Chapter 13

Jodah

Pleasure rolls through me over Sage's reaction to her gift. I still need to craft her image on a stone and there is one we found today that is the perfect size. Hers will be far better than the one I did of myself since I have only seen my features in the distorted surface of the flowing river. I have nearly memorized my mate's and can pull it from my memory at will.

The village is teeming with activity as we stride through it despite the cold dust that has been slowly accumulating on the ground over the last few turns of the sun. I glance down at Sage.

"Are you warm enough?"

She leans more into me and her hold on my arm tightens. I love that she touches me without hesitation. "You definitely help. You're like a furnace. Still, I'm not sure I'm going to be fully thawed out until cold season is gone, but I'll manage."

Since there is nothing to be done about the temperature or the cold dust, that is the best things are going to get. I scan the tribespeople wandering around. Most of the hunters are, no doubt, still out searching for game while the rest of the tribespeople move around. A small group of warriors left shortly after the morning meal for the human settlement and their daily sparring lessons. Word has returned that several of them are improving.

Relations between our people and theirs have also improved. Which is obvious as we approach the elders' tents. Several human females I do not recognize as being members of our village are seated beside the smaller central fire getting lessons on cooking. There are even a couple older human kits present. I had counted a handful of human males in the training arena earlier as well.

My nene steps out and my pace picks up slightly.

"Greetings, Nene." I step away from my mate and close the final distance between us.

Has she gotten smaller since the last time I saw her? It was only a few turns ago. I bend and press my brow bones to hers with my fist over my chest. She lays both hands on either side of my head and holds me a moment before releasing me. I straighten with a half-step to the side and reach out for Sage. With only a slight hesitation, she places her palm in mine and I gently draw her forward.

"Nene, this is my mate, Sage."

She smiles, but it is not an easy one like I have seen over the past turns. This one is tentative.

"It's an honor to meet you."

As with me, Nene palms both sides of Sage's head and brings their brows together, only she must bend to reach my mate. "Deeka has blessed me with a beautiful daughter as well as a strong mate for my son. May the goddess smile down upon you from now until you venture into her lands."

Tension visibly bleeds from Sage's body as she covers Nene's hands with hers and whispers something I cannot hear. Had she been that worried about meeting my nene? The two females separate and there is a sheen of wetness in my mate's eyes.

"Come. Gitesh wishes to meet his daughter as well," Nene takes Sage's hand and guides her toward the tent.

The two step inside and I follow. Within, it is warm and a small fire burns in the center. Seated in his furs and leaning against a board I fashioned with soft coverings to protect his back is my baba. Grief fills me at his state. He is no longer the powerful warrior I remember from my youth.

Gone is the vibrant color of his skin. My gaze tracks the dull and faded mating marks that cover his arms and chest. Eyes that used to shine bright are cloudy and unfocused. His once long hair the color of the earth is thin and paler than the bari grass that makes up the field outside of the village gates. It is tied back in an intricate plait but is listless.

To my surprise, Sage carefully lowers herself to her knees directly beside my baba and sits back on them. She places the stone with my likeness beside her. Nene stands nearby and her eyes have not left either my mate or Baba.

"Hello," she speaks softly to him and surprises me once again by placing her fist on her chest. "I'm Sage, Jodah's mate. It is an honor to meet you."

The smile that splits my baba's face is the most wonderful thing I have seen in many lunar cycles. In fact, I cannot remember the last time he has done so. Baba reaches out and my mate places her hands in his. He squeezes them but does not speak. It is not often that he does any more. I glance over at Nene. Joy lights up her face. She turns to me and approval is written in her eyes.

"Come, let us eat," Nene announces.

"I'll bring the food in." She deserves a small respite from being the one who takes care of others before herself.

"Let me help," Sage says as she rises to her feet.

I nod and together we go outside to where the elders and humans are serving. We step in line and my mate faces me.

"Your parents are lovely."

"Thank you. Nene already thinks highly of you. I could tell."

Sage's relief is evident. "I'm really glad. I've never been so nervous before."

