Kelly's Adventure. Chapter 6

[random_xtras]

Kelly watched as Dano stripped the long blades from a tall grass plant, then looked down at the partly finished bag in her hands. “Are you sure I’m doing this right? It doesn't look as smooth as yours.”
He paused and turned to look. “You’re doing it right, Kerry-bird, it’s much better than the first grass bag I made.”
“Yeah,” said Caudis. “And I still can’t make grass into bags. So don’t worry.”
Kelly noticed an odd tone in his voice and looked up. “Are you okay?”
He nodded, frowning at something in the sky. “Yes, don’t worry about me so much.”
She exchanged glances with Dano, one eyebrow raised. “Have I been worrying about him a lot?”
“I didn’t notice.” Dano grinned and turned to go on, pulling another grassblade as he did.
Kelly snorted and returned to her bag as she followed in his footsteps. Despite Caudis’ assurances, she felt concerned. Though he’d slept so long the day before, there were dark circles under his eyes, and she thought his face looked pale.
Something caught her eye and she glanced to the side. “Oh, hey, that grass has red leaves. Could I add some of them to my bag?”
“That would look pretty,” said Dano, carefully finishing the edge on his. “Be careful where you step.”
“I know.” She picked her way carefully toward the red plant and stripped it of dead lower blades, tucking them in her belt as Dano did when he had more than he could work with at once. Raising her head, she checked as far as she could see all around, then started back toward the men, who had kept walking.
Her eyes on her friends, she almost didn’t see the small, hairless form laying to one side of her path, but then a flash of brown caught the corner of her eye and she gasped. “Dano, Caudis!”
“What is it, Kerry-bird?” Dano stuffed the grass bag in his belt and pulled out his club as he hurried over to where she stood, frozen and staring in shock.
“I, I don’t know. It looks like a baby.” She hid her face in Caudis’ side as he came and put his arm around her shoulders, putting his spear between her and the brown thing.
Dano knelt over the still body and turned it over with the end of his club. “It’s not a baby,” he said, in a voice thick with sadness. “It’s only a little dog.”
“A dog?” she came over to look. Caudis followed watchfully.
“Yes.” Dano used the club to lay the little animal out so she could see it better.
“But it looks like a pug,” said Kelly, noticing the round head and little bowed legs. “Where did it come from? It couldn’t live in the wild.”
“No,” Dano shook his head. “It’s a sacrificial dog. They belong to the sloth people.”
“The sloth people!” Kelly stood and glanced around quickly. “But you said they didn’t come to this part of the grassy lands.”
“I must be wrong.” Dano pulled out his hatchet and dug a hole in the soggy ground, burying the little dog quickly and packing down the sod over it. “We have to keep our eyes open.”
“Why are you so sad, Dano?” asked Caudis. "Did Smyrna have those dogs?”
“No.” Dano shook his head as he started in the way they’d been going. “They all belong to the gods of the sloth people. Only the appointed ones can get near them.”
“You called it a sacrificial dog,” said Kelly.
“Yes. They are the food for the man and woman that the sloth people worship.”
“Food?” Kelly thought of the cute little fat creature and felt sick.
Dano nodded, his mind obviously on other things.
Kelly turned and looked at Caudis.
He looked back at her soberly, then at Dano’s turned back. “Is a pug a pet dog?” he asked softly.
“Yeah, they’re friendly little guys,” she said, thinking of ‘Milo and Otis’. “Slightly stupid sometimes, but really sweet.”
He smiled. “I would like to see one someday.”
Then the smile faded. “Dano, why are you sad? You don’t let me walk like that.”
Kelly saw Dano’s back straighten abruptly and flinched, wondering if he was angry now.
He stood there for a few minutes, then started shaking his head and turned to put his arms around his adopted son. “You’re right, Caudis. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” said Caudis, hugging him back. “But why did the dog make you sad?”
“Because it reminded me of a baby, like Kelly said. But it wasn’t feeling sad that was making me walk like that,” Dano admitted ruefully. “I was worrying.”
“You don’t let me do that, either,” said Caudis, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
“I know I don’t!” Dano laughed and tightened his arms around the younger man’s ribs, lifting him off the ground. “What would I do without you two to keep me walking straight?”
“Oof, ow!” Caudis laughed, sticking his spear into the ground so he could try to squirm his way free. “Kerry, help me!”
“How?” She shook her head, one eyebrow raised.
“Steal his food!”
“I….” She stopped and peered into the grass. “Shh!”
