25
MEGAN
โL ooks like you made a friend,โ I say to Holvek in my best mom voice, moving forward and ruffling my
sonโs hair. โBefore either of you say anything, Josieโs having her baby and I need you to find
Haeden,โ I say to Cashol. โHe had Joha and Joden both with him, so he canโt be far.โ
Cashol moves forward and quickly kisses my cheek. โWe passed him on the trails a short time ago. I know where he was headed.โ
โHurry, please. We can talk when you get back.โ
He winks at meโan expression heโs picked up from being around me for so longโand then races back out of the canyon at full speed. Iโm left with my son and a squirming, bleating dvisti colt. Holvek just radiates joy even as the thing poops in his arms.
Hoo boy.
Iโm tempted to usher him back inside so we can sit with Josie until Haeden returns, but I also donโt want to bring an animal into the hut with us, not when sheโs about to give birth. I hesitate, and when I spot Kate nearby, I gesture for her to come over.
Her eyes grow wide at the sight of the little dvisti. โOh my god, what a cute little guy!โ She bends down so sheโs at eye-level with my son and the animal, beaming. โYou must be so excited, Holvek.โ
โHeโs thrilled. Meanwhile, Josieโs having her baby,โ I say quickly. โCan you sit with her until Haeden returns? Iโm sorry to bother you, but I donโt want to take this in to her hut.โ I gesture at the coltโฆwho poops again.
โHeโs making fuel for us, Mama!โ Holvek cries. โIsnโt he wonderful?โ
Kate stifles a laugh, and I force a smile to my face. โHeโs great, baby. Can you, Kate?โ
โOf course.โ She chucks Holvek under the chin. โYou go take care of your new friendโฆand maybe keep it away from Harrec. Heโs watching Mr. Fluffypuff right now.โ
Because Kateโs โkittenโ is growing bigger by the day and the snowcats eat dvisti. Right. โWeโll be careful.
Come on, baby.โ I put a hand on his back to steer him toward our hut and give Kate a grateful look. โThank you. I owe you!โ
She waves and ducks inside Josieโs hut, and then Iโm alone with my son. I debate for a moment to go and get the healer, but if Josie didnโt want Maylak just yet, she knows best. I watch my son, his stout, boxy little body hustling as he heads toward our hut. Holvek is usually a stoic little thing, not a jokester like his daddy, or sarcastic like me. Sometimes I worry heโs a little too serious for a child, but right now heโs utterly radiant and all smiles as he reassures the bleating dvisti that everythingโs going to be all right, that theyโre going to be best friends.
I suspect Iโm outvoted and we now have a new member of the family.
T ๎๎๎ ๎๎๎ ๎ ๎๎ ๎๎๎ ๎๎๎๎ ๎ ๎๎๎๎ ๎ ๎๎ ๎ ๎๎๎๎๎๎ ๎๎ ๎๎๎ ๎๎๎ ๎๎๎๎ ๎๎ ๎๎ ๎๎ ๎๎๎๎ ๎๎๎๎๎๎ ๎๎๎๎, ๎ the hut behind us is empty and used for storage, so Holvek and I set up a little spot for the baby there. Itโs not as young as I thought upon second glance. Heโs small in stature but his legs are long, and heโs growing the thick, gray bushy coat of a brutal season dvisti. Itโs got one twisted leg that looks like a genetic defect of some kind, and Iโm guessing thatโs how my mate managed to find a colt and get it without bringing home the dead mother as meat.
The dvisti bleats and wails hungrily at Holvek until my sharp son goes and gets some roots from storage and feeds him bites of one. It tries to chew, but ends up spitting half of it on the ground, like it doesnโt understand.
โYou sit with him,โ I tell Holvek. โMama will make you a root mash to feed him, okay?โ
โCan I keep him?โ Holvek asks in a hushed voice, his eyes so full of hope.
Iโm going to kick Casholโs butt for putting me in this position. If I say no, Iโm the bad parent. If I say yesโฆwe have a damn dvisti. โIโll talk to your father,โ is all I say, but I know we have a new pet. I can see it in my sonโs radiant face. I smooth his messy hair back from his browโjust like his fatherโsโand fight the urge to smother him to my chest and cuddle Holvek close. โYou stay here and Iโll be back soon enough.โ
โCan I sleep out here with him tonight?โ Holvek asks. โIโll get some branches from the bushes and make him a nest so he can stay warm, but heโs going to be so scared if heโs alone. Please, Mama.โ
โYou can if your father stays out here with you. Youโre too little otherwise.โ And Iโm such a softie, because I know in a heartbeat that Casholโs going to camp out with his son while I make root mash all night.
Such a damn softie.
