Drifter – Part 9
Chapter
XVII
The
return of daylight caused Koko’s blue eyes to open
with a feeling of satisfaction. She
stretched gingerly, glad there was only a residual ache in her bones and
pleased at the lack of actual pain she felt in her belly. All in all it could have been much worse and
she knew it; she was glad Donoma had been right about needing rest to heal. She blinked, trying to clear the sleep from
her eyes, then turned her head, noticing Donoma’s tired countenance across the fire. Koko kept her eyes glued to Donoma’s face as she allowed her knowledge of the last few
days to roll through her consciousness.
She
remembered Donoma’s anger and her compassion; she
recalled the conversation with her father.
She remembered the men who were chasing her and the warriors that
followed her into battle. Koko
remembered everything. Now she just had
to decide what to do about it.
She
shifted on the furs and was pinned in place by suddenly piercing green
eyes. Koko smiled, but Donoma merely
continued to stare at her. “Donoma?”
Green
eyes blinked and Donoma stretched before sitting up and rubbing her face. “
“Much better, actually. You were right
again... as usual,” offering another smile.
Donoma’s
lips twitched, but she didn’t allow them to crease into a full smile. “Good.
Do you feel like you could be up for a while then? I need to air out the tent and wash the
illness from it.”
“I
could help... or maybe I should go wash the illness from my body,” when Donoma’s eyes grew glacial at the suggestion.
“You
will let me help you do that
“I
am not a child, Donoma,” Koko stated firmly and with vehemence. “I can take care of myself.”
“Not
until I give you leave to do so, warrior.
I am also no longer a child you can make decisions for. I am a healer who has learned my craft
through the blood of my clansmen and the sweat of my own brow.” She paused and took a deep breath, willing
her anger down. “Warrior, this has
nothing to do with everything else that is still between us. This has to do with my unwillingness to be
irresponsible about your care again.”
She rose from her pallet and crossed to Koko’s
side, extending her hands down to her.
“Come... let me examine you. If I
am satisfied with your progress, I will allow you the privacy to bathe in while
I air out my home.”
Koko
accepted Donoma’s hands, easing into a sitting
position before rising to her feet. Donoma
released her hands as soon as she was sure Koko was steady on her feet, letting
her hands roam impersonally over the rough and smooth sections of skin while
she inspected the damage.
Koko
tried to remain unmoving, allowing the different sensations Donoma’s
touch was causing to wash past her conscious mind. She was focused so hard that it took Donoma
cupping her face in both hands to bring her back to the present. Koko looked into green eyes clouded with
worry.
“
“You
had me worried,
“I
am sorry, ka’eskone. I was trying to
clear my mind.”
Donoma
smirked. “I hope it worked.” Then she turned serious. “Your wounds look much better, Koko. I believe you will be all right on your own
for a bit of time; just be careful. You
are still likely to be very weak.”
“I
will not go far, ka’eskone.”
Donoma
nodded and watched as Koko went back into her home to gather her bits of soap
and drying cloth to carry with her to the creek. When she was out of sight, Donoma went back
into her tent and began to drag everything out, intent on taking advantage of
the warming sun and fresh air as much as she was able.
In
only a few minutes Donoma had everything laid out and the bottom of her home
rolled up to allow the breeze to blow through. She carefully tamped the fire out and swept
the ashes from the doorway, scattering them carefully into the wind. Then she took the furs and blankets that Koko
had been treated on and walked down to the creek to give them a good scrubbing,
well away from where Koko was bathing.
Washing
them was easy... wringing them out to dry was something else again and by the
time Donoma had finished with them, she and everything she wore was soaking
wet. She sighed and struggled out of the
wet leather. “Well,” she muttered to
herself, “I needed to do this anyway. I
just wish I had brought something to dry off with.” Then Donoma got down to the business of cleaning
herself.
It
didn’t take long, but she felt much better by the time she was done. She spread the wet things on top of the tall
grass and having little recourse, padded back to their small camp naked as the day
she was born. Not that being naked bothered
her – on the contrary, it was quite liberating – yet it still wasn’t something
Donoma would have chosen to do in front of Koko. There were too many things left between them
to assume that sort of intimacy. But
there was nothing to be done for it.
So
Donoma shook the excess water off her body and walked back into the camp,
ignoring the stare she could feel coming from fiery blue eyes before she
disappeared into her home to change into the clean, dry clothing she found
among her things.
