Phwolfe Song (Golsidan Revival Series Book 1)

by Kimberly McLaughlin

  “It takes that long to get to Golria?” Anna asked amazed.

  Des nodded. “Golria lies behind the Orion Nebula. A very short distance in the terms of space, but a huge distance in both Golsidan and human reckoning. Even with Maton Drive Engines and using possibility lines, the distance takes annuals to traverse.”

  “Okay, you have some good points. Let’s talk to Sato after the feast. If we figure out a way to make sure the children stay with our clan and if Sato agrees to the teaching, we could get started.” Des swept her off her feet and twirled her around and around. “Stop or I’ll hit you with a stick.”

  Des put her down and hugged her hard. He pushed her towards the bed. “You need to rest.”

  “Des, you don’t need to be overprotective and you have to stop healing me every time I get a boo-boo. I heal fine on my own. You require just as much sleep as everyone else. And you’re not getting it when you spend your sleep time healing or teaching me. The teaching can’t be avoided. I need to learn. But the healing drains you unnecessarily. I dislike seeing you tired Des. I want you to take care of yourself.” Anna kissed his cheek.

  “Okay.” he said meekly. “But if you are hurt, really hurt. I get to help heal you.”

  “Deal, if I get to help heal you when you need it.”

  Des nodded, pulled Anna into his arms, and fell asleep.

  Anna woke up to that annoying alarm. She dashed to East 1, put the presents in her pack, and then she jogged to the packaging room. She packaged Sato’s gifts and worked some more on Des’s.

  A knock on the door startled her. She threw the wrap cloth over Des’s gift and went to the door. She let Kantuia in with a smile, then went back to work on Des’s gift.

  The takosund started to arrive and they got busy stuffing baskets. Whenever she found a free moment, she worked on Des’s gift. Finally, she finished it, wrapped it up, and set it beside Des’s basket. They finished with the takosund at eleven ninety. She decided to call it a night. She made it home on time without even having to run.

  They got up early and Anna jogged to Des’s cabin to shower. She changed into her best set of clothes, a pair of blue jeans and a clean T-shirt. She never had been much of a fashion queen. She ran back home and met Des. He looked awesome, standing there in a pair of dark purple skin tight pants and a loose blue flowing shirt that stopped just above his knees. He also wore a woven metal belt with a star for a buckle. He was barefoot, which for some reason, she found sexy.

  “Des, my God, you put me to shame. You look awesome!” Anna couldn’t resist rubbing her cheek against his.

  He pulled Anna into the room. “Des, we need to go.” She said.

  He shook his head. “Change quickly!” He pointed to the bed.

  The pants seemed to be the exact same color as Des’s, but loose. The shirt slid down to mid-thigh in a stretchy blue sheath. “Take off your shoes. You will be more comfortable.” Anna smiled and nodded. What the heck, why not?

  They trotted down the corridors hand in hand. They had almost reached Heroes Hall when they met up with Sato and Fienu. “Sato.” Anna asked. “How are you feeling?”

  Sato smiled and tilted his outstretched hand side to side in a wiggling motion. “I am healing. Fienu wraps my ribs every warm so they heal without hurting too much. I hope to rejoin the crew soon.” He glanced at Fienu.

  Anna laughed. “If he lets you go back. Do you get the “I am healer/medic speech too?”” Sato nodded. “Does he also force feed you unripe greal?”

  Sato grimaced. “I dislike it.”

  “Me too! Des stuffs it down me, whenever I’m late getting home.”

  “You haven’t taken a stick to him?”

  Anna shook her head. “I keep threatening to, but he just laughs. I guess he realizes I love him, even when he makes me eat that horrible greal.”

  Sato smiled again. “Yes bossy, healer/medics are hard to resist?”

  “It’s great to see you, chief. You had me seriously worried for a while there. I’ve never seen anyone as brave as you on that day.”

  “I have. You leaping over takosund with tomahawks flying from your hands. I passed out, before you finished the second one.”

  “The second one nearly finished me. Dasie saved me. I never heard it coming. It would have had me, if not for Dasie’s warning.”

  “How about the third one?”

