76. Cade
Cade
I stood there looking at my mate. She had deep cuts on her white fur that were bleeding badly, but that had not stopped her from eating. Kaya had been determined to see what the mountain lion had tasted like. When her friends got there, they were overcome with curiosity. Mark, Robert, Helen, and I watched transfixed as the four gorged themselves.
Helen's mind linked to me, "How are they still eating? They ate a lot of elk?" "I have no idea," I responded. "Mark, who killed the elk?" "Saka and he devoured the heart. It was massive, and he ate the whole thing." When everyone had finally finished eating, it was time to head back. Kaya ran slower. I knew her wounds would heal, but she was in pain, and that did not go unnoticed. We got back to the tree line, and everyone shifted.
"See, Kaya, you wanted a predator, and you got one." Len laughed as he said it, looking at my mate so she could read his lips. "I was surprised you killed that thing with three," Kimi added, talking to me. "What can I say? Kaya wanted a taste." "She always has been a good hunter; your pack is lucky to have her." "Yeah, I know we are." Kaya signed to Robert, who now, after another week, was almost fluent in sign language. I had been making progress as well. Kaya was a good teacher. Even Helen and Mark were making progress. At this rate, I would be fluent by the spring.
Saka said something to Robert in a language I didn't know. Robert laughed and responded in the Language. Len had been working with me, teaching me, and that was much slower going than the sign language. If I had not had that done by spring, Robert would be able to teach me. He had suggested that the pack learn it. He said we could use it as a code that no one else would know. I agreed it was a good idea, but it needed to wait until everyone learned to sign. Mark, Helen, and I were learning both.
"So, Cade, what do you think of hunting big game?" Len asked. "It is exhilarating. I didn't know it would be. I didn't know it would be such an adrenaline rush. I mean, I had eaten raw meat with Kaya in the case of a Rabbit, but to hunt that was something else altogether." "Yeah, that is why we sometimes hunt like this. Need to feel in touch with nature. Makes us feel closer to the Goddess." I understood that. The people in the north greatly respected the earth and everything it gave them. They never wasted anything they hunted well except for the blood.
But when they hunted like this, it was more for them to connect with how the food chain worked. The body would decay and feed other animals and the soil. They saw it as giving back and related to their position in the world. Kaya looked pale. She was still losing blood. The cuts from the wildcat's claws were deep. "Kaya," I mind-linked her. "I think we should get you inside to get the bleeding under control." She nodded.
I picked her up bridal style. I didn't want her to walk. She looked like she was going to pass out. I knew how much she hated the clinic, so I sent for the doctor instead. He came promptly and bandaged her up. He wanted to give her antibiotics, but she refused. "Why must you always call him." She complained over the link. "I know nothing about first aid." "I could have told you just to apply pressure until the bleeding stopped. Everything else will heal soon enough."
"Better safe than sorry love." She smiled and sat up in the bed. "I need to get ready. I have quilting lessons in a little bit with Helen and Kimi." "No, you need to rest; the wounds must close, and moving around will take longer." "No, Cade, I will not just lay here." I knew this would be hard for her to do. She thought I didn't know. Kaya had been doing something every second of the day since we returned from shopping. Not a second, she sat idol.
Kaya had made it her mission not to deal with her grief about the den. I knew it was not good to sit too much as it would just make her feel worse, but I also knew it was not good for her to just work nonstop. She needed to rest at some point. "Kaya, you need to stay in bed until at least tomorrow." I mind-linked her. "Cade, I can't. I don't want to do anything." I rubbed my face. "What if I move you downstairs, and we can sit and watch a movie or something. Or I can bring you a book, and you can read in bed. You like to read."
She had a little to read in the north. In truth, I was surprised any of them read. Not because they were stupid but who had taught them. They spoke English and could read and write it, but it was not their first Language. Who had taught them sign language, that too was a mystery. I didn't know if that would be a weird question to ask. Kaya mind linked me. "I see you have a question." Kaya could read my face; she could read most people well. It served her well as Luna.
"How did you learn to use sign language?" "Oh, Nivea had sent my dad away to learn. Then he came back and taught all of us." "What about English?" "What?" "In the north, your first language is not English, so how did you all learn it and why?" "You know we go down south every year to Nightshade Pack." "Yes." "Well, a long time ago, they were the biggest pack on the continent. This was a long time ago, and they taught our pack English, and after that, the pack taught it to us, and now everyone learns it in the north, at least in our pack. We had to know how to speak it to communicate with them and any other southern pack. You know Crescent Moon Pack has always had a good relationship with Nightshade Pack." I nodded. They had been simple answers.
"I could read to you if you want." I mind-linked her. "How about we practice Sign Language, and then we can read? I mean, if you have nothing you need to work on. I don't want to keep you." "Nonsense, I will stay right here with you." She blushed. It was true I had made time to hunt, and there was not much on the agenda for the day I could afford to let the work wait another day.
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