Forest Girl

Chapter 17

Chapter 17 – The Thunderstorm

After watching the sun set Kiara and Koda headed back to the camp, and ate some of Kiara’s soup. They then had a fire and Koda spoke about hunting. Kiara had agreed to take lessons from him starting tomorrow and she was very excited. They had woke a fire inside of the shelter and settled down in their sleeping sacks for a good sleep.

‘BOOM! CRASH! BANG’

Kiara jumped awake in her sleeping sack, startled by the random loud bang of thunder. She wasn’t normally afraid of thunder, but this thunder was louder than normal. Kiara turned to see Koda looking at her with an annoyed face.

“Do you always stare at me when I’m asleep?” she asked raising an eyebrow at him.

“No, you kicked me in the crotch… again.” He groaned.

“Oh, Koda I’m so sorry, the thunder startled me and I-”

“Oh, is Kiara afraid of a little thunder?” he said mocking her in a stupid tone, with a puppy dog face.

“Oh, shut up!” she replied, and no one said anything. Then another loud crash of thunder made Kiara jump out of her skin again and Koda just laughed. Kiara turned away from him and closed her eyes trying to fall back asleep. Suddenly she felt a warm hand touch her shoulder, which made her jump of course. Koda slid inside her sleeping sack and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Koda, what are you doing?” she asked, faking annoyance.

“I wanted to help you get to sleep.”

“Really, is that all?” she said in a sarcastic tone.

“Well, I suppose there are a few other reasons.”

“Like?”

“I don’t know, it just feels good to be near you, if you want I can go back to my sleep-”

“No!” she said cutting him off, “I like this,” she continued rolling over to face him again and placed her head on his bare chest.

“Hmm…” he sighed pulling himself a little closer to her.

“Hey Koda?” Kiara said a few minutes later breaking the silence.

“What is it?” he replied,

“What day is it?”

“A week after midsummers night, why?”

“My birthday is the day after tomorrow…” she said quietly.

“Well, what do you want for your birthday?” Koda asked with a sweet smile that made her body melt.

“Ah… Um… I don’t know… no one has ever asked me what I want for my birthday, the River Otter’s said that it is a disgraceful day, not one to celebrate.” She replied sadly.

“That is terrible! I am going to show you how your birthday should be celebrated! You’re going to love it!” he said squeezing her a little tighter.

“You don’t have to!”

“Hmm… but I want to…” he said in that seductive tone that drove Kiara crazy, and she just left it at that as she snuggled up closer to his warm chest and fell asleep.

Kiara woke with a jolt, she had been dreaming again. Kiara looked down and realized Koda was gone, she got changed into her summer jerkin again and poked her head outside of the shelter.

“Good morning sleepy head.” Koda said walking up to her ruffling up her hair as he gave her a warm hug. “I made breakfest, want some?” he asked with a warm smile.

As Kiara started to eat she looked at him and him, with a sharp stare.

“What?” he asked,

“You looked in my book didn’t you!” she said raising her voice.

“U-um… I-I don’t know w-what your t-talking about-t” he stuttered.

Kiara dropped the topic for now, even though she knew he had used her book, since this was her second favorite meal in her book, but she would get him back for it later.

The two finished breakfast and packed up all the food so no animals would get into it. Koda grabbed their bows and quivers.

“Ok, let’s start.” He said, and Kiara nodded in response. “So first you pick up the bow and an arrow.”

“No, duh! I’m not that dumb.” She replied, and they laughed.

Once Koda helped her knock and arrow into her mother’s long bow he stepped back and told her to aim for the tree with the piece of deerskin on it.

“Now let go of the arrow.” He said,

She did and missed the tree completely. They tried again and again for the rest of the day, taking a few short breaks, but she wasn’t getting any better, even though Koda said she was, she knew she wasn’t. They ate the rest of the left over soup for dinner and went to sleep.