22: 16 Weeks Gestation

Eve hasn't had a dizzy spell since she has been following Evan's strict prescription of extra rest and extra nutrition. The bump has become more of a small mountain. John's Malyon has improved greatly since it's spoken most of the time here. He spends most of his time with Vor. He still does most of the talking, but she listens intently coaching him when he has trouble with Malyon and she's beginning to converse more. Vor speaks the most openly when conversing with Eve, mostly asking questions with Eve answering.

Eve has awakened from her afternoon nap. She has gotten up a little earlier than usual. She stretches as she stands up from off the bed feeling quite refreshed. She runs her small hand over the changing table Mr. Chan recovered from the ship for her. Its shelves are stacked with cloth diapers and receiving blankets. She steps in front of the mirrored closet door and runs her petite fingers through her long black wavy hair. Then picks some sleep from the inner corners of her eyes. She turns to the side and runs her hands over the growing bump. It kicks for her and she smiles.

Coming out of the bedroom, Eve is surprised to find she is alone. They usually take turns being there when she wakes up so she's not alone, just in case something goes wrong, like another dizzy spell. She grabs a piece of fruit from the fruit bowl Mr. Chan keeps stocked with fresh fruit on the table. Once outside, Maw and Girdy run up to have their ears scratched and Eve is happy to provide this service. Off to the left is the tent Mr. Chan shares with John. Vor's tent is to her right. But no one is out here either. The rover is parked behind Mr. Chan's tent, so no one went to the ship for anything. The two squines are behind Vor's tent; therefore, no one is riding.

Eve sees this as an opportunity for some time alone. She walks to the river and tests the water with her feet even though she's not planning on swimming. Movement on the other side of the river catches her attention. It's a scavenger cub, and it's limping. This means it's been abandoned by the pack. A couple of Eve's past camping trips were spent observing a scavenger pack from a safe distance; even though, her father would argue there is no safe distance from these animals. They mostly live off the carcasses of dead animals, but they hunt too. Eve watched them abandon an ill pack member. After the abandoned member expired, the pack returned to cannibalize the carcass.

The cub laps water from the river and lies down. Eve feels sad for it. She's also curious. She's never had the chance to examine a live scavenger. She remembers the shelf the hot spring showers down on to runs behind the waterfall. She moves to get a better look at the other side of the falls. Just as she hoped, the shelf comes out the other side and appears to slope down gently.

Before she knows what she's doing, Eve is going up the steps to the shelf and ducking behind the hot spring as it showers down. She slides behind the waterfall and finds herself before the entrance to a deep dark cave. It's almost too tempting, but Eve manages to push her desire to explore aside deciding it will have to wait for another day.

On the other side of the riverbank, Eve finds the cub lying next to the water's edge. It tries to get up and get away, but it's too weak. It manages a little snarl and it squirms in her arms. But Eve holds it close, shushing it and stroking it. Finally, it relaxes in her arms, as if it has decided this is a nice place to be.

When Eve gets back on her side of the river, Maw and Girdy run from her and stop about three meters away. They stamp the ground because the cub's scent makes them nervous. Eve decides the cub needs a bath. It smells awful to her also. After bathing the cub in the kitchen sink, she gives herself a shower to rid herself of the cub's old scent and slips on a fresh dress. She gets a plastic feeding container Mr. Chan called a bottle. She's unable to picture herself using these things to feed the baby. That's what her breasts are for. But if it could work for an infant, maybe it will work for the cub.

Eve steps out of the dwelling with the bottle in her hand. With the stench gone, Maw and Girdy are happy to see her. Eve sits on a low rock and milks Maw directly into the bottle. Getting back off the rock proves to be a little difficult, but Eve manages.

Back inside the dwelling, the cub hasn't moved from the spot she left it. She takes her medical scanner out of the cupboard wondering if the cub is too far gone to save. It's suffering from malnutrition. Its right front leg is broken and its right hind is fractured. And it is a she, but to Eve's relief she's not too far-gone. Eve takes out the bone knitter and knits together the broken and fractured bones.

Getting the cub to accept the bottle isn't easy. She keeps turning away from the nipple. When the cub finally tastes the milk and realizes this strange thing contains nourishment, she sucks down the whole bottle in less than five minutes. Then lies content in Eve's arms.

Eve decides it's time to find the others. The cub now knows it's safe in Eve's arms, and it lies content in her arms as Eve walks down along the river away from the waterfall. Maw and Girdy accompany Eve as usual. With the scavenger scent washed away, they pay the cub no attention.

Soon Eve can see Evan and the others. They are at her fishing spot. John is in the water to his knees with her fishing spear looking like he's fell in a couple of time. He stabs the water. No fish, he just makes a big splash.

"[What do you four believe you are doing?]" Eve's Malyon is flawless. The only one not surprised by her voice is Evan.

Evan knows she was up to something, "[I know you prefer fish. I want to get some for the evening meal. Vor showed us this spot. Said this is where you come to fish.]" He notes the small furry ball in Eve's arms, but doesn't say anything, yet.

"[I did not think you would mind]," Vor adds.

