“That sounds like something we should do at the kala,” Orsu added.
“What’s the kala?” Hai asked.
“It is an area we found seasons ago that is surrounded on all sides by stone. Animals cannot get inside. We built a ladder to get in and out of it as we please,” Orsu explained.
“Interesting. That sounds like a fun place. Depending on how big it is, it would be perfect for some larping,” I surmised.
“I can ask Drovo to make everyone rods to pretend fight with.” Tarak stroked his chin as he formulated a plan out loud.
“Can you ask Drondia if she has any colorful cloth pieces we can use as banners?” He turned to Orsu.
“I can do that,” the bear shifter nodded.
“No one say anything,” Tarak leveled us all with a stern look. “I will make an announcement tonight at the evening meal.”
We all nodded in agreement, and just like that, the larping plan was underway.
Drovo
“What do you need these rods for?” Surely I hadn’t heard Orsu correctly.
“We are going to pretend to fight with the females.” My fellow hunter stated again.
“We’re sparing with them?” I attempted to get more clarification.
“No, not sparing. Pretend sparing that they call larping.”
“Pretend sparing.” I stared at him flatly with my arms crossed over my chest, hoping he’d pick up on my confusion.
When he didn’t say anything more, I continued. “And this will cheer up Gab-bae?”
“Tarak thinks it will,” he replied.
“Do all the hu-man females like this larping?”
Orsu shook his head. “Kayla and Hai said they’ve never larped before, but they didn’t seem opposed to the idea. Besides, Tarak is going to ask everyone in the dekes to join us.”
I ran a hand down my face. I’d never heard of anything so ridiculous in my life, but I understood Tarak’s motivations. If I knew of something I could do to make Kayla smile, I’d do it too, no matter how ridiculous. Other than giving her the one thing she wanted most, that is. I inwardly winced at the thought of my own mistake.
He wants us to all go to the kala tomorrow.
“Tomorrow?” This would move my plan to reveal the completed moving chair to Kayla up by afew days.
“Yep. Can you do it? Can you make twenty-four rods by then?”
“Yeah, I can do that.” Making the rods would be easy. Worrying that Kayla might not like what I’ve made for her, not so much.
I spent the rest of the afternoon making rods and finishing up the moving chair before I headed to the evening meal.
I dished up a flatbread topped with meat and spotted an empty seat next to Kayla. I debated sitting with her until Hai filled the empty seat. Fatima and Beatrice sat with her as well. The four of them were laughing about something and I longed to know what it was. I wanted to make Kayla laugh instead of frown.
I sat next to Brexl instead. He looked at Taylor with a longing gaze. He hadn’t even realized I had sat down next to him until I spoke.
“How was your extended hunt?” Brexl nearly jumped at my words. He tried to recover with a cough, but he still said nothing.
“Your hunt. How was it?” I repeated.
“Oh, my hunt. It went well. I killed four ramieri elk and a jagwa.”
