Page 22 of Planet Zero
“Hello,” Addie addressed the women.
“Hello,” they said in unison.
The younger one was looking around, checking out Addie’s campsite, her side-leaning undersized teepee, and her stone pit. The older one was studying Addie intently.
“I am glad you came,” Addies said. She felt flustered under this scrutiny.
Oh’na, immune to the reservations so clearly harbored toward Addie by her elders, exclaimed “What is that?” and rushed to the pit.
“Careful, there’s meat in there,” Addie took off after her. She felt ridiculously protective of her meat. “It isn’t ready yet, so you mustn’t touch it. But hey, you know what?”
“What?”
“When it is ready, I’ll share it with you. Deal?” She had no idea where the words came from, but it was easier to talk to the child than to adults like these women or like their Chief Net’ok. Like that asshole Zoark…
Melmie and the women followed Addie and Oh’na to the stone pit.
“What meat is this?” the younger woman asked.
“Tek meat.”
The woman’s eyes slid to the spear still stuck in the ground next to the pit. “You hunt?”
“Oh, no. Not Teks. But one came over here, and I had to kill it. It was one time. I’m more of a Truned girl.”
Melmie giggled. “You aren’t very good at hunting Truneds, Addie.”
Addie smiled. “I am learning.”
“So, this is where you live?” The older woman posed the question casually.
“For now. I will go soon.”
“Where will you go?”
“The Olzol Mountains.”
She managed to surprise the old woman. “You want to go to the mountains?”
“I think I do.” She looked around. “There is nothing for me here.”
The old woman remained silent as if considering what Addie had just said, and finally cocked her head. “My name is Chele. And this is Illied.”
“Hello, Chele,” Addie didn’t know how to sayPleased to meet you. “Hello, Illied.”
Illied finally smiled a small, reserved smile.
“Hello, Addie.”
They stood there in awkward silence.
“Well, we must be on our way,” Chele said. “We’ve traveled a distance to come here to see you, and we still have things to do.”
They came to see her! And now they were going to leave. Well, what did she expect, for them to sit around her stone pit and chitchat? They didn’t look like a chitchat type of people, and she could barely string two words together herself.
“Can I come with you?” On impulse, Addie called out to them. “To forage?” She knew that word well, what with the foraging being her main activity in the city. That, and the cooking.
“Yes, come!” Melmie exclaimed and immediately earned a censoring look from old Chele. It was becoming clear who called the shots in their small group.
