had sprung to life, needling me. There seemed to be tension in them, their postures were slightly rigid, and they appeared wary. If they were such good friends with the
The conversation continued, albeit stiltedly, with Leonard grunting more than speaking. I found out they had been hiking to a new camp, and, to my consternation, Leonard invited them to join us, seeing that we were heading in the same direction. I wanted to object, but things were packed up before I could say anything, and we took to the trail several minutes later. My unsettled stomach began to lessen, and, as the day wore on, we walked and talked, the mountain men discussing things such as hunting techniques, moose kills, and finding a decaying corpse in a valley.
As the sun set and the forest grew dimmer, I knew we would stop for the night. I hated the fact that outsiders were with us. I had accepted Harry into our group because he had been so friendly and open.
For a Sasquatch, he was incredibly talkative and articulate. His humor was formidable, and he made fun of little things, knowing it would irritate Leslie and garner a response from her. These moments were teasing and endearing. But, there was something suspicious about Doug and Carter. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I didn’t trust the mountain men one bit.
Chapter Nine
That evening, as the fire blazed, I snuggled into Leonard, enjoying the feel of his sturdy stomach at my back. His arms encircled me, while his nose nudged my cheek. The mountain men had shot a doe, and they had prepared the meat, which was boiled in a stew, while the fillets were grilled. Being a young animal, it wasn’t nearly as gamey as older deer.
From the gist of their conversation, the men lived off the land, scavenging from tribe to tribe. They seemed welcome wherever they went, and this led me to reassess my initial impression of them.
Perhaps, I had been paranoid, but then again, the tribe had been attacked by Bigfoot hunters not that long ago. My sister, Lena, had been with them through the ordeal. She could have been killed, as the hunters were far too aggressive in their tactics.
The conversation began to bore me; the discussion was one-sided, as the Sasquatches mostly listened and grunted. Leonard sucked on a pipe, while smoke drifted over his head. I was so tired; I struggled to keep my eyes open. It wasn’t long before I put Daisy down. She slept with Wolfie tonight, and Lendal and Bubba Jr. would join them once they were ready for bed. The toddlers cuddled together, as she grasped his fur, holding him close. He purred, the nasal quality filling the tent.
“You guys are too cute.”
When she was with Wolfie, she never fussed. She would be asleep within minutes. I left them to join Leonard, but I was tired, and I hoped he was ready for bed. He was in discussion with Harry; the two had their heads together, grunting and gesturing. The mountain men had settled on flimsy looking sleeping bags. I snatched my toothbrush and headed for a small creek. When I returned, Leonard had disappeared. I found him a moment later in our tent.
“Oh, thank God.” I crawled to him. He was on his back, his belly rising and falling with his breathing. “I don’t know about those men. They’re…weird. Do you trust them?”
“I trust no one.” He touched my face. “Only you.”
“Well, that’s good to know.”
“You my pretty Porsche.”
I snuggled against him, smelling the slightly pungent quality of his hide. “I don’t know about those guys. They seem crafty. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”
“They wild men. They go away tomorrow. Nothing to worry over.” He yawned. “You having a baby.”
“Not for a long time.”
He squeezed me. “You pretty fat.”
“Leonard!” I pushed him.
“Big, fat belly.”
I giggled, “Oh, jeez. Well, it’s your fault.”
“Pretty fat, Porsche.”
“Okay, just go to sleep now.”
He purred in my ear. “I love my Porsche.”
“I love you too.” I sighed happily, closing my eyes.
Before dawn, there was a strange noise. I lay on my back and listened, until I understood what it was. Leslie and Harry were making love. His grunts echoed in the still air. It was too early for the birds even, but things were heating up several tents over. I rolled into Leonard, falling asleep instantly.
“Ma…ma…ma…moomy!”
Daisy sat on the blankets, in the spot where Leonard had been. I squinted at her. “Hey, sweetie.”
She smelled suspiciously of a dirty diaper. “Ugh, great. You made a stinky.”
“Ma…ma…ma…ba…ba…”
Her face had dirt smeared over one cheek. “Someone needs a bath too.”
“Porsche?” It was Zelda. “You up?”
“Yeah.”
“Got coffee on. We’re hittin’ the road soon.”
“Okay. Thanks for the warning.”
The sounds of a camp coming to life filled my ears. There were men talking, apes grunting, and Lendal and Bubba Jr. screeching, as they stomped through the woods. I snatched a cloth diaper for Daisy, and, after she had been changed, I joined everyone by the fire, watching as a metal container brewed coffee. It was stiflingly hot today, with a high humidity index. I was dripping sweat already, and we hadn’t even begun to walk.
“Here ya go, hon.” Zelda handed me a cup.
“Thanks.”
“You feeling better? Feeling sick?”
“I’m okay now. My morning sickness is more like all day sickness.”
“I hear ya.”
I eyed the mountain men. They sat together talking, but they seemed to be well aware of what was happening around them and where each Bigfoot was. Pooky urinated against a bush, and Dale and Kat shared food. Leonard had disappeared, and the boys continued to play. Daisy had gotten to her feet.
She picked up a pink ball and toddled around with it in her hands.
“Can you watch Daisy for a minute?”
“Sure.”
I left the cup on the ground and headed for the creek, where I suspected I would find Leonard. The forest was lush here, dominated by western hemlocks and Douglas-firs. The trees were so high; I had to throw my head back to follow their trunks to towering peaks. Water trickled over stones and boulders, creating a smallish waterfall. At the base sat a Bigfoot, partially submerged. He tossed water into his face, washing himself. His ears perked up, and his nostrils flared, because he knew I had arrived.
“Hey.”
“Ggggrrrr…”
“It’s hot today.”
“You good?”
I took my shoes off, stepping into the cold water, which felt wonderful. “Yeah.”
“Not sick feeling?”
“Not yet.” I washed my arms, splashing them to the elbows. Then I flung water on my face.
“Where are we going?”
“A valley with a good river. Many fish.”
