"They have none of that. You've been crazed by them." Sharillia drew the girl against her great belly. "Stay with M'ma, baby. I'll keep you safe."

"But, M'ma, I'm tired of being cold and hungry." Olitti tugged on her mother's sleeve. "They want to help."

"Listen to her," called Archell from behind Kaelan. "Olitti speaks truth."

"Truth as it suits your mistresses." Sharillia's two youngest bawled and clung to her skirts.

"You're distressing your babies." Jewel searched Kaelan's face for what to do, but Kaelan showed no emotion, something Jewel knew meant her broadback was thinking.

"I'm protecting them from predators." Sharillia lunged again. Olitti jumped forward when she did, knocking the poker away. "Litti!" Sharillia pulled her beside her brothers.

"Shame on you, M'ma." Olitti spanked her mother's backside. "Jewel don't want to hurt us."

"Raskhallak help me!" Sharillia began backing into her cave shelter, pushing and pulling her children with her. "Don't follow me!" She cried. "I've a sword inside!"

"We've no intention of pursuing you." Kaelan turned away. "And if we'd wanted to slave or eat you then we'd have already done so. It's your decision. If you change your mind, Olitti knows where we are. Archell and Rankil, please go assist Myrla. Gather some fresh wood on your way. We'll be along shortly. It's a clear day so Jewel and I are going to enjoy the walk."

"Kaelan?" Jewel peered back at Sharillia's victorious expression. "Are we really going to leave them to the elements?"

"Course not." Kaelan whispered, urging her forward. "But, we can't make the mother feel she's being coerced."

"Then what do we do?"

"Let's get out of her sight, and I'll show you." Once behind a knot of high shrubs, Kaelan paused. He face twisted with devious intent, she turned to Jewel.

"Kae?"

"Shhh," Kaelan closed her eyes. "Listen."

"What?"

"Just listen."

Jewel turned her ear toward the Autlachs' inadequate quarters. A small child's whine rose from the cave. It was a pitiful cry, one for food that was beyond a mother's bearing. Kaelan popped open one eye and smiled. "Wanna help?"

"Why, Kaelan!" Jewel grinned. "You're decisively corrupt."

"No more than you, lover." A second, higher pitched whine rose, discordant with the first. Olitti's wail, which needed no encouragement, completed the trio.

"Now, this is something Raskhallak's witches would do," whispered Jewel as she overwhelmed young Flynne's mind with hunger pangs. "How long do we keep this up?"

"Not long." Kaelan was already tapering Paelu to a whimper. "The children's minds are fragile. We'll repeat it in a few hours if need be."

"If she is any kind of a mother another episode won't be necessary." Jewel backed her presence until only Olitti's cries were audible. And, after a moment, those ceased as well. "I'd so hoped it'd work."

"Fright can overwhelm judgment." Kaelan took her arm. "Our own children will be concerned if we don't return soon."

"Very well." Jewel walked beside her broadback. "Should we gather some wood on the way?"

"Wouldn't hurt." They were near their cavern, their arms laden with branches when Olitti's joyous cry pierced the crisp air.

"Jewel! Kaewan! Wait! M'ma's coming. She wants to talk to you."

Sharillia's children were a rambunctious lot, into everything and full of questions, their mother quite content to let them explore while she rested. On occasion, she helped with the easier meal preparations, discussing her life and lost Taelach children as she worked beside Jewel.

"Raskhallak says the pale-skinned babes are punishment for our sins." She shaped dough into loaves of quick bread.

"How could a helpless infant be a punishment?" Jewel lifted the loaves onto a long-handled paddle.

"A white hair is a scar, evidence of our disobedience of his requirements." Sharillia, ignoring Jewel's glare, began shaping another loaf. "I've yet to figure out what I've done to deserve three."

"What happened to the other babies?" Jewel almost dropped the paddle when she saw the Autlach's sunken expression. "You didn't?"

"Me? No!" Sharillia touched her stomach. "Taelach or not, I could never kill my own child."

"Then where are they?"

Sharillia pounded the dough, flattening a hole through the middle. "Longpass," she whispered. "He took them before I ever saw them. Punched me when he saw the first one, whipped me on the birth bed 'cause of the second. He would've killed me when he saw this one."

