The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson

Author:David A. Robertson [Robertson, David A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tundra Book Group
Published: 2020-09-08T00:00:00+00:00

FIFTEEN

The new group of four left immediately for Misewa, with only a chewed-on hare to show for their trip. That, and guarded hope. Morgan’s heart felt like exploding when they got back to the canyon, but she managed to crawl across the tree bridge on all fours without looking down. Once safely across, they carried on until it became too dark and cold to continue, and they set up camp for the night. In the hut, the children slept, Morgan more easily on her second night in the dwelling, and so did Arik. But Ochek stayed up to watch the squirrel and make sure she didn’t run off.

When morning came, they ate breakfast, divvying up the hare among the four of them (Arik was given the smallest portion because she’d already eaten some of it). They actually cooked it too, and this was a better treat than the pimíhkán.

By afternoon the next day, their third day on Askí by Morgan’s count, they arrived in Misewa. Eli, Morgan, and Arik were made to wait in Ochek’s lodge while he asked to see Council. The children were to keep the squirrel from leaving—Eli had been given Ochek’s knife—and they dutifully stood by the entrance, blocking the way out. Arik, though, didn’t seem as though she wanted to leave at all. She was cozied up by the fire looking positively happy.

“Why don’t you live here?” Morgan decided that if they had to wait, they might as well talk.

“I kind of like to keep to myself,” Arik said.

“But wouldn’t it be easier to be in a community? A family?” Eli asked.

“The thing with that is,” she said, “when you’re a smaller two-legged pisiskiw, and everybody’s hungry because of the White Time, it becomes a bit like survival of the biggest…and fittest. I’m fit, not big.”

“Pisiskiw?” Morgan said.

“Animal,” Eli explained.

Morgan and Eli, content that there was no threat of an escape, moved to the fire and sat across from Arik.

“What about before the White Time?” Morgan asked.

Arik nodded. “That was a very long time ago, but yes, I was in a community. Once they got their forks and knives out, I left.”

“That’s so sad,” Eli said. “I don’t know if I even want to meet the other animals here.”

“Well, apparently they won’t be too thrilled to meet us either,” Morgan said.

“It’s not so bad,” Arik said. “I like living on the land, and I’m small enough to find big holes in even bigger trees that I can sleep in.”

“You’re, like, almost five feet tall!” Morgan said.

“Only on my driver’s license,” Arik said.

“How would you know about drivers’ licenses?” Eli asked.

“Oh, right, sorry,” she said. “Previous encounters with humans. And about the height thing, there are some pretty big trees in the North Country.”

“You’ve got to be lonely, though, being out there like that,” Morgan said.

“Fewer mouths to feed,” Arik said. “One, to be exact. The great Misewa hunter sets his traps, but the joke’s on him.” She sighed. “He just makes it easier for little

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