“Feels like this day has been a long time coming,”

Hands under his arms, she supported him slowly getting to his feet. His muscles protested the position, twitching with pain as he forced himself upright. Jaw tight, spine stiff to hold his shoulders back, he told himself it was not nearly as painful as it could be. For weeks he’d been on his back, his companion not allowing him to do more than occasionally sit up. Today was a milestone.

At his side, her arm gently stayed around his waist as he took his first step. Though he swayed a little, his legs were steady. Going some eight feet before he had to lean against the trunk of a mangrove tree, exhausted. His heart was pounding with the exertion, pain making sweat break out along his brow. Despite that, he was very pleased. Progress had been made and from now on, he would only get stronger.

“I think I’ll stand for a short while if that is acceptable to you,” he gently teased his companion.

He had been harassing her for days about being made to lie still. Though she did not smile her expression was pleased and she nodded happily.

Go ahead, she seemed to say.

“Though it makes conversation interesting, my making up what you mean is a little one-sided,” he commented. “Somehow, we are going to have to find a way to communicate.”

She tilted her head, her right eyebrow arching as she looked back at him.

How? Was her expression.

“I’ll tell you how,” he leaned against the trunk, turning to face her. “Body language, hand gestures, I’ll even teach you to write if I have to.” Once the words were out, he wondered if he even knew how himself.

She pondered that for a long moment, as if trying to picture in her mind what that would be like. Spoken language had been impossible for years, but if they began to communicate without speaking… The idea appealed to her and she nodded her head slowly, a faint smile flickering across her mouth.

Yes, okay yes.

“Well, I suppose that just leaves us with the hard part, figuring out how to start.”

She was no longer listening to him though, her mind turning to the past. Would he understand?  Patting his arm to get his attention, when he looked at her, she tapped her forefinger against her head as she nodded.

“What?” Watching her closely, he frowned. “You have an idea?”

Yes. She nodded enthusiastically.

“Great, let’s see it,” he grinned at her.

She left him for a moment, returning with a basket of fruit, the water flask, a rock, a log, and the sling. She settled onto the ground at his feet and laid out her items neatly in a row, gesturing for him to join her.

Sit down, here. She indicated the place opposite her.

Keenly interested, he settled to the ground and intently watched her. She picked up a finger lime and gestured slowly, her eyes locked with his. Bringing four fingers to her mouth fingertips touching her thumb, she brushed them against her chin, just below her bottom lip.

“Finger lime,” he said, but she shook her head.

No. Try again. That sign was understood by her finger tapping her head then pointing to him. She repeated the gesture.

“Fruit?”

No, try again.

“Not fruit, not lime, “he pursed his lips for a moment. “Food?”

Yes.

She nodded and set the lime aside, picking up a lilli pilli. Her gesture was different this time, her fingers arching up, knuckles facing him from her cheek. Her hand circled around to close into a loose fist at her chin and he waited until she did it again before he spoke.

“Fruit?”

Yes, fruit. She nodded making the gesture again.

She next indicated the basket of fruit and made a third sign, moving slowly. Her hands were cupped before her, and she slowly arched them out and away from each other.

“Breakfast?”

Head shaking, she repeated the gesture.

“Basket of fruit?”

Yes and no. Try again.

“Yes and no? So, I was close?”

Yes, try again.

“Fruit basket?”

No. She tapped the basket itself with one finger, using her right hand to make the sign again.

“The basket itself? Basket?”

Yes! Basket. She nodded approvingly, her lavender right eye sparkling.

“Alright, I think we’re on our way now.”

Yes. Her nod was faint, but the right corner of her mouth turned up in a tiny grin.

“Teach me more,” his voice was warm and deep as he leaned toward her. “Teach me everything,”

He ought to rest, but his look was so compelling that she could not take her eyes off his. Nodding, she reached for the water flask.

Okay.

They sat there for hours, once having exhausted her small supply of items she began pointing to things in their environment, from the mangrove trees, to leaves, the sky, the earth, fire, and clouds, whatever she could find. He began imitating her gestures as she taught him, not only learning what they meant but also how to use them. His genuine interest flushed her with pleasure.

“Any chance that we have something other than fruit for supper?” he asked a long while later.

Yes, I find, was her simple response, at least that is what he assumed she meant.

“Are you comfortable going alone?” He instantly could have bitten off his tongue. Who was taking care of whom here?

She did not seem to mind his question but merely nodded.

You stay, I return, she gestured, or so he assumed she meant.

With that, she picked up her sling and leather pouch and quickly left the camp. He sat alone facing the fire, occasionally poking at the flames with a long shaft of wood, stirring the coals. The hot afternoon sun was beginning to descend, and the evening breeze was faint but refreshing.

Who was he? The question was circling round and round in his mind like a hungry vulture over a carcass. He looked down, the leather binding his torso still in place. His trousers used to be a deep blue, but were now faded and stained, tucked into black leather boots that came up just below his knees. He wondered at what the style of his dress indicated about his profession. His tunic was hanging among the low branches of a mangrove tree, washed and ready when he was able to put it back on. It also used to be one color, a bright white, but was now a dusty gray, with loose sleeves and a wide collar. The neckline was an open v of about six inches but was laced closed with thin leather sinews. That was the extent of his current possessions, nothing revealing about them.

Frowning, he tossed another dry branch on the fire, his mind stretching for answers. His seeming natural responses and sharp sense told him a little. Perhaps he’d been a soldier, or some kind of explorer, perhaps a sailor, and yet? He had a feeling perhaps his companion would know something, but how to get answers with limited communication? A soft thud and sudden spray of dust across his hand startled him and he looked up and around. His companion had returned, coming in behind him and her sling was held loose in her hand.

“Did you just chuck a stone at me?” his tone was incredulous.

No.

Approaching, she bent picking up a snake about seven feet long, the thickness of his wrist, and tossed it next to the fire. It was a mulga, often referred to as a King Brown though this particular specimen was a ruddy reddish orange. They were among the deadliest snakes in the country. His heart began to hammer as he realized how close the serpent had been to his hand.

“Thank you,”

She glanced at him from the corner of her right eye. You watch, you see snake. It was a gentle rebuke.

“You’re right, I was thinking, trying to remember…” he shook his head in frustration. “It won’t happen again.”

She chuffed softly and he looked at her, realizing it was something between a laugh and a scoff.

“You don’t believe me?”

You no think again, she mocked teasingly. No true.

He grinned when her meaning dawned on him and he shook his head at her.

“I am going to regret ever finding ways to talk to you, aren’t I?”

Her only response was a sly smile as she turned away, dumping out her catch before the fire. She had caught several Bilby’s, creatures with silky grey fur, long narrow muzzles and large ears, Australia’s odd version of a bunny, and a Sugar Glider, a marsupial similar in shape to possums but with a flap of skin between its legs that allows it to glide from tree to tree. How she managed to bring them down with one good eye and a sling he would probably never know. It didn’t really matter though he decided, it was food and he was hungry and grateful.