17 Bullets: becoming the Werewolf Queen

Chapter 15: Yielder of Thunder

45 BULLETS

We had the rest of the fish for breakfast and then he took his morning disappearance.

While he was off doing whatever he did, I decided it was time for me to get him a present. He'd done so much for me that I wanted to repay him. I wandered around the forest until I came upon a big leaf. It was dinner plate sized, and a beautiful orangey red color, like a maple leaf.

Hoping it wasn't poisonous, I pulled the leaf and found a vine that I chopped a few feet from.

Back at camp, I kneeled at my emergency tote and dug around until I found the matches. Grabbing a good handful, I tied them together like a little bouquet and placed them on top of the leaf. Then I cut away half of the box's striker and placed it beside.

Grinning at the leaf, I covered it around the bundle like wrapping paper and used the rest of the vine to tie it. It looked like some small sized newspaper bundle you'd see at a store and made me homesick again, but I was pleased at my work.

Hopefully Thann would like it.

About thirty minutes later, he announced himself with his two note exclamation and I leapt to my feet in a grin.

He smiled at me and I held out the leaf bundle.

"Yini lokhu?" He took it and stared confused. "Amaqabunga aboshiwe. Umsebenzi omuhle." Then he went to hand the mass back.

I pushed it back to his chest. "No. It's Thann's. Present."

He looked again and I untied the vine. It fell open to show the matches.

"For Thann." I pointed to them and then to his chest.

His face turned to a full sunny beam as he picked at the matches. "Thann fire?"

I nodded and giggled. "Thann's fire. Happy Birthday."

"Emangalisayo!" He then lifted me into his arms and pressed me fully against his chest in a deep hug, one hand still holding his gift.

I hugged him back, melting into his heartening warmth, and soon the hug went from a happy exclamation to a loving embrace. His free hand moved slow and gentle over my back, and he nuzzled down into my hair.

My heart started beating strong, and lips parted in heavy inhalations. A heat fell over my body that had nothing to do with the blazing sun and it caused me to step back washed in embarrassment.

I patted over his arm platonically, my fingers shaky and tried to breath. "Just wanted to say thank you for all the help."

Thank you. Fire. He signed, eyes gazing strong.

"You're welcome," I said hushed and then turned back to my bins. No longer willing to see his watchful glance. "Should we start walking then?"

"Walk," he agreed, placing his new matches tucked safely in his pouch.

When we were packed, he started leading us off a diagonal path to the way we had been going. I figured he was trying to lead us around the open valley. It meant more steep mountains, but he'd been good to help with the wheelbarrow when I needed it so far.

I told the rest of the Triwizard book animatedly, and while we stopped for a lunch break, I taught him signing numbers one through ten. I used small green pebbles to show the numbers, as well as finger counting. I wasn't really sure how one through ten would help us, and especially since I didn't know any other numbers, but maybe I could figure out how many days I'm supposed to be walking to Molly. I didn't try with the signing alphabet, but I did think Molly needed her own sign.