by Avery Kloss
I hastened after it, the creature sprinting at first, but then slowing to a limp and collapsing. The rest of the herd dashed away, disappearing. After gutting the carcass, I hefted it onto my shoulders, nearly buckling beneath the weight.
“It’s good I took the smaller one,” I muttered, although I felt elated at the kill. I had gone on too long without meat. I planned to eat a good deal tonight, while smoking the rest.
At the camp, the fire nearly out, I set about cutting up the carcass, and gathering branches from which to hang the meat on. All the while, the wolf watched me, his eyes fixed on the meal I prepared. I tossed him venison, and he drew near to get it, chewing heartily.
By the light of the flames that night, I continued to labor over the carcass, an abundance of it hanging near the fire, the strips drying through the smoke. The wolf joined me, lying down on the other side, his belly bulging with meat. He licked at a paw, a contented expression upon his face. I assumed he was happy. I was happy, smiling.
“What have you decided, Peta?”
“About what?”
“About continuing on.”
Sitting cross-legged, I eyed the fire. “I do believe I’ll venture to the prairie. This is it, though. I’ll go to that valley, but no further. If I don’t find another living soul, then so be it. I can’t wander forever. I’ll just settle somewhere and build a shelter and live.”
“I like that.”
“Sungir taught me everything I need to know. I can manage.”
“But you’ll be lonely.”
“I’m lonely now. Do shut up about that. I don’t wish to talk about it.”
The wolf eyed me, a tongue flicking out.
“I know you think I’ve lost my mind. Perhaps I have.” I tossed another stick into the fire. “I feel better, though. The meat was wonderful. I have enough to last for a good while.” I glanced at my companion. “Will you follow me still if I leave the forest?”
He eyed me, his look bland, unconcerned.
“You’re not going to answer, are you? Why are you alone?” He looked too young to be on his own. “Did something happen to your mother? Where’s your family?” Was he an orphan? “I had a family. They vanished.” I thought about my bad fortune, praying it would not follow me to my new life.
With a renewed sense of purpose, I settled down to sleep, feeling full from the meal and oddly content. Knowing the wolf slept nearby and would alert me to danger, I rested well, not waking until the noisy birds at dawn screeched overhead.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
To my delight, Wolf followed me into the grassland, ambling on ahead, as if he were my guide. He disappeared every so often to sniff at something, but then he would return, his tail bouncing behind him. I smiled at the sight, feeling less lonely than I had been, enjoying the company while it lasted.
The sun beat down upon my scalp, with no possibility of shade, even when I stopped to rest. I held a piece of leather over my head, tying it beneath my chin to keep the sun from my face. The warmest part of the season showed little mercy, the temperature relentless. Wolf led the way to a small brook, the water not as clean as I would have liked, but I treated it by tossing a hot rock into animal skin, boiling it on contact.
“Thank you.” I sat by a small fire, the moon a bright ball on the horizon. “Our first day was rather successful.” Tossing Wolf a piece of meat, he ate it readily, waiting for more. “You’re very good company.” I would not allow myself to grow too attached, though, anticipating the day he would venture off without me. “I’ll be your friend, as long as you’re with me.” I chewed on the meat, the taste savory. “I might sleep very well again.” I hated being out in the open like this, the grass tall around us, but it could not be helped. Pulling the pelt over my head, I closed my eyes, the crackling of the fire easing me to sleep.
After sunrise, we set out again, Wolf trotting ahead, his tail bobbing. I hummed as I walked, glancing from side to side, ever watchful for danger. Being in the open like this, we encountered various herds; although sensing us, they darted in other directions. I feared the big cats, praying every morning that we would not come across them. The burning sun left me overly heated, my skin sweating. I had seen a green valley from the top of the tree, knowing that if we continued in this direction, we would reach it.
A sudden growl caught my notice, the wolf having stopped to peer at something on the ground. I nearly walked straight into him. “What are you doing?” A thick, brown snake slithered here, its head quite large. I knew it to be highly poisonous. If I had not been with the wolf, I might have stepped on it. It blended in far too well. “Thank you.”