"Did I not say she would love you?"

"Yes, but don't Tavikhi worry their parents aren't going to approve of their mate?"

I shake my head. "If they are mates, then it is because Deeka chose them to be so. If the goddess has approved of them, then there is a reason. Something I am finally coming to fully understand."

We have not spoken much recently of the mate bond between us or of my lack of soul light. But with each turn of the sun and with every moment I spend with Sage, I more firmly believe that Deeka was right in choosing her for my mate.

With bowls in hand, we re-enter the tent. Nene has poured each of us a vessel of water and she is seated beside Baba. I pass them their food before Sage and I both take a seat on a fur. It has been several turns since I have taken a meal within these walls. I have forgotten how nice it is to sit with my elders.

Nene picks up the stone Sage had left lying next to Baba and passes it over to her. "It is a wonderful skill my son has."

"He's incredible." My mate glances at me and I think pride might be in her eyes.

"Sage and I went hunting for stones earlier. We found some beautiful ones that I cannot wait to craft something on."

"Are there things like this on your Earth?" My nene asks.

My mate nods. "Something similar although we have a thin, flat type of canvas called paper that most people draw on. London is trying to find a substitute for it to help make teaching the children easier."

My nene cocks her head. "This is a useful skill the shefira is gifting the kits with?"

I have wondered the same thing.

Sage's cheeks darken. "I'm not really sure, but I'd like to think so. It's another way to communicate, which certainly can't hurt. If more humans come to Tavikh with their children and live in the settlement, maybe they can share messages back and forth with the children here. They wouldn't have to leave the village. Instead, they can write a letter and one of the warriors who goes to help train the men can pass it over. On Earth we used to call that being a pen pal."

Nene is quiet for a moment, her expressive pensive. "Yes, you may be right. Communication is important. Were you one of these pen pals?"

"It wasn't really a thing anymore. At least not handwritten letters. We had more advanced technology like computers and the internet to send messages back and forth to people."

"Your Earth sounds like a complicated planet."

Sage laughs. "You have no idea. That's one of the many reasons I like Tavikh. Life is much simpler here. Quieter. More peaceful. Although, I could do without the snow and cold."

With each turn I am learning bits and pieces about my mate. It occurs to me though, sitting here, that we have never spoken of her nene or baba. Have they passed onto the lands of whatever god or goddess the humans worship?

"You do not have cold dust or a cold season?" Nene asks.

"We do, but it wasn't anything I really had to deal with."

Nene's brow bones shift and even I am confused. How does one not have to be concerned with cold dust? Sage's gaze bounces between us and she must sense we do not understand. She sets her nearly empty bowl in her lap.

"On Earth we had a divide between our people. There were those of us who lived in what is called the upper tier. Anyone else was part of the middle or bottom tier. The upper tier had far more advantages over the other two tiers." Sage stares at the fire and her voice has softened. "We had resources no one else had and the majority of those people weren't willing to share."

"And you were one of the humans with these resources?" It is my turn to ask a question.

My mate slowly nods. "I was."

"Were you willing to share with those who did not?" Nene asks in a neutral tone.

It takes several beats before Sage answers. "I'm ashamed to admit I often was not. Not like I should have."

My nene leans over and lays her hand on Sage's cheek. "Deeka does not judge us on our past, but rather on our present."

Someone slaps the hide door interrupting us. "Healer Sage, you are needed. Quickly."

I exchange a glance with my mate and we both hurry to our feet. I push the flap aside and the warrior Imir stands there.

"One of the Krijese from the hills has brought a sick kit to our village. Kyler tasked me to find his apprentice."

Sage spins to face Nene who has also risen. "I'm so sorry, but I need to go. Thank you for inviting me to eat our meal with you. I'll come back to visit soon. I promise."

She doesn't wait for a response but rushesout the door after Imir. I pick up her stone and cross my fist over my chest.

"Thank you for the meal, Nene. I am sorry, but I too must go." I hurry outside to catch up with my mate. The Krijese may have declared peace, but that does not mean I will not be there to protect Sage if need be.