Scavenger Girl: Season of Toridia

by Jennifer Arntson

  Davin’s arms flew around my waist before I knew he woke. Nearly toppling me over, he pressed his cheek against my back with a cheerful, “Good morning, Mother.”

  I patted his hands to release me and turned to see him with a smile bigger than I thought a child of his size could grow. The boy was all teeth; well, he would have been if his two front ones had erupted yet.

  “Good morning to you, too.”

  “Can we go check the traps?” His hands were folded and pressed against his chest, making him the most adorable beggar ever.

  “We will need Mr. Graken. You go find him, and I’ll meet you by the bridge.”

  He ran off, pleased with his assignment, and I went back into the tent to tell Calish where we were headed. We hadn’t seen each other since I left the conversation the night before, but I knew he’d come looking for me eventually. I didn’t want him to worry I’d been kidnapped if I wasn’t there.

  “So that’s what you were doing last night?” Calish chuckled. “Trapping?”

  “I needed to do something other than talk politics.”

  Calish kissed me. “Of course. Well, if you think you’re ready, I’ll get the other animals from the neighborhood and send them up. Hawk and I decided to assign more men to the property anyway—” He prattled on while finding his shirt, not once noticing my disinterest. “—I expect spies especially now that—”

  “Calish.” I tapped his shoulder. “Can we not talk about that right now? It’s exhausting.”

  He put on his shirt and buttoned it up. “I know you don’t like it, but it’s important you know what’s going on. Do you want to be kept in the dark?” He rolled up his sleeves.

  “No cufflinks today?” I asked, avoiding his question while rummaging around for a pillowcase or sack.

  “If I’m the Lord of the Authority, I’m going to outlaw those damn things.” He grabbed his boots and sat on the edge of an overturned crate to put them on.

  “Will you be back tonight?”

  “I’ll try. I don’t know what the day holds. I figure I’ll be meeting all day with Reinick and Noran.”

  “Why Noran?” I asked, finding a small, thin blanket.

  “He attends all the meetings,” he said, tying the last boot. “It’s just the way it’s always been, I guess.” He stood. “Can I bring you back anything?”

  I shook my head.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promised.

  “I’ll walk out with you,” I offered, and he took my hand, leading me outside.

  The property was already busy. Children ran this way and that, and Marsh and Trisk busied themselves with sorting through the house mess. Across the yard, Davin was waiting for me with Graken at the bridge. I put up my finger to them, indicating I’d be there momentarily as Qarla greeted us formally.

  “My Lord. Miss Una.” She bowed.

  “Good morning, Qarla,” Calish replied.

  “Will we be starting the service today, miss?”

  I looked to Calish, asking for permission. “I’d like to.”

  He squeezed my hand. “I would rather you not.” He read my disappointment. “But then again, Hawk said to go about our business as normal. It’s just a lot of additional attention, and right now…” He paused.

  I swear, he’s taking every opportunity to hook me into a conversation about crap I already told him I don’t want to hear about!

  “Tell you what. You go get your rabbits, let me talk with Hawk.”

  Great. He’ll only reinforce his doubts.

  Qarla bowed. “I’ll wait for your decision, sir.”

  Another stall tactic tested my patience. What good would it do to fight it, though? Perhaps that was their strategy: to deny or delay the request so often, eventually we’d quit asking.

  Accepting my limitations of the situation, I dismissed myself to join Graken and Davin.

  “You guys ready?” I asked, already knowing Davin’s answer by the expression on his face.

  Graken signaled for two guards to come, and together, the five of us hiked into the field across the road.

  Ducking under low branches, stepping around and over dew-covered fungi, we headed for the first trap. “We’ll reset each one as we find them.”

  “We can come out later?” Davin asked.

  “Not too often, or the animals will move to a more remote place.”

  The cage had been overturned, and the leaves we used to mask it were scattered about. The bait was gone.

  Davin whined, “It got away?”

