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The next morning as the rays began to shine in the cab, I sat up from across the seat and stretched. Was it the first time I slept through the night in this crazy place? I couldn't remember, but it felt good. A look to my berry fingertips even showed they were back to normal. The boils on my arm still looked sickly, and the pain was sneaking back so I'd have to figure out where those liquid leaves were.
Getting up and going through somewhat of a normal morning routine, I waited for Thann to come back. He was probably out hunting eggs again. But I just ate another watermelon carrot and as I sipped on a bottle of water, my nerves started to pick up. Our water supply was getting quite low. We'd need to make a trip to the lake today, and to be honest, the idea frightened me. It was like I was coming to associate the lake with bad luck, but I shouldn't. The indawho indazo? Indezawo? Forget it, the dragon, was dead now. It shouldn't matter to go get water. We'd need it and we'd need our supply to be as full as possible if we were traveling tomorrow. I wondered how long it would take us to get to Molly and Lissette. A single day? A week? I needed to remember to ask how long it would take. How would I even ask how long it would take?
I gritted my teeth and started putting all the water containers available ready for a hike and then planned for my next steps with the wheelbarrow. I'd need vining material to weave a basket, so I hooked the rifle over my shoulder and stepped into the woods.
Staying within fifty yards of the truck I wandered through the thickness and chopped down vines and bendable saplings as I came across them.
"EL!" Thann hollered from the direction on the truck and before I even had the chance to open my mouth to call back he came crashing through the brush and was in front of me. "El," he tempered in relief before hardening again. He pointed the path he just came tearing through. "El car!"
I smirked and started walking that way. "Oh you big baby. I wasn't that far."
"Baby?"
"Nevermind." I turned back to him, walking backwards. "Where'd you go anyway? Why can't I sneak off if you do? Did you bring some more eggs?"
He grabbed the load of sticks from my arms. It was barely more than a handful for him.
When we stepped into the clearing, he dropped the sticks unceremoniously near where I had the fire and then got an excited look in his eye. He then full on grabbed my waist and lifted me clear to the side of the truck like I was a toddler. My hands leapt to his arms to steady myself. "Whoa! What's going on?"
I was nearly as tall as him from sitting there, and I could look at him face to face. It made me smile. His eyes sparkled with a joyful glint, and I noticed there were some gold flecking within the brown I'd never noticed before. "Hey. What?" I pressed my lips together in a bashful moistening line.
His hand softly touched over my face, caressing my cheek tenderly, and it warmed my stomach. My breath stopped at the sweet hold. Was he going to kiss me? Did I want him to kiss me?
Of course not.
I think.
But instead he reached into his side pouch and brought out a flower. It was like a wide lily, colored a rich indigo with bright yellow glistening stamens. He held it out to me.
My lips parted in a silent gasp at the beautiful blossom. A full grin spread to my face as I looked to meet his eyes. "Thann," I said with a purr. "Did you get me a present?"
"El. El." He placed it in my hands. "Nose."
"Thank you," I said with a loving air. I brought it to my nose and inhaled. It was a stunning scent that engulfed me. It was like springtime, somewhere near a crystal-clear brook. "It's beautiful."
"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.
"I ate one of those cool carrots, but do you need to eat?" I pointed to the other bin where his leftover pig was.
"Eat. Yes." He reached for the bin and grabbed his roast. He held it out in offering with a smirking grin.
"No!" I laughed, holding my hands up. "That thing could have worms or diseases or something. I'll cook my meat." I grabbed a rambutan and sat back to eat it. I peeled away the sharp skin to expose the white creamy fruit inside.
He laughed and dashed glances, smiling at the flower every so often. I may have even winked once.
I pointed to the bags. "We need water today." Three fingers tapping my chin. I pointed the pathway down to the lake.
He nodded with another bite of some rib thing. "Water."
Hopping off the truck, I grabbed the bags. "Ready?"
His face fell with a growl. "No El."
"No El? Yes El!" I whined. "I'm not staying at the truck like a prisoner."
"El car." He stated stoney.
I pouted. "No car."
"El safe car." He tucked my flower back at my ear before it fell.
"Please, water El and Thann."
"Safe car, Thann water," he spoke softly. Then his eyes popped to mine as if he just thought of something. "No safe. Werewolf."
"Werewolf!" I screamed and then quieted. "Water werewolf?" I mean, I guess it made sense. There were probably lots of predators hanging out at the local watering hole ready for their munchies. That's where I first saw the grey blurs of the sabretooths even. It made me shudder to think how often Jia and I hung around there and randomly avoided them.