Koko
looked down as soon as she realized she was staring, but by then Donoma was out
of sight. She sighed. This was going to be a lot harder than she
thought, because Donoma was certainly not the child she had left behind. Suddenly the fact that Donoma was a woman was
coming home to Koko in a very real way.
When
Donoma stepped from her home, she was combing through her hair, gently removing
the tangles with her fingers. Koko
itched for the privilege of doing it herself as she had before, but knew well
there were things that had to be settled between them first. Then perhaps Donoma would consider something
more than the friendship they had always known.
Koko
remained in her place, facing out from the camp looking towards the west. There was nothing to see in that direction
more than any other, but it afforded Donoma the opportunity to decide when they
would speak.
Donoma
stood watching the warrior for a long moment.
Her back was ramrod straight and Donoma knew it would be up to her to
initiate any conversation between them.
Even if she was misunderstanding Koko’s words
from earlier in regards to the deference a warrior showed to a woman, the fact
of the matter was she knew how stubborn this particular warrior could be when
she made her mind up – her five year disappearance was proof enough of
that. She took a deep breath and came
around to stand in front of
Koko
looked at Donoma briefly before dropping her gaze to her lap, giving Donoma the
position of power. For this time, what
happened would be Donoma’s choice. Donoma sighed silently – it was impossible to
hold onto her anger when Koko reminded her so much of a chastised child waiting
for punishment to be meted out. She took
a seat next to Koko, but facing her as well. Then Donoma reached out and cupped Koko’s chin, bringing their eyes back to a level.
Green
eyes searched blue for a long time and Donoma wondered at the trembling she
could feel through the touch she had on Koko’s face. Finally, “The time has come for truth between
us,
“Would
you do that, ka’eskone? *Could* you do
that?”
“I
would not want to, warrior mine, but I could if I had to. I cannot continue on this way. I have been angry for a very long time... at
you, at me, at the world... and it has affected everything and everyone around
me.” She dropped her hand from Koko’s face and would have moved away had it not been for
the fact that Koko caught her hand and held on as tightly as she dared.
“I
could not bear that darkness, ka’eskone.
The only reason I survived the darkness I brought between us was because
I thought you would find happiness from it.”
Green
eyes glowed in their anger. “How could
you think that,
Koko
sat quietly, stunned by the anger and passion she
could feel flowing from Donoma simply through her words. She watched in fascination at the play of
emotion over her face. The child she remembered
had grown up into a beautiful, passionate woman and Koko couldn’t stop the
smile that wanted to cross her face.
That just made Donoma angrier.
“You
think this is funny, warrior? You think
this is a game?” She jerked her hand
from Koko’s... or attempted to... astonished by the
gentle strength that suddenly held both hands in one of Koko’s
and cradled her face in the other. “
“Not
until you give me a chance to explain, ka’eskone. Not until you promise to listen to me with
both ears and an open heart and mind.”
Koko paused and exhaled softly.
“I was not laughing at you,
Donoma
paused to breathe and let Koko’s words wash through
her. “Does that mean you are ready to
explain to me the actions of five cycles ago that brought us to this place?”
“It
means that I will try, ka’eskone. But I will ask you to be patient with
me. This is very arduous for me to
share. Only my
“You
have all the time you need, warrior. You
need only tell me the truth.”
Koko
sat still for a long time, gathering her thoughts. Donoma watched in fascination the myriad of
expressions those thoughts took and questioned what caused such pain, such
misery to flow over the expressive countenance.
She could not recall there ever having been an occasion for them before
Koko left and wondered what she could have missed in her youth and
inexperience.
“Do
you remember,” Koko said softly at long last, “when we first met? When you led Takoda to my
“Both
of our lives did, Koko. You were the
first real friend I ever had... the first one who accepted me without question
or expectation. That’s why....” She broke off, not wanting to regain the hurt
and anger she had managed to set aside somewhat to listen to what Koko had to
say.
“I
realize that now, ka’eskone, and I am sorry for have unwittingly put you
through such distress. That was
certainly not my intention.” She paused
and bit her lip, never losing eye contact with Donoma, needing her friend to
see the truth she had to share as well as hear it.
“But
I had never met someone like you. You
were bright and spunky and outspoken – something even the warriors of the tribes
were not with all their swaggering bravado.
But more than that – you looked at me as a friend and a warrior and a
protector, and I knew right then that I could never let you down. And when I made you my warrior advisor and I
became your warrior, I found myself committed to your well-being and
happiness.”
“As
I was to yours, Koko,” Donoma broke in.
“I would have done anything for you.”
