka’s home and glanced out into the village. No villagers or sailors were strolling in the darkness. I removed my boots from my feet and grabbed a sponge and threw a bark cloth blanket over my shoulder. I snuck out into the shadows silently, not to awake my fellows.

The rocks against my bare feet were a dull pain, but my steps otherwise were quiet and I tiptoed to the freshwater spring and waterfall fully hidden in the gorge. I followed the fresh water creek to the hidden waterfall about a quarter of a mile with the full moon and curtain of stars as my lanterns. The stream was too shallow for my tastes or needs, the deeper water was found near waterfall with a small pool called to me.

I was turning around the bank, when I heard footsteps on the gritty sand, like pacing. There was growling, ranting in human language. I turned the corner. The man in the white robes was storming along the small beach. He was ranting as he searched. I approached him from a distance.

“Can I help you with your search?” I asked, knowing that he would not understand me, but figuring if I appeared too curious, I would get the human to leave. I had the blanket draped over my left side, covering my whiteness. Perhaps he would not recognize me as the one who thwarted his efforts to strike Amber. I prayed he didn’t. Humans seem to have difficulty telling us apart.

He jumped, nearly jumped out of his white robe. Anger poured from his eyes and face, burning like embers, but the heat was even more intense from his glare. I looked at him stupidly.

“Are you searching for something?” I repeated patiently, cocking my head, trying to read him.

He swore at me, stamping his foot, repeating the same offensive words he had been since he came here. I watched him leave, curiously and stupidly as if I did not know what had angered or what I had done to anger him. His stomping faded into the distance.

I sat on a large flat rock at the edge of the pool, worn smooth over the years. I pulled my pants off and left them laying flat on the rock. I placed my feet in the water, enjoying the cool, crisp water against the pads of my feet before finally sliding into the water with a contented splash. There was soft mew from behind the waterfall, and I realized I was still no longer alone.

She stood only twenty feet away from me, soaking wet. Amber tightly hugged her chest with her one hand, pressing the clingy, soaked fabric of her slip even closer to her delicate frame. She held her other hand up to her mouth, chewing on her thumbnail. She looked terrified. She was shivering.

I cocked my head. “Amber?”

“Debaun?” she asked, pulling her finger away from her mouth. She rushed through the water towards, crashing into my chest. I felt her skin prickle from the cold. She cried, while I stood frozen in confusion. Heat, hot tears, ran down her face and my chest.

Amber collapsed she whispered something as I caught her and smiled when my arms went around her to hold her up, like a mother support a child. She smiled, a blush run across her face as she looked at the façade of concern across my face.

I ran my fingers through her hair, wet and hanging in thick threads. I wished to feel it dry, to feel the silky lightness of her amber red tendrils. Using my fingers, I pushed her hair back from behind her ear. I pressed my snout tip between her ear and her neck, sniffing at the delicate skin, searching the scent gland that the females of my people carry. My hot breath blew against her skin, and I heard Amber whimper in surprise.

She closed her eyes and gently pressed her full lips against my own. Her teeth, so much blunter than my own, caught on my much thinner bottom lip, as if to pull me away with her. I tried to respond to her kiss, but she pulled away and pulled out of my grasp. She swam backwards towards the waterfall, her eyes on me, and her smile hidden below the surface.

I felt the burn of desire, the need for completion and companionship run up my stripes. Even the parts of my stripes denied of color burned red. I swam towards her, this time, I was not going to let her escape my grasp so easily.
Amber was sitting on a rock under the waterfall where the young play. The slip was nearly transparent on her frame, but it was to dark to see much of anything else. She giggled.

“Amber,” I stated, it was the only human word I knew, and knew what it meant and stood for. “Amber.”

“Debaun,” she giggled and dove back into the water.

Amber may have been fast, but she was not a very good swimmer. I caught her as she tried to leave the space behind the waterfall, just catching her as she was half way through the water. I held her there for a second in playfulness just to hear a brief gasp as the water poured down on her then pulled her back behind the curtain.

