Reaching Scarletra`s cave took them until sundown, mainly because they had to navigate many massive boulders and a few cliffs, but she could easily guide Samuel. Having her around was better than having a GPS.

　　 Scarletra pushed open the massive pelts she draped over the entrance to this cave. The welcoming scents of where she called home for years greeted them. While there was not much in the little cave compared to the outpost, it had everything she needed. But never all she wanted.

　　A mountain of pelts lay in one corner that she used as a bed. Dead center was the remnants of a fire ring and a cooking rack suspended over it. Laid in neat, tidy rows on crude shelves were all the products Scarletra had spent countless days crafting: hooks, clubs, spears, traps, rope, sinew line, baskets of dried meat, and even a few framed backpacks.

　　On the far end of the room, atop a plinth carved from stone, were immaculate statues of wood, each depicting a different god or goddess of the Varintol. Their figures were as varied as the items they carried in hand and what they represented.

　　Some were hulking monstrosities, while others were lithe hunters. Most carried weapons, but others clung to items precious to their domains, Such as Levaal swaddling a young cub.

　　Scarletra was proud of them, but she was far more prideful about the legion of smaller statutes covering the floor. They were her dear friends, and she had spent more time with them than was probably healthy talking to them over her eternity alone. They were models of the creatures that covered the region she claimed as hers, running the gamut from Hurots hounds to the smallest, rarest bird.

　　"Wow! You were not kidding that you had a lot of stuff," Samuel commented, taking in the sight.

　　"You have no idea," Scarletra replied, walking toward the plinth.

　　She pulled out her flint and steel and began to gradually light candles. Each flickering flame illuminated and brought more of the cave into perspective. One by one, strike by strike. Scarletra had been busy over the years.

　　Carved into the walls were steps of shelves, each row packed to the brim with more little statues and other supplies. The shadows had previously kept Samuel from witnessing their grandeur, but now he understood thoroughly.

　　"Sam, meet my friends," Scarletra said, gesturing at the high looming carvings and toward the depictions of the gods.

　　Friends? That was an odd way to put it. But she had said that talking to her works was her only social mockup, so Samuel did not judge. Samuel slowly walked up toward the plinth, the eyes of the other carving watching him like gargoyles guarding their home.

　　He looked over the Varintol gods and was amazed. The detail and clean workmanship were enrapturing. The one front and center especially was. She was taller than the others and built out of a different, far brighter wood. The Varintol was hugging herself; there were massive gouges in the side of her chest, and her face looked pained yet somehow at peace. Scarletra had even set some rough yellow crystals on the surface to act as eyes.

　　It took Samuel a few moments to remember all that Scarletra had told her of the gods, but he remembered them all. This one was The Great Mother. She was gorgeous and had a similar build to Scarletra. Looking at her, Samuel felt an odd sense of comfort in her forlorn look. Possibly because he knew the story of her sacrifice to care for her children until her dying breath? Or it could be because the statue reminded him of the woman who wormed her way into his heart.

　　He traced the line, remembering each name and quips about what each god and goddess represented. He doubted Scarletra would appreciate it if he did not recognize them. Lord knows she mentioned them enough.

　　 While they were all stunning works of art, from Levaal`s gentle motherly grace to Hurot`s fierce gaze and flaming sword, one held his attention more than the rest: the representation of Maruvak.

　　Scarletra had placed the skull of some animal over the head, giving the goddess of death a foreboding, almost threatening look. The flickering candles cast the eye holes in shadows as dark as midnight. Those dark pits stared into his very soul. That presence was aided by the sizeable two-handed ax in her hand. It was no grim reaper scythe, but it was no less intimidating, and he could picture the goddess of death cleaving a dying Varintol in twain with them, claiming their souls for her undead legions.

　　"Sam, are you going to keep staring or help me?" Scarletra questioned, having already started to gather items off the shelves.

　　Samuel shook his attention from the haunting visage and turned to help. "Yeah, let`s get to work."

　　 They had a lot of packing to do and not much sunlight left. He doubted they would even get the shelves clear before they would have to use the Vernitluks lights to let them keep working.

　　Samuel was undoubtedly right about the amount of effort they would put in that day. It was absolutely grueling. After their two-day drive, Samuel`s back hurt, and this was not helping him. Samuel groaned and picked up a crate, his spine cracking like a glowstick.

