“Eat. Drink,” he repeated and she nodded. She started to lead him back towards her pack, but he came to a halt in front of one of the purple vines. He furled one of the leaves to form a cone, then offered it to her.
“Drink?”
He clearly recognized the vine, but she wasn’t about to take any chances with a strange liquid.
“No, thank you.”
He frowned at her, and for a moment she was afraid he was going to insist. Instead he gave her an oddly human half-shrug, then dipped the contents of the leaf into his mouth. He repeatedthe process with two more leaves, not removing them from the vine, but letting them fall back into place after he was done.
“Drink,” he said proudly, and grinned at her, his teeth very white and very sharp with fang-like extended canines.
Could you even kiss someone with teeth that sharp?she wondered, and immediately felt the heat rushing to her cheeks.Why am I even thinking about kissing him?
She was sure he noticed her blush, but before he could reach for her face again, she quickly tugged him towards her pack and pulled out a water bottle.
“This is what I drink.”
She took a sip, then handed the bottle to him. He mimicked her actions, then nodded.
“Drink.”
Was he agreeing that the action was the same or the substance?
“This is water.” She tapped the bottle, then pointed to the leaves. “Water?”
He tilted his head again, then nodded.
“Water.”
Was she right? Was the fluid on the leaves actually water? If it was, and if the vines could be reproduced, it could make a huge difference in the colonization process. Mars wasn’t actually short of water, but it was all frozen deep underground or locked in the polar ice caps. If the homesteaders could have a readily accessible source of water without drilling, their lives would be significantly easier.
She was still considering the possibilities when he gently tapped her mouth, and she gave him a startled look.
“Eat?” he asked.
“Sorry. I got distracted.”
She fumbled through her pack for a protein bar, then broke it in half and gave him the larger piece. He immediately tried to give it back to her, but she shook her head, laughing.
“You’re bigger than I am. You get the bigger piece.”
He frowned, clearly disagreeing, but she ignored him and took a quick bite. He studied the bar for a moment, then took a cautious bite. She studied his face, trying to read his expression as he ate.
“Is it good?” she asked, giving him an exaggerated smile. “Or bad?” She frowned.
“No good. No bad,” he said seriously, and she laughed.
“Fair enough. It’s designed to keep you alive rather than taste good.”
“Drink water,” he said, tapping the bottle. “Eat?”
“Eat protein bar.”
He hummed softly, before leading her inexorably to the far side of the cave, and she sighed.
“You really don’t have to keep hauling me around. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.”
The wall she’d slid down was too steep for her to climb, and she hadn’t seen any other way out of the cavern. All she could do wasrely on Cass to come looking for her.And won’t she be in for a surprise,she thought, sneaking a glance at her companion.
