Forest Girl

Chapter 16

Chapter 16 - The Thundering Valley

After cantering Storm for awhile Kiara started to hear a faint rumbling sound, so she looked up at the clear blue sky.

"Ha, ha, yep the Thundering Valley sure is known for its name, but that's not thunder your hearing." He said as he pulled on Kiara's arms making Storm stop.

"Then what is it?" Kiara asked,

"It's a surprise, may I take it from hear?" he asked,

"Sure?" Kiara said wearily, as she slid off the mare's back. Koda slid up to the spot where she had been sitting and patted the spot behind him, where he had been sitting. She hopped on and wrapped her arms around his waist, which he secretly enjoyed quite a bit. Koda steered Storm to the northwest and walked that way for about a half hour. Koda halted Storm and slid off her back. Koda then helped Kiara off of Storm and they set up camp. For lunch Kiara told Koda that they were going to have salad, which Koda hated when he had it with his family, it was always so plain and yucky.

"Well, you might want to watch because this salad is going to be the best you have ever tasted, and I'm going to make us dinner to since we have the rest of the day." she said excitedly seeing the discussed look on his face.

"Koda, could you wake a fire for me? I need to go get some things, I won't take long." She asked,

"Sure but why do you need a fire for salad?"

"You will see." She said smirking as she walked off into the forest.

She returned with her small deerskin pouch full of leaves and berries and placed it beside the fire. She then pulled a larger deerskin pouch out of her pack along with her journal, two large wooden bowels, a large clay bowl, a waterskin, and some other cooking tools. Kiara looked over at a curious Koda and saw that she had him very interested.

"Would you like to come see what I am doing?" she asked with a laugh as she sat down on the stump that was near the fire and place the large clay bowl and a wooden one beside the flames. Koda walked into the forest and returned carrying a large log, a few minutes later. Koda placed it next to the stump and sat down on it. Kiara stared at him funny.

"What?" he asked,

"Sometimes I don't understand you," she said looking at him, he laughed and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Kiara poured a little bit of water from her waterskin in the wooden bowl and poured the rest in the clay bowel. Kiara then pulled out her deerskin journal and flipped through the pages and stopped at the one that said 'dressings'. She then opened the larger deerskin pouch and pulled out a small wooden jar and opened it. She poured all of the thick liquid into the wooden bowel.

"Smell this and tell me what it is." she said handing Koda the empty jar.

"It smells like... Pine sap?" he said unsure of his answer, and she nodded in response. "But pine sap tastes bad!" Koda protested, and Kiara just laughed as she pulled out some other things from the deerskin pouch. Kiara put some dried sumac berries and dried raspberries into the bowl and started to crush them with one of her cooking tools. When the paste became a light shade of red Kiara stopped mixing and dipped her finger in and looked at Koda.

"Try it." She said holding the paste covered finger at him. He looked at her and wrapped his mouth around her finger and sucked on it not taking his eyes off of her. Suddenly his mouth was overwhelmed with sweet and sour flavour, and he wanted more. Kiara pulled her finger back which made a 'pop' sound and she laughed at Koda's expression. Kiara reached into the pouch and pulled out some Amaranth leaves and some chicory leaves, rinsed them off with water and placed half of them into a small wooden bowl and the rest into another. She then drizzled some of the sticky red paste onto the leaves and stirred it around. She picked up the bowel and handed it to Koda.

"I hope you like it." She said with a wink and a blush, and then she started to eat her own. He did like it, it had to be the best salad he had ever tasted, and he felt amazing that she had made it just for him.

"That was so good!" he said as he put his empty bowl down.

"Am I allowed to make you dinner too?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes! I can't wait to taste more of your food!"

"Okay but I have to start it now." She said looking at the sun, it was passed midday and she knew that Koda would love her Chicory soup.

"Can I watch?" he asked,

"Yes but someone does need to get some fire wood for tonight since we didn't bring any with us." She said,

"Okay I'll be back in a bit." He said giving her a quick kiss goodbye, and headed off into the forest.

Kiara pulled out some fresh pine needles, and some dried sumac berries, and dropped them into the large clay pot that was full of hot water. She then pulled out some chicory roots and cut them up on a small clay slate with her cooking knife, and dropped them into the pot as well. She roasted a few pine cones to get the seeds out and placed them on the clay slate along with some miner's lettuce, chicory leaves, Amaranth leaves, chopped acorns, and some grass seeds. She added them to the mixture and also put in the rest of the leftover meat from the wren.

Koda walked back into the clearing with three large bundles of fire wood. "How long until its ready?" he asked.

"About two hours, everything has been put in, it just needs to simmer." She replied.

"Good because the sun sets in an hour and you haven't even seen the Thundering valley yet, and your coming to see right now." He said picking her up playfully.

"Koda!" she screeched as he started to walk into the forest.

"Luca, watch the camp!" Kiara yelled as Koda carried her up a steep path.

After a long walk Koda put Kiara down on a boulder. Kiara noticed that the rumbling sound had gotten much louder. Koda covered Kiara's eyes with his hands and said, "Keep your eyes closed... no peaking, or trying to picture it in your mind, I want it to be a surprise, ok."

"I will try." She replied.

Koda took his hands away from her face and placed one in hers so he could lead her. After a few minutes of walking Kiara felt the wind pick up and felt mist on her face. Koda let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her waist instead.

"You can open your eyes now." He whispered as he gave her neck a kiss.

Kiara opened her eyes and saw a huge thundering waterfall and some large mountains that carved out a beautiful green valley. The setting sun was making the valley look even more breath taking.

"Wow..." she breathed quietly, as she turned around to look at Koda. Koda threaded his fingers through Kiara's and looked into her eyes.

"Welcome to the Thundering Valley." He whispered, as he gently kissed her forehead.