"How do you know you're bearing another Taelach?" Jewel drew the kneading board from Sharillia's trembling hands and began to reshape the loaf. "I've never heard of a woman bearing two Taelachs, much less three."

"Taelach babies are always moving. They never rest." Sharillia drew Jewel's flour-covered hands to her abdomen. "Or do I miss my guess?"

"No." Jewel smiled when the tiny body pushed against her hand. "She's Taelach. I sensed it on our first meeting." A second, stronger vibration responded to her mental touch. "What are you planning to do?"

Sharillia sniffed and arched her back against the baby's sudden roll. "She wouldn't have any kind of life with me. You want her?"

"You say that like you're disposing of garbage." Fearful her emotions would stress the fetus, Jewel removed her hand from the Autlach's stomach. She'd been hoping the offer would be made, but now felt Sharillia considered the child dispensable. "Of course we'll take the child. What other choice do we have?"

"About as much as I do about being here."

"You've the option to leave at any time."

"And go where?" Sharillia looked to where her children were clustered around Myrla, listening to a Taelach folk tale. "My children come first."

"Glad to hear we agree on something." An uneasy silence fell between them as they completed the baking. Then Jewel, after bidding Sharillia to return to bed, ventured to the livestock chamber. Kaelan was cleaning the nassies' triangular hooves, her pick scraping one of the packer's bars. She looked up at Jewel and smiled, happy to hear the ringing laughter drifting from the family cavern.

"The children are doing well."

"They're fine," Jewel sighed. "It's Sharillia that concerns me."

Kaelan dropped the hoof wedged between her knees. "What has she said now? Rankil stays so livid I'm surprised she hasn't asked to sleep out here."

"It's not what she's said, it's how she said it."

Kaelan tossed the pick into an empty bucket and drew Jewel into her arms. "What did she say to disturb you, love? Whatever it is, we'll fix it."

"She offered us the child."

"And this upsets you?" Kaelan stared at her mate. "I thought you wanted the babe."

"I do." Jewel pushed her head into the hollow of Kaelan's shoulder. "She offered like the baby was a burden, garbage. Why do Aut women think such a way? I'd give anything to bear a child." She shuddered as Kaelan pushed a comforting, calming phase.

I know you would, Jewel, and as much as I would adore seeing you in that fashion, it will simply never be. Jewel tightened her hold in response. Does it matter how the child comes to us?

No, it's just that- You're a little jealous of biological differences you can't control?

More than a little. Jewel's grudging admission broke the phase. "Is Rankil still having problems with Sharillia?"

"I'm afraid so." Kaelan lingered in her embrace. "They can't agree on anything. Anything!"

"Sharillia provokes it."

"Rankil doesn't help matters by taking offense at everything she says." Kaelan brushed flour from Jewel's sleeve. "Though I do appreciate the way she stopped Sharillia from picking on Myrla."

"Archell had a hand in that as well. He reminded our guest her behavior could land her in the cold without her children."

"Congratulations, Archell." Kaelan laughed. "It's good to hear he's got backbone when required."

"And Rankil can have too much." Jewel grinned. "Did you see-?"

"Her take Myrla's hand at the evening fire?" Kaelan returned her lover's smile. "I suppose it's time I versed her on proper behavior."

"So you're opposed to it?" Jewel's pale face drew in mild surprise. "Remember how my raisers tried to keep our relationship supervised until I came of age?"

"And we sneaked around to do more than we should, didn't we?" Kaelan's face warmed with memory.

"Yes, but-"

"Want them to do the same?"

"No, but Rankil is younger than you were."

"Rankil is mentally older than I was at eighteen. It came to her out of necessity. She's no child, and she adores Myrla."

"But, Kae," sputtered Jewel. "Myrla is-"

"Like her mama-intelligent and highly aware for her age." Kaelan held up her hand. "And you must remember that Rankil was raised under Aut standards. You've had many birthers her age and younger. We have to give some allowances for such things." She caressed Jewel's face. "I'm not saying we allow them to do whatever they take the notion to. I say we give simple recognition to their emotions-holding hands, time together at the fireside, an occasional kiss without fear of retribution."

