Chapter 18 Ghrigri
GHRIGRI
Chief Grishk had taken the news much better than I had hoped, though what I had feared had indeed come to pass.
I had three days’ grace before I was to provision up and take Rah-bee and the others to the Great Speaking Chamber.
I’d been twice as a kit, once with my age mates when our teacher took us on the journey for us to be added to the records the Sky Gods kept, as we were awarded our formal names.
The second time was as a newly apprenticed hunter, and I accompanied the more experienced hunters to help load a shipment of books and the glow water that kept the caverns well lit once we coated the stones with it.
It had to be reapplied every so many years as the effect wore off over time, and my back ached just remembering helping haul the goods back on the sledges.
Three days were not enough time to teach Rah-bee enough to understand me, not about the depth of the mate connection I felt, or to explain mates if his kind did not have them, nor about where we were going and why.
Still, I had to trust in the Sky Gods, didn’t I?
For the first time in my life, I found myself second guessing my faith in their benevolence.
What if they decided to take Rah-bee and the others away?
I’d be doomed to remain mateless. My heart ached at the thought of returning to our village without him, to my hut inside the mountain.
I’d lived happily enough alone in it before Rah-bee came, but already, his presence filled it, and if he was gone, I knew the small space would feel cold and empty no matter how hot I built the fire.
“Whut iz thuh mad tur?” Rah-bee said, the way he said it and looked at me indicated he was asking me a question.
No doubt he was wanting to know what the chief had said.
I smiled at him reassuringly, hoping he didn’t notice the hollowness I was feeling inside.
I patted his shoulder. “It is good news. We take you to meet the Sky Gods! They will surely help you and your friends.” That much would be true, I knew deep within the very marrow of my bones.
It was me they might not help, and Rah-bee would go with them back to the stars, remembering only the short-lived attraction between us.
Short-lived for him, unless his kind had mates, too.
What if his kind experienced mate sickness if separated, like the kulana bird?
Kulana mated for life and if one died or their mate was taken to add to a flock for their eggs and they were left behind, they became despondent and in a handful of days, simply sat down and died.
No! I would not let that happen to Rah-bee! I would ensure the Sky Gods knew we were mates. If he and the others had to go, then I would throw myself on their mercy and ask for them to take me with them.
First, though, I needed to get everything Rah-bee and I would need for the journey together.
Food, better clothing for him, extra furs, a larger sledge as he would no doubt need to ride at least part of the way, I also needed to confer with those accompanying us, to help them do the same for the rest of our charges.
We could not allow anything to befall them.
It would not only be a tragedy we’d all mourn, but the Sky Gods would be most displeased and perhaps would not aid us anymore against the demons and their mighty graks.
My attention was so consumed with making plans for our journey that I almost didn’t notice that we’d reached home already.
I let out a grunt of soft surprise when I noticed where we were and brought myself up short lest I pass it by and have to double back.
Rah-bee noticed my distraction and let out that odd sound he made when amused.
“Yoo didnut pay attenshun huh?” He made the soft sound again. “Ah dun no whut yoo wehr ahl tahlking abowt buht yer hedz beehn ihn thuh klowdz ehver sins.”
I smiled brightly at him once more, not wanting him to think I was inattentive of him. “Let’s have some tea,” I told him, opening the door and ushering him inside.
“Tea?” he replied, and I beamed at him more genuinely this time, proud of how he’d learned that word so quickly. “Yoo ahr liek thuh Brihtush ohn teevee. Thay drihnk thaht aht thuh drawp ov uh hat. Rayningh? Tea. Bahd news? Tea. Wahnt kookeez? Tea.”
He kept rambling, despite me obviously only understanding the word for tea, but sat down, placing his primer in front of him.
I lit the lamps, stoked the fire in the stove, and began preparing the drink.
When he became suddenly quiet, I glanced over at him, immediately feeling immensely pleased that he’d opened the book and began looking at it.
Good. We could begin his first lesson over tea.
It felt right, like a path forward for us was opening up.
Foolish self-deception, I knew, as we only had three days, then the trip where we’d be too busy trekking to our destination to do more than make a hasty camp at one of the shelters scattered along the way and fall into a quick sleep after posting guard.
Still, it was something, yes? A memory we could both carry forward with us should the worst happen and the Gods deem us unworthy to remain together.
A memory that hopefully will not be among his very last before his soul rejoined those of his ancestors in the warm lands of the afterlife. .