Dano set Caudis down and grabbed his club. “What is it?”
“I heard something. A squeaky sound.” She stooped and pushed through the vegetation. “Do guinea pigs live here?”
“Big ones. But they don’t sound like the tame ones.” Dano crouched next to her as she stopped and cocked her head, listening.
“Well this sounded just like a tame guinea pig,” whispered Kelly, pushing more grass aside. A rustling sound made her freeze, eyes searching.
The sound was repeated, and she turned her head to the right. "Did you hear that? It’s not a mouse.”
“No,” he agreed, eyes watchful. “Too big.”
Kelly pursed her lips and made the soft squeaky sound that usually made little birds and animals come out and look. An excited wren answered immediately.
“No, not you, stupid.” Kelly scowled at the noise, then jerked her head around as something whimpered. “Ohh, Dano, look!”
A tiny puppy crawled out of the grass, trying to get unsteady legs to hold up its fat belly as its little tailless butt wagged hopefully. Huge, liquid black eyes gazed up into Kelly’s and a pink tongue poked out, ready to lick.
She hesitated, glancing at Dano uncertainly, but he scooped the baby up and checked its belly, then tucked it gently into her arms.
“Good hunting, Kerry-bird,” he said softly. “What are you going to name her?”
“Ohh,” Kelly rocked back on her heels. “Where did she come from?”
“The other dog we found was a girl,” said Dano. “I guess she was this one’s mother. The baby’s not very old, her eyes have just opened.”
Kelly cradled the wriggling little creature, marveling at the feel of her warm, bare skin. “She feels like Cory.”
“She’s hungry,” noted Caudis, as the puppy got hold of a fold of Kelly’s sleeve and sucked on it hopefully.
“What can we feed her?” Kelly looked up in dismay. “We don’t have any milk.”
Caudis blinked. “Do like you would for a baby that’s weaned.”
Kelly looked at him blankly.
Caudis’ face took on that puzzled expression. “You don’t know how to feed a weaned baby?”
She shook her head. “At home we just give them a bottle of milk and some pureed food.”
He sighed and exchanged a glance with Dano, then pulled a piece of guinea pig meat out of his bag and chewed it. “Hold her still.” He spit the food into his hand and poked it into the puppy’s mouth as she squirmed and tried to suck his fingers. “Maybe I didn’t chew it enough.” He frowned in concern. “I don’t think she has teeth yet.”
Kelly watched as he patiently kept at the job till the pup caught on and eagerly licked up the food from his fingers, her heart thrilling at his gentleness.
“There,” he smiled at her as the puppy suddenly gave a huge yawn and snuggled close, asleep before she finished wriggling.
Kelly smiled back, then looked at Dano. “I know what I’ll call her.”
“Oh?” He said, his eyes on the pup.
“Tan.”
“Given.” He chuckled and swung around to start walking again. “I like it.”
She followed, Tan a comforting weight in her arms, her mace dangling loosely from one hand.
Caudis looked over her shoulder. “I can carry her so you can finish your bag.”
“It’s okay,” she said, reluctant to give up the puppy. “I can finish it later.”
“But if you finish it now, you can use it to carry her.”
She thought of Tan safely in the bag, under her poncho where it was warm. “Okay, here. Are you sure this isn’t just a trick to get to hold her?”
“I don’t think so.” He tucked the pudgy sleeper into the crook of his arm and walked along beside her as she built the bag up, widening it and making loops on the bottom corners.
She used the red grass for the top edge, adding two more loops, then braided a long cord and fastened it to the top loops. Her fingers smarted and stung when she was finished, but it looked good and she felt a small glow of pride in her accomplishment.
“Here, help me tie this on….” She turned to Caudis and stopped. “Are you all right?”
“Just tired.” He wiped his face on the arm of his tunic, then grinned and gently put Tan into the bag. “Tell me what to do.”
“Cross the straps over my back and give them to me here at my waist.” She gave him a searching look before she turned her back and lifted her poncho.
The operation was swiftly and efficiently done, the poncho put back into place, and they walked on.
“I look pregnant,” Kelly commented.
“What’s pregnant?” asked Caudis, his voice coming out rough.
Dano stopped and looked at him in the lengthening rays of the sun. “Are you sure you're okay?”
Caudis nodded. “Yes. What’s pregnant?”
“Before the baby comes out. I taught you that word.” Dano frowned and looked around. “It’s time to find a place to sleep anyway.”
