***
Toemeka went over to Jake andredressed his shoulder wound. “I don’t like the looks of yourwound,” she said. “It’s red and swollen. Down by the stream, Isaw an herb called caffray that can be boiled into a tea to help youget your strength back. I’m sure if I looked, I can also find somelamder that would help your shoulder wound heal faster.”
“How do you know so much aboutherbs?”
“When I lived with Erling’sfamily, Najetta taught me and showed me how to find them in the woodsnear Tismus. These woods are part of the same ancient forest and havesome of the same plants.”
“I remember when you lived withthe Fenians. I liked having you right next door to my parent’shome.”
“That was years ago.”
“But it was only a little overa year ago that we were together.”
“We’ve both moved on. There’sno point in bringing up the past.”
“I suppose you’re right. DidI hear there’s a stream nearby? I’d like to go and clean up. I’msweaty.”
“You’re not strong enough towalk and the cold water will shock your system. I’ll heat somewater for you to wash with.” She poured water from a water skininto the clay bowl they’d eaten out of and heated it over thecenter fire. When it was warm, Jake washed his face and hands, thenwent back to sleep.
He slept fitfully and hiscomplexion became flushed. Toemeka put her hand on his forehead; itfelt burning hot. She waited for Michio and Erling to return, so shecould gather the herbs for Jake. When they still hadn’t appeared bythat afternoon, she decided she couldn’t wait any longer. She’dseen men die from infections like Jake’s during her years with theCoalition. The sooner she treated him, the better.
She put on her jacket, slid therifle strap over her shoulder, then picked up the water jug andleather bag. Stepping out of the teepee, she saw Kumaroo sitting nearthe central fire. He stared at her with frightening intensity and shequickly looked away. His eyes haunted her as she headed into thewoods in a different direction than the stream.
She went a fair distance, thendoubled back, going to the stream by a different route, in the hopesthat Kumaroo wouldn’t know where she was headed. On the way shegathered some caffray, lamder, berries and roots to eat. She put themall in the leather bag. At the river’s edge, she filled the jugwith water, then washed the roots.
Toemeka heard a soft shufflebehind her, then Kumaroo’s reflection appeared in the water. Sheshrieked and dropped the herbs. Whirling around, she sprang to herfeet and faced him, embarrassed at her startled reaction to hisunexpected presence. His dark blue eyes were like gazing into a deeplake. He looked like an alien creature with his unusual tattooed,blue skin and the ring through his wide nostrils.
She guardedly watched for hisnext move. His expression reflected desire, not violence. Knowing hemight miconstru her bold gaze,she lowered her eyes and pulled up herhood. She wondered how to avoid offending him, potentially causingtrouble with the tribe. The rifle lay on the ground, but she stifledthe urge to grab it. Surely, he didn’t mean her any harm.
Needing to get back to camp totend to Jake, she took a step to the side to move around him. Hegrasped her shoulder, held her in place and pushed the hood off herhead. Her stomach tightened. His dirty hand was enormous with short,broken fingernails. With his other hand, he titled her head up, soshe was forced to look at him. She felt like a child for the top ofher head didn’t even reach his shoulders. His muscular chestreminded her of a broad tree trunk and his arms of thick branches.
He pointed to himself and smiled,exposing crooked, yellow teeth. “Kumaroo.”
“Kumaroo,” Toemeka repeatedhesitantly. “I’m Toemeka.” She pointed to herself.
“Toe-me-ka.”
She smiled. “That’s right. Doyou want to be friends?”
“Toe-me-ka.” He pointed toher. “Kumaroo.” He pointed to himself. “Bah-nay.” He put histwo thumbs together.
Toemeka stared at him, not surewhat he was getting at. He pulled out a large hunting knife. Shegasped and took a stumbling step backwards, too shocked to scream forhelp. He grasped her wrist and brought the knife down toward herhand. Terrified, she tried to wrench it away.
He hauled her against his chest,ignoring her frantic struggle to escape, and lightly sliced the hardsteel across her thumb. Blood poured from the wound onto her skirt.Still holding her, he drew the knife across his own thumb, thenplaced his bleeding thumb against hers. Toemeka felt light-headed andthe ground tilted. Kumaroo swung her into his arms, carrying her tothe stream. He waded into the water and lowered her bleeding handinto its cooling depths. Transfixed, she stared at the blood fromboth their thumbs mixing together, reddening the water.
“Bah-nay.” He carried her toshore, set her on her feet, then slipped the knife back into itssheath. Toemeka felt an overwhelming sense of relief that he wasn’tplanning to kill her.
“Kumaroo — Toemeka,” hesaid. He untied her jacket.
“No!” Toemeka held her jacketshut.
Kumaroo frowned and put his twothumbs together. “Bah-nay.”
Toemeka picked up the heavy rifleand pointed it at him. Kumaroo looked at her with a surprisedexpression, making no attempt to stop her. After snatching up the jugand leather bag, she backed away from him, then turned and fled backto camp. She didn’t stop running until she reached the teepee andwas safely inside.
Her thumb still bleed profusely.She washed off the blood using water from the jug, then tied a pieceof leather around it, using her uninjured hand and teeth. She thenset to work building up the fire and boiling the roots and herbs,glad that Jake was still asleep and unable to see how upset she was.
While waiting for the pot toboil, she sat down on a fur, breathed deeply while gazing obliquelyinto her spiritual eye and softly chanted HU. Calmer, Toemeka made apoultice out of the lamder and laid it on Jake’s shoulder wound. Hewoke up and she gave him some caffray
