Calm: Ice Planet Barbarians: A Slice of Life Short Story (5 page)

“What look?” I straighten my clothing, wrapping my tender breasts with a chest-wrap like I have seen the human females do.

“The look that says you regret sharing your worries with me.” The smile he gives me is wise. “But I would not have it any other way.”

“Me either,” I say softly. Even a healer must lean on another. I fuss with the blankets, feeling strangely vulnerable at how well he knows me. “Is the privacy screen over the entrance? Rokan and Vektal will be by soon to talk about the bad feeling and what we can do.”

He sets the kit down in a new basket—a basket woven by my mate, with cleverly colored cordage that gives it a decorative pattern—and then goes to the entrance and moves the screen. He returns a moment later, and Vektal and Rokan both are behind him.

“Healer,” Vektal says, nodding at me. “Is your new kit well?”

Kashrem raises a hand, stopping both hunters before they can sit down. “My mate just gave birth. It is only because she wants you here that I removed the screen at all. You will say what you need, and quickly, and then she will rest.”

Rokan’s eyes go wide, but he is grinning. Vektal just nods, his lips twitching with amusement. “You are fierce tonight, Kashrem.”

“My mate looked after the tribe all day and then came home to give birth to my son. Of course I am fierce. She will not stop until she is certain all are well, so I will make sure that she rests.” He gives his chief a firm nod, and then the same at me. “So do not sit, because you will not be here long.”

I chuckle and pull the furs up closer around my waist. He is right; I am tired. My eyelids are heavy and I want nothing more than to sleep, but it feels that there is so much to do.

Vektal comes to stand near the furs and then glances over at Kashrem before squatting at my bedside. “Tell me more about your concerns.”

I look at Rokan, who nods, and then I speak. I tell my chief of waking up with my worries, and my visits to check on the tribe. I tell him of my doubts, because I cannot point to a specific thing causing my worry. It is just there, waiting. “I do not know what to make of it,” I say at last. “I would think it is just the worries of a pregnant female, but Rokan shares them.”

“Yes, and I am not pregnant,” Rokan says, straight-faced.

Vektal just gives Rokan a patient look, and then turns back to me. “And you are sure it is not focused on your new kit?”

“Makash is strong,” I say proudly. “Very healthy.”

My chief grunts. “It is a good name.”

“It is.”

Vektal turns to Rokan. “Could it be related to the khui hunt that we must do for Makash? We will need to go soon.”

Rokan thinks, and then shakes his head. “It does not feel like hunting danger.”

“And not weather?”

Rokan shakes his head again.

“And it is focused on the tribe?”

“It feels that way,” I say. In the light of all the questions, I wonder if I am imagining things. Everyone is healthy. No one is sick. I see on Rokan’s face that he wonders the same thing. So I ask, “Are we seeing smoke where there is no fire?”

Vektal is silent for a long moment, gazing down at me. Then he speaks. “I have never known you to panic, Maylak. You are steady and unwavering. If you have worries, we will listen.”

“But I do not know what it is I worry over,” I fret.

“Then we wait,” Vektal says. “We remain watchful and we wait for whatever it is to happen.” He gets to his feet slowly. “My Georgie has a human expression—a calm before the storm. Perhaps that is what this is.”

“But then what is the storm?” Rokan asks.

Vektal spreads his hands. “We do not know yet.”

I look helplessly at Rokan. “So what do we do?”

“Enjoy the calm,” Vektal says. “Say nothing to the others. There is no sense in spreading panic. Until then, enjoy each day, each hour with your family.”

I look at their serious faces, and then back to my own mate. “That is no answer, my chief.”

“It is because I have none.” Vektal’s face looks momentarily bleak, but then his expression changes to determination. “We will not be caught unawares, whatever this is. We will watch the weather. We will gather more food supplies, more fire supplies. We will send hunters out in pairs instead of alone. We will be safe.” He closes a fist and rests it atop his flat palm. “If we can prevent this from happening, we will.”

“Very well,” I say softly. “There is more I can do. I can work with Kemli and gather more healing herbs. Make more medicinal teas. I can watch the pregnant ones even closer.” And the ones I secretly have an eye on, like Har-loh and Analay.

“
You
will sleep,” my mate says, striding forward and putting himself between my chief and my bedside. He gives the two men a stern look. “She is tired. Let her rest. You can worry more tomorrow.”

“As you wish, fierce one.” Vektal nods at me, and then at Kashrem. “Bring your Makash by when you are rested, healer. My Georgie will want to hold him.”

