Free Dark Feather: A Dark Post Apocalyptic Romance by Alta Hensley

afternoon. Be prepared.”
    “I am always prepared,” I told him smugly.
    All he did was nod, then he swiftly left my tent, jumping onto his snowmobile, spun it expertly in a tight circle, and disappeared into the night.
    I took another deep breath and let myself relax on my mattress. Again, I stared up at the ceiling and listened to the sounds of the night, somewhat in disbelief of Rigby.
    Rigby was the commander of this army. During my stay, I had learned plenty. He was the cousin of General Dablin Becker. Rigby was in training to be the next general, as he was deemed the next to follow Becker. He had a hand in the training of the soldiers for the most recent battles, and his reputation as a fair, but tough, leader blanketed the camp. Word had spread swiftly about me being ‘claimed’ by him. No one spoke of it, but all kept their distance. Vulgar comments had completely ceased.
    I shut my eyes, feeling a bit of sleepy crust nestle in the corners. My thoughts drifted to his discipline and his talk about the need for submission. The stinging correction to my backside had been unlike any sensation I had experienced. Ever since the last spanking, I could only wonder if it would happen again. If I did indeed marry this man, would I find my buttocks constantly warmed? As appalled as I should have been by his display of overbearing masculinity, I couldn’t for the life of me forget the feeling. And if I truly were being honest, I craved it again.
    Since that moment, Rigby had been frequently on my mind. Even in the midst of battle, he had been on my mind. His skin was the smoothest I had seen, and it was a rich color, darker than the men of the Penna. Though he had scars, and though his appearance revealed an ice age worn warrior, he also had an allure.
    I shook my head and took another deep breath. But even as I nestled down and drifted off into sleep, I found myself thinking of Rigby in every way possible.

Chapter Seven
     
    I hardly slept, which wasn’t something new for me. The idea of going to bed, closing your eyes, and waking up with the sun was a luxury not granted to a soldier. We were trained to always be ready, and that was a habit I couldn’t break even if we were supposed to be resting and recovering. I woke early, just as the sun was rising above the horizon, painting the sky with pinks and yellows and reds. I enjoyed being out in the early morning, before everyone woke and disrupted the tranquility of the day.
    I headed out of my hut early that morning with the intention to train. Even though we were ordered to rest and recover, I still felt the need to keep up my physical stamina. I trekked out to the short training area in the middle of the living quarters. The living quarters were a cluster of huts where all the soldiers slept, and the tents surrounded a communal training plain that held a variety of weapons which allowed soldiers to hone their skills. I was the only fighter who visited the training area every day and seemed to stay there for hours, even though my body begged me to stop.
    Just like every other day, I made it to the training center and dug my feet in the snow to ground myself. I had taken my personal sword with me and now pulled it from the sheath that was slung over my shoulders. With a calm breath, I watched the early morning sun glint off the blade. I launched into a rigorous training session, wielding my blade expertly. As the sun started to rise, more soldiers awoke to see me already at work.
    As soon as the sun stood overhead, I stopped and let my body rest for a moment. I sat down on the freezing snow, breathing heavily. My mouth was incredibly dry and sweat poured down my forehead, soaking my uniform. Hearing the crunch of snow, I turned to my right to see Oakes standing a few feet away.
    “What do you want?” I asked as I stood, ready to fight if that was his plan.
    “I’m simply watching the great Penna warrior in action,” he said with a smirk.
    I swiped at a long lock of