17 Bullets: becoming the Werewolf Queen

Chapter 10: Fire from her Fingers

"El. El." He then dug back into his hip sack and brought out a long rectangular fabric pouch, filled with some kind of plant cotton. He placed it in my other hand.

I looked in the pouch and squeezed it. Some kind of barbie sleeping bag? A kitten's pillow? "It's lovely?" I glanced with a smile to Thann. "What is it?"

"Period." Thann spoke confidently and happily.

"Period?" Huh?

"Yes! Period! Period!"

He looked so proud of himself, I couldn't help but grin. "Uh, yeah? This'll be great. Period." But then my face started to fall from my smile. I looked down to the mass. This would be great for a .... He couldn't mean. Oh my gosh! "Thann!" I yelled at him, in an embarrassed smiling outburst. Then I giggled. "You didn't give me a sanitary pad as a gift, did you?"

I felt bad for the women of this planet if period care was a suitable gift.

"Molly. Period." He beamed.

My face was probably as red as that bundle of cotton could be after a use. Oh my gosh. "It was Molly? Seriously Thann. I'm going to have to have a chat with this Molly about what she's been teaching you. All those swears and now period? She has no shame." I laughed as he still stood smiling so innocently. "Okay, but keep to flowers next time, maybe chocolate. You don't need to give tampons as gifts."

I stared again at the bundle but nodded approvingly. I had to admit, in this land it was probably a really good attempt at a pad. Luckily though, I had my emergency cup, so I wouldn't have to use it. But then new thought struck. Uh, I hope he doesn't expect to see it after or something. I didn't know how women on his planet handled menstruation, maybe it was normal to chat up used pads with the men like the weather. Eww.

But a new thought halted me.

Wait.

Wait.

Hold up there Dothraki.

I realized there was a familiar slight pain starting in my lower back. WTF? I was starting today? How the hell did he know that?!

I hopped off the side of the truck and started digging through boxes. "Where'd you go, you little jerk." I told the pink feminine container, finally finding it in with a bunch of other things from my purse at the bottom of the emergency box.

Thann had followed me over and was watching my search interested. "Oh, uh," I held out the bundle of fabric he gave. "I'm just going to go put this on. Stay here!" I commanded harshly.

As soon as I stepped over the wired fencing, he was at my side though. I bent in shame. "Please Thann, I'm not like Molly. This is a private issue. Go away. Car!" I pointed back to the truck and he frowned but stepped back. "Thank you." I started stomping through to my restroom hiding spot.

On the way back, I wasn't sure what to do with the make-shift pad because it really was a sweet gesture of him and I didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I tucked it in the small of my back to hide it for a moment. Walking back into camp Thann's eyes met mine from where he sat at the open gate, and I gave a delicate smile. Then I quickly stepped to the cab and tossed the pad into the glovebox to never be seen again.

When I popped out of the cab, I went up to him and grabbed the flower from where I had dropped it in my hurry to empty boxes. I placed it over my ear and smiled to him. "Thank you for my presents." I showed him with a flat hand touching my chin and then away. I didn't know if his culture hugged, but I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed. Only one hand of his placed at my back in reciprocation, but when I pulled away he was staring off to the trees a full beam across his face.