Chapter 6: Nita

Life as he knew it was over. Not a word was spoken as they journeyed back to the pavilion, but he felt her eyes upon him as they walked. She seemed resigned to her fate and dutifully kept pace with him as he led the way.

It was early evening when they arrived, and he showed her into the large shelter. She looked about with widely curious eyes. He set her bundle on the wide cot and went to stoke the banked fire in the iron stove.

“This is your new home lass,” he chatted as he went about preparing a venison stew for their supper, “I will set you up with your own pallet tomorrow.”

He gathered a pot and placed it atop the stove before going to the larder and retrieving some vegetables and a slab of deer meat. He worked quickly and she stood nearby watching him intently, as he cut the meat up into small cubes and set it into the pot to sizzle. He added several herbs and seasonings and a wonderous smell began to fill the tent. Her belly rumbled loudly as he cut up and added several squash, carrots, and onions, before pouring in a healthy measure of water and covering the pot.

She followed him outside and watched him add a few logs to the burn pit before testing the water in the kettle. Moments later he handed her a steaming cup of tea, sweetened with a dollop of honey. She accepted it timidly and sat on a nearby log where he gestured. Pepper sat licking her chops from the generous portion of raw venison that she earned from her appreciative master.

“Nita,” he said, testing her name on his tongue. Her eyes darted up to his face and she fidgeted with her cup nervously. He leaned closer to her and inspected the bruises on her face. She was caked with dirt so he could not tell just how severe her cuts and scrapes were. He reached over to touch her cheek gently and she began shivering under his intense scrutiny.

“It’s okay girl,” he spoke softly to reassure her, “you need a good scrubbing before bed, but I think a full belly is more pressing at the moment.” He sat back wondering how much she understood. “I am Marcus.” he gestured to himself.

She nodded her head, “Cariba,” her voice was tiny. He guessed her age around 18 or 19 years. He was no judge of maternity issues but guessed she was at least 3 or 4 months into her pregnancy. Her shawl and skirt were worn and thin. Her soft moccasins had more holes than material and her tiny toes stuck out the tips. He bid her remain seated and rose to go rummage through his crates of supplies. He had many dresses and gowns that he had salvaged from the wreckage. He chose a simple gown that seemed about her size, as well as some ankle-length stockings and a newer pair of soft slippers. He took the bundle into the pavilion and set it near her other things. He gathered a robe, towel, and a brick of soap, and placed them on the pallet, with his own. He returned with two bowls filled with the steaming venison stew. She took her bowl eagerly and he handed her a spoon to eat with. She ate ravenously and he refilled her bowl twice before she was sated.

After they had eaten, he gathered the robes and bathing gear and led her across the grassy meadow to the small waterfall. She gaped open-mouthed as he stripped off his garments and stood under the frigid spray, washing himself thoroughly with soap and rag. He gestured for her to join him, and she hesitantly removed her clothing. She tentatively stepped towards the stream with her arms wrapped tightly around her chest.

“Come on lass,” he encouraged her, “it’s cold but it won’t hurt ya.”

She stepped side to side uncertainly and showed no sign of joining him. With a soft sigh, he reached over and grabbed her arm pulling her under the falling water. She screamed in outrage at the sudden shock and struggled to free herself from his grip. With a deep laugh, he began working soapy suds into her hair and rubbed the bar of soap up and down her back. He released her arm and handed her the soap while he scrubbed her head and scalp. Her dark expression humored him, and he stepped away from her with orders to wash herself well.

He turned to their clothes and began washing them on the rocks at their feet, glancing at her occasionally to make sure she was getting clean. Her petulance soon gave way to violent shivering as she hugged herself once more and looked at him imploringly. He rose and made sure her hair was rinsed well and then led her over to the warm pool and helped her to step in. She gasped in delight as she sank blissfully into the heated water letting the warmth seep into her frozen body. He joined her and inspected her face and arms again. She had a shallow cut on her right cheek and a fresh scrape on her chin. He lifted her and saw several bruises covering her breasts and swollen belly. She appeared calm under his scrutiny and did not appear embarrassed as he looked over her naked skin. She stood without bidding and let him continue his inspection.

He noted the sparsity of hair over her pubic region and armpits and wondered if this was normal or intended. He bid her to sink back into the hot pool and they savored the warmth for several more minutes before he climbed out and helped her to her feet as well. He helped her dry herself with the towel and then wrapped her in one of the thick robes before donning his own. He was aware of her eyes staring at his modest penis, but he shrugged. His manhood was average for his size, but it was probably impressive compared to the smaller men here. He led her back to the warm pavilion as darkness fell and hung their damp garments to dry.

Moving a stool closer to the stove he had her sit before him as he gently pulled a comb through her long hair. Despite her misgivings about his handling of her at the stream, she savored the wonderful sensation of his soft strokes along her scalp and shoulders. She closed her eyes and hummed softly to herself as he worked every tangle from her locks. When he was finished, he showed her the short gown and stockings and held the slippers to her feet to ensure they would fit.

