THIRTEEN

- kuvier -

It did not take long after my female's distrustful companion hatched from her egg for me to realize that the females will need more than what I brought to ration on this trip. I had packed anticipating being gone no more than four blinks of the Mother's second eye. With three people—and possibly more, as I have the belief that more females will hatch soon—those rations will be gone in the blink of my eye. With three bright spots still lingering in the sky, and the crackling light of a fresh storm approaching, I know that time is of the essence.

So, despite the fact that the idea of leaving my sweet mate makes me physically wish to crawl out of my own hide, I must make haste to a nearby cache to secure the necessary supplies for us to weather this storm. I have no real concern for the other female, but I know she matters to Sedona, so I will ensure she is also cared for to please my mate.

I maintain a brisk pace, my muscles tensed and ready. The cave is many, many hands of paces away and only the last eye will likely be left in the sky by the time I reach it. All the while, I must also do my best to avoid any potential predators that may lurk in the shadows.

As I jog, my mind wanders to Sedona and I am hit in the chest with the fierce adoration I feel for her. Part of me had not believed the elders when they regaled us with stories of mate bonds and connections from ages old. It has been many generations since one of us experienced a mated pair, and to think the Great Mother has broken this bad luck with me. And what a great job she has done.

Sedona is everything I could have asked for and more. She is strong and resilient—she survived a night alone without any fire or food, a feat that in this weather is particularly admirable. Moreover, she is fiercely caring, offering her companion the clothes off her back and more food without thought or hesitation. I admire her spirit, her determination to survive against all odds. She is unlike anyone I have ever met, and I am more and more grateful every day that fate brought us together.

But now, as I race toward the distant mountains, I cannot shake the unease that gnaws at my insides. I do not like the idea of leaving Sedona alone, vulnerable to whatever dangers may lurk in the darkness. Yet, I have done all I can to ensure her safety—I have built a roaring fire to stave off predators and left her with food and protection. Plus, she has the company of the other female, whose name I did not bother to remember.

I feel that if it should come down to it, the other will be able to step in and defend my female. Where my mate is fierce in spirit, the other seems strong in body. Sedona is all soft curves, whereas the other one was built and muscular, like a much smaller, female-version of our warriors.

Many generations ago, there were tales of tribes made of vicious females. Like the others, they have since died off in the Great Snow, but I have to believe my Sedona's comrade would have fit in well with them. Though she reeked of fear, her movements were swift and assured, as if she would put up a valiant fight should I do the wrong thing. I feel confident that between my mate's fierce will and the other girl's strength, they will be fine. Still, my pace never lessens, and I push through the ache in my muscles.

It takes much time, many bounds up and down the curved natural paths of the mountain, but I finally arrive at the hunters' cave. My senses immediately alert me to the presence of another. The faint scent of smoke and the subtle rustle of movement tell me that I am not alone. I curse to myself, Of course it is being used. Stupid male. Frowning and irritated as I should have anticipated this, I pause in my tracks. Four of our hunters, including myself, are out. That means that any one of the other three—bossy Peviik, surly Ruuq, or childish Enikk—could be in that cave. None of them would be my first choice.

Each of them would present their own set of challenges. Peviik would likely demand we return to the chief. He has always been a rule follower, even growing up together as kits. Ruuq would likely glare more than help, or he would return to the tribe alone, and then everyone would know something unusual had happened. And Enikk…despite the fact that I trained him in the ways of the hunter, and despite the fact that he has been of age for several dark seasons, he still has the mind of a child. He would be excited, too excited, and a hindrance to the haste with which I move. Regardless of the choices, I silently hope that it is Enikk. He is the lesser of evils. I pause at the entrance, my muscles tense and ready for whatever confrontation may lie ahead.

"Oy," I call out, my voice echoing off the cavern walls as I enter. "Clansman?"

There is a moment of tense silence before a familiar voice responds. "Kuvier? What are you doing here?"

It is indeed Enikk, his tone tinged with curiosity and suspicion. "I have come to gather supplies," I reply evenly. He nods his acquiescence and we slip into silence.

I avoid his gaze, focusing instead on the supplies stored along the walls. As I move about, he watches me closely and I as my pile grows, Enikk's curiosity is piqued.

"That is quite a lot of supplies you are taking, Kuvier. Are you planning an expedition I am not aware of?"

I continue to avoid his eyes, my hands moving quickly to collect the items. "It is nothing of concern, Enikk. Just ensuring I am well-prepared."

His suspicion grows, and he steps closer, a playful smirk on his face. "You know, Kuvier, it is unlike you to take so much without explanation."

He is correct. It would be odd for any hunter. Already, the provisions I have gathered in my leather pack are enough for either several blinks of an eye…or several people. And I have grabbed another pack from the stores to collect more still.

"Peace. Let us sit in it."

Enikk makes a sound in the back of his throat before he grins widely. "Are you hiding something from me? Or…from the atan?"

This pulls me up short. I narrow my eyes at him as I assess the situation. The veiled threat in that question is not lost on me. I do not believe Enikk would actually tell the atan, but I am hesitant to allow the opportunity for him to do so.

Finally, I relent, my voice low and firm. "The supplies are for others, Enikk. But I will say no more about it, so do not waste your breath."

Enikk's eyes widen in surprise, and he steps back, his playful demeanor replaced by genuine curiosity. "Others? Who have you found, Kuvier? You must tell me."

