CHAPTER 21

 SARPE LAY BROODING by the Eternal Flames. It had been several weeks since she had seen Ekimmu, and she was beginning to have doubts about their relationship, not to mention being confused about her own feelings. Human emotions were difficult to analyze, although she had to admit that she enjoyed every minute she spent with Ekimmu.

“Am I disturbing you, Sarpe?”

The serpent spirit looked up at her oldest friend. Even she wasn’t immune to the warm huskiness of the Earth Mother’s voice. Of all the spirits, Mari was the one who came closest to arousing feelings similar to those by Ekimmu, but only close. Their friendship had lasted an eternity without the complication of lust.

“No, I was jusst thinking,” Sarpe replied somberly.

“About Ekimmu?”

“Yess, I’m not ssso sure thiss is ssuch a good thing.”

“This. You mean your relationship with the mortal? Why?”

“I don’t know. We are ssso different. These feelings. They are sstrange. When we are together, I feel alive. When we’re apart, it’s like I’m losst. The lonelinesss I onsse accepted willingly now ssuffocatess me.”

“I understand completely, old friend. I’m like that with Maopa. To be so in tune with another living thing can be scary. Still it’s a small price to pay for the rewards of love, isn’t it?”

“Love? Maybe. But what does a sserpent know of love? It’s not an emotion my sspecies feels deeply. It’ss fleeting and lastss only long enough to procreate. Then it vanishes.”

“I seriously doubt you’re having procreational feelings,” Mari teased, laughing softly. “As for Ekimmu, maybe, but then she’s made that way.”

“Sso, you think thiss is the reasson she enjoys my company?” Sarpe asked despondently. “She wantss to procreate?”

“No, I don’t. That doesn’t even make sense. Besides, Ekimmu is ancient in her own right. I doubt that she has thought about bearing children in a very long time. I think it’s pretty obvious that she loves you.”

Sighing, Sarpe rearranged her coils restlessly, her elliptical eyes narrowing as she thought about Mari’s words. “I don’t know. Even if it’ss true, what future could we have together?”

“Is the future so important you would sacrifice what you have now? You have today, and hopefully many tomorrows. Enjoy them. If you waste time worrying beyond that, opportunities will pass you by, and sadly, you’ll have an eternity of regrets.”

“As always, you’re right.”

“Not always, my friend.” Mari laughed. “But most of the time. Now don’t you think you should visit that young woman of yours? I’m sure she’s wondering what happened to you.”

“Perhappsss you have a point,” Sarpe agreed, uncoiling her long body.

“Good. Talk to her. She must be having her own fears about you.”

Bowing her head slightly, Sarpe vanished.

“You handled that mighty fine, love,” Maopa said, wrapping her arms around the tall spirit from behind.

“Of course,” Mari agreed smugly, then turned to embrace the smaller spirit. “There’s a good reason why I’m the Earth Mother.”

“That be so. You was made that way. Not that I be a complainin’.” Maopa chuckled. “Now hows about we does some skinny dippin’ in the lake? I feels some hot flashes stirrin’ in my bones.”

“What bones?”

Leaning down to kiss her lover, Mari ran toward the Great Falls. “Last one in gets a full body massage,” she yelled.

“Dang! I just hates to lose like this,” Maopa grumbled, strolling slowly after her.