by Candy Rae
The thirteen Lind and their human companions had already set out for their trek to the Lind pack-home. They walked for the most part and were led by Matvei and Kath. Afanasei walked beside Tara and Kolyei, learning all he could of this alien language. Tara began to think there would be no end to his questions. It was a slow process: what each knew of the other’s language was still limited but both species found that being able to illustrate words and ideas with mental images was a great help. As the day wore on, every pair began to speak to each other more vocally, their thoughts being more and more reserved for emotions rather than explanations. Afanasei wondered at the phenomenon. What unbelievable luck that some members of this off-world species were able to communicate the Lind way.
“How long will the journey take?” Tara asked Kolyei with a long-suffering sigh after Afanasei had moved ahead to inflict his endless questions and tuition on another unfortunate pair.
He considered her question. The journey would normally take a Lindar all of nine sundowns; a smaller party could do it, perhaps, in a little less. Encumbered as they were with these slow two-legged creatures he was not sure.
“Eleven sundowns,” he answered at last, but Tara got the impression that it might be a lot more.
They set off.
It had been planned that for the first part of the journey through the forest both species would walk. It was realised by the Lind that their two-legged partners had not the stamina nor the speed to keep up with a Lind running and, when they reached the grass-lands the two-legged younglings would again be permitted to ride. If the Eldas had not given this concession the journey would take too long and it would also give any search parties the opportunity to catch up with them. That was not in the plan.
Matvei had discussed the situation with both Kolyei and Afanasei on arrival at the dom the previous evening and they concluded that riding would be the norm when vadeln-pairs needed to traverse large distances in the future. Matvei had laughed as he mentioned that it was his considered opinion that ltscta not five moons old could traverse the ground faster than his Kath. The Lind were in high spirits. It was a great honour for pack Zanatei to be the one chosen by the Eldas to pioneer the twelve first inter-species bondings. Why, they would be sung about for many moons and seasons to come.
When Tara was informed that riding would again be necessary she was eager to ride at once. Her legs were tired from the previous day as the walking pace set by the Lind was much faster than she was used to and often she had to run to keep up. To be carried on Kolyei’s back would be unadulterated pleasure. It would also remove Afanasei from their side. He could not run at speed and ask questions at the same time, at least she hoped he couldn’t.
During a short break, the twelve human youngsters ate some of what they had brought with them from the first campsite. The Lind had eaten their own meal earlier and would not need to eat again until the following day. They set off again, mounted this time. It was amazing the speed at which the Lind could traverse the ground. Tara, her knees clamped tight to Kolyei’s side and her hands once more entwined in his thick neck fur, became almost mesmerised by the sight of the trees and undergrowth flashing by. Before nightfall, they had left the woods and were going even faster, the land being prairie-like, the grasses almost uniformly mauve and the ground undulating only slightly. In the distance Tara could see a faint smudge of what might be hills on the horizon and wondered if they were their destination.
They slept that night at the bottom of a slightly larger undulation. The rain stopped and with relays of Lind keeping watch through the dark hours, the children slept the sleep of the exhausted nestled into those Lind not on watch.
When morning came they were surprised to see a bundle of edibles waiting for them. The Lind said nothing but Kath, Tara and a few of the others correctly surmised that other Lind were in the vicinity and had brought it for them.
When questioned, the Lind only looked wise.
“They are our friends and rtathen and they guard us,” intoned Kolyei.
It took quite some time to explain just exactly what the Lind meant, but the humans understood that there were dangers on these plains, dangers that only the Lind knew existed and that they were taking steps to protect the party. Kath, older than the rest realised that these protective parties could also be used to stop searchers looking for them but she kept such thoughts to herself.
They set off after they had eaten. That night they rested beside a small copse of dugo bushes, about the only vegetation larger than a stalk of grass that grew on the plains. The smudge of hills on the horizon was closer now and as the days passed, became ever bigger and more distinct.
These hills were their destination.
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