　　Scarletra, in the meantime, was chipper and eager to work. Life would be much easier if only Samuel could have that kind of energy again. Hell, he would settle on a new spine. But life had not handed him those cards; instead, he had to deal with being an aged individual.

　　As Samuel started to stack some of the pelts to get ready to roll them into self-contained makeshift rolls, Scarletra rested a hand on his shoulder, carrying a hundred-kilo basket of dried food under the other arm like it weighed nothing.

　　"Leave those out. We can sleep there tonight," Scarletra said with a wink.

　　"What don`t want to stay in the Varintluk?" Samuel questioned.

　　"I want one more night here. It`s been home for so long," Scarletra replied, a longing in her voice, sounding almost like guilt.

　　He wondered if she was almost regretting her decision to move in or if her tone was just the pensiveness almost everyone got before a massive life change. Samuel nodded and put the pelts back. If she wanted to stay in her old home one more time, who was he to argue. "What do you want me to grab then?"

　　Scarletra thought about it momentarily, looking over the items she had in the cave. Samuel had told her on the way to think about what she wanted to bring home on this first run. The Varintluk`s storage area had a lot of room but was limited. So they should be getting the essentials first.

　　"Get the rest off that self. I will move the statues," Scarletra replied.

　　"Why bring the Statues?" Samuel questioned.

　　Scarletra looked at him like he was stupid. She had worked on the representations of the gods for months, ensuring each was flawless. It would be a waste to leave them here to rot, and they needed the gods watching over their home; not having a place of worship and offering would be improper.

　　"I want them," Scarletra replied.

　　 She was not confident enough with Galactic Standard to communicate that complicated thought. Instead of flicking on her translator and explaining, she waited to see if Samuel wanted more details. Thankfully, he put her needs over any curiosities drumming in his head.

　　"Alright, I will double-check your lashings once it`s time to stop for the day, alright?" Samuel said, turning about and looking at the packed shelves for what item would send pained waves down his creaking back.

　　 After a few horrible hours of lugging Scarletra`s luggage and strapping it to or stuffing it into the Varintluk, they called it for the day, having opted to finish work in the Morning. At least Samuel called it because he was exhausted, and Scarletra pitied him.

　　 Samuel and Scarletra settled around a roaring fire for a quick meal she had lit using the last of her wood storage in the area. Scarletra had moved the statue of Maruvak out already; that thing gave Samuel the heebie-jeebies. Eating with the statue, constantly watching and judging him, did not sound enjoyable.

　　Dinner was reasonably quiet, not that either could not find things to chat about. Both were exhausted from the trip and the work and took a break from talking, having done so constantly for nearly two days. They liked one another for sure, but even they had some limits. 16 hours a day stuck thigh to thigh and shoulder to shoulder while one was occupied with driving was one of those limits. Unless it was an important topic, the content comfort of having the other close by was enough. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

　　Samuel observed as Scarletra ate some of the dried meat and rough bread from storage, dipping it into the gravy he had made. He watched with wonder, still struck by the thought of her moving in. The thought of having another woman living with him was still surreal. Fiddling with and rolling his wedding band around, he watched Scarletra lick at a drop of gravy that had escaped her mouth.

　　Scarletra noticed Samuel messing with his wedding band but did not say anything. She would instead bring it up after they settled in for the night. The last thing she wanted was for her to open that wound and for him to decide to sleep in the Varintluk. She would bring it up after they had a bit of enjoyment with one another, and he was wrapped in her arms. She would ask more about Sarah, needing to understand the life of the man she cared about more.

　　—-

　　Scarletra draped her arm over Samuel and smiled, smelling his mossy, smokey scent. They had just finished another roll in the hay, or in this case fur. If Samuel`s fogged eyes were anything to go by, she had passed her oral exams with flying colors.

　　Samuel`s performance was, as usual, nothing to scoff at; her rump was battered and likely bruised slightly after his thighs and pelvis slammed into it from behind for the last half hour. It was a fantastic few rounds, and the hot feeling in her core made her more eager to continue, but Samuel was clearly spent and would not be up for a fourth or fifth round tonight.

