Jill and Jacinda talked for awhile. She knew the basics, which was good. Not as much as Jacinda, but then again, she had at least a good 10 years experience on her, in that regard.
Still, in the end, they were tracking a skinwalker who could change shapes at regular intervals. Jill had found the too big and too heavy paw print. They'd have to follow that until it disappeared. And then, scout around for anything new from the same time period. And then, see if any corresponding bodies were found. One two three.
The conversation wound down. The crackle of the wood burning was all there was. It was cold- that air respected nothing and had its fun swirling around ears and neck- and yet was warm, this close to the fire.
Jacinda looked over across the fire to her. She seemed content. "So....normally I'd say we both take turns keeping watch while the other sleeps. But with the..." she didn't say the name. She'd gotten enough of the hint at how scary this all was for her. If Hosteen was this spooked...knowing what it was, well- "thing out there doing what it can, I suggest we both bed down in the forerunner. We can each take a row. The alarm will be armed and so will we." She grinned maliciously. "Let's see it take on two badass chicks ready for it."
Jill smiled at that.
Fire doused, business done- Jill decided on some kind of rap for her turn, which made Jacinda laugh- they climbed into the vehicle. First and foremost, weapons were checked. Loaded, primed, ready and accessible. Then they each climbed into their sleeping bags. It would get cold. But the vehicle's metal shell would be way better than a tent cloth.
Jacinda lay there for a while, trying to sleep. She was too keyed up, though. Questions about the skinwalkers came to mind but she doubted that would help Jill.
Evidently, Jill felt the same. From the row behind her, she heard, "I kind of lied. My husband was my best friend. Grayson Yellowhorse. He was a good man. And a good Ki'itsil. I miss him. But....we were different."
Okay. Maybe Jacinda had been nodding off a little. Jill's comments seemed to come out of the blue. Had they been talking about that? Vaguely she had some memory. Or maybe not. Either way Jill wanted to talk and that was fine. As alone as Jacinda generally was, she enjoyed conversation.
The silence grew. Maybe she expected something. Finally, "I get it. Regan wasn't my uncle, as you father thinks. He was more like my....man. I learned everything from him." Disquieting memories were packaged away. "To be honest, I don't know that I'll ever meet anyone like him. I miss him too."
Jill said nothing for a time. Enough that Jacinda may have nodded off. Still, Jill's words made sure she heard. Even if she whispered. "We were both trapped. Tradition is still strong here. And father and mother are older. Were older. Sari seems old too. They just..." She sighed. "Together, Grayson and I were free to be who we were. And no one asked questions. It wasn't perfect. But it was better than the alternative."
Jacinda didn't quite understand and was unsure how to ask. Somehow Jill seemed to sense it. "We could cover for each other. Keep each other safe. At least while at home."
She thought about it. Somehow pieces clicked. And her heart broke. That in itself surprised her. Regan was a racist, though Mom and Dad had already helped her enough to ignore that part of his attitude. His feelings towards the "homos and lesbos" wasn't hidden either, though. And she realized Mom and Dad hadn't ever really broached the subject with her.
And yet somehow, on her own, she knew her own feelings. That it didn't bother her in the slightest. Love was love.
Her voice was soft. "It sounds lonely. For both of you." There was maybe more she could say. More she should say. But heart to hearts weren't things she knew how to do. She sat up and looked over the bench seat, seeing Jill's eyes shining in the darkness. On impulse, she reached out a hand to her. "You don't have to pretend with me."
Jill looked at her and then took her hand and squeezed it with a slight smile. Jacinda smiled at her encouragingly.
She squeezed back once to make it clear, and then let go, laying back and getting comfortable. "Alright. We need sleep. I need your super duper tracker eyes at 200% tomorrow, if we're gonna find this thing. Let's sleep."
Jill chuckled and that was it. Still, Jacinda didn't fall asleep right away. She wondered. Trapped. She'd been trapped. Course that was over 10 years ago. No one told her what to do now. Not for a long while. She did what she wanted when she wanted. Felt what she wanted.
Jill was 28. It made her feel sad.