26 Jessa
Iwoke with a startwhen something slapped the outside of the tent.Tovis was still curled around me, and sunlight streamed through the cracks in the tent panels, the heat of the day already turning the air inside stuffy.Everywhere our naked skin touched I was sweating, and I blushed when I realized I didn’t even have a blanket to cover up with.
Shielding my boobs with my arm, I elbowed Tovis.
“Wake up,” I hissed as another slap shook the tent.His tail flicked the bed and he groaned.
“Vret?”he called sleepily.
“Adak wants you,” a male voice called.“Leave your female before he comes for you himself.”
The now familiar sound of hooves on hard dirt faded away and I looked over my shoulder.
“Are you in trouble?”
Tovis looked back at me, his eyes heavy and content.
“No, Adak leads our band.He wants to know about the sytos.”
“I need clothes,” I said, already dreading the moment I had to get up.My whole body was stiff from sleep, and I knew the moment I stood I’d feel every blister and cut on my feet.
Tovis yawned and sat up, his eyes sliding over my mostly naked body.
“I borrowed some from Amy, but I’m sure the other females will help you find more.”
Other females.I’d almost forgotten there were humans here.I scrambled up to my knees, already excited.
“Let me get dressed and then tell me where they are,” I demanded.He chuckled and reached for a large basket I hadn’t seen last night.There was a bundle of clothing on top and when he picked it up, I saw food underneath.My stomach growled loudly.
“Let me get dressed and eat,” I amended.“Then I want to meet the other women.”
Tovis handed me the bundle, and I quickly grabbed the huge black t-shirt and pulled it over my head before flopping onto my back to gracelessly struggle into the baggy shorts.The flurry of movement tugged at all my strained muscles, and I made a mental note to ask if anyone had a stash of aspirin.
“Here,” he handed me a small box and I turned it over, confused when I saw it was hot chocolate mix.“I know humans like chocolate.”
I held back a laugh, knowing that he had no idea how odd of a treat it was.“Thank you,” I said, ripping into the box and pulling out a small single serve packet.He stacked some more food in front of me.A can of ravioli and a bag of salted nuts.After months of protein bars followed by days of whatever I could scavenge from the Kwin’s scraps, it looked better than anything I’d eaten in forever.
Sal emerged from a small pile of stuff in the corner, stretched his stubby legs, squatted in the middle of the tent and peed.
I groaned.“That smell is never going away.”
Tovis crawled over to the baby percer and grabbed him.“I’ll take him outside, and be right back.”
I watched as he left the tent and then tore open the can of ravioli, shamelessly eating it with my fingers.The urge to lay in bed and just sleep warred with the need to meet the other women mated to turochs and check on Jiith.
The cold ravioli churned in my stomach.I hadn’t given a thought to the injured syto last night, too tired and overwhelmed.But now I worried that he hadn’t made it.He’d looked awful when Tovis handed him off.
After months of quiet monotony, I felt like my life was suddenly filled to bursting with new problems. At least it was safe here.
***
Ifollowed Tovis, bowleggedand wincing, as he led me through the army of makeshift tents clustered outside a low strip mall.The turoch camp was on the very edge of the city, one of the more rundown areas that had been barely inhabited before the world ended.I could see why they’d chosen it.
