Page 73 of Caveman Alien's Touch

I don’t like that idea. “Both Sprisk and Trat can take you there. Together.”

“Or just Trat,” Bronwen persists. “He’s already protected me in the jungle once. And I want him to help me with something else, too.”

But she’s not the only one who can be stubborn. “Sprisk and Trat. Or I will go there with you myself. I came too close to losing you this time.”

“All right,” she gives in. “Both of them. I will be back with Astrid, if she agrees. When is funeral?”

“In two nights,” I decide. “We have to tidy up everything and get rid of the dead enemies before we can give him the proper farewell. Even if Astriddoesn’tagree, I want you to come here. If you don’t, I’ll come and get you.”

27

- Bronwen-

When we start walking towards the Borok village, the jungle is its usual, noisy self. Sprisk and Trat are great escorts, choosing the safest and quickest path, doubling back when they suspect a danger ahead.

I’m glad Noker didn’t insist on coming with me himself. He and I need some time apart to process this, and if my feelings for him are what I think they are, then a day or so away from him should only make them stronger.

After about two hours, we meet Brak and Piper coming fast the other way.

“We saw the smoke,” Piper explains after we hug. “In the spot where the new camp is going be moved to. We were confused because it shouldn’t have been moved yet.”

I fill her in, while Sprisk and Trat put Brak in the picture.

We decide that Piper should go back to the Borok with me, while Brak continues to his clan. He’s shocked and clearly racked with guilt about not being in the camp when the attack happened, and after he kisses Piper, he runs to get to his clansbrothers as quickly as possible.

“The clan is important to these guys,” I comment as we walk on. “But that’s the way it has to be.”

“The clan is even more important to them than the tribe is to regular cavemen,” Piper says. “All the trouble they have to get through on a daily basis just forces them to work together, with no room for any bullshit. I don’t mind saying that I prefer the Foundlings to the tribesmen.”

“I know how you feel,” I admit. “There’s something special about them. So, Noker showed me a gift that he wanted to keep secret. One of the results of being half dinosaur.”

She raises her eyebrows. “Oh? What was it?”

“He can kill with his bare hands. I think it’s electricity. It sure looks like it. That’s how he took down that dactyl — he hugged it and paralyzed it for a moment.”

“Sounds useful, actually. As long as he can control it. I mean, maybe I should think twice before I shake hands with him?”

I shrug. “He seems totally safe unless he’s mad. It’s actually really nice. Um. In moderation.”

Piper gives me a lopsided smile. “I get a feeling I shouldn’t ask more about that.”

I grin. “Probably better if you don’t.”

The whole trip takes maybe five hours. Trat keeps darting away into the jungle, spear held ready.

“He’s an energetic kid,” Piper comments. “And I swear he runs faster with that foot than most other boys are with their ordinary ones.”

“He’s tough,” I agree. “Right now he’s doing something I asked him to. And because he’s Trat, he does it so well I have to stop him soon.”

We get to the village, and the doors open before we have asked for it.

We introduce Trat and Sprisk to Korr’ax, and then we climb up to the penthouse and tell Astrid, Bryar, and Alba about the events while the sun sets and we eat dinner.

They’re appropriately shocked about Unin’iz. Not that anyone knew or liked him much, but everyone thought he was dead.

“What can we do about this?” Astrid calmly asks. “I think he may be right about more of the Borok men looking at us girls with less than honorable intentions. Should we isolate ourselves? Stay hidden up here? I mean, it could turn into a real problem when we’re no longer new and exciting to them, and just girls they see every day.”

“It just takes one guy to act on an impulse,” Alba points out, “and one of us may be in serious trouble.”

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