Epilogue

- Bronwen -

"So Noker got trapped himself," Alba muses. "Lured by one of those creepy grubs that sound just like a baby. The same way he tried to trap us. It's kind of poetic justice, if it hadn't been so tragic for one of his clansbrothers."

We're over at the baking oven, waiting for my last experiment to finish. I've only been married for a few days, and I'm still deep inside a pink cloud of bliss.

"He says it himself," I tell her. "He thinks it's funny how he got trapped in a pit. But thankfully he got out."

"How is Dexer? I heard he broke his collarbone."

"Almost back to normal," I tell her, wiping off my work surface with a leather rag. "These guys heal fast. Looks like he won't have any lasting effects. But imagine someone as big as Noker stepping on your shoulder and then jumping straight up as hard as he could. That had to hurt."

"Better than to stay in that pit. Meanwhile, this smells good."

She's right. The oven does give off a delicious scent of baked goods, with a hint of vanilla and roasted nuts. "Don't get your hopes up. It's easy to make it smell all right, but much harder to produce something that you can actually eat."

Alba sniffs the air. "Nice. The smell itself may be reason enough for building this oven. It's really nice. And they built it in one day?"

I take off my dinosaur-skin apron, one of the wedding gifts from the clan. "The Foundlings are really capable when you let them do the work they want to. I mean, having no legs or being deaf doesn't mean you can't do all kinds of important things."

"Was that holding them back before? Having just three guys doing all the important stuff, and not letting the others leave their platforms?"

"I think it may have," I shrug. "They were always afraid of attacks. In fairness, a Foundling on the ground is a much easier target than if he's a hundred feet up on a platform. Now, they're not as scared."

"The outcasts are gone, and the Borok tribe will do daily patrols in the area," Alba says. "And they have all these thorn bushes now. The only danger would be the really big dinos. Or the flying ones."

I glance up, but there's no dactyl on the sky. "It's hard to defend against those, but that's true for any tribe."

She gives me a little smile. "Meanwhile, you're looking happy these days."

"I am happy," I admit. "I know it's crazy marrying a caveman alien who's half dinosaur. But I feel like this was all worth it, because I met him."

She frowns. "The years in the tunnels were worth it? Really? Just a couple of weeks ago, you were calling them 'sewers'."

I squat down and open the wooden door to check on the experiment. "That's how good he is. Looks like we need another couple of minutes here. How about you, Alba? Not into cavemen? Oh, just listen to me. I'm becoming the worst cliche. You know, when married couples are always trying to get their friends hitched, too. Sorry. You stay single as long as you want."

"Yeah, don't hold your breath for my wedding," she chuckles. "I don't think these guys are for me. I like the bookish type, you know? And these guys don't even have books."

"They have scrolls," I tell her. "At least, Melr'ax does."

"Scrolls with pictures, but not writing. I don't want a children's-bookish guy. Anyway, any news about that dragon we should expect?"

"Not as far as I know. I wanted to ask Melr'ax more about that. It sounds like total nonsense to me, but then Noker told me about a golden apparition that harassed them before, and he said maybe there's a connection? Something like that. Sounds like a fairytale. Okay, ready to try this brick of burned alien fruits?" I squat down and open the door. Using my thick apron as a potholder, I get hold of the ceramic loaf pan and lift it out.

"That looks good!" Alba exclaims. "And it smells incredible!"

I turn the pan upside-down and knock on it. The bread drops out, and I quickly turn it right side up. It's about six inches high and twenty long.

"Not too burned, not rock hard," I state, hopeful that it's finally worked. "But it could still be liquid on the inside… hand me the knife, please."

Alba gives me the knife. "Shouldn't bread knives be serrated?"

"The Foundlings don't have that, but I have one on order from Noker and his forge. This could still work." I slowly, carefully cut off a slice. The bread resists the blade, like it should. Steam rises from the cut.

"Want the heel?" I hand Alba the end piece.

"Any piece is fine… oh, this smells so good!" She brings the slice to her nose.

I cut off another slice. "Pretty airy, looks like. Consistent structure. Whiter than we're used to, but I don't see that as a problem… The yeast worked."

"Should we taste it?"

I take a deep breath. "Okay. No expectations, okay? This is just for fun."

We both take a bite of our slices at the same time.

The crust is crunchy between my teeth, and there's no uncooked, doughy part. The inside is not too chewy or sticky, but airy and with a tendency to melt on the tongue. The flavor…

"It's nutty, but also sweet," Alba sums up. "And that vanilla is just delicious. It's hot!"