“There’s an island over there.” Kelly pointed to a small hill with a few trees on it.
“Yes, but there’s a village there,” said Dano. “And the people who live in it are afraid of strangers.”
“A village?” Kelly tried to see. “You never mentioned anyone living here but the sloth people.”
“There’s another tribe living here and there, on the higher bits of ground” he said, leading them away from the island. “They’re shepherds that live in short…low,” he put his hand about four feet from the ground, “houses in walls made of thorn bushes.”
“What is there to make houses of out here?” Kelly shook clinging mud off her foot and tried to see where she’d picked it up.
“Mud.” He turned and grinned at her as some from her foot smacked him in the back. “Dirt with grass roots in it, and animal….”
“Poop.”
“Is that really the right word?” he asked, looking astonished.
“It’s slang,” she admitted, patting Tan as the puppy began to squirm. “Droppings is a better one, I guess.”
“Okay.” He shook his head and peered through the gathering darkness toward a lone tree a little ways away.
“So why are they so skittish?” She pulled Tan out of the bag and set her on the ground so she could pee, then took out a piece of travel food and started to chew it.
“Because they have the sloth people for neighbors.”
“You know, Dano, sometimes your answers are so roundabout that they don’t make much sense,” she said in exasperation.
“I’m sorry, I forget you don’t know things.” He sighed. “The sloth people believe that they are the chosen people of their gods. Everyone else is not important. They kill others whenever they see them.”
“Nice. How did you live long enough to marry Smyrna?”
“She found me playing with a lost sloth calf and decided she liked me because he did.”
“Oh.” Kelly picked Tan up and fed her some of the chewed food.
“Freeze,” said Caudis.
Kelly went rigid, her hand over the puppy’s mouth so she wouldn't whimper, her mind whirling with apprehension.
The grass parted and three small, roman-nosed, short-eared sheep trotted out, heading toward the island. They didn’t even look up at the three people standing in their path.
Kelly glanced at Dano, her eyebrow raised, then gasped as an upright figure ran out of the grass and collided with her.
The little white-haired man in the felt cloak and loincloth stared at her for a few minutes, his pink eyes huge with terror.
“Hey, take it easy, buddy, I’m not after you,” said Kelly at last.
His eyes went even wider at the sound of her voice. He gave an incoherent, clicking cry and dashed away into the darkness as fast as his sticklike legs could carry him.
Kelly looked up at Dano questioningly. “What was he running from to start with?”
“I don’t know.” He gripped his club. “Let’s see if we can get to that tree.”
Whatever had bothered the little man, it didn’t come after them as they trudged through the darkness and found shelter on the close-laying stilt-roots of the banyan-like tree.
The night passed quietly, except for one mishap when Kelly thought she’d lost Tan, only to find that Caudis was holding her while he took his turn at watch.


( ( (


Caudis was worse the next morning. His face was pale, shadowed, and wet with perspiration as he got down from his raised bed on the roots.
Dano looked at him worriedly. “We should take another day to rest.”
“No,” Caudis wove on his feet slightly and leaned against a prop root. “I’m okay…I can walk.”
“You can’t even stand up straight,” said Kelly.
“We’ll rest,” said Dano.
“No!” Caudis scowled. “I want to walk! Let’s go!”
“Caudis, think!” scolded Dano. “If you rest today you’ll have more strength to travel tomorrow.”
“No! Let’s go!”
Kelly watched the exchange silently, fear for Caudis mixing with puzzled exasperation in her thoughts. Tan gave a little sigh from her carrybag and she patted her unconsciously, frowning.
Dano stared at Caudis for a few minutes, then turned away, his face creased with concern. “Okay, we’ll walk. But if you need to stop, tell me.”
“I’m okay.” Caudis scrubbed at his face.
Kelly had that feeling running up and down her back again as she followed Dano in her usual place in the middle of the line. She didn’t know if it was worry for Caudis, or if it was fear of whatever unknown monster had frightened the little shepherd the night before. Putting her hand on the warm lump snuggled against her upper belly, she prayed fervently under her breath.
There was a lamb-like bleat up ahead and she froze.
“Dano?”
“Hide!” he hissed, dropping to his face in the grass.
Kelly followed suit, her hand over Tan as she frantically looked for a hollow, a fallen log, anything to make her position more secure.
Caudis’ hand came to rest on her back, gently holding her down, and she quieted. God, that’s sloth people up there. I don’t want to die without seeing Cory and Mom and Dad and Mike again. Please, please, make us invisible. Please!!!
