“Hello,” Joe said.
The female beamed at him, her mouth opening to reveal white incisors and fanglike canines. Joe scanned her pierced nose and gaped. Was that a bone?
She clapped her hands together and darted close. Her pungent scent had him holding his breath in self-defense. Before he could take a giant step back, the female rubbed her nose against his sternum. “Me. Me. Me!” Her arms waved as she bounced up and down on her toes, although the show of sharp, pointy teeth didn’t reassure him.
Joe backed up, his hands gripping his T-shirt to keep his harvest safe. The woman kept coming, jabbering so fast he caught one word in four. Joe retreated again, tripped on a rock and fell on his butt.
“Me!” the female gabbled.
Of course, his twin would turn up at that exact moment. Sly’s laughter cut through the air, attracting the female’s attention. She yelped and bounced while fanning her face. Once. Twice. Three times. On landing with nimble grace, she clapped her hands.
“You found a friend,” Sly said, laughter in his voice.
Joe tried to scramble to his feet. The female darted to his side, grasped his left biceps and hauled him up. She was stronger than she appeared. Sly was still chuckling when she trotted over to his twin and grasped his arm.
“Me! Me! Me!”
Joe caught the wrinkle of Sly’s nose as her fragrant scent hit him. A laugh blasted from him, catching the female’s attention. She dragged Sly over to Joe and grabbed Joe’s arm too.
“Me! Me! Me!”
“That’s all she says,” Joe said.
“Is that a bone in her nose?” Sly asked.
“Yes.”
“Found any berries?”
“No.” Joe sighed and tried to free his arm. The female clung tight. “I picked fruit and nuts. I figured Sam and the others would appreciate fresh food after the dried stuff we’ve eaten this week.”
She stuck to Sly too with clamlike determination.
“Saber sent me to get you. He’s worried about you. What is up with this female?”
“What is your name?” Joe asked.
“Name! Name! Name!”
“Sly.” Sly pointed to his chest with his free hand. He jabbed his finger at Joe. “Joe.” Then he pointed at her.
“Gidget.” The female dropped their arms and prodded her chest. Joe and Sly took a collective step back before she made another arm grab.
“Nice to meet you, Gidget,” Joe said.
Sly nodded. “We have to go now.”
Joe strode toward their camp, and Sly fell into step beside him.
“She’s following us, isn’t she?” Joe murmured after a few minutes.
“Yep,” Sly agreed.
“What are we going to do?”
“Remember Eva telling us about meeting the Bone people? How they captured her and put her in a cooking pot?”
Joe chortled. “Saber scared them silly in his cat-form and rescued her from the pot.”
“Yeah. We knew might meet them when we planned out the route for our cattle drive. It occurs to me that meeting Gidget is an advantage. We can take her back to her tribe, give the chief our gifts and ask them about the ragwort bush. If anyone knows where the berries grow, it will be them,” Sly concluded.
“Excellent plan,” Joe said, his mood lifting now that they had a strategy.
During the walk to camp, Joe continued scanning the bushes, searching for one with yellow berries, but to no avail. Dispirited, he walked into camp at his twin’s side. Gidget tailed them, reminding him of a happy puppy. When they arrived, Max and Kenan lounged in feline form, and Gidget let out a hoot of alarm. She jumped at Sly and ended up in his arms.
Joe laughed until Gidget launched herself at him. She pressed up against him, her entire body quivering.
“No. No. No!”
Saber blinked once then took control of the situation. “Max. Kenan. Disappear.”
Both leopards offered toothy smiles as they trotted from sight.
“Who is your friend?” Saber asked.
“Gidget,” Joe said. “How is Mungo?” He didn’t wait for a reply but went to check on her himself. “Mungo, sweetheart.” He brushed her hair from her face, his throat tightening at her pale features and sweaty brow. Despite her temperature, she shivered.
“Me. Me. Me!” Gidget shouted. She jogged over to Joe and studied Mungo with disinterest. “Puny.”
“Mungo is my mate,” Joe stated.
