Raven's Return - Ruby Dixon Page 0,3

tinder to blow on it. It doesn't take too long to make a flame—thank god—and I transfer it over to the wood in the fire pit I've prepared. It takes a few minutes, but the flames finally start to lick at the branches, and I sigh with relief, holding my hands out to the warmth.

The boy returns, and his father. They sit near the fire, opposite me, and both look at me suspiciously.

"Sure," I say. "Come hang out. Plenty of room for everyone." I lie down in the sand, cradling my head against my arm. Now that there's a hint of warmth, I'm exhausted. I'll sleep for a bit, I decide, and then head off looking for the way home.

I can't be far.

2

U'DRON

When a full night passes without any sign of R'ven, I suspect that someone in the beach tribe is hiding her from me. My anger steams and bubbles in my chest as I get my spear and sharpen the point. Someone in this cluster of clans knows that R'ven is special to me. They know that I feel things for her, things that must surely come with resonance, and they do not want that. They do not want Shadow Cat clan to resonate…and so they hide her from me.

I confess this to A'tam, who rolls his eyes. "My clan brother, I am not the cleverest, and even I know this is a foolish thought. Why would they hide her from you?"

"What else can it be?" I scrape the rock along the edge of my bone spear, making the sides of the point as deadly as possible. "All the males are here, yet she is gone. And M'tok and S'bren stole females. I heard R'hosh stole his female. Someone has stolen her from me." My jaw clenches.

"You resonated to her?" A'tam asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No. It does not matter. I will."

He snorts.

I notice he has no spear in hand. In fact, he holds a cup of the shrimp tea and looks as if he plans to hang around the campfire, no doubt to be around the fickle B'shit. "Be silent and ready your weapon. We will hunt for her this morning."

A'tam laughs. "You will? Now I have seen everything. If she is lost, then she truly is doomed." He places a friendly hand on my shoulder, but I shrug it off, my anger simmering. Normally, I take my clan's ribbing with good-natured endurance, but today I do not find this amusing. A'tam finally notices my mood and flicks me with his tail. "Do not be so angry, my friend. We will find her. She probably stared at the stars for too long and wandered away. You know how that one is."

I stiffen. "And how is that one, exactly?"

"Strange." He chuckles into his cup. "Strange for even a hyoo-man female."

He does not know her like I do. None of them do. I jerk to my feet, frustrated, and when I turn, I see O'jek and I'rec approaching, spears in hand. A surge of relief hits me. At least they take this seriously. "Are we ready to hunt for R'ven?" I ask, trying to keep the impatience from my voice. "The suns are up. We should go out soon. If she has been out all night, she will be cold and afraid."

I'rec nods, his expression grim. "R'hosh and his hunters are taking to the hills. I told them we would move along the beach and the caves, since Shadow Cat has the best sense of smell."

I nod, impatient to get going. "Shall we split up, then? Head in different directions to cover more ground?"

"We will." I'rec narrows his eyes at A'tam. "Where is your spear, fool?"

A'tam simply drains his cup of tea and grins. "It is nearby. Did U'dron tell you that he thinks the others are keeping the silly female from him?" He glances over at me, amused at his own words.

"Is that so strange?" I'rec says in a harsh voice. "Are they not keeping T'ia away from us? Why would they not hide another? Perhaps if you spent less time chasing after a female that does not want you, you would pay more attention."

A'tam growls, low and feral, and his laughing expression fades. Even though I am irritated with A'tam, I put a hand on his chest to stop him before he pounces on I'rec. The never-serious A'tam has a sore spot when it comes to B'shit, and I'rec has been irascible and sour ever since