She could hear sounds as she lay there with her face buried in the wet ground, bleats and murmurs, the whisper of sledge runners, the quiet yammer of husky dogs, a baby telling the world his grievances. After awhile she turned her head slowly without lifting it and watched as the band of nomads began to leave the place where they’d spent the night and pass by only a few feet away from where she huddled in the water.
Worrying that Tan might drown, she steathly worked the puppy out of the bag and tucked her in the crook of her neck and shoulder. Please help her be quiet, God. Please don’t let them find us. Please, please, please….”
Dano had been right. The nomad woman were beautiful. Their skin shone rich gold-brown in the rays of the faded sun, their hair swung in new penny-coloured ringlets around their faces, their proud green eyes flashed as they spoke and laughed with each other and the men.
Most of the people rode the black sloths, but through gaps in the outer defence she could see others, older and younger, sitting or standing on the edges of the house-sledges. The elders spun placidly, their eyes on the children that rode the sledges or ran beside, black skirt-pants flapping wet as they kicked up spray. Huge, wolfish white dogs ran with the children or ranged around the outside of the colomn with their noses to the ground.
There was an interruption toward the center of the line, and Kelly’s eyes widened as a huge barge of a sledge topped with an intricatly tasseled canopy slid slowly past.
Beneath the canopy, in two ornate thrones, lounged a hugely obese man and woman, their corpulent bodies swathed in long black garments that covered them from head to foot. Two children sat at their feet, pale golden hair blowing in the breeze. The younger clutched a hairless puppy a little older than Tan.
Behind the royal sledge rode more people in the long garments, but these had their hoods thrown back, showing proud cruel faces that bore no resemblance to the faintly African features of the rest of the tribe.
One of them seemed to look right at her, and Kelly turned her face away, her heart hammering with panic. Yeah, though I walk through the vally of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me….
After an age Dano called softly that it was safe to move, but warned them not to get up yet.
Kelly raised her head and looked at the beaten-down swath of grass, then turned questioningly toward Caudis, wondering why he wasn’t helping her as was his wont.
He lay still, his face turned away from her, his breathing a heavy rasp.
Heart in her mouth Kelly crawled out from under his hand and saw it move slightly, searching for her. He moaned softly and turned his head, and she gasped at the pallor of his face. Setting Tan down, she struggled to roll him on his back. “Dano,” she called, low voiced.
“What is it, Kerry-bird?” He asked, cautiously peering down the sledge-way in the direction the tribe had gone.
“Caudis is sick. Help me get him out of this puddle.”
Dano gave a low exclamation and crawled over quickly, pulling Caudis gently to a firmer bit of ground and laying his hand on his forehead. “Aii,” he hissed between his teeth. “He’s burning hot.”
“Even in all this.” She shifted from a kneeling to a squatting position to get out of the cold water, worriedly watching Caudis’ face.
Dano nodded absently, digging through his bag and taking out a clay bottle and some transclucent envalopes.
Caudis moaned again and struggled to sit up.
“Wait. Lay down, my son.” Dano pushed him back gently.
“Ooes Kerry?” he gasped. “T’grdeaer.”
“Kerry is here, Caudis,” said Dano soothingly. “You don’t need to protect her. Kerry is safe.”
Caudis lay back, but his head turned, searching.
Kelly moved closer to him and took his hand in both of hers. “I’m right here,” she said softly. “I’m safe.”
“Kerry.” Caudis smiled and closed his eyes, but his hand gripped hers. Kelly could feel it trembling.
She crouched there, holding his hand while she watched Dano mix the contents of some of the packets with water and shake them in the bottle.
“This should be heated up, but there’s no way to build a fire here,” said Dano, his eyes resting absently on her hands. “I pray it will work anyway.”
“What is it?” She tucked Caudis’ hand close to her chest.
“It cools the fever.” A slight smile played over his face as he gently lifted Caudis’ head and urged him to drink.
“Do you know what’s wrong?”
He shook his head, the smile fading. “This isn’t any sickness that I know. It’s been bothering since before we left the forest, but only now has struck him. No fever works that way. This is something else.”
Kelly looked at him grimly, then turned her gaze back to Caudis’ face. God, please help us. We’re out in the middle of nowhere, and there are people who would gladly kill us just on the other side of the grass. She hunched her shoulders and bowed her head, remembering the prophecy. Okay, we’re going to make it home. We’re going to make it home. Thank You for letting us know.
