Chapter 25


Spike watched the sun rise over the bluff. The beauty of such a simple daily occurrence brought tears to his eyes. It had been so long since he had seen nature in its full majestic reveal. The shadows gracefully moved across the ground, as life stirred in dawn’s early hours. The only thing that could make it better, would be sharing it with Buffy.

Signs of life from the cave indicated it was time for him to move. He would make one attempt to ask for help, but would not allow any more time to pass. He needed to find Buffy.

He walked down the hill once more, kicking the pile of dust from last night’s fight as he walked towards the caves inhabitants who were going about their daily chores.

He took notice that the sentries that had been posted last night were nowhere to be seen. Apparently, they don’t have guards during the day. This is good to know.

Spike knew, after the previous night, he would probably be considered a threat as soon as he approached. The fact that he looked different, and didn’t speak their language wasn’t going to help either.

The women and children of the cave were milling about, and the few men he saw seemed to be supervising. No one appeared armed—at least none carried sharp wooden spears like the guards had the night before.

Spike sat hidden by the bushes, waiting to make his move, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He spun around and luckily didn’t vamp out on reflex. The boy from the previous night stood just behind him, hand extended and grinning from ear to ear. He spoke a guttural language that Spike had never heard before, but it was obvious from his body language that he wanted Spike to come with him. I don’t know how he was able to sneak up on me, but this might work even better than I had planned.

He stood and took the boy’s grubby hand, allowing the child to lead him towards the cave.

The reaction to his walking with the boy was exactly what he expected. The cave people scattered, running back toward the cave, but the boy pulled him closer to the cave’s entrance. Just before the rocky incline, the boy stopped and said something to him that Spike was pretty sure meant stay here while I get someone with a pointy stick.

He watched the boy disappear just inside, and for a brief moment thought that was a bad idea, but the boy returned, almost as quickly as his previous thought, with an old man. The old man was being pulled out of the cave, and the boy seemed to be explaining something to him. I hope he’s telling him that I saved his ass last night and not something like I was hiding in the bushes staring at the little children.

The old man looked at Spike and stopped dead in his tracks. The boy continued to tug on his arm, but was shooed away, obviously instructed to get back in the cave. Spike watched as two large men came up behind the elder, trailing after him as the man began walking towards Spike once more.

Spike was unsure what to do, afraid to offend, yet concerned for his safety.

The elder stood before him and said some words Spike had no idea what they meant. Spike shrugged and shook his head as he spoke. Both looked at each other and recognized they couldn’t understand one another. Finally, after a minute or so of pure silence, the elder tapped his palm on his chest, and said, “Hourak.”

Spike acknowledged Hourak, and tapped his own chest and said, “Spike.”

Spike looked around, trying to figure a way to communicate with Hourak, when he saw a stick off to the left. He slowly made his way to the stick, making sure that the guards knew he meant no harm. He picked up the stick and drew in the sand a stick figure of a girl. He then ran his hands through his hair freeing his white curls, and said, “Kaia?”

The look on Hourak’s face told him he was understood. That old man could help him, but would he?


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The sounds of birds woke Buffy, making her realize she must have slept in. Usually, Groma was up making the morning meal before the birds’ first peep. Not that day. Buffy rose quickly and rushed to Groma. The woman was still in her furs, but awake.

“Groma? Are you alright?” Buffy felt the older woman’s forehead, checking for fever, and found it cool to the touch.

“I will be fine, Buffy. My body is old, and the cold preys on my bones. Mornings have become difficult for me.” Groma’s face was strained as she started to sit up, pain shooting through her limbs. “If you could prepare the fire, it would help.”

“Lie back down, Groma. Let me get the place warmed up, and I can make the meal, and bring it to you. I’m concerned you aren’t getting enough rest. Can you tell me what hurts? Is there something I can get you?” Buffy asked.

Groma ignored Buffy’s offer, and struggled to stand. “You are with child now, and you need more rest than I do. Buffy, I am old. My body reminds me every morning I have lived a long time with its aches. I will use the salve we made yesterday, and brew some tea for pain relief. Now, get the fire going, and open the panel so that the sun can enter.”

Buffy nodded and went to put more wood on the fire, but watched Groma as she went about her morning tasks. The woman was in pain, and it looked worse than the days before. Buffy didn’t know what to do to help her, but would try to make her life easier.

