Bonesetter 2 -Winter- Read Free

you can imagine, the hungry women and children of the Aldans enthusiastically ate the poisoned beast despite my warnings. Soon they’d been taken over by the evil spirit as well. Realizing that it was too late for me to save my people, I recognized that I must leave.” He indicated the woman with him, “Fellax here, because of her deep sorrow over the death of her husband, had resisted the curse of the spirit. She was able to leave with me.”
    Yadin looked around at his fellow Oppos. These people he’d known for so many years sat staring, open-mouthed, apparently gobsmacked by this ridiculous story. Some looked angry; many looked fearful.
    Nosset said, “What if this spirit comes to us next? Will we be able to resist it?”
    Pont shrugged, “Perhaps? I thought perhaps if you and I worked together to control the spirit, the hunters could kill the merely human body of this Pell?” He shook his head wearily, “Or maybe it’d be better if you fled like Fellax and I are doing.” He looked around, “I’m sure you don’t want to give up this fine cave and your hunting grounds, but perhaps it’d be safest. After all you don’t want to risk the lives of your women and children.”
    Yadin found it hard to believe, but a few moments later the Oppos were seriously discussing whether to mount an expedition to kill this Pell and his wolf or to try to run away.
    Quidea, the headman Jalgon’s mate, pointed out that if they tried to move to another area, the tribe that currently claimed that territory might object.
     
    ***
     
    Gia woke up feeling cold. She’d spent the night spooned with Pell because the Aldans didn’t exactly have a surfeit of sleeping furs. She felt around for him in the darkness.
    Pell was gone.
    Getting up, Gia could see a little from the glow of the fire even though it’d burned down to coals. She picked her way through the bodies of the sleeping Aldans and picked up a couple pieces of wood for the fire. She used one to stir the coals to a brighter glow, then laid the firewood onto the red embers.
    Trusting them to begin burning, she made her way amongst the sleeping people again, this time to the opening in the cave wall that Pell had taught the Aldans to build. The wall enclosed their wide mouthed cave and kept it much warmer than it had been. Pushing aside the big leather flap they’d fashioned to cover the opening, Gia peered outside.
    The sun was rising on a white landscape.
    Snow!
    Gia’s heart skipped a beat. The leaves had turned colors, but most of them were still on the trees. To have snow so soon… Could this be a bad omen?
    Gia saw Pell standing at the right end of the ledge outside the Aldans’ cave. His wolf, Ginja, stood beside him. He absently scratched the wolf behind one ear. Gia went back into the cave to get her moccasins and leggings, as well as the fur blanket they’d been sleeping under. Noting that the two small logs she’d put on the fire had caught, she wrapped the fur blanket around herself and went out onto the shelf.
    Because of the snow, the world outside was completely silent. Gia quietly came up behind Pell and startled him by throwing her arms around him. “It’s a good thing I’m not a lion, I’d be eating well now.”
    The wolf licked Gia’s hand, and Pell tentatively put his arm around Gia, apparently still unsure of their relationship. “Are you warm enough?”
    “As long as I have your arm around me. Isn’t the snow beautiful?”
    There was a pause before Pell answered. “Yes, it’s beautiful… but deadly.” She felt him shake his head. He whispered, “And the Aldans are so unprepared.”
    Gia turned her head to look up at him. He’s handsome even when he’s looking sad, she thought. She slid a hand up around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. Gia had kissed several boys before Pell and found his fumbling uncertainty endearing. She suspected that he’d never kissed anyone else, but whether he’d had practice or not, she thought no one