“I will,” I promise.

The two hunters leave, and Kashrem puts the screen back over the entrance. He rubs his face and then walks to my side, footsteps heavy, before dropping down into the furs. He puts his arms around me and buries his face against my shoulder.

I play with his sleek braids. “Long day?” I tease.

“I worry over my mate even if she does not. Someone must make our tireless healer get her rest.” He lets his fingers trace over my skin. “And I worry over what Vektal says. If there is a problem—”

“Then we wait until it surfaces,” I assure my mate. “He is right. We cannot live every day worrying over a formless, nameless thing.”

“Enjoy the calm,” Kashrem agrees, holding me close. “Easier than it sounds.”

Over in the basket, Makash hiccups and then begins to cry.

Despite my exhaustion, I chuckle. “Much easier than it sounds, especially with a newborn kit.”

“I will get him.” My mate climbs to his feet again and moves to the basket. He picks up the bundle, rocking Makash in his arms as he returns to my side.

I watch them, and my resolve is strengthened. Vektal is right. We live in a dangerous world. There are threats every day, and we cannot live in fear of them. We will wait. We will prepare. We will keep our secrets, and we will hope for the best.

And until then, we enjoy the calm.

I hold my arms out for my new son, and smile.

W
ell
, wasn’t that a fun tease? I hope you enjoyed the little glimpse into Maylak’s headspace. I wanted to show things from her perspective—as both integral part of the tribe and worrywart—as well as check in with several of our other couples. I hope you enjoyed this! As Maylak says, it’s a little bit of calm, right before the storm.

Speaking of storms…Maddie’s book, BARBARIAN’S TAMING, will be out right at the end of summer, and I’m thinking it’s going to be a game changer for our aliens in many ways.

I hope you enjoyed this little taste and it’ll get you through until the next full-length release. As always, thank you for being a fan. I really do have the best ones on the planet!

<3

Ruby

C
ham-pee bites
at the cuff of my leggings as I walk through the cave, nearly tripping me.

“Cham-pee! Stop it! I am trying to carry these blankets!”

He bleats at me, looking so funny and so very sa-khui in his outrage that I laugh. I cannot be angry at his furry little face. When he gets indignant, he reminds me of Bek in one of his moods, which just makes me laugh harder.

Hands grab the tall stack of blankets from me, and I am surprised to see it is Bek. I am not surprised to see he is scowling.

“My thanks,” I tell him, grabbing Cham-pee before he can attack Bek’s leggings.

“You must be more careful,” he tells me in a flat, angry voice. “You nearly stepped into Hemalo’s hides.”

I look over in surprise. Sure enough, Hemalo has set up his skinning tools just outside the cave the unmarried hunters share. It is in the way of the normal paths through the tribal cave, but I suppose he cannot set it up in his own cave anymore, now that he has moved out. “Oh. I did not see—”

“Clearly.” Bek nods at me. “Now, where do you take these?”

“I am going to get Mah-dee,” I tell him, ignoring his foul mood. “Today is her moving day.”

He grunts. “I will carry this for you so you do not hurt yourself.”

“And so you can see Mah-dee?” I tease.

A scowl darkens on his face. I have probably pushed too far, judging from his reaction. I do not care. Bek needs a kick in the tail after several moons of his sourness. The only one he is kind to anymore is the human Claire. I think he misses her. But he only says, “Where is the human, then?”

I shrug. “Where did she sleep last night during the celebration? In which cave?”

He does not know, and I do not either, so we start peering into the caves with no screens. If she has bedded down with a hunter, we will find her soon enough. This is a cave with few secrets…though I think if she has bedded down with someone, I will lose Bek’s assistance.

We find Vaza before we find Mah-dee. He is all smiles as he spies us, a basket in his hands. “Have you seen the human Mah-dee? I wanted to give her a basket.”

I smother my amusement behind my hand. Vaza is so obvious. So is Bek, actually. He scowls at his competition. “Why does she need a basket?”

Vaza gazes down at the basket in his hands and then shrugs. “Does not everyone need a good basket?”

“I am sure she will be grateful.” And a giggle slips out of me.

Both Bek and Vaza frown at me. Cham-pee bleats and bites at my chin. I release my little dvisti and he immediately scampers away, thinking we are playing a chase game. I do not follow.

The chase game that is unfolding is far too interesting.

“Perhaps she is sleeping in one of the storage caves,” I suggest. “I will go look.”

They do not pay attention to me. They are too busy glaring at each other. “She can make her own basket,” Bek snarls at Vaza.

