"Tiktet," You call. The coyote comes to your side, and gently takes the piece of meat you offer him.
"Your hunting dog is clever, Nan." Someone says to you. Turning, you find Min, a scout, with a broad smile. "Mine would steal it from my fire.
You smile, and peel a strip of the meat from the spit and give it to him. "Tiktet does not steal, because he knows I will offer it eventually." It was a metaphor, an inuendo, but she was still unsure if Min caught on. He smiled, and took the meat.
"Your mother is healing well?" You ask.
He nods, and speaks through the mouthful, "She is. She's darkened a few shades and is eating normally again."
Quemaat were almost always in the sun, and so their skin was naturally dark. The strange pink his mother wore days ago was strange and frightening to witness.
"She was thankful to you, Nan. That you helped gather the weeds to make the medicine."
You take a bite of the meat and shrug. "It was a duty to a sister, I would have done the same for anyone."
"Yes, but you do it differently." He said, staring.
You decide to humor him. "How do I do it, then?"
"You do it with your mind." Min says. "Most do it with their heart, because it is their duty. You say this, but you also choose to do it because you wish to, yourself. It means much to me that you chose to help my mother, instead of help the men cut the tree. I heard they wished you were there to aid them."
Trees were rarely cut down, but they needed wood for a boat. The river was nearby, and needed to be crossed.
You shrug and start to talk, but he inturrupts.
"You are beautiful, Nan, because you chose to be."