Page 19 of Tiger's Trek
“She did? And I missed it?” Danik said. “At least breakfast is still on the table—or rock, as it were.”
“Exactly,” Kadam replied with a chuckle. “Here, lad. You can help me with the porridge.”
“You didn’t miss anything,” Veru said crossly, wrenching her skirts across her lap as she sat by the fire again. “And I’m a tsarevna, not a tsarina. You got the word wrong.”
Kadam smiled over the pot as he poured in the dry porridge. “My mistake. I’ll try to remember that.”
Danik ate his entire bowlful and half of Veru’s, then began inquiring about lunch. “Don’t think I’ve ever been this hungry. I hope you brought enough to last awhile.”
“Yes,” Veru said, licking her spoon. “How long, exactly, do you expect us to stay in this dreamworld?”
“Dreamworld?” Danik replied, his brow knit together. Then his eyes cleared, and he turned to Kadam. “My friend, if you could part with enough supplies for a few days, I’m sure I’ll find my parents’ village. I just need to pick up the trail, you see. And then?—”
Kadam put his hand on Danik’s shoulder. “Son, I’m afraid you aren’t here to find your parents.”
“I’m not?”
“No.”
“Your job is to protect this young lady.”
Danik peered at Veru and swallowed, then jerked his thumb at her. “But she’s?—”
“I know,” Kadam said soberly. “She’s royalty, son. Can I rely on you to see her safely home?”
“Really?” Veru sneered. “We’re going with that?”
“Hush now. Deep-seated memories rooted by emotion stay longer than anything else. It’s why he searches for home. It means something. The heart doesn’t forget. The mind may, but the heart never will. Trust me. I have some experience with this. The two of you will need each other.”
“Okay, fine,” Veru replied stiffly. “A forgetful minstrel blasting his trumpet to announce my victorious return to the empire it is.”
Danik folded his arms. “I don’t play the trumpet.”
Veru waved an arm. “Doesn’t matter. How do you expect us to get out of here, anyway? And what happens if we die in this place?”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that, shall we?” Kadam hedged.
“I can die now, can’t I? Without my tiger, I won’t heal like before.”
“I suspect you’ll soon discover that.”
“What?” Veru asked, now panicked. “The death or the healing?”
“None of this sounds like anything I want to be a part of,” Danik said. “I appreciate the breakfast and all, but?—”
“Son,” Kadam said, stopping Danik by catching hold of his arm. “I know this place is strange and you don’t remember this woman, but you’ve walked with her before. You know her heart. It’s a good one. She’s protected you, and you’ve watched over her. She knows your songs.”
“She does?” Danik turned to Veru, who nodded to him and rose as well.
“I do. I quite enjoy listening to you sing at dusk when the fire burns down. My favorite is the song about the snow falling in the trees.”
“That—that was my mother’s favorite too!” he exclaimed.
“So you’ll help her find her way?” Kadam asked.
Danik studied Veru’s face as if looking for something he recognized. Then he nodded. “It’s the right thing to do.”
“It is,” Kadam said. “Now that that’s been decided on, let me give you your supplies.”
