Page 48 of Infala: The Alien's Bond
“I can do that,” Darla offered, piling the smaller kindling in a little teepee within the fire ring.
Heydar thought about objecting but held his tongue. “Very well,” he said, then began digging through his pack, removing meat he had already skewered as he walked when she hadn’t been watching. It was efficient of him, and they would eat sooner for his forethought.
“Hey, you want me to set those up?” she asked as he laid out the skewers and bits of fresh vegetables scavenged during their trek.
“You are my responsibility. I will feed you. You must save your energy,” he replied, holding his hand over the kindling until his magic ignited a small flame. “You did a good job with this. We will have a proper fire tonight.”
Heydar took the pelts and laid them out for them to use as bedding. Fortunately, he had given them a thorough wash in the stream that morning and they had dried nice and clean as the pair hiked. It wasn’t high thread count cotton, but it would do for their needs.
“Rest. I will prepare our meal,” he said, motioning for her to take a seat.
Darla obliged, sitting down and shedding her boots. The fresh air on her feet felt divine after the day’s trek, and the warmth of the fire was soothing on her bare skin. The smell of cooking meat and veggies soon filled the air as Heydar rotated the skewers over the flames. One by one he removed them and lay them on the broad, clean leaves they were using as plates.
He cooks, but does he clean?she wondered with an amused grin.
Heydar didn’t notice her mirth, tending the fire and preparing their food. A few minutes later he presented her with a substantial portion of food. No sense saving it if it might rot on their hike. And Darla was damn hungry.
The two of them made quick work of their meals, downing every last morsel then washing it down with fresh water from their supply.
The two sat quietly a while, digesting their food and letting the day’s aches and pains fade.
Darla lay back and looked up at the orange tinted stone illuminated by the flickering light. It was a cavern, the kind of place a caveman may have taken shelter in millions of years ago. But here she was, very much not a cavewoman, but rather a human stuck on a world far from home. But despite all the trials and tribulations, she was actually feeling at ease. Safe even. And she had this strange, stoic alien to thank for it.
They remained silent a while longer, listening to the fire crackle, watching shadows dance across the rocks. After a bit, Heydar leaned forward and gathered the leaves and scraps and threw them all onto the fire. It flared bright, engulfing them in an instant then settling back down to a comfortable blaze.
He moved to sit on one of the pelts and removed his boots, followed by his shirt. The alien moved gingerly as he pulled the garment over his head. The blood caked on his back was minimal considering what had hit him, but Darla gasped all the same.
“Oh my God! You’re hurt!”
“It is nothing.”
“You said you were okay.”
“Iamokay.”
“No, you’re not,” she replied, grabbing her water skin and a piece of cloth from her pack. “This is my fault,” she said, moving close behind him. “Let me clean this up.”
“I said I am fine.”
“You won’t be fine if this gets infected. And if that happens, you know full well you’re way too big for me to carry.”
“I will not fall ill.”
“Can you be sure? Do you know that for a fact?”
“Well—”
“Look, I’m just trying to make up for what happened. Can you please just let me help you? It’s not a sign of weakness or anything to say yes.”
He opened his mouth, ready to retort, but stopped himself short. Heydar’s violet eyes almost glowed with the flickering firelight as he studied this unusual human woman. The most unlikely of companions on this journey.
“Very well,” he finally said, shifting so he was seated on the fur with his back to her.
Darla slid close to him, dampening the rag in her hand and gently drawing it across his shoulders. The heat he gave off was noticeable even this close to the fire, and the cool water soon warmed in the cloth as she wiped away the dried blood.
“Is that okay?”
“Mmm,” he nodded.
