The Raukors killed in last night's fight were no longer
screaming, striped predators. Now they were meat, wonderful
delicious meat. Matu Paka cut off little pieces of liver and the
family ate the tidbits raw. Grandmother and Sister-brother
skinned one giant bird. Matu, the father, took some nearby birch
branches to make the hide into a sled. They tethered all the
beb-kras to it. Healed by Sheesah's herb magick, Dimu and
Grandfather could walk but it was still painful.
The Paka family came to a frozen waterfall, with frothy
arches of water caught in the air. Transparent icicles as long as
their arms hung from distended white ledges. Matu broke a small
one off and handed it to Koki, who promptly began licking it to a
sharp point.
As soft wind blew feathery snow aside, Dimu looked at a place
where the ice was a little darker. He saw the living liquid river
beneath. The ice was so clear he could see a school of fish
moving below. Suddenly he caught a glimpse of the face of a
beautiful female furre below, surrounded by flowing wavy hair.
For a moment he was frozen, gazing at her. She pressed a
webbed paw up against the ice from the other side. She looked
back at him and smiled shyly. The young wolf felt suffused by
warmth and quiet joy. Then she was gone, as quickly as she had
come. Dimu stood staring with his mouth a bit open.
Matu noticed his son had stopped. "Dimu?" he said.
Startled out of his reverie, Dimu looked blankly at Matu. He
found his tongue a moment later. "There was a girl, Paffa..."
"A girl...?" Matu prompted gently, although he was a little
confused.
"Under the ice," Dimu said. "She had a long body and fins,
not legs. She was very beautiful!"
Matu lowered his voice and stepped nearer to Dimu. He said
quietly, "Be careful, Dimu. They say the Dark Spirits know when
the Old Law is broken. Grandfather is still with us, and there is
a price to be paid." The rosy glow inside that Dimu had been
feeling was replaced by dread.
From a distance, Sister-brother called out, "Grandmother
says, if we make a hole, we can fish in the ice!" Grandmother
gave a cheery wave.
Both Matu and Dimu said at the same time, "No!" Before
Sister-brother could learn more, Matu gave an explanation: "We
have plenty of food. There is no need."
First Son Dimu tried to put the water-furre out of his mind.
Naturally, therefore, she was all he could think about for the
rest of the day.
When Matu's band arrived at mid-day, they found the young
people were playing Rusah-Rusah, a game with sticks and a flat
stone on the ice. When Sister-brother and Koki went to join the
bunch, Dimu started to do so, as well, but Matu held him back with
a paw on his shoulder. "Not you," Matu said, in a kind voice. "I
want you to come meet your future in-laws." Dimu tried to be
happy about this, and he felt guilty when that emotion would not
come. It left his face somewhat stony.
Remembering his own wedding week, Matu understood. He walked
with Dimu a ways apart from Sheesah and the elders, and said, "Is
there anything you want to ask your old Paffa?"
Before he spoke, Dimu paused thoughtfully. He said, "You
told me all about the Boy-Girl 'dance' years ago, and I've seen
furrelings born twice. But why is it forbidden to 'dance' with
someone who is not your mate?"
"Sharing joys and sorrows bond us together. As long as we
live, the need for this does not stop. Grandfather said the man
of the family should always smile... but I say, never hide your
sorrows from your mate."
Dimu nodded, not because of duty or respect, but because this
made sense to him. Then he said, "Paffa-- I don't feel ready for
this."
Matu said, "There must always be a first time. After you are
married, hold her hand as you Walk. There is no hurry for the two
of you to 'dance'. Your Moffa and I Walked two years together
before we made you. It was one year for Grandfather and
Grandmother. If there is a pattern, I predict you will Walk for
three." Dimu nodded, feeling better already.
So Paffa and son walked together. As they approached each
camp site of tromped-down snow, Dimu wondered, "Is it this one?"
They reached the far edge and there were eight forms waiting in a
half-circle, like the tall sun-stones of the summer plains where
Dimu had been born. Dimu's bride, however, was not visible; she
was confined to a little dome-shaped temporary hut.