Chapter Nine

He returned to camp at dusk. Silence ruled the shadows under the trees. He scouted the camp before entering it. The campsite was empty. The cooking pot lay on its side near the fading embers. He spied the bottle lying under the tree and picked it up. The stopper hung from its tether. It was empty.

Gorga’s long purple and orange body dropped down in front of him. He looked up. Her tail held her in the tree while her long tongue hung from her open mouth.

Higher on another limb, he spotted Krinna sprawled over a fruit-laden bough. He wondered how she managed to climb the thorn-covered tree. Bloody scratches covered her purple face and hands.

A silly grin blessed her slack face. She tweaked her fingers at him. “Hi, water … what are you … there?”

“What are you doing in the tree?”

“Foo … ish … mel … on. I chal … challenged … Basu … her to … race. I winned … won … whatever. Say … do you …” A loud belch exploded from her throat, “have … more … purr… ple stuff?”

“No, it is gone.”

“I … eel … good. Hey, snakey, you can give … give it to … me now. You snow … thing to make … me reaxe.”

“I think you found it.” He walked to the fire and sat down. Scooping the ashes and dirt from the pit, he dug the sucking pig out of the ground. He unwrapped it, pulled all the flesh from the bones, and placed it on a clean cloth. He took a small crusty bread roll from a belt pouch and broke off a generous piece. Pinches of juicy pork, followed by fresh bread, staved off his hunger.

“Mel …” her plaintive voice cried from the tree. Are you angry … with … Gorga? I see … you,” she said with a happier sound. "Are you … eating?”

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He ignored her and continued his supper.

“Manly … man, I want to eat. Can … I have some? Here me … comes.”

He chewed slowly and watched the one-scene comedy. Breaking tree limbs provided the sound effects as she fell to the ground. A loud thump and an expelled ululation announced her earthly arrival.

Fighting free from the thorny props, she giggled and slurred, “Here’s … me.” Crawling on hands and knees, she finally reached the ash pile. Her face landed near the suckling meat.

“Mel … man,” she mumbled into the dirt, “can’t see … food.”

Reluctantly, he wiped his hands on the sparse grass, grabbed her shoulder, and rolled her onto her back.

“Stars … no rain. You might … may feed … serve me now.”

“You feed yourself. I’m eating. If you want to eat, then set up.”

“I’m prin … cess. I order you. Wait on me.”

“Do it yourself,” he said. He went to his bed and lay down. He couldn’t stand bossy women, especially intoxicated ones. He turned his head and watched her.

She struggled to her feet, facing the orchard. “I’m a princess water snake … man. You will … must treat … e as one. Where did you go?” Staggering in a circle, she spotted him. “There you…are.” She said, and staggered her way toward his bed.

“Oh, now, you relax. Krinna … me, my name is Krinna,” she said, carefully planning her words. “I’m tru … princess. Have you … ever been with me … a princess? Ha! The thought whips … overcomes… scares you. You are speechless. Wait ere. I’m … give you something to … relax you.”

It happened fast and at the most inopportune time in his life. It was hard to believe. Krinna pulled her tunic over her head, exposing her bandaged, bleeding, thorn-raked body.

She staggered toward his bed.

It could only happen in a tragic comedy. At that precise moment, Gorga’s tail lost its grip on the tree limb. She dropped in a drunken heap in front of Krinna’s feet. She tripped over the viper. Trying to regain her balance, she stumbled forward and fell over him.

He caught her and rolled quickly to the side to prevent further injuries to her body. Lying with her face close to his, she cried and whispered, “Why do you hate me?”

He got off her and stood to his feet. He lifted her in his arms and gently kissed her lips. Lying her on his bed, he covered her nakedness with the blanket. Sadly, he said, “Goodbye, Krinna.”