“I
know, ka’eskone.
*That* is why I left.”
Donoma’s brow furrowed in confusion. “I do not
understand,
Koko
blew out an impatient, frustrated breath.
“
Donoma
took Koko’s hands in hers, chafing the unexpectedly
cold hands lightly to restore a bit of warmth to them. “Try thinking a little less, warrior, and
speak from your heart.”
“Do
you remember the day before I left?”
“In very vivid detail, Koko. For a long
time I spent every day going over and over what I could possibly have done to
have turned you away from me without a word.
I never did understand exactly what precipitated your departure.”
“Tell
me what you remember.”
************
The
sun had been warming the earth as spring returned to the land once more. Donoma breathed in deeply, appreciating the
fresh air and the smell of wet, growing things.
She had seen the speculative looks some of the warriors were beginning
to cast in her direction now that she had passed her fifteenth cycle, but she put
it out of her mind when Koko returned to the camp after her morning
drills. The rest of the warriors were
dragging tail behind her, glaring at Koko before collapsing around their
various campfires in time for lunch.
“You
must have had a good day,” Donoma commented quietly as Koko took a seat at her
campfire. “You are the only one
smiling.”
“I
did well enough,” Koko said calmly, though she couldn’t hide the twinkle in her
eyes. “Well enough that we can spend the
whole afternoon together if you would like.”
Donoma
almost squealed, but she managed to contain her enthusiasm to a wide grin. “I would most definitely like,
my warrior. I seem to see you only
briefly in the afternoons and again for a few moments in the evenings any
more. I miss you,
“I
miss you as well, ka’eskone. It feels as
though lately everything is conspiring against us to keep us apart. I miss your counsel and your conversation.”
“I
just miss being with you, Koko, even if all we do is sit quietly.”
“As
do I, ka’eskone. So let us finish eating
so that we can have a nice long walk today.”
And they rushed through lunch much to the amusement of Takoda and
Litonya. When they were out of sight and
out of hearing, Takoda and Litonya turned and looked at one another solemnly
for a long moment before their faces creased into smiles and they started
laughing.
“Do
you think they will figure it out?” Litonya asked.
“
“How
can she not know? Even those without
sight can see it.”
“Maybe because she is too close to the situation,
Litonya. Or maybe because she is afraid of what it
will mean... what it will change between them.
It is not something she has discussed with me.”
In
the meantime,
“Thank
you for spending the day with me, warrior,” Donoma confessed. “Nayeli.”
“Do
you really, ka’eskone? Do you love me?”
“With all my heart, Koko. I have always
been so glad that you came into my life.
You have made such a difference in my life.”
“As you did in mine. Maybe one day
I can share with you how much.”
Donoma
smiled shyly. “I would like that, Koko.”
************
“The
next day you were just... gone,” Donoma concluded as she came back from her
memories. “I never understood what I had
done or said to drive you away... unless it was my telling you I loved
you. But that had never bothered you
before.”
“That
never bothered me at all,” Koko confessed quietly. “It was something I always cherished close in my heart... something I still cherish, even if it
is no longer true. But that is not all
that happened that day – do you remember the rest?”
“I
remember Ahanu talked to Takoda about marriage between us and I told Ahanu no.
I had no interest in marrying him or anyone else. I was complete in the life I had.”
“THAT
is why I left, Donoma.”
“You
left because I was happy so you could make me miserable??” This time when Donoma pulled away, Koko let
her go, knowing she needed to get away from her pain and the cause
thereof. “Why would you do that,
Nutta? Did you hate me so much for
loving you?” She turned her back to Koko
so the warrior could not see the tears that wanted to spill down her face, but
her back was ramrod straight and Koko could no longer bear the anguish she felt
rolling from Donoma in waves.
Koko
rose from her place slowly, unwilling to make a spectacle of herself
by doing any more damage to her body in her haste to reach Donoma. She walked slowly towards the seer, making
sure her steps were heard until she was within touching distance of
She
grasped Donoma’s shoulders, only to feel them stiffen
at her touch before slumping in defeat.
Koko slid her arms around Donoma until their bodies were touching. “No, Nutta.
I left so you could find happiness – so you could have a family and
children if that was your desire. I
could not be the one to hold you back from such things.”
Donoma
jerked away from Koko, separating them again. This time when she looked at Koko, the fire
had returned to her gaze and Koko nearly flinched from the intensity. “What gave you the right to make such a
decision,
“I
loved you, ka’eskone. I only wanted your
happiness.”
