Starfish

Twenty-Four

Nina sat by the fire feeding driftwood into the coals and measuring powdered, dried black kelp into the kettle. She poked at the pan of sizzling reconstituted eggs, waiting for them to firm up enough to flip. She'd found a package of kelp flour and worked up a bowl of biscuit dough, twisting off portions and wrapping them around the end of a long stick and toasting them over the fire. She'd been up since dawn, awakened by the smell of the sea and the knowledge that today was a free day, and that from dawn to dusk she could do anything she liked.

The sky was clear, yellow-green to the rising sun and purple-blue out to sea. Birds and reptiles swooped and scuttled along the black sand beach, snatching smaller creatures out of the tide as it receded from the shoreline. She looked up when the door to Ardus's cabin creaked open and the big Dreen stepped out, fully dressed. He stretched and yawned at the sea, the bottom hem of his tunic rising just so, and Nina recalled their conversation from the night before. Seventy-eight years old, and he looks like he's thirty! She took in the narrow strip of pale grey-blue belly and turned her eyes away just as Ardus approached the fire, stepping over the driftwood log and blinking sleepily at her as he settled down. "You are up early."

"Can't let you have all the fun," Nina adjusted the blanket around her shoulders. "So, what are you going to do today?"

Ardus scratched his head and spoke with his eyes closed. "First, I am going to drink black kelp and eat something." He yawned again, and an odd shiver rattled his entire body. "Then, when I wake up enough to remember who I am, I am going to make a fishing spear."

Nina bit back a snort, remembering a conversation about Dreen "spears" that brought a pink heat to her cheeks. She rubbed her nose to cover the sound. "Kelp's almost ready, hope you like scrambled eggs and biscuits."

Ardus wobbled on the log. "I could eat a handful of sand and be none the wiser."

This time she did laugh. "Wish I'd known that ten minutes ago, would've saved me some time. Here," she poured and handed him a steaming cup of fresh black kelp tea, tucking her blanket around her as she sat back down. Ardus nodded his thanks and cradled the cup close to his chest, smacking his jaws and staring through slitted eyes at the fire. He sipped while Nina portioned out the eggs and slid coils of warm, slightly green bread from the long stick and gave him three while she ate two herself, watching the sun color the waves in front of them with sheets of gold. The sky blued and the misty air cleared; soon the sun warmed her and Nina let the blanket slip off of her back. 

Ardus nodded as he scooped eggs up with bits of kelp dough biscuit. "Not bad."

"Told you I could cook."

"Then perhaps you would like to assist me later this afternoon," Ardus washed down some eggs with a gulp of black kelp tea. "I intend to catch us a feast for tonight," he grinned at her suddenly, "providing I am not too old."

Nina smiled as she used the last of the kelp biscuit to swipe eggs from her plate and pointed it at him. "You beat me to it."

Ardus sniffed. "I may be old enough to be your father, but my mind is still sharp."

"My dad's fifty-six, you're old enough to be my grandfather." Nina giggled when Ardus winced and tipped back the last of his tea. 

He poured himself another cup and sat back, burying his feet in the sand. "What are your plans for the day?"

"Well, yesterday was fun, so I thought I'd go poke around in the reefs some more. If you want my help with your fishing, you'll have to let me know when you're about to do that."

Ardus nodded. "After yesterday I believe you are capable of looking after yourself. But I will warn you again, screamers and other creatures do come into shallower water and-"