The Journey of Eleven Moons by Bonnie Leon

Author:Bonnie Leon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: adventure, god, faith, jesus, survival, alaska, 1850s, aleut
Publisher: Ashberry Lane Publishing

Chapter Fourteen

Erik touched Anna’s shoulder. “Time to get up. There’s a lot to do before the snow falls.”

With a groan, Anna rolled onto her side and peered up at Erik’s cheerful face. “Too early.” She buried her head beneath her blanket.

“Sorry, but if we don’t get moving, we’ll find ourselves camping in the snow. Not a pleasant thought.”

He was right. Anna grudgingly sat up. Exhausted, she leaned close to the fire to warm her hands. Was her constant weariness unusual?

Erik and Iya didn’t act overly tired. Erik seemed to possess an endless supply of energy.

She reached over and shook Iya.

“You’re putting on a little weight,” Erik said approvingly. He quickly added, “I mean, you were kind of skinny when I first met you. You’re looking real good now.”

Thankful he had not guessed her condition, Anna offered a half smile. He would know the reason for her weight gain soon enough. “Good food,” she said and nudged Iya again. Now fully awake, Anna lifted her arms over her head, stretched, and set off for the river. The sweet fragrance of fall berries and damp earthy smell of the forest engulfed her. This is a good place. She walked with her arms swinging at her sides.

The rushing sound of the river greeted her long before she stood on its bank. She knelt next to a quiet pool, bent over the water, and peered at her reflection. She studied the olive-complexioned woman who stared back at her from golden, almond-shaped eyes. A woman, no longer a girl.

A woman who is going to have a baby.

She slapped the water and the picture disappeared into quivering, ever-widening ripples. She scooped water into her hands and splashed it over her face.

Gooseflesh rose up on her arms.

Steeling herself against the icy water, she dunked her hair into the river. The cold jolted her and she gasped and quickly scrubbed and rinsed her hair before flinging it out of the stream. Her breathing didn’t slow until she’d squeezed out most of the excess moisture. Then she found a patch of morning sun, sat back, and combed her hair free of tangles.

The water washed over the shallows, tripped across rock beds, and slowed as it flowed into large, deep pools. Finally, it rushed on toward the sea.

Iya’s greeting drew Anna out of her reverie. The little girl ran toward her. Iya looked at the water warily, crouched along the shore, and quickly rinsed her face. With a shiver, she said, “It is cold.”

Anna smiled innocently as she dipped her hand into the river, filled her cupped palm with icy water, and tossed it at Iya.

The little girl squealed and leapt away, then with a grin and a look of mirthful revenge, she swiftly reciprocated.

One splash met another, and soon both were knee-deep in the river, tossing water at each other and laughing so hard they had to stop to catch their breath.

They were so involved in their play, Anna didn’t notice Erik until he cleared his throat loud enough to catch their attention.

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