  “I don’t think a rabbit did this.” I knelt, resetting the trap. “Only stronger animals can turn over the trap and take the bait like this. We’re going to see far more empty traps than rabbits, I’m afraid. It’s just the way it is. That’s why we set so many.”

  We continued our quest, finding two more failed traps. Disappointing, yes, but not unexpected until the fourth cage wasn’t where we left it. We searched the area, but there was no trace of it ever being there.

  “Somebody stole it?” Davin asked.

  Graken whistled to the men he brought to keep watch. Their birdlike responses communicated they were still within earshot but probably more alert than before. Graken rested his hand on his blade. Davin didn’t notice the readied defense, but I did.

  Someone was here.

  I didn’t have the heart to tell the little boy someone would take them from us. I didn’t want to admit it to myself either. “Sometimes an animal gets their foot stuck in the trap and runs off with it.”

  “What happens to the animal then?”

  I patted his shoulder. “They get it off eventually.”

  A quick glance from Graken gave weight to my fear. He tapped his nose as if to ask if I smelled anything. I sniffed and shook my head.

  Abandoning our search in that area, we continued on to find the last trap, and we stumbled across the missing one. A few broken twigs barely hung together by the grass ties at the corners. “See?” I held it up, and part of it fell to the ground. “An animal took it and got free.”

  The tightness in my chest released, and Graken let the grip on his blade go limp. I handed the mangled cage to our guard.

  “We’re keeping this broken thing?” He twisted his wrist to see all aspects of it, making it clear he thought it useless.

  “Of course,” I replied. “It’ll be easier to repair that one than to make a whole new one from scratch. You’re used to throwing out broken things. I’m quite good at fixing them. Unlike you, Scavengers never had the privilege of tossing out unwanted items.”

  Graken rolled his eyes, no doubt uninterested in a lecture from me.

  As we got closer to the final trap, I suppressed my smile. I smelled the fear and saw the heat of our prey from several yards away.

  “I have a good feeling about this one,” I sang. Davin ran ahead.

  “We actually got one?” Graken cheered then quickly regained his usual stoic composure.

  “Isn’t it the trap you set?” I asked, seeing the excitement still dancing in his eyes. “Well, go help him uncover it.”

  Graken dropped the broken trap and eagerly followed the boy. Together, they pulled the brush away from the last trap, careful not to disturb it.

  “I told you we’d fail more than we’d succeed. That’s why you put out so many.” I squatted down to look at the big brown rabbit. “Sometimes days go by without getting anything at all. Wow, this one’s a big one.”

  He spun in the trap then wedged himself into the corner, his nose twitching wildly.

  “His eyes are so big!” Davin said, lying on his belly to get a better look at the animal.

  “And his ears are short.” Graken peered from above.

  “They look that way because they’re laid back. They go up when they listen for predators.”

  I shimmied the edge of the blanket I brought under the cage bottom, encouraging the rabbit into the middle of it. “These guys are quick, so I’m going to show you how to do this.” I gathered two c
orners of the blanket in each hand while getting my fingers up under the trap’s edge. “Ready?”

  Davin and Graken nodded.

  Cute boys.

  Slowly, I lifted the cage up and the blanket’s margins high. The rabbit ran circles in the middle of it but had nowhere to go. Graken took the trap, allowing me to give the makeshift sack a twist to secure it.

  “There you have it!”

  “I can’t believe that actually worked,” Graken confessed as Davin reset the trap.

  “All right”—I gently put the sack over my shoulder—“let’s get our friend back to his new home!”

  When we returned to the property, our catch drew the attention of several of the children. Of course, Davin’s strut was quite noticeable, too. He looked like a champion proud of his victory and was all too eager to share the tales of his conquest. His explanation of the rabbit’s capture and collection to the others made me giggle. I wondered if Marsh and his tall storytelling influenced our young trapper. If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought him a younger version of my eldest brother.

  With the rabbit safely secured inside the cage, everyone gathered around to catch a peek at it. That poor creature would never be left alone long enough to get used to its new home. If all went well with the traps we set this morning, our new addition would have another rabbit to share the attention with tomorrow. I pushed my way through the crowd of children to toss the blanket over the hutch when Calish summoned me from across the yard.

