“Are you hungry?” I ask, glancing uneasily at Har-loh as she pulls out the guts of the wall. I did not even know the wall had guts.
“We should eat,” Tee-fah-nee declares. “You too, Harlow. Josie.”
“I’m not hungry,” Jo-see says.
Har-loh sets down the wall’s guts and wipes black smears off her hands. “This is going to take a while, Josie. I don’t know how many days, but it’s going to be a process of finding the burned-out component and then seeing if there’s a similar one anywhere else on the ship. It might be weeks. You’ll probably be back in the main cave by the time it’s up and running. If that’s the case, I can send a runner to come and get you.”
Jo-see nods slowly and the women emerge from the room to come and eat near the fire. It’s clear whatever Har-loh has told her is not the answer she wants to hear. Poor Jo-see. She seems sad. I rebuild the fire as the females talk amongst themselves, skinning my kill and then putting half of the meat on for charring, the way humans like it, and half raw. As the food cooks, Tee-fah-nee settles in next to me and I put my hand on her leg, pleased at the simple action of being able to touch her. I will never get enough of that.
When everyone has eaten enough, Leezh looks over at us. “So what’s the plan?”
“Plan?” I look to Tee-fah-nee.
She puts her hand over mine and gives it a squeeze. “I guess I’m ready to go back to the South cave whenever it’s safe to travel. My leg is better.”
“I’ll go with you,” Jo-see says. “Might as well get my things.”
Leezh nods. “There’s no reason to split the caves anymore. With the new cave system opened up, there’s plenty of room for everyone, even newly mated couples.” One of her eyes closes in an exaggerated motion.
At her side, Har-loh groans. Leezh does it again.
“Is something wrong with your eye?” I ask Leezh.
All four women break into laughter. Tee-fah-nee just pats my knee and murmurs something about me being sweet.
I don’t understand what I missed, but my mate’s touch reminds me of what is important. “If Tee-fah-nee does not want to go back just yet, we will stay here.”
“It’s fine,” she tells me in a calm voice. Her fingers stroke mine. “It’s not like the others can still try to pursue me as their mate. I’ve been thoroughly claimed.”
And her face turns a ruddy shade as the other women titter.
• • •
We part ways with the women in the morning. Both Har-loh and Leezh are anxious to get back to their kits and their mates and are quick to leave. Jo-see decides to return with us to the South cave. “I need to get my stuff if we are all moving,” she says. The smile is back in her eyes and her expression is bright once more.
The snow is thick on the ground and both Jo-see and Tee-fah-nee exclaim over the changed landscape. They are slow to walk the paths thanks to the snowshoes on their feet, and I make sure they have plenty of time to safely cross the sloping ground. I will not rush them as Taushen did. We make camp in one of the hunter caves overnight, and I build a fire for both Tee-fah-nee and Jo-see to stay warm while they sleep. I guard the entrance, ever on alert. My mate is the dearest thing in the world to me and I will not let my guard down for a moment if it would mean her injury.
In the morning, we clean up the small cave and then head on toward home. Both women are in good spirits, Tee-fah-nee smiling instead of her normal pensive look, and Jo-see chatting and singing along the way. I am watchful, but I cannot resist staring at my mate constantly. I could gaze at her fine features for hours on end and never be bored. Truly, I am the luckiest of sa-khui to have won the most attractive, smartest mate. To add to my blessings, we will soon have a kit. My heart is full.
“Look,” Tee-fah-nee calls out as we near the South cave. “My plants are growing!” She tromps forward in her snowshoes, toward the fragile pink stalks that jut from the snow. “It worked!” She digs her furry mittens into the snow as Jo-see moves to her side.
“The plants use the same fuel as the fire?” I ask, remembering her task of dropping a dung cake into each hole dug for seeds.
“I guess it nourishes the seed itself. I just remembered a story about Native Americans and the first Thanksgiving and the Indians putting fish in with the seeds to make them grow, so I thought manure might do the same.” She claps her mittens and beams up at me. “This is so great! This means we can plant our own food and have lots of not-potatoes for the next brutal season.”
She is clever, my mate. I smile my pride down at her. “You are wise as well as beautiful.”