by Reece Dinn
The Lial growled. 'Tell no one.'
'What? Nukuk. They need to know.'
The Lial slammed Rorkaroz down hard on Melonaz's chest, the air exploding out of him. Melonaz wheezed, grabbing hold of the staff to try and push it off as the Lial dug it in, but he couldn't.
'Say nothing. Understand?' the Lial snarled.
'Yes,' croaked Melonaz.
The Lial removed Rorkaroz. Melonaz gasped for air, clutching his chest.
'Will tell village when ready. You not say.' The Lial kicked snow over him then walked away, back to the village.
When he'd gotten his breath back, and the pain in his chest had subsided, Melonaz attempted to stand up, but the effort was too great. Seeing no other way, he dragged himself across the snow on his stomach.
It was early evening before he made it home. Many people had passed him by but no one had bothered to help. His Mal didn't say a word as he crawled into the furaz. She was hunched over her cooking pot, stirring something. Her face was still marked from whatever Jekoraz had done to her. Anger burned inside him, but he held his tongue. He crawled over to the bucket of water and plunged his head into it, drinking deeply. It tasted better than anything he'd ever tasted, cold and revitalising. He drank until his lungs felt like they were going to burst, then he lay down on his side.
The furaz was warm from the fire and the heat of the cooking pot, making his body tingle. It was the first warmth he'd felt in days and his aching body was thankful for it. A moment later he was asleep.
Someone divided onto his stomach and pain exploded across his torso. Arms wrapped around his neck, squeezing him tight. He let Aeolnaz hug him for a moment, before gently pushing her away. He sat up and she snuggled into his side.
'You good?' she asked, eyes wide and watering.
'Yes,' he groaned, stroking her hair. 'Sore though.'
'What you do?'
'Go where should not go.'
'Why?'
'Want hear what they say.'
'Hear what who say?'
'Not matter.'
'Aeolnaz, quiet,' said their Mal. She and Diamoz sat on the opposite side of the furaz, eating bowls of steaming stew.
'Only ask how he is,' said Aeolnaz, her face crumpling up.
'You ask. Leave him.' Their Mal tried to sound firm, but she was oddly unconvincing. She said to Melonaz, 'There meat left in pot if you want it.'
Melonaz licked his lips, pushed his Sal off him, and crawled over to the fire. He grabbed an empty bowl and dunked it into the meaty stew. The smell was mouth watering and his stomach grumbled in anticipation. He slowly slurped down his food.
When they'd all finished their Mal told them to take the bowls, spoons and the pot to the river to clean. Melonaz grabbed the pot. It was heavier than usual, his arms shaking just from holding it. Diamoz took the bowls and Aeolnaz the spoons.
The evening sky was clear, the air crisp, invigorating Melonaz. The journey there felt long though, like he'd walked all the way to Twiz.
As they were walking Diamoz asked, 'Will Lial beat you again?'
Melonaz shrugged. 'Not know. Think so.'
'Why you follow him?'
'Need know what they say.'
'Hear what who say?'
Melonaz shook his head.
Diamoz frowned. 'You get in trouble. So stupid.'
'Not want Lial to beat you,' said Aeolnaz, sorrowfully. Melonaz went to put an arm around her, but he couldn't handle the weight of the pot with one arm in his weakened state and dropped it.
'No worry,' Melonaz said warmly. 'I good.' He picked up the pot, wincing as he bent down.
Several other children were washing their bowls in the river. Aeolnaz found a spot a little further down from the rest of the children. They washed everything as best they could, some bowls more stubborn to clean than the others, but they managed to do a good enough job of it that their Mal wouldn't complain. When they returned their Mal told them they were to stay the night at Reijiz's again.
'Why?' cried Aeolnaz, 'Why stay at Dal's furaz? Why he not come here? Why have to go?'
'I say you go,' their Mal said coldly.
'Why?'
'Quiet,' their Mal snapped. 'Diamoz, gather furs for you, for Aeolnaz. Take her to your Dal. Melonaz, you go too.'
'No,' said Melonaz as firmly as he could.
His Mal's cheek reddened, her forehead creasing harshly. 'What?'
'He not my Dal. I won't go.'
'Nukuk. I your Mal. Do what I say. Think Lial beat you bad? Kak. I beat you so hard you not walk again.'