Gidget’s heavy brows drew together, then her face cleared, and Joe got a great view of her pointy teeth. “Wife.” She thumped her chest. “Two.” Then she stomped over to Sly and fronted his twin. “Wife. One.” She bumped her fisted hand against her sternum.
Sly’s mouth dropped open, and Gidget took the opportunity to grasp Sly’s arm. She dragged him over to Joe. “Wife. Two.”
Sly glanced wild-eyed at Saber. “What does she mean?”
Saber approached them, drawing Gidget’s attention. “Both have mates. Wives.”
Gidget groaned. “Wife two?”
Saber grinned. “Come and eat.”
“Wife?” Gidget pointed at Saber.
Saber shook his head. “No.”
“Sly suggested we return her to her tribe, give them the gifts we’ve brought. They might know about the ragwort berries.”
Saber nodded. “Have you asked Gidget about the berries?”
“Not yet.” Joe stood, and Mungo didn’t stir. “Gidget? Have you seen ragwort berries?”
“Berries?” Her ridged brow rose. “Food?”
“Medicine.”
“Med-cine?”
Disappointment had Joe’s shoulders slumping. “She doesn’t understand.”
“Don’t panic yet,” Saber said. “Her tribe might use a different word for medicine.”
“Is she from the same tribe that tried to cook Eva?” Sly asked.
Saber chortled. “Judging from her reaction to Max and Kenan, I’d say yes. I scared the bejesus out of them when I shifted, growled and acted fierce. Where did you meet her?”
“Close to here. She found me,” Joe said.
“The updates we did to our translators have helped,” Saber said. “At least we can understand some of what she said. Eva said she didn’t comprehend a word when they captured her. Have something to eat, and we’ll leave. Sam and Duncan were about to move the herd.”
“I should help them,” Joe said, his voice heavy with regret.
“They understand,” Sly said. “Mungo comes first. I intend to take a shift soon.”
Half an hour later, they were on their way. Max volunteered to pilot the flymo and watch Mungo while he, Saber and Sly returned Gidget to her tribe and questioned them about the ragwort berries. Saber retrieved two back packs from their utility and handed one to Sly, taking the other one himself.
Joe led the way down the path to where Gidget had tumbled from the bushes. Farther on, Joe saw a bush that resembled Mungo’s description of a ragwort. The bush bore berries, but they were small and green.
“Berries?” Joe pointed the bush out to Gidget.
She wrinkled her nose. “Bad.” She mimed popping a berry into her mouth and spitting it out.
“Yellow?” In illustration, Joe pointed to a sunshine yellow flower. “Yellow berry?”
Her brows drew together.
Saber studied the green berries closely. “I’m not sure she understands, but these berries are similar to the yellow ones Mungo gave me. This is promising.” His big brother aimed a reassuring smile in Joe’s direction. “We’re getting closer. I’m sure of it.”
Their group continued along the track.
“I recognize the scenery,” Saber said. “I’m sure the village isn’t far from here.”
Gidget took Joe’s arm and dragged him over to Sly. She linked arms with Sly too. With her head held high, she strutted in a fashion-model glide. After a while Joe didn’t notice her aroma, his power of scent growing numb.
Smoke drifted above the tree
s ahead.
“We’re close,” Saber said.
Almost as he said the words, two bipeds appeared in front of them.
Gidget chattered almost immediately, calling to the bipeds. Men, as it happened, their pale blue faces and matching blue private parts making Joe think of baboons.
Slightly ahead of them, Saber cocked his head and let out a chortle. “From what I can make out she’s telling them she has a new position as wife number two to both of you.”
“What?” Joe spluttered, having been too busy staring to concentrate on the guttural jabber.
“Whoa! Cinnabar will have something to say about that,” Sly said. “I don’t believe she is interested in sharing me.”
“I have Mungo.”
“Let me do the talking,” Saber said, and he strode forward, lifting his hand in greeting. He stopped a few feet from them, pressed his hands together and bowed. “We come in friendship.”
