Pride of the Veld

Danie.
    Geo knew they weren’t going anywhere in the Rover, but he needed to check everything out himself, maybe more than once, before he admitted defeat.
    “Geo,” Danie called, stepping out into the hot afternoon sun, “Andrea needs you to check his arm, and we need to set up camp. I’ll call George and have him send out a rescue party. It’s at least a day’s hike to the airfield on foot― wiser just to stay put and let them come to us. We have the supplies.”
    “What if?” Geo couldn’t say the words.
    “He’s fine, Geo. Go see, and let me call the old man?” Just a quick nod to Danie and Geo was all business again. The strong, hard illusion he’d hide behind in public was back, and he could see Danie’s approval. He needed Geo to be tough right now.
    By the time Danie finished his call into the reserve, Geo had checked and rebandaged Andrea’s arm, started laying out their supplies, and unpacking the tent before heading into the bush to look for fuel.
    A campfire would be more critical out here; there were at least two lion prides that included this area in their range. According to Danie, George was sending out trackers, a mechanic, and a spare axle. They were expected to rendezvous with them in three days if lucky. Four was more likely if they were sticking together in a caravan.
    He was sure they’d be seeing Oupa himself. This was one incident of bad luck too many and the old man would be blaming Danie for all of it. Oupa was never fair where he was concerned.
    Geo moved next to checking their water supplies, pulling out a roll of charts for the reserve. He found their quadrant, looking for the closest spring or creek. It looked like they had a little luck. There was a year-round spring a short distance away. That also meant there’d be game, and with the game, predators wouldn’t be far behind. He pulled out their second rifle and a box of shells and laid both on the hood of the Rover.
    “Andy, do you know how to shoot?” Geo tossed over his shoulder to the Italian.
    Andrea had been casually taking pictures of them working since neither of them would allow him to help.
    “Just photos, caro,” he replied softly, taking another shot of Geo, smiling.
    “Okay, just checking.” Geo tucked his head back into the hatch of the Rover. They had enough water for all four days if they rationed it. That meant canned food. Geo pulled out the boxed food, setting it on the ground.
    ****
    Danie circled through the grass, checking lines of sight into their camp. They were a little exposed to the south, but there was a ridge rising up that would give the advantage of high ground if someone approached from that direction. He shifted the full water jugs on his back, scouting closer.
    It was a scramble to get to the top of the rocky outcropping one-handed, but he managed it. Peering around for cover, thinking like a hunter, he abandoned his cargo and eased forward on his belly, looking out and into their camp.
    Andrea was sitting on a campstool close to the tent, fiddling with his camera again. Geo was working on the fire. Flashes of steel from his knife blade kept catching the sun, and Danie made a note of it. No point in bringing unwanted attention to any of them. Though by the time night fell, they’d have no choice. Their fire would shine like a beacon, but the four-legged predators were more likely to find them without it.
    He watched as the Italian got up from his seat, sauntering over to Geo. The hand he placed on the small of Geo’s back set his teeth on edge. Drop it. He willed the Italian to move away. Instead, Andrea moved it slowly across his back until draping it over Geo’s shoulder, bringing their heads together.
    He thought he would see Geo’s smile, shy and flirty, if he pulled out his binoculars. Geo wasn’t pulling away; even from this distance he could read the man’s body language, could feel the imprint of Geo’s warmth from all the times he leaned back into him; watching him lean into the photographer brought a stab of pain.
    He really couldn’t blame Geo, not after the other night, especially since he had practically offered up the man to Geo, on a silver platter. But that was before he revealed so much. More than he’d intended, but not everything. Probably not enough. And maybe it was too late; he’d seen the glances between Andrea and Geo. After their argument, how could he expect Geo not to jump at the chance to be with the Italian?
    Danie lay there, letting the