Calm: Ice Planet Barbarians: A Slice of Life Short Story by Ruby Dixon Page A
Authors: Ruby Dixon
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handing her back to Kashrem. I am not entirely sure that I will ever embrace the human custom of tonguing at my mate. It seems…strange. But Esha’s kisses are sweet and fill me with joy, and I give her a quick, dry kiss on her round cheek. “Be good for your father. I will be back soon.”
Kashrem smiles at me, and my heart squeezes with affection for my mate. On impulse, I reach out and caress his arm, searching. I send my thoughts through his body, searching for his khui. Each one has a slight song to it, even when not in resonance, and I search for that song now, mixed in the pulse of flowing blood and thumping heart. Kashrem’s is there, and it is strong. Normal. I breathe a sigh of relief and pull back into myself. A moment later, I touch Esha’s arm and do the same, just because I must reassure myself that my family is well. When I am satisfied, I drop my hand.
My mate is watching me with a look of concern on his face. “What is it that troubles you?”
“I do not know yet. It might be nothing.” But it does not feel like nothing. “I must seek the others. I will return soon enough.”
He nods and strokes my arm, a reassuring caress. “Let me know if you need me.”
My sweet mate. I smile. He cannot do much more to help with a healing than hold my hand, yet he would do so if I asked. “Have fun with your skins,” I tease, and pinch Esha’s fat little cheek to make her giggle. It is hard to leave my family’s side, even for a moment, when my senses are calling a warning.
But is not the entire tribe my family? Are they not mine to care for?
I caress my kit’s cheek one last time and then emerge from our private cave a moment later. I must bend slightly to exit because the door is low, and when I straighten, my back protests. I close my eyes and speak to my khui, going inside myself for a moment. Warmth blossoms through my muscles, and the pain is gone a moment later.
“Oh, there you are, Maylak! Just the person I was looking for!”
I open my eyes and see the round, strange face of the human Jo-see. She beams a smile at me, her hands on her flat stomach. “You were looking for me? Do you feel ill, Jo-see?”
“No! And that’s the problem! If I’m pregnant, at what point does morning sickness kick in? Liz says she gets it pretty much the moment the sperm meets the egg, but you know Liz. She’s full of crap.” Her big eyes gaze at me with worry. “You don’t think anything is wrong, do you? I should be feeling something if I’m pregnant, right?”
“Let us see.” I place my hands on her belly, feeling for the small spark of life there. Pregnancy is tricky, because the child in the womb has no khui. But the body around it can tell me much, and Jo-see’s body brims with good health and life. I withdraw back into myself and smile at her. “Everything is fine. You must be patient.”
She bounces from foot to foot. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not so good with patient. It’s so hard, because I want to experience everything! And Liz has the pukes and I don’t.” She looks mournful. “I just can’t wait, you know?”
“Your wait is shorter than mine,” I tell her, amused at her impatience. To think that someone is eager to have all of pregnancy’s small sicknesses.
Her hands go to her mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not bitching, I promise. I’m just excited.”
“I know you are not—”
“I mean, it must suck really hard to be pregnant for like, three friggin’ years, bloated like a watermelon on the vine and—” Her eyes widen. “I’m making it worse, aren’t I?”
I do not know if she is. “What is a water-may-lon?”
She pats my arm quickly. “You know what? Never mind. It’s cool. You due soon?”
“Not today, I think,” I say, and smile at her. “How is your mate? Is he in the cave?” I should check him, especially. There are certain tribesmates I keep a close eye on, and Haeden is one of them. His khui is not his original khui, but
Kashrem smiles at me, and my heart squeezes with affection for my mate. On impulse, I reach out and caress his arm, searching. I send my thoughts through his body, searching for his khui. Each one has a slight song to it, even when not in resonance, and I search for that song now, mixed in the pulse of flowing blood and thumping heart. Kashrem’s is there, and it is strong. Normal. I breathe a sigh of relief and pull back into myself. A moment later, I touch Esha’s arm and do the same, just because I must reassure myself that my family is well. When I am satisfied, I drop my hand.
My mate is watching me with a look of concern on his face. “What is it that troubles you?”
“I do not know yet. It might be nothing.” But it does not feel like nothing. “I must seek the others. I will return soon enough.”
He nods and strokes my arm, a reassuring caress. “Let me know if you need me.”
My sweet mate. I smile. He cannot do much more to help with a healing than hold my hand, yet he would do so if I asked. “Have fun with your skins,” I tease, and pinch Esha’s fat little cheek to make her giggle. It is hard to leave my family’s side, even for a moment, when my senses are calling a warning.
But is not the entire tribe my family? Are they not mine to care for?
I caress my kit’s cheek one last time and then emerge from our private cave a moment later. I must bend slightly to exit because the door is low, and when I straighten, my back protests. I close my eyes and speak to my khui, going inside myself for a moment. Warmth blossoms through my muscles, and the pain is gone a moment later.
“Oh, there you are, Maylak! Just the person I was looking for!”
I open my eyes and see the round, strange face of the human Jo-see. She beams a smile at me, her hands on her flat stomach. “You were looking for me? Do you feel ill, Jo-see?”
“No! And that’s the problem! If I’m pregnant, at what point does morning sickness kick in? Liz says she gets it pretty much the moment the sperm meets the egg, but you know Liz. She’s full of crap.” Her big eyes gaze at me with worry. “You don’t think anything is wrong, do you? I should be feeling something if I’m pregnant, right?”
“Let us see.” I place my hands on her belly, feeling for the small spark of life there. Pregnancy is tricky, because the child in the womb has no khui. But the body around it can tell me much, and Jo-see’s body brims with good health and life. I withdraw back into myself and smile at her. “Everything is fine. You must be patient.”
She bounces from foot to foot. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not so good with patient. It’s so hard, because I want to experience everything! And Liz has the pukes and I don’t.” She looks mournful. “I just can’t wait, you know?”
“Your wait is shorter than mine,” I tell her, amused at her impatience. To think that someone is eager to have all of pregnancy’s small sicknesses.
Her hands go to her mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m not bitching, I promise. I’m just excited.”
“I know you are not—”
“I mean, it must suck really hard to be pregnant for like, three friggin’ years, bloated like a watermelon on the vine and—” Her eyes widen. “I’m making it worse, aren’t I?”
I do not know if she is. “What is a water-may-lon?”
She pats my arm quickly. “You know what? Never mind. It’s cool. You due soon?”
“Not today, I think,” I say, and smile at her. “How is your mate? Is he in the cave?” I should check him, especially. There are certain tribesmates I keep a close eye on, and Haeden is one of them. His khui is not his original khui, but
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