　　She reached down to his rump and pulled him higher in the mountain of soft furs, bringing his head to her level. Scarletra licked his cheek a few times, letting Samuels` ragged breath steady. Once he had steadied himself, the gesture was graciously returned to her enjoyment, even if his tongue was puny.

　　After a few cared licks, Samuel cupped her cheeks gently before kissing her, playfully running his tongue across her lips. Scarletra, of course, pushed against him and slipped her tongue over his and coiled it in his mouth, writhing it just enough to hear him blissfully moan.

　　 By Levaal, hearing him enjoy her kisses was to die for.

　　Breaking the kiss, Samuel brushed away her hair and relaxed. Taking time to enjoy that with her and the fur blanket Scarletra covered them with every centimeter of him felt like it was wrapped in plush satin.

　　"Feeling good?" Scarletra whispered, snaking her arm underneath Samuel`s head and wrapping it down his back.

　　"Yeah, that was nice. I`m exhausted and can`t go again, sorry," Samuel replied.

　　"I know," Scarletra giggled, rubbing her nose against his. "I won`t ask for more."

　　Scarletra struggled to think of how to ask Samuel about his late wife without coming across as rude or miscommunicative. She wanted to know more about his family, life, and what brought him here to Baratin. She, in all reality, knew very little about his past other than that Sarah had died from some disease. Scarletra had made a few guesses about his life based on his actions, but those were nothing more than wild speculation.

　　Scarletra could activate her translator but would rather not. Now that she could speak rough Galactic Standard, Samuel would only hear her, not that little gray box strapped to her neck by leather. They should listen to each other`s tones and inflections, not assume based on words and body language. That was how she thought of it, at least.

　　After a long pause between them, Scarletra had settled on what to say, "I want to know about your family."

　　It was not subtle, but with Scarletras` Galactic Standard lexicon being about as shallow as a plate of cereal, the straightforward approach was the limit of her tactfulness.

　　The question surprised Samuel, not because he was uncomfortable telling her about his past, But because generally, after they had sex, the docket was cuddles, sleep, or maybe some more beer, not an earnest question like that.

　　"Sure, what do you want to know?" Samuel replied.

　　"Sarah, your family, your home," Scarletra purred.

　　That would be a lot to unpack. It was only fair that he gave her the truth. Samuel rolled onto his back and looked at the shadows dancing behind the rows of carvings. He sighed and thought back to his hometown of Rhinelander and started at the beginning when he was a young lad ripping apart any electronic he could get his hands on.

　　Over the next two hours, Samuel laid out everything he could remember about his life. While none of it was particularly exciting or as horrific as Scarletra`s, it was the honest truth.

　　Scarletra listened intently to each detail he explained about growing up in a small manufacturing and lumber town, going to a massive city to get an education, and what began as a whirlwind romance with Sarah. The two of them accidentally met on their first day of college, having literally bumped into one another, with Samuel`s coffee ruining her book. Their first date was him buying her a new one and perusing a bookstore.

　　The way he described Sarah was enrapturing. Each time he told her a story about their little adventures, his eyes would light up, and he would smile. Even his language changed slightly. He was using far more grand and descriptive words, enough so Scarletra had to pause him to ask what some of them meant.

　　 Once she understood everything he had said, Scareltra smiled meekly, confirming an understanding. Samuel was undoubtedly in love with Sarah; his initial hesitance to Scarletra`s advances was understandable.

　　Samuel then brought Scarletra some pause. He expanded the tales about his life from focusing on Sarah to their children. Scarletra did not know they had kids; it should not have been surprising, but with him being out here alone, she assumed he had no one left on Earth once Sarah died.

　　But no, Samuel had left three kids on that faraway planet; granted, they were grown and had their own families when he came here, but he just left without telling them, vanishing from their lives without a trace.

　　"Why would you not tell them?" Scarletra prodded, assuming Sam would be tight-lipped about that.

　　He sighed and scratched his head, a look of anguish on his brow. "They had not talked to me since Sarah died. I figured they wanted nothing to do with me anymore. I don`t blame them. I wasn`t exactly a happy or nice person when she first died."

　　"I`m certain they miss you," Scarletra replied, rubbing her hand on his chest. "Maybe message them?"

　　"Maybe," Samuel replied before continuing his story, pushing off the topic of his children.

