“You’re just saying that because your mate’s right here,” Bridget grumbles, picking up a cup for herself. “A’tam’s going out hunting and won’t be back for a few days. He said O’jek has his eye on a big herd of dvisti that needs thinning and we could use the pelts.”
“Oh?” My chest clenches up. “He saw O’jek?”
She grimaces, then scoops a bit of tea up and moves to my side, leaning in. “I told A’tam to keep an eye on him. He said he was going to run off,” she whispers, her voice low enough that only I can hear it. “So I told A’tam to go with. O’jek plans on staying out for a while. I’m sorry.”
I nod, but I shouldn’t be surprised. Of course he’s going to do his best to avoid camp. It’s where I am, after all. And seeing as how I’m still living in his hut, well. It’s easy for me to put the pieces together. I ignore the stab of pain in my chest and finish my tea. Wiping my lip stain off the edge of the cup, I rinse it out in the bowl of slushy water kept by the fire for such things. “Well,” I say brightly. “I hear Bek is training the kits today, yes?”
“Oh, that’s right,” says Liz, walking up to the group with her toddler in tow. She yawns, heading for a seat near the fire. “The girls are going with him so no need for you to help out, Daisy. But thank you.”
Does she think I’m volunteering to watch them? “Where are they meeting?” I ask, keeping a perky smile on my face. “I should like to join.”
Everyone stops and stares at me. Liz blinks. Twice. She nods at Bridget, indicating the other woman should approach me. “Take her temperature. Let me know if she feels hot.”
“I’m not fevered,” I say, keeping my tone even and unbothered. I smooth my clothes, acting casual. “I just want to learn how to hunt.”
“Are there body-snatchers on this planet? Someone get Veronica and have her tell us if that’s really Daisy in her skin.” She snaps her fingers at Sessah. “This could be an emergency.”
Sessah doesn’t get up. He just grins at Liz and then at me. “If Bek will not show you, Day-see, I will be happy to.”
“Me, too,” Sam agrees. “We’re staying close to camp today in case of storms. We’d be happy to answer questions.”
“That’s very sweet of you both, but I’ll just join in with the kits. No need for anyone to make a special effort for me.” I beam at them. That, and I don’t know if my heart will be able to take a day of watching Sam and Sessah sneak little touches and kisses. I think I would much rather deal with Bek and his surly demeanor and a bunch of rowdy children.
“I just took the girls over to him,” Liz says, still peering at me as if I’ve lost my mind. “If you head over now I imagine you can catch them.”
Nodding, I give them all a brilliant smile, smooth my hands down my furs, and then march over to the far end of the beach, where Bek and Elly’s hut is set up. Several of the kits are seated in the sand by his hut, and he looks to be helping Katamneas with his boots. Raashel and Aayla are there, too, along with Pak, Shade, and Z’hren.
Bek barely glances up as I approach, his attention on Katamneas. “Two knots in your boot laces,” he instructs. “A hunter with loose boots is a hunter that will not get his kill.”
“Daisy!” Aayla screeches, getting to her feet and racing toward me in a spray of sand. She’s at the age where everything is loud and dramatic. She flings her arms around my waist as if she hasn’t seen me in forever and then beams up at me. “Your face isn’t as yucky anymore!”
Ouch. “Thank you, sweetie,” I say, knowing she doesn’t mean it. “Are you all about to go hunting? Is there room for one more?”
“Who?” Bek asks, glancing around and no doubt looking for the kit in question.
“Why, me.” I smile brightly at him.
All of the children giggle.
“You?” Bek gives me a dismissive look and turns to Pak next, who holds out a boot to demonstrate his knots. “You never leave camp, Day-see.”
“Well, today’s the day.” I ignore the embarrassment I feel. O’jek wants this, and I want O’jek.
Bek glances up at me again. “Day for what?”
“The day I leave camp.” I give him a serene smile. “Do I need a spear or snowshoes?”
It is, of course, a disaster.
Bek has more patience for the children than for me, the adult with less knowledge than them. But I have to start somewhere, and so I take his sour attitude with grace and let it roll off my back. I’ve encouraged the perspective of me as helpless, and it’s going to take time to reverse it. But I’m determined now, and knowing that Bek expects me to fail just makes me all the more determined.