“She can make her own blankets, too!”

“I am helping Farli. You are just stalking her like a snow-cat, like you always do.”

“As if you are one to speak,” Vaza hisses. “You had a human and you lost her. Let others have a chance!”

I roll my eyes like Leezh does when she is annoyed.

Every time a human female is unmated, it is the same story with the unmated males. They make fools of themselves to push their way into her presence, hoping for a pleasure-mate, if not resonance. Now that there is only one unmated female again, they grow more desperate and more angry in their conversations to each other. Some of the hunters—like Harrec and Warrek—do not bother to chase the females. They figure if it is meant to be, resonance will bring them together. The pushier ones like Bek do their best to help things along.

I find it exasperating…but also a little exciting. In a few seasons, I will be a woman, old enough to be courted. Will they chase after me as heatedly as they do Mah-dee? The thought of all that attention makes my stomach flutter. I do not know that I want Vaza or Bek, but it is still exciting to think about. I pat my flat chest. Still no teats. I have a season or two yet.

I sigh. I am ready to grow up.

I leave the two hunters behind to bicker, and search the caves. In a pile of extra furs in the back of the storage cave, I find Mah-dee. She has slept in my family’s cave since arriving, because we have a larger one, but she did not return last night. “Good morning,” I call out to her as I approach. “Wake! It is time for your moving day!”

Mah-dee sits up blearily, her yellow mane a snarl on her head. “Why are you here and so loud?”

“Am I loud?” Behind me, Cham-pee bleats at the entrance of the cave as if to agree. “I am sorry,” I whisper. “Is this better?”

“I think I’m hungover,” Mah-dee says, rubbing her face. “That sah sah is some potent shit.”

I gasp. “It was bad?” I have heard “shit” many times from the humans, but they usually say it when they refer to dung. “Oshen will be so displeased—”

“No, no,” she says quickly. “Potent
stuff
. Stuff. I misspoke.”

Oh.

“Where is my sister?” She straightens her clothing and peers around. “Is she awake?”

I giggle. “We will not see much of them all day, I think. They are resonating.” It is so exciting to think about. I picture Rokan and how he gazes at his new mate, and a little sigh escapes me. I want a male to look at me like that. Then I wrinkle my nose. Not Vaza or Bek, though. Someone nicer. Maybe Taushen.

Mah-dee just gives an unhappy little groan and lies back down in bed. She pulls the blankets over her head. “I hate this place.”

I giggle and reach forward to tug the blankets down again. “You are so silly.” I have gotten to know Mah-dee well in the last few weeks. She says many sour things, but she is just sad and lonely and in need of friends. “Today is a good day. You are getting your own cave!”

S
he lets
me pull the blankets down, and there’s a thoughtful look on her face. “I am? I’m not going to stay with my sister?”

“No, you will be caving with Asha,” I tell her. “It is a girls’ cave!” The thought is very exciting to me. Maybe when I am old enough, I can cave with them. We can braid each others’ hair and make clothes together and share secrets.

“I guess that’s fine. I didn’t really want to hear my sister nailing her new boyfriend all the time,” Mah-dee says after a moment. The look on her face grows sad again.

“Not friend,” I correct her. “Mate. And they are not
nay-ling
, they are mating.”

“Right. My bad.”

“Bad?”

“Never mind.” She sits up and Cham-pee immediately races forward and grabs a corner of her blanket, shaking it wildly. A small smile touches her sad face, and she reaches out to rub his head. “All right, let’s see the new place.”

When Mah-dee and I emerge from the storage cave, both Bek and Vaza visibly puff up their chests. If Mah-dee notices, though, she is silent. She remains at my side as I lead her through the tribal cave, and pays no attention to the men that race to be near her. I do not think Mah-dee is interested in a mate at this time, even a pleasure-mate.

Though if I were going to pick a pleasure-mate, I would not pick Vaza either. He is too old, and females have their pick of the unmated hunters.

Asha’s cave has no privacy screen in front, so I enter. Inside, the fire pit is dark, and there is one bundle of furs in the back of the cave. “Asha?” I call out.

The bundle of furs stirs. “Go away, Farli.”

“It is not early,” I tell her. “You should be awake.”

“Why?” Her voice is tired. “What is the point?”

The point? How silly. “There is so much to be done. Here, I will start your fire pit. And today we must move Mah-dee into your cave. Where are your fire-making tools?” I squat beside the ring of rocks.