A single nod.
I groaned and dropped the bags like a huffing toddler. "Fine. No water El. Car El."
He stood from the back to full height. Then he patted my head. "Human female safe."
"Yeah-yeah-yeah. Get out of here." I shooed him away.
He chuckled and grabbed my bags and bucket. "Ngizobuya kungekudala sthandwa sami."
"Sure, sure. Sami, sami. Whatever you're saying." I grumbled, but he was already taking strong steps and disappearing to the path.
I figured I better get working on building my wagon. Maybe divide and conquer was better in this situation anyway. Not that I'd admit that to him.
The sun was high in the sky when I had a crudely woven wagon basket made. I stopped for lunch and gnawed on a potato when I heard grunting coming from the tree line. It didn't seem like it was a sound Thann would make, so instantly my senses heightened.
A roar like thunder pressed on my ears and a spined panda broke through the tree line standing to its full height on back legs. The scream fired out of me as my rifle was twisted from my back. The panda sank forward, coming towards me when the bullet hit skimming just along its forehead.
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I cursed. Remember to adjust for close range Eleanor!
The creature roared its fury and leapt forward, taking its bounding steps straight for me. Another millisecond later a bullet went between his eyes and he tangled down into the electric fence wire, dead. Only feet from my dangling legs.
Dang.
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I fell back trembling against the truck, heart racing with adrenaline, chest pounding air in.
I almost died.
It almost ate me.
A second later hurtling was heard in the trees and I darted back up raising my gun to the source.
My finger readied, but Thann ran into camp. He took in the scene and I fell back again in relief.
Thann raced beside me at the gate and gathered me up into his arms like a child. "El! El! Hurt! Hurt!"
Opening my eyes slowly to him, I shook my head. "No hurt. Scared. Kill freaky panda."
His head darted to the bear. "Kill. Kwebhere." He rocked me on his lap, starting to say cooing things to me and I just let myself sink into his warm heat, feeling spent.
When a few minutes had past and I was breathing again, I smiled half-heartedly to him. "Hey you, you forgot the water."
He laughed, almost in a sigh and I sat up, scooting beside him. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to standing. "Water. Woza." He took a few steps toward the water path, not releasing my hand.
"Water? Is Woza water? I get to go now?" A smile slid to my face. "I thought you said there were werewolves at water."
His eyes darted to the side in a contemplative thought. "No. Safe werewolf water."
"Alright, I'm coming."
He didn't let my hand go and tugged me the entire path when we made it about a mile down where bags were flung to the side. I went to grab one, but he picked it out of my hands. "Akekho umuntu wesifanzane ophatha izikhwama."
I snickered and reached for another, but in a speeding movement all bags were then in his hands and he was standing on the path back to camp.
"Show off."
He grinned and started back up, with me following his long strides huffing and puffing.
"Okay," I conceded as we reached camp. "Maybe I'm cool with you getting water alone. You walk way too fast." I sat down and reached for a new bottle. "If you hike that fast why weren't you back yet? What were you doing?"
He just sat beside me and looked out to the trees. He looked worried when he finally spoke. "Fire." Then before I could respond, he was up and galloping into the trees.
I looked to the sky with a shake of my head. "Really? Bye I guess."
Glancing over at the dead panda, I shuddered. "Hey Rambo, get back here and do something with this thing. It's creeping me the eff out." But no sound accompanied Thann's flight. I grumbled to myself, and poked the beast with a stick. At least it really was dead. I walked over to the charger for the perimeter fence and disabled it, then carefully freed the wire from the Panda's tangle. Good freaking grief, I could barely lift one of its paws to get the wire, but I did finally work it out. Then I replaced the guide poles and connected the charge again.
Thann then suddenly appeared with an armful of wood, dropping it, and then darted back into the forest. "Okay, maybe he really does need to start a fire." Sighing, I went back to my wheelbarrow, trying to figure out how to attach the wheel.
Thann brought back four more armfuls. It felt like enough wood to last a month. As the pile got higher I asked his retreating form, "are we trying to get ourselves eaten by werewolves? This bonfire will be seen from your stupid moons." But he either ignored me or didn't hear.
I had the wheel attached to the handles with a eureka moment, salvaging some things from off the truck when Thann came back and started arranging sticks. I found a stopping point in my project and went over to watch him work.
"Fire?" I asked as I sat beside him.