One biped wore a broad grin, and he seemed pleased about something. His brown dreadlock hair sported a display of colorful feathers. Decorated bones pierced his ears. He also wore a bone piercing in his nose. Joe tried to breathe through his mouth since the eye-watering stench made him want to heave.
Three bipeds flanked the feather-wearing one. Joe presumed he was chief. A defensive position to protect their own.
“Sly, can I have the gifts please?”
Joe hadn’t thought to ask what Sly and Saber had packed. When he and Sly had discussed meeting the tribe, they’d decided food would be the best gift.
Saber rifled through the pack Sly handed him and pulled out a necklace. It was one that their youngest sister Scarlett had made and of superior quality. Saber turned to the chief and bowed again before extending it to the man.
He cocked his head, appearing confused.
“For number one wife.” Saber placed the necklace over his head to demonstrate the use before removing it and handing it to the interested chief.
Gidget said something and tugged on Joe’s arm. When he turned in her direction, she fluttered her lashes at him. “Gift?”
Sly chuckled until she repeated the same move on him. Sly shot Joe a look, which Joe translated without words. They didn’t want to hurt Gidget, but neither of them was in the market for a second wife.
Joe made a shushing sound and placed his finger against his lips. Thankfully, Gidget fell silent and Joe eavesdropped on the conversation between Saber and the chief.
“The chief has invited us to his camp,” Saber said.
Gidget tightened her grip on his arm, and Sly’s soft curse told Joe she’d done the same to his twin. They followed Saber, the chief and the chief’s bodyguards and soon entered a village of mud and straw huts. Gidget’s head lifted high, and she recommenced her strutting as residents exited their cottages and squinted at the newcomers.
“It appears our number two wife is intent on making an entrance,” Sly said.
“We’re arm-candy,” Joe muttered as a group of women whispered in guttural sounds and stared. Their gazes roved up and down and there was much giggling and many exaggerated winks.
The chief called over several women. Six, Joe counted as the women arranged themselves beside the chief.
“Me wives,” the chief said.
Gidget said something. She spoke so fast Joe didn’t comprehend, but each of the chief’s wives scowled.
“Shush,” Joe snapped at Gidget.
She blinked at his sternness and cowered against Sly, visibly trembling.
The chief nodded in approval and said something to Saber.
Saber grinned as he turned to pass on the communication. “The chief said you are perfect for Gidget. She is young and requires training.”
“Saber,” Joe said urgently. “One of the chief’s wives is wearing a necklace of yellow berries.”
His big brother lost his teasing edge as he whirled to study the women more closely.
“Three of them have the necklaces,” Sly said.
“Necklaces?” Saber asked the chief, pointing.
The chief, who was still carrying the necklace Saber had given him, approached one of his wives and demanded her string of berries. When she protested, he handed her the gift necklace in exchange.
“Ooh!” she said, stroking the purple colored stones. She handed over her berry necklace and replaced it with the new one. She cooed.
The chief handed it to Saber. Joe’s pulse thumped hard as Saber studied them.
“Saber?” Joe asked, unable to bear the suspense.
“The berries are the same,” Saber said. “They smell the same.” He turned back to the chief and seemed to make himself understood. He crouched and pulled other things from the pack. A colorful scarf, which he showed the chief how to use. Then, Saber spoke again and approached one of the other wives who wore berries. He held out the scarf, and she thrust her necklace at him.
“You’re going to need to give all the wives a gift,” Joe said.
“Don’t worry,” Sly murmured. “Saber and I have that covered.”
The third berry-wearing wife received a different scarf, and Saber handed each of the wives one of the bracelets their sister had made. Then, he handed out caps to the three guards. He gave the contents of the other, still-full pack to the chief.
Joe itched to get back to camp with the berries, but aware of the need for diplomacy, he waited.
The chief accepted the pack with a gleeful grin and watched closely as Saber showed him what was inside. Once Saber had the pack contents—mostly food items—spread in front of the chief, Saber reclaimed the pack.
“Mine.” The chief pointed at the two packs.
