Steph's Outcast

Pak lifts his head. "I like seeds!"

I shake my head, pretending to be sad. "It's all right. I'll tell everyone that Pak doesn't like yummy cakes. We'll give you the icky ones so you don't feel bad." I tickle his belly again. "No one wants you to feel bad!"

He giggles, squirming against my tickling fingers, and the tension about to explode out of Juth relaxes a little. Pak looks around again and then hides his face against my neck, remembering to be afraid.

I let him hide against me, because he needs to be comfortable on his own time. "I know it's a lot of people, little buddy, but everyone is real nice. And there are lots of other kits. I bet they'd share their toys with you. And I bet if we ask Gail, she'd make you some delicious cakes and not some yucky ones."

Pak sits up, his eyes wide. "Toys?"

The magic word for any child. I bite back a chuckle. "Yup. Toys. I bet we can still find a few around here. We'll get settled in camp and then we'll stuff you so full of cakes and toys you won't know what to think." I give him one last tickle.

He gives me another shy look and then glances at his father. Juth nods. Pak glances at Ashtar.

Ashtar makes a silly face at him, sticking out his tongue.

Pak giggles, the sound less afraid.

"Do you think you can stay with me and be brave?" I ask in a soft voice. "And I can introduce you to my friends, and we can stuff you full of good food and sit next to a warm fire and sleep in a soft bed tonight." At least, I hope so.

He nods, snuggling against me as he looks at his father, and Juth gives me a warm glance of approval.

Even though I've felt useless for days now, I can do this small thing at least.

The beach looks like a completely different place than it was before. Between the mounded reddish hills of sand with the tentacles sticking out and the destruction of the huts, it's downright apocalyptic. It hurts me to see the spot where we kept our big, friendly fire as a monstrous hill, or that U'dron's hut—the one he's spent so much time on to impress Raven—is now nothing more than kindling. It can all be rebuilt, I remind myself, but it's hard to lose your home over and over again, especially one that had so much work and sweat poured into it.

Pak walks at Juth's side, clinging to his leg as Juth carries me through the camp. People stare, but that's to be expected. I think they're surprised that Juth and Pak are here more than anything, and I keep smiling to make people comfortable, that this is all fine and dandy.

"Where is the healer?" Juth demands.

I can practically see Ashtar bristle at that, but he keeps a neutral expression on his face. "She's resting in the women's cave. Come on. We'll see if she has the strength to help with Steph's ankle."

"I can wait," I protest, but Juth follows Ashtar.

Before, the women's cave was a fairly large cave in one of the cliffs near the fire. All of the women who were unmated slept in there together, like a big slumber party, until one by one, people peeled off and got mated. Lately it's just been me, Flor and Sam, since Daisy sleeps in O'jek's hut for some reason, and O'jek sleeps elsewhere. It's been nice to have the room to stretch out in the cave with just the three of us, and my furs and belongings are against one of the back walls, with Flor and Sam closer to the front.

Today though, the scene is very different. The cave is crowded full of people. Liz and Harlow are inside with their children, supervising as the kids play quietly together. Most of the pregnant women are inside, too, and their worried mates close by. Gren is wrapped around Willa, Angie and Vordis are cuddled together with her little Glory nursing, and Bek holds a cup of soup for Elly, who looks a little battered, yellowing bruises on her forehead.

Ashtar moves into the cave and finds Veronica, curled up sleeping on one of the blankets. He brushes his fingers over her cheek gently, and when she wakes up, he smiles. It's an achingly tender moment that I love to see, even if their son Katamneas isn't with Veronica. Someone must be watching him.

Veronica sits up and she looks tired and drawn. But she smiles at me and pats the furs next to her. "Come sit and I'll take a look at your ankle."

I shake my head. "It's fine. I don't want to add to your workload. I can wait a few more days."

Juth ignores that and settles me on the ground next to the healer, and Pak is immediately at my side, though his gaze is on Liz's girls, playing a short distance away. Liz nudges Raashel, who picks up one of her toys and makes her way over to us. She's bigger than Pak, her braids neat, but her expression is friendly. "I'm Raashel. That's Aayla." She points at her sister, and then at the boy sitting with them. "That's Rukhar. Do you want to come play with us?"