Because Alanna had successfully purged the area of any sign of the Abenaki braves' violent deaths, she objected to his advice as completely unnecessary. "I could scarcely dismantle the bed with you on it," she pointed out. "As for the ashes, I thought we might want to cook breakfast, before we left."
Hunter had noticed how difficult it seemed to be for Alanna to focus her gaze on his face when they talked, and had deliberately chosen not to don his shirt. He doubted that it was his appearance that had perplexed her, though. She sounded insulted by his advice, and he could not understand why.
"I'm used to doing everything on my own," he explained. "I'm sorry I'm not strong enough to help you."
He sounded contrite, but the sparkle in his dark eyes belied his words. He was hopping around with the assistance of the branch she had found for a cane, and he already looked plenty strong to her. "Aren't we only a day's journey from the trading post?" she asked.
"You're forgetting that you had traveled all morning before Elliott was killed. We ran the rest of that day, and into the night. We arrived here the next morning."
"So we're two days away then?"
"When people are running for their lives, they can travel much faster than when they are not threatened. It will take us longer to return to the trading post than it did to get here, but why are you in such a hurry? I can barely stand. I wish I could take you back to the trading post today, but it's impossible."
Alanna smiled nervously. "I don't know where I'll find the courage to tell my aunt and uncle about Elliott's death, but I can't avoid it by hiding in the forest indefinitely. I have to get home."
Her sudden concern for her aunt and uncle took Hunter by surprise, but he thought better of saying so aloud. "I'm not trying to keep you here. Had I not gotten hurt, we could have started back toward the trading post as soon as we'd buried the Abenaki. I know I'm a burden to you. Don't imagine that I enjoy it." He took a couple of hops toward the river; growing shaky, Hunter eased himself down to the ground. "Maybe we should have breakfast before we go."
Concerned, Alanna went to him. While he had looked fit only a few minutes earlier, he was now short of breath and pale. "It's too soon," she scolded. "You aren't going anywhere today."
Hunter leaned back on his hands. "It's already been decided. I'm going even if I have to crawl. Now hurry and catch us some fish. I'm hungry."
"I'm tired of fish."
"So am I, but you'll have
to be patient until I can hunt."
"When you're well enough to hunt, we can get back to the trading post."
"We'll have to eat on the way. For now, I'll teach you how to weave a mesh basket to catch fish. It's much easier than using a hook and line."
Even though he had not been awake an hour, he looked tired, and Alanna hated to tax what little strength he had. "I'm having no trouble catching fish. You just sit here and watch."
Hunter tried not to smile too widely. "Good luck."
Alanna had discovered several places to dig worms and, once she had her hook baited, she carried Hunter's line out onto the rocks. The water was teeming with trout, and she swiftly got a bite. It took her less than half an hour to catch plenty of fish for their breakfast, and then she busied herself building a fire.
Hunter felt up to making the rack to broil her catch, then leaned back on his elbows while she saw to the cooking. Disheveled, she looked very much like the distracted waif she had been when they met. She had almost danced with excitement each time she caught a fish, and now kept circling the fire as she kept a close eye on the roasting trout. When she glanced toward him, her smile held a childlike delight he found captivating.
"I know you're anxious to go back to Williamsburg, but you look at home here in the forest."
"Really? I'd like to think it's a peaceful place, even if we haven't found it that way."
Fearing she was going to again char the trout, Hunter dragged himself to his feet and hopped over to the fire. "If you want to pick some berries, I'll watch the fish." When Alanna gave him a skeptical glance, he pointed toward the woods. "Go, watching the fire won't exhaust me." It took him a moment to convince her he was feeling better, and then she hurried off to fetch the berries. Hunter flipped the rack containing the fish, watched until they had turned a delicate golden brown, and promptly removed them from the fire.
Satisfied he had cooked their breakfast to perfection, he made no boasts about his talents when Alanna returned. She had again carried the berries in her skirt, and when she released the hem, they spilled out all around him. He gathered them up and dropped them into their bucket to rinse. "This looks very good," he enthused.
"It's all we've had to eat since we got here."
"Then we're very lucky it tastes so good." Hunter divided the fish and passed half to her. "You're getting too thin. Eat."
"You've lost weight, too."
Hunter glanced down at his torso, but he didn't think he looked any different. His belly had already been flat and his limbs lean. "We are very lucky to be here now, rather than in winter. That would have been very difficult for us."
Alanna swallowed her first bite of fish and wondered why the ones Hunter roasted tasted so much better than hers. "Elliott and I deliberately waited until spring to come see you. Of course, we had hoped that you'd answer his letters."
Hunter frowned slightly. "That was my fault," he offered grudgingly. "I wish now that I had. The next time you write to me, I'll answer."