The Barbarian Before Christmas (Ice Planet Barbarians #17.5)(7)

I like that idea. Even though I feel a little exposed and open right now for chatting so much with Kira, I love the thought of making Bek a gift with my hands. “Can…can you show me how?”

Kira looks surprised at my request. Of course she is. I’m the one that would rather hide in my hut than hang out with the village women. But there’s something soothing about Kira’s quiet, practical personality—and the fact that she feels the same way I do about our missing mates. Sitting with her’s not so bad. I tried to be friendly with Maylak, since she’s Bek’s sister, but she watches me far too closely, and her mate is always nearby, and they have kits, and it’s just too many people all at once. But here with Kira, it’s not so bad.

“I can show you,” Kira says after a momentary pause. “I have some extra leather. Do you have one of his old boots so we know what to cut to?”

Chagrined, I realize I don’t, and shake my head.

She gives me a half smile. “It’s all right. We can make yours large and add a place to lace it up. I’ve learned that it’s a lot easier to cut down a piece of clothing that’s too big than to add to one that’s too small. We’ll make them big and start from there. Come on.”





3





RAAHOSH



I can handle a great deal of pain, or bitter cold, or a long journey away from home…but I cannot handle my fierce mate’s pain at being told that others will be returning home and we will not. She bellowed her frustration to me at not being allowed to return home to our kits just yet. Then, her rage turned to bitter tears and she clung to me as she wept. It is the pregnancy hawr-moans, she tells me. They make her emotional.

I think it is more than that, though. She is sad and misses Aayla and Raashel. I miss them just as deeply as she does. I am just as frustrated as she is that we cannot return to the village. But I understand my chief’s decision, even if I do not like it. I let him know my displeasure, and now there is nothing to do except hunt until my irritation eases. But my hunting partner, my Liz, is not interested in going out this day. She is too angry and wishes to stay in our tent and sulk. It is unlike her, but I know she misses our kits fiercely. And I think of her tears and how she clung to me, and…I wish to fix this.

I do not know how, but I will fix this. If I cannot bring her home to her young, I must do something that will bring her back to the teasing, clever mate that I love so well. It makes me ache to see her so defeated.

I head out to the beach, and as I do, I hear the quiet sound of sobbing. Har-loh, who is just as upset that she cannot see her kit as my Liz is. A moment later, Rukh emerges from their small cave, frustration plain on his face. He rakes his shaggy hair back from his face and then storms toward me, furious. “This is not right,” he declares. “We go home.”

“We cannot go,” I tell him flatly. “Much as I would like to leave, we are needed here. You know this. Liz and your Har-loh know this, too. They are just heavy with kit and sad. They will not risk the lives of these newcomers, no matter how much they might miss their kits.” There is a knot in my throat, because I miss my kits, too. Bah. I think of little Aayla and her round, happy little face and shining eyes. I think of my Raashel, who is far too clever, like her mother. She would greet me with her little sly smile and then search my pockets, looking for the small treats and presents I would bring her.

And I ache deep inside, because I want to hold them close and tell them of how much I have missed them, but I must wait longer still. I know they are safe. I cannot be too upset. Well, I can be a little upset. I would rather be with them than feeding these useless ones. But it must be done, and the newcomers wish to learn. We must be patient for a little longer.

Rukh growls. “I miss my son.”

“I miss my daughters,” I tell my brother. “But I cannot worry over them right now. I know they are safe and looked after in the village. It is my Liz that is my concern right now.”

Rukh crosses his arms and grunts, his jaw set in frustration. “My Har-loh will not stop crying.”

I know the helpless feeling. My mate wanted to make this No-Poison Day special for our daughters because we have another kit on the way very soon. Now we will not even be home to celebrate it. I think of the little gifts that Liz has been making around the fire each night. We can send them with the others on their journey, but it will not be the same as watching their faces when they get their gifts. My heart hurts at the thought, but I know Liz must be aching even more. She enjoys being at my side, but at the same time, she feels torn that she cannot be with the girls.

I hate that she feels regret. That she feels trapped here, away from our kits.

We must do something to bring smiles back to our mates’ faces.

“Let us bring No-Poison here,” Rukh says suddenly.

I clasp a hand on his arm, because he has said exactly what I was thinking. “A fine idea, my brother. We can look for plants close to camp and make bundles of them for our mates.”

“What else?” Rukh asks.

I do not remember. Most of it is foolishness, but my mate enjoys it. I rub my chin, thinking. “Perhaps we should ask some of the humans for suggestions.”

Rukh nods at the distant shore. I turn and look, and two humans stand on the sandy beach. One is Tee-ah, the young female. She talks to the one with the four-armed mate. I rack my mind, trying to recall her name. They all look the same to me—Not-Liz. It takes me a moment to remember—Lo-ren. I gesture for Rukh to follow and jog my way down toward the edge of the water.