Page 123 of Planet Zero
“And Wrennlins?”
“Some signs of them, yes,” he acknowledged with reluctance. “Please, stay in.”
“I will, as much as we all can. We have to forage, you know. Meat is scarce.”
“Yes, it is.” He looked into the distance, perturbed. “I hate that women have to provide for the tribe. We must do better.”
Addie studied him while he was looking away. He was a good-looking male by the local standards. He had light, almost tawny coloring, and the bright emerald irises over the deep red of his eyes were almost attractive. Spaghetti strings of his thick mane lay like a heavy curtain over his massive shoulders.
He lowered his eyes and caught her looking. Addie hastily blinked away as Shur scrutinized her. He probably still found her potently weird, despite his willingness to mate with her.
“The big game has left these parts,” he said. “Without killing an Elkeks, materials for our home are hard to find. We will have to wait a little more before coming together as mates.” He was apologetic.
His words were soothing to Addie’s ears. “I understand,” she responded with phony regret. “I can wait.”
“But don’t worry, I still have time. My urges aren’t too bad and when we do find Elkeks, I’ll make sure to make a kill. For you.” He sounded eager and looked at her earnestly. “For now, if you need anything, tell me. I will act as your mate even though we aren’t joined in the basic sense.”
He is a good man,Addie thought with surprise. He truly cared about her. He wanted to make his life with her, in their tribe.
Can I make it work without love?
She stared at him, willing the future to reveal itself.
A funny sensation fluttered through her, distracting Addie from Shur. She stilled, looking inward, working to make sense of it. No, nothing; she must’ve imagined it.
But it came again, butterfly’s wings unfurling in her belly.
Her baby was moving.
Shur was talking to her, but she no longer heard what he was saying. She nodded her head and looked at the tops of the teepees where women’s Yuux perched in various configurations.
Protectiveness blanketed Addie like a heavy winter throw. It wrapped around her head to toe and molded with her entire being. There was nothing she wouldn't do for this child. Nothing.
Chapter 36
Scouts returned and left again after a debrief with the chief and a short rest. Addie saw Zoark from afar but didn’t have a chance to speak to him. It appeared - only appeared - that he was avoiding her.
He must know about her and Shur - this kind of news flew around faster than small particles during a sandstorm. Maybe Zoark truly was under pressure to go back into the field, but Addie expected some sign that he was aware of her. A word acknowledgment, however indifferent, of her mating status.
But she got nothing from him.
Had he accepted, like Melmie and Oh’na, her betrothal to Shur as a fact of life? She didn’t know, and it was maddening.
Their tribe was growing more and more restless. Despite the scouts’ unusually intense patrols, nothing was said to the people. Naturally, speculation started churning - nothing fueled rumors faster than a lack of concrete information. Wrennlins, marauders, Elkeks departure, and Qalae’s inability to procreate - all the ingredients bubbled in this thick soup of fear-mongering.
A hunting party left early one morning - a small one, despite their tribe desperately needing meat in quantities. Chemmusaayl made very little production in sending them off, another anomaly in their rapidly changing routine. It was as if maintaining traditions was losing its meaning in the face of the unknown but instinctively anticipated adversity.
Shur didn’t go with the party but stayed in the settlement. After training with the other warriors, he sought Addie out as had become his habit. He often checked on her, and much as Addie appreciated his good intentions, the constant supervision made her want to scream.
All of what was going on was exhausting to Addie who was beginning to feel the toll of her pregnancy.
“Do you need to go out today?”
“No, I should have everything I need. Chele and Oma went first thing in the morning, and Vircea is still out with other women.”
Addie needed to go and pick a couple of things she needed to complete a new batch of blood-clotting herb mix, which she thought they might need one day soon for no other reason except the overall feeling of oppressive anticipation of danger, but she wasn't going to share that with Shur.
“Not even those random leaves and berries you secretly pick and bring back in your sack?” he asked, and she hiccuped.
