Fallow

T W O

The flames licked towards the night sky, and I was glad that the warmth was strong tonight. I spotted Lionel and Jayne sitting together, eating their portion of meat given by Arrow and the beans they brought from their own hut. I was sitting a little ways away from my father and Ophre, who were eating a little bit of beans and greenery, along with the meat from Arrow.

I, after being granted permission, was allowed a little of Arrow's meat as well. I was disappointed that my own catch was not being served until the next village dinner, but it was only right.

I could hear my father speaking to Ophre about what they needed to gather the following day. Nothing of interest to me. Looking around the fire, I spotted the blacksmith and his youngest wife, Durra, eating together. Durra, who had been thanked by Arrow for the knife, was giving the blacksmith her divine attention. I studied the way her lips moved in response to the gruff man, and found myself wishing for the comfort of confiding in a partner.

The wish bled away, and I realized that I would not be married for a while. As a hunter, I was expected to give a Hunter's Blessing to a suitable apprentice before I married, and no child of the village was of age. I had at least two years until I could even think of being married, and the child of question was already proven to be great with a spear. He would be chosen to be on fishing expeditions, something that was not of my domain.

"Fallow," A low voice greeted, and I looked up to see Arrow's blue eyes capturing the light of the fire.

"Arrow, do sit." I greeted, turning my body slightly away from my father. I was sure that this was caught by my father and Ophre, but they did not seem to mind.

Arrow sat with his own bowl of meat and beans, with a dash of greenery and some fruits as well. Of course, as the prized hunter, he would eat fruits during the village dinner. He lived in luxury, something I was ready to step into when he stepped down.

"I saw you wandering with Ashe," Arrow began, and I felt my stomach clenching again. Lionel's earlier words floated back into my head, and I recalled the look in his eyes clearly. "Is there something going on between the two of you?"

"Ashe-" I referred to his last name, hoping that Arrow would catch on that I was being formal with my friend's name, "-and I were simply going out to visit the mother wolf and her pups."

Arrow nodded, and I had to wonder what was going on in his head. "That's good. How do her pups look?"

I was surprised by his interest. Never before had I talked to Arrow this long, especially not during a village dinner. But I answered all the same.

"Very well. She has an alpha male, black with large paws. He has two grey siblings, I presume females. The mother was not restless around us, and I feel that she has plenty to eat." I elaborated, ending my sentence by eating a strip of cooked meat. "Thank you for providing for the village, Arrow."

I purposely drove the conversation back to formalities. A bit nervous around Arrow, I felt comfortable when we could only discuss the pleasantries and not converse on a deeper level. How odd that would be, sharing opinions with Arrow.

"It is my honor to feed you." Arrow stated, and my throat caught on his words.

He was supposed to say that it was his honor to feed the village. That he was thankful to the gods for helping him provide for the children and elders. Not direct his attention to just me.

"You have become a very skilled hunter yourself," Arrow pointed out as he chewed on some meat. I did not like how he refused to fall back to pleasantries, but knew that he was in charge of the conversation and I had to follow suit.