"A kiss?"

"Yes, my love, a kiss like this." Kaelan's lips brushed her cheek. "Not like this," then bent her back in an engulfing, body-feeling taste. "Notice the difference?"

"Just a little," Jewel pushed from Kaelan's eager embrace. "Behave. We must set a good example."

"So, we're back to sneaking around?" Kaelan retrieved her pick.

"Of course not. But we must demonstrate acceptable affection in front of the children. We're their only influence at present." Jewel glanced at the winter sun that crept into the cavern. "Rankil should be back soon, shouldn't she?"

"Hey now, steady on." Kaelan grasped the resistant nassie's hoof a little tighter. "Stubborn beast. I can't pull the pebble from that split without a little discomfort. Yes, she should be back any time. Game's becoming scarce for the best of hunters. She's had to expand her snares to keep up with the added demand." Kaelan flicked the intruding rock from the animal's foot and greased the hoof to prevent further splitting. "Can't have our packers going lame." The speckled-rump nassie gave an agreeing snort and nuzzled into Jewel's outstretched hand, lips reaching to nibble her tunic cuff.

"Watch your fingers. This one bites. Ask Archell."

"This one drew the knot on his back?" Jewel shied from the creature's wild gaze. "Not gelded, is he?"

"Nope. I'm hoping to breed him to the milker as soon she finishes weaning the colt."

"You're going to halter break it?" Jewel retreated to the gentler milker, stroking the grateful animal between the ears.

"No. Rankil is."

Jewel nodded. Serpent tradition bid the breaker of a nassie became its owner. "You're helping her build a base for Myrla's sake, aren't you?"

"We all need a helping hand at the start. Eeham provided me with two colts when I pursued you. Rankil deserves the same opportunity."

"I thought you won those colts in a foot race."

Kaelan blushed as she was caught in misinformation. "I was trying to impress you. Leonor had won three and had given you a gold bracelet. I was desperate."

"Leonor got the bracelet shoved up her fat nose when she got too fresh," said Jewel. "Acknowledging Rankil's affections will make some see Myrla as grown. Rankil may not be up to the competition when the others arrive."

"I don't know if I'd call it a romance." Kaelan hung the pick and joined Jewel by the milker. "Neither one of them are ready for that. I'd call their relationship a close friendship."

"The first sounded better to me." Rankil stepped into the cavern. Snow had driven deep into the folds of her head wrap. She held out two slim hoppers and a long, black-bellied tree snake known for its succulent meat. "Hunting's thin."

Jewel took the game. "We'll make do. And do you truly know what our recognition of your intentions means?"

"It means you know I want to be with Myrla when we both come of age." Rankil shook the ice from her cloak. "I'll do whatever you want. Just let me be by her side until then."

"We're talking about two passes until Myrla comes of age," reminded Kaelan. "Two sounded like forever to you a while back. You have the patience?"

"An endless amount where she's concerned."

"But do you have enough self-control?" asked Jewel. "Announcing affections means you can't explore yourself with the older, single gentlewomen when you come of age. It's generally how a broadback perfects her pleasure phase." She peered hard at Kaelan, who looked away.

Rankil held her head high in conviction. A discussion of sex was not what she had wanted to stumble into. Her emotions, while they commonly lingered on intimate thoughts, went further than the physical and phase. She wanted to be Myrla's confidant and defender. "If she can wait, so can I."

"Can't argue with that." Kaelan clasped Rankil's hand. "You've got my permission." Her hand then landed on Rankil's shoulder, where she squeezed hard. "Within certain guidelines befitting your ages, the first being she agrees."

"I think I can vouch for her," said Jewel.

"Second," continued Kaelan, "your actions will stay polite and tasteful." Kaelan leaned close. "In other words, suitor Rankil, you misbehave, and I'll see to your personal misery."

Kaelan had succeeded in taming Rankil for she shifted her feet and smiled sheepishly. "Anything else?"

"I've a few questions." Myrla stepped around the corner laughing, and flew into Rankil's arms to kiss her cheek. "First, the bread is done. I pulled it from the heat. Second, does this mean I can wear a headscarf and, third, how long does a fifth birthing take? Sharillia's water just broke."