She joined our mouths in a kiss. This time I was ready for her kiss. I think she was a little startled to feel me respond to her kiss, delicate at first then equaling her in passion. She sighed softly as I pulled her deeper into the falls, letting her weight rest on my leg, one arm around her, the other keeping her face towards mine, allowing our lips to repeatedly touch. Amber paused and kissed my neck when she wanted to stop. I felt her hands finally, after just feeling a barrage of her kisses. I think she was amazed by me as I was by her. Her fingers mapped out the whiteness on my chest, sticking out like a beacon in dark water. She traced the tattoos on my arm, on my chest, looking down in amazement while I watched, holding her up. She circled both my nipples, one grey the other brown, working in perfect little circle patterns. She gently touched the piercing on my lip, just a bolt in the center of my mouth barely jutting below my lip. She looked into my eyes, the unnatural shade of blue like sapphires that marked them. She was curious about them, I saw it in her eyes, and it was the same expression as five days ago when we leaned over the salt. Why were my eyes so blue when everyone else’s was brown and auburn? She touched my eyelids. She placed her lips against my own again and gently made a warm path down my throat. She softly licked my Adam’s apple. I nearly jumped out of the water.

My hand slid up her arm, pushing away the band of her gown, pulling it away. I pulled the other band away from her shoulder. It easily came off after that, floating down the stream like a jellyfish. She gasped as I responded to her kisses by holding her up and gently kissed the center of her chest, feeling the bones of her chest against my lips. I wished to kiss her throat like she did mine, but her neck was too narrow for me to find and easily work specific places. It’s best to improvise, as Shuka would say.

I licked between her breasts causing another startled cry. I purred happily, lowering her. I leaned against the rock, keeping her in my arms. I cupped one of her breasts, feeling the erect nipple on my thumb pad. Gently, I tasted it, catching its delicateness on the roughness of my tongue. I tasted the other one as well, leaning her back into my hand. Amber watched as I worked on her breasts, feeling their softness, enjoying their softness against the tip of my snout and lips, keeping her nipples erect in kisses and gentle licks. As I worked on one breast with my mouth, I rubbed and played with her other breast, keeping the nipple erect and the whimpers coming. Amber’s hand remained on my cheek, encouraging me to continue (like I needed any…). Her skin was so soft, softer than the skins of the females, but it was more fragile. I continually had to keep my instincts to be rougher in check. Thinking about being romantic and pleasuring all the while being "delicate" at the same time is not as easy or as enjoyable as you may think.

“Debaun!” she cried out as my tongue gently delved her navel. She pushed me away and I dropped her in the water. She sank like a rock. She gasped as she came to the surface. Softly she stated monosyllabically, “No, no, no.”

She said it playfully her back to me. I came up behind her, sniffing the back of her neck, taking her once again in my arms. There was no smell, but I enjoyed the trembles from her as my lips and snout tip brushed against her neck. Amber turned and pressed a finger against my lips, pushing my head back. She looked down into the darkness of water nervously. She licked her lips and though I could not see it, I felt her hand cup me. I jumped at first; I didn’t know what it was. Amber giggled and returned her hand, her grasp a little bit surer this time. Her hand moved up from my testicles, and then pulled away. She bore a confused expression on her face. I brought her hand back, placing it against my penis, now fully aroused and feeling the coldness of water. In the coolness of the water, her hand was unspeakably hot and containing. It traced me, engulfing me, running up from base to tip. Her thumb pressed into the hole at the tip, and I gritted my teeth. Amber pulled away, startled at my reaction.

“It’s my first time,” I finally blurted, knowing Amber could not understand me, but simply saying it, get out into the air, would take the pressure off my chest, allowing her to see my own nervousness. Amber looked up and placed both her hands on my mine, palms against palms, wrists against wrists, fingers outstretched together. She pressed her body against my own. She pressed her head in the nook between my neck and shoulder, and her hands still holding mine.

I never had a female prior to this, not even as a companion. Shamanism allowed very little time for such antics, and often it was after one became shaman, they may take a mate, or more often remain mate less, such as Shuka. This was doomed to be my fate I felt. Not that the white skin had anything to do with it. According to Shuka, ones such as myself are sterile and females wishing to have young at some point in their lives (which is the case for all in the village) would not wish to mate with me, though it may be enjoyable at first, in the end it was not worth settling down with me.