  Anna shrugged. “I ran the ramp rail throwing, went over it, and then finished it with a lot of bouncing. I really think taking them from the trees would be a lot easier, if we only knew of a way to haul them in after we got them without having to go down to ground level.”

  “Winch them in!” They all turned to see who had spoken. “Let me introduce myself. I am Gresa. This is Kali. I am a mechanic electrician, Phwolfe. If you set a winch system up above, on second level with an arm that hangs out over the rail, and run the cable through that arm down to the ground, using it to winch the takosund up to second level height becomes possible.”

  “That sounds promising. Especially if we installed another winch hooked up to the support post, to pull the takosund over the rail.” Sato nodded. “But how do we hook the cable on to the takosund?”

  “What about a dogcatcher’s noose?” Anna touched Sato’s arm and sent him the image. “Gresa, may I send you an image?” He nodded. Anna sent the image to him. “Do you think that could work?”

  “It looks feasible. I want to know how you plan on getting the takosund to come, where you want it.”

  “Blood!” Sato and Anna said at the same time.

  “Blood attracts them. Northwest 2 held a lot of sign so takosund inhabited the area for a long time, probably even when it got harvested. But they only attacked after they scented blood.” Anna said. “Gresa, can you make a crossbow? I’d rather use that from the trees.” Anna sent him another image.

  He nodded. “Fabricating that would be fairly easy. But I thought you performed well with knives.”

  “Yes. But I dislike the idea of losing them. If we get a takosund to come in, it could still get away after we took out a couple of nodes, taking my knives with it and losing me a lot of metal in the process. On the other hand, the crossbow bolts only need a little metal for the arrowheads and if we use this type.” Anna shot Gresa an image of an arrowhead made with pinned blades. On impact the blades swiveled out on the pins, making the arrowhead about three times as big. “That type actually causes as much, if not more damage, than a knife. Plus, losing them costs you very little metal-wise.”

  “So you plan on hunting again, pack-runner?” Sato asked.

  “Well, I would rather have us hunt the takosund under our terms than wait for them to hunt us again. You haven’t heard? I got replaced.”

  “What?” Sato screeched. “Who?”

  “Four rolling wheels took my place. No more pack-runner. Carts take no payment.” Anna shrugged.

  “Who came up with that idea?” Sato asked.

  Des laughed. “She did and then she got upset because she lost her job.”

  Anna shrugged again. “Well, at least the leka still needs to be run in.”

  “You got leka!” Gresa exclaimed “How?”

  “I went through the environmental corridors, up to the rail room, then out on to the rail, and down to the hive.” Anna smiled.

  “But the environmental corridors receive only partial or in some places no heating at all. Plus, the rail gets extremely hot up by the lights.” Kali exclaimed.

  Anna nodded. “First I got cold, then I got hot. Humans have good temperature tolerance. Human medics say a body isn’t truly dead until it’s warm and dead. Humans, especially children, have been known to fall through ice, stay under it for a couple of hours, then been pulled out, resuscitated, and recover with no long term signs of the trauma.”

  Des jolted. “Really!”

  “Yeah, Des. Human medics never give up on a cold body, because it can be resuscitated. Only after it’s warmed up and still won’t come back to life will they conced
e to defeat. You’re lucky, they refuse to give up. I fell through the ice when I was six years old. I remember nothing about it. But they say I was officially dead when they pulled me out. They resuscitated me. I got frostbite on a couple of my toes.”

  Des shuddered violently. “I never read that in you!”

  “Because the last thing I remember is getting off the school bus. I woke up in the hospital. I don’t even remember going to the pond. My brother never let me near water again. Not in the summer, not in the winter, not ever. He feared I would drown again.”

  “So getting the leka caused you no harm?” Gresa asked.

  “No. I put on a couple of extra sweaters when I went through the cold sections and drank a lot of water on the rail system. Thankfully, the rail room came equipped with a bathroom. The only thing that hurt me happened to be coming back down the ladder wearing a full pack. I got onto the ladder, made it two steps down, and felt my muscles screaming because of the weight I carried. I couldn’t manage to climb back up. The pack weighed too much. I had to go down. Des, Fienu, Liso, and Tava ended up healing me.” Anna shrugged. “I tied a rope there which now allows me to lower the pack and the crates for the cart before going down the ladder.”

