Something encouraging happened that night after we arrived back at camp. Leslie crawled into the tent, and Harry followed a moment later. I waited for her to scream and send him out, but silence ensued.
Leonard had come up behind me. “They’re good,” he rasped.
“I guess so.”
Most of the visiting apes were still by the fire, lying on blankets and pelts. Dale and Kat were together at the edge of the camp. Dale had seduced me years ago, and Leonard had been jealous. I hadn’t been intimate with Dale in a long time, as he chose not to participate in orgies, preferring to lavish attention on Kat only. They were an adorable couple, and their baby would hopefully be the first of many purebred Sasquatches.
As Leonard disappeared into our tent, I took a moment, staring at my surroundings and
appreciating the fact that a lot had indeed changed over the years. Sasquatches who had been near and dear to us were no longer alive, and others had moved on. We had been through one ordeal after another since winter, and yet, here we were. I patted my belly, knowing I was pregnant. If I could get through the first trimester and not miscarry, the outcome was hopeful. Lendal needed a brother. Daisy would love a hairy little plaything. With Wolfie in the mix, the next generation of Sasquatches was well on the way. We had endured, despite it all.
I joined Leonard in our tent with Daisy cocooned between us. I lay next to my family, covering myself with a blanket, and closed my eyes. The sound of clanging pots and pans woke me. Someone had left the opening undone, and streams of light fell upon my face. I glanced around, finding myself alone. Sliding on my shoes, I crawled out, facing the bright sun that shone down through the branches.
Leonard held Daisy on his lap, as the baby drank from a sippy cup. Zelda had made pancakes, and the other apes loitered, looking as if they were getting ready to depart. Kat and Dale were missing, as were Harry and Leslie. The boys, Lendal and Bubba Jr. were in the forest. I could hear Lendal snorting from the bushes.
“What’s going on?” I approached Zelda.
“They’re leaving soon.”
“Where’s Leslie?”
“She’s with Harry.”
“Really?”
She handed me a cup of coffee. “Yep.” Her smile was contagious. “Those two get on like a house on fire.”
“Hopefully.” I glanced at Leonard, who lifted his chin, acknowledging me. “We need to do laundry.”
“We’re moving camp,” he rasped.
“What? Ah, no. Come on.” This meant that we would be hiking for hours today. “God, can’t we stay a little longer?”
“We hunt further south.”
“Great.”
After breakfast, Harry’s tribe left…without him. He would be staying, and, from the looks of it, he had endeared himself to Leslie and Wolfie. The baby ape clung to Harry, especially after we had begun the journey through the woods.
I caught up with Leslie. “So, it looks like things are going well.”
“I guess.” Her hair was in a ponytail, and a baseball cap shielded her face.
“He’s got Wolfie’s stamp of approval.”
“Wolfie loves everybody, even the bad guys.”
“Well, maybe Harry will grow on you?”
“I’m not worried about it right now. It he wants to give my kid a ride, then whatever.”
She’d been in a lousy mood since Bubba’s death. I decided to change the subject. “How long do you think we’re hiking?”
“A couple of hours.”
“Yay.” She gave me a look.
By lunchtime, I was exhausted. I was almost certain I was pregnant, and, after having a snack, I suddenly felt queasy. I stood by a tree, using it as something to cling to, while I watched everyone from a distance. Dale and Kat shared grilled fish, while Lendal and Bubba Jr. ate berries. Daisy was in Leonard’s arms. Harry watched Leslie, his eyes glinting in what I would term the look of Sasquatch love. Leslie pretended not to notice, but, by her covert glances, she was well aware she was being appreciated from afar.
“You all right, honey?” Zelda had come up behind me.
“I’m tired.”
“You pregnant?”
“Probably.”
“You should’ve said somethin’. We can slow down. We’re in no rush.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m just pooped.”
“Come on over, and have some fish. You need protein.”
My stomach flipped. “Um…I’m gonna skip food right now.”
“You feel sick?”
“A little.”
“I’ll make some tea. That’ll settle your tummy.”
“Thanks.”
I strode towards Leonard, kneeling before him. He stared at me with interest; a possessive gleam was in his eye. Reaching out, he pulled me to him, and I settled in his lap, resting my head against his chest. Daisy got up and toddled over to the boys, who were joined by Wolfie. Although we had marched for hours, these moments of tribal domesticity were sweet. It was sad that Bubba was no longer with us. He had taken on the burdens and responsibilities of leader for many years, and he had ruled with diplomacy. Those duties now fell to Leonard, and I knew he would be a fair and able alpha.