Wolf trotted on, unperturbed at having encountered something that could kill with a single bite.
That night, we sat by the fire, having yet to fully cross the savanna. I dreaded another day out in the open, wishing we could walk at night. Tossing Wolf some meat, we ate in silence, the crackling of dried wood hissing and splintering. I hadn’t found water this evening, having only had it in the morning. Feeling parched and dizzy, I had to wait until sunrise to find something to drink.
“Or die on the plain,” I muttered, bringing the pelt up around my ears. “I’m tired of walking. I’m tired of being thirsty. One more day and by tomorrow evening, we should be near the valley. With any luck.” I lifted my head, seeing the wolf staring at me. “You can sleep here, if you want.” I patted the spot next to me. “I won’t bite.” I laughed at that, finding it funny. “Goodnight.”
Locating water relieved me greatly, my thirst formidable. Despite the watering hole looking more like a muddy bog, I managed to extract enough to drink, lighting a fire to heat a rock. Eyeing the mud, I touched it, feeling its soft, clay-like quality. An idea formed in my mind as I waited for a rock to heat. Thrusting my hand into the muck, I withdrew a hefty clump, smearing it over my arms. I felt instantly cooler, the mud protecting my skin from the sun.
“I wish I’d found this earlier.” Dropping the stone into the skin, it boiled on contact, making the water drinkable. While waiting for it to cool, I rubbed clay all over my neck and shoulders, even coating my face. The wolf sat at a distance, casting a glance my way every so often. “How do I look?” I giggled, knowing I must appear like some sort of filthy creature, yet not caring. “This should do it. I’m hoping there’s water in the valley. I’ll bathe later.” I drank the now warm fluid, grateful for it.
Getting to my feet, I eyed the grassland, searching for danger, yet not seeing any. Tossing sand into the fire to put it out, I gathered my things, the wolf noting this. He got up a moment later, joining me on the walk, although he trotted ahead quickly. I followed him, withdrawing some meat to chew. He sniffed it, pausing in mid-stride, turning to look at me.
Crouching, I held out my hand, waiting for him to take it. “Come get it, Wolf.” I thought for certain he would ignore me, but, to my surprise, he ambled over, snatching the meat from my outstretched hand. Stunned, I smiled. “Well, that’s interesting.” We continued to walk, the animal leading the way.
Towards the later part of the day, the brownish grassland slowly began to change, an expanse of trees to one side with a mountain in the distance on the other. The valley emerged, looking greener than where I had just been, with an assortment of boulders jutting, interspersed with vegetation. A robust stream cut through the lowest portion, a thick covering of grass on either side, as far as the eye could see. I stopped to admire the view, finding it beautiful here, the sky vibrantly blue and clear, although a few clouds floated over the mountain.
“This will be my new home.” Gazing at the valley, I did not see any evidence of human occupation, my spirits slightly dismayed by this. “No people.”
It did not matter now. I could not go on any longer. Wolf and I would find the perfect spot to settle and build a hut. Or perhaps those rocky hills hid a cave. I adored caves, finding them ideal places to live. Tired from the walk and yearning to rest, I pushed onward, the wolf trotting ahead.
“I hop
e we can find water.” The clay made my skin itch, the mud looking dry and cracked, although it had protected me from the stinging rays of the sun today. “Is that water?”
Wolf took the lead further, scampering towards what appeared to be a small piece of wetland, the water glistening, while stalks of grass thrust out from within. I met up with him a moment later, nearly out of breath.
“I can drink that, but I’ll have to make a fire. It’s too wet here for a fire.” Kneeling, I captured water in the skin, tying it off for now.
A growl escaped Wolf, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. I knew then we were not alone, some predator having found us. Grasping the spear, I spun around, glancing at the end of a sharpened spear tip, which hovered over my face. I gasped, meeting the gaze of a stranger, the man quite tall. Wolf growled, capturing the man’s attention. He withdrew an ax that he prepared to throw.
