Raven's Return - Ruby Dixon Page 0,87

on his face that he won't be deterred. All right, then. With a sigh of frustration, I roll off of him and help him get to his feet. If this is so important he must see the others in his clan first, I won't stand in the way.

I'll just drag his ass to the healer immediately after.

32

U'DRON

R'ven fusses over me as I limp toward camp, my prizes in tow behind me. I am exhausted, but I keep going, because I am so close to the end. My proving is almost over. This is the moment I have waited for for over ten turns of the seasons, to show the others that I am just as capable. To pass that last rite of childhood, no matter how delayed, so no one can ever question my skill or ability.

I thought it would be that moment of pride that kept me going throughout bitterly cold nights and long days of tracking, of the misery of snowstorm after snowstorm and days so cold my hands shook as I struggled to make fire. This is what I have wanted, and so I was determined to see it through.

Strangely enough, it was not the thought of triumph that carried me through. It was R'ven. It was knowing she was waiting for me to come home, knowing that her warm body was waiting in my furs, her smile just for me. Knowing that I had my female to return home to made me stand up when I wished to lie down, and it made me keep fighting even when I wished to give up, when days upon days passed and I could find no sign of the sky-claw I was supposed to bring in.

But I did not give up, and now it is done.

I'rec, O'jek and A'tam jog toward me as others follow behind. Everyone is curious at the sight of me. No doubt the others did not expect to see me stumble into camp looking as I do. R'ven notices the attention I am getting and tucks her hand in the crook of my arm, leaning in to whisper to me. "We said you were hunting. No one said why. If anyone asks, you were just doing a Shadow Cat thing and leave it at that."

I flash her a look of gratitude. Strong Arm and Tall Horn do not know the reasoning behind my journey, then. Good. She smiles up at me and I feel such…happiness at the sight of her. I want to grab her and kiss her all over but…it must wait a little longer.

I'rec moves toward me, a wary look on his face. "Well?"

I tug on the items I have dragged behind me through the mountains, hauling them forward to fling at his feet. It is not one sky-claw tail tip, but two. "Mated pair," I say quietly, and let my prowess speak for itself. I want to point out how long it took for me to find them, of the endless cold nights and hungry days, of how I prowled the shores for food and materials and made myself a spear of sharpened wood before heading into the mountains. I want to tell them of all the creatures I slaughtered just for their warm skins and then ate raw because I could not let the meat go to waste. I want to brag of the cliffs I climbed, looking for hints of sky-claw nests. I want to tell them all about the mated pair I found and how I pretended to be wounded, flailing in the snow to pull their attention toward me. I want to point out how I nearly died, trying to take on two sky-claw at once but I managed, because I am crafty and determined.

And because I have R'ven waiting for me.

I say nothing, though. Those will be stories for another day. For today, I just wait.

I'rec gazes down at the two tails I have placed at his feet, both of them tipped with the unmistakable deadly claw at the end. He says nothing for a long moment, and then looks up at me. Our eyes meet. He nods.

Then he turns and leaves. O'jek nods at me, as well. A'tam does, too, a grin splitting his face before he turns away.

I feel a great weight slide away from my shoulders. It is over. I am complete in the eyes of my people.

R'ven's hand tightens on my arm. "That's it?" she hisses. "That's all you get? A fucking nod?"