Chapter 20 #2
I flicked my eyes from the more-white-than-black snout to Artek and was trapped in a suddenly, very kind blue gaze.
“Yes,” he said to me, his mouth tilting in a smile.
“That’s Zap. She’s been with me for nearly twenty years…
” He did not say more, but he didn’t need to.
This Ayala came a little closer, and now I could see the slight limp she had; her back leg was a little crooked.
It was her—the little baby I’d tried to save so long ago.
Tears sprang instantly to my eyes, my throat closed up, and a sob shook my chest. Artek just kept looking at me with kindness, while Reid frantically began asking me what was wrong.
So out came the whole story about that impactful confrontation with Astrexa, with Zathar’s interference and advice.
“I can’t believe she’s still here—that she made it! ”
“Zap has thrived under my care. She’s been a good friend,” Artek told me.
Now, he wasn’t impatient or distracted. Khawla must not be in any immediate danger, because he circled around the sled to come closer to us, lowering himself to stroke his palm over Zap’s snout and ruffle her soft, round ears.
My palm instantly ached to do the same. She did not look nearly as soft as she had been as a baby, but it still looked so nice.
“Zap wears a collar that protects her from predators,” Artek explained, more to Reid than to me, because my focus was entirely on the now-very-old Ayala.
Slipping from Reid’s grasp, I dared to move a little closer to her, lowering myself like Artek had, so as not to be a threat.
How was it possible that nobody had ever told me that Artek had an Ayala with him?
Twenty years was a long time for that to be a secret…
The Ayala was big for one of her kind, evidence that she’d been well-fed and nurtured, just as Artek said.
She also wasn’t shy; a huff through her snout was followed by her abandoning Artek’s petting to nuzzle my outstretched fingers.
A deep inhale made her striped flanks expand, and then her quills shivered; they seemed to smooth down a little, as if she were relaxing.
Her black nose was a little wet but soft, as was her white cheek.
I was still marveling at the sensation when she abruptly turned around and scuttled back into the bushes.
“Oh... Was it... did I do something wrong?”
Reid folded his hand around my shoulder, silently offering support, but Artek’s words were the most reassuring.
“I doubt it. Nothing bothers Zap these days. She’s been nesting near here for a few months now; her latest litter must almost be old enough to be on their own.
I bet she’s simply gone to check on them.
” Artek rolled a shoulder, then shrugged out of the satchel that dangled from a strap.
“Take these supplies, Reid. There should be enough to get you to Haven.”
Reid took the bag, and I heard the two males talking as they stuck their heads together, but I didn’t pay attention. My eyes were still fixed on the bushes the Ayala had disappeared through.
Artek was picking up the handles of the improvised sled when I finally wrenched my eyes away from the purple fronds and leaves.
His body was already turned toward his home lower on the mountain, and he gave only a vague, hurried parting greeting as he started to leave.
It was so out of character that I was, once again, surprised.
Why was he in such a rush to get rid of us?
I opened my mouth to ask him, even though it was a little nosy.
The Sazzie I had always been to others would never have done that; acting callously disinterested had been the best way to protect myself.
I had Reid now, so I didn’t need to do that.
Artek ducked his head low, his pale shoulders rising to his ears as if he sensed my intentions.
He picked up the pace, and my curiosity almost made me hurry after him.
I would have, if not for the timely distraction.
Zap was back, chortling cutely as she jogged around a tree.
Something small and wriggly dangled from her mouth, and in the precious seconds I needed to parse what it was, Artek was gone.
“What’ve you got there, girl?” Reid said, and the seductive drawl of his voice seemed to work on me as much as it did on Zap.
She made a very satisfied chirping sound as she approached us, the baby Ayala still dangling from her mouth.
I crouched in front of her, smiling wryly as Zap gave Reid an adoring look.
“Yeah, it makes me do that too,” I agreed with her.
It made her chortle again from the back of her throat, her young mewling much like Zap had done in my arms all those years ago.
When she took another step toward me, my heart clenched in my chest. I almost didn’t dare to reach out with my hands, but Reid gently nudged me, and his presence helped.
I shouldn’t have feared rejection; Zap dropped her baby into my hands without ceremony.
It was almost exactly the same size Zap had been when I rescued her, and the sensation of that warm ball of fur in my hands brought back all the memories—especially the strong desire I had felt then to keep her, to care for her myself.
Zap seemed far less fussed about giving me one of her young.
She gave the small rump a lick, huffed once while giving me a look, and then turned and trundled away.
I was left holding a wiggling ball of fur with a pair of dark eyes and hints of pink still visible through its white fur.
“Reid, did Zap just give me one of her babies? Why did she do that?”
I struggled to look away from the small bundle lying trustingly in my hands.
It was old enough to jump out and survive in the woods on its own, but it didn’t seem to want to leave.
It was the opposite of what Zap had done twenty years ago.
“She did. Maybe she’s repaying you for saving her,” he said, and then he chuckled, and my belly clenched with a spark of heat at the sound.
“The little one will be very welcome at Haven, that I can guarantee. Come on, we’ll need to forage for it on our way home. ”
I rose, gently cupping the small animal to my chest and marveling when it sighed and settled its head on my shoulder rather than fighting.
“You’re fine with me keeping it?” I asked Reid, not quite certain if any of this made sense to me.
Nobody at Thunder Rock would ever consider keeping a pet, but Reid seemed very casual about it.
With his palm pressed to the small of my back, he urged me to start moving, and I soaked in his warm touch.
We were turning toward the rising mountain arm, away from Artek’s home, where we clearly weren’t welcome.
“You know, the first time you sat with me in that med bay, I remembered thinking you should be holding either a pet or a baby in your arms. Of course, you should keep it. What do you want to name it?”
Ah, now I was crying again, but it was because I was so happy. I felt so loved. Reid got me; he saw the real me. With him at my side, I wasn’t even scared that Haven might not welcome me. Now, we just had to get there.