The men set off in different directions with their weapons. As I watch Salukh jog away from the cave, I’m surprised to see Vaza change course and head after him.
“That cheater,” Kira murmurs. “He’s going to tail him and scare away his game. Vaza knows he’s not going to win so he’s going to make sure that Salukh fails at all of the challenges.”
My guilt chokes me. I head back to the cave with the others, but there’s no joy in the afternoon for me. I spend some time with Chompy, brushing him and cleaning out his cave. Farli hangs around with me, but she’s silent company since we don’t speak the same language. That suits me fine – I’m not in a talking mood anyhow.
It seems like an eternity before someone returns back to the cave with their trophies. It’s Taushen, utterly triumphant. Hassen returns a short time after, and he’s less than pleased. He deposits his kills and then stalks to his cave to sulk. Bek arrives at sunset, only two kills out of three in his hand.
Salukh and Vaza show up when it’s fully dark, and there is no kill in Salukh’s hand. The frustration on his face is evident.
“Congratulations, Taushen,” Josie says as the tribe tucks into the fresh meat. I don’t eat a thing, because I have no appetite. She awards the hunter his latest seed and then glances around the cavern. “The only contest left is that of ‘Effort’. The tribe is supposed to judge it, but it doesn’t matter at this point. Taushen is the clear winner. He has more seeds than anyone else.”
The young hunter whoops in delight and rushes over to me, looking for encouragement.
I give him a faint smile, even though I feel like throwing up.
“When shall I escort you to the Elders’ Cave, Ti-fa-ni?” He squats on the ground near me, his face puppyish in its adoration. I can’t hate him. He’s just lonely and has a crush. I wish it wasn’t on me, though. “Shall we go tomorrow?”
“Sure, tomorrow,” I say. What choice do I have?
Chapter Twelve
SALUKH
Anger burns in my belly as I tear a leg off of the fresh-killed quill-beast and then head out of the cavern to eat under the stars. Normally I would welcome company but tonight, my head is full of frustration and I want to see no one. I want to be alone with my angry thoughts.
Tee-fah-nee has slipped through my grasp for the moment. The others made sure of that. I had no idea they were so very angry at finding me in her furs until Bek and Vaza came after me with their fists. To them, I am a betrayer.
I do not care what they think, though. Only Tee-fah-nee. But she has been silent, and when Taushen won, she smiled at him and agreed to leave with him in the morning.
My jealousy is fierce. I should have all her smiles. I should be the one taking her to the Elders’ Cave. I should be inside even now, feeding her choice tidbits of meat to ensure that my mate is healthy. Instead, I am outside, angrily gnawing on a quill-beast leg and seething.
Why is my khui silent? Now is the time to claim her. Now is the time to declare that she belongs to me and only me. I do not trust Taushen to keep her safe. He is a good hunter, but younger than I am and easily distracted. He will have two precious females with him and while the trail is safe, there are always risks.
I should go along with them to protect. It is the only wise thing to do.
Footsteps crunch behind me in the snow and I stiffen.
“Ho, friend,” Aehako calls out into the darkness. “Mind if I join you?”
“Yes.”
He laughs and comes to my side anyhow, gazing up at the stars. “It is a nice night.”
I grunt. It was nicer when I was alone.
“Come,” Aehako says and claps me on my arm. “Do not be surly like Haeden. Today was bad. Tomorrow will be better.”
“She leaves tomorrow for the Elders’ Cave,” I say, voice flat with anger. “With Taushen.”
“Yes, she does.” Aehako is silent for a moment and when I look over, he’s gazing up at the stars. “It is hard to think, sometimes, that they are a very different people than us. Most times, my Kira is easy to predict, but then she will say something that I cannot comprehend, and I remember where they come from. The place called Urth.”
I say nothing. I know all too well that Tee-fah-nee is different than a sa-khui woman. I need no reminder. I like her differences. I accept all her unique traits.
“They have different courting rituals on Urth,” Aehako continues. “Strange ones. Perhaps that is why she does not speak up to declare that she wants you, when it is clear she has affection for you and not the others.”
She does not speak up because she is afraid. I know this, and some of my anger burns away. Bek and Vaza used their fists on me this day. I did not care, because I am strong and can handle anything they might try. But Tee-fah-nee fears that they will become violent against her. The thought of a male striking a precious female is incomprehensible, and yet she has been hurt by others in the past. “She has her reasons.”