I cannot comprehend the thought.
The woman’s voice gentles after a moment. “Who are you, anyhow? Where are your people?”
“I have no people.”
“You had to come from somewhere.” She tilts her head and studies me. “Do you have a brother? Because you look really familiar to me.”
I say nothing, because she is asking too many questions. Instead, I snatch the cloth from her hand and press it to Har-loh’s face. “Bring your healer here,” I tell the female after a moment. I will endure the presence of a healer if it means Har-loh will be taken care of, but no one else.
The female makes an exasperated sound. “The healer isn’t here. She’s back home with the others because there are several pregnant women and not all of them are having an easy time.”
There are others in their tribe that might be suffering like my Har-loh? They would know what to do? I look up at her, torn.
She holds a flat, five-fingered hand in the air. “Okay. I can tell you’re not big into trust. Can I bring someone down here? My mate?”
I crouch over Har-loh defensively and reach for my knife. “No one come!” I loathe the thought of even one of the bad ones finding our cave home. Bad enough that this female knows. We will have to leave if she says anything. We must avoid the bad ones—
Except the bad ones have a healer.
I’m torn.
“My mate will be worried over me like you are over Harlow” she says, casting a concerned glance down at my unconscious woman again. “Please. Let me bring him and I think if you talk to him, you’ll feel more comfortable.”
“I not trust bad ones,” I grit out.
“Bad ones?” She sounds taken aback. “O-kay. That’s unexpected. I promise he’s not bad, though. He…actually reminds me a lot of you.” Her expression turns up in a smile. “I will tell him no weapons, all right?”
I hesitate, but Har-loh moans and stirs in my arms at that moment. If these people know how to get Har-loh to a healer, I must do whatever it takes to protect my woman and the kit she carries.
My mind flashes with memories of my father, pointing at distant hunters. You must always avoid the bad ones, my son. Do not trust. Do not approach them.
But Har-loh’s people live with them. And Har-loh is good and kind. And this human seems to want to help.
“One only,” I say, my voice flat with distrust. “No weapon.”
She nods and gets to her feet, then slips out of the cave.
I don’t trust her, but what choice do I have?
A few moments after the female leaves, Har-loh’s eyes flutter open and she focuses on my face, dazed. “Rukh?”
“I am here,” I murmur, my voice husky with worry. I gently caress her face. “Are you sick, my Har-loh?”
“No, I’m fine,” she says, but her voice sounds shaky. She pushes against my arms, but I refuse to let go of her. “I just got dizzy for a moment.”
“The other female says the kit is making you sick.”
Her reddish brows furrow together. “Liz?”
I nod. “Do you hurt right now?”
Her hands smooth over her belly, and she licks her dry lips, hesitating. That strikes worry into my heart. Leezh is not wrong. “My back hurts, of course, and my side aches all the time. But these are normal things, aren’t they?”
“I not know. She go get mate. Want to talk to me.”
“Raahosh?” Again, Har-loh’s brow furrows. “About me? I promise I’m fine.”
“You are not.” I help her sit up and give her a water skin to drink. I notice her hand trembles as she does, and it’s like a spear through my guts. Leezh’s accusing words run through my mind, over and over again. You think it’s safe to be out here?
I moved Har-loh here because I knew no one came here. I knew, and I took her away from the healer that could make her well. Guilt threatens to swallow me.
Her small hands flutter over my arm. “Rukh…you won’t hurt them, will you? I know you don’t like…strangers.”
“You not wish me harm the bad ones?”
For a moment, Har-loh looks unhappy. Troubled. “I love our life here. You know that. But the others…some of them are my friends. I don’t want them hurt.”
I say nothing.
“Liz is just looking out for me,” Har-loh continues in a soft voice between sips of water. “I thought…well, it’s not important.”
“Say it.”
She looks troubled. “One reason why I never went back to them is because I thought they blamed me for the deaths of three others. Liz tells me they are alive. No one hates me.”