Calm: Ice Planet Barbarians: A Slice of Life Short Story by Ruby Dixon
Authors: Ruby Dixon
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walk.”
“All right,” Mah-dee says. Bek gives her an expectant look, and then she gazes around the cave before turning back to me. “Do we just set down anywhere?”
“Asha?” I ask.
“Anywhere. I do not care.” Her voice is dull and lifeless, and she does not turn to look at us. “Just leave me alone.”
Mah-dee and I exchange a look. Vaza just puts his basket next to her furs. We set Mah-dee’s things down and then quietly exit the cave.
“Well, that was awkward,” Mah-dee says when Bek has placed the privacy screen over the entrance. “And don’t I just feel so welcome.”
“I can make you a basket,” Vaza says. “Since that one is now hers. It would bring me great joy.”
Bek just snorts.
Mah-dee’s nostrils flare and she gives me a worried look.
“Mah-dee and I are going to go gathering and walk Cham-pee,” I tell them. “We have much to do.” I take her arm and steer her away from the males before they can start arguing amongst themselves again. The human does not protest and lets me lead her to the front of the cave before she shivers, and I forget that she is human and not dressed for the snow. “Wait here,” I tell her. “I’ll get some of my furs for you to wear.”
“I’m twice your size, Farli,” Mah-dee says, rubbing her arms. “Maybe I should just wait for Lila to wake up?” The look on her face is hopeful.
Poor Mah-dee. She is not very familiar with resonance. “You will be waiting a long time. Resonance will not let them rest until she is with kit. When Jo-see and Haeden resonated, we did not see them for days.” I giggle. “Though we heard them plenty.”
“Ew, thanks for that,” Mah-dee says. She kneels by Cham-pee and rubs his pointy little face. “So my sister doesn’t need anyone but her man, and my new cave-buddy doesn’t want company. Where does that leave me?” She makes kissy faces at Cham-pee and starts speaking in a funny voice that I have heard the other humans make at their kits. “Where does that leave us, lil’ buddy? Are we totally fucked? Yes we are, aren’t we? Yes, yes we are. We are totally screwed aren’t we?”
I frown at her, trying to figure her words out. “You are not left anywhere. You are with me.”
Mah-dee stops making goofy faces at the dvisti and her expression changes, a little smile gracing her funny human mouth. “I guess so. Thanks, Farli. You’re good people.”
“Are there bad people?”
“Figure of speech.” She rubs her arms again, and Cham-pee snaps at her fingers, thinking it a game. “Let’s get those furs, shall we?”
I nod, studying her before turning. Humans are so strange. It has been many turns of the moon since the humans arrived and I still do not understand them sometimes.
The People of Ice Planet Barbarians
As of the end of CALM
(suggested pronunciations in parenthesis)
A T THE MAIN TRIBAL CAVE
C AVE 1
Vektal (Vehk-tall) - The chief of the sa-khui. Mated to Georgie.
Georgie – Human woman (and unofficial leader of the human females). Has taken on a dual-leadership role with her mate.
Talie (Tah-lee) – Their baby daughter.
C AVE 2
Maylak (May-lack) – Tribe Healer. Mated to Kashrem. Mother of Esha and Makash.
Kashrem (Cash-rehm) - Her mate, also a leather-worker.
Esha (Esh-uh) – Their young daughter.
Makash (Muh-cash) — Their newborn son.
C AVE 3
Sevvah (Sev-uh) – Tribe elder, mother to Aehako, Rokan, and Sessah
Oshen (Aw-shen) – Tribe elder, her mate
Sessah (Ses-uh) - Their youngest son
C AVE 4
Warrek (War-ehk) – Tribal hunter and teacher.
Eklan (Ehk-lan) – His father. Elder.
C AVE 5
Ereven (Air-uh-ven) Hunter, mated to Claire
Claire – mated to Ereven, currently pregnant
C AVE 6
Liz – Raahosh’s mate and huntress. Currently pregnant for a second time.
Raahosh (Rah-hosh) – Her mate. A hunter and brother to Rukh.
Raashel (Rah-shel) – Their daughter.
C AVE 7
Stacy – Mated to Pashov. Mother to Pacy, a baby boy.