“Tell him about the cattle,” Joe said. “Give him the packs in exchange for safe passage.”
Saber took a deep breath and explained his request. After a long discussion, the chief nodded and held out his hands for the packs.
“Gidget, go.” Impatient to get back to Mungo, Joe didn’t bother with tact.
“Joe,” Saber said in a sharp voice.
“I want to get the berries back to Mungo before she becomes too weak to get them down.”
“No,” the chief barked out, his demeanor changing from smiling to testy. “Gidget. Trouble. Wives.” He spoke to Saber, and Joe understood enough.
Gidget was causing dissension between his wives, and the chief wanted his most junior wife gone to fix the problem.
“No,” Sly said. “We can’t take her with us. I’m not having a second wife. I refuse.”
Joe glanced at Gidget. She cowered, and her brown eyes held pain along with tears. His urgency to reach Mungo overrode politeness. “Fine, we’ll take her, but she will not be my wife. Please, Saber. Give me the berries, and I’ll go back to camp.”
“Take Gidget with you. She’s still causing problems amongst the wives,” Saber ordered.
“Fine.” Joe accepted a berry necklace from Saber, gripped Gidget’s forearm and tugged firmly. “Come.”
Several of the wives cackled while the chief nodded in approval.
“Ask the chief where to find these berries,” Joe ordered, and he hoofed it down the path, towing Gidget behind him. He released her as soon as they were out of sight of the village, but said nothing. Instead, he kept running. To his surprise, Gidget kept pace with him, her breathing remaining steady.
Once he realized this, he upped his pace. Gidget never whined or complained. She matched her strides to his, increasing her speed to stay at his shoulder.
Joe burst into their camp. “Max, how is Mungo?”
Max exited the flymo, his expression serious for once. He shook his head. “Mungo seems worse.”
“We’ve got the berries.” Joe pushed past Max, his gaze seeking his mate. She lay on the floor of the flymo, her face paler than he’d ever seen. She twisted and turned, her pitiful moans upping his anxiety.
Gidget squeezed around Max and pressed against Joe so she could see. “Sick.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,”
Joe snapped.
“Joe,” Max said.
“Sorry.”
Gidget patted him on the shoulder. “She ugly anyway. I number one.”
A splutter-like sound emerged from behind Joe as Max tried to zip his laugh.
“Mungo is number one,” Joe stated.
Gidget screwed up her nose. “Sick. She die.”
“Not if I can help it.” Joe pushed farther into the flymo and kneeled beside Mungo. “Hey, sweetheart. I’ve got the berries. Now chew and swallow them for me. Saber said they helped me.”
Mungo didn’t react to his voice but continued to moan and toss and turn.
“How are you going to get those berries down her?” Max asked.
Joe frowned. How? “I have no idea.” He pulled the berry necklace from his pocket and hesitated. “Hold this.” He handed the berries to Max and tugged Mungo upward until she was sitting with his support.
Gidget said something that Joe didn’t catch. As Joe turned to Max to take possession of the necklace again, Gidget snatched it, broke the string and shoved the berries inside her mouth.
Max gaped while Joe cursed long and loud.
“What did you do that for?” Joe shouted. His feline snarled, the sound bursting out along with his temper. Saber had given him one necklace, which should’ve been enough. Now the berries were gone.
Gidget chewed stoically, her cheeks bulging.
“They taste nasty,” Joe said. “Serves you right. Max, can you watch Mungo again? I’ll have to meet Saber to get more berries.” He settled Mungo carefully and stood.
“Joe, wait.” Max halted him in the doorway of the flymo. “Check this out.”
Joe turned to see Gidget spitting the chewed berries into her hands.
“She eat now,” Gidget said.
Cursing again, under his breath, because he’d judged too quickly, Joe rushed to Mungo’s side. He raised her and forced open her mouth while Gidget fed Mungo the berry mixture. Joe hated to think about the germs Gidget might harbor, but she’d thought more clearly than him and had solved the problem.
Journey with Joe (Middlemarch Capture Book 5) Page 14