Something pressed against her foot and she jumped, suppressing a squeak.
What? Oh, I forgot Tan. She loosed one hand to lift the pup into a fold of her skirtpants, then gripped Caudis’ hand again.
Dano watched his adopted son breath for a few minutes, then gave Kelly a worried look and went to check the sledge-path again.
“Are they gone?” asked Kelly softly.
“Yes.” He stood cautiously to make sure. “They’re traveling fast, they must be going somewhere specific.”
“What are we going to do?”
He shook his head. “We have to find some higher ground. Caudis needs to be kept warm and dry.”
“How are we going to move him?”
“I’ll carry him.” He rotated slowly, seeking a destination.
“Can you do that?”
He nodded wordlessly, then looked down at her, frowning thoughtfully.
“What?” She frowned back.
“I was seeing if you were frightened.”
“Of course I am,” she said. “Big deal. We’re getting through this. I’m taking you home, remember?”
He smiled. “Yes, I remember.”
She glanced up at the sky and saw that the clouds had thinned a bit. "Did you see someplace to go?”
He shook his head. “The only dry places I see are the shepherds’ village and the tree we slept on.”
“And they’re both in the same direction as the sloth people,” said Kelly grimly. “What are we going to do?”
“Continue in the way we were going and trust God,” said Dano. “What else can we do?”
“Right.” She looked down as Caudis gasped and moved his head restlessly.
Dano watched him, too, then squared his shoulders. “Let’s go.”
Kelly let go of Caudis’ hand reluctantly and moved aside, cuddling Tan to her chest as she watched Dano lift the younger man into his arms.
“Walk beside me,” he said. “I want to be able to see you and know you’re safe.”
“Okay.” She fell into place next to him, her eyes scanning the grassy horizon as she slung Caudis’ bag over her shoulder. Far away behind them she could see the dark blot that was the sloth people, up ahead she barely made out something poking out of the grasses.
“What’s that?” She pointed with one hand, mace dangling.
Dano looked and shook his head. “My eyes are older than yours, Kerry-bird. You’ll have to tell me what you see.”
She looked up at him in surprise, then squinted. “It’s too far off for me to be sure, but it looks like a branch sticking up.”
“We’ll go and look.” He took a tighter grip on Caudis and started walking, his footsteps squelching on the soft ground.
It was a branch sticking up, Kelly saw as they finally drew near. It was attached to a tumbled clump of wood that had once been a willow tree.
She studied it, then turned to Dano. “It’s dry.”
He frowned and kicked it to drive out anything that might be living underneath, then gently lowered Caudis to the slightly sloping platform, making sure his head lay toward the higher end. “Give me his bag, I’ll use it for a pillow.”
She unslung it and passed it to him, then climbed up and crouched on a lower trunk, her eyes on Caudis’ face.
An exclamation from Dano made her look up quickly. “What?”
“I…nothing.” He finished moving Caudis’ things to his own bag and tucked the empty sack under the sandy-haired man’s head, then covered him with his own cloak.
“What’s wrong? You look like something died.” Kelly put her hand uneasily on the warm lump of Tan, snug under her poncho.
“No,” he looked down at Caudis with what looked like pity and sorrow. “Nothing has died. All will be well, if the Lord wills it.”
She eyed him narrowly, wondering if she should remind him of her feelings about his tendency to beat around the bush, but then decided that he was probably too worried to pay attention. Sitting down and crossing her legs, she settled down to watch, wait, and pray.


( ( (


Caudis got worse as the day went on. First he thrashed and moaned, then he sank into a sleep so deep that Kelly was afraid he’d stop breathing if she turned her back.
She stayed with him as long as she could, barely aware of the fact that Dano had gotten a small fire going on a large, irregular rock that stuck up out of the soggy ground and was busy brewing something that smelled like floor cleaner, but then her body insisted that she needed to make a visit to the grass. Sighing, she reached under her poncho and set the sleeping puppy on his chest, then lay the back of her hand against his cheek and flinched at the heat of it. All this water everywhere, and I can't even use any of it to cool his fever, she thought, feeling frustrated.
Tan raised her head and looked around, then staggered to her feet and snuggled up under Caudis’ chin, her big eyes on Kelly's face.
Kelly smiled at the puppy and slipped down from the platform. “Dano, I have to go for a few minutes. I’ll be right back, okay?”
“Okay,” he glanced up with a wan grin. “Don’t go too far.”
“I won’t.”
She was gone less than five minutes, but when she returned to the willow bed she found Dano leaning over Caudis, his face pale.