“Move Mah-dee in?” Asha sits up and her hands go to her hair to braid it. As she sits up, a tiny bit of fur drops to the floor. She snatches it up quickly, but not before I see it. It is a tunic, kit-sized.

Poor Asha. She misses her little Hashala so. I only have vague memories of the kit from several seasons ago, just that she was pale, pale blue and so tiny. Born too early, I am told. It happens, I am told. It is rare. All this, I am told so I do not fret with fear for when it is time for me to carry a kit. The tribe grieves, and then life goes on…for all but Asha, I think. In her heart, she still weeps.

So I smile brightly at her as if Mah-dee moving in with her is the best thing to ever happen. “You and Mah-dee, yes. Vektal says we will have the single women in a cave together.”

“Single? But I am mated to Hemalo, you forget.” Her lip curls slightly as she says his name. The others are filing into the cave as we speak, and Asha’s gaze flicks to the others.

“Hemalo has broken the mating,” Bek says flatly. “He has moved in with the hunters.”

“Bek!” I am horrified at his callous words, because it is clear this is not known to Asha. Her expression goes tight, her eyes bleak. She looks at me, and I nod slowly. It is true.

“He said nothing to me.” She gives a small, bitter laugh. “Though I do not know why this surprises me. He says nothing to me anymore.” Her gaze moves past Bek and Vaza to Mah-dee. “Welcome to the cave of rejected females.”

“Ouch,” Mah-dee says. “Hello to you, too.”

Asha just grabs her blankets and lies down again. She turns and faces the wall of her cave, shutting us out. “Put up the privacy screen when you leave,” she tells us.

I glare at Bek. That could have been handled nicer. Asha is clearly hurt.

“Would…would you like a basket, Asha?” Vaza offers.

“Enough with the basket,” Bek snaps, elbowing the hunter aside. “No one wants
your
basket.”

Mah-dee looks at me, a mixture of confusion and helplessness on her face. “Is this a bad time?” she whispers.

“There are no good times for this,” I whisper back. “Let us just set up your furs and go out for the day. We can take Cham-pee for a walk.”

“All right,” Mah-dee says. Bek gives her an expectant look, and then she gazes around the cave before turning back to me. “Do we just set down anywhere?”

“Asha?” I ask.

“Anywhere. I do not care.” Her voice is dull and lifeless, and she does not turn to look at us. “Just leave me alone.”

Mah-dee and I exchange a look. Vaza just puts his basket next to her furs. We set Mah-dee’s things down and then quietly exit the cave.

“Well, that was awkward,” Mah-dee says when Bek has placed the privacy screen over the entrance. “And don’t I just feel so welcome.”

“I can make you a basket,” Vaza says. “Since that one is now hers. It would bring me great joy.”

Bek just snorts.

Mah-dee’s nostrils flare and she gives me a worried look.

“Mah-dee and I are going to go gathering and walk Cham-pee,” I tell them. “We have much to do.” I take her arm and steer her away from the males before they can start arguing amongst themselves again. The human does not protest and lets me lead her to the front of the cave before she shivers, and I forget that she is human and not dressed for the snow. “Wait here,” I tell her. “I’ll get some of my furs for you to wear.”

“I’m twice your size, Farli,” Mah-dee says, rubbing her arms. “Maybe I should just wait for Lila to wake up?” The look on her face is hopeful.

Poor Mah-dee. She is not very familiar with resonance. “You will be waiting a long time. Resonance will not let them rest until she is with kit. When Jo-see and Haeden resonated, we did not see them for days.” I giggle. “Though we heard them plenty.”

“Ew, thanks for that,” Mah-dee says. She kneels by Cham-pee and rubs his pointy little face. “So my sister doesn’t need anyone but her man, and my new cave-buddy doesn’t want company. Where does that leave me?” She makes kissy faces at Cham-pee and starts speaking in a funny voice that I have heard the other humans make at their kits. “Where does that leave us, lil’ buddy? Are we totally fucked? Yes we are, aren’t we? Yes, yes we are. We are totally screwed aren’t we?”

I frown at her, trying to figure her words out. “You are not left anywhere. You are with me.”

Mah-dee stops making goofy faces at the dvisti and her expression changes, a little smile gracing her funny human mouth. “I guess so. Thanks, Farli. You’re good people.”

“Are there bad people?”

“Figure of speech.” She rubs her arms again, and Cham-pee snaps at her fingers, thinking it a game. “Let’s get those furs, shall we?”

I nod, studying her before turning. Humans are so strange. It has been many turns of the moon since the humans arrived and I still do not understand them sometimes.