Savages

20: Coltsfoot

Spring Equinox, Island of Hirta (forty-seven days since Imbolc)

Sannah sprang off the bed when she heard the knock, moving faster than she thought she was capable of. It's him.

It was. Gaen was standing at the door when Sannah pulled it open, his back to her. All she could see was mussy, clay-rich hair above a faded black pulled-down hood. Her heart constricted with excitement.

He paused a moment before turning around, and when he did, he flipped his hands deftly behind his back.

"I've got something for you," a grin crept onto his face. "A surprise."

Sannah raised her eyebrows, but she was grinning too, her tight little heart beating ten to the dozen. "Oh yeah?"

He pulled a hand from behind his back and Sannah gasped in amazement. Holy skit. It seemed like sorcery, after so long. So tiny, so humbly miraculous.

"Holy skit!"

"I know, right?" He pulled the other hand out. "I got some for Judit too. There's licit loads of them. I could barely believe it. I had to stop myself rolling in 'em."

Sannah took both meagre posies from him, lifting them close to study the delicate yellow flowers. They were nothing much—they looked like small, scrappy dandelions with fat, furry stems—but they were flowers. The first they'd seen for what felt like forever. They signalled life.

"I can't believe it," Sannah said.

"Yep." Gaen smiled. "We broke the back of winter. We're all still alive. Go us, eh? We did it."

"And?"

"And yes." He smiled again. "I think, don't you?"

Sannah let out a squeal of excitement and before she knew it, she was hugging him, her posies pressed against his hood. She'd never done it before, and he felt taller and more solid than she'd expected. He lifted his hands gently to her hips, and she suddenly felt inexplicably awkward and quickly stepped away.

Gaen stepped away too, clearing his throat and looking at his shoes. "So, yeah," he said, hurriedly, his eyes downcast. That's eight days clear weather we've had now. I'm happy we're safe, and Brock agrees. So if you're up for it, today's the day."

"Amazing. Yes, yes I am," Sannah said, stepping back to let him into the house. Her heart was painfully tight now. She couldn't believe it was finally happening.

I'm coming, Saint. Saint, I'm really coming.

"Gaen brought you some flowers," Sannah called to Judit as they entered the living room.

Even though she'd still been in bed when Sannah went to open the door, Judit was now on the bench. As usual, she was already in her coat. She barely ever took it off nowadays. She seemed to have real problems with the cold, always wearing so many layers she looked like a swollen snowman.

"Hmm?" Judit seemed uninterested as she looked up. "Oh, wow." She took the flowers, but wasn't as excited as she should be. "What are they?"

"Coltsfoot," Gaen said. "I found 'em by the stream, just before the wood."

"So, it's on," Sannah added. "We're finally going. Today."