Letters
One waterproof underground tunnel and a large clearing debris free, Velora packed the strong waterproofing mixture around the last large, tall stilt, creating a circle for her new home.
A warthog watched her from the safety of the thorny brush.
She laughed, patted the mound down, and poked it with a stick to relieve any air pockets. She then jiggled the mud. “There.” Velora stood and smiled at the animal. “Not bad for someone who’s never done this before. You must be hungry. I’ll get you some grass after I clean up.”
The warthog snorted, turned, and left. Maybe it was going to go find its own food.
She made her way through her underground tunnel, out the other side, and put the cover over the entrance.
The warthog trounced into view and stopped in front of her. It pawed at the ground, turned, and stuck its nose in the direction of a small orchard.
More laughter escaped her. “Yes, fruit sounds wonderful. I’ll clean my hands first, then we’ll get some food.”
Her pere would no doubt be helping Mere. That meant Baby was safe, too. Velora didn’t have to worry. Once she built her hut, she’d go to the village and check on them.
She arrived at the spring and vigorously cleaned her hands and face, then deeply drank the cold, refreshing water. Everything she needed was readily available, giving her the chance to focus on her task.
The hot air enveloped her, so Velora washed a long piece of fabric and tied it in her hair, the liquid cooling her off. Sheer perfection.
A snort pulled her attention to her companion. The warthog’s gaze went across the spring. She followed it. On the other side sat a parcel with a white ribbon tied to it. Books and tools. From Miss Pern and her lover.
Warmth filled her heart. Her mentor and her lover were kind and thoughtful.
Velora made her way to the little bridge, her companion on her heels, and padded to the waiting gift. Two notes were tied to it, her name scrawled in beautiful, unfamiliar script-writing, the other the delicate hand of her mentor. Surely Miss Pern’s lover wouldn’t have written Velora one himself.
She reached for the letters, but the warthog nudged her, almost knocking her over.
“They’re notes.”
It bit the one with the script-writing, tore it from the little twine securing it to the parcel, and headed it to the stream.
“Wait. That’s for me.”
It kicked up dirt at her.
She threw up her arms and ducked her head before dirt hit her. The warthog had her letter.
The dirt stopped flying.
Velora lowered her arms and peered through her lashes.
The animal dropped her note, stepped over it, and peed—it was peeing on her note! No.
She took a step toward it, only a little niggle in the back of her head warned not to interfere. Maybe it was the gods. Maybe she was never supposed to read it in the first place.
Gods be praised, who knew what they and the warthog saved her from.
She knelt next to the fabric-covered parcel and waited.
The warthog kicked dirt over the note before turning about and marching to her.
She gestured to the other note. “Is this one okay?”
Its head moved up and down.
Perfect. She reached for the ribbon, but the warthog darted in front of her. It’d just given her permission.
Her companion snorted and jerked its head back in the direction of her new home.
“Okay.” Velora picked up—she gasped and almost dropped the heavy load. There was no way Miss Pern could’ve carried it on her own.
Her companion opened its mouth, tore the parcel from her grasp, and darted for the bridge.
Her skin prickled. When the giant rodent helped her, it meant danger was near.
Her chest tightened, but she didn’t have a moment to waste. Velora sprinted after the animal.
What was it the warthog knew that she didn’t? Could it sense or hear something she couldn’t? There wasn’t time to ask. Instead, she focused on hustling after it.
It stopped behind a thicket of brush and spun around.
Velora sucked in a breath and leapt over it so she wouldn’t crash into the large creature, and landed hard on the other side.
“What was that?” A masculine voice carried from the spring.
Her heart plummeted. No men were supposed to go there.
Her companion dropped her parcel and darted from the bushes.
No. They’d kill it. She reached for it—Velora paused. It’d led her there to hide. She couldn’t waste its efforts or that of the gods.
“It’s just a wild animal,” a different masculine voice replied.
Velora lowered into a crouch as a chill ran through her. Their sect wasn’t a place for men. Yet Miss Pern said things had changed. The gods permitted it so they could protect the women and children through the men who were allowed there.
“Hey, what’s this? Kayman, look. A letter.”
Her hackles raised. The note with her name on it.
“The name’s unreadable. It’s sopping wet.”
Yes, well, that happened when a warthog peed on it.
“Urine.” Again, the first voice.
“Disgusting. You’re not actually going to try and read it, are you?”
“Yes, Kayman, I am.”
A moment of silence passed.
“Interesting. I can only make out a few words, but listen to this. Bed, shunned, disappointed, stay away, two weeks, obey, uh, fern? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Let’s go.” Kayman.
“You don’t actually believe this place is cursed?”
“I do. Did you see the size of that hog? It’s unnatural. It’s probably getting our scent so it can hunt us down and eat us after we turn in for the night. Come, I have a pretty woman to charm.”
“Kralis or Filin?” The first voice held a thoughtful note in the tone.
Her pulse raced in her ears. They were only fourteen, not old enough to yet lay with a man.
“Filin.” The voice was softer. “I’m building a hut. She’ll stay with me until she’s old enough to take. A pretty little thing, isn’t she?”
“Yes, with a bite. Good luck with her.”
Velora almost held her breath. The one man was building a hut. Even if he wouldn’t lay with Filin, he’d tarnish her reputation.
Something nudged Velora’s leg.
She threw her hand over her mouth and bit down on a scream before looking over. The warthog. It picked up her parcel and turned toward her new home.
Yes. Away. It was best.
Velora put her hand on its shoulder and walked alongside it, staying as silent as she could. Whatever the gods needed her to do, she’d do it.
Handy Helpers
Miss Pern’s note suggested Velora stay away from the village for a couple of weeks before returning. She packed her books, an outfit, and tools, as promised. So Velora studied and did what she could.
