Dream Drive Ch. 02

Boonta stared at her for a long moment, then turned on the spot and stormed out of the tent. His passing ripped the calf-hide flap from the front. Chaki felt her teeth grind in the back of her mouth. Now she would have to sew it back together. He had to get in one last spiteful action, didn't he? She could already hear his future whining apology if she bothered confronting him about it.

The bones of the tipi's entrance jangled once more. Landri peered inside. "Chaki. Might I sit with you?"

"It is your tipi, mother."

"Yes, it is." She gestured at the smoke, still swirling from Boonta's departure. "But are these my passions?"

Chaki folded her legs underneath her and sat. "No. But you might sit with me anyway."

"Ah, Chaki." Landri kneeled behind her and wrapped her up in her arms. Chaki leaned back into her. "I am sorry you had to do that."

"...did you hear?"

"We got the larger points, yes. Just myself and Shaka. I made up an excuse for Palla to take Jackson elsewhere."

"Thank you, for that."

"I am your mother. Thanks are not needed." Landri slipped to Chaki's side and sat next to her. Chaki leaned her head on her mother's shoulder. They sat like that for a time.

"I miss father."

"As do I." Landri stroked her daughters hair. "I wonder. Do you like the outsider, Jackson Vedalt?"

"...what makes you say that?"

"It was odd, watching you two," Landri said. "I was reminded of myself, and your father. He was no good with words. I often spoke on his behalf."

"...really? I never thought so. He was always so eloquent with his stories."

"Ah. He was. But that was with you, and Palla. That was different. In front of people...well. I will say that he let his actions speak for him, but I helped communicate the finer details, on occasion. As you did for Jackson. Did I ever tell you that he almost became elder?"

Chaki shifted and looked back up. "I don't think so."

Landri nodded. "Yes, it was just after Palla was born, and he was looking to shift away from joining the war parties to only hunting. He was renowned in the tribe for his skill, as you know. He was very popular, because he never boasted, and shared his wealth freely. He gave much to Shaka, you know she and I had been friends since even before I married him, so he had the approval of the spirit guide as well. As a group, he was poor with people, but individually, he had a great kindness, a way of tending to each person that made him very popular."

"What happened that made him change his mind?"

"He had no interest in politics," she said. "When he was younger, he counted coup with the best of any tribe, but after he married me, he had always told me that he only lived for one thing: to hunt, and provide for me, and you, and Palla, and to love us with all his heart. He said that winning my love was his greatest coup, and that his children were more important than a headdress." She shrugged. "Yukatan was good with words, and a friend of your father. He came out in support of our current elder, and the rest quickly followed."

"He was a great man," Chaki whispered.

"He was truly a Man-Under-the-Mountain," Landri agreed.

"Boonta wouldn't be the same," Chaki said. "His headdress would be his great love, not me."

"Jackson might make such a one, don't you think?"

Chaki chuckled. "I believe that Jack would regard the feathers with little more interest than the dirt under his feet. He does not care for superficial things."

"That's good," Landri said, "but he would make a good husband, too, hmm?"

"You're teasing me."

"You can't fool your mother. I saw the way you looked at him. Is it his eyes, or the odd color of his skin?"

"Mother!"

Landri chuckled. "Ah, yes. It must be his brave deeds."

"It's not like that. Really."

"Perhaps," Landri said, "I will scrounge up some hide for you. You'll need a new dress."

Chaki sighed, grateful for the change of subject. "I had thought to mention it..."

"Though, if any of it mysteriously transforms itself into a shirt that hangs from Jackson's back, you will have to eat your words."

Chaki felt her blush rise again. Damn the dead sun. "...he was very brave, in rescuing us. Alright? That was all."

"I'm sure." Landri brushed Chaki's hair aside, kissed her forehead, then stood. "I will have to do my part with the soups. Come join us when you have finished recovering. But take your time. No one will blame you for an absence, so soon after this sort of journey."

"...does Jackson have shelter?"

Landri's smirk could have split the sky. "Oh, concerned, are we?"

"We owe him a debt."

"Shaka has taken him in, for now," Landri said. "I will bring you water. Take some rest."

Chaki felt the dim throb of a headache coming on. She yawned. Too much activity, too little sleep. Healing runes or not, nothing could replace good, solid rest. "I think that is a good idea."

"Indeed. You'll want to be in top form for tonight, so you can impress Jackson with your dancing."

"Mother!!"

Landri retreated from the tipi, laughing on her way out the door. Chaki huffed and puffed for a bit, working out her annoyance, then lay flat and wrapped herself in plenty of their blankets.

Sleep took her quickly.

###

Jackson still didn't understand how Palla had energy. The damn kid had just walked ten miles with the rest of them, and he was bouncing around, pointing out objects ranging from cooking stones to dried bison turds. Apparently the dung was their main fuel source for fires. Jackson dragged himself behind, trying to absorb information, but knowing that a lot of it was leaking right out the other ear.

The horses were amazing, though. A great herd of them was kept outside the main body of the tipis. Several of the men patrolled the great herd, pushing them around over the course of several days of encampment so they could graze a wider area. They also acted as shepherds, of a sort, keeping the horses from straying too far. Apparently they all knew their horses on sight, which was amazing to Jackson, because with his inexperience, it looked like a herd of clones. Still, the families marked their own horses with beads or feathers, or some other decoration, as a means of quick identification, and to avoid any confusion.

Jackson stood at the edge of the tipis, watching the herd graze. Palla was in the thick of it, wandering around. Soon enough, he suddenly jumped on top of a horse and rode it bareback toward Jackson. A green-red-green string of beads was knitted into its mane.

Palla pulled up short near Jackson, who took a few steps back. He didn't have reigns, or saddle. The control was all through his legs. Jackson wasn't sure if he trusted that. "Careful."

"Don't worry. His tail can't even swat flies properly." Palla leaned low and rubbed the horse's neck. "Isn't that right?"

Jackson approached warily. He'd never seen a horse, let alone get close to one. He could see powerful muscles flex and shift as it moved its legs. He had no doubt that a kick from those hooves would cave in his skull.

Heh. He didn't have to worry about that anymore. Not with a health bar.

He walked forward and gently placed a hand on the horse's neck. It craned its head at him, watching him with fat black eyes. Jackson started rubbing the skin, feeling the mane. The horse snorted in approval. He found himself smiling.

"She likes you," Palla said.

"...she? I didn't know."

"Yep. She's named Smallgrass."

"And a zero on creativity from the Chinese judge."

"Huh?"

Jackson shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Just a reference to something back in my world."

"Are we still keeping that a secret?" Palla asked.

Jackson nodded. "I don't mind, but Shaka thinks it best not to worry people about it. I agree. So, until she says otherwise, let's go with Chaki's explanation that I was a slave, too. Technically, I was."

Palla nodded. Suddenly, he looked past Jackson's shoulder. "Hi Boonta! I was just introducing Jackson to Smallgrass."

Jackson turned. Marching toward him was none other than the stocky Boonta. He did not look happy.

"Jackson Vedalt. We need to talk."