the ISLE

Tiger, Tiger

"Nuri, can you hear me?" His deep voice echoed down the rocky slope at the valley entrance. "I need your help!"

She appeared immediately, lifting a hand to shade her eyes. The sun was just beginning to creep over the edges of the valley walls and Jack had been gone several hours now on a pre-dawn hunt.

"I have something big! I need you to help me guide it down!" His shout carried to her and Nuri waved her arms in answer, signaling she was ready.

His hunt had proved fruitful. Just before dawn, he had killed several tapirs feeding in a dense thicket. Bleeding them had attracted a huge reptile that looked like something out of ancient fairytales of sea monsters and dragons. Noting the thick, scaly skin, Lantern had decided to add the massive lizard to his cache. It was well past time to have fresh clothing, as his britches were threadbare and dangerously close to simply disintegrating. It had not gone unnoticed that Nuri was careful not to move around too much in his presence, her mid-thigh tunic worn and inconveniently ripped.

Using a line they had made to lower each animal down one at a time, Nuri guided the carcasses when they came within reach, settling them to the ground before untying the loop for the next one. When at last Lantern reached the valley, she was practically dancing for joy.

"Look at all this food! Geluj and Zuja Puvejw! We have so much!" Her English had improved, and she delighted in reminding Jack of her progress. His answering smile always encouraged her to keep learning.

"It's not only for food, Nuri. We're about to start walking around naked." She blushed but giggled, nodding her head.

"I know. This will be plenty to make what coverings we need. You provide so well for us, Jack."

"Keeps me out of trouble," his grin was teasing. "I'd like to help you make our clothing,"

She looked as if she could not believe what he'd said though she studiously avoided his eyes.

"No, that is not fitting! You did the hunting, I will prepare it. That is my place."

"Nuri, that's a lot of work, and I can help. I was doing very well before you came..." The instant those words were out he wanted to bite them back. She looked crushed. "I didn't mean it like that-"

"You do so much for us, and I am capable of doing my part to repay you. Why will you not let me?"

"I only meant that you don't have to do the work alone." Lifting his hands, Jack attempted to explain. "I can help you, and I want to. Try to understand."

"This is how I earn my place at your fire, how I show you how much I appreciate your kindness to me," she protested. "Let me do what I know how. Please, Jack,"

This was becoming a more heated issue than he'd intended so Lantern let Nuri have her way. Obviously, this was important to her and he wanted her to be happy, so if hard work is what it took, then why not? It was not as if he'd been sitting around listlessly. His back muscles ached to prove his point.

"If that's what you want,"

Dropping his weapons near his bedding to remind him to clean them later, he went to wash off. Nuri had found some sort of plant that acted almost like soap, so he took one with him and hit the water. Washing thoroughly, Jack scrubbed every inch of his body and washed out his hair, which hung well past his shoulders in heavy locks. Picking up his long knife from the sand, he carefully took hold of his hair and sliced through it, working meticulously around his head. Long sections lay around his feet by the time he was done. Leaving the water to kneel by a still pool, he used the reflection to carefully shave his face and neck until the skin was smooth.