The fire was blazing as Buffy moved the panel away from the cave’s entrance and breathed in the brisk morning air. There was a certain electricity in the air that prickled her skin. Something was coming, and she wasn’t sure if it was good or bad, but it was coming soon.


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Hourak stared at the strange man’s clothing and his hair. He’d only ever seen one other person that looked similar to him, and he had just said her name. Kaia

Could this be one of her people? How would they know she survived? Or her given name? I knew she was different, special, but could have she contacted her people to help her? Will she leave with this man? And if she does, what will happen to Groma? Will she leave the valley too?

Hourak nodded to the man, and called for the boy. The boy came running, he had been near, trying to watch or hear anything that was said.

“Get my walking stick, and my water hide. I will take the stranger to Kaia. Tell the other Elders I will be making a trip.” Hourak instructed the boy and asked for the stick from Spike.

Hourak drew two male figures in the sand, and an arrow pointing toward the female figure Spike had sketched. He then looked to Spike to see if he’d been understood.

As Spike was processing the older man’s offer to help him find Kaia, the boy came running out of the cave with a tall knotty wood stick. At first glance, Spike saw a weapon rushing toward him and he flinched, but—when the boy handed it to Hourak, who immediately leaned on it—he realized that the old man would really be helping him find Kaia, and the stick would help him make his journey.


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Buffy had prepared the morning meal and told Groma she would take care of the daily chores outside the cave, so that Groma could rest. She made her way down the bluff with ease. The sickness and tiredness that she had been accustomed to the past few months seemed to have disappeared, leaving her feeling amazing. Buffy wondered if taking care of Groma, focusing on something other than her own worries and discomfort was helping her feel better. It felt good to be useful and needed again.

She gathered the same kind of roots and herbs that they had used to make the salve she was sure Groma was using today, making sure she would have plenty if she needed it. Filling the hides with water, she returned them to the cave, so she could check up on Groma without her being the wiser.

Groma was lying down, something she never did mid-day. Buffy pulled a lightweight hide over Groma, not wanting her to catch a chill, and returned to her chores. She needed to stock up on wood. If the warmth of the fire helped the woman feel better, Buffy would make sure the fire never went out.


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Hourak led the way through the valley, hoping his old legs would let him make the journey before sundown, and that Groma and Kaia would welcome him and Spike when they arrived.

Hourak thought about Groma and worried that her living away from the clan might have been hard on her. He owed so much to her. She had been sitting by his side at the hearth for so long, that when she left, a part of him left as well. He missed her company as much as the clan missed their medicine woman.

And Kaia. His heart broke knowing what Kahn had done to her, and casting her out couldn’t have felt more wrong.

Spike was walking by his side now, so he was able to get a better look at him too. He stood taller than the clan’s men, and straighter. His skin was pale like Kaia’s, too, and his eyes were different as well. He could tell Spike was eager to locate Kaia, even seemed worried. I have so many questions. I hope Kaia will be able to understand him…


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Buffy had bundled up a large pile of kindling and was using the wedge and stone to split larger pieces of wood. The sun was high in the sky as the afternoon wore on, and Buffy found herself becoming overheated. She removed her outer hides, leaving only a primitive leather bustier on. Her belly swell was evident, and she had to loosen the laces to accommodate its growth as well as her new larger breasts.

Deciding it was time for a break, she took a walk to the creek. After a cool drink, she would finish with the wood and still have time to make dinner for Groma.


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Spike could hear rushing water in the distance. He hoped they would arrive soon; he was becoming worried about the old man who was tired, and winded. He would insist that when they reached the water, they’d take a break.

The water’s edge was only a few feet away and Spike saw some large stones near its edge. He rushed ahead of Hourak and sat down on one of the stones. He indicated for the older man to have a seat.

Once he was seated, Hourak offered Spike a drink from his hide.

Spike gulped it down and offered to refill the hide, while the older man rested.



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Buffy’s walk to the creek was interrupted by a strange feeling. She had dreaded the creek after what had happened with Kahn, but that was different. She realized the feeling wasn’t dread, but her Slayer senses telling her that a vampire was nearby. But its broad daylight! Slipping behind some brush, she hid her presence, and looked for the threat.

What she saw shocked her. She stood and walked towards the water. And then she spoke.

“Spike? Is that really you?”