Daisy and I and Lendal were essentially the first family, the newest members of Bigfoot royalty.
“You good, Porsche?” he rasped near my ear.
“I might be pregnant.”
“Huh?”
“I’m pregnant.” I glanced at him to see his response. He licked my face and purred. “Leonard.”
His arms closed around me. “My baby. Not Mike’s, right?”
“It’s not Mike’s. It’ll be just as hairy as Wolfie when it comes out.”
“Good.”
“Who wants more fish?” Zelda held a wooden plate. “One of y-”
Dale had sprung to his feet, growling. Leonard was next, as was Pooky. They had perceived someone in the woods. Their sense of smell was extraordinary. “Gggrrrrrr…”
“What is it?”
“You stay here,” rasped Leonard. Harry joined them, as they rushed into the trees.
“It’s not an animal,” said Leslie. “There must be a hiker. Let’s hope they wander in another direction.”
We had encountered hikers before, and the Bigfoots were always careful not to draw their attention. People who were out in the Cascades for recreational purposes were left alone. However, if the apes perceived someone as a threat, all bets were off. It seemed like ten minutes before there was movement up ahead. To my astonishment, the tribe had returned with men! Who were these people?
I got to my feet, with my hands on my hips. “What’s going on?”
“Well, they must know our guys. There’s no way they would let strangers get this close.”
As they approached, I took in their appearance. They looked like grizzled mountain men, much like those I had seen in the early days of my kidnapping. There were locals who knew of the creatures and protected them. Leonard neared, followed by Dale and the men. Pooky and Harry brought up the rear.
“What’s going on?” I glanced at Leonard. He picked up Daisy, cradling her in his arms. It was always mildly shocking seeing a Sasquatch holding a baby. The men eyed him and then Daisy. Their interest transferred to Leslie and I. My skin crawled at their appraisal. They needed to bathe; they reeked of body odor. “Who are these people?”
“We know them,” murmured Pooky.
“I’m Doug,” said the taller of the two. “This is Carter. We’re friends of the Ts’emekwes.” He smiled.
The queasy feeling that had threatened before returned. “Hi. Porsche.” I wasn’t going to give him my hand. “This is Leslie and Zelda.”
“We got some leftover fish, if you want it.” Zelda held out the plate. “It’s a little cold now, but it’s been fully cooked.”
“That’s hospitable of you,” said Carter. “Thanks.”
Leonard had taken Daisy and returned to the spot before the tree. The other Sasquatches sat as well. I glanced at the men, noting that they carried rifles and knives. “It’s crowded in the woods today,” I mumbled, joining Leonard and Daisy. Wolfie ambled over, sitting in my lap. Daisy reached for him, grabbing a tuft of fur. He licked her arm, which made her giggle. I’d seen him once licking her entire face, until she was dripping wet, but she loved every second of it.
“You got a nice-looking family, Leonard,” said Doug.
Leonard grunted in reply.
“We’ve had some changes recently,” said Zelda. “Our elder died a few days ago. Leonard’s in charge now.”
“I always knew the time would come when that would happen,” said Carter. “This old boy’ll make a great leader. He’s got the fortitude for it.”
I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was something that struck me odd about this situation. My intuition had sprung to life, needling me. There seemed to be tension in them, their postures were slightly rigid, and they appeared wary. If they were such good friends with the Ts’emekwes; why the unease? I glanced at Leslie. She was devoid of expression, staring at the men blankly.
The conversation continued, albeit stiltedly, with Leonard grunting more than speaking. I found out they had been hiking to a new camp, and, to my consternation, Leonard invited them to join us, seeing that we were heading in the same direction. I wanted to object, but things were packed up before I could say anything, and we took to the trail several minutes later. My unsettled stomach began to lessen, and, as the day wore on, we walked and talked, the mountain men discussing things such as hunting techniques, moose kills, and finding a decaying corpse in a valley.
As the sun set and the forest grew dimmer, I knew we would stop for the night. I hated the fact that outsiders were with us. I had accepted Harry into our group because he had been so friendly and open.
For a Sasquatch, he was incredibly talkative and articulate. His humor was formidable, and he made fun of little things, knowing it would irritate Leslie and garner a response from her. These moments were teasing and endearing. But, there was something suspicious about Doug and Carter. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I didn’t trust the mountain men one bit.