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

“It is a girls’ cave!” The thought is very exciting to me. Maybe when I am old enough, I can cave with them. We can braid each others’ hair and make clothes together and share secrets.
    “I guess that’s fine. I didn’t really want to hear my sister nailing her new boyfriend all the time,” Mah-dee says after a moment. The look on her face grows sad again.
    “Not friend,” I correct her. “Mate. And they are not nay-ling , they are mating.”
    “Right. My bad.”
    “Bad?”
    “Never mind.” She sits up and Cham-pee immediately races forward and grabs a corner of her blanket, shaking it wildly. A small smile touches her sad face, and she reaches out to rub his head. “All right, let’s see the new place.”
    When Mah-dee and I emerge from the storage cave, both Bek and Vaza visibly puff up their chests. If Mah-dee notices, though, she is silent. She remains at my side as I lead her through the tribal cave, and pays no attention to the men that race to be near her. I do not think Mah-dee is interested in a mate at this time, even a pleasure-mate.
    Though if I were going to pick a pleasure-mate, I would not pick Vaza either. He is too old, and females have their pick of the unmated hunters.
    Asha’s cave has no privacy screen in front, so I enter. Inside, the fire pit is dark, and there is one bundle of furs in the back of the cave. “Asha?” I call out.
    The bundle of furs stirs. “Go away, Farli.”
    “It is not early,” I tell her. “You should be awake.”
    “Why?” Her voice is tired. “What is the point?”
    The point? How silly. “There is so much to be done. Here, I will start your fire pit. And today we must move Mah-dee into your cave. Where are your fire-making tools?” I squat beside the ring of rocks.
    “Move Mah-dee in?” Asha sits up and her hands go to her hair to braid it. As she sits up, a tiny bit of fur drops to the floor. She snatches it up quickly, but not before I see it. It is a tunic, kit-sized.
    Poor Asha. She misses her little Hashala so. I only have vague memories of the kit from several seasons ago, just that she was pale, pale blue and so tiny. Born too early, I am told. It happens, I am told. It is rare. All this, I am told so I do not fret with fear for when it is time for me to carry a kit. The tribe grieves, and then life goes on…for all but Asha, I think. In her heart, she still weeps.
    So I smile brightly at her as if Mah-dee moving in with her is the best thing to ever happen. “You and Mah-dee, yes. Vektal says we will have the single women in a cave together.”
    “Single? But I am mated to Hemalo, you forget.” Her lip curls slightly as she says his name. The others are filing into the cave as we speak, and Asha’s gaze flicks to the others.
    “Hemalo has broken the mating,” Bek says flatly. “He has moved in with the hunters.”
    “Bek!” I am horrified at his callous words, because it is clear this is not known to Asha. Her expression goes tight, her eyes bleak. She looks at me, and I nod slowly. It is true.
    “He said nothing to me.” She gives a small, bitter laugh. “Though I do not know why this surprises me. He says nothing to me anymore.” Her gaze moves past Bek and Vaza to Mah-dee. “Welcome to the cave of rejected females.”
    “Ouch,” Mah-dee says. “Hello to you, too.”
    Asha just grabs her blankets and lies down again. She turns and faces the wall of her cave, shutting us out. “Put up the privacy screen when you leave,” she tells us.
    I glare at Bek. That could have been handled nicer. Asha is clearly hurt.
    “Would…would you like a basket, Asha?” Vaza offers.
    “Enough with the basket,” Bek snaps, elbowing the hunter aside. “No one wants your basket.”
    Mah-dee looks at me, a mixture of confusion and helplessness on her face. “Is this a bad time?” she whispers.
    “There are no good times for this,” I whisper back. “Let us just set up your furs and go out for the day. We can take Cham-pee for a