'Jekoraz is my Dal. Think I not know?'
His Mal was speechless. Aeolnaz and Diamoz gaped at their Mal in shock.
'One of the Apochal?' asked Diamoz.
Melonaz frowned. 'He hurt you, yes?'
His Mal didn't respond.
Melonaz clenched his fists. 'Tell me.'
'Go,' his Mal cried.
That was all the answer he needed. Lobkak. I'll kill him. Rip out his throat. He ground his teeth together. He not far from village. Find him easy. He weak. I kill him.
'Melonaz. Take them to their Dal. Please,' his Mal pleaded.
He nodded. 'Grab furs. We go,' he said to his Sal.
The two girls grabbed their sleeping furs. Melonaz did the same.
'Tomorrow, we talk,' he said as he left.
She didn't respond, just sat staring into the fire, lost in thought.
Melonaz woke early.
Reijiz had already left to tend to his herd. He'd barely spoken two words to either Melonaz or his Sal the whole night, preferring to stare into the fire instead. He'd left the furaz for a while and by the time he'd returned the girls had fallen asleep. Melonaz didn't ask where he'd gone. His Sal were still asleep, cuddled up to one another, wrapped in their sleeping furs.
Quietly, he dressed, picked up his carving knife and the half carved model sword he'd spent the night working on, then left. The sun was still low on the eastern horizon as Melonaz stepped out into the morning light. His body ached but he was determined to get back to training, he'd already wasted too much time. He headed straight for the training grounds, hurrying as fast as he could, hoping not to be late.
As he reached the grounds he heard the familiar grunts, shouts and thwacks of wood hitting wood that came from sparring. Melonaz ran as fast as he could, his tired legs slowing him. He rushed through sparring pairs as he raced to the Lial.
The Lial was sat cross legged on top of his rock, observing the Sehnal. His features narrowed when he spotted Melonaz, his face still and cold. Melonaz collapsed before him, tired from the exertion, but struggled back to his feet.
'Sorry I late, Lial. No excuse,' blurted Melonaz.
The Lial's gaze returned to the sparring pairs. 'You not late. No training for you today. Not for one moon. Go. Make it two if don't go fast.'
'Lial, you not say.'
'I say here.'
Melonaz looked down at his feet. 'Sorry, Lial. I am. I train hard, I promise.'
The Lial snorted. 'Go. Be back in one moon.'
Melonaz lingered a moment. 'You not beat me?'
'Beat you?' The Lial' eyes returned to Melonaz. 'No. It teaches you nothing when I beat you. Does opposite. Need teach you some other way.'
'Lial I..'
'GO,' roared the Lial. 'Make it two moons no training. I see you near here, you live rest of life down in that pit.'
Melonaz cheeks flushed. Being sent away hurt more than any beating he'd ever taken. What do? He hurried away, keeping his head down as he passed through the Sehnal. He kept walking until he was past the first furaz then ran the rest of the way back home. Ducking inside the furaz he booted the cooking pot across the fire, yelping as pain shot through his foot. He sunk to his knees, grabbed a sleeping fur and wrapped it around himself.
To his relief his Mal wasn't home.
Why he say I need to leave? All I want is to be strong. He holds me back. Hates me. Why? The conversation he'd heard a few nights before re
played in his mind. 'I fear him, Jekoraz. Not know what he is.' Why does he fear me? For fighting with Nekolz? That why he hard on me? Not know what happen? Why fear? I not kill.
His Mal returned a short time later clutching a large bowl of nuts, berries, and had a large joint of meat, clearly having just returned from the sturaz. When she saw Melonaz she threw down her load and wrapped her arms around him.
'What happen?' she asked in an unusually soothing tone.
'Lial not allow me to train for two moons,' Melonaz mumbled.
He braced himself for a rant about the consequences of his actions and disobeying the Lial, but instead she squeezed him and said, 'It just two moons. You live.' She kissed him on the forehead. 'You stronger than other Sehnal. They have chance to catch you. You complain they weak. This time for them to catch up.'
Melonaz looked up at his Mal. 'Good?' he croaked.
She gave him another squeeze, then stood up, picked up the scattered food and took it over to the fire. She frowned when she spotted the cooking pot on the other side of the furaz, but she said nothing.
Melonaz had calmed by the time Diamoz and Aeolnaz returned home.
