her waist.
“Me? How delightful. I do
love surprises.”
Appollonia loved to talk too,
they’d barely got in a word since they had arrived. Shale found herself
liking the woman though, and was relieved to know that if either of them
did get injured or became sick, Appollonia would treat them like any other
member of the tribe.
Kale handed the pouch to the
healer.
Appollonia opened it, and her
eyes grew wide as she fingered the contents. She raised it to her nose and
sniffed it, then looked at them in astonishment. “Where did you get this?”
“Far south of here. We collected
it for our own healer, but...” Shale broke off. “We thought you may have
use for it.”
“This is a very rare and
precious gift you have given me, I thank you both deeply for it.”
Appollonia searched for an empty jar, and poured the contents of the pouch
into it. She then returned the pouch to Kale, who tied it back in place.
“The other upside to being a healer is that I get to talk to a lot of
people myself. There will soon be good rumours to contradict the bad. This
kindness will not go unnoticed.”
“There’s really no need...”
Shale said.
Appollonia leaned forward.
“You clearly haven’t heard them.”
Kale laughed loudly. “Well in
that case, we’d appreciate any help you can give.”
SHALE COULD ONLY watch as
Kale pulled back the bowstring, aimed, and let the arrow fly. The
arrowhead sank deeply into the stag’s chest, and the creature stumbled,
then crashed to the ground.
Shale emerged from her
position behind a nearby tree, annoyed. “I had that, Kale.”
“You were taking too long.”
“You had the better angle,”
Shale said.
Kale looked smug. “Then you
should’ve got yourself into a better spot.”
Shale shook her head. “I had
no cover, it would’ve fled.”
“Whatever you say.” Kale
crossed to the deer’s side. “He’s big.”
“Mm.” Shale patted her on the
back. “Good shot.” She pulled the arrow out and handed it back to Kale.
Kale wiped the blood off and
sheathed it in her quiver. “I don’t envy you carrying him back to camp.”
“Me?” Shale spluttered.
“I shot him, remember?” Kale
grinned cockily. “You need to pull your weight.”
Shale scoffed, then chuckled.
“All right. Help me get him on my shoulders.” She bent, and with Kale’s
assistance, wrestled the hind into place.
Despite Kale’s words, she
carried the animal for the second half of the journey.
Shale spotted some delicate
yellow flowers, and altered her course. Choosing the best one, she picked
it, cradling it carefully as she walked.
“What’s that for?” Kale
asked, giving her a look that said she already knew the answer.
“It’s for Blake.”
“You can’t be serious, Shale?
Please tell me you’re not serious?”
“I don’t know what your
problem is with her, Kale, Blake’s been extremely patient with you.” Shale
smelled the flower, the sweet perfume reminding her strongly of Blake. “I
swear, you forget she’s the princess.”
“How could I? You’re always
reminding me!”
“I shouldn’t have to remind
you.”
“Then don’t,” Kale said
flatly. “What do you honestly think will come of this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not blind, Shale.
Moonlit walks, flowers, you’re trying to romance her.”
“So? Where’s the harm in
that? I like her.”
Kale stared at her, disbelief
written clearly on her face. “You liked all of the others, too. It still
didn’t work out.”
“Blake’s different.”
“No, she’s not. You just want
her to be. I’m telling you, Shale, this won’t work. Don’t get involved
like that. It’s not worth it.”
Shale frowned. Her mind told
her that Kale was right, romantic relationships never worked for either of
them. And she certainly didn’t want to lose Blake as a friend. She would
have to be content with that.
“Me? How delightful. I do
love surprises.”
Appollonia loved to talk too,
they’d barely got in a word since they had arrived. Shale found herself
liking the woman though, and was relieved to know that if either of them
did get injured or became sick, Appollonia would treat them like any other
member of the tribe.
Kale handed the pouch to the
healer.
Appollonia opened it, and her
eyes grew wide as she fingered the contents. She raised it to her nose and
sniffed it, then looked at them in astonishment. “Where did you get this?”
“Far south of here. We collected
it for our own healer, but...” Shale broke off. “We thought you may have
use for it.”
“This is a very rare and
precious gift you have given me, I thank you both deeply for it.”
Appollonia searched for an empty jar, and poured the contents of the pouch
into it. She then returned the pouch to Kale, who tied it back in place.
“The other upside to being a healer is that I get to talk to a lot of
people myself. There will soon be good rumours to contradict the bad. This
kindness will not go unnoticed.”
“There’s really no need...”
Shale said.
Appollonia leaned forward.
“You clearly haven’t heard them.”
Kale laughed loudly. “Well in
that case, we’d appreciate any help you can give.”
SHALE COULD ONLY watch as
Kale pulled back the bowstring, aimed, and let the arrow fly. The
arrowhead sank deeply into the stag’s chest, and the creature stumbled,
then crashed to the ground.
Shale emerged from her
position behind a nearby tree, annoyed. “I had that, Kale.”
“You were taking too long.”
“You had the better angle,”
Shale said.
Kale looked smug. “Then you
should’ve got yourself into a better spot.”
Shale shook her head. “I had
no cover, it would’ve fled.”
“Whatever you say.” Kale
crossed to the deer’s side. “He’s big.”
“Mm.” Shale patted her on the
back. “Good shot.” She pulled the arrow out and handed it back to Kale.
Kale wiped the blood off and
sheathed it in her quiver. “I don’t envy you carrying him back to camp.”
“Me?” Shale spluttered.
“I shot him, remember?” Kale
grinned cockily. “You need to pull your weight.”
Shale scoffed, then chuckled.
“All right. Help me get him on my shoulders.” She bent, and with Kale’s
assistance, wrestled the hind into place.
Despite Kale’s words, she
carried the animal for the second half of the journey.
Shale spotted some delicate
yellow flowers, and altered her course. Choosing the best one, she picked
it, cradling it carefully as she walked.
“What’s that for?” Kale
asked, giving her a look that said she already knew the answer.
“It’s for Blake.”
“You can’t be serious, Shale?
Please tell me you’re not serious?”
“I don’t know what your
problem is with her, Kale, Blake’s been extremely patient with you.” Shale
smelled the flower, the sweet perfume reminding her strongly of Blake. “I
swear, you forget she’s the princess.”
“How could I? You’re always
reminding me!”
“I shouldn’t have to remind
you.”
“Then don’t,” Kale said
flatly. “What do you honestly think will come of this?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not blind, Shale.
Moonlit walks, flowers, you’re trying to romance her.”
“So? Where’s the harm in
that? I like her.”
Kale stared at her, disbelief
written clearly on her face. “You liked all of the others, too. It still
didn’t work out.”
“Blake’s different.”
“No, she’s not. You just want
her to be. I’m telling you, Shale, this won’t work. Don’t get involved
like that. It’s not worth it.”
Shale frowned. Her mind told
her that Kale was right, romantic relationships never worked for either of
them. And she certainly didn’t want to lose Blake as a friend. She would
have to be content with that.
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