Days passed. And she applied all that she was able to get the base of her new home finished.
In the morning sun, Velora studied the blueprint before surveying her work. The stairs were sturdy with a railing, leading two feet up to the large, finished platform, which created a circle—the floor of her hut. The twenty-foot stilts were fourteen feet tall from the platform up—the first three-and-a-half feet cemented into the ground.
She let out a rushed breath. She’d need to create a little platform to climb so she could lash the hollow round poles together at the top.
Velora glanced back at her self-made moat where more poles soaked around the perimeter of the large clearing. She’d over-planned one aspect, but not another.
That was okay. Everything would work out. She could do it.
A large monkey covered in red fur with a long, slender tail popped up from her tunnel. A monkey. Another helper from the gods?
It went to the moat, grabbed one end of a pole, and walked up the stairs. It stopped and faced her, revealing it was a male.
Heat warmed her cheeks, and she shifted her gaze away.
The monkey jumped and made a hooting noise.
Velora returned her attention to him, focusing on his face.
He jumped again before a wide smile spread.
Yes; another helper from the gods. He must’ve approved of her work concerning the stairs.
He pointed at her pile of long twine. Ah, so he was going to help her.
Velora grabbed a couple of strands of twine and followed the monkey to one of the fourteen stilts. He reached out toward her, his palm up. So she gave him a strand, and he climbed up the pole.
Was it cheating that she accepted help from the gods so freely?
The monkey made quick work of lashing the pole to the top of the stilt, then climbed down and went to her. Again, he put his hand out.
She gave him the twine, and he pointed back at the moat. Ah, another pole. Velora gave him a nod and headed to her destination.
In no time, all poles were in place, and the monkey secured them by lashing them in the middle, creating a peaked ceiling. He’d saved her the trouble of building a platform and doing everything by herself.
In thanks, Velora dug a couple of roots, cleaned, boiled, and seasoned them, and shared her meal with her companion.
The next step was to split natural poles and wrap them around both the roof and perimeter of the hut. Then she’d weave panels and install them. It’d be time-consuming, but her efforts well worth it. And maybe, since she was building the hut for herself, she’d do it a little differently than the blueprints and Mere’s hut.
She’d create woven panels for the inside walls, slather the clay mixture on the outside, then place thin sticks running up and down the length for decoration. She’d repeat the same for the roof, but could only use a thin layer. And what if, what if she made a little platform above? Made stairs that curved around, leading up to it. She could put a hammock up there and a place to hold her clothing and shoes. Then no space would be wasted inside her hut.
The hut wasn’t small by any means. She’d gone a little wild and made it big enough for a family. If she designed the layout just right, there could be a little area where she could study, a washroom, a food prep area, and a gathering area. Her books held the key on how to design and make such things.
Something nudged her.
Velora set aside her woven plate and looked at the monkey.
He held up a book. Maybe it was time to study. She’d worry about the next step later.
The monkey was absolutely brilliant. The book he’d handed Velora held the key on speeding up the process for creating a base frame she could lash panels to for her walls inside her hut. It took her a week, but she got them woven and in place.
She cut slats in them where she’d anchor her stairs. But the ceiling was another issue.
Velora went to the spring, bathed, and considered her timetable. In less than three weeks would be the next full moon.
She took her time and dressed, applied her deodorants, enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun, and wandered back to her home.
One week to go before she could enter the village, another week and her hut needed to be finished. Miss Pern never changed the time-line, so Velora was going to stick to it. Only the animals seemed to want her to study for two hours in the afternoons. Then she could do light work before and after dinner.
She returned to her hut and froze. Flowers floated in the shallow moat. A trail of petals led up the stairs and inside.
She hesitated and blinked at her home. No one knew she was there, and the covering over the entrance to the tunnel lay undisturbed, blending in with the surroundings.
A cool breeze swirled around her and pulled her in the direction of her hut.
Okay. That was an obvious sign.
Velora swallowed and took one cautious step after another. Flowers didn’t just appear from out of nowhere.
White, soft fabric moved in the doorway.
She stopped. White fabric?
The breeze gave her a little tug.
There was nothing to be afraid of. She was safe.
Velora started up the steps. It was darker inside. Her pulsed quickened. The roof. The triangular panels she’d made were securely in place. Someone, or an animal, had finished it.
She hurried up the stairs, across the space, and paused inside.
A gorilla set her books against the curve of the back wall on a built-in counter, a padded chair tucked beneath it.
She sucked in a breath, her heart swelling. It was perfect.
The gorilla spun around, his arm knocking papers off the counter. A gentle giant.
Velora smiled and went to him. He stood two heads taller than her, his frame large and imposing. But intelligent, dark eyes held a question in them.
“It’s wonderful. Thank you.” She retrieved the papers. Improved designs covered them, adding in a few windows easily shuttered and one in the roof. Awe prickled her skin. On others were detailed instructions.
Velora hugged the papers to her before setting them on the counter. Everything was perfect. More than perfect.
The Gorilla moved to the side, pulled out the chair, and gestured to it.
“Thanks.” She took a seat. It was soft and comfortable. No one had ever been so thoughtful concerning seating. It was sweet.
He grabbed one of the books and set it in front of her. The same way the other animals did.
Velora paused. The same as the others. And all with intelligent, dark eyes.
She met his appraising gaze and studied his features. As with the others, they were animal, and all with intelligence in their eyes.
He bristled and pointed at the book with a grunt.
Laughter escaped her. “So you tell me every day.” Velora turned her attention to the book as he tensed in the corner of her eye. It was best not to dwell on the mystery of her companion. Not yet.
She had a lot of studying and work to do.