She said a sentence in human tongue in the same tone as I did. Her own nervousness was starting to come out, her skin blushing bright red (as far as I could see), staring at the nape of her neck and working its way downwards. We were like this for a few moments, just holding each other. I ran my finger down the side of her face, stroking her cheek and keeping the hair out of her eyes. The water started getting cold and Amber pulled away. I thought she was going to leave, but her fingers brushed against my own, just catching my tips. She turned back to face me. I followed her to the big rock. Amber laid half way onto the rock, just halfway, her rump in the air to me. In my naiveté I paused for a moment before realization finally struck.

“Humans mate like dogs?” I stated, startled. Carefully I approached Amber; she gazed over her shoulder at me, nervous. I ran my hand down her back, tracing her spine and brushed her hair off of her back. Amber cooed.

Carefully I positioned myself behind her, holding onto her hips in my hands.

“It’s my first time,” I restated. I moved my hips into position and slid a few inches of my penis into her. Amber gasped. I gritted my teeth and pulled myself back out and pushed myself back in again. I could hear Amber gritting her teeth. I didn’t want to hurt her, and I knew I was. She may be too small for me.

I repositioned myself again, shaking my hips. Amber looked over her shoulder at me, wondering what I was doing. I pushed a few inches of myself into her center, then pulled myself out. I pushed back in, a few more inches, then pulled out. Rhythmically I did this until I was with to ease myself in entirely. Amber’s body expanded and stretched as she accepted me. Amber was hot, inside and out. I could feel the heat forming on her skin as I gripped her hips. I began to work my hips more, feeling more confident with my thrusts. Amber cried out softly, her breaths coming out as little “eh, eh, eh”.

Amber’s inner flower grasped me refusing to let go sometimes when I attempted to pull back. Amber’s face was faced down, her eyes were closed, and continually she attempted to smile, but it was always thwarted with an “eh” or a gasp for breath.

My thrusts became quicker and more powerful, so did Amber’s cries. I was starting to answer her cries with grunts of my own…thank the goddess for the roar of the waterfall. I found it very to difficult to both keep my eyes open and mate at the same time. I kept my eyes closed most of the time, only taking in sound and touch, but I was fine with that.

I slid my hand down between her legs as parts of my mind that remained sane, just parts, most was lost in the lust told me to increase Amber’s pleasure. Shuka told me this, I had to find her bud, and a bundle of pleasure which helps brings the female to climax. The act of mating can bring climax to many females, the male’s organ stimulating it just enough. Just in case, I wanted to make sure Amber received proper stimulation; I wanted to her to be really happy after we were done. My forefinger worked between her legs. It was more difficult than I thought finding it, but finally I succeeded. Amber’s cries became louder. She had less control over her body and slid off the rock. I held her up with my one free hand, wrapped around her chest, supporting her back end on my rocking hips.

My body was in complete control of the motions, I could scarcely think. My mind was lost, the only sense of consciousness I had was the barrage of sensations from my hips. If there were any other sensations from my other limbs, I could not feel them.

Amber worked against my own body, softly cooing, whimpering as she equally pounded against me. Occasionally her wet hair rubbed against my throat or chest, waking me from my ecstasy. Amber’s cries became louder and longer as the thrusts from my hips slowed down and became more powerful in deliverance.

I exploded, my hips feeling like a dam taught with years worth of tension and pressure. Amber shouted, her voice threatening even the most beautiful call of the jungle birds. I could feel the heat…from me and her…dissipate through the water. My body flopped. Amber was a dead weight in my arms, purring softly as she fell back into my arms. I came out of Amber effortlessly, but still I was desperate for companionship, maybe not as potent as mere seconds earlier, but companionship, delicate affection, steady warmth, not quick burning flames. I put my head on her shoulder, still clutching her. She sat on my thigh, legs wrapped around my leg. Her arms rested on my arms tightly wrapped around her. She pressed the side of her face against my own, I could feel the burn radiating through skin, the twitching of her mouth muscles into a smile. She rubbed her cheek into mine.

I think what she said in human tongue next translated into “amazing”.

After much searching, I found Amber’s gown snagged on some rocks. It did not float too far. I brought it to her. She was sitting on the beach, in the clay and sand mixed beach in the nude, head resting against her knees in thought. She did not even hear me ascend up the beach.

