2031
Jacinda couldn't help the chill that ran up her spine. And then, realized she wasn't sure why. It's not like she hadn't hunted any number of what people called monsters. And yes, during the hunt, there was fear- terror even. A lot of it. But along with that came the adrenaline. The pleasure of the contest. The sense of power and- especially- victory, at the end.
But this was different. Hosteen was old- at least in his 60s if not older. Hunters did not often die peacefully in their sleep. All of which was another way of saying that this man had seen a lifetime of hunts and creatures.
And still, he was wary, his talk of evil cloaking everything in a shadow. It was something she had never experienced before.
No matter how bad it might have been at the time- how pants-shittingly terrifying it might have been- Atharim usually traded stories of their hunts with pleasure and bravado, playing up the size of a roug, the viciousness of a pack of chupes, the alienness of a person under the control of the wefuke, and most of all, the carnage of the fights. Camaraderie and competition all in one.
But no one ever spoke in hushed tones or held back, not that she remembered.
The unspoken hung in the air over everything, though Hosteen seemed at ease with it. At least, he didn't fidget or seem nervous.
He offered her some of the mutton stew. Jacinda realized she hadn't eaten in hours and she was hungry. She agreed and then, while he spooned up a bowl, excused herself to use one of the bedrooms to remove the flannels underneath her clothing. It wasn't likely that they would be going outside this evening anyway.
The bedroom must have been belonged to Jill. Definitely a woman's room. Small twin bed, nightstand with a lamp next to it. A picture of a woman- maybe in her 40s- smiling. The resemblance probably meant her mother. There was a dresser with a jewelry box on it, along with various carvings.
Jacinda picked one of them up. It looked like juniper- smelled like it. A branch, an eagle flying past. The intricacy of the work was what struck her. The feathers looked individually carved, the wings stretched in flight, as if it had been frozen in a dive zipping by the branch. Beautiful. Alive.
Another, the bark all removed to reveal pale yellow, an inlay of two wolves bounding through the snow, haunches bunched, reading to jump. The lolling tongues spoke of play, rather than hunt.
There was a knock at the door and Jacinda was startled and put the piece down as it opened. She turned to see Jill with a towel and wash cloth.
Her eye flicked from the things on the dresser to Jacinda, though with what, she did not know. "Here. You will need this."
For some reason, Jacinda felt guilty, as if she had been snooping.
She looked sheepish. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. These are beautiful."
Jill regarded her for a moment, her black eyes hiding what she was thinking. Finally, she nodded, setting the towel on the bed. "You can stay in here. I will sleep elsewhere."
Jacinda felt horrified. "NO!"
she said in a shout and then felt embarrassed. Loudness just did not seem to fit this house. More quietly. "No. Please. The couch will be fine. Or even the floor. I have camped out many times. I do simple just fine."
Something flashed in Jill's eyes, though she had no clue what it was. It was gone so quickly she could have imagined it. "Please, it's fine."
Jill finally nodded. "Would you like help bringing in your things?"
Jacinda was about to shake her head but stopped. She knew she had put her foot in her mouth- maybe offended her by rejecting her offer of hospitality. She could carry her bags. She didn't travel heavy.
Instead, she said "Yes. Thank you. It's only a few bags, but I appreciate it."
She thought she caught a ghost of a smile on Jill's face.
They put on their boots and went outside. It was freezing, the cold wind cutting through her ears and hair, beating her face, slashing through Jacinda's jeans and making her wish she had kept her flannels on for this part at least. Ahh, suck it up. Wasn't like she was gonna sleep out here. Or that she hadn't spent many other nights sleeping out in the cold.
Despite that, the cold night air was refreshing. And in the dark, the night sky opened up to her in a way that was very different from back home. There was no range of mountains jutting up to hide part of the sky protectively. No glow of city lights to drown out the stars.
The Milky Way lived up to its name, like someone spilled a pail of milk across the sky. She'd seen it many times, but the desert always had a way of making it stand out. Maybe it was the clear air, or the absence of any clouds tonight. The moon was gone too. Whatever it was, it was unavoidable.
She was standing by her vehicle looking up. Jill looked at her and then looked up. She didn't say anything for a while. Then "Yikáísídáhí"
Jacinda looked over at her.
"What?"
Jill looked her her, voice coming from her shadowed face. "The Milky Way. Yikáísídáhí. 'It waits for Dawn'. Changing Woman taught us to pray each morning, sprinkling the tádídíín, the corn pollen, as an offering. She scattered the tádídíín across the sky to remind us. Each night, we see it and remember, for the coming dawn."
Jacinda wanted to say something. Only she didn't know what. This place was alien to her. She knew she had already offended her once. And for some reason, she didn't want to do it again. They did have a job to do, after all. And she had no idea how long she'd be here.
"That's beautiful."
And then, words spent, she got out her bags. In the cab light, she saw Jill's eyes shining, studying her. She handed one to her and took the other.
They went back inside and placed the bags by the couch. The warmth of the room enfolded her. They had been out longer than she expected.
And a steaming bowl of mutton stew sat on the table, potatoes, sage, pieces of meat and fat glistening and calling temptingly. She wasn't sure what the tradition was. She said thank you and then fell to eating, though not ravenously. Jill was making space around the couches, making a bit more room for her, getting pillows and blankets and making up a bed.
Hosteen had disappeared into the back room.
Stomach satisfied and warm, she took the bowl and washed it out, placing it in the rack. Jill was just finishing up and Hosteen came back into the room.
They all sat down.
Edited by Jacinda, Jul 11 2018, 11:15 AM.