by Calista Skye
“At least you’ll get a change of scenery,” Phoebe tries to comfort me. “And you’ll get a good escort to keep you safe on your way to Bune.”
“Do we know who it will be?” Mia asks.
“I told Rax’tar to suggest the best one he knew. And if Brax’tan agrees, then yeah. The one we have in mind is good. Don’t be fooled if the guys call him a youngster. He’s no younger than us.”
I sniffle. “Thank you, chicas. I’m okay now. I’ll go get some water for the trip.”
I get up, grab a clean water pouch, and shuffle over to the creek to fill it up.
Shit. I’ve done that a little too much lately. Weeping about something, usually because I’m moved. Like about Caroline giving birth to a boy. But homesickness? It’s been months since last time.
“Ridiculous,” I mutter to myself and close the full water pouch. “Pull yourself together.” It’s something my mother could have said. And that part of my life I don’t miss that much.
So. I have water, and I have food for me and Delyah and the caveman escort, if he wants it. I have my little knife, too. What else do I need?
Caroline comes waddling out of the cave, and I smile like I only do when I see her. “Hey, mama. How’s the new tribesman?”
“He’s fine,” Caroline yawns. “Sleeping in his father’s arms. The father is sleeping, too. I swear he was more worried than me about this whole birth thing.”
I carefully embrace her. “We’re all so happy for you.”
“Thanks. I know. I hear you’re going on an expedition?”
“Just to see what Delyah needs a physicist for. And then maybe try to find her a good one. Because I doubt I’m it.”
She squeezes me lightly. “I’m sure you’ll be fine. You going to bring a spear?”
I make a face. “I was hoping that wasn’t necessary. I mean, the path between here and Bune is pretty well-trodden. The dinos are keeping away, it seems.”
“Until now, maybe. Eleanor did say the raptors are moving in herds now. Or flocks. Swarms? You know what I mean. Probably better if you bring a spear. Even if your escort has a very large sword.”
I straighten my dress. “Most of them have those swords. But I saw some of them with axes. And Rax’tar had a smaller one, Phoebe said.”
“Yeah. But your guy has a really big one.”
I frown. “Are we still talking about swords?”
“Uh-huh.” She looks past me. “And some other things, maybe.”
I turn around, then feel my jaw drop. “Oh fuck!”
2
- Juri’ex -
“Do you agree, Warrior Juri’ex?”
Brax’tan is formal and very serious. Which is fair. He’s the chief of this alien village, although it seems a complicated setup. His wife is the chief also, they say. Well, I suppose it makes sense. Brax’tan is younger than most chiefs. Having someone else to share the responsibility with is probably a good idea. But an alien female?
“I do,” I state with certainty. “I would be honored to escort one of your women to the old spaceship.”
Rax’tar leans forward. “And you understand also that you are not to abduct her? Despite how tempting it might be?”
I feel a smile playing at my lips. “I understand that. You were very clear. What you did with Phoebe was wrong. And I agree.”
He nods. “Good. Just making sure, tribesman. Because of me, now the warriors who come here from other tribes are separated from the women of this tribe. Before, it was not necessary. It is a source of some shame for me.”
“No,” Brax’tan rumbles. “We should have done it a long time ago. Something like that had to happen at some point. No man here has ever seen a woman. It’s only natural that a man of action can get the wrong idea. No blame attaches to you, Warrior Rax’tar. And it ended well. Now, Warrior Juri’ex, there are reports of the rekh moving in herds now. I have never seen that happen, myself. Be aware that things might be different in the jungle these days. As well, there are now dragons on Xren. More will probably come. You have some idea about how to handle them?”
I shrug. “Only what I have been told here. I have not practiced slaying dragons. But I have taken down a good number of irox in my day. I understand some of the same principles can be used.”
“They can,” Brax’tan agrees. “But we think it’s better if we don’t engage them alone. If possible, retreat and get reinforcements.”