“What happened?” She scrambled up beside Caudis and saw that he was flushed and gasping.
“He choked,” said Dano shakily.
“On the medicine?” She smoothed the hair back from Caudis’ forehead.
“No, I haven't given it to him yet.”
“Then how did he choke?” Kelly turned to frown at him.
“It’s something that happens.” Dano wiped his face and got up to get the medicine bottle. “This will help.”
It seemed to. Caudis didn’t choke again, but he alternated between thrashing and gasping, and that deathlike sleep, for the rest of the day and night. Kelly stayed as close as she could, watching as Dano administered dose after dose of medicine.
“You should get some sleep, Kerry-bird,” he said softly, as pale light showed in the east.
Kelly looked up and saw the dark circles under his eyes. “I’m all right. You don’t look too good, though. You’re not coming down with the same thing Caudis has, are you?”
“No.” He shook his head with finality. “I’ll never catch this sickness.”
She frowned at him, then turned back as Caudis began to mutter in his own language.
Dano looked at her hurriedly. “Kerry, will you do something for me?”
“What?” She glanced up distractedly.
“Find us something to eat. Something fresh.”
“But you said it wasn’t safe to eat things you find in the wild.” Kelly frowned.
“The big guinea pigs are usually safe,” he said hurridly. “Please?”
“But…” She turned back to Caudis as he started to whimper.
“Go!” shouted Dano. “Go now!”
Kelly stared at him in shock, then whirled, scooped up Tan, and fled into the grass.


( ( (


She ran till she couldn’t see anything but the signal branch, then dropped to the wet ground, shivering with anger and fright. What’s gotten into him? Why did he chase me away? She hunched her shoulders. Oh God, what am I supposed to do?
After awhile her head cleared, and she looked around tiredly, the anger draining away. “He could have asked a little more nicely.”
Tan squeaked and wriggled, and she set the puppy down absently, still trying to figure out Dano’s abrupt change of character.
He never wanted me to wander off, before. Now he orders me to get away from them…what if something gets me? And he yelled….
She shivered again, reminded of the one time she’d ever seen her father lose his cool with her. She’d been six years old, and sure she knew more than him about crossing the street. Ignoring his admonishment to wait, she’d marched out boldly, her hand outstretched in front of her.
Only her father’s quick grab had saved her from being run over. Back on the sidewalk, he had shaken her till her teeth rattled, then roared about how stupid she’d been.
Was Dano saving me from something that would hurt me? Her forehead wrinkled. What?
She mulled it over for a few minutes, but only succeeded in giving herself a headache.
Blah. Forget it. She rubbed her face and looked around to see where Tan had gone. She couldn’t find her at first, but then saw her sitting contentedly in a puddle up to her neck.
“Euwww! Tan!” She lifted the dripping pup out of the water and into her lap. “Do you like being wet?”
The puppy squeaked and wagged her bum, then tumbled off Kelly’s knees and splashed around happily.
“Ack!” Kelly held her hands in front of her face. “Oh, you little….” She gaped as Tan found a deeper place and started paddling around.
“Great. I’ve got a pug-shaped black Lab. You’re going to freeze, silly.” She fished her out again and rubbed her dry on her skirtpants, then tucked her into the carrying bag. “Now be good.”
Tan squirmed and whimpered, then settled down and started to snore softly.
Kelly grinned and peeked at her down the front of her poncho, then glanced up sharply as something rustled through the grass.
Remembering Dano’s words, she went into a crouch and peered through the stalks, then pursed her lips and squeaked.
The rustling came closer, then there was a petulant trill, followed by a chattering squeal.
The hair standing on the back of her neck, Kelly squeaked again.
The grass parted right in front of her and she found herself face to face with a brown guinea pig the size of a Springer spaniel.
Kelly pounced, grabbing the animal by the fur with both hands and wrestling it down till she could straddle it. Fumbling at her belt, she yanked the lead weight out and brought it down solidly on the squealing guinea pig’s skull.
There was an anguished oink, and the pig went still.
Kelly froze, glancing around and listening to see if anything was coming to investigate the disturbance, then checked on Tan.
Reassured that everything was all right, she examined her prey to make sure it was really dead and not playing possum like the deer in her grandpa’s story. Finding no sign of life, she pulled off her knapsack and dug around, hoping there was a knife in it. Frustrated in her search, she shrugged the pack back on under her poncho and looked around, frowning. I’ve got to clean it. Grandpa always said he had no respect for people who couldn’t take care of their own kills.
