Reborn

Chapter Thirty-Six

The evening meal with everyone was eventful, with everyone talking happily about what happened that day and making plans for the next.

Jayce very happily showed off the shoes to Edmund, who properly admired the hard work while he started cooking the meat for the evening meal. He was still as serious and diligent as before, but he quietly listened as Jayce spoke, carefully paying attention to each word and saying a word himself when it was necessary.

Anala showed hers off rather nonchalantly to Owen. He pretended to not see at first until she finally stomped a foot in frustration at him with the shoes on. Only then did he 'see' the shoes and praised her about their craftmanship until Anala's little nose was high in the air with pride.

The three boys were off playing another sticks game off to the side and laughing and shouting at each other in their competitiveness.

Kane had slipped away once more without saying much to anyone, only saying that he would be back soon. Lewis sat on the log beside Renee, asking more about her plant knowledge. At one point Kane returned with a large flat stone. He brought it over to Renee and Lewis.

"Does this one work?" He asked Renee.

Renee was taken by surprise at his question, and even more so at the fact that he had brought a flat stone. She stood up and looked at it for a moment, studying it carefully before she looked back up at him.

"It's... for us?" She asked, her head tilted slightly, and her brows wrinkled.

Kane merely nodded once and set it closely to the fire so it would heat up. "We found some eggs again. I remembered you cooked them this way last time. Didn't you say you'd make them again?"

She hadn't actually. She pursed her lips, half ready to refute him, but then hesitated. This should be the last time. She knew she shouldn't take advantage of his kindness again, but if she accepted this stone and the eggs, then she could make him the eggs one last time to say thanks for everything he's done for them. It took her several moments of hesitating to make her decision.

"Is it clean?" She finally asked.

Kane didn't even pause as he kept his head down, hiding a small smile that rose on his lips, before nodding. "Cleaned."

"Oh." She responded. She watched as he moved over to the fur that was piled with the meat they had received for their evening meal and pulled out a piece with a lot of fat. He cleanly cut it off with his knife and held it out to her.

"You need the fat, right? For... what did you call it?" Kane asked.

"I called it oil, though that's technically incorrect." Renee responded. "The solid fat melts as it cooks and makes a liquid form, this liquid can be used to cook other things to add flavor or to make sure they don't stick to whatever you are using to cook them with... in this case the flat stone."

"Hmmm." Kane responded. He watched interestedly as she took the fat from him and placed it on the stone, letting it slowly get up to heat.

"Alec," She called. "Go get me a pair of those chopsticks?"

Before he could respond, Kane spoke up. "Don't trouble the boy, I can get it. Where are they?"

"Oh..." Renee blinked for a moment before her brow wrinkled in thought. "In the tepee. They should be in my wooden bowl I think, by the door. Bring the bowl too, please?"

Kane merely nodded and went over to enter the tepee. He was able to find them easily enough, but when he stood up to leave, he watched as Lewis stepped in. He paused and frowned, waiting for Lewis to say what he had very obviously followed him to say.