13 SILUS
I took a slightly longer route to the stream so I could carry her in my arms for a little longer. It was selfish and dangerous, but I couldn't help the urge to keep her pressed against my chest where she was safe.
The forest around us looked deceptively calm today. Birds and smaller animals were moving around in the canopy, their song and scents wafting down in the light breeze. Occasionally, I saw some larger tracks on the muddy ground, but they were a few days old. I didn't tell Pria about them. I didn't want to frighten her unnecessarily. She'd already encountered some of the worst Kalumbu had to offer. If we were lucky, any predator we came across from now on would be less dangerous. I knew I was deluding myself. This was the calm before the storm. We weren't safe. But we bo