I shake my head, determined to keep Sedona to myself. Until I have marked her as my own, I will not be confident that my atan, or another, will not try to take her from me. How often have I brought a prized kill home, intending it to be for my mother, only for it to be snatched from me for ‘the good of the clan?' How often have the choicest parts of the meat been given to others when it rightfully should have gone to me? I will not risk this happening with my Sedona, and I will become even more of an outcast when I tear apart any who should try to take her from me. No, I must keep her and the other females a secret until she is claimed by me as I am by her.

"It is not your concern, Enikk. I will say no more about this and I suggest you pay heed and push me no further. I ask only that you keep this to yourself."

He studies me for a moment, then nods slowly. "Very well, Kuvier. I will keep your secret. But be careful. You of all know that secrets are not well received by the clan."

I grunt in response, and silence descends as I finish gathering all of the supplies I will need. Quickly finishing my task, I have two packs securely strapped to my front and back and a spear in one hand. I will use it as a walking stick for my journey back. I anticipate that I will be hunting for the females soon, and though this haphazard weapon crafted by another is nothing like my perfectly carved one back at the sky cave, it will do me well to have two spears handy just in case. With the supplies secured, I turn to leave, my mind already back with Sedona.

"My thanks for your silence, clansman. May the Great Mother see you."

Enikk echoes my salutation, and I feel his eyes on me as I leave the cave entrance, but I do not turn around. I have bigger things on my mind; it has already been too long since I last saw my mate, and already I see the sky growing dimmer.

The journey back to my mate and her strange eggs will be a long one. While I was inside, the small flurries have turned to large flakes that fall from the sky, and I know I must move with additional haste, ignoring the burning in my legs and the clapping of frozen hunks of meat against my back. I have packed enough provisions to last through the storm, if it is short, even if the other females hatch. But I will plan to lay additional traps around the camp, as well as a few in the closer parts of the mountain. With any luck, a stray oftii or a small xiixii will stumble into them. I do not know how long we will be in the valley. I suppose that depends on how long until my female allows me to mark her. So long as the storm does not grow worse, there is no indication that this is among the long storms that always appear just before the dark season begins.

So far, it seems that this will be a passing snowfall.

It is not long after leaving the cave that I hear a rustle in the bushes, and I instinctively reach for my small knife, ready to defend myself against whatever threat may be lurking in the shadows. The bushes move once again and I quickly drop my pack. Bracing myself with a knife in one hand and the spear in the other, I am prepared for a zuhvit to emerge from the shadows. To my surprise, it is Enikk who emerges, his hands raised in a gesture of peace with a grin on his face. I notice he has two packs slung across him similar to my own.

"Kuvier, old friend! It is something special to be meeting you out here, in the middle of nowhere," Enikk says cheerfully, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

I let out a grunt, my tense muscles relaxing slightly, relieved only that he is a being with far less claws and teeth than a zuhvit. "Enikk, what are you doing?"

Enikk shrugs nonchalantly. "You said you did not wish to tell me what or who you have found. But, as a good clansman, I could not let you go off on your own, could I? You should not face any danger by yourself. No, I decided instead to allow you to show me, and to ensure your safety while I do so."

"You forget who taught you, kit. I do not need your protection." I am growing furious. Enikk now poses a threat to my mate and is keeping me from reaching her faster.

"Well, regardless, I want to know what you are doing."

I narrow my eyes, wary of his intentions. "I am not doing anything, Enikk. I have told you this."

"True, you have said that you are not. Yet you speak of someone that you have found, and you bring enough supplies for many scores of blinks. Your words and your actions do not align, my good male."

"It is not for you to determine what aligns or does not."

Enikk gives an answer in easy agreement. "This is true. It is for the atan to decide. But it does not seem that you wish for him to be the decider, no?" I say nothing, and Enikk's grin widens in triumph. "Lead the way."

"I will say this only once, Enikk. Should you pose a threat to what belongs to me or try to take it, you will regret it." Enikk is taken aback by my harsh words. His eyes peer over me, the tense hold of my shoulders and the irritated flick of my tail, and I see the moment that he determines I am serious.

"You have my word, Kuvier. I will harm nothing and take nothing which is yours." With a firm nod, I turn from him, grab my packs, and continue on my way.

We continue our journey in silence, the tension between us palpable. Enikk tries to engage me in conversation several times, but I remain steadfast in my refusal to divulge any information.

With two people and two packs each, it takes us some time, but when the second eye is slowly rising in the sky, the destruction of the isolated cave comes into view. I hear the breath catch in Enikk's throat when he sees the sight before him. It was overwhelming to me as well when I first saw the pieces of shiny black stone scattered across the valley.

The snow in the valley has become much thicker by the time we finally get to the site. I surge forward, feeling as if a string draws me back to my Sedona, and Enikk keeps pace with me. The excitement in me rises and my tail thrashes back and forth as I move. It occurs to me that I should warn the females of our arrival, especially considering I am not returning alone.

"Oy! Sedona!" I call out, my voice being swallowed by the storm and powder snow. But, when I see the strange cloth Sedona gave me to make a flap begin to move, I know I am heard. Sedona and her companion emerge from the cave, slowing when they note that there are two of us. I discard my pack as I bound toward her, the smile etched into my face. Scooping her up in my arms, I give her a fierce hug, burying my head in her hair. From behind me, I hear a choked sound and then Enikk speaks with whispered fervor.

"By the Great Mother," he murmurs, his voice filled with wonder. "Are those…females?"