"Fire. Meat." He stated flatly. He was knocking two stones together trying to get a spark. He scowled like he knew he didn't have the right tools but was trying to make something work. I was tempted to let him get more annoyed at the lack of catching sparks, but after his outburst that I shouldn't feed myself I was ready to one up him.
"Hold on. I can help." I got up and dug through my emergency tote and found my lighter. I actually had a good deal of flint and steel and matches, but I was ready to impress.
Bending down next to him, I placed my fingers over his aggravated hands and guided the rocks away. He looked to me confused. "Wenzani umuntu wesifazane ngidinga ukubasa umlilo."
Guiding the lighter into his pile of plant fibers and dried leaves I pressed the button that immediately lit the dried tinder. I looked to him and smiled. "Tada! Fire!"
He just dropped the rocks.
I giggled as the fire caught easily and he grabbed at my hands, opening to see the lighter. I held it up and thumbed the fire going again. "Umlilo," he said softly and then grabbed the gadget from me. "Kanjani fire?"
As he started pushing on the tool, I grabbed it back. "Hey, this is the only lighter I have here. Don't break it." Then I thumbed over the gear and again showed him the flame.
He smiled admiringly, with a glance back to me. "Fire."
"Yes. Fire." Then I moved to toss a few larger logs on his pile of sticks. "Pretty cool, huh?" I giggled and stood up, going back to finish attaching my basket to the wheelbarrow.
When I turned around to gloat again, Thann was completely gone and so was the bear. "Wait? ....Men," I sighed.
I watched the fire and fed it as necessary for the next hour, making a nice and toasty blaze. I abandoned the last few steps on my wheelbarrow and went to sit by the warmth and let my mind wander back to Earth.
I was deep in dark chocolate cake when Thann came back holding his own makeshift wooden holder something and placed it up over the fire. It was like a laundry air dry rack. It was some six rowed rack and he placed it carefully before running back into the trees.
He came back moments later holding a hollowed out log, full of a brown and green heap. He dropped it to the side of the fire and started taking strips of the brown-green thing and laying it over the rack. I slipped over to his pile and pulled a piece out. As I felt over the mass the brown and green slid under my fingers. I pushed the coloring away and realized it was meat. Did he process the bear and put some weird paste over it?
I held it up. "What is it Thann?"
He looked down momentarily before going back to his hanging. "Kwebhere fire. Eat. Molly."
Huh? "Kooebhair eats Molly? What?"
"Night Day. Molly. Eat meat."
"Night day? What do you mean night day?" I looked at his contraption again as he hung more pieces, trying to understand. "Are you smoking the meat? Oh, that's a good idea. For traveling right?" I snickered and he finally stared to me with a smile. "That's my kill then, right? The panda? See? That means I am a good hunter. I can feed myself. Boom boy."
When all the pieces were up on the rack, he grabbed a strip and wrapped it around the end of a sapling, sticking it inside the fire.
A few minutes later he held the stick out to me. "El fire meat."
I grinned over to him, a nostalgic feeling overcoming me at the warm fire. It made me think of sweet memories of family camping trips and roasting hot dogs. "Thank you. That's really sweet."
He grabbed a slice right from the smoke and began eating it.
The meat was tough like an old elk, but it still was wonderful with the roasting and slight char. I figured the paste over it had to be something to help it cure because it didn't add much flavor.
We sat in quiet as he ate through a dozen more pieces and stared at the roaring fire.
"Thann? Molly night day? Yes-No. When are we leaving?"
He looked up to the now setting sun as if he was contemplating, then he came and sat by me taking my injured arm in his lap. Delicately, he untied the wrapping and used it to wipe the green paste away. I grimaced with the still very tender skin. It was still bubbled and red, but the coloring wasn't as flaming and the blisters had shrunk.
I smiled, "hey that looks better." Finally. Frickin' two weeks. Whatever is in Thann's healing paste must be working.
He however wasn't happy. "Earth female heal no."
Balking at him, I spoke, "Uh Thor, this looks great actually. Heal. Yes."
"Heal no," he countered and started unwrapping his own bandage. As he wiped the paste clear away my jaw opened in surprise. He was nearly completely healed. Fresh pink skin stared back at me, no hint of canals of gore. It had been what?! Three days! Three freaking days!? He was a medical miracle! I mean I saw the mini cuts heal, but this thing should have killed him! He patted his side angry with me. "Thann heal, yes. El heal, no."
