“Clean that bowl out in the water and come back. I should have the raft finished by then.”
This time the words came out before Kre could stop himself. “That’s much too small to be a raft. I’m sure we can find bigger pieces of wood.”
Kitalia stopped winding the thin rope around the ends of the little raft. She rocked back a bit, and smiled sweetly up at Kre. That was how he knew that he had made a grievous error. “Well, I certainly am sorry,” she said with a sing-song lilt to her voice, “I was under the impression that I knew what I was doing. How fortunate for me that you are here to help manage my efforts so that I do not lead us both astray with my false confidence. Please, direct me so that I can be useful.”
“Heavens Kit,” Kre blurted out, “you know that’s not how I meant it.”
“Ah, now it is a matter of misunderstanding, not of misdirection. Either way, I have still failed you.”
“No,” he sighed, his face reddening with frustration. “No, I mean… I don’t know what I mean. I’ll just stop with an apology. I’m tired. I’m completely out of my element here and I just don’t know why we’re planning to cross a river in the dead of night. I’m really not comfortable with that idea, especially on a raft that small.”
Kitalia gave him a sideways glance and noticed that Kre’s body was shaking slightly. “Kre… you do know how to swim, right?”
“Well, yeah. I mean… playing around kind of swimming.”
“But,” she added when he didn’t, “you have never had to cross something like a flowing river?”
Kre chewed a bit on his lower lip and sighed, “No. I mean, I’ve never had to try, and I really don’t like the idea that my first attempt will be at this time of night, with only the moonlight to guide us.”
“Well, that puts a major crimp in our plans. First, I should apologize. You were speaking from a place of fear and not from disrespect. I should have seen that and not mocked you for it. Second, I have reason to believe that we were followed. They have kept their distance thus far, but I fear that they are merely a scout and they are simply biding their time until they can signal others.”
“How can you tell we were followed?”
Kitalia shrugged. “It is… a sense like any other. My people learn to unconsciously interpret small, often seemingly insignificant signs like the silence of certain animals typically active in this area. I believe that whoever it is has already set up camp, anticipating that we have done the same. That is why I wanted to depart for the other bank in the middle of the night. It is a move that very few would expect.
“We shall have to alter our plans though, given our inability to cross.” She pondered for a moment while Kre hunkered down in an effort to keep himself warm in the chilly evening air, especially given that he only had a towel for clothing.
“I don’t suppose my clothes are dry enough now?”
“Oh,” she said, snapping out of her thoughts. “No, but they will be ready in the morning. I put them in a special bag that helps them dry faster.”
“Your people have a lot of useful things, don’t they?”
She nodded, “We do. We spent many dozens of generations surviving in this land before your people came along and we have perfected many aspects of it.”
“Kind of makes you wonder…” he responded, trailing off.