Page 18 of Caveman Alien's Heat
Before I can ask what he means, he scoops me up in his arms.
I gasp as my feet leave the ground and I start to grasp what he’s planning. “Oh but you see now this is really truly crazyyyyaaaieeee!”
Nator’ax doesn't answer. He just runs up and jumps.
The leap across the narrow gap is quick and effortless. One moment we’re on one side, the next we land smoothly on the other. His strong arms dampen the impact for me.
The Big roars behind us, then slowly turns tail and lumbers away the same way it came.
“Very smart Big,” Nator’ax says with satisfaction. “It knows it’s outmatched. And there’s no need for us to kill it. We have much better food from the turkeys.”
“That’s right. Um.” I realize he’s still holding me. And he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to put me down. His arms are strong and warm around me, even through the layers of fur. I feel ridiculously small against his chest, like I weigh nothing at all. Which I guess I probably don't to an eight-foot-tall caveman alien built like a tank.
“You can put me down,” I say after a moment.
He keeps walking. “I’m sure I can, thank you. Yes.”
I don't exactly mind this mode of transport. The glacier wind bites at my face, but tucked against him like this, I’m surprisingly warm. I can feel the steady rhythm of his breathing, the solid strength in the arms carrying me. It's nice. In fact, it’s very nice in a way that surprises me. Not just because he smells great, and because his stripes have a suede-like texture to them, or because he’s carrying me in a way where he’s not touching anything inappropriate, just nearly. No, it’s because of him. I really like him. He could have exploded after I fiddled with the saucer and pretty much stranded us here. But he hasn’t said a word of blame, only been helpful, and kind, and strong. I can learn to like that. As in,reallylike it.
By the time the silver curve of the saucer appears again between the ice walls, the Big has finally stopped following us.
Nator’ax carries me all the way back to the crevice where the ship lies tilted against the ice. Only then does he stop and look around. “No dangers nearby.”
“Set me down?” I suggest. “But first…” I pull his head to me and give him a little kiss on his icy cold cheek. “Thank you.”
He carefully sets me down. “You’re very welcome, Riley.”
He looks toward the fire we built earlier. The melted ice has barely changed. The saucer is still stuck exactly where it was.
“Well,” I sigh. “That didn't work either.”
“And we didn’t expect it,” he reminds me. “The ice is too cold to melt, even with fire. Unless the fire were extremely big and warm. And there’s not enough wood in that forest for that, I think. And anyway, it doesn’t burn that hot. We’d need oil—ah.”
“Oil from a Big,” I finish his thought. “Those Bigs have much oil.”
He stares after the escaping dino, clearly thinking of following it.
“No,” I tell him, with a hand on his chest. “I need you here. For safety. My safety.”
He shrugs. “All right. I wasn’t looking forward to fight a Big that size.”
We finish eating the rest of the roasted alien-turkeys while the pale sun slowly sinks toward the jagged ice horizon. The meat is still good, though a little cold now.
Night comes early on the glacier. We retreat into the tilted saucer as the temperature drops and the wind begins to howl through the crevice. Inside, the soft blue light of the walls glowsfaintly around us. I deliberately avoid looking at the Plood locker.
The furs are warm. And Nator’ax is even warmer. I wonder where he gets the heat. I press close to him under the furs, pretending it's only because of the cold.
He shifts slightly beside me. “Riley,” he rumbles, making my softest parts tremble pleasantly.
“What?”
“You're very close.”
I wiggle my butt closer to him. “Maybe I enjoy be close. Did you think of that?”
He groans softly. “I have sworn an oath.”
“You have?”
