The clouds parted to give us an ocean of moonlight, so we could easily find the trail to Privacy Rock. Along the way, I collected firewood. Like Billie, we were all tired of being wet and cold. Unlike Billie, we didn’t complain about it.


    I easily started a little fire on the edge of the overhang. I made sure Billie and Holly were okay before getting more wood, including some longer branches that we could light if something tried to attack us.


    Thank goodness that Billie and I had been awake. If we’d not set a watch, we would’ve been toad food.


    While I grabbed wood, I asked Opal about our ammo situation. It was as bad as I thought.


    <<<>>>


    Pistol empty


    Pistol empty


    Pistol = 3 charges remaining


    Rifle empty


    Rifle empty


    Rifle = 7 charges remaining


    <<<>>>


    At least the A.I. wasn’t mad I’d told her to shut up. Dealing with robots was easier than dealing with humans. What in the hell was wrong with Holly? One minute she’s saying that she won’t fool around with students, and the next we’re kissing like she’s my prom date and we have a hotel room.


    Same thing with Billie. Both those women were giving me mixed signals.


    At least with the huntress, I knew exactly where she stood—and that was naked, in front of me, willing to get crazy with me.


    Returning, I found Holly sitting with her back against a rocky wall, holding Billie. The bratty blond’s eyes were closed, but I knew she wasn’t sleeping.


    I put the wetter sticks next to the fire to dry. Luckily, there wasn’t much of a breeze, and the smoke was drifting out of the overhang.


    I squatted next to the fire. “Okay, you two sleep. I’ll take the last watch. We have a few more hours before morning.”


    “No,” Holly said. “I slept really well for most of the night. I’ll keep watch, if you want to come and hold Billie.”


    The cheerleader pushed herself up to sit on her own. “No, I’m okay. That was just really intense, and I was already so tired. Sorry I keep losing it.”


    “It’s understandable,” Holly said. “As you’ve noticed, I’ve been ‘losing it’ as well. I can’t believe my own emotions over these last couple of days. Can you both forgive me?”


    “Yeah, Sid,” Billie said. “Please don’t hate me for being…you know… being all bitchy all the time. Can you forgive me?”


    “Forgiven.” I paused. “I meant what I said, Billie, about having better shelter. Tomorrow might be the longest day of my life, but we’ll have a better home by the time I’m done, I promise.”If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Holly smiled at me, her eyes glowing. What was that look about?


    Billie then gave the professor a friendly shove. “And the next time you need to kiss someone, just come to me. Sid has the huntress. Us girls have to stick together.”


    The professor adjusted herself to sit up straight. “Well, Miss Kidd, I hope it doesn’t come to that. I had a moment of weakness, but I’m feeling much better.”


    Billie laughed. “Why do I feel like I just asked a guy to skate with me at Roller City and got shot down?”


    “Oddly specific,” I muttered.


    A rather mysterious smile brightened Holly’s face. “Well, Billie, don’t take it as a rejection. Take it that I’m playing hard-to-get.”


    “Oh, a challenge.” Billie had an equally bright smile on her face. “I like a challenge.”


    The two of them together made my pulse quicken and my pants tighten. I couldn’t let my imagination get the better of me. I had to quiet my mind, so I could sleep. Like I’d told them, tomorrow was going to be a helluva day.


    Sleep did eventually find me, though I missed my bus seat up in the trees. Bares stone made for a terrible mattress.


    I woke up with the last of the wood burning. It smelled good, and I was glad for its warmth because it was going to be a rainy day. All the moons were hidden by a dreary layer of clouds.


    Holly was awake, and when she saw my eyes open, she pointed.


    There, across the pool, half-hidden in the ferns, stood the huntress. Hanging from her stone spear was the back leg of one of the toads. Her bow was slung over her shoulder, resting near the quiver. She gazed at us, out in the open, brows knit. Had she come for a little morning love?


    I wanted Opal to scan her, but that meant I had to get closer. Well, the huntress was about to become the hunted.


    Holly raised a hand in greeting.


    The huntress didn’t move. She was probably a hundred feet from us, so it was hard to judge her expression, and yet, from that distance, it was clear she was conflicted.


    The professor dropped her hand and laughed a little. “She’s surprised to find you here with us. I would bet she thought she’d get you alone again, and we’ve ruined her plans. She is pretty, Sid. I understand why you didn’t fight the temptation.”


    I got to my feet, moving slowly. “I have to talk to her, but she has the right idea. The Swarm Toads would be a good breakfast.”


    Holly chuckled. “I’m glad that our Billie is sleeping. I do not think she would find the idea of roasted toad appetizing so early in the morning.”


    “What about you?”


    “Oh, Mr. Marshall, we are playing a game of calories. All calories are good, for we don’t know when we can eat again, and our hanging tusked deer probably didn’t survive the Swarm Toad attack.”


    She had a point.


    “Sit tight, Holly, I’m going to try and talk with our mysterious huntress.”


    “I wish you well.”


    But a second later, the huntress was gone, vanishing into the brush.


    “Fuck!” I didn’t pause but dove into the water, swimming across to the other side. I then followed her through the ferns. My legs glowed as I sped after her. I was gaining ground on her, and I would’ve jumped to catch her, but there were too many trees and greenery.


    I ran her down underneath a big pine tree with bushy boughs, like an overgrown juniper bush. There were soft, dry grasses underneath. Most likely, some critter had taken shelter there to escape the Swarm Toads from the night before.


    She spun, breathing hard. Then she waved a hand at Privacy Rock, saying a bunch of things, but after spending days with two temperamental women, I kind got the point.


    “They’re friends,” I said. “You don’t need to be jealous. I’m not fucking them.”


    “Fochacha?” she asked. I caught that word, but then she said a bunch of other stuff, and she lost me.


    “Opal, can you scan her?”


    Scanning hominid. She is not human. Possible Arkadian ancestry detected. Linguistic pattern unknown. A lexicon might be possible with more data.


    Arkadian? Opal was Arkadian technology.


    “I’m Sid Marshall.” I pointed at my chest and then pointed at her. “What’s your name?”


    I was trying to start simple, but she wasn’t getting it. She pointed in the direction of Privacy Rock, and then made a face. Then her eyes dropped, and I realized she was looking at my cock.


    That made me laugh. “You have a one-track mind. I can respect that. But I need you to talk more, so my A.I. assistant can get some common vocabulary.”


    She pointed to my crotch, said a bunch of stuff, and I caught the word “dicha.”


    What was the correct response to that? “Sure, dicha. Fochacha.”


    That seemed to mean something to her. She let her spear drop to the ground. Her bow and quiver followed. Before I knew it, she was pulling her leather tunic over her head.


    So, she had come for sex after all.