“It needs a floor,” I point out. “And a roof. I will let you make that. I’ll make the floor.”
I walk over to the little stack of stiff dinosaur skins. Sprisk made a whole lot of them from that raptor, and I won’t need much to make the boots. So I pick one sheet and bring it over to the playpen. “Can you step out, Chief Aker’iz? I have your floor.”
Kenz’ox lifts her out, and I place the sheet of thick, stiff alien velociraptor skin on the ground in the pen. It doesn’t cover the whole floor, but when I load it down with rocks, it will be a decent enough surface for the baby to crawl on without getting dirty.
“There,” I state, climbing out. “All done.”
He reaches over to help me out and puts his hand on my lower back.
I stiffen for a moment. It’s not that the intimate touch feels bad. It’s that it feels too good.
Kenz’ox puts Aker’iz in, and I give her a piece of wood and a cut-off from my boot project. I’ll make better toys for her later.
Maybe. Because this is really starting to resemble that domestic bliss thing I don’t want. I don’t belong with these two.
I glance at the saucer. “I will go inside for a while.”
Kenz’ox looks me up and down, his gaze now unashamedly invasive. The tingles it sets off almost make me change my mind. “Don’t stay too long. We like it when you’re out here with us.”
And I like it too. A little too much.“Do you happen to have a house by Lake Como? And is that loincloth Armani, by any chance?” I ask in English.
He nods slowly. “Those are nice sounds.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” I tell him. “Never mind. Strange alien talk only.”
He tilts his head to the side. “I like it when you’re being strange.”
I think he means it. If so, he’s hit the jackpot with me. Feels like I’m rarely anything but strange.
I step out of playing house and into the saucer.
15
–Kenz’ox–
Dorie goes back into the ship.
“She wants to leave,” I tell Aker’iz. “But the ship won’t let her.”
Aker’iz babbles something.
I sigh. “She may be right. There are many Bigs in the jungle. And one day, one of them might get her. Even if she’s really good with her spear. And… of course shemightbe the Woman. She may be waiting for the Gift I’m supposed to give her.”
I don’t remember what that gift was supposed to be. But I’m more and more certain that she’snotthat legendary figure from the prophecies, sent from the Ancestors to become the Mother of Xren.
“Surely such a Woman would be completely different from Dorie?” I ponder out loud while Aker’iz plays with her stick, shaking it and pushing it into the skin floor. “Surely she would be less alive and more distant? More like the Ancestorsthemselves? Surely she wouldn’t be an alien. And surely she wouldn’t be this… wonderful.”
Still, I can’t help smiling. I’ve Mated. With Dorie. And what a Mating it was. It was different from what I expected, but much, much better than I thought it could be. And I want it again.
I quickly build a canopy for the playpen, so that Aker’iz doesn’t have to worry about sap and sticky dew dripping on her thin hair. Then I make her porridge and try to feed her some fried meat that I carefully grind up with two rocks and mix with water to make it soft.
“All big warrior girls must eat meat,” I purr as I try to feed it to her. “Look at Dorie. Best spearswoman on Xren. She eats meat with every meal. Yes, into the mouth… thaaat’s it. I think you’ll probably be a swordswoman, but maybe Dorie will teach you to use the spear and you can choose yourself. If she stays here that long.”
I gaze over at the ship. I can sometimes hear her talking to herself in there while she tinkers with the Plood things. It’s not a happy sound. There’s desperation in it. Sometimes there are muffled knocks and bangs from inside.
“She wants to go home,” I explain to Aker’iz as I reposition her on my lap. “We understand only too well. Butwecan’t go home. At least not for a long time. And we have each other. Dorie has only herself now. At least that’s how she feels, even if you and I are right here. Open wide… yes! Well done. Here comes the irox flying into the gape of the fearsome Aker’iz, the loudest Big in the jungle…”
When we’re done, Aker’iz yawns and I put her into her pack the way she likes. Stirring up the fire, I start cooking a stew fromroots and the last of the usable skarn meat. What’s left we’ll have to throw away, since we turned the drying hut into a playpen for Aker’iz.