  “I have missed leka and making flatbread.” Kali said

  Anna smiled and touched Des’s mind. Boy, he’s going to love the feast and the honor gifts. “Come on, let’s go in. A feast awaits us.”

  They went into the hall and joined everyone. Then, they all entered to the central station room and started carrying out the meal. Exclamations of delight filled the air at the sight of the leka, mewu eggs, and the gesar flatbread.

  Anna had thought that three hundred and fifty-eight people in one hall would be extremely noisy. But most people mind to minded or used hand sign which she still needed to learn.

  Des never left Anna’s side. He constantly touched her; a hand on her back, holding her hand, wrapping his tail around her calf. It felt wonderful. They hadn’t yet found much time to enjoy being together, not with everything else going on. But today, they walked and talked with friends. Anna met new people and listened to hero stories.

  When the hot came, they found a room with a stream running through it. Des and Anna curled up together on a wide shelf with pillows. Gresa and Kali found a padded nook. Sato and Fienu got shooed over to the bed. They slept, snacked on fruit, relaxed and talked. “Des, I wanted to ask you is there going to be a funeral service for Yerly and Kimbo?”

  Des touched Anna’s mind. Not as you know it. Yerly’s and Kimbo’s remains have been cremated together and then their ashes got placed in an obsidian hero’s box. All of the hero statues in this hall contain such a box at their core. Torxisa being explorer clan placed most of their hero’s on space ships. There are hero halls on Golria and Isadiea. When we get to Golria, the Phsatorae will ask for Yerly and Kimbo to be inducted into Golria’s Main Hero Hall where the greatest Golsidan heroes go. The heroes so remarkable that their acts benefited all Golsidans, not just their own clan. Jao proposed this mission. But Yerly and Kimbo supported it steadfastly and convinced many to vote for it.

  Do you think Yerly and Kimbo stand a good chance at being inducted into the Main Hero Hall? Other clans get to vote on it, right? It’s not just a Satorae decision?

  All clan Elders and the Crown tai’twain vote on it. I think they stand a good chance of getting in. By the time, we reach Golria. We’ll have children, love. And our children will greatly benefit all Golsidans, with every consecutive generation spreading your temperature tolerance throughout the Golsidan genetic pool. We undertook this mission for that very reason. With the ban on Isadi blood harvesting, a better temperature tolerance happens to be the only way future generations of Golsidans can exist.

  But won’t my blood dilute with every generation causing the temperature tolerance to eventually disappear?

  If we don’t act carefully, yes. We need to make sure that the children understand their human genetics. As half-breeds, our children stand to inherit both Golsidan and Human qualities. Their temperature tolerance will stay through the generations as long as the children’s bloodline drops no lower than a quarter human. They must be told this so that they choose their mates wisely.

  Anna snuggled closer to Des, her mind whirled. She knew she had more questions to ask him. But they seemed unimportant right now. She felt too comfortable. The stream made a beautiful, peaceful song floating softly around them. The air seemed to be just the right temperature, moist and refreshing. She closed her eyes, her mind relaxed. Today was a feast day, a day for joy and hope. Questions and doubts held little weight when surrounded by friends in such a peaceful setting. Anna drifted off to sleep, happy in Des’s arms.

  When the cool arrived, they headed back to the central station room. There they met up with the cool crew. They sat together. Sato got embarrassed when he became the center of attention. Many of the people greatly respected him and expressed their concerns about his injuries.

  When they brought back the empty plates to the central station room, Jao met up with them. “You put together a well-prepared and splendid feast Phwolfe. Did you enjoy it?”

  “Yes. I enjoyed it extremely.” Anna smiled widely.

  “Did you finish everything you wished to?” Jao asked.

  Anna turned to Des. “No peeking! Promise!” She pointed her finger at him.

  Des nodded. “No peeking. I promise.”

  Anna gave him a kiss before turned to Jao. “Yes, I finished everything. I’m going to need three to help me carry the top honor gifts in.”

  Jao smiled. “Caso, Kantuia, and I all wish to volunteer to help you.”

  “Thank you. I accept the offer with appreciation.”