“What
about now, warrior?” At Koko’s confused look Donoma continued. “You said that you loved me,
“I
still love you, Donoma. I never
stopped.”
“Idiot
warrior,” she growled. “Did you never
stop to think that *you* made me happy – that you were all I needed.”
“Are
you saying...?” Her world spun and her
breathing was shallow and fast; Koko closed her eyes briefly to regain some
sense of balance in her body while her mind and heart continued to soar with
the implications of Donoma’s words.
“I
am saying that we need to sit down and have honest speech between us,
Koko. We need to decide how we feel and
what we want to do about it.” Koko’s knees gave way at the sudden shift in Donoma’s attitude, and Donoma was at her side in an
instant. Koko gazed up at her with a
dazed expression and Donoma bit off the grin she could feel forming despite
herself. “First, however, I think we should
see about having a
Koko
nodded and rose to unsteady feet.
Suddenly the day looked much brighter.
Chapter
XVIII
The
two went about their chores silently.
Donoma had wanted Koko to sit and let her take care of getting their
lunch, but she could feel the sudden wave of restless energy flowing from the
warrior like a tangible thing. So Donoma
sent Koko to check on the horses and asked her to check on the bedding while
she was out. Koko nodded her assent and
took off at a slow pace, though the air vibrating with electricity all around
her made it seem like she was running.
Donoma
watched her until she was out of sight and shook her head. Never in her wildest dreams would she have
ever imagine being in this place with Koko, and then she stopped cold to wonder
why. Why had she not seen this? Why had she not known how Koko felt... how
she felt... what was really between them??
Wasn’t that what her gift was – being able to see what others could not?
She
stood still so long that she never heard Honiahaka's
approach and jumped when his hand landed lightly on her shoulder. She thought of screaming for Koko briefly
before she looked closely at him, wondering who the warrior in front of her was
and why he seemed so familiar – and then he smiled. And Donoma immediately recognized Koko's father for who he was.
He
gestured her over to the spot on the ground that had been cleared for sitting
and eased her into place before squatting down beside her. "Because seers and shamen
are never allowed to see what the future could be for themselves – only for
those around them," he said, answering her unspoken question as though he
had heard her. "Hello,
"...
Honiahaka," she breathed softly. "
The
smile became a grin and then a hearty laugh.
"I wondered why you did not call out for my nahtona. You are a very wise woman,
She
shook her head, blonde braids falling into her eyes. "I do not feel very wise at the moment,
Honiahaka. I feel something of a
fool." He arched his eyebrow in a
familiar gesture, taking a seat and wrapping his arms around his bent
knees. His attitude was one of patient
waiting and Donoma had a feeling he would last longer than she would if they
were to play a waiting game. "How could I have been so blind, Honiahaka? How could I not have realized...?"
"You
alone are not to blame for this situation, Donoma. Koko bears the brunt of the responsibility
for the circumstances you now find yourselves in. Although her intentions were honorable and
with your best interests at heart, she could have handled it better. But tell me, if she had stayed,
what would you have done?"
Donoma's
brow furrowed. "I am not sure I
understand," she stated honestly.
"Things would have continued on much the same, I suppose."
Honiahaka
looked out towards the prairie in the direction he knew his daughter had
gone. "That was killing her, Donoma. Not physically, of course, but inside. She left to protect herself as much as she
did to give you the opportunity to find happiness with someone who could give
you the family she thought you wanted and knew you deserved."
"But why, Honiahaka? Why leave? Why did she not simply talk to me?"
"Donoma,
I am going to share something with you I will deny to your dying day if you
share it with my nahtona.
Donoma
nodded. "There *was* always
something between us – even as a small child I understood that. I never analyzed it, never tried to explain
it in words, but I knew it was there."
Honiahaka
nodded. "Koko could not bear to
keep you from finding happiness... but she could not bear to stay and watch you
find the happiness that she wanted with you with someone else."
"So
she did not talk to me because...."
"Even
the bravest warrior has moments of fear, and even the wisest among us sometimes
do foolish things for the right reasons.
Her heart was in the right place,
"That
does not make me happy, Honiahaka.
Despite my anger towards
Honiahaka
smiled. "I know – I think your
brethren had that covered quite nicely."
He looked around suddenly and rose from his place. He extended a hand down to her and drew
Donoma to her feet. "It has been a
joy and a pleasure to finally meet you,
"You
seem so sure, Honiahaka."
"She
is my nahtona, Donoma. I am.
