Chapter 3
Yana tried to take the cat back to Clodagh’s that evening when Bunny picked her up, but the cat refused to cooperate. When she tried to pick it up to carry it outdoors to Bunny’s waiting sled, the cat escaped, firing a warning volley across her knuckles with its claws, and hid.
Yana explained this to Clodagh while the big woman finished stirring the contents of a pot on the stove. Delicious smells came from the pot and from the oven.
“Keep him,” Clodagh advised her. Looking around the room at the four identical felines lounging on various furnishings, she added with a slight smile, “I have extras. Besides, they go where they wish and do as they choose. You seem to have been chosen.”
“Yes, but what am I supposed to do with it?” Yana asked.
“Feed it,” Bunny answered. “That’s the important thing. And let it in and out as it likes, unless you want to keep an indoor tray for it.”
“They do all right outdoors for prolonged periods,” Clodagh said. “They’ve been crossbred for that, so they don’t lose their tails and ears to frostbite the way their ancestors did. But they usually prefer a fire and a lap most of the time. They’re good company.”
“Mm,” Yana said noncommittally. “I need to find out where to get things: food, clothing, wood. Someone brought a load and left it beside my door. Do you know who it was so 1 can thank them?”
Clodagh shrugged. “Could have been anyone. One of Bunka’s relatives, maybe. Someone who knows you need more than the PTBs provided for you. Speaking of that, don’t forget your pack tonight. Not that that flimsy blanket will do you a lot of good. You’ll need a proper one.”
“Where can I buy one of those?” Yana asked.
“Not at the company store, that’s for sure!” Bunka said. “They don’t have anything there but obsolete spacer stuff.” She crossed to Clodagh’s bed and pulled aside the standard-issue blanket to reveal another-full of lovely soft yellows, blues, and pinks-underneath. “Here, feel.”
Yana leaned over and felt. The blanket was thickly woven or knitted-she had no idea which-of some heavy, long-haired material. It would be wonderfully warm.
“It’s beautiful,” she said.
“Speaking of that, here comes Sinead and my sister Aisling now,” Clodagh said. “Sinead gathers the hair for spinning from the horses and dogs and sometimes the wild sheep she hunts and Aisling spins, dyes, and weaves the hair into the blankets. Perhaps they’ll make a trade.”
Another woman entered the room. She was almost as round as Clodagh; her face and hair bore a resemblance to Clodagh’s, as well, but the newcomer had a much dreamier look about her. She was followed closely by a small, wiry woman who helped her off with her wraps.
“Welcome, sister, Sinead,” Clodagh said, smiling at the two women. “We were just talking about you. Have you eaten?”
“Nah,” said the shorter and slighter-built of the two women, shucking her outer garments off with great dispatch. “We heard you were entertaining tonight and came to gawk.” She stuck out a hand to Yana. “Sinead Shongili here. Nice to meet you. Did you make it home okay without falling again?”
“You were the person who showed me how to waddle!” Yana exclaimed.
“None other. And this lovely lady is Aisling Senungatuk,” Sinead said, fussing a bit over Aisling, who was settling her ample form into a rocking chair Clodagh had pulled from a corner of the room. Aisling smiled warmly up at her partner and indicated that she was comfortable.
“Yana was just admiring the blanket you women made for me, sister,” Clodagh told Aisling.
“I’ll put you on my list, Yana,” Aisling promised in one of the loveliest voices Yana had ever heard.
“Yeah, the blankets they send you from the company are all crap,” Sinead said. “I need to gather some more material for weaving, but my Aisling can make you the most gorgeous damn blanket you’ve ever seen, can’t you, love?”
Aisling nodded, her eyes dancing when she looked at her partner. “You bet.”
“I’m afraid I haven’t got much to trade you for it,” Yana told them, “apart from some obsolete insignia. Had to give away any souvenirs, and bring only what I couldn’t do without. Baggage allowance didn’t give me any latitude there. You don’t know where I can get a small computer, do you?”