　　Samuel loved all three of them: Blair, Tom, and Alex. But he had no idea what he could say to them or their kids. Could he honestly admit to them he was so lonely that running off to the far side of the galaxy to die cold and alone seemed like a good idea at the time?

　　After Samuel`s kids were grown and out of the house, he and Sarah slowed down. She retired, and he kept working day in and day out until Sarah got sick and died.

　　 At that point, his tone shifted; he was a bit more sullen but kept soldiering on, refusing to leave out any details about how his house fell into disarray, and never did anything other than work or drink to a stupor.

　　"Then I moved here, wanting nothing but to be left alone and be forgotten about," Samuel sighed, finishing his tale.

　　He looked over at Scarletra, expecting her to pity him or something along those lines but nope. Her bright eyes were as warm as ever. She scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder.

　　"You are not forgotten, Sam. You have a lot of life left," Scarletra whispered.

　　"Yeah, I know that now," Samuel replied, draping his arm over her shoulders and kissing her silver hair. "Let`s get some sleep, alright? We have a lot of work tomorrow. You can ask me more then, ok?"

　　She growled her agreement and listened to his heart drumming in her ear. Samuel quickly fell asleep, having struggled to stay awake while recounting his life. Scarletra was slow to follow.

　　Instead of passing out, Scarletra stared intently at Samuel, reflecting on his life. It sounded comfortable and fulfilling. In a way she envied that his life was peaceful and filled with love; she had never had anything like that and wanted it. But life was not like that until recently.

　　Scarletra wondered how much of an existence like that they could forge together. They had a home, had each other, and plenty of things to keep them busy within Hurot`s hunting grounds: building the road, her finishing Sarah`s memorial, and learning more about her new lot in life. They would be busy for sure. But a part of Scarletra wondered if somewhere in that active existence, there was time for children or visiting other places in the universe.

　　 Scarletra could ask Samuel about those topics later. He needed to rest, and spinning herself into a tisy would not put her to sleep. Scarletra snuggled close to Samuel, basking in his smokey scent, and shut her eyes, melting against him.

　　As Scarletra dreamed that night, Levaal tempted her with what could be. Laying out desires that Scarletra had never experienced before, having assumed a monster like her was beyond the light of the goddess of love. Her crystal-clear dream certainly made the idea seem so blissful.

　　She stood just outside the outpost, but the area was not covered in deep snow. No, it was coated in gentle grass and moss, as green as the planet Baratin orbited. A breeze rolled across her fur, and the blissful scents of flowers and moss filled the air, dominating every other odor.

　　A babbling chirp brought her attention to a little cub swaddled in her arms. The cub had the same emerald eyes as Sam, with fur as black as the hair from his youth. He was a handsome little Varintol. Scarletra did not know how she knew it was a boy, but she knew immediately.

　　Gripping her attention from the swaddled babe, giggling and high-pitched roaring rolled out of the lush forest, little birds flying away and vanishing into the sky. Shortly after the announcement, a small pack of young Varintol burst forth from the thicket. Their appearances run the gamut from orange, black, and white; one even had gray stripes like hers.

　　They laughed and jeered while bounding through the field between the outpost and the forest. As they made it halfway, what they were running from came cutely stumbling through the brush. An equally as enrapturing Samuel, wearing shorts, a tank top, and a brimming smile. Her heart sputtered. He looked as equally mouthwatering as handsome.

　　The clan that was undoubtedly theirs reached her, giggling and shielding themselves from him. Clinging to her legs while asking her to save them from Sam. Scarletra ignored their pleas and watched the handsome human approach with boundless confidence. Samuel tickled the babbling cub, quietly speaking to him.

　　Scarletra reached up, cupped his chin, just as she did daily for the last week, and leaned closer. The dream drew to a close just as Scarletra leaned down and planted her lips on his sweet as-candy ones.

　　Scarletra awoke late in the night, her head still firmly on Samuel`s chest, a light drool on it. While she was not cursing the goddess for ripping her from that heavenly fantasy, Scarletra had to admit Levaal was an intelligent and cunning goddess. Pulling her away and making her look her desire in the eye was as crafty as any ambush.

　　Laying there, Scarletra continued to listen to Samuel`s slow breathing, light snores, and powerful heart, But sleep did not come easy for her at that point. It was as if Levaal was still pushing her hand, making Scarletra stew in the thoughts of a future with Samuel.