Now I must go.
Donoma
couldn't help it – she laughed. And then jumped again when
"Should I be worried, ka'eskone?" Koko asked, letting her eyes roam over Donoma's features.
"You are standing in the middle of the encampment where I left you
and you do not appear to have moved, yet you are laughing for no apparent
reason. Is there a problem?"
For
answer, Donoma turned and cupped Koko's face gently
within her hands, tracing her skin with the lightest touch of her thumbs. Koko struggled to keep her eyes open against
the cascade of sensations Donoma was creating throughout her body. Quite without her permission, Koko's hands dropped to Donoma's
waist and she held on for dear life.
Donoma
could no more halt the sharp intake of breath caused by Koko's
grip than she could stop breathing completely.
She saw Koko's eyes darken in response and
hesitated. She had never garnered such a
reaction in her life – at least not one she was so conscious of.
Koko
released the hold she had on Donoma's waist and
clasped the hands cupping her face in her hands instead. "Not yet, Nutta... but
soon. We still have much to
discuss."
"But
only one thing of real importance," Donoma replied without losing eye
contact. Koko nodded slowly and stepped
back a pace, wanting Donoma to be comfortable.
In turn, Donoma stepped forward and caught Koko's
hand again. "No more running,
Koko. There is no one but us here, and
you have nothing to fear from me."
“Are
you so sure of that, ka’eskone?” Koko asked in a whisper.
“As
sure as I am that the sun rises in the east every morning and sets in the west
every evening, warrior.” Donoma held Koko’s eyes and watched them search her countenance for
reassurance. She knew the identical
moment that Koko found the proof she needed – she lifted a shaking hand to Donoma’s face and tenderly traced the features there.
“Are
you sure, ka’eskone?” she asked again, but this time, she was asking a
completely different question.
“Do
you love me, Nutta? Do you love me with
the love one mate has for another?”
Koko
shook her head and Donoma’s head dropped as her heart
shattered. Her humiliation was
complete. She released the hand she held
and stepped back... or would have had Koko not shifted one hand to the back of
her neck and slid the other arm around her waist to hold onto her with gentle
strength.
“
“Beloved,”
she said in English, causing Donoma to start in surprise. “Nayeli... with all my
heart. But, Nutta – it is beyond
the love one mate has for another. That
cannot begin to compare to what I feel for you.”
Donoma
pulled back – far enough that she could see the truth of Koko’s
words in her eyes. “Tell me, Koko,” she
demanded quietly. “Tell me what it is you feel.”
“It
is love, ka'eskone, but far beyond something so basic. It is soul completion, beloved."
Donoma
slid the hands that were trapped between her body and Koko's
up and over Koko's shoulders, locking them behind her
neck. "Nayeli,
"Nayeli,
With
that, Koko allowed her eyes to close, absorbing the sensations of the kiss
through taste and scent and sound. She
lightly traced Donoma's lips with her tongue,
capturing the gasp with a smile and plundering the mouth that opened beneath
hers. Donoma groaned and allowed Koko to
have her way for a few moments before she returned the favor, examining every
part of Koko's mouth until they were forced to
separate for lack of oxygen. Koko started
to speak but found herself pulled back to Donoma's
mouth and this time, Donoma took the lead.
Koko just held on for the ride.
When
they pulled apart... slowly, reluctantly... Donoma kept her hands wound tightly
round Koko's neck and Koko never lost her grip on Donoma's waist. They
simply leaned their foreheads together and breathed one another's air.
“Welcome
home, Koko Kanti,” Donoma whispered with a smile.
“I
will never go away from you again, ka’eskone.”
************
They
had finally pulled apart from one another, their grumbling bellies making it
impossible to concentrate on anything other than the physical hunger pangs that
called to them... loudly. They exchanged
embarrassed glances then broke into laughter, diffusing the sexual tension they
could both feel roiling just below the surface.
Donoma turned to collect the small cache of food supplies from her home,
surprised when Koko followed her.
“I
need to retrieve my things, ka’eskone, and move back into my own home for the
time being. I cannot stay here with you
any longer. You deserve better than
that.”
“Does
this mean you intend to stake your claim as a warrior?”
“I
do indeed, Donoma Chepi. I want there to
be no doubt of my claim or my intentions towards you. I left to give you a chance to choose
another; that opportunity is gone. However,
if you do not intend to favor my petition, I ask that you tell me now so I can
spare us both the humiliation of rejection.”