I just nod. These men know as well as I do that every situation that includes Bigs has some surprise in it. They can’t be planned and must all be handled on the spot.
Brax’tan gets up. “Then I wish you good luck. I think sunrise is a good time for you to start the voyage. The woman should be ready by then. Her name is Ashlynn.”
“Aslin,” I repeat thoughtfully. “Such an alien name.”
“And yet they are not as alien as we thought in the beginning,” Rax’tar says and yawns. “Your pardon, warrior – I haven’t been getting much sleep.”
“Much Mating taking place?” Gir’ex asks and sits down with another outtriber called Nert’ox. “It is what newlyweds do, they say.”
“They do say that,” Rax’tar agrees, gets to his feet, and stretches. “Of course, I can neither confirm or deny. I have only been wed for a little while and don’t know all the customs. Very well, then. I wish you a happy journey, Juri’ex. Keep the woman safe, and yourself too. I don’t know if they will allow you into their strange spaceship when you get there. Perhaps just as well if you return here. We six from The Island are much wanted, what with the two surviving dragons on the island in Seatree Ocean. It is felt we have much to contribute in that regard. And I hope we can at some point convince Curt’on to join us here.”
He walks in the direction of the hut where he and Phoebe sleep.
“What is this about oceans?” Nert’ox asks.
I absentmindedly take my sword out and inspect the edge. “Three dragons came from space and landed on an island not far from our home. Raxt’ar and Phoebe killed one. Two are left there. Zahak and Maretriok. They are apparently in human form and can’t fly away from their island. They’re quite weak when they have just completed their long flight through space, it seems. Which is why we would prefer to kill them soonest. Before they can transform into full dragons.”
Nert’ox’s eyes are large and round. “What are ‘dragons’?”
“Imagine an alien irox,” Gir’ex explains, “with the soul and brain of a very shrewd and evil man who wants you dead. Imagine that man talking to you, straight into your own soul without making a sound. Imagine that it has four legs with long claws and that it can spew fire, hot enough to melt rocks. Now imagine two of them. That’s what we have close to our home. Our previous home, I fear.”
“But… that’s unheard of!” Nert’ox protests. “I have never seen any such thing. Why are they here?”
“Why indeed,” Gir’ex says, glancing at me. He and I have spoken about that more than once.
“The aliens have brought them,” I explain darkly. “The female aliens either lured or tricked or otherwise enticed the dragons to come here. To our jungle. To our planet. To our home. Making it even more deadly than before. And now they want us to fight them.”
Nert’ox scratches his head. “Shouldn’t the aliens be the ones fighting the dragons? If they brought them here?”
Gir’ex sends me another glance. “Some of us say that the dragons should be left to the aliens. Not everyone agrees.”
I take a special stone out of my belt pouch and start sharpening my sword with it. “We believe that the alien females can’t fight the dragons. That they are too weak. Look at them! They’re small and round and soft. How can they fight as much as a rekh pup straight out of the egg?”
“The females have fought some Bigs,” Gir’ex corrects. “And they have killed some. By themselves. Irox, even. But the dragons… they are adamant that we fight those.”
Nert’ox has confusion on his open face. “I don’t under
stand. Why have they brought the dragons?”
I slide the rock along the edge of my blade, releasing a little shower of tiny blue sparks. It is mostly from the rock – I don’t want to take too much material off the precious steel. “Brought or lured. It’s a long story I don’t think we need to pay heed to. It is too complicated to believe. I think the aliens were already hunted by dragons. They came here to hide. The dragons have now found them, and it becomes our mission to keep the alien females safe. Is that not a simpler explanation, Gir’ex?”
Gir’ex strokes his chin. “It is simpler, certainly. But the story they tell us also rings true. That we warriors were put here on Xren so the harsh planet would harden us to become slayers of dragons. That we have been carefully selected and become stronger with each generation so that we might become large and fierce.”
“Put here on Xren?” Nert’ox asks. “By whom?”