She stopped suddenly and looked around again, as though seeing her surroundings for the first time. She remembered how she’d cringed every time her grandpa told his hunting and fishing stories, protesting that killing was gross. Looking down at the dead guinea pig, she felt none of the old revulsion, only an anxiety that it be converted to usable meat as soon as possible. She was changing.
“Huh.” She got up and peered over the grass, then bent and slung the pig over her shoulders.
Something bowled into her, and she threw her hands protectively over Tan as she fell. Rolling away, she looked up into the mismatched eyes of a huge, wolfish, black and white dog who snarled and crouched over the dead guinea pig.
“Not bloody likely!” Kelly snarled back, charging and lashing out with her mace before the dog could react.
It gave a yelp as the lead weight crashed into its side, then darted away, barking angrily.
Kelly stamped her foot at it, swinging the mace, then ducked as another dog bounded out of the grass, something hanging from its jaws.
“Hiya!” Kelly crouched, watching both animals. She’d be @*&% if she’d let them take her kill.
The thing in the second dog’s mouth moved and gave a weak cry. Kelly saw to her horror that it was a tiny child, dressed in a felt loincloth.
Oh, God, help me, she prayed, then lunged toward the black and white dog. Changing her direction at the last minute, she wrapped the cord of her mace around the other animal’s foreleg and pulled it close. It dropped the child and snapped at her desperately, but she kicked it in the chin, then yanked the mace loose and swung it again.
The dog gave a shrill kiyi and crumpled.
Kelly dropped back into the crouch, searching for its mate, only to come eye to eye with the little albino shepherd of the night before.
“Aii!” she squeaked in astonishment.
The little man stepped back, raising a club, then lowered it cautiously and glanced to his right.
Kelly followed his gaze and realized that she was surrounded. Several small men dressed in felt stood around her, watching anxiously.
“Oh…boy.” She looked around at them, then glanced down as the child pushed itself up to a sitting position and began to wail thinly.
“Oh.” Kelly forgot about everything else as she knelt beside it. “Hey, shhh. It’s okay. It’s gone, see?”
The little kid stared up at her fearfully, blue eyes huge in its thin face as it cradled its arm to its chest.
Kelly looked up as one of the men moved toward the child protectively. “Is he yours? Okay, I’ll get out of your way.”
Still talking soothingly, she stepped slowly away from the child and watched as its father snatched it up and retreated to the safety of his fellows.
They stood and stared at each other for a few minutes, while a hawk cried somewhere above them.
Then another little man came out of the grass, his pale red hair and freckled body making him nearly invisible against the faded lower blades as he hunkered down to stare up at her curiously. One of the ones surrounding Kelly asked him something and he answered shortly, shaking his head with a backward motion.
The others all turned and looked at her thoughtfully, some of the fear fading from their faces.
“Hey, don’t get any ideas.” She said warningly. “You don’t want to tangle with my Father.”
The shepherds exchanged a glance. Then the one who’d questioned the scout pointed from the guinea pig to her.
“Yes.” She nodded the way she’d seen the people of Big Rock do, hoping it was a fairly universal gesture. “That’s mine.”
He studied her for a minute, then pointed from the grey dog to her.
“Um, no.” She shook her head backward. “I don’t need a dead dog.”
He frowned and repeated the gesture.
“No.” Kelly shook her head again. Then pointed from the dog to him.
His pale eyebrows nearly disappeared into his hairline. Slowly he mimicked her gesture, pointing to himself questioningly.
“Yes.” She nodded. “You can have it.”
He smiled widely, clicked something to her and then went to the dog and ran his hand over its fur.
Kelly grinned, glad he was happy, then looked down at a tug on her poncho.
The father of the child looked at her thoughtfully, then pointed to her belt.
“What? Are we going to do that again?” She frowned. “It’s only a piece of rope.”
He said something softly, then reached into his own waistband and offered her a moon-shaped bone knife.
“Oh!” Kelly nodded. “Yes, I need one of those. Do you want to trade for it?”
The little shepherd handed her the knife, then boosted his child higher in his arms and walked away. The others followed single-file, two of them carrying the dog. Kelly was left in a trampled circle of grass, alone except for Tan and the dead guinea pig.


( ( (


The sun was disappearing behind the distant forest as Kelly returned cautiously to the willow platform, unsure of her reception.