Blue eyes twinkled with merriment, but Donoma could see a clear fear of
rejection lurking in the back of that gaze.
She cupped Koko’s face in her hands.
“Can
you still have doubts, warrior mine?”
“You
were very angry, Nutta.”
Donoma
nodded. “Yes, I was. There are still some things I am upset
about... some things we need to talk about – things I need to know and things
we need to share with one another. But
none of that will stop what is happening between us. Nothing can stop that except us, Koko Kanti,
and I for one do not want to stop. Do
you?”
Koko
shook her head vehemently, reminded again at the difference five cycles of
seasons had made in Donoma’s demeanor. The Donoma she remembered, while never shy of
speech when conversing with Koko, had never been so sure of herself. Donoma smiled and Koko couldn’t help but
respond in kind.
“Then
you only need to know one thing about your claim, warrior.” Her eyebrow arched and her eyes twinkled and
her lips spread into a wider grin.
“What
would that be, ka’eskone?” Koko feeling
her own smile grow in reaction to the teasing.
“Do
not make me wait too long. I have waited
a lifetime already.”
Before
Koko could respond, their stomachs growled in hunger once again and she shook
her head. “I think we should at least
wait until after we eat something.
Otherwise, the entire tribe will come back looking for us, thinking we
have been run over by a rogue herd.”
Donoma
couldn’t help it – she laughed. Koko had
delivered that last bit with a completely straight face and the truth was, she could honestly see that happening. As it was, she was
still a little amazed at Takoda’s willingness to
leave her alone with Koko, given her previous anger – then she wondered if he
had seen something she had not.
“All
right then... you take your things to your home and I will begin preparing
something for us to eat. Then we will
see what comes next... aside from reclaiming the furs and blankets. With this breeze, it should not take too
long... I hope.”
“I
will check again after I move my things over.
If I stay around here right now....”
Donoma
smiled gently, but nodded her understanding.
“Just be careful, warrior mine. You are still healing, despite how good you
feel at the moment.” She looked at Koko
who was dressed in a set of white man’s clothing she hadn’t seen before. “Though how you can be comfortable in those
clothes....”
Koko
shrugged. “I am used to them. Besides, I am saving the leathers you and
Nahko’e created. They will be for
claiming you as mine.”
“Then
I will look forward to the day I see you in them again, warrior. Now go... I
have work to do.”
And so they separated to complete the tasks they had set for themselves,
comfortable in the knowledge that despite everything, things between them were
going to work out. That was something
they both wanted to happen.
Koko
picked up her saddlebags carefully and went to her home while Donoma opened the
supplies and pulled out the stuff she needed to start soup. She headed back out to the fire that needed
tending and heard Koko start back towards the small creek where the furs and
blankets were drying. Donoma was
thankful she had managed to get water on to heat; with any luck it wouldn’t be
long before she had something prepared for them to eat. She was anxious to feed them both so they
could settle down and just talk for a while.
It was something Donoma had missed with aching intensity and then there
was the added incentive of wanting to explore this relatively new facet of
their relationship.
She
smiled when she felt strong arms wrap around her middle and she straightened to
lean back into the firm body, mindful that it was still healing.
“I
missed you.”
“I
missed you, too. But at least there were
no unexpected visitors this time.”
“Excuse
me??” Koko sputtered, but stopped when Donoma turned in her arms and put a hand
to her lips.
“Your
father came to see me, but we can add that to our list of things to talk
about.”
“Oooookaaaaay,” Koko drawled thoughtfully, wondering what
had brought her Neho’e out into the mortal plane again so soon. “Um, I think we should move the bedding
closer to the camp. Just in case the
weather turns... at least we would be able to drag it inside fairly easily
then.”
Donoma
nodded, knowing how quickly the weather was prone to change at this time of
year. “Thank you for not doing it on
your own, Koko. You could definitely
have hurt yourself and despite my confidence in my abilities as a healer, I do
not want to see you suffer needlessly for your pride.”
Koko
ducked her head. “I did think about it,
but I knew how disappointed you would be if I was that careless. The foolishness would have simply made you
angry and I would rather not do that any more for a while.”
“The
stew should be fine on its own for a few minutes. Let us go see if we can bring things
closer. I have no desire to sleep on wet
bedding tonight.”
“And
then we will talk?”
“And
then we will talk,” Donoma affirmed. “We
have five cycles of seasons to catch up on.”
Koko
smiled. “I guess we are going to be
talking for a while then. I am glad
though. I have missed it.”
“So have I warrior. So have I.”