Jenny and the Beasts

18. End of a Season, Start of Another

2/2 updates for August 14, 2022.

 Once the heavy rains quit, the cooler weather started rolling in. Jenny eventually went back to an almost normal routine. Not. The men were too worried about her pregnancy for that, so Jenny created a new normal routine. It was too cold to bathe in the river, so water was brought to her and heated. Jenny didn't want a cold and Winston did not struggle with the weight of the bathtub filled with water, so she did not insist on anything else.

Her family tended to go overboard, so Jenny had to remind them that exercise was great for both her and her baby. She was no invalid and did not plan to sit around for the whole pregnancy. Still, the men rarely let her do work. They began their preparations for the cold season and Jenny resigned herself to some level of boredom.

Jenny glanced over at the sleeping Sieg and recalled how she this arrangement came about. Winston was on an extended hunt for energy crystals and Sieg was playing guardian. 'Playing' because he made no real promises other than sticking around. He slept in front of the fire most of the time. The colder weather was clearly getting to him.

Surprisingly, Jenny didn't mind that much. Sieg was the definition of laid back. She would even go so far as to call him lazy. He never picked fights or even responded to provocation. Unless someone attacked him, he pretty much ignored them. It was a wonder how he gained so many stripes with that cavalier attitude of his.

"Hmm?" Sieg lazily opened an eye and questioned her. Feeling emboldened by his mild demeanor, Jenny decided to ask.

"How did you gain your stripes?" Jenny asked. It wasn't a big deal if he didn't answer her, she was just curious.

"Fought and won," he mumbled and Jenny sighed.

"Yes, well... I hope you don't take this offensively, but you don't seem like someone looking for fights," Jenny added.

"I don't. They come to me," shrugged Sieg.

Jenny felt like rolling her eyes. Considering how he has acted up until now, Jenny could definitely see that. He goes where he pleases and doesn't care what others think of him. Thinking about it, he does act brazenly, but he was not mentioned in the novel.

"Have you been in the city for long?" Jenny was trying to make small talk while solving the small mystery. Mestor glanced at her and she lifted an eyebrow. He was practically their roommate and darn it, she was curious.

"No," Sieg said.

"Oh..." Jenny felt that this was hard. The guy clearly wasn't used to elaborating. "Where were you planning to go?" Jenny asked. She couldn't imagine him having plans to stay in the city, but maybe he did.

"Down the river. When it ends, find another river," Sieg said with a yawn.

"You were going to go after cold season?" Jenny pushed for a little more conversation.

"No," Sieg stared. "I would've been down river by now. Somewhere warmer where I do not need to hibernate as long."

Jenny thought about that. She didn't feel overwhelmingly guilty. Sieg stuck around on his own and could leave if he wanted to. She really didn't think he would do something if he really thought it was a hassle, but she wasn't someone who liked to use others either.

They spoke until Sieg quit responding. Jenny looked over to find him asleep. Jenny and Mestor spoke in hushed tones for awhile after. One thing they learned about the sleeping gator is that he could tune out most things.