by R. R. Banks
Suddenly Pyra jