Page 6 of Fall

But the Hairy Man barked out a sharp word that brought the other to asudden stop.

Lenna looked back curiously, trying to figure out if the Hairy Man wastrying to protect her or if he just despised the other man. Since the HairyMan was glaring coldly at the other one, she leaned toward the latterinterpretation.

Even now, none of them appeared particularly concerned about her, but atleast they hadn’t decided to let that disgusting half-animal have his way withher.

The others were still talking, completely disregarding her existence. Duringthe discussion, the Hairy Man went over and retrieved his spear from the firstman’s back.

Still talking, all six of them turned around and started to walk away.

Lenna blinked. “What the hell?” she muttered.

Were they actually going to leave her here?

“Hey!” she called out, running after them. “Hey! Wait! Wait!”

They turned around, and the Gorgeous One’s mouth curled up in annoyance. Hesaid something to her, but she couldn’t understand what it was.

“Can I come with you?” She ran over to him, looking up at him pleadingly,searching for some way to make her request clear.

They didn’t seem to be the most generous of people, but at least theymight be able to protect her from wild animals and give her something to eat. Shewasn’t a fool. She’d stand a much better chance of surviving with them than shewould by herself.

The Gorgeous One—who she was now suspecting was the leader—gave her acursory once-over and sneered again.

Lenna had always known herself to be an attractive woman, and she’d hadplenty of male attention over the years. But evidently nothing about her faceor body was appealing to the man in front of her.

Since he wasn’t going to be swayed by attraction or kindness, she rackedher mind for something she could offer him. All she had in her possession werethe berries she’d found earlier. So, just before he turned away from her again,she stuck her hand in her pocket and thrust the half-crushed berries out athim.

He jerked back in surprise and peered at the red berries with narrowedgreen eyes.

The Hairy Man grunted out some sort of question, which the leaderanswered dismissively. Then the leader turned away from her again.

Lenna, realizing she was losing her last chance at protection, noticedthe Hairy Man was still looking at her curiously.

So she ran over to him and offered the berries. She felt like an absoluteidiot—trying to give smashed berries to a dirty caveman—but she was too franticto care.

The Hairy Man carefully picked one of the berries out of her hand. Thenhe lifted it higher to study it, the upper part of his face—the only part thatwasn’t covered with hair—conveying obvious confusion.

Realizing that he didn’t even know what the berry was for, Lenna took oneof them and put it in her mouth, with exaggerated slowness. “Mmm,” she murmured.

The Hairy Man frowned and raised the berry to his mouth. As soon as hetasted it, his expression changed. He grunted something, and then looked ather, as if she were supposed to understand what he said.

Lenna shrugged and offered him the rest of her handful of berries.

He took them, eating a couple more.

Nodding, he called out something to the others, who had already startedwalking away.

The leader stopped and looked back at the Hairy Man. After some morediscussion, he finally came over and ate one of the berries himself.

After even more talk, he went over and took something off the belt of oneof the other groomed men. Then he brought it over to Lenna.

It was an empty leather sack. The handsome leader handed it to Lenna witha few words she didn’t understand.

He turned away and started walking again.

Lenna stared at the sack in bewilderment. Instinctively, she looked up atthe Hairy Man, who was still standing beside her.

Evidently reading her questioning expression, the man took the last berryin his hand and dropped it into the sack. Then he made another gesture, clearlytelling her that she was to follow them.

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