"[Daha]," Eve shakes her head no, "[I do not mind. How are you doing?]"

"[I caught one]," Mr. Chan answers, "[after many attempts.]"

"[I did not come close]," admits Evan.

John makes another stab at the water. He loses his balance, trips and falls in. Everyone laughs except for Vor. Her eyes are big, her mouth agape, and she would laugh if she could remember how. Vor hasn't so much as giggled since she was a small child. John stands up spouting water, coughing and laughing, "[I give up.]" He trudges out of the water still coughing.

Eve takes the pole from John, "[You have to have patience and concentration. Mr. Chan got one because he is focused. And given time and practice, he will catch one almost every time he plunges the pole into the water.]"

Eve puts the fur ball down on the ground. Everyone finally notices it, as Eve wades into the water.

"[First]," Eve explains, "[You need to plant your feet firm and secure. John's wonderful demonstration of falling in is not the objective.]"

The cub uncurls as it realizes it's no longer in the safety and comfort of Eve's arms.

"Eve," Evan curious and deciding it's time to ask, "[What is this animal?]"

"[A pack cub]," not a lie, but not the whole truth. Eve continues on with the other topic, "[With your feet firmly planted, you take your stance and wait.]"

"[A pack cub]," Evan repeats as he squats to have a better look at it.

"[Do you think it wise to take it away from its mother]," asks Mr. Chan.

"[It cannot be safe to have this around]," John voicing his concern, "[Its mother will come looking for it and probably bring the whole pack with her.]"

"[Daha]," Eve answers no. "[It was abandoned because it was injured.]"

"[You are sure of this]," Vor concerned.

"[I am positive]," Eve doesn't take her eyes off the water.

Evan reaches out to touch the cub and it inches away afraid. It stares at Eve. It gets right up to the water line and lays down to wait for Eve, just as Maw and Girdy lay on the shore to wait for her.

"[How are you positive]," asks Mr. Chan.

"[A couple of my camping trips I spent observing this type of pack up river of our old village]," Eve still staring at the water.

Mr. Chan nods. He's sure it was more than a couple of camping trips, but he doesn't say anything. He knows Eve is a thorough observationist, so she knows what she's talking about. She just never told anyone she was observing any pack animals on any of her trips because her father would have had a fit.

Suddenly, the spear slides into the water and Eve pulls it back out with a fish on the end. John and Mr. Chan clap. For Mr. Chan it's a proud clap for the best student he has ever had. For John it's an amazed clapping.

"I've never seen anything like it before," John smiling.

Evan watches proudly as Eve slides the fish off the pole into the basket with Mr. Chan's fish. He feels entirely blessed to have found her. He knows it has been hard for her to allow others to do things for her she's used to doing for herself. He watches his life-mate retake her stance and decides for now he's not going to ask where the cub came from or what type of pack, for now.

A few minutes later Eve has pulled another fish from the water. By now the cub has grown impatient and has started whimpering. Eve is unable to ignore the whimpering. So she heads back to the shore for the cub. It gets excited when it realizes she's coming. Eve scoops it up and it has no trouble relaxing in the crook of one arm. She waddles back out and retakes her stance. It's a little awkward having the cub in one arm while holding the pole in one hand. But she manages to spear another fish. But there's another problem, she can't slide the fish off because she's holding the cub. She thinks she may be getting in some good practice for later, maybe.

"Vor," Eve calls, "[Would you come help me?]"

"[Yes, of course]," Vor wading into the water. She slides the fish off the end of the spear for Eve.

"[Try again]," Eve offering Vor her fishing spear.

Vor takes the spear from Eve. Her face tells Eve she's unsure about this. She has already tried to spear a fish without success. The men are talking behind them. Eve shushes them because it's distracting. Then she steps behind Vor.

"[No need for nervousness]," Eve tells Vor, "Take your stance ensuring your feet are firmly planted and wait. Ignore the little fish. They are too easy to miss. Wait for a large one to come near. Then envision your success before you make your attempt.]"

Vor nods in response as she focuses on the water. She finds comfort in Eve standing with her. And Eve's confidence spills over to Vor.

Vor's first two attempts are good. She only misses by a few millimeters. But as they have said for centuries on Earth, "third times a charm."

"[I have one]," Vor in disbelief, "[I have one!]" holding it in the air for the males to see as she smiles for the first time in years.

John splashes into the water, "[You did it]," giving her a big hug. "[I knew you had a beautiful smile.]"

Vor looks down shyly for a moment. Then picks her head up and smiles as broadly as possible. It feels good to smile.

"Vor," Eve calling back as she leaves the water, "[Catch three more. I need to relieve myself of liquid waste,]" reaching for Evan's hand.

"Mr. Chan," Eve cocking her head.

"Yes," Mr. Chan standing up from his rock, "Oh, yes, me too."

"[I bet you think you are sly]," Evan to Eve as he glances back to see Vor standing in the river ready to spear another fish with John standing just behind her off to the side with a hand resting at the small of her back.

"[No]," Eve leaning her head on Evan, "[I really do need to urinate.]"