“I have an idea about our food problem.”
With those words, all the joy surrounding tomorrow’s events was sucked out of the room.
It was getting closer and closer to winter with each passing day. The animals had all burrowed deep into the ground for their long winter nap, and the ground had grown too cold for anything other than my favorite yellow flowers to spring up from the soil. The opportunity to store away more food for the winter had passed. We’d done the best we could, but we had fallen short. There was no doubt that after the offering, we wouldn’t have enough food to last us the winter.
“What is your idea?” Tarak looked hopeful.
“What if we hunted down a pair of the solete? They are massive and would surely feed us for an entire moon cycle.”
I’d seen these massive fire-breathing birds first hand as we all ran to the mountain when we first crashed on this planet. They were both huge and terrifying.
“It’s too dangerous. We will find another way.” Tarak said in a somber tone.
“Let me go,” Sozu pleaded. “I wish to prove myself as a worthy hunter.”
“You are a worthy hunter. Your sire and I have already agreed that when the snows melt you can start hunting alone, but this is too dangerous even for me.”
He patted Sozu on the shoulder and gave him a compassionate look.
“I will go,” Brexl spoke up and my heart sank into my stomach.
“No, my friend. It is too dangerous even for you.”
“I will join him,” Rhaz approached our table. “Brexl is impossible to take down and I am impossible to kill. Together, we can slay a pair of birds asleep in their nest.”
“Not without me you won’t,” Axon stepped up to our table as well, with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Axon will listen, Rhaz will scout ahead, and I will kill the birds,” Brexl stated, as if it were as simple as taking a stroll through the clearing.
Tarak looked the hunters over, assessing each one. “I will allow it.”
The three hunters all nodded to each other and went back to their tables. I didn’t like this, I didn’t like this at all.
Chapter 21
Brexl
Taylor did not look happy as she took me by the hand and led me to our bed cave. She pulled back the curtain and walked inside, letting my hand drop as she walked away. I followed in after her and closed the curtain behind us.
She said nothing at first, and I didn’t say anything either. She was angry again, like she had been at the beach when she found out I’d hunted for food when she told me not to. And just like before, I was not afraid of her wrath. Well, I was a little afraid of her, but if slaying two solete monsters meant she’d be well fed this winter, then I’d gladly risk it.
I wasn’t sure what to do, so I chose to sit down in my chair and watched Taylor.
She faced the wall as she took off her clothes and replaced them with a sleeping gown. Then she walked over to the bed where she aggressively fluffed the furs over and over again as if they’d wronged her in some way, and I worried that I might be next.
“Don’t you think this hunting trip is a little too dangerous?” She said as she sat down on the bed.
“The three of us will be successful.” I attempted a smile, but it did not diminish her irritation.
“I don’t care if you’re successful. I care that you might get hurt.” She looked up at me with sad eyes, then patted the bed. “Come sit. I don’t like that you’re so far away.”
I did as I was told and placed an arm around her like I’d done at dinner. Taylor sighed and leaned into my embrace, and, just as before I loved having her pressed against me.
“I will be careful,” I assured her. It was nice to have someone care if I lived or died as fiercely as Taylor did.
“Do you really have to do this?” She asked as she looked up at me.
“I have a chance to make sure the dekes is well fed this winter. I must take it.”
