by Ruby Dixon
“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 walk.”
“All right,” Mah-dee says. Bek gives her an expectant look, and then she gazes around the cave before turning back to me. “Do we just set down anywhere?”
“Asha?” I ask.
“Anywhere. I do not care.” Her voice is dull and lifeless, and she does not turn to look at us. “Just leave me alone.”
Mah-dee and I exchange a look. Vaza just puts his basket next to her furs. We set Mah-dee’s things down and then quietly exit the cave.
“Well, that was awkward,” Mah-dee says when Bek has placed the privacy screen over the entrance. “And don’t I just feel so welcome.”
“I can make you a basket,” Vaza says. “Since that one is now hers. It would bring me great joy.”
Bek just snorts.
Mah-dee’s nostrils flare and she gives me a worried look.
“Mah-dee and I are going to go gathering and walk Cham-pee,” I tell them. “We have much to do.” I take her arm and steer her away from the males before they can start arguing amongst themselves again. The human does not protest and lets me lead her to the front of the cave before she shivers, and I forget that she is human and not dressed for the snow. “Wait here,” I tell her. “I’ll get some of my furs for you to wear.”
“I’m twice your size, Farli,” Mah-dee says, rubbing her arms. “Maybe I should just wait for Lila to wake up?” The look on her face is hopeful.
Poor Mah-dee. She is not very familiar with resonance. “You will be waiting a long time. Resonance will not let them rest until she is with kit. When Jo-see and Haeden resonated, we did not see them for days.” I giggle. “Though we heard them plenty.”
“Ew, thanks for that,” Mah-dee says. She kneels by Cham-pee and rubs his pointy little face. “So my sister doesn’t need anyone but her man, and my new cave-buddy doesn’t want company. Where does that leave me?” She makes kissy faces at Cham-pee and starts speaking in a funny voice that I have heard the other humans make at their kits. “Where does that leave us, lil’ buddy? Are we totally fucked? Yes we are, aren’t we? Yes, yes we are. We are totally screwed aren’t we?”
I frown at her, trying to figure her words out. “You are not left anywhere. You are with me.”
Mah-dee stops making goofy faces at the dvisti and her expression changes, a little smile gracing her funny human mouth. “I guess so. Thanks, Farli. You’re good people.”
“Are there bad people?”
“Figure of speech.” She rubs her arms again, and Cham-pee snaps at her fingers, thinking it a game. “Let’s get those furs, shall we?”
I nod, studying her before turning. Humans are so strange. It has been many turns of the moon since the humans arrived and I still do not understand them sometimes.
The People of Ice Planet Barbarians
As of the end of CALM
(suggested pronunciations in parenthesis)
AT THE MAIN TRIBAL CAVE
CAVE 1
Vektal (Vehk-tall) - The chief of the sa-khui. Mated to Georgie.
Georgie – Human woman (and unofficial leader of the human females). Has taken on a dual-leadership role with her mate.
Talie (Tah-lee) – Their baby daughter.
CAVE 2
Maylak (May-lack) – Tribe Healer. Mated to Kashrem. Mother of Esha and Makash.
Kashrem (Cash-rehm) - Her mate, also a leather-worker.
Esha (Esh-uh) – Their young daughter.
Makash (Muh-cash) — Their newborn son.
CAVE 3
Sevvah (Sev-uh) – Tribe elder, mother to Aehako, Rokan, and Sessah
Oshen (Aw-shen) – Tribe elder, her mate
Sessah (Ses-uh) - Their youngest son
CAVE 4
Warrek (War-ehk) – Tribal hunter and teacher.
Eklan (Ehk-lan) – His father. Elder.
CAVE 5
Ereven (Air-uh-ven) Hunter, mated to Claire
Claire – mated to Ereven, currently pregnant
CAVE 6
Liz – Raahosh’s mate and huntress. Currently pregnant for a second time.
Raahosh (Rah-hosh) – Her mate. A hunter and brother to Rukh.
Raashel (Rah-shel) – Their daughter.
CAVE 7
/> Stacy – Mated to Pashov. Mother to Pacy, a baby boy.
Pashov (Pah-showv) – son of Kemli and Borran, brother to Farli and Salukh. Mate of Stacy, father to Pacy.
Pacy – Their infant son.
CAVE 8
Nora – Mate to Dagesh, mother to twins Anna and Elsa.
Dagesh (Dah-zzhesh) (the g sound is swallowed) – Her mate. A hunter.
