(no subject)
Rowd spent the morning watching her own pups as well as keeping an eye on the sleeping stranger. So she heard when the little thing’s breathing changed subtly, moving from sleep to awareness.
The stranger didn’t react the way Rowd expected. A child waking in a strange place shouldn’t be so calm, but she was. She sat up and looked around, still hollow-eyed.
“Have I been here long?”
“You wandered out of the forest yesterday afternoon. Do you remember where you came from?” Rowd didn’t try to hide her surprise at the fluent Wau dialect coming from the little human. Charik was the only one who spoke Galactic Common, so it was just as well. It added to the mystery, though.
“I don’t remember anything.” The girl’s brow furrowed.
“No name? No planet, no family?”
“I have them. I just don’t know what or where they are.”
Rowd laughed at the logical statement. “Are you really as young as you look, then?”
The stranger shrugged. “I am right now.”
“Shall we pick a name for you? Just until yours comes back?” Rowd handed the girl a bowl of meat broth.
She grimaced, but not at the broth, which she drank with a grateful nod. “Being nameless would be awkward, wouldn’t it? I don’t want a new name, but I have to be called something.”
Rowd sat down next to the girl. “You’re very strange, child. There are no ships that could have brought you here, and no way you could have survived in the forest. But you did.”
“I don’t know what happened. I was in the trees, then I woke up here. Before that, it’s…gone.”
“You’re taking it very calmly.”
The stranger only shrugged and finished the broth.
Rowd stood to refill the bowl and get a cup of cool water. “Well wherever you were, it was not kind to you. Days without sleep or food or water. It’s a wonder you made it to the forest, much less out again.”
“Too much light, too. And…” she gestured vaguely. “That’s all.” A shake of her head. “Part of me doesn’t want it to come back.” A shudder ran through her.
Rowd’s motherly instinct was aroused by that and she put an arm around girl. Even if she didn’t act like a child, everyone needs comfort now and then.
At first she was stiff, but relaxed after a moment. “I’m sorry; I’m not used to being touched.”
The Wau woman didn’t mind a bit. “See? You’re learning more about yourself all the time.” A motherly pat on the girl’s knee and she stood up. “Drink up, then sleep some more. Fowry will be excited to meet you when he gets home.”
“Thank you for your kindness.” Again, Rowd marveled at the dignity and seriousness of this child. After five minutes, the little girl was curled up on the couch trying to sleep.
Quietly taking care of the pups, Rowd noticed that it took a long time for the girl to sleep.
The stranger didn’t react the way Rowd expected. A child waking in a strange place shouldn’t be so calm, but she was. She sat up and looked around, still hollow-eyed.
“Have I been here long?”
“You wandered out of the forest yesterday afternoon. Do you remember where you came from?” Rowd didn’t try to hide her surprise at the fluent Wau dialect coming from the little human. Charik was the only one who spoke Galactic Common, so it was just as well. It added to the mystery, though.
“I don’t remember anything.” The girl’s brow furrowed.
“No name? No planet, no family?”
“I have them. I just don’t know what or where they are.”
Rowd laughed at the logical statement. “Are you really as young as you look, then?”
The stranger shrugged. “I am right now.”
“Shall we pick a name for you? Just until yours comes back?” Rowd handed the girl a bowl of meat broth.
She grimaced, but not at the broth, which she drank with a grateful nod. “Being nameless would be awkward, wouldn’t it? I don’t want a new name, but I have to be called something.”
Rowd sat down next to the girl. “You’re very strange, child. There are no ships that could have brought you here, and no way you could have survived in the forest. But you did.”
“I don’t know what happened. I was in the trees, then I woke up here. Before that, it’s…gone.”
“You’re taking it very calmly.”
The stranger only shrugged and finished the broth.
Rowd stood to refill the bowl and get a cup of cool water. “Well wherever you were, it was not kind to you. Days without sleep or food or water. It’s a wonder you made it to the forest, much less out again.”
“Too much light, too. And…” she gestured vaguely. “That’s all.” A shake of her head. “Part of me doesn’t want it to come back.” A shudder ran through her.
Rowd’s motherly instinct was aroused by that and she put an arm around girl. Even if she didn’t act like a child, everyone needs comfort now and then.
At first she was stiff, but relaxed after a moment. “I’m sorry; I’m not used to being touched.”
The Wau woman didn’t mind a bit. “See? You’re learning more about yourself all the time.” A motherly pat on the girl’s knee and she stood up. “Drink up, then sleep some more. Fowry will be excited to meet you when he gets home.”
“Thank you for your kindness.” Again, Rowd marveled at the dignity and seriousness of this child. After five minutes, the little girl was curled up on the couch trying to sleep.
Quietly taking care of the pups, Rowd noticed that it took a long time for the girl to sleep.