Then, without so much as a goodbye, she leaped off into the trees.

Carter truly felt no insult, this was just how she was after all.

The days passed, and the two found a comfortable routine developed between them. They would awake early in the morning to dine on leftovers of the previous day's meal, then Taki would depart for her daily rounds. Carter would spend his day exploring near Taki's tree, working on various forest-living skills he hoped to develop, and just relaxing, as well as doing what he could to continue the construction of the stairs to Taki's tree. Taki would return during the afternoon, usually with a kill for Carter to help prepare to eat, and/or materials for the stairs. Sometimes they would take a walk together in the evening to gather more materials or food, or just to talk. Taki was still not one to initiate conversations, but Carter had gotten pretty good at getting her going with questions about the forest, her past, and other monster girls.

All the while putting aside his worries about his situation, Carter tried to take things one day at a time. A part of him even now anticipated becoming Taki's mate. To have someone who he could trust to never betray him... to always be with and look after him... there was something very attractive about that. He after all had never known such security with Jiro.

Still... so much of this felt surreal, and for better or worse he knew it would not last. The question is what would change and how.

It was another typical evening. Carter's belly was full from the wild boar he had cooked over a fire earlier, caught courtesy of Taki. They had finished a good deal of the stairs up to Taki's tree, and Carter was impressed with their progress on and sturdiness of the structure.

Taki's memory for detail was quite amazing, even if she wasn't sure as to the purpose of some aspects of the construction she could still reproduce them as they built.

Having refreshed and cleaned himself in a nearby creek, Carter now returned to Taki's tree. Not seeing Taki around, he opted to climb up the vine ropes to the tree himself. Living in the wilderness had strengthened his confidence and his body considerably in a short time, and he actually smiled to himself in pride as he reached the tree house in what he wagered was record time. The stairs would still make this much easier though.

He then spotted Taki squatting in a dark corner of the room. Odd, what was she doing there? He stepped toward her, trying to start up a friendly conversation.

“Hey, looks like we'll be finished with the stairs in less than a week."

She didn't respond.

“Uh, Taki? Are you okay?" he inquired as he stepped closer.

Carter noticed she appeared to be breathing heavily, more than she had even after fighting the alpha werewolf. Come to think of it, she had seemed distracted and even quieter than usual over dinner...

He then saw it. Her right hand was down between her legs, while her left was squeezing her breasts intermittently. She turned to him, and her eyes clearly looked different. Still cold and emotionless, there also seemed to be a different sort of intensity in them, one he had never seen before.

“I can't take it..." she said at last, her voice somewhat strained. "I wasn't sure at first, but there's no mistake. It's time. I'm in heat."

Carter stepped back.

“Wh- b-but I thought your mating season didn't start for another week at least?!"

“Your proximity must have sped my body's processes.” She stood and stepped toward him, revealing her inner thighs to be moist from the fluids that were dripping from between her legs.

“I hunger for you now, burn for you now. I must fulfill this need."

“N-now?"