The Fox Hunter's Unexpected Love Story.

POV : THREE YEARS LATER;

An envoy of carriages filled the road leading to the mystical forest. The exteriors of the carriages were decorated and the ones in the carriages were couples. The air was light and crisp and with lanterns placed along both sides of the road,it gave a festival kind of vibe. Behind the carriages ,other clansmen and women walked majestically each dolled up in their best attire. The air was mixed with alluring scents of perfumes creating an erotic atmosphere.

"Looks like everyone was looking forward to the festival,"Hu Jian remarked while looking outside through the carriage's window.

"It's just bunch of horny folks!"Hu Lan scoffed.

"Look at you. Dressed so well but not willing to find any mate,"Hu Jian said criticizing his friend.

Hu Lan ,from the noble most family in the Hu Clan was well known for his agile and cold demeanour. For several years in a row,he held the clan's best warrior and most handsome man titles to himself. His best friend Hu Jian wasn't any worse than him. In terms of both talent and appearance Hu Jian was worth of being compared to Hu Lan.

That night,Hu Lan was cladded in red Hanfu robes with a wide black belt cinching his thin waist. Though a large percentage of Hu Lan's beauty depended on his face,Hu Lan invested more on his hair. He would take lots of hours combing and treating his long black silky hair .He was especially obsessed with wearing golden crowns to hold his long tied up hair in place. He owned at least a hundred golden crowns and wore a different one daily.

In their carriage,Hu Lan's maidservant Li Na was with them. She was younger than them with a beautiful symmetrical face. She was a fierce yet jovial girl and loyal to her master.

An hour later ,the mystical forest was flooded with the Hu clan folks marking the beginning of the Moonlit Wine Ceremony.

The Moonlit Wine Ceremony was a festival designed by the ancestors some years back. The Hu Clan was experiencing a low birthrate and was almost becoming extinct. To prevent this,the ancestors designed the festival to ensure production of offspring and ensure continuity of their clan.

The festival took place at a secluded mystical forest under the light of a full moon. The trees were adorned with glowing lanterns, and a gentle mist rolled through the area, adding to the enchanting atmosphere. A sacred clearing, known as the "Moonlit Glade," served as the central location for the ceremony.

There was a Special Wine called "Lunar Nectar," which was made from rare moonflowers that bloomed only once a year. These flowers were harvested by the clan's elders during a secretive ritual. The wine was said to have magical properties that enhanced fertility and strengthen the bond between mates.

The festival began with a ceremonial dance performed by the clan's most skilled dancers, symbolizing the unity and strength of the Hu clan.The clan's soon to be Chief ,Hu Wei gave a speech about the importance of the festival and the hope for a prosperous future.

The Lunar Nectar was then brought to the Moonlit Glade in ornate, silver chalices.

The clan's shaman blessed the wine, invoking the spirits of their ancestors to guide and protect the clan.

Unmated foxes participated in a pairing ceremony where they paired up based on compatibility or mutual love and they marked each other's forehead with cinnabar, symbolizing their bond and the blessing of the moon.

The pairs shared a chalice of Lunar Nectar, sealing their bond. But this was just the mere courtesy of the ceremony. Even old couples participated in the ceremony. Others paired with others regardless of gender. To them homosexuality wasn't a big deal. What remained the rule was that they were forbidden from claiming someone else's mate unless he or she was dead . Widows and widowers were allowed to claim new mates.

A grand feast was prepared with delicacies from the forest.

Music, dancing, and storytelling filled the night as the clan celebrated their unity and the hope for new life.

After the public celebrations, the newly bonded pairs retreated to private specifically to their abodes to spend the night together, encouraged by the effects of the Lunar Nectar. The ceremony combined both claiming another's person whole body and soul.

*****

Back at the residential quarters,Hu Lan and Hu Jian drank while seated on the rooftop. They watched couples entering their houses to complete the final ritual of the ceremony.

"Do you know why Li Na refused to mate with Hu Yang ?"Hu Jian started a conversation.

"How would I know?"Hu Lan responded nonchalantly.

"Dumbass. She likes you and wants to mate with you."

" Did she tell you that?"

"I overheard her telling her friends. I feel bad for her for falling in love with a heartless man like you."

"You know I've never been interested in mating. I will just become a guardian who withdraws from worldly desires and focuses on protecting the clansmen ."

"So you mean you'll never fall in love?"

"Something like that."

Hu Lan had the deepest bonds with those around him but when it came to romance and physical intimacy,he disregarded them because he thought they were merely an exaggeration of feelings and emotions.