“By someone who wanted us to fight dragons,” Gir’ex says.
“Which doesn’t mean that we have to do it,” I state. “We are our own masters. Have you ever lived outside of a tribe, Nert’ox?”
His eyes go narrow. “Outside of a tribe? No, of course not!”
“Gir’ex and I have. It is a fine life, when you take orders from nobody but yourself. And after, it feels like you can never go back to life in a village. Unless you yourself were the chief, of course.”
The first little sliver of the sun disk rises above the horizon.
I get to my feet and replace my sword in the scabbard. “Well, it’s sunrise. I will now escort an alien female to an alien spaceship. I tell you, Gir’ex, if any of us had uttered that sentence only a few weeks ago, we’d think he was insane. But now it is as natural as breathing.”
“Good hunting, warrior,” Gir’ex says. “Be back as soon as you can. I don’t like the idea of those two dragons close to our home. Former home or not, it was ours. And Curt’on is still there. He has his faults, but he was our friend. Hopefully, he will be again.”
“Hopefully,” I agree. “I will return quickly.”
I saunter over to the fence that separates us outtriber warriors from the alien females. I can see some of them moving around among the structures. One or two of those structures are very alien. Square and straight. There are also several of the more ordinary huts with round roofs.
It is a large village, by any standard. The space that has been cleared in the jungle is square and orderly. There are trees in straight lines, there are orderly patches of herbs and bushes that bear nuts and berries. There are at least three forges, as well as other huts with functions that I can only guess at. The whole space has a tall fence built around it, made from huge logs. That work is still in progress, but when it’s done, it will keep every danger from the jungle firmly out. Apart from the biggest Bigs and the irox. And probably the dragons.
This tribe has only twenty-six adult members, counting Rax’tar, but not the others from The Island. It is highly impressive. All this in only two years. Or less.
The wedding party was impressive, too. I have never seen so much varied food in one place. And then a birth added another young male to the tribe. A birth! From a woman! It is as if this place comes right out of an old legend.
Even now, at sunrise, the village seems to have an energy of its own. This is a place where things happen. This is a place where decisions are being made and then, crucially, carried out.
If there were one village on Xren that would be the center of everything, this would be it. And they’re only twenty-six! Of whom only eight are males!
Certainly, I could see myself as a member of this tribe. It is clearly a good tribe. It is certainly better run than my old one.
I shake my head to clear my thoughts.
No. I will never again be an ordinary member of a tribe. If I am to live in a tribe, then I will be the chief. And I will make sure that everything that happens is fair and right. Everything. Especially concerning the younger members.
I focus on a little group of females sitting by a fire, eating something from a large cauldron. How round they are. How gentle their movements. How bright their voices that I can just about pick up in the morning silence.
Maybe one of them is Aslin.
I bend down to scratch my shin. Well, perhaps this voyage I’m going on will be useful. I can ask her about many things. The dragons and the real story. Other alien secrets. Things that will be useful if and when I run my own tribe.
I allow myself a few heartbeats of that fantasy. I will acquire Lifegivers, of course. Some tribes will trade theirs to me in exchange for things I will get them. Perhaps alien things I will get from here. Then I will find a good location for a village. A hillside, with running water nearby and plenty of iron ore. I will find some good men. We will take extremely good care of the Lifegivers, and soon we will have offspring.
Offspring. A son!
The idea fills my chest every time I think of it. A son of my own, out of a Lifegiver. A boy I can teach and guide. A future secured. And one day, maybe he will follow me as chief.
And now that I’m dreaming, why not add a woman to the mix? Like one of those over there, so graceful and gentle...
“They are nice to look at, aren’t they?” A man is beside me. Jax’zan, from this tribe.
“They are,” I agree. “Very nice trees. Salen, I think? But it beats me how you harvest those things.”
“Oh. I meant the women there.”
“I see. I didn’t notice them.”