  “If he’s going to stay, we need to give him time to get comfortable to his new home. That means giving him some privacy. And do not let him out of that cage,” I warned upon my departure.

  Calish finished up his conversation with Hawk as I approached.

  “Feeling better?” Hawk asked, seeing the children clamoring around the rabbit hutch for a peek under the drape.

  “Yes, thank you,” I said. “So what did you two decide?” I crossed my arms over my belly, fully prepared to hear a long, boring excuse.

  I waited to hear them say we needed to bring more guards and more weapons, reinforce the perimeter, and keep us hidden in the trees of the pasture.

  Blah. Blah. Blah.

  Whatever they said, I would agree to. Why argue? I’d simply sit here calmly waiting for the assumed attack where we would all be brutally murdered by Woodsmen, the Authority, Noran’s disciples, or any combination of the three.

  “Go ahead and make the soup,” Calish said abruptly.

  I didn’t say a word.

  Is he serious?

  He’d never allow that.

  “Did you hear what I said?” He chuckled.

  “I told you she wouldn’t expect it,” Hawk said, shaking his head with a smile.

  I glanced at one then the other of them. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, Una.” Calish took my hand and kissed it. “In fact, we agree it’s a good idea.”

  “Really?” I said doubtfully. “A good idea.”

  Hawk spoke up to explain. “You, Calish, and the children are of interest to a lot of folks right now for various reasons. The truth is, most of the Citizens adore you. They kind of like Calish”—he joked—“but they adore you.”

  “There’s no way we can fully protect them and you all day and night against the Woodsmen,” Calish said.

  “Or from Noran if he wanted to get at you for some reason,” Hawk interjected. “Perhaps, if the Citizens were around and someone tried to harm you, they may step in and assist in your protection.”

  “We don’t know how powerful Noran is, although we’re confident he can charm small numbers of people at least. Hopefully he can’t dupe a mass audience,” Calish added. “Besides, this is what you came here for, isn’t it? This was part of the plan with Nik and his men. I doubt he’d put you in harm’s way,” he said uncomfortably.

  I didn’t know what to say. I prepared myself to call the whole thing off.

  Calish squeezed my hand. “Una, do you want to do this? I mean, if you don’t, you don’t have to—”

  “No! No, I want to! I just…I didn’t expect it to ever happen. Something always seems to get in the way.”

  “Well, not today, my love.” Calish embraced me. “You think you can handle it?”

  I nodded my reply.

  “See? There she is. That’s the girl who controls my heart.” He gave me a slight squeeze. “I wish I could stay and help you, but in case nobody mentioned it before, I’ve got a civilization to reform.”

  Calish and Hawk spoke to the guards and gave them their new instructions for the day. As I expected, Graken objected to the whole idea and argued until my husband ordered him to shut up. Because they were ready to go, and Graken had to accompany them, the officer’s power over our property ended.

  “With all due respect, sir, I am the Chief of Security. Not only is it a poor choice to leave, but doing so when she plans on drawing extra attention—by offering food, no less—is outright preposterous!”

  Calish rolled his shoulders back. “My orders stand, Officer Graken.”

  Qarla and Sterle were ready to dig in and work hard. We’d already created the firepits to boil water, so getting started was easy. Since a couple of the older children had helped prepare the soup for dinner the last few nights, they knew exactly what to do. It was a good thing, too. We had just enough skilled help to get seven large pots simmering in preparation for distribution. Standing before the fully operational field kitchen, I realized our first efforts were not as complicated as I had anticipated them to be. In fact, I did very little.

  The small team of volunteers worked in step with one another as if choreographed to do so. They were happy, a little anxious, yet honored and eager to help people they didn’t know. Citizens weren’t known to provide charity. That responsibility belonged to the Priests. At least that’s the way it used to be.

