Journey's Night

They didn't take the time to set up tents for the night and Drindl offered to take first watch so that they could keep the fire going. Erthen had slept during the day and wasn't sleepy. Fallon kept the egg pouch and Alithea snuggled with the young child until he quieted.

Later in the night, Alithea shook Fallon awake. "My watch?" he whispered.

"No, Drindl is relieving himself," she whispered back. "I can hear him." Fallon closed his eyes again to sleep. "He'll get infected." Her voice was insistent as she shook him awake again.

"What are you talking about?" Fallon asked as he shifted the pouch at his waist and turned to face the sky. There was a small moon that night but the stars shone. "It's natural, especially for a warrior in musth."

"The Zeti fly will be attracted to his seed," she said. They were little specks of dust and they hung in small clouds near rivers and lakes in the valleys.

"He's swaddled. The flies can't get to him," Fallon whispered as he drifted back asleep.

"They are in the fur on his hands," Alithea reminded him. She was not going to let this go. Fallon felt his own hands but they just felt dirty. "We didn't wash tonight like we normally do." Erthen stirred, then nuzzled against Alithea. As he went silent, Fallon became aware of the sound of Drindl. He was away from the fire so that he would not disturb the others. Fallon remembered the hungry urges when he was Drindl's age.

"I'll wake Alpen. Drindl is his bantam," Fallon said. He gently folded the bed covering away so that Erthen would not be disturbed.

She checked his motion. She reached somewhere into the darkness, then produced a large bala leaf. "I found these by the river. I will coat it with my juice. That will kill the Zeti flies. Tell Drindl not to use too much pressure."

"How do you know this?" Fallon asked.

"I know," Alithea said.

Of course. Why did he ask? He undid the egg pouch and gave it to Alithea, then took the curled leaf from her. She whispered again to be gentle. He rose and walked with the ghost warrior gait to the large rock where Drindl was.
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In the pale starlight, Drindl did not notice Fallon until he was a few feet away. He jumped up in surprise, his night shirt gathered about his chest. "Is it your watch already?" he stammered.

The night air was cold and Drindl didn't notice. Musth, for sure. Fallon kept his voice low. "Alithea says the Zeti fly is on your hands. They will be attracted to your seed and lay their eggs on you. You'll get sick." Drindl looked down at himself. "She said to give you this." He held out the leaf to Drindl. "Put it around you and gently rub. Gently, she said. It will kill the Zeti flies." The smell of Drindl's musth was strong enough for even Fallon to smell it, and evoked strong memories.

Drindl did not take the leaf and Fallon brought his arm down. He hesitated. A warrior in musth can hear only his own blood pounding. If Drindl got Zeti sickness, they would have to leave him behind. "Here, I'll show you." He unfurled the leaf, being careful not to spill Alithea's paste. He wrapped it around Drindl's swollenness and gently moved to and fro. "Like this. Gently, Alithea said." Drindl gasped at the touch, then curled his two hands around Fallon's hand. "Too much?" Fallon asked.

"No," Drindl moaned. Together they moved.

Fallon could feel the young warrior's body tense. He withdrew his hand so that Drindl could hold the leaf himself. "Gently, slowly," Fallon reminded him as the warrior's hand moved more quickly. He started to back away but Drindl held his forearm and let out a small cry into the darkness.

Fallon stood still as Drindl's hand quieted and his breath slowed. "What should I do with the leaf?" he asked in a trembling voice.

"Alithea didn't say. Leave it on the ground," Fallon said. "You all right?" He could barely see Drindl's head nod. "Don't tell Alpen. He's your mentor, not me. We can't have you getting sick. Until we get to the southern highlands, you'll need to scrub your hands before pleasuring yourself." Fallon turned to go, then added, "I'll go lie down again then take next watch. Wake me when the fire is low."

"Thanks for looking out for me," Drindl said. He looked down at the leaf in his hand. "Tell Alithea thanks also." He let the leaf fall, and picked up the loin cloth from the ground.