“Don’t kill my animal!”
His head snapped in my direction. “What?”
“That’s my pet. Don’t kill him.”
Another man appeared behind him, holding a spear. “That’s a wolf,” he said. “I’ll take care of it.”
I bounded to my feet. “No! He’s my pet!” Wolf growled, baring his teeth in anger, protecting me. “He thinks you mean me harm.”
The man lowered the spear, although he eyed Wolf warily. “Tell it to stand down.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I’ll kill you both, if you don’t.” His voice sounded husky, the tone infused with tension. “Tell it to stop being aggressive.”
“It’s in his nature to be the way he is. I can hardly—” the tip of his spear appeared before my face. “Wolf, stop it!” I glared at the man. “If you put that down, he might not think you’re trying to kill me.”
The man lowered the weapon, his dark blue eyes skimming over me. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone filthier.”
“The clay’s protecting my skin.”
“I say, kill them both,” said the man behind him. “She’s an urchin and the wolf’s rabid.”
Reaching into one of the leather bags, I pulled forth some meat, approaching Wolf. “Here. Take this. It’s all right.” I knelt before him, softening my voice. “Here’s a treat.” I had yet to touch him, but I would not attempt it now, the animal agitated by the men. “Have it.” He eyed me, then the men, ascertaining whether a threat existed or not. At long last, Wolf took the meat from my fingers. “There. That’s better.”
I got to my feet, facing the men, although the darker haired one began to walk away. From this vantage point, with the sun not being in my eyes, I saw the man who held the spear better. With blondish hair and a blonde, straggly beard, his face struck me as oddly familiar, but I could not place it.
“Who are you?” he asked, taking a step nearer.
“I’ve been traveling for a long time. I didn’t know there were people here. I was going to settle in the valley. I’m tired of walking.”
“You’re alone?”
I thought to lie and say I was with a group, but he would know that wasn’t true. Intelligence flickered in his eyes. “Yes, but, no. I have Wolf.”
“Not many people come this way.”
“Like I said, I’ve been walking for many, many days.” I licked my lips. “Is there any water?”
He glanced at my bow, which sat upon a leather bag. “Is that some sort of weapon?”
“It is.” Approaching, I picked up my things, slinging leather bags around my shoulders. “I have to find water.”
His eyes followed my every move, blonde brows furrowing in thought. “I can take you to water.”
“Thank you.”
I must have gotten too close, because he sniffed, grimacing. “You smell.”
“I’m aware of that.” I grasped the spear. “Where’s the water?”
“This way.”
Wolf ambled ahead, while we followed, the man behind me. He spoke little, but I sensed his attention, my skin prickling at his proximity. We ventured down a hill towards a running brook, although something peculiar occurred in the ground a short distance away, a large pool glistened in a rocky field. A smoky sort of cloud hovered over the water, drifting away on the breeze, but more appeared just as quickly.
“You can drink from the stream and bathe in the pool.”
Curiosity had me approaching the edge, my foot feeling heat. “It’s warm.”
“Yes.”
I expected him to leave then, turning to face him. “Thank you.”
“You may … find shelter with us tonight, if you like, but you must be cleaner than you are.”
“And my pet? Do you extend the invitation to him too?”
“I suppose.” He sat on a nearby rock, drawing up a knee, and resting a wrist upon it. “But please bathe first. From the way you speak, I know you’re my kind, but I’ve no idea what you look like beneath all that … dirt.”
A slight smile toyed around my mouth, the prospect of warm water an unexpected delight. The idea of a hot bath appealed to me as nothing ever had before. Dropping my things in a heap, I waded in, the feeling luxurious. I had never encountered water this warm before without first heating it in a fire. This anomaly had to be some sort of wild magic or the gods had a hand in it. While the man sat and watched, I went under, washing my face and neck, filth floating all around me. Wolf sat as well, sniffing at the wind periodically, his fear of the man having vanished.
