Satia sat in the middle of the fragrant clearing gazing at the pregnant moon. Her heart ached at the differences between her new home and the one she'd known her whole life. The colors. The smells. The tastes. All of them different. Only in the quiet moments alone running as a saber could she enjoy what Earth had to offer.

Memories of pain and torture flooded her, but she pushed them down, refusing to let them ruin her moment of serenity. Six months on Earth, six months, and the nightmares began to cease. The pain had dulled and the scars mostly healed. But the ever-present panic had become like a silent shadow continually clouding her decisions. Saber Mountain Lodge had been a serene retreat from her new world, and yet she couldn't shake the fear that at some point the Obsidian Mountain clan would return to finish them all off- or worse, claim her as tribute. No matter who Razor was.

The men had been more than kind to her. They'd regarded her like a little sister. And yet all of their concern, their kindness had begun to slowly smother her in the last months.

For as much as her nightmares and fear terrified her it had also begun to set a flame of anger deep inside. She hated being this way. Afraid all the time. Running like a rabbit here and there, jumping at new sights and sounds. So she stared up at the sky and breathed deep. The time had come. She needed to conquer her fear before it destroyed her. She could no longer sit in the shadows and pray for the terrors to subside. She needed to do something about it. She needed to get out and face her new life head-on. And she knew just the woman to help her.

Gerri Wilder.

* * *

Stix stared at his hands.

"You see," said his mother. "You see what I deal with? He won't date. He won't look at a female. He won't mate. Eight years I've waited for him to do something and he hasn't. So I come to you now and beg for help."

Stix shook his head. He couldn't believe he was sitting in the matchmaker's apartment listening to his mother tattle on him like he was a teen again skipping school.

His mother nudged him and he gazed up into her soft round face. She pointed across the way, and Stix swung his gaze to the tiny woman with eyes sharp as knives and a mind even sharper. A woman whose very presence commanded respect, even though she didn't even come up to Stix's shoulder.

Gerri stared at him for a long moment running the top of her finger around the rim of her teacup.

"Marris why don't you give me a moment alone with the boy. I'll see if I can talk some sense into him."

Stix's mother nodded. Without a word she walked to the apartment door and exited.

"So," said Gerri, her eyes never leaving his face. "You intend on leaving your mother in such a state?"

Stix opened his mouth, but then closed it. He didn't know what to say. In truth, he'd never found an ursa female that he got on with. The ones he'd met had been more about open relationships and bearing young than they had about actually finding a mate. What he wanted was a woman... not so worldly. Someone to take care of.

"Do you want a mate?" asked Gerri. "Or are you here to appease your mother?"

Stix snorted. "A little of both."

Gerri nodded. "Well, at least you're honest. Honest shifters I can work with."

"I've heard the tales from hundreds of shifters, but I tell you, there isn't a bear on the east coast I am interested in."

"Who says it needs to be a bear?" asked Gerri. "There are many other species. Wolves, dragons, panthers, sabers-"

"Sabers? I met a saber a while back. Affina. I thought she was the last of the females."

"No. Several sabers came through after Affina. A female and a few males."

"Interesting."

Gerri continued to stare at him. "That's beside the point. So, you've never had a girlfriend before? Never had a relationship with someone of the opposite sex?"

"Define relationship," Stix snorted.

Gerri's eyes flashed, and Stix swallowed hard.

"Sorry. I meant no disrespect. No, ma'am. I've been on dates. I've..." He cleared his throat. "Had relations. But I've never had a prolonged relationship with anyone. The closest I've ever come was with a female a few years back, but it lasted less than a year. She was a bit too crazy for my taste."

Gerri stood abruptly, and Stix jumped to his feet.

"All right I think I've got the picture pretty well. I'll see what I can come up with and I'll let you know." She set down her teacup and headed for the door.

"That's- That's it?" Stix rubbed his palms on his jeans.

"Afraid so. I've heard all I need to. I'll mull it over and see if there's a female I think might appeal to a bear such as yourself."

Stix nodded unsure of what else to do and headed for the door. Gerri stood with her hand on the knob but didn't open the door yet.

"Between you and me, I think what you need is for your mom to back off. Twenty-five isn't too old considering how long we live."

"I've told her that a dozen times. Maybe if you tell her, she might listen."

Gerri laughed. "I doubt it."