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Louella rubbed her eyes, because what she saw must have been a mirage. The image shimmered in the oppressive heat, but did not disappear.
“Do you see what I see?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper as she dropped to her knees. The hot sand was uncomfortably warm against her skin.
“An oasis,” Jax said. He glanced back at her as he had done many, many times throughout the day. He set the bag on the ground and scooped her into his arms. “Foolish human. You should have informed me of your weariness before now.”
Leaning her head against his shoulder, Louella could not protest. So, she sighed and admitted her stupid pride with a weak nod. Jax headed down the dune.
“Don’t leave our supplies,” she muttered, wondering why Yas’kihn didn’t just carry both her and their stuff.Maybe he’s just too tired. It wouldn’t surprise me.However, she didn’t ask and he didn’t volunteer an explanation.
“I’ll go back and get them,” he assured her. “You’re more important.”
Louella’s heart melted a little more. All too soon and not soon enough, the formidable general superior reached the oasis. He set her down beside the short stone wall surrounding a small pool which itself was surrounded by trees and bushes.
“I’ll return shortly,” he told her and handed her their last container of water. “Finish this.”
She nodded and forced herself to take small sips, savoring each mouthful as she watched him climb the dune to retrieve their belongings. She had long since emptied the container by the time he returned and still had not recovered the strength to rise to her feet.
“I will lift you over the wall,” Yas’kihn said.
She nodded as though giving him permission which he definitely did not require. He slid his big hands under her armpits and easily hoisted her over the wall. A second after she settled on the ground, he leaped over the stone wall, the sack slung over one shoulder.
“Can you walk?” he asked, his reptilian expression somehow showing concern.
“I don’t know,” she admitted, “but I’ll try.”
He nodded and extended a hand toward her. Hers trembled with weakness as she set her palm to his and relied on his immense strength to lift her to her feet. Her knees wobbled. Her ankles felt weak and rubbery. Her calves and thighs screamed with pain. Her feet justhurt, and she was sure they were blistered.
After a moment of cataloging her weaknesses and wallowing in self-pity, she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. With nothing but sheer determination, she said, “I can walk.”
Yas’kihn kept hold of her hand and loaned her his strength to steady her as they proceeded at an excruciatingly slow pace toward the water. He kept his senses open and alert for any danger. To his relief, nothing charged from the shrubs or from behind the trees to attack them. He settled his mate beside the water. She immediately leaned forward to dip her hand in the water.
“No,” he said, his voice hard and clipped as he snatched her arm and drew her back.
“Why not?” Louella wanted to wince at the whiny tone of her voice.
“We don’t know what lurks in that water,” he pointed out.
“Crocodiles,” she muttered. “Damn it, there would be crocs out here.”
“What are crocodiles?” Yas’kihn asked as he looked about for a long, sturdy stick.
“Big, hungry lizards with big, sharp teeth and bad tempers,” she replied.
He hefted a long, sturdy stick, “And what do you think I am?”
Louella found herself helpless against the giggle that spewed from her chapped lips. “Go for it, big guy. Fight the croc.”
He grunted and jabbed one end of the stick into the water. Aside from a small splash, nothing happened. He withdrew the stick and examined it to make sure it was indeed water and not some sort of acid or other toxic substance. He caught a drop on his finger and brought it to his mouth. The liquid smelled like water. It tasted like water. He decided it must be water and hoped it was potable for humans.
Louella was thinking along the same lines. “We should probably boil it to kill any parasites or other germs before drinking it.”
Yas’kihn looked around. The trees and bushes had dropped enough wood to allow them a small cookfire for several days … but, he pointed out, “We have nothing in which to boil the water.”
“We’ll have to devise something because I’m really not looking forward to dealing with diarrhea,” she commented in a dry tone. “And, you know, there could be bacteria and stuff in that water that your system can’t handle either.”
He shrugged. His species was tough and remarkably resistant against pathogens. “I will dig a small pit for a fire and see if there is any edible fruit to be gathered.”
She nodded and lay down on the ground. “And I’m just going to collapse right here, I think.”