Leading her to the pallet he pulled aside the covers and gestured for her to climb in. She hesitantly removed her robe and crawled across the bed to the far side burrowing under the blankets. He pulled them over her and turned to his footlocker where he grabbed another blanket and prepared his sleeping spot on the floor.

“Cariba, no,” she called to him anxiously. He glanced over to her, and she patted the bed beside her. “You here,” she pleaded, “here.”

With a sigh, he turned back and removed his robe before joining her under the covers. He lay on his back, and she hesitantly scooted closer to him, pressing herself against him for additional warmth. Not to be left out, the industrious wolf pup leaped onto the bed and plopped herself down, curling into a ball at Nita’s feet where there was still plenty of room.

He awoke early the next morning to the pleasant sensation of Nita’s small warm body pressed into his back. She snored quietly in her sleep, and he enjoyed the feeling of her soft breasts pressed against his shoulders. He looked down and saw Pepper sprawled out on her back with her head hanging off the foot of the bed.

Rising quietly, he dressed quickly and stepped outside to take care of his morning needs. The stove quickly caught with some fresh tinder, and he set his kettle to boil. Pepper slid lazily to her feet and made her way outside while he put some yeast and honey in a copper bowl with warm water to start. He had ground several scoops of flour the evening before and in short order he fashioned a large ball of dough which he put aside to rise. He turned at a sound and saw Nita sitting cross-legged on the bed with the blankets bundled around her. Pepper lay stretched out beside her.

“Good morning,” he smiled at her and was rewarded with the first smile he had ever seen from her. He took her a steaming cup of tea and she accepted it timidly, exposing as little of herself to the cool air, as possible.

“I am going to begin preparing a spot for a permanent cabin,” he said, uncertain how much she understood, “I will be going into the woods to select the logs. If I can get enough trees felled and gathered through the winter,” he sipped his tea, “I can begin building it come Spring.”

Once the dough had risen, he formed it into four smaller balls and spaced them evenly atop a flat stone he set over the metal rail on the stove. He set a square pot upside down over the dough and went about preparing the rest of their breakfast. Nita eventually rose and quickly dressed herself in the fresh clothes he provided her. He helped her with the waist tie and showed her how to wear the stockings and the slippers. He combed her hair once more and gave her the tool to keep. He emptied one of the footlockers and indicated she could place her belongings in it.

After they ate breakfast, she followed him about the camp and watched his every action as he went about his chores. She helped him gather firewood and water and cleaned the dishes and utensils from their meal. When he went down to the river to attend to the three deer skins he had soaking in the ash/brain/urine mess—she eagerly took over the rinsing and wringing, stripping out of her clothing quickly and wading into the frigid water. He stood dumbfounded and impressed. He admired her body and found himself getting aroused by her nakedness. Her arms and legs were thin and muscular, and her ribs were sticking out, but he could see the youthful beauty in her. With a single washing and a few combings, her hair was already lustrous and shining. With more good food and rest, he was certain she would fill out and thrive.

He left her to her work and walked back to the pavilion and the site right next to it where he decided to build the cabin. It was even closer to the stream and hot spring. From the front porch, he would be able to oversee the meadow/farm and the river below. He paced off the rough dimensions and then went to retrieve some tools to help him lay it out.

Approaching the river, he heard her sweet voice singing a song he did not understand. He found her squatting over his scraping log, using a crude rock to scrape the hide. She stopped her song in surprise as he approached and inspected what she was doing. He frowned at her tool and cursed himself for his lack of foresight. He took the rock from her and beckoned her to dress and join him. She quickly washed in the chilly water and pulled her dress on before moving to his side.

He led her back to the camp and began showing her the different crates and their contents. Rummaging through the gear he found a smaller belt and placed it around her bulging waist. It had plenty of length to expand as she grew. He also grabbed her a curved knife with a long blade and a leather sheath that he attached to the belt. Last he gave her a short-handled axe identical to the one they used for collecting firewood. She gaped at the precious treasures, astonished, and he led her back to the river inviting her to try using her knife to scrape the hair from the hide. She grinned at the results, and he showed her an alternative method using the head of the axe. She quickly shed her dress and placed the belt and knife reverently atop it. He smiled as he returned to the cache of gear.

With a heavy spade, mallet, stakes, and a coil of rope, he was able to line out the rectangular perimeter of his floor plan and dig out the foundation ditch. He determined the location of his fireplace and dug an even deeper pit for the base stones. By midafternoon he returned to the pavilion and found Nita busying herself collecting more firewood. Pepper had alternated between the two of them all day and was currently sprawled out across the ground near the outdoor fire ring. They ate a small meal of dried fish and shared a loaf of bread. He delighted her with a handful of sweet, dried fruits and they sat together enjoying a cup of tea.

She surprised him by suddenly dropping to her knees in front of him and looking deeply into his eyes while she placed both her hands over her heart. She spoke several strange words to him, thick with emotion and he reached down to wipe a tear from her eye, before lifting her to stand over him. He gazed evenly into her soft brown eyes and smiled. “It’s okay love,” he said softly, “you are welcome.” He held her hands and squeezed them before letting her go, rising to his feet. “I am going to go up the hill a ways and start marking trees,” he said as he indicated the woods, “you may come with me or stay and rest.”