  Before offering the first bowl, a prompting made me do something I’d never done before. I took a moment to close my eyes, and for the first time, I prayed for someone other than myself.

  Great One, the fact that Calish gave his permission to do this today still has me baffled. He thinks the Citizens will defend us, but I have my doubts. Everyone is so scared—the people, the Authority, even the High Priest, not that I care about him. Honestly, I don’t care what happens to me, just…please protect these children from the evil beyond the berm. To say I’m not concerned for them would be a lie. My family has never invited people here and for good reason. But things are different now. I don’t know what’s going to happen today, so I’ll leave it to you to sort out. And if you’re still paying attention, could you also help out the people who are going to come to eat? I hope they get the nutrients their bodies need despite the lack of flavor, and if anyone gets sick, well, maybe you can send them a Healer—

  “Mother Una?” I felt a tap on my shoulder.

  I opened my eyes to see the eldest girl’s hand lower. “Yes, Kii?”

  “Why are you standing there with your eyes closed? Do you need to sit down?”

  For a girl who’d been through so much in such a short time, she seemed to be surprisingly sensitive to the needs of those around her.

  I had searched her memories previously and witnessed the awful things the Woodsmen had done to her. The images burned into my mind were so disturbing I felt sick just looking at her. She’d survived far more than I had. The worst part? Kii’s attackers were still out there. They wandered around, and she feared being found by them again. For her, it wasn’t over. It might never be. Her only hope of protection lay in a burn singed onto her arm. My health and wellbeing tied directly to hers, and she knew it.

  “I’m fine, sweetheart.”

  “Then why were you standing here with your eyes closed?”

  I shrugged. “I was just smelling the aroma of the broth,” I lied.

  “Do you think it smells good?” Her face twisted in confusion.

  “No, I don’t.” I laughed. “I wish it tasted better, but
it does its job.”

  I didn’t know why I kept my prayer a secret. It wasn’t because speaking about the Great One was illegal, although that could be part of it, I guessed. Truthfully, I didn’t have an explanation for praying at all. Not sure of which god to petition for what we were about to do, I just figured praying to the Great One made the most sense. Next time this feeling came over me, I’d need to be all alone, not standing in the center of the yard next to so many soup pots. I didn’t want anyone to think I was ill.

  Or insane.

  I expected we would have to walk out to the main road and flag people down to distribute the broth. Thanks to the green trail of growth following us up the hillside, a number of people followed it out of pure curiosity. They didn’t have anything else to do. As they arrived, we offered them a bowl of soup, along with a warning about its bitter taste. The eldest children cooked and dished it up, while the younger ones distributed it. Before long, half our pots were empty and additional batches were being prepared.

  “If this keeps up, we’re going to be out of starts by the end of the moon cycle,” Sterle said.

  Qarla corrected her, “As word spreads, we’ll have more and more visitors. If twice as many people come tomorrow, we’ll be out in a couple of days.”

  “Excuse me, Mother Una?” Taika, one of our younger girls who had been helping with distribution, tugged on my shirt. “There’s a man over there who wants to talk to you.”

  “I’ll be right back, Qarla.” I followed the girl to the gulch where she pointed to a man on the other side. He waited with a woman, who I assumed was his wife, and three boys, presumably his sons.

  Escorted by a young recruit, I crossed over the bridge. The family knelt as we approached.

  “Good day, sir. You wanted to speak with me?”

  He stood, holding out the empty bowls stacked in his worn hands.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” I took the stack from him. “I’m afraid I cannot give you another, but believe it or not, this will sustain you another day. You’re welcome to come back tomorrow.”

  “No, Mother Una, my Lady, I didn’t want to ask for another.” He bowed to me. He wouldn’t look me in the eyes, as if ashamed to have requested my audience at all. “I wanted to ask what we could do to repay your kindness. The gods have blessed you, obviously. Now, you and your family are making a great effort to feed mine. We haven’t had a meal of substance since the landslide. I’m indebted to your generosity, my Lady. We have never accepted charity from the gods before.” His voice cracked.