"Straight from the oven", I remind her. "The way it should be. Oh my, Alba! I think it worked!" I do a happy little dance, taking another bite and chewing luxuriously, spreading crumbs everywhere. "A delightful twist on a classic favorite! Baked to golden perfection in our exotic outside oven, this soft and airy loaf combines the finest white drap roots with a generous blend of crushed…umm… mystery nuts, adding a satisfying crunch and a hint of sesame seeds to every bite. With a dash of fragrant alien vanilla, each slice offers a subtly sweet aroma and flavor that perfectly complements the jungly undertones. Whether toasted for breakfast, used for dinosaur bait, or roasted over a campfire, the Foundling's Gold promises a unique and delectable experience that will leave you wanting more."

"You're not kidding," Alba says, pushing the rest of the end piece into her mouth. "Can I have another one?"

I slice one off for her. "Sure. You're my trusty lab rat."

"Let's go!" Alba urges me with her mouth full. "The other girls have to taste this while it's still hot. Bring it with you!"

I rake the fire out of the oven, and we walk quickly back to the camp with the bread.

The girls are suitably impressed, and we eat bread until only the other heel is left.

"I'll give this to Noker," I announce. "He has to know what his baking oven can do."

"Great work, Bronwen." Astrid says. "Best bread I ever had."

I grin as I walk away. If it could cheer her up, then the bread is more of a success than I ever thought.

Noker is busy making charcoal for his forge. He's standing beside a big mound of wood that's been covered in dirt so that the wood doesn't burn, but just releases the impure gasses.

He smiles when he sees me. "I was just thinking about you, my love."

"So? You always thinking about me."

"Yes, but this time I was thinking about your behind."

"But your'e always thinking about my behind! Here, look what Alba and I made in the oven!" I hand him the end piece. "This is the bread I told you about. The girls really like it."

He turns it over in his hands. "How wonderful. It's warm, I notice. So this is something that you… burn?"

I roll my eyes. "Is something you rub all over yourself. No, silly. You eat it!"

He eyes the slice skeptically. "Do I? It feels dry."

"Take a bite and try to remember that it's not a fruit. It's not supposed to be juicy. Go on."

He sniffs it and then bites off a corner, tearing it off the heel. "Great success, then. It's not juicy at all." He chews for a while. "Tastes a bit like drap roots."

"Can you guess why?"

"It's made from drap roots?"

"Yes. Well done! Drap roots and nuts and special foam and more things. The foam works well. Can I have more of it?"

"I will ask Kerek to make more foam. Yes, this is exquisite food. Very alien. Very… dry." He looks at the rest of the heel in his hand. "Do I have to finish this?"

"Oh, just give it to me." I snatch the heel back and bite into it myself. It really is delicious. "You cavemen have no taste for good food."

He shrugs his massive shoulders. "I'm sure I will learn to like it."

"Of course you will. This what the oven is for, my love. But it can make more things. Sweet things. This not is sweet, but can be more sweet. One day I will ask you to take me to the beach and we can find Piper's grains."

He brightens. "A trip in the jungle? Just you and me?"

"To a beach," I repeat. "Imagine how nice would be to stroll along the sand, in the sun, not wearing clothing…"

"We will go in two days," Noker decides on the spot. "I have to finish this first."

I shoot my hip out. "You think the charcoal is more important than my behind without clothing on?"

"Nothing is more important than that, my beloved. In fact, this burn will take a while. It doesn't need me right now. Let's go to the lake. I want to check if your behind is ready for a walk to the beach."

"You just want to see it," I accuse, a warm surge going through me and ending up at my center.

"I want to see it," he admits and flexes his fingers. "And then I want to… touch it."

"Oh…" The words are enough to start the tingles. His touch is magical.

"I think I must touch it for a long time. To make sure."

I take his hand. "I think so too. We must make sure."

With our hands entwined, we head towards the lake, our laughter and silly little jokes blending with the sounds of the jungle around us.

I'm still a tunnel girl, and Noker is still a Foundling. This doesn't solve every problem we have. But in this moment, everything feels perfect and right—Noker's playful promises, the warmth of his hand in mine, and the tingles that run up my arm.

As we walk, I realize that this is what most of us are searching for, on Xren or on Earth: a future where love is simple and unyielding. I will step into that future with Noker, ready to face whatever comes, our hands firmly clasped.

And I'll get him to like the bread I bake if it's the last thing I do.