Chapter Twenty-Two:

They stopped by the river, much like they had weeks earlier when they had just started their journey. The only difference was that the group had grown fourfold. Navihm called for the group to stop and he dismounted. The port was still another half hour’s ride away but he knew that this section of river was the only place with enough clear land by the banks to set up camp.

“Mishka?” Navihm called to one of the soldiers of the First travelling with them. “Could you set up the coral over by those trees? There are plenty of low branches to tether the horses to but if you need to set up extra pickets there should be a hammer in the pack horse’s saddlebags.” It continued on like this with Navihm delegating jobs and organising the campsite efficiently. Kaia thought that he was good with leadership. He had a talent for it as well as personal knowledge of everyone’s strengths and abilities. He sent those talented with empathy out hunting because they would be able to sense where the animals are. He knew the Professor would be the best person to start the fire and dry out some extra wood that was damp from the rain for later in the night. Kaia knew he would make a great Rei one day.

Navihm glanced over at her from where he was listening to Hart talk about the tent arrangements and flashed her an easy grin. It was moments like these that Kaia couldn’t help but love him.

She was distracted from her thoughts by one of the hunters coming up beside her with a large rabbit. She took it off him and offered to prepare the meat while he headed back out. A group this large would need all the provisions it could get, especially considering they were making a large part of the journey by boat. They could dry and salt the meat and add it to the provisions they took with them from the First.

Kaia took the rabbit to the fire where Rose was already sitting. The cooking utensils had already been set out. Kaia chose a hunting knife and began the gruesome task of skinning and preparing it.

Hart approached the fire just as Kaia was finishing up with her rabbit.

“Here, girl, I've got another couple for you,” said Hart as he dumped three more rabbits he’d caught beside her. Hart was particularly good at hunting. His spiritual gifts were geared towards empathy. Though his aura reading was about average, Kaia had seen him touch an animal track and sense it’s size, age, weight and sex by the spiritual imprint the beast left behind. When Kaia had commented on his skill the first time they’d hunted together, Hart had assured her that she hadn't seen the best of it yet. He could do wonders with urine. Ew.

“Show off,” she mumbled under her breath but started preparing the rabbit meat obligingly. Hart noticed that she had a smear of rabbit's blood on her forehead where she had pushed her hair back from her face. It amused him not to mention it to her.

Hart took the skillet and spices and other assorted cooking necessities out of the pack he had slung over his shoulder and began dicing the skinned rabbit. As he was pushing the skillet onto the coal of the fire he looked up at Rose, who was busy picking the dirt out from under her nails.

“Rose? How about giving Kaia a hand with those rabbits,” he said.

“Oh I’m not much help when it comes to those sorts of things, I don't know what to do,” she said.

“I’m sure Kaia could teach you.”

“Of course, I could,” chimed in Kaia helpfully. Rose looked at Kaia just as she pulled the innards out of a rabbit and dumped them in the growing pile.

She made a face. “That is really quite disgusting.”

“How about you take those canteens over by Hart and fill them up with water for cooking?” suggested Kaia. “I can manage this by myself.” Rose got up with a huff and made her way towards the river. Hart and Kaia exchanged looks over the fire.

“She didn't bring the canteens,” he said and they dissolved into giggles.

Bonus #3

Kaia and Hart are actually really close. She thinks of him as the brother she never had and he teases her accordingly. They dont see each other often but after Kaia and Navihm get married, Kaia becomes close with Hart (he comes and visits he nieces and nephews a lot)