The memories of my men spoke to me. I saw the countless nights they had sat and watched the


    beautiful vista. By morning I understood the way they tracked time and what subtle changes in the


    moons would mean.


    Evan woke me with his enthusiasm. As the ringed moon disappeared and the sun rose he was filled


    with the usual boundless energy.


    “A swim this morning?” he asked stripping.


    My breath misted in front of me and I looked warily at him. The water would be freezing and the air


    wasn’t much better. I’d be an ice cube.


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    The collective mind had me, though. We loved a morning swim. It was refreshing.


    Before I realized it I was on my feet and stripping out of my warm cover. My men raced to get out of


    their clothes.


    The air bit my nipples and the rocky ground dug into the soles of my feet. I was too happy to notice,


    though. This was a treat to get to do this. My family hadn’t been able to swim here since we lived in the


    compound.


    We plunged as a group off a small rocky Ledge into the water. It was so cold I screamed when I came


    up for air. I grabbed at the edge and tried to pull myself out.


    Kein was behind meughing a secondter.


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    “Hold onto my shoulders,” hemanded turning away from me. “I want to show you something.”


    Kein wasn’t too cold, neither was anyone else. I concentrated on how they felt and ignored my own


    sensations. It made swimming Like this fun.


    I grabbed onto Kein‘s back and he took off under the water. Fish swam by us as we darted through the


    reeds at the bottom. I watched the underwater scenery with wonder. Kein didn’t surface until he needed


    air.


    Each of my men took a turn showing me theke. It was amazing and I forgot about the cold. They


    could swim so fast and so deep, we went to ces I’d never have reached on my own.


    By the time they were done, I felt a Little sluggish and sleepy. Damien looked strangely at me and


    pressed against my back. Quite suddenly he grabbed me and sprang from the water. I watched with


    detached amusement as my men stoked a roaring fire.


    “Wha’s the hurry?” slurred out of my mouth.


    They seemed to be in a big rush as Evan pulled the water out of my hair with one of those magical


    cloths and Kein briskly rubbed my body. Baney me down on a pallet and then pulled my back tight to


    his chest. Damieny in front of me and pressed solidly against my protruding belly, wrapping around it.


    “Ciara,” Damien said seriously, “you can’t just ignore what you are feeling. That isn’t how this is


    supposed to work. It is a shared consciousness, but each individual is still responsible for their own part


    of it.”


    I looked up at him and realized I was shaking.


    “W-w-why am I-I-I moving like t-t-this?” I asked them Looking around. “You are cold, Ciara, much too


    cold,” Evan chided taking my shivering hand in his and rubbing it.


    Christof pulled a nket out andid it over the three of us while looking worriedly at me.


    Nobody else was cold. This didn’t make any sense and then I stopped focusing on them.


    It hit me like a freight train. I was so cold, so very ufortable. The warm bodies on either side of me


    were the only good thing I felt.


    Moaning softly, I felt them press closer to me. Greedy for the warmth they provided, I didn’t mind the


    feeling of almost being smothered as I snuggled closer to them.


    “I 1-1-like the w-w-water,” I said softly. “I didn’t want to have to get out. We were all having fun.”