After soaking for an inordinate amount of time, I emerged, grasping at my hair and wringing it out. Water fell from my shoulders, cascading over my breasts and thighs, my skin feeling clean for the first time … in a long time. I had captured the man’s full attention, his eyes trained on me. Tying on a leather skirt, I approached him.
“That was lovely. I do believe I will live here. I’d be a fool not to. I can bathe every day, if I wish.” His eyes bore into me, the attention not something I had ever encountered before, yet I wasn’t self-conscious in the least, standing tall and proud before him. Perhaps I had missed some clay, glancing at my arms and legs, seeing only clean, tanned skin. “Is something amiss?”
“Where did you get that?” He pointed to the purple rock hanging from my neck.
“Someone I used to know made it for me.”
He breathed sharply, his chest rising and falling. “Peta?”
I blinked. “What?”
“Is that your name?”
A host of memories flooded, realizing who sat before me, although he appeared changed, with tiny wrinkles skirting the edges of his eyes. I smiled, feeling as if, for once, the gods might have heard my prayers.
“Ronan?”
He nodded.
Instinct took over, and I flung myself at him, crying, “I can’t believe I found you! I can’t believe it!”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
His arms went around me, squeezing me tightly, his mouth against the side of my throat.
“I can’t believe my luck. This isn’t real. It can’t be.”
“It is,” he murmured, a hand drifting down my back to cup my buttocks.
I had never been touched in this manner before, finding it slightly disconcerting. He smelled of sun-kissed skin and musk, his hair a riot of tangles down his back, while his beard tickled my neck. I had yet to extract my arms from around his neck, enjoying the contact. The feel of another body, the comfort of arms about me, I wanted to savor every moment.
“You’re not a child anymore,” he whispered.
“No.” Elation and relief brought tears to my eyes. “I thought you dead.”
“I thought you dead.”
“I’ve so many questions. Where have you been?”
“I could ask the same of you, but let’s go to the cave. I’ve been in the sun long enough today.” Instead of letting me go, his arms tightened, drawing me onto his lap. Standing, he brought me with him. “You’re my woman.” My feet dangled above the ground.
I glanced over his shoulder at my things and
Wolf. “Wait! I can’t leave everything. I need the weapons and I’ve meat in the bags. Put me down.” Pushing against his shoulders, I felt the strength of him, the muscles here finely honed from season after season of hunting. “Put me down, Ronan.”
With obvious reluctance, he set me on my feet, eyeing me as if I might dash into the grassland and disappear. I tossed the leather bags over a shoulder and picking up the weapons. He never stopped staring, noting my every move.
I smiled. “I’m ready.”
He nodded curtly, indicating we walk, although his hand soon fell to my shoulder. We wandered around a rocky hill, following a small path to a larger grouping of boulders. Wolf trotted behind, unsure of where we went, but he soon passed us, ambling along on the trail between the rocks, the climb growing.
“How long have you lived here?”
“Not very.”
His hand lingered on my shoulder, which I found odd. “Where have you been?”
“Everywhere.”
An opening appeared a few paces ahead, the wolf having gone up, while we climbed behind him. Reaching the entrance of the cave, I stopped to admire the view, Ronan standing quite close, his hand never once leaving my shoulder, although he now slid the bags down my arms, taking them.
“It’s beautiful here.” I stared into the distance, admiring the mountain and the valley below, the lushness providing enough hunting to sustain a life. “I can see why you’ve settled here.”
“Come inside.”
I followed him in, my eyes adjusting to the dim light, the cave ceiling quite high. This space could house an entire clan, the cavern surprisingly vast. Rocks surrounded a fire pit in the center, with flatter rocks for cooking. It smelled of animal hide and grilled meat, the floor littered with pelts.
Ronan dropped my things on the ground, turning to face me, his eyes drifting up and down my person. I had never been more aware of being female than in that moment, something in my core stirring to life, filling my belly with a rush of tingles.