knew that if they followed the river long enough they'd eventually reach the camp.
Sigrid's arms and thighs throbbed where she clung to Suko's back, but she dared not complain—not with Suko doing such a valiant job carrying her. Still, she could feel Suko's legs growing more unsteady beneath her, and her gait was beginning to falter.
"We should rest," Sigrid said.
No further prompting needed, Suko collapsed, and both girls tumbled to the ground.
"Good idea," Suko said, exhausted and panting. She lay on her back, staring up. "I am so hungry."
As if on cue, Sigrid's stomach produced a loud growl, making both girls laugh. "Me too." They were both shivering again and held on to each other.
"I'm just glad you're here," Suko said.
" Me? " Sigrid said, through chattering teeth. "I'd rather be back in camp around a fire, thank you very much."
"I'm serious. If I have to be stuck out here with someone, I'm…well, I'm just glad it's you."
Sigrid raised her head up, looking at Suko—Suko, who always protected her and stood up for her. Suko who was always there for her. "I'm glad you're here too," she said, then kissed Suko softly on the lips. Suko kissed her back, holding her hand tightly before resting her head on Sigrid's shoulder.
When Sigrid awoke, the sun was just cresting the tops of the hills to the east; she felt Suko stirring at her side. Both girls were numb and sore—the blood on Sigrid's bandaged foot looked black, but at least it wasn't bleeding anymore.
" Shit a brick… " Suko said, sitting up.
"What?"
"Stupid, stupid, stupid…"
" What? "
Suko pointed at the hillside by the river bank, and Sigrid recognized it immediately; she could just make out the edge of the clearing where they'd set camp, perhaps less than a half kilometer distant—and behind them.
"We walked right by it," Suko said. Her look of disgust turned to a smirk and she laughed.
"Crap," Sigrid said.
Suko helped her up; Sigrid still couldn't walk, and she let Suko carry her the rest of the way back to the encampment. When the other girls saw them, they came running forward shouting their names—obviously worried and glad to see they were okay. Two girls whisked Sigrid off Suko's back and carried her the rest of the way.
While Mei cleaned and put a proper dressing on Sigrid's foot, Sigrid told the girls what happened. Sara hadn't come back; Sigrid did her best to describe where they'd fallen from the cliff. She hadn't seen Sara fall, but after the incident that she described, no one was hopeful. Mei sent two groups of girls to search for her, but no trace of Sara was found.
"We'll keep looking," Mei said. "If she's out there we'll find her."
Few girls shared her optimism—they definitely feared the worst.
Sigrid noticed a few of Sara's cronies eyeing her suspiciously. "Do…do they think I killed her?" Sigrid whispered to Suko when they were alone.
Suko shook her head slowly. "I—I don't know…"
The other girls had managed to finish the shelter, which comprised little more than a small makeshift lean-to, barely big enough to fit all of them. The next night was still cool, but much more pleasant, spent under cover and warmed by the presence of the others—and Suko, who kept her arms wrapped tightly around her.
"I can't breathe!" Sigrid said. They both giggled when Suko held her tighter still. Sigrid didn't really mind; she was warm and felt safe in Suko's arms.
After another full day of rest, Sigrid's foot had healed enough to walk and she joined Suko and some of the other girls in a hunt. Already growing tired of fish, the girls were determined to catch something more substantial. It took a great deal of time and patience, but six of them eventually tracked and cornered one of the elk . It was Sigrid who managed to spear it, landing the killing blow. Slaughtering the beast was a hopeless and bloody disaster, leaving many of the girls green. But when it was done, Sigrid was presented with the first cuts, cooked over
Sigrid's arms and thighs throbbed where she clung to Suko's back, but she dared not complain—not with Suko doing such a valiant job carrying her. Still, she could feel Suko's legs growing more unsteady beneath her, and her gait was beginning to falter.
"We should rest," Sigrid said.
No further prompting needed, Suko collapsed, and both girls tumbled to the ground.
"Good idea," Suko said, exhausted and panting. She lay on her back, staring up. "I am so hungry."
As if on cue, Sigrid's stomach produced a loud growl, making both girls laugh. "Me too." They were both shivering again and held on to each other.
"I'm just glad you're here," Suko said.
" Me? " Sigrid said, through chattering teeth. "I'd rather be back in camp around a fire, thank you very much."
"I'm serious. If I have to be stuck out here with someone, I'm…well, I'm just glad it's you."
Sigrid raised her head up, looking at Suko—Suko, who always protected her and stood up for her. Suko who was always there for her. "I'm glad you're here too," she said, then kissed Suko softly on the lips. Suko kissed her back, holding her hand tightly before resting her head on Sigrid's shoulder.
When Sigrid awoke, the sun was just cresting the tops of the hills to the east; she felt Suko stirring at her side. Both girls were numb and sore—the blood on Sigrid's bandaged foot looked black, but at least it wasn't bleeding anymore.
" Shit a brick… " Suko said, sitting up.
"What?"
"Stupid, stupid, stupid…"
" What? "
Suko pointed at the hillside by the river bank, and Sigrid recognized it immediately; she could just make out the edge of the clearing where they'd set camp, perhaps less than a half kilometer distant—and behind them.
"We walked right by it," Suko said. Her look of disgust turned to a smirk and she laughed.
"Crap," Sigrid said.
Suko helped her up; Sigrid still couldn't walk, and she let Suko carry her the rest of the way back to the encampment. When the other girls saw them, they came running forward shouting their names—obviously worried and glad to see they were okay. Two girls whisked Sigrid off Suko's back and carried her the rest of the way.
While Mei cleaned and put a proper dressing on Sigrid's foot, Sigrid told the girls what happened. Sara hadn't come back; Sigrid did her best to describe where they'd fallen from the cliff. She hadn't seen Sara fall, but after the incident that she described, no one was hopeful. Mei sent two groups of girls to search for her, but no trace of Sara was found.
"We'll keep looking," Mei said. "If she's out there we'll find her."
Few girls shared her optimism—they definitely feared the worst.
Sigrid noticed a few of Sara's cronies eyeing her suspiciously. "Do…do they think I killed her?" Sigrid whispered to Suko when they were alone.
Suko shook her head slowly. "I—I don't know…"
The other girls had managed to finish the shelter, which comprised little more than a small makeshift lean-to, barely big enough to fit all of them. The next night was still cool, but much more pleasant, spent under cover and warmed by the presence of the others—and Suko, who kept her arms wrapped tightly around her.
"I can't breathe!" Sigrid said. They both giggled when Suko held her tighter still. Sigrid didn't really mind; she was warm and felt safe in Suko's arms.
After another full day of rest, Sigrid's foot had healed enough to walk and she joined Suko and some of the other girls in a hunt. Already growing tired of fish, the girls were determined to catch something more substantial. It took a great deal of time and patience, but six of them eventually tracked and cornered one of the elk . It was Sigrid who managed to spear it, landing the killing blow. Slaughtering the beast was a hopeless and bloody disaster, leaving many of the girls green. But when it was done, Sigrid was presented with the first cuts, cooked over
Similar Books
