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The look of disgust on his face reminded me of his reaction to our catches yesterday and made me burn with shame.
“You didn’t even eat,” I said, frowning.
“I had berries,” he argued.
“That’s not enough. You are not a mothian. You need meat.”
“We need to keep going,” he argued.
“Not until you’ve eaten,” I insisted.
We had a silent stare-off and then Sun sighed.
“Fine, but I want to be on the go by noon.”
Delighted that I had won, I grabbed Kiar by the wrist and pulled him along.
“Unhand me,” he said, shaking me off. “What has gotten into you?”
I shrugged, unsure how to explain the restless feelings broiling inside me.
“Sun did not like the food we brought him yesterday. We failed him.”
Kiar paused and gave me a look.
“He was just not hungry.”
“No. He was disgusted by our catches. They weren’t what he wanted.”
Kiar’s jaw set.
“Then today we will catch all different animals. We will find the ones he likes to eat.”
Delighted, I clapped him on the shoulder.
“I will catch ten animals.”
“I will catch at least that much,” Kiar returned.
Challenge set, we both took off in opposite directions.
I lost myself in the task. Sun hadn’t eaten any of our big catches, so this time I concentrated on small animals. Despite their sizes, they were quick and difficult to snatch out of trees or burrows.
Once I’d captured fifteen, I realized that the morning sun was nearly high above me. Sun needed time to eat before we left so I grudgingly stopped myself from obsessively finding more for him and began back toward where he and Clem had been left.
It felt so much safer during the day when no nocs would be awake and exploring. I had never seen so much daylight in my life as I had in the last few days. It was strange living in reverse, but I didn’t mind it either. I was adjusting quickly to this new life.
The familiar sound of something sliding over the underbrush alerted me to Kiar’s arrival before I could see him.
“There you are,” he said, appearing from behind a large tree.
I held up both hands proudly.
“Fifteen,” I said.
“I caught nine,” Kiar said, grudgingly. “But that’s only because we didn’t catch any birds yesterday, so I caught only birds today.”
He held them up to show me.
