My gaze tracks him, and all I can think of is his jerky.
8
YVA
Iplace the tray of food on the table with a disgusted sigh and complain silently to Edilk.We cannot continue eating this. It is not enough, and it is awful.We should have agreed to live near the colony, but not in the colony. Then we could’ve caught our own food.If we do not eat meat soon, we will become sick.
We have some jerky.Edilk gives me a disgruntled glance, unimpressed with the offering on the tray.Perhaps we should teach them how to cook.
Are we teaching them how to hunt?If the humans don’t trust us with weapons, I don’t understand how we can help them.
We are helping them with the farm. With plants.
They might be able to exist only on plants, but we cannot.One bitter winter we ran out of dried meat, and we couldn’t hunt because the snow was too deep. After three weeks, the hunters were almost too weak to go out. Some of the elderly died.
Edilk nods.I am aware, but I also do not want to make too many requests too soon.
I tilt my head, acknowledging that in that part he is correct, as we are untrusted guests. However, there is a way to get what we want without appearing to ask for it.The humans are veryinterested in us and our culture. Tiril has been teaching them. Perhaps now that we are all here, we could show them a traditional celebration…perhaps to honor those who have been chosen.
Edilk smiles.Your mind is as sharp as your sword.
I placed my hand over my heart, thanking him for the compliment. It is not often I receive them. And even less often that Edilk and Sunif listen to me. It has caused friction between us many times, but I am not foolish enough to walk away from my brothers, not after we have shown that we can work together and survive. It’s why I sailed with them…and it seemed a worthy trip to make and less dangerous than remaining on the continent with the rest of the tribes live.
You led us here, kept us together when we may have fallen apart, and for that I am grateful.But I learned how to negotiate with other tribes, something he has never done.
Edilk grunts, pulls a face and swallows whatever was in his mouth.But we are no longer dealing with a tribe of hungry banished whose only worry is survival.
I exhale, relieved that he understands the problem without me needing to push.You treat us as a family. We are your brothers. But now we are a family in a much bigger tribe.
And we are of the lowest standing, he adds, staring at his tray. Admitting the truth silently and only to me is much easier than saying it aloud.
We are. You will always be the leader of our family.I do not want that role. I could not do it as well as Edilk.But dealing with others is a different matter.
He nods.When the others arrive, we will discuss your idea, plan it, and then make the request.He casts his gaze around the rapidly filling dining room.There are so many humans here, I doubt there are enough animals to feed them all.
We would need many hunters. But we do not need to feed them all. Not all will come, and not all will want to eat meat.The human woman who took my brothers as mates did not want to eat meat at first.
True. Perhaps we will allow them to watch but not join in.
Sabine sits next to him and places her handover his. My kams tingle as they talk, but I do not listen in on the frequency they are using. The others trickle in and join our table.
The women are much more accepting of the food on their tray, but then that is what they have been eating their entire lives.
All of my brothers grumble, some silently buzzing my kams, others with noises of disgust.
Sabine leans forward and whispers, “This table is getting quite a lot of attention. There is a woman with short dark hair who keeps looking over.”
I glance over my shoulder, even though I can guess who she is. Harper is sitting several tables away with her friends, but our gazes catch for a heartbeat before she looks away.
“That is Harper. I am working with her in the laundry,” I say aloud.
My brothers joke about me finding a mate already. I shake my head. And respond silently.We are working together, and I am not sure she even likes me. She is…too much like me…prickly.
Aldit laughs and places a kiss on the top of Ruby’s head.Even the prickly ones are soft inside.
That comment was just for me. He’s not brave enough to say that out loud so she can hear him. Probably because she’ll punch him in the arm.
Harper taught me the human numbers. I am going to show her ours tomorrow.
