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“I would never leave you,” I respond, surprised at the words exiting my mouth. “Didn’t I tell you I was going hunting in the morning?”
Her eyes dart around my face, and she purses her lips before closing her eyes and sighing. She runs her hand over her face and looks at the floor.
“You’re right,” she says softly. “I’m sorry, I just….” She pauses and walks toward the kitchen, beginning to clear off the counter. “I don’t know what I would do if you left me here.”
It makes me happy to know how badly she wants me here. I feel like I’m helping someone more than I’ve felt in a long time. It’s hard to help people when you choose not to get close to anyone.
I walk the meat over to the counter and set it down as I glance at her in my peripheral. She still looks worried, and I feel bad that she’s this nervous about me leaving. I know she wants to get home, and I want to be the one to lead her there for no reason other than I want her not to feel nervous anymore. Also, I like it when she’s upbeat and excited, and I feel oddly sad when she’s upset, something I haven’t felt since….Flora.
This feels different, though. Of course, I never liked it when Flora was sad, but Dana has so much energy and light to bring to this world; her mind shouldn’t be holding her back from letting others see the brightness she carries inside her.
Panic hits me, and I look away from her, staring at the meat on the counter. A terrible thought crosses my mind:What if I can’t protect her? What if I can never bring her home?
10
DANA
“You’re sure the smoke won’t attract any predators?” Something stirs in the bushes, and I nearly jump. It’s just a squirrel, chittering away. I turn back to the fire and look down at the portion of the meat Hurian’s prepared for us to cook. He’s cleaned it well, even trimmed it up and helped me spear a few root vegetables and edible mushrooms onto the long sticks.
My mouth waters just in anticipation of the meal, but unfortunately the rest of me can’t forget how active the rest of the animals in these woods have been.
It’s a little late for me to worry about the fire, since thick gray smoke is already curling up towards the trees, but adding the smell of grilled meat seems like tempting fate. My hands shake a bit on the long sticks, and the meat and vegetables wobble, echoing my concern..
Hurian seems either blasé or greatly annoyed. It’s difficult to get a read on him, because he doesn’t do much more than grunt and stare off into the distance.
I frown down at the kebabs he helped me make. He’d cubed the meat neatly and fashioned them on the sticks after I seasoned them with some herbs I found nearby. We make a great team, except for my constant, thrumming anxiety and whatever it is that’s bothering him so much.
Is it me?
“I just mean, since the animals have been more active, maybe we should guard against them while I cook? Or something?”
Hurian fixes me with a flat stare. “I will protect us.”
Right. Like we didn’t have to jump down a waterfall in order to escape a pack of wild wolves.
But I bite back my retort. Orcs don’t typically enjoy having their ego called into question, and Hurian might be a bit odder than most orcs I’ve met, but he’s still an orc. Besides, without his hunting, we’d still be surviving on a diet of edible but nutritionally empty plants.
My hands might shake as I roast the boar, but we both need the protein. It’s worth the risk.
“The blood,” he nods over at the cleaned boar. “Blood will also attract them.”
Oh, isn’t that a pleasant thought? I scoot a little closer to the fire, even though it makes my eyes sting. We soaked these sticks for a while to keep them from burning, but maybe I could still make a torch in a pinch, if I burned it long enough.
“Good to know.” At least my voice doesn’t shake.
Slowly, I turn the stick just outside the fire. My stomach grumbles and clenches when the scent hits me.Don’t think about wolves or mountain lions or—
“I’ve never liked campfire food. You know?”
Either he doesn’t know, or he’d prefer a different topic of conversation, because Hurian remains silent. I’m speaking just to keep my mind off a possible impending animal attack, but I’d still likesomemutual participation. I’ve been in the woods a bit, but I’m pretty sure I remember how interpersonal communication works.
“It’s just. You know, never enough salt. It cooks unevenly, half the time. Maybe our cantine is just too good, and I’m spoiled.” Nothing. I drum my left hand against my knee. “Not that I was always spoiled. I mean, where I come from, this would be a gourmet meal, so don’t think I’m complaining or anything.”
This doesn’t even earn me a laconic grunt, and finally I lose my patience.
“This would be where you contribute something.” I smile to soften the sting of my words, but there’s no reason. He’s not looking at me at all.
Hurian first looks at the weapon, ready for use at his side, and then at his own stick of meat, which he’s expertly roasting.
