“She cries some, but less now that Pashov is there to dry her tears.” He grins and sits back to relax. “The one that weeps the most is Ariana. She is Zolaya’s mate. He is much beleaguered by her tears.”
“Yeah, I imagine this is all pretty new to her.” Were the only ones that resonated the girls from the tubes? “What about Josie? Or Kira? Or Tiff?”
He shakes his head. “No resonance yet for them.”
“Oh.”
“They are young,” he says. “There are many years ahead of them. Plenty of time to resonate to the right man.”
“Mmmhmm. And no mate for you?”
He sighs, and for the first time, his laughing smile falters a little. “No mate and family for me yet. Plenty of time for me as well.” But he looks wistful. “Marlene and Zennek, too. And Nora and Dagesh.”
Dagesh has a weird name – the way it is said, it’s almost like the middle syllable is swallowed and chewed up again. It’s definitely not a human sound. So I just say “Good for them. I hope they are happy.”
“Some are. Some are adjusting. But the entire tribe is pleased. Many new couples and dens created. Soon, there will be many kits running around.” He stretches his legs and then flops on his side in the snow, then props up his chin with his hand. “So many new matings means new quarters for the new families.”
“Oh?”
“No one wants to hear their khuis resonate all night,” he says with a wicked grin.
I feel myself blushing. I suspect that’s not the only thing they hear all night. “Sounds like everyone’s got a cozy set-up.”
“Mm. Cozy for the new couples. Haeden and I volunteered to come after you two. It’s too crowded for a lot of the men. All the hunters are spending much time out on treks. They say it is for the extra mouths to feed, but it is also because it is cramped quarters for those that do not have a family.” He shrugs. “It’s not a problem we thought we would have again.”
“Again?”
Aehako nods and his cheery grin disappears. “Our tribe was larger before. We had many matings, many families. It was a good time for the sa-khui. But fifteen years ago there was a khui sickness that swept through the caves. Many died.” He picks at the snow in front of him. “There was not a den that was not affected by the khui sickness. So many lost mothers, fathers, mates…”
He sits up abruptly and I see Haeden stalk past the edge of the trees. I open my mouth to speak and Aehako gives a small shake of his head, a meaningful look cast Haeden’s way.
Ah. So Haeden’s sensitive about that subject. Got it. “What about Raahosh’s family?” I ask. It’s the first time I’ve actually thought that Raahosh might have a family waiting for him back home. He hasn’t mentioned one. Is it that he doesn’t want to talk about them? Or is it that he lost them in the khui sickness like I assume Haeden did?
Aehako glances around, then leans in. “Did he not tell you of his family?”
I shift forward, lowering my voice. We’re gossiping, but this is gossip I need, so I don’t care. “He hasn’t said anything. Are they at the cave? Or dead?”
“Long dead,” Aehako says in a low voice. “His situation was…an interesting one.”
I move a little closer. “I like interesting.” Plus, I really really want to know. I want to understand what makes my Raahosh tick.
Weird that I’m starting to think of him as ‘my’ Raahosh now.
“His mother, Daya, never liked his father. Vaashan was not a very patient man, and Daya was in love with someone else. But when the khui chooses, it chooses.” He shrugs. “Raahosh was their child and when he was five, his mother resonated for his father anew. That meant another child. She insisted she did not want his kit. Refused to have anything to do with him. She even went to the chief – at that time, it was Vektal’s father.” Aehako rubs his jaw and looks troubled. “The chief declared that she could have his child, because resonance cannot be avoided. But she did not have to live with him. This made Vaashan furious. He lost his temper and kidnapped her away from the tribe. He took her and Raahosh away and did not return. We looked for them for many years, but no one found them. It was as if they had disappeared. Then, after the khui sickness had killed many, Vaashan returned with only Raahosh, and Raahosh covered in scars as you see him now. We asked him where Daya and his child were, but he said they were dead. Killed by metlaks. Vaashan’s choice to take Daya away and force her to give in to the resonance? To become his mate even though she did not want to? It cost her life and that of their kit, and so the chief punished him with exile. Raahosh was left with the tribe so he could grow up in safety.”