'Mofar,' said their Mal with a smile. 'Sleep well?'
The two girls exchanged glances and looked to Melonaz before responding. Melonaz shrugged.
'Yes,' said Diamoz, 'You happy this morning.'
'I am.'
'Make good with Dal?' asked Aeolnaz.
'No. Will though. Promise. Don'tt worry.'
'Why you fight?'
'Not matter.'
Aeolnaz flashed her Mal a big grin, but Diamoz looked unconvinced. She glanced over to Melonaz for the real answer, but he just shrugged. The two girls deposited their furs, grabbed a handful of nuts and berries, then headed off to the forest to work.
'Think do nothing for two moons?' his Mal asked when they were alone, 'You go help Reijiz with the herd. Be good.'
'Nukuk. I Sehnal, not herd mirac.'
'Not for two moons you not.'
Herd? Kak. Not do. Mirac stupid. Waste of my time. Herding for weak man. For No-Braids. He was happy to see his Mal smiling for once so he didn't argue further. He smiled at her, she smiled back. It keep her happy. Can train out on plains.
The next morning Melonaz begrudgingly headed out with Reijiz to the herd. The herd wasn't as far out on the plains as he thought they'd be, the moans of the mirac audible not long after they left the village. The walk there however was long and tedious. Reijiz spoke little, still sullen over the incident with Melonaz's Dal. His Mal and Reijiz had spoken in the night, but he wasn't sure if they had sorted things or not. Melonaz thought it best not to ask.
Two herdman stayed with the mirac during the night while Reijiz returned to the village. One of them, a short, thin man with dark, tatty hair and a wispy beard, lay on the snow, his head resting against a rock, sleeping. The other, a woman with long, dark, shiny hair, was sat on top of a mirac, drinking from a waterskin. She burped loudly.
Melonaz had only ever seen mirac from a distance, or cut up and cooking over a fire. They weren't as interesting up close as they'd been from far away. The mirac were big, bulky creatures double the height of him and covered in thick black fur. Their droopy eyes and long faces however gave them a look of being perpetually drowsy, and stupid. The males had large, pale brown horns on their heads, that would have made them look intimidating were it not for their faces.
'Mofar,' called Reijiz as they approached.
The woman on the mirac raised her waterskin to him and the mirac moaned as if in response as well, then buried its head back in the snow.
Reijiz walked past the sleeping herdman, ignoring him. 'How was the night?' he shouted to the woman.
She jumped down off the mirac and walked over, burping again before speaking. 'Good. No sehseh come so we drink.' She waved the waterskin at him.
'You drink all the nibec?' Reijiz asked with a frown.
She burped again. 'No.' She shook the waterskin again. Something sloshed around inside it, nibec, Melonaz presumed. The woman was relatively youthful, but at least ten years Melonaz's senior, and her face beginning to show signs of weathering. She regarded him with dark, glossy, drunken eyes.
'Melonaz, this is Grendaz,' said Reijiz, gesturing to the woman.
Melonaz nodded. Grendaz looked him up and down, but said nothing.
'Melonaz's herding with us for two moons,' said Reijiz. 'Lial says he's can't train to punish him.'
'He a Sehnal?' she asked, reaching down to grab Melonaz's braid, but he smacked her hand away. She yelped, rubbing the back of her hand. 'Not like people touching it?'
Melonaz grunted.
'If he here he can watch herd all night. Me, Froknoz, we sleep in village,' she said.
'What? No,' said Reijiz.
'Why not? He can make fire, lightning. He strong. Have him protect the herd. We go sleep in warm furaz for two moons, like you do. Find me a man to fuck maybe.'
'Sounds good,' said Froknoz behind them, rubbing his eyes and rising. The tatty haired herdman wobbled on his feet. 'Two moons of sleeping well sounds good to me. We can take herd out far after. No buchmiz left here.'
'No buchmiz?' asked Reijiz.
'Mirac eat it all around village. Need to let it grow.' Froknoz wiggled his finger at him. 'Don't worry. Your lover here when you return.'
Reijiz pulled a face.
'It's done,' said Grendaz.
'I not sleep out with mirac,' said Melonaz.
'Think like you on your Cubsoz,' said Froknoz. 'Sleeping out on plains. Living in wild. This like that.'
