In a mirror of his previous actions, she then leaned in for a kiss, much like he had done for the others, and whispered, "Thank you."
In response, Orion reciprocated, making the moment even more fervent and passionate. Pulling back with a grin, he remarked, "I should be the one thanking all of you... each and everyone of you."
Once he stood back up, he noticed her tear-streaked face had transformed into a brighter, radiant, and joyful smile.
Bending down to give her one final peck on the lips, Orion then turned around and bid all of his women farewell. He gestured for Ursa to follow him as they needed to take their bath before heading over to the Village Chief's Compound.
As they exited, Celeste quickly rose from her mat and cast her gaze over the gathered women. "With him gone, perhaps it's time for us to have a little chat," she suggested with a strict smile.
......
"Finally," Orion exclaimed with a hint of relief in his voice after presenting his wooden chips to the guards at the Village Chief's main gate, allowing him and Ursa to enter.
Regardless of the time that had passed, he could at least say that he was now eager to grow stronger than he currently was.
"We're running late, so let's just hope Warrior Jean isn't here before us," Ursa chimed in, picking up her pace. Orion quickened his steps to keep up, as they briskly moved past the first two huts and caught sight of the group of his fellow trainees. Stepping forward, he noticed their wide-eyed gazes, mixed with surprise and shock at his sudden appearance.
"Orion...."
"Orion"
Gorg and Grim's voices carried excitement as they approached him, while Tala appeared dumbfounded, clearly caught off guard by his unexpected presence.
'I thought Father said he was too occupied to even consider joining the training,' Tala mused, her brow furrowing as she observed the group gathering around Orion.
"Where have you been?" Gorg exclaimed, immediately pulling Orion into a hug as they came within arm's reach. Gorg's hand lightly patted Orion's back, and he continued, "I tried to find you during the break, but no one was around. Did you guys move to a new hut?"
Gorg's parents were still concerned about Orion's memory loss, so he had taken it upon himself to visit Orion's mother.
However, the absence of everyone in the compound surprised him. He had spotted one person in their compound, but even that person couldn't explain the whereabouts of the others.
Feeling a bit defeated, he had returned home, planning to wait for the next warrior training to ask Ursa about Orion's whereabouts, as she seemed to be spending more time with him lately.
"Yeah, we packed out into another hut," Orion responded to Gorg as he proceeded to give Grim a tight handshake after he was released from the hug.
"Oh, where are you guys staying now?" Gorg questioned. His intuition had proven correct, after all.
Orion picked up on Gorg's expression and could tell that he was still concerned about the memory loss incident.
Recognizing that this issue was likely the last thing on his mother's mind, Orion reassured Gorg, saying, "If you're still worried about that, you really don't need to be."
"You mean?" Gorg's eyes widened with a mix of surprise and understanding.
"Yes, just don't stress yourself about the issue anymore," Orion responded with a nod.
While he understood that reminding his mother of the situation might trigger her to take action, he also realized that Gorg was still troubled by the matter.
Taking into account Gorg's character and personality, Orion decided that he would speak to his mother privately, later on, to address the situation and find a resolution.
He recognized that Gorg's current mindset wasn't conducive for a developing warrior and could potentially hold him back or even evolve into something more detrimental, especially considering their ongoing battle against the Vylkr vines.
"Thank you!! Thank you, Orion!" Gorg exclaimed with joy, springing up and leaping towards Orion for another hug. While he wasn't sure whether Orion had already addressed the issue or planned to do so later, the reassurance that Orion had given him not to worry anymore felt like a soothing herbal to his anxious heart.
Meanwhile, standing to the side, Grim might not have understood the specifics of their discussion, but considering Gorg's previous revelations about his deep friendship with Orion, he assumed it was likely related to that.
On the other hand, Ursa's curiosity was piqued. She was eager to discover what was happening and had decided to wait and ask Orion after the training.
Detecting movement in her peripheral vision, she turned her head just in time to see Tala approaching Orion.
While Tala's undeniable beauty might have momentarily pushed her against a wall, she quickly reminded herself of Orion's honest heart and the presence of Reena, with whom she had also spent time, and who was equally if not more beautiful than Tala.
This realization helped to quell her insecurities, especially when she noticed a figure approaching them and quickly realized that it was Warrior Jean.
"Looks like I was wrong," Tala commented, her arms folded as she appraised Orion. "I had assumed you'd be off tending to more pressing matters, leaving us to our regular training routine. But here you are."
Though she sensed a change in him, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Given that his absence had only spanned a few days, she brushed the thought aside; surely he couldn't have changed that drastically in such a short time, especially compared to them, who had been dedicatedly training.
But rather than addressing her remark, Orion replied, "It's good to see you again too, Tala," opening his arms and enveloping her in a warm hug. Sliding his hands beneath her tulga, he intentionally grabbed her small warm ass cheeks. Suddenly, he found himself recalling the distinct sensation of her buttocks as he tightened his grip slightly.
It was an odd thought, but after the many breasts and asses he'd encountered, he was beginning to feel like he could recognize their owners without even looking at their faces.