  “I’ll tell him and we’ll join you after everyone takes their seats in the presentation hall. May your blood stay strong.” He walked off.

  Cima, Pealo, and Jatlo strolled over. “Where did you get the mewu eggs?” Cima asked.

  “I found two nests in East 1, two in East 2, and one in East 4. I’m going to trap some of those mewu. They’re overpopulated and damaging the gardens.”

  “But how will you trap them? They move very fast. I doubt if even pack-runner Wolfe can catch mewu.” Jatlo teased.

  Des spoke up. “Oh, she plans to. She designed sticky traps made out of denua boards and covered with second boil glue. She sets out food for the mewu, always in the same spot. When the traps are ready, she intends to set them around the food.”

  “But how will you get the mewu off the traps?” Pealo asked.

  “I’m going to dip them in a pail of thirty-four degree Fahrenheit water. The mewu go into shock and the glue cracks. After that I only need to pull off the mewu, let the trap warm back up, recoat it with glue, and start over again.” Anna explained.

  The Golsidans shuddered.

  “Thirty-four degree water, isn’t that like falling through a frozen pond again?” Fienu asked.

  Anna shrugged. “A little bit, I only intend to dip my hand in. Water that cold hurts in a weird kind of way. It makes your bones feel brittle all of a sudden. But the pain recedes quickly and causes no lasting harm.”

  They all shuddered again.

  “Come, it’s time to go to the presentation.” Jao announced to the room.

  Everyone filed into the presentation hall quickly taking their seats. The air thrummed with excitement and anticipation. The highlight of the whole feast day, the gift presentation would occur in mere moments. The normally calm Golsidans twitched in their seats, leaning forward and swaying from side to side with golden flecks sparkling brightly in their eyes.

  In the center of the hall a huge dais rested on pillars, looming up out of the floor. It reached up and stretched out like a humongous mushroom. The Hunter’s seat sat on the front edge of the top level with Dasie’s, Brema’s, Sato’s, and Des’s placed right below it on the middle level and the cool shift in front and below them on the bottom level. From there they overlooked everyone else spre
ad out on the floor level far enough back to avoid the dais’s shadow and to keep an open line of sight between them all.

  Anna immediately noticed how the special volunteers clustered in a group a little forward of the rest. She never would have been able to arrange the seating so nicely. She’d never experienced or arranged social gatherings of this size in her human life.

  Jao, Caso, and Kantuia joined her. They went to get the honor gifts. Anna handed the most special gift to Jao. “For the marriage ceremony.” He nodded and tucked it in the back of his belt so it rested along his spine and down beside his tail.

  “Who carries which basket?” Kantuia asked.

  “Kantuia, you take Brema’s. I present his gift second.” Anna pointed and Kantuia picked it up. “Caso, if you would carry Sato’s? He goes in third place.” Caso nodded. “Jao, Des on the end goes last and I will begin with Dasie.” Anna picked up Dasie’s and walked back to the presentation hall.

  Anna felt exceedingly nervous as she entered the hall. But walking by cool shifts’ smiling faces relaxed her. She climbed up the spiral staircase encased inside the central dais’s stem and walked over to Dasie. She bowed and then held the basket out to him. “If you would please accept these gifts, as a token of the honor in which you are held.” Dasie reached out and took the basket. Anna pulled the special gift off the top. Dasie set the basket on the table and turned back to her. He smiled shyly. Anna flipped the cloth down. “A token of the honor Wolfe holds for you.”

  Dasie reached out and picked up the wolf sculpture. Anna sent an image of the wolf out to the people and explained. “A wolf’s eyes see clearly. This watching wolf often sits on his lookout rock, watching for prey and other predators. He calls out, what he sees to his pack, as you did for me. Wolfe holds you in high honor. Phwolfe owes you a life for you saved Phwolfe’s.” Anna bowed very low and held the bow.

  Dasie spoke clearly and loudly. “Phwolfe owes me no debt. For Phwolfe gave me back the life of my tai’twain who lay trapped under takosund, Phwolfe returned my Brema to me. I saved the life of Phwolfe and Phwolfe saved the life of my heart. There can be no debts between such friends.” Dasie bowed.