hunting, are not far out from shore.
I grab our spears from where we propped them against the dune grass. I can only hope two will be enough since the girls climb out of the boat empty-handed—they haven’t brought spears of their own.
Trusting, I think, noting another difference between you and Lo.
I lead the group out to the meadow by the path that skirts around the back of the camp. It’s a fairly short hike, but it seems much longer when you have to walk it in awkward silence. I assume Lo is politely waiting for one of her hosts to start up a conversation. That doesn’t really surprise me. Shava, however, confounds me with her silence. Last night she spoke almost ceaselessly, either to Pek directly, or—if he managed to separate himself from her for even a moment—she would speak to someone else about Pek. “Is Pek still the best hunter in the clan?” was definitely the rudest thing she managed to say to me over the course of the evening.
Still, as irritating as it could be to suffer through a conversation with her, it was somewhat sad to think how futile her efforts were and how even after having been away for almost two and a half years she still wasn’t over him.
When we make it to the other side of camp and start up the section of the trail that rises through the last scrubby, twisted shrubs and slowly evens out as it opens on the plain, I begin to think that Lo has tutored Shava about how to handle herself on this outing. I would never have believed Shava was capable of going so long without speaking.
Though it’s a nice change not to have to struggle to slide a word into the conversation, the quiet becomes more uncomfortable the longer we walk. I know Pek would probably gladly spend the morning without hearing her voice, but I can’t take it much longer, and as we crest the hill and the wide meadow rolls out in front of us, I finally ask a question to break the silence.
“Are you experienced in hunting for honey?” I ask to no one in particular.
At first, neither girl replies, but I see Shava throw a glance at Lo that seems to be begging for permission to answer. Something about this strikes me as pitiable. It’s touching, actually, the lengths Shava will go to try to attract my brother. It may annoy him, but he really shouldn’t complain when two girls are showing such strong interest in him. Ten days ago, we didn’t know where or when any of us would find potential wives. He may not want Shava and he may have a difficult battle ahead to win Seeri, but he has girls interested in him, and for that he should be grateful.
I know I would be.
I glance over at Lo, trying to move only my eyes instead of my whole head, in hopes she won’t catch me looking at her. I think she may be interested in me, but she isn’t very forward about it. I just wish I had a better understanding of her feelings. With Shava and Seeri, there’s no doubt they adore Pek. With you, there’s no doubt you consider me unworthy of you.
Finally, the silence is broken. “I used to search for hives a lot when I was younger,” says Lo. “My father would take me.”
“I’ve never had the chance,” says Shava, the words flying out in a rush. “When I was growing up in this clan, I spent a lot of time helping in the kitchen, but it was always Kol or Urar who brought in the honey. But I’ve always wanted to try it.” She waits a moment, perhaps to see if anyone else has anything to add. This must be a piece of advice Lo gave her. As the “new” Shava shows herself more and more, I begin to wonder if Lo came along only to enable Shava to be close to Pek. “What about you, Pek? Do you enjoy searching for beehives?”
At first Pek doesn’t answer at all, and I think he’s being intolerably rude. He doesn’t have to flirt with Shava, but he can’t be rude. I’m about to say something to him when he finally turns and looks back at us from his place ten paces farther up the trail. “If the right person were here, I would be happy no matter what we did.”
Lo pauses on the path for a