He frowns, running his hand over my belly again. “I cannot take my mate out in the brutal season.”
I let out a frustrated puff of breath. “Why not?”
“It is cold.”
I chuckle. “It is always cold, love. I’m not going to snap like an icicle the moment I go outside.” He looks alarmed at my choice of words and tugs me a bit closer. “Besides, I’d like to see the healer, too.”
“You said nothing was wrong?” Aehako blurts immediately.
“Nothing is wrong,” I quickly reassure him. “I just would like to see Maylak. I’d like to see Georgie and Liz, too. We can compare notes about human-sa-khui pregnancies.” I touch his cheek gently, running my thumb over his high cheekbones. “I want to visit with my friends. I want to relax in the heated pool in the center of the cave and not come out for days. And we can visit your mother and father. That’d be lovely, wouldn’t it?
The more I think about the idea, the more I love it. Maybe we need a vacation. Just to get away from everyone else in the South Cave for a few days. Because it’s the brutal season, everyone’s underfoot and getting on each other’s nerves, and Aehako is more stressed than I’ve ever seen him. Being the leader is an extra burden, and he’d probably do well talking to Vektal, too.
It’ll be wonderful for both of us, and I’m willing to put up with a little snow and a terrible day’s walk there to do it.
But my stubborn mate shakes his head. “It is too dangerous.”
I’m not deterred by his refusal. “Is it really? You and the other hunters go out in the brutal season when the weather is decent. It can be done, but it’s just unpleasant, right? I can live with a little unpleasant.”
Aehako traces his fingers over my belly. “It is also far, far colder—”
“Then we bundle up.”
“The weather might blow up and catch us by surprise—”
“Then we bring extra supplies and stick close to the hunter caves. If it takes us three days to get there because we have to keep pausing at hunter caves, I’m fine with that, too.”
He gets to his feet and gazes down at me, his face so full of frustration. He smooths my hair back from my face, troubled. “It is a lot of walking and you are carrying my kit.”
“I don’t mind walking—”
A thoughtful look crosses his face. “Though we could make a sled.”
“To carry our stuff?” I ask eagerly.
“For you to ride on.”
“Oh.” It’s not my ideal situation—I’d much rather walk—but he’s the expert. If he says it’s too nasty in the brutal season for me to walk to the main cave, then it’s too nasty. It doesn’t matter. I’ll ride in a sled if it means we get a chance to visit the healer and just take a break from things. “We can do all of that,” I tell him. “If we have a sled, we can pack it cram-full of extra supplies so we know we’re totally prepared for anything that comes up.”
Aehako still looks doubtful. “I will need a few days to prepare everything. And we must wait for good weather.”
“I’m fine with both,” I say, grabbing his hands. “This will be wonderful.”
He squeezes my hands. “Are you sure you wish to do this, my mate? It might be best for you to stay here, curled up by the fire. I do not want you to push yourself just for me.” His gaze is a mixture of worry and relief both.
“It’s not just for you,” I reassure him. “It’s for me, too.” And for the rest of the cave, because I’m pretty sure Aehako will snap before the brutal season is over. “As long as we go in totally prepared and take our time, I’m not worried about anything. You know this land. You know the paths, snow-covered or not. I trust you.”
Aehako smiles at me, and then drops to his knees to press another kiss to my belly. “Then it looks like we will be taking a journey. I will let the others know.”
I beam at him. I hope this is enough to take his mind off of all the stresses. Right now, my poor love is driving everyone crazy with his good intentions. And if this doesn’t help…we’ll figure something else out.
10
AEHAKO
For the next several days, I barely sleep. My mind is too full of preparations. I must ensure that everything is perfect and that we are ready when we finally step out into the brutal season snows. I will not risk my mate in the slightest.
So I work. I build a sled out of sa-kohtsk bones and thick hide, and some of the other males, bored with their confinement in the caves as the snow and wind roar outside, assist me. Eventually it is big and sturdy enough that it will glide over the snow with ease, and has plenty of room for my delicate mate, her growing belly, and the mountain of supplies we are going to take with us to ensure that we are prepared for any and all situations. I strap extra bone runners and leather to the sled, just in case it breaks. I pack bags of trail rations, even though there are caches scattered throughout these valleys and I am familiar with all of them. I prepare additional waterskins. Tea. Medicinal roots for my mate’s belly in case she wakes up ill. Extra clothing. Extra boots. Extra furs. Blankets. Tools. Knives. Spears.