Calm: Ice Planet Barbarians: A Slice of Life Short Story by Ruby Dixon Read Free Book Online Page A

basket.”
    I smother my amusement behind my hand. Vaza is so obvious. So is Bek, actually. He scowls at his competition. “Why does she need a basket?”
    Vaza gazes down at the basket in his hands and then shrugs. “Does not everyone need a good basket?”
    “I am sure she will be grateful.” And a giggle slips out of me.
    Both Bek and Vaza frown at me. Cham-pee bleats and bites at my chin. I release my little dvisti and he immediately scampers away, thinking we are playing a chase game. I do not follow.
    The chase game that is unfolding is far too interesting.
    “Perhaps she is sleeping in one of the storage caves,” I suggest. “I will go look.”
    They do not pay attention to me. They are too busy glaring at each other. “She can make her own basket,” Bek snarls at Vaza.
    “She can make her own blankets, too!”
    “I am helping Farli. You are just stalking her like a snow-cat, like you always do.”
    “As if you are one to speak,” Vaza hisses. “You had a human and you lost her. Let others have a chance!”
    I roll my eyes like Leezh does when she is annoyed.
    Every time a human female is unmated, it is the same story with the unmated males. They make fools of themselves to push their way into her presence, hoping for a pleasure-mate, if not resonance. Now that there is only one unmated female again, they grow more desperate and more angry in their conversations to each other. Some of the hunters—like Harrec and Warrek—do not bother to chase the females. They figure if it is meant to be, resonance will bring them together. The pushier ones like Bek do their best to help things along.
    I find it exasperating…but also a little exciting. In a few seasons, I will be a woman, old enough to be courted. Will they chase after me as heatedly as they do Mah-dee? The thought of all that attention makes my stomach flutter. I do not know that I want Vaza or Bek, but it is still exciting to think about. I pat my flat chest. Still no teats. I have a season or two yet.
    I sigh. I am ready to grow up.
    I leave the two hunters behind to bicker, and search the caves. In a pile of extra furs in the back of the storage cave, I find Mah-dee. She has slept in my family’s cave since arriving, because we have a larger one, but she did not return last night. “Good morning,” I call out to her as I approach. “Wake! It is time for your moving day!”
    Mah-dee sits up blearily, her yellow mane a snarl on her head. “Why are you here and so loud?”
    “Am I loud?” Behind me, Cham-pee bleats at the entrance of the cave as if to agree. “I am sorry,” I whisper. “Is this better?”
    “I think I’m hungover,” Mah-dee says, rubbing her face. “That sah sah is some potent shit.”
    I gasp. “It was bad?” I have heard “shit” many times from the humans, but they usually say it when they refer to dung. “Oshen will be so displeased—”
    “No, no,” she says quickly. “Potent stuff . Stuff. I misspoke.”
    Oh.
    “Where is my sister?” She straightens her clothing and peers around. “Is she awake?”
    I giggle. “We will not see much of them all day, I think. They are resonating.” It is so exciting to think about. I picture Rokan and how he gazes at his new mate, and a little sigh escapes me. I want a male to look at me like that. Then I wrinkle my nose. Not Vaza or Bek, though. Someone nicer. Maybe Taushen.
    Mah-dee just gives an unhappy little groan and lies back down in bed. She pulls the blankets over her head. “I hate this place.”
    I giggle and reach forward to tug the blankets down again. “You are so silly.” I have gotten to know Mah-dee well in the last few weeks. She says many sour things, but she is just sad and lonely and in need of friends. “Today is a good day. You are getting your own cave!”

    S he lets me pull the blankets down, and there’s a thoughtful look on her face. “I am? I’m not going to stay with my sister?”
    “No, you will be caving with Asha,” I tell her.