Dano sat, head resting on his drawn-up knee, sleeping so hard that he didn’t stir as she climbed up beside him.
Kelly looked at him, wondering if she should wake him up, then turned at a low chuckle.
“Let him sleep,” murmured Caudis, his voice weak. “He looks like he needs to.”
“How do you feel?” she whispered, laying her parcel of meat down in the last empty place on the platform.
“Euwww!” He tried to chuckle, but didn’t seem to have the energy.
Kelly laughed softly. “Sort of empty, like a wrung-out cloth?”
He considered, then gave a slight nod. “Yeah. But I’m hungry, too.”
“I’ve got fresh guinea pig, should I cook some?”
“Guinea pig?” He lifted his head slightly. “How did you get fresh?”
“I killed it.” She slid off the platform and got the fire going again.
“Really?” He lay back and closed his eyes, then looked up. “What kind?”
“I don’t know. A big one.” Kelly pulled a haunch out of the bundle. “That’s his back leg.”
Caudis’ eyes went round. “I didn’t know they got that big.”
Kelly looked at the piece of meat thoughtfully, then glanced at the fire, wondering how to cook over it.
“Lean a big, wet branch over the fire, and hang the meat from it by a wet leather lace.” Caudis closed his eyes again, slipping into sleep.
Kelly watched him for a few minutes, her heart singing with relief, then returned to her work.
Darkness fell around her as she squatted by the fire, listening to the night bugs start up. A dog howled some distance away, and she wondered if it was the black and white one that she had fought with.
Tan moved and whimpered at the sound. She murmured to the puppy comfortingly, then looked up at a stirring from the platform. “Caudis?”
“Yes?” He sighed, moving restlessly. “Can I hold Tan? I’m cold.”
“Cold?” She climbed up and put her hand on his forehead, but there was no trace of fever. “Brr. You feel like me after I’ve been playing in the snow.”
“You play in the snow?” He gave her a funny look as he reached for the puppy.
“Wait till you get to Earth.” She grinned tenderly as Tan snuggled under his chin. “It’s a lot of fun.”
“Okay.” He grinned back, his eyes closing again.
“I think some of the meat’s ready. I’ll get you some.” She turned and slipped off the platform.
“Thanks,” he murmured.
Kelly had to feed him. He was so weak that he could barely move his hands. Reaching for Tan seemed to have taken all his strength.
“I feel like a baby,” he grumbled.
“It’s okay. At least you don’t throw food like my youngest cousin used to.” Kelly popped a piece of the tender meat into her own mouth and savored it, then gave a bit to Tan. “You want some more?”
He shook his head. “No. Thank you for helping me.”
“Like I said, it’s okay.” She smiled at him and pulled the cloak higher under his chin.
He smiled back. “Kerry, you are a gift from God. I’m glad He sent you for the messenger.”
She blushed. “I’m glad, too.”
Caudis turned his head slightly to look at Dano. Kelly noticed that the shamed, fearful look didn’t appear in his eyes. Instead he had a hopeful, resolute light in his eyes as he turned back to her.
“Do you want to go to a movie when we get back to Earth?” he asked, with a ghost of his old grin.
Kelly laughed. “You don’t even know what a movie is.”
“No.” His grin widened. “But it has to be something good, or you wouldn't like to go to them.”
She shook her head. “Yes. I’ll go to a movie with you when we get back. But right now you have to get better, okay?”
“Okay.” He settled back against the sack and gazed at the sky.
Dano sighed and stirred, but didn’t wake.
Kelly looked at him thoughtfully. “He bought you when you were little?”
“Traded for me,” said Caudis softly.
“How long ago?”
He shrugged. “I don’t remember not being with him, except for the winter when he broke his leg and I decided to go exploring by myself.”
“You left him when his leg was broken?” Kelly frowned at him.
“He was staying at a village, teaching the headman about God.” Caudis sighed and closed his eyes. “Plague came there. Dano came looking for me because everyone in the village died.”
“More dead people,” she said sadly. “Poor Dano.”
“Yes.” Caudis looked at him again.
"Did you find anything interesting when you went exploring?”
Caudis’ face darkened. “No. I was lonely, and I did bad things. I want to forget that time.”
“Hey, everyone does stupid things sometimes.” Kelly put her hand on his arm through the cloak. “God forgives you.”
“I know.” He sighed, then yawned. “Oops. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. You should probably be asleep, anyway.” She patted his arm. “Good night.”
“Good night,” he murmured. “I love you.”
Kelly had no trouble staying awake all night long.