Chapter 19 #4
I am out of the cruiser and beside Dawn before she can take two steps toward me. My hands move over her, checking every inch for injuries.
“Are you all right? Did they hurt you?”
“Not at all. Tundra was a little sweetheart.” She grins. “Although I’m probably going to walk bow-legged for the rest of the day. Was that not the coolest thing EVER?!”
I stare at her.
“You named the calf Tundra?”
“Yeah.” She shrugs as though this is perfectly reasonable. “You have a polar bear for a pet. Why can’t I have a baby furball?”
“Lord of Light, help me.”
I close my eyes and pray as her laughter surrounds me.
“Come on, growly. Let’s get your friends to Troza. I’m ready to get out of this space suit, even though I must admit, I stayed nice and warm the entire time.”
Hugging her gently, I reluctantly let her go only long enough to climb back into the cruiser.
I settle her onto my lap before pushing the throttle forward.
The cruiser groans in protest, clearly not designed to carry this much weight, but thankfully, we only need to make it to the shuttle bay.
Dawn turns toward Gelid, and despite the constant growl rumbling from my throat, it does not stop her from being herself.
“Hi! I’m Dawn. It’s great to meet you guys. So, you’re the one who trains the mammoths?” Her eyes light up with excitement. “Can I come watch one day?”
“I see no reason why not. Especially since the calf will mourn if you do not play with him regularly. I do not believe you understand the significance of what happened this rising or how rare it is for a mother mammoth to allow her calf to interact with someone in such a way.”
“Tundra is a sweetie. He just wanted to play.” She grins. “He made the cutest little noises the entire time he was hauling me. I can only imagine the conversation we could have had if I spoke fur ball.”
Both males laugh at her response.
I growl softly and pull her closer, earning a glance from Dawn that tells me she knows exactly why I did it. Thankfully, before I can become a raging monster, the shuttle bay comes into view, and I see Troza waiting there with a hover stretcher.
“She is still just as stunning. Age has not taken anything from her.”
Dawn and I both turn toward Jeton.
The longing on his face is unmistakable, though the moment he realizes we have noticed, he quickly shutters his emotions.
“I did not mean anything disrespectful, HaL. Your Dam is a fine female.”
“Yes, she is, and you are correct. She is beautiful, but in my eyes, she always has been.” I study him for a moment. “I did not realize you knew her well.”
“I tried to court her when you were a youngling, and she turned from my advances. She is also the reason I never relocated to the compound. I would be uncomfortable seeing her with another.”
Dawn’s lips curve into a smile. Then comes that strange little eye twitch again, followed by her eyebrows going up and down. I am beginning to wonder if she is having some kind of seizure. Before I can ask, the cruiser comes to a stop, and Oset and Troza are immediately at Gelid’s side.
“HaL, help us get him onto the stretcher.”
Troza stops dead when Jeton appears beside her.
For several tics, neither of them says a word. They simply stare at one another.
I feel Dawn gently squeeze my arm as we watch them, and I am beginning to suspect there is far more to their history than I was ever told. Only Gelid’s exaggerated clearing of his throat breaks the spell.
“Hey … I am injured worse than he is. Jeton, wait your turn.”
Dawn turns away quickly, her shoulders shaking as she tries desperately for them not to see her laughing.
Between Oset and I, we get Gelid onto the stretcher, but neither Jeton nor I are prepared for what happens next. Dam reaches out and takes Jeton’s good hand in hers.
“Jeton, Gelid is right. He is in worse shape than you are, but please come with me. I will get a poultice on that arm to help with the swelling and pain until I can look at your hand.”
I have never seen Dam unsure of herself.
Yet now, there is something in her expression I cannot place. Something distant, as though an old memory has suddenly come rushing back.
Jeton simply nods.
I watch Dam physically relax.
Dawn and I follow behind the hover stretcher, but we barely make it to the med center before Troza is shooing us away.
“Go take care of yourselves, younglings. I will comm you when I get these two fixed up.” She grabs my arm before I can leave, looking me over from head to toe. “Neither of you are hurt, right?”
“We are fine, Dam.”
“Thank the heavens.” She exhales shakily. “I almost had a heart attack when Bane told me you two were out in all that.” She pats my arm like she is reassuring herself that I am here and safe. “Go on. I will contact you later.”
I nod, then pick Dawn up once again.
She immediately wraps her arms around me, and together we head toward our dwelling.
Only now, with the med center behind us and everyone accounted for, does the fear finally catch up with me.
This rising could have ended very differently.
I tighten my hold on Dawn, as I fight the shakes that seem to have settled over me.