I shook my head. “Grokah checked his balls. Adult male, though how young of one we don’t know.”
“Huhi!” Rah-bee said, waving a hand at Rimbet. “Ah’m Rah-bee.”
“That’s his name,” I explained. “Rah-bee.”
“Ho, Rah-bee,” Rimbet replied to him. Then, pointing at himself with his tail, he added, “Rimbet.”
“Rimmbeht,” Rah-bee parroted back.
“Rimbet,” he agreed. Then, turning his attention back to me, he said, “I’ll go check your traps for you.”
I clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks. You’ll need to take supplies as they’re a full day’s walk across the plain, at the edge of the crystalline forest.”
“In the usual area?” he asked.
I nodded. “I tied markers at the base of the trees where the traps were hidden nearby.”
It was standard practice, the colorful strips of cloth easily spotted by a hunter, yet overlooked by the nurgut we set the traps for.
“I will go and bring your bounty back and take it to the smokehouse.”
I knew he’d claim part of the meat for himself, but only what was fair.
“Let me give you provisions,” I said.
“No. Keep them. You have an unexpected extra mouth to feed.” He grinned, baring his canines. “I’ll go say goodbye to Rista. She’ll pack my bag with plenty of good things to eat and her special blend of ckha leaves.”
I let out a low laugh. “That she will. She’s had her eye on you since we were all kits.”
“I know. I keep telling her we are destined only to be friends. If we were mates, the star gods would have marked us so already. She insists that they are waiting for me to truly see her.”
“It is unfortunate. But, while you are there, tell her she is welcome to come meet Rah-bee. She can fuss over him while you’re gone.”
He laughed, the loud sound booming, causing Rah-bee to startle.
“She will see how thin he is and bake him cakes,” he agreed. Then he raised his hand in farewell and left, closing the door behind him.
I walked over to check on the broth. It was bubbling nicely, so I scooped some ground nurgut paste out of a jar and stirred it in. While it continued to simmer, I fetched him a mug, which I ladled some of the hot liquid into before handing it to him. He gave it a sniff.
“Smehlz gud.” He began blowing the steam away in an attempt to let it cool enough to drink. I took his broth off the cooktop, placing it on the stone shelf above it. Then I took out a pan and some dried meat, which I drizzled some of the broth over to soften it up, adding some of the vegetables I kept stored, already peeled and sliced. Rah-bee watched intently the entire time, blowing until he was satisfied his broth was cool enough to drink.He took a tentative sip and screwed his face up.
“Hitz blahnduh,” he said in a complaining voice. “Needz sahlt.” Whatever he was complaining about it over, he kept drinking it anyway, proving he was as hungry as we’d suspected.
The meat and dried vegetables were soft enough to fry now, so I scooped out some fat and began to fry them.
“Sssturh frie!” Rah-bee cried out excitedly. “Gaht nuudlz?”
I took out a plate, placing my dinner on it. Rah-bee looked stricken when he realized he was only getting the broth.
“Soon,” I told him.
“Naht fayhur,” he sulked, pouting.
Perhaps he’d cheer up once he finished his broth and had some chkha. I stood up to put the kettle on.
“Ohh wow yoo hahv uh ketul! Iz thur kaf-fee?” he asked excitedly.
“Chkha,” I replied, showing him the dried leaves I would steep and then strain.