He pushed the paste back over my wound and wrapped it up with a scowl. "Molly night day night day."
"Thann!" I cried. "Arm. Not leg. Walk fine. Molly walk night day!" My fingers as legs, signing walking away.
He scowled. "Molly night day night day."
I scowled right back. "Night day. Tomorrow."
He growled and turned away from me.
"That's what I thought big guy." I smirked and then got up to finish the last of my wheelbarrow. If he wasn't going to show me where to go, I'd just start packing and walk. He'd have to follow, or carry me back.
And at the thought, my head tilted. Maybe I'd be okay with either possibility. A snicker fell from under my breath.
Thann watched the fire and kept it smoking well. I finally attached the last bit of the wicker basket and took it for a test run. "Thann!" I called out in glee. "Look! I made a wheelbarrow!"
He stood and wandered over to me, watching as I maneuvered the contraption around the clearing. He did not look impressed.
"Aww, come on," I complained. "This is cool. Look." I hefted the tote box full of heavy chicken feed and scavenged food and dropped it into the basket. Then I lifted the whole thing with ease and wheeled it around. "See? Carry. Easy. El."
He examined me and the wheelbarrow, then he grabbed the tote box out with one hand like it was empty.
My jaw opened. "Freak Thor. I get you're strong, but one handed? I have to carry just one of those chicken feed bags on my shoulder!"
"Shoulder? Head, shoulder, knees, toes?"
I groaned and laughed at the only word he understood. "Yes, shoulder. And you could carry it with your little toe. I get it."
He looked confused.
I felt unneeded. Two days of work and I already had a pack mule.
"Alright. You know what? I'm going to bed. I can't handle your muscles anymore." I grabbed a water bottle and swished some around my mouth and then went through my slight night routine. "Night Thann," I waved before heading into the cab. He gave a graceful nod.
I wrapped up in my sleeping bag and laid across the seat, a pile of Jia's rags as a pillow again.
Unaware of how long I had been asleep, I jumped awake to the sound of the truck door being opened, my hand already reaching for my rifle.
"Thann," He tapped himself, and when I noticed him, I breathed in again.
"What are you..." is all I got out of my sleepy mouth before I realized it was raining the heavy drops again and he was scooting in. "Oh, yeah. It's raining. You can come in." I sat up and noticed he was slightly wet, but not as soaked as he should be with how hard it was raining. "You okay?"
"El cold."
"Huh?" I asked, but then a wave of freeze broke over me. "Oh wow! It's cold!" I spoke as if I didn't realize that I was shivering the whole time. The adrenaline of thinking a monster was coming in to eat me must have covered it.
He situated himself in the cab, his massive frame making it hard for him to fully maneuver. Then he held his arms out, invitingly. "El cold."
"Uh," I hesitated, watching over his arms, but was actually kind of tempted. I knew how warm his skin felt. "You want to share heat?"
"El," he chastened. "Woza lapha."
"Woza?" I looked to the pouring rain on the windshield, chin quivering. "Rain? Rain water?"
"El cold." He spoke more urgently, arms still outstretched.
"I mean, it would be kinda nice." But I still hadn't moved.
"El Woza!" He pleaded and patted his chest.
My brow creased at his demand.
He softened and pressed his arms out again. "El."
"I don't know. Like, we barely know each other."
But you were fine keeping warm with Jia, Eleanor.
He put his arms down and studied me. "El cold. Yes-No."
"Well, yyes," I said delicately, a bit of a chilly tremble through my word.
"Thann, El safe. Cold."
I swallowed noisily and looked around the cab like it was the answer. "You sure?"
"El, woza iapha." His words, a soft imploring now. "Ngiyacela."
Pressing my lips together in a moistening line, I nodded. "Okay. If you're sure." I unzipped the sleeping bag and scooted over to him nervously.
He smiled a half grin and twisted diagonal in the seat. I widened the sleeping bag over us and slid up against him. When his arms came around me and tightened me to his chest, it was like a switch was flipped.
"Oh my gosh you feel so good." I then buried myself into his warmth, causing aching in my frozen fingers as I clung into him. My forehead and nose pressed into his chin, tucking my cold against him.
A gentle sigh slipped through his chest under me, and he pulled the sleeping bag up to my shoulders around us. Then his arms wrapped back strong around me, and his head leaned away against the rear glass.
When the heat was finally starting to seep into me, my breathing evened out and it didn't take very much longer to fully fall asleep, cradled in an alien's arms.