Anna & Elsa – Their infant twin daughters.
CAVE 9
Harlow – Mate to Rukh. ‘Mechanic’ to the Elders’ Cave. Spends 75% of her time there with her family.
Rukh (Rookh) – Former exile and loner. Original name Maarukh. (Mah-rookh). Brother to Raahosh. Mate to Harlow.
Rukhar (Roo-car) – Their infant son.
CAVE 10
Megan – Mate to Cashol. Mother to newborn Holvek.
Cashol – (Cash-awl) – Mate to Megan. Hunter. Father to newborn Holvek.
Holvek – (Haul-vehk) – their infant son.
CAVE 11
Marlene (Mar-lenn) – Human mate to Zennek. Has unnamed child. French.
Zennek – (Zehn-eck) – Mate to Marlene. Has unnamed child.
CAVE 12
Ariana – Human female. Mate to Zolaya. Mother to Analay.
Zolaya (Zoh-lay-uh) – Hunter and mate to Ariana. Father to Analay.
Analay – (Ah-nuh-lay) – Their infant son.
CAVE 13
Tiffany – Human female. Mated to Salukh and newly pregnant.
Salukh - Salukh (Sah-luke) – Hunter. Son of Kemli and Borran, brother to Farli and Pashov.
CAVE 14
Aehako – (Eye-ha-koh) – Acting leader of the South cave. Mate to Kira, father to Kae. Son of Sevvah and Oshen, brother to Rokan and Sessah.
Kira – Human woman, mate to Aehako, mother of Kae. Was the first to be abducted by aliens and wore an ear-translator for a long time.
Kae (Ki –rhymes with ‘fly’) – Their newborn daughter.
CAVE 15
Kemli – (Kemm-lee) Female elder, mother to Salukh, Pashov and Farli
Borran – (Bore-awn) Her mate, elder
Farli – (Far-lee) Their teenage daughter. Her brothers are Salukh and Pashov. She has a pet dvisti named Chahm-pee (Chompy).
CAVE 16
Drayan (Dry-ann) – Elder.
Drenol (Dree-nowl) – Elder.
CAVE 17
Vadren (Vaw-dren) – Elder.
Vaza (Vaw-zhuh) – Widower and elder. Loves to creep on the ladies.
CAVE 18
Asha (Ah-shuh) – Separated from Hemalo. No living child.
Maddie – Lila’s sister. Found in second crash. currently unmated.
CAVE 19
Bek – (BEHK) – Hunter.
Hassen (Hass-en) – Hunter.
Harrec (Hair-ek) – Hunter.
Taushen (Tow –rhymes with cow- shen) – Hunter.
Hemalo (Hee-mah-lo) – Separated from Asha.
CAVE 20
Josie – Human woman. Mated to Haeden and newly pregnant.
Haeden (Hi-den) – Hunter. Previously resonated to Zalah but she died (along with his khui) in the khui-sickness before resonance could be completed. Now mated to Josie.
CAVE 21 (formerly a storage cave)
Rokan (Row-can) – Oldest son to Sevvah and Oshen. Brother to Aehako and Sessah. Adult male hunter. Now mated to Lila. Has ‘sixth’ sense.
Lila – Maddie’s sister. Hearing impaired. Resonated to Rokan.
Ice Planet Barbarians Reading List
The Ice Planet Barbarians Series!
Are you all caught up on Ice Planet Barbarians? Need a refresher? Click through to borrow or buy and get caught up (or add to your keeper shelf)!
Ice Planet Barbarians – Georgie’s Story
Barbarian Alien – Liz’s Story
Barbarian Lover – Kira’s Story
Barbarian Mine – Harlow’s Story
Ice Planet Holiday – Claire’s Story (novella)
Barbarian’s Prize – Tiffany’s Story
Barbarian’s Mate – Josie’s Story
Having the Barbarian’s Baby – Megan’s Story (short story)
Ice Ice Babies – Nora’s Story (short story)
Barbarian’s Touch – Lila’s Story
Calm - You just read it!
Barbarian’s Taming - Coming soon!
Afterword
For more information about upcoming books in the Ice Planet Barbarians, Bear Bites, or any other books by Ruby Dixon, like me on Facebook or subscribe to my new release newsletter.
Thanks for reading!
<3 Ruby
Copyright © 2016 by Ruby Dixon
This book is a work of fiction. I know, I know. Imagine that a book about big blue aliens is fiction, but it is. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental and would be pretty darn nifty.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.
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