with that? I cup his face in my hands and kiss him, maybe a little too enthusiastically.
"Wow, you guys are gross. I feel kinda sick," Eland says. He pretends to retch.
Peree laughs. "Watch and learn, brother. You'll need these skills before long."
I take Peree's hand in a chaste handshake. "Compromise?"
"I'm listening," he says.
"We'll go. But we need a few days to get organized. To collect the food and supplies we need? We'll tell a few people we're leaving—a few , Eland—and find out who might want to go. I'll bet it'll be more than you think."
"And what if the Three find out?" Eland asks.
"Or the Covey," Peree adds.
"That's a risk we'll have to take."
I know what Aloe said, but I can't believe Fox would allow Eland or me to be harmed. It doesn't fit with what I know to be true about him: that he's a good man who treated us well all our lives. Maybe I’m naïve to still believe that.
"I doubt they'll be happy about it if they find out, but what can they do to stop us, if enough people really want to go?" I ask.
"Seriously, Fenn,” Peree says, concern strong in his voice. “You both need to be careful."
He doesn't need to remind me of that. I know I may be making a huge mistake. But I have a dream of delivering on my promise of a peaceful home for our people to share, and I've fought too hard to give up on it now.
The trees exhale as I crouch in the forest after the rain. Their moist, scented breath covers my skin like an herbal poultice. I'm gathering dry kindling for the bonfire later. It's not an easy job after so much rain. We might have had enough firewood stored up if the Lofties had allowed us to cut down more trees.
Calli's nearby, chattering about spending the afternoon with Cricket and his family. Calli and Cricket still have both their parents. It's unusual among Groundlings. Lofties, too, from what Peree has told me. Between the sick ones, accidents, illness, and occasional violence, the forest has never been an easy place to live.
The Lofties are on the move above us. I hear their footsteps and the sounds of sawing on the walkways. It's too muffled to make out much else.
I wonder what Peree's doing now. He managed to get back into the trees without being spotted by the guards, although Eland said it was close. Peree's distinctive honeysuckle taste lingers on my lips from when he kissed me goodbye. I hate that he had to go.
I stand up and stretch, then balance on one foot, gently rotating the ankle I sprained when Moray pushed me into the pit. My body feels closer to normal, but I still bear the aches and pains of our search for the Waters.
"Fenn. You're not listening," Calli says.
"Sorry, what were you saying?"
"I asked if you'd met up with Peree since the fires. I know he's not supposed to come down now," her voice turns teasing, "but I didn't think that would stop you two for long."
I hesitate. Is Calli asking as my best friend? Or as an informant for her father and the Three?
"No, I haven’t." My voice is even. I need to lie convincingly.
"Can't be too bad. You're still wearing his bird thingy around your neck."
I touch my necklace, recalling the feeling of Peree's hand covering it in farewell. "I hate this. I miss being with him, Calli." I might have to lie about other things, but I can tell her the truth about my feelings.
"Why?"
My laugh is incredulous. "What do you mean, why? I love him."
"No, I mean what is it about him that you miss?" She sounds serious now. "I told you I'm trying to understand your choice, but it's . . . hard. How is being with him better than it would have been if you'd chosen Bear? You still could, you know. He would partner with you in a heartbeat."
I lean against a tree, and Calli moves closer. Water drips from the branches in a staccato rhythm around us; I'm almost as wet as I would be if it actually was raining.
The anuna sing when it rains in Koolkuna, offering thanks for the life-giving water. All our water seems to give us is blindness. It's
"Wow, you guys are gross. I feel kinda sick," Eland says. He pretends to retch.
Peree laughs. "Watch and learn, brother. You'll need these skills before long."
I take Peree's hand in a chaste handshake. "Compromise?"
"I'm listening," he says.
"We'll go. But we need a few days to get organized. To collect the food and supplies we need? We'll tell a few people we're leaving—a few , Eland—and find out who might want to go. I'll bet it'll be more than you think."
"And what if the Three find out?" Eland asks.
"Or the Covey," Peree adds.
"That's a risk we'll have to take."
I know what Aloe said, but I can't believe Fox would allow Eland or me to be harmed. It doesn't fit with what I know to be true about him: that he's a good man who treated us well all our lives. Maybe I’m naïve to still believe that.
"I doubt they'll be happy about it if they find out, but what can they do to stop us, if enough people really want to go?" I ask.
"Seriously, Fenn,” Peree says, concern strong in his voice. “You both need to be careful."
He doesn't need to remind me of that. I know I may be making a huge mistake. But I have a dream of delivering on my promise of a peaceful home for our people to share, and I've fought too hard to give up on it now.
The trees exhale as I crouch in the forest after the rain. Their moist, scented breath covers my skin like an herbal poultice. I'm gathering dry kindling for the bonfire later. It's not an easy job after so much rain. We might have had enough firewood stored up if the Lofties had allowed us to cut down more trees.
Calli's nearby, chattering about spending the afternoon with Cricket and his family. Calli and Cricket still have both their parents. It's unusual among Groundlings. Lofties, too, from what Peree has told me. Between the sick ones, accidents, illness, and occasional violence, the forest has never been an easy place to live.
The Lofties are on the move above us. I hear their footsteps and the sounds of sawing on the walkways. It's too muffled to make out much else.
I wonder what Peree's doing now. He managed to get back into the trees without being spotted by the guards, although Eland said it was close. Peree's distinctive honeysuckle taste lingers on my lips from when he kissed me goodbye. I hate that he had to go.
I stand up and stretch, then balance on one foot, gently rotating the ankle I sprained when Moray pushed me into the pit. My body feels closer to normal, but I still bear the aches and pains of our search for the Waters.
"Fenn. You're not listening," Calli says.
"Sorry, what were you saying?"
"I asked if you'd met up with Peree since the fires. I know he's not supposed to come down now," her voice turns teasing, "but I didn't think that would stop you two for long."
I hesitate. Is Calli asking as my best friend? Or as an informant for her father and the Three?
"No, I haven’t." My voice is even. I need to lie convincingly.
"Can't be too bad. You're still wearing his bird thingy around your neck."
I touch my necklace, recalling the feeling of Peree's hand covering it in farewell. "I hate this. I miss being with him, Calli." I might have to lie about other things, but I can tell her the truth about my feelings.
"Why?"
My laugh is incredulous. "What do you mean, why? I love him."
"No, I mean what is it about him that you miss?" She sounds serious now. "I told you I'm trying to understand your choice, but it's . . . hard. How is being with him better than it would have been if you'd chosen Bear? You still could, you know. He would partner with you in a heartbeat."
I lean against a tree, and Calli moves closer. Water drips from the branches in a staccato rhythm around us; I'm almost as wet as I would be if it actually was raining.
The anuna sing when it rains in Koolkuna, offering thanks for the life-giving water. All our water seems to give us is blindness. It's
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