Page 70 of Earthbound

‘Furi, we need to get up, it’s midday.’

The queen rolled over. ‘No. Comfy.’

Yeeran saw something move in the corner of her vision. She instinctively reached for her drum before she realised the shadow was just the cat. Its prey hung limp in its mouth.

‘That’s a very big mouse, little cat,’ she said.

The animal dashed forward, depositing the mouse on Furi’s back as an offering.

‘Oh, that’s not a mouse, that’s a rat.’

Furi made a sound Yeeran had never heard her utter before. It was a cross between a scream and a yelp.

‘Did you say rat?’ Furi said, jumping up. The dead creature fell to the floor with a thump.

The cat slunk away, annoyed that its hunt hadn’t been well received. Furi shuddered, clawing at where the rat had touched her skin.

Yeeran couldn’t stop laughing. ‘I told you it was time to get up.’

‘I didn’t realise that the alternative was to be accosted by dead things.’ Furi’s voice was higher pitched than usual and it made Yeeran laugh all the more.

As she wiped at her tears, Furi stilled.

‘What is it?’ All mirth had gone from her face.

‘The rat, it looks strange.’

Yeeran had seen many rats in her life. The Bleeding Field was rife with them. But this one was not like any she had seen before. Its mouth was blackened with decay, its eyes, now unseeing, were shot through with blood.

‘It looks diseased,’ Yeeran said. ‘Is that normal?’

Furi shrugged. ‘It’s rare that a serious disease enters Mosima. We have our share of illnesses but they tend to cycle through the seasons.’

Rayan is looking for you, Pila said. Yeeran relayed this to Furi.

‘Yes, we should probably get dressed and head back to the palace.’

The extent of all that had befallen yesterday flooded Yeeran’s mind. Her mood immediately plummeted.

‘Motogo and Malak will have missed their meeting time with the other chieftains by now,’ she said bleakly. ‘They’ll know they’re not returning.’

‘Yes. I hope all the obeah have made it back to Mosima.’

‘Me too,’ Yeeran said. Her thoughts went to Lettle on the other side of the world. At least she was safe, away from all of this.

Then she remembered Afa. She dropped her head into her hands.

‘What is it?’ Furi asked.

‘I am sick with worry. The coalition, Lettle, Afa, Rayan, Malak…’ Yeeran pointed to the rat and added miserably, ‘Even that rat. There’s so much to worry about.’

‘I know, but we must look at it a part at a time.’ Furi’s smile turned mocking. ‘And forget about the rat, it’s already dead.’

Yeeran gave her a weak smile in return.

‘I do have another solution,’ Furi said, weaving her arms around Yeeran’s waist. She was still naked, and Yeeran appreciated the feel of her skin on hers.

‘Hmm, and what solution is that?’