'It do you good,' said Reijiz. 'Not seeing other Sehnal training without you.'
Melonaz grunted again.
One of the mirac looked at him and moaned, then buried its head back in the snow.
Reijiz's sullenness disappeared once he was back amongst the mirac. Melonaz followed behind him as they walked through the herd.
'Buchmiz what they eat,' said Reijiz. 'Eat berries too, if give it them. They eat, eat, eat. Don't stop. I see girl mirac eat while they fuck.' He chuckled. Why that funny?
One mirac's mir suckled on its teats as she repeatedly plunged her head into the snow to munch on buchmiz. They eat all day, then we eat them. What a stupid life.
Reijiz stroked one mirac's side as it ate. 'They strong. See two boy mirac fighting is scary. Horns smash together. Hit hard. Blood everywhere.'
They eat when fighting too?
'Not scary like Lial when fighting,' Reijiz continued. 'Still scary though.'
'What do with them?' asked Melonaz. 'Walk around? Watch them eat?'
'We protect them. Sehseh attack, eat mirac.'
'We protect them, then eat them?'
Reijiz smiled. 'Yes. They our food. Not sehseh's food.'
'Why herd them? Why not just hunt?'
'Wild mirac mad, scary. Mirac we rear calm.'
Wild mirac sound fun. 'Why they calm?' he asked, gesturing to the mirac around them.
'We beat the mad out of them,' shouted Froknoz while he urinated behind a mirac.
'We beat them when they mir,' said Reijiz. 'Make them calm. Fear us. Do what we say.'
Grendaz had a long rope tied around her waist. She ran her free hand along it as she walked around, drinking from her nibec filled waterskin.
'Beat with rope?' asked Melonaz.
'Rope, stick, rock. What we can find,' said Reijiz.
'That why they stupid?'
Reijiz raised an eyebrow. 'Stupid? Mirac smart.'
Melonaz smirked. 'They not. Look at them.'
'I spend long time with them,' said Reijiz. 'They smart. They talk. Protect their mir. Sense danger.'
Melonaz sniggered. 'They talk?'
'Not like us. In their own way.'
Melonaz mimicked one of their moans. One of the mirac raised its head and looked at him.
'You speak with it,' said Reijiz, laughing.
'I call it lobkak,' said Melonaz, walking away. 'I go train
. You talk with stupid mirac.'
The night was cold but bright. Rez hung low over the western horizon, its red light mixing with Kiz's green, giving the evening a brown hue.
'We sit. Watch for sehseh?' asked Melonaz, sat cross-legged on the rock Froknoz had slept against earlier that day. Reijiz's two companions had left before dark, eager to get to the village.
'Yes. One sleep. The other stays awake, watches for danger,' said Reijiz. 'You sleep first. I'll watch.'
Melonaz stretched. 'Not sleep yet.'
'Regret it later.'
Melonaz pulled out from his furs the model sword he'd been carving, and his knife, and set to work, the bright moonlight allowing him to see well enough.
After a while Reijiz fell asleep. The mirac were all sleeping on their feet, snoring softly. Melonaz's eyes were beginning to droop too.
What's the point in this? Mirac big. Sehseh small. How mirac not win? Why need us? Stupid animal. Stupid, weak animal. Not do this for two moons. No chance.
He was irritable after his failed attempts to train. His body was still weak, and when he'd been practising his fighting moves he'd pulled a muscle in his leg. Brubah had healed it, but by that time he couldn't be bothered trying again.
Need get strong again. Then I beat everyone easily. Show them I the best. Melonaz smirked.
Something grunted, startling him. That not mirac.
Snow crunched behind him and he jumped to his feet, focusing his Raiz. Sehseh burn if come near. His head swam a little from the tingling of his Raiz, he was more tired than he realised. No, fry with lightning. Better.
More grunts came from around him, then there was silence again.
None of the mirac had stirred. Reijiz say they sense danger. If true they know if sehseh coming.
Melonaz unfocused his Raiz, breathing a sigh of relief as his tiredness eased. He sat back down.
Barks from all around made him spring off the rock.
Shadows bounded towards a female mirac on the other side of the herd.
'Reijiz,' cried Melonaz, rushing to the mirac. He focused his Raiz again.
All the mirac woke and moaned loudly, rocking from side to side on their feet. Kak. They not know to run? They that stupid?