“Amber,” I said, holding the gown only a few inches from her face. Amber startled.

“Debaun,” she exclaimed, nearly toppling over. She took the gown and laid it on her knees and laid her chin on top of that. I sat down beside her, our sides just touching.

I wish I could speak human tongue to ask her what she was feeling then, how she was, how it was, how I was, what she thought of me…so many questions, so many questions, so many possible discussions, too much time for too little night left. But all I could do was sit there on the beach next to her and look at her, not looking at me but out into the water, her eyes filled with thought. The least I hoped for was that she knew I wanted to talk to her and say something.

“Amber?” I asked.

She looked up. “Hmm?”

“You okay?” I said in my tongue. “Did you enjoy it?”

“Debaun,” she answered softly and looked back into the moonlit water.

My nostrils picked up the smell of blood, rich blood. I saw the glistening on the rocks below Amber. Like me she was a virgin, it was her first time tonight as well.

“Amber,” I stated.

“Hmm?” Amber turned again.

“Nothing,” I said, looking away at my claw. I wrapped the blanket around her and me.

It was over…our first time. Now, after all the affection, passion, and energy there were just two young people sitting on a beach nude in the cold and at a loss for some reason after gaining so much. We became lovers, friends, we crossed bridges, brought our two worlds together, became each other’s first…and perhaps more. Maybe it was after gaining so much we were bound to drop something, to lose something…ourselves?

I kissed her forehead, to remind her she did not lose me and to remind me she was still at my side. She smiled returning my kiss when I pulled away. There was something different in her eyes, even more different than before. Genuine affection?

Amber leaned against my chest. I closed my eyes.

We were not going to be alone tonight, neither of us were.


AUTHOR’S NOTE: A few questions arose about De’ban’s peoples appearances. They refer to themselves as People of the Earth while the human term for them is “Notadrachs”, false dragons.

Notadrachs are highly, highly evolved forms of dinosaurs. De’ban’s people in particular are highly, highly evolved Tyrannosaurus Rexes (like I said, a former Role Playing Game). Do not think half T-Rex, Half Human, they are farther up on the evolutionary chart than that. I am a complete and total nerd, please forgive me.

T-Rex Notadrachs are human in shape and walk up right. Their arms are proportionate to their body size ending with five fingers. Their fingers are human shaped albeit a little thicker ending with a short claw. Each finger has a pad as well. Their heads are human shaped without hair, with eyes that face forward and eyebrows (stripes that are eyebrow shaped). They have muzzles, which can very from short to long. Their mouths are small and do not go from cheek to cheek like seen in typical reptiles. In fact, they are mammalian (after million upon million up million of years of evolution and genetic mutations and such, and perhaps magic). They are warm blooded and have thick tails, not stubby, but not long either. Their feet are human shaped (which enables them to wear boots) with three clawed toes. They are also omnivores, having very human like teeth with the exception highly pronounced canines, and they are sharper too.

I would say think of Allo from Dinosaucers, or think of a much buffer, more sexier, thinner, more proportionate Barney the dinosaur with a smaller heard and larger eyes.

Notadrach skin is smooth, not scaly, a little bit like soft leather, but mostly like our own. A common color is light brown with dark brown stripes that lighten with age and turn red. Red is an important color. Blushing on certain areas of the face has much to do courtship. Males are slightly more colorful than females. They have broader stripes and are lighter in color. But they are smaller in size (it’s a proven fact, female T-Rexes are larger), but not by much. They are between 6 and half to 8 feet tall. De’ban is around 6 and half.

They have brown eyes, varying from red brown to dark brown and shades in between. Hazel occasionally occurs (only in forest breed of this particular Notadrach). Blue eyes mean something is wrong with the child physically, such as deafness, blindness, muteness, or albinism (piebald in De’ban’s case). This is similar to white cats. If they have two blue eyes, something is wrong, but green eyes or one green eye one blue is okay (we’ve had cats like this).

Deban’s white skin covers the left side of his body and runs up his neck with a little on his cheek. His arm is completely white as well as his pectoral muscle and shoulder blade. The whiteness ends above his knee, covering the front of his thigh.