Pashov (Pah-showv)
“All right,” Mah-dee says. Bek gives her an expectant look, and then she gazes around the cave before turning back to me. “Do we just set down anywhere?”
“Asha?” I ask.
“Anywhere. I do not care.” Her voice is dull and lifeless, and she does not turn to look at us. “Just leave me alone.”
Mah-dee and I exchange a look. Vaza just puts his basket next to her furs. We set Mah-dee’s things down and then quietly exit the cave.
“Well, that was awkward,” Mah-dee says when Bek has placed the privacy screen over the entrance. “And don’t I just feel so welcome.”
“I can make you a basket,” Vaza says. “Since that one is now hers. It would bring me great joy.”
Bek just snorts.
Mah-dee’s nostrils flare and she gives me a worried look.
“Mah-dee and I are going to go gathering and walk Cham-pee,” I tell them. “We have much to do.” I take her arm and steer her away from the males before they can start arguing amongst themselves again. The human does not protest and lets me lead her to the front of the cave before she shivers, and I forget that she is human and not dressed for the snow. “Wait here,” I tell her. “I’ll get some of my furs for you to wear.”
“I’m twice your size, Farli,” Mah-dee says, rubbing her arms. “Maybe I should just wait for Lila to wake up?” The look on her face is hopeful.
Poor Mah-dee. She is not very familiar with resonance. “You will be waiting a long time. Resonance will not let them rest until she is with kit. When Jo-see and Haeden resonated, we did not see them for days.” I giggle. “Though we heard them plenty.”
“Ew, thanks for that,” Mah-dee says. She kneels by Cham-pee and rubs his pointy little face. “So my sister doesn’t need anyone but her man, and my new cave-buddy doesn’t want company. Where does that leave me?” She makes kissy faces at Cham-pee and starts speaking in a funny voice that I have heard the other humans make at their kits. “Where does that leave us, lil’ buddy? Are we totally fucked? Yes we are, aren’t we? Yes, yes we are. We are totally screwed aren’t we?”
I frown at her, trying to figure her words out. “You are not left anywhere. You are with me.”
Mah-dee stops making goofy faces at the dvisti and her expression changes, a little smile gracing her funny human mouth. “I guess so. Thanks, Farli. You’re good people.”
“Are there bad people?”
“Figure of speech.” She rubs her arms again, and Cham-pee snaps at her fingers, thinking it a game. “Let’s get those furs, shall we?”
I nod, studying her before turning. Humans are so strange. It has been many turns of the moon since the humans arrived and I still do not understand them sometimes.
The People of Ice Planet Barbarians
As of the end of CALM
(suggested pronunciations in parenthesis)
A T THE MAIN TRIBAL CAVE
C AVE 1
Vektal (Vehk-tall) - The chief of the sa-khui. Mated to Georgie.
Georgie – Human woman (and unofficial leader of the human females). Has taken on a dual-leadership role with her mate.
Talie (Tah-lee) – Their baby daughter.
C AVE 2
Maylak (May-lack) – Tribe Healer. Mated to Kashrem. Mother of Esha and Makash.
Kashrem (Cash-rehm) - Her mate, also a leather-worker.
Esha (Esh-uh) – Their young daughter.
Makash (Muh-cash) — Their newborn son.
C AVE 3
Sevvah (Sev-uh) – Tribe elder, mother to Aehako, Rokan, and Sessah
Oshen (Aw-shen) – Tribe elder, her mate
Sessah (Ses-uh) - Their youngest son
C AVE 4
Warrek (War-ehk) – Tribal hunter and teacher.
Eklan (Ehk-lan) – His father. Elder.
C AVE 5
Ereven (Air-uh-ven) Hunter, mated to Claire
Claire – mated to Ereven, currently pregnant
C AVE 6
Liz – Raahosh’s mate and huntress. Currently pregnant for a second time.
Raahosh (Rah-hosh) – Her mate. A hunter and brother to Rukh.
Raashel (Rah-shel) – Their daughter.
C AVE 7
Stacy – Mated to Pashov. Mother to Pacy, a baby boy.
Pashov (Pah-showv)
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