He side-eyes me. “Ah. About the trees, we have helpers to get the salen fruits down. Only one helper, in fact. I will show you when you return. That is Ashlynn by the creek, filling the water pouch. She’s getting ready, I think. You may enter the village proper to greet her.”
“How kind of you.”
Jax’zan chuckles and slaps my back. “Yes, I know it can seem ridiculous to be this strict. But we’ve had too many of our women abducted by well-meaning warriors. Now, at least, they can’t be taken straight out of the village in broad daylight. Nobody suspects you of anything, Warrior Juri’ex. After this you can, of course, come and go as you please. The whole tribe appreciates you offering to escort Ashlynn.”
“Very well,” I say, placated. “Can she use any weapons?”
“Ashlynn can use a spear with some skill, but not much force.”
“Then we have a single blade for defense on this journey.”
Jax’zan nods. “But it is a very large blade you have, Juri’ex. The largest I have seen, I think.”
I reach up and stroke the sword on my back. “Most swords are made as a balance of size and the iron the tribe wishes to spend on it. I faced no such limitation when I forged this.”
“That explains it. May it always be sharp. I wish you a fine and calm journey, warrior. Ashlynn knows the way.” He leaves.
I climb over the symbolic fence and make my way over to Ashlynn. She’s talking to a woman with an even rounder shape and hair that shines in the morning sun.
The other woman spots me first.
Ashlynn turns around and exclaims something when she sees me.
I smile in a friendly greeting. “Good morning. Shall we go?”
3
- Ashlynn -
He’s huge, but of course, all the cavemen are. His stripes are bright turquoise, almost neon. He’s the most alien caveman I’ve ever seen. His fangs glitter in the morning sun, and for a moment some ancient part of me thinks that he’s about to bite into me.
I drop the water pouch and stumble a step back .
But it’s not a snarl – it’s a smile. As soon as I realize that he’s friendly, the same ancient part deep inside me turns the fear to something else entirely.
“Yes,” I manage in cavemanese. “I am ready to leave.” In English I say, “I think I will bring that spear, Caroline.”
The guy’s sword is the size of a helicopter blade. It’s so huge he can’t carry it in his belt, but instead has to strap it to his back.
> I pick up the water pouch and fill a dinosaur skin bag with all my stuff and put the sling across my shoulders. My left hand is free, and in the right one I hold one of the old wooden spears with a rusty, but sharp iron head on it.
Caroline helps me adjust the bag. “You look like a cavewoman straight out of the stone age.”
“Great. You couldn’t know, but that was exactly the look I was going for. See you, Caroline.”
I glance up at the caveman, having to crane my neck, because he has to be eight feet tall. I suddenly regret agreeing to go. I’ll be alone in the jungle with this guy for about a day. Just me and a giant virgin alien warrior from a planet where there are no women. What could possibly go wrong?
“I am Juri’ex,” the man rumbles. “I understand you are Aslin.”
“Ash-lynn,” I correct him. “Yes, that’s me.”
He turns to walk towards the village gate. “I was told you know the way. Ash-lynn.”
I follow him mechanically. “More or less.”
Everyone in the village is up now, and they’re all watching us. I wonder what they think. We must look ridiculous. I’m half his height and a quarter of his weight. Like a toddler with her father.
“Safe travels,” Trak’zor says when we pass him out of the gate.
“Thank you,” I say, making sure not to add ‘I’ll need it.’
Then we’re in the jungle, and the village quickly disappears behind us.
The smell turns more earthy, the air more humid, and the heat more intense. Large drops of water fall on us from the trees as the morning mist dissipates.
The path is narrow, but well used.
Juri’ex turns his head. “Does this go on all the way to our destination?”
“The path? No.” I’m pretty comfortable speaking cavemanese. Caroline taught us dragon girls how to do it, and she was a pretty great teacher. I guess we all wanted to impress our heroine.
“Good. Paths in the woods attract predators.”
And that’s all we say for the first hour. The cavemen don’t like to talk in the jungle. Silence is safer.