Breakaway: Clan of the Ice Mountains by C.S. Bills Page A

about Meavu’s age, according to his mother, but she seemed to still have been taught the women’s skills. Attu wondered who had taught her the healing ones.
    Rika glanced up and Attu caught her eyes. Instead of looking away as most girls would, she continued to look at him, her eyebrows arched up as if to dare him, her gold-flecked eyes twinkling. He found himself looking away first, frustrated by his shyness. He turned back to listen to the men again, but he could no longer concentrate on what they were saying.
    “Would you like more algae drink?”
    Attu jumped. Rika was beside him, her hand clasping the steaming bowl of the hot blue drink, a strong smelling beverage made from algae that grew on the rocks at the shoreline.
    “No thank you,” Attu said. He was annoyed Rika had been able to sneak up on him, even in the closeness of the shelter.
    “I’ll take some, daughter,” Paven said.
    Rika tensed as she stepped over and handed Paven the bowl, her eyes lowered. She slipped back to her seat beside Yural as silently as she had approached.
    “Have you noticed how much more of the algae there is here than on the islands to the north?”
    Ubantu looked surprised. This was women’s talk, about the small types of gathering foods. It wasn’t hunter’s work. He looked to Yural, who remained silent.
    “There’s much more of the blue algae along the shoreline here, growing in great clumps along the rocks. Also, rock moss. Elder Nuanu sends women out each day to gather both and to dry them.” Paven looked at Ubantu.
    “Elder Nuanu is a wise woman, a good leader of women,” Ubantu said. His words were halting.
    “My hunters have been happy to watch out for the women of both clans as they gather.” Paven smiled at Yural as he spoke. She ducked her head and continued sewing.
    “Oh,” Ubantu said. His father had apparently not realized that Paven’s hunters guarded the women of both clans as they gathered the algae on the shore, or the rock moss, which was rare on the other lands, but here seemed to grow abundantly in any sunny sheltered spot up in the hills.
    The women went almost every day to gather, for both algae and moss could be dried and carried easily. Being stuck near the shelters, Attu had overheard the women discussing who would be foraging each day. Paven had chosen two hunters to do the guarding. One of them had no woman. There’d been much giggling involved, and a few hot arguments over whose turn it was.
    “Oh,” Ubantu said again, in a drawn out breath almost like a sigh. He was looking at Paven, who was still eyeing Yural. Attu suddenly felt afraid, but he couldn’t figure out why. The moment passed.
    “Elder Nuanu is instructing the women to stay ready to move and to gather what they can,” Paven said, suddenly turning back to Ubantu. He grinned at Attu’s father. Ubantu did not smile back.
    Attu wondered if Rika went off into the low hills to gather with the other women. Thinking of the possible danger to her, Attu glanced toward Rika. She was watching him again, but she flashed him a look of annoyance as their eyes met, and looked away first this time, suddenly giving all her concentration to the work in her hands.
    “Rock moss is not all that’s been gathered,” Paven said, glancing again in the direction of the women, and bringing Attu’s attention back to the conversation. “My brother’s son, Topulek, has asked permission to become Pashua’s man.”
    Attu’s father grunted. “That makes two now, to be taken and given at the next full moon.”
    “Yes, an even exchange, one hunter from my clan, and one from yours.”
    “Who from our clan?” Attu asked.
    “Kinak,” his father said. “He has asked for Suanu.”
    “Kinak?” Attu was surprised. Another thing for Moolnik to taunt Suka with, the bonding of his older brother, just like his own father had done to Moolnik. In spite of their recent argument, Attu felt sorry for Suka.
    Paven said, “Now that you’re feeling