Page 77 of Planet Zero
Addie went in and found Chele huddled on her pallet. “What happened?”
“With Illied?” Chele hedged.
“Yes, with Illied. I’ve never seen her that angry.”
Chele sighed and coughed. “Angry. Well, she came here asking to come live with us. She and Melmie. She expected me to take them in. I said no.”
Addie digested the news saying nothing, allowing Chele to continue.
“Illied is like a Yuux who does best with a host. Wixab is dead, and she doesn't know what to do. She is scared to have to provide for herself and her daughter. Illied needs someone to tell her how to live her life, how to organize, what to expect the next day. I’m not taking on this responsibility. She needs to figure it out on her own.”
“Chele, life is hard here,” Addie allowed carefully. “It’s doubly hard for a household without a man, you know it better than anyone. Are you sure you’re against merging with Illied and Melmie? They work hard. And there’s safety in numbers.”
But Chele was shaking her head before Addie finished. “It isn’t about work or them being lazy. I don’t want to be responsible for her and her daughter. And she will poke her nose into our herbs. How are we going to manage our herbs with Illied and Melmie around, Addie?”
Addie had nothing to say to that. But still, she wavered, concerned about Melmie. Surely Illied would figure it out for the sake of her daughter? The death of her mate was still too recent, and the woman must be going through a lot of conflicting emotions right now. She needed time.
Chele rustled around and winced, and Addie focused on her hunched form.
“Chele, are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Discreetly, she shifted her body so as not to put any weight on her right hip.
In one stride, Addie loomed over the sitting woman. “Don’t tell me it’s fine. It’s getting worse, isn’t it?”
Chele waved her off. “Don’t be a nag, not you.”
“You can barely move. Can you stand?” To think of it, Addie couldn't recall when Chele wasn’t resting ever since they had arrived.
“So I can. I took another fall and it hurt me.”
“Oh, no. When was that?”
“When you were out.”
Addie lowered to her knees. “And you didn’t say anything?”
“What was there to say?” Chele was getting annoyed. “I’ll be fine. Not today, but soon… ”
Addie chewed on her lip as worry nagged persistently along with a measure of guilt. She shouldn't have left Chele alone to hobble around. She should have been more sensitive to Chele’s injury.
“Have you taken anything for pain?”
Chele reluctantly named an herb concoction that was designed to bring down inflammation. Evidently, it wasn’t helping much, because the woman looked tired, without her usual pert assertiveness.
Sounds of activity carried in from outside through the thick lining of their teepee.
“They are getting ready to butcher the Elkeks. I need to go, Chele, help prepare the meat. There’ll be a feast tonight. I’ll bring you some food,” Addie promised.
Chele nodded without enthusiasm. “I’ll be here.”
“And a walking stick isn’t a bad idea. Only for a short while.” Addie put up her hand to prevent Chele from arguing. She figured she could easily fashion one for her friend out of a stumpy shrub limb.
But Chele, annoyed, wouldn't have it. “What am I, Chemmusaayl? I need no magic rod. Old Chele is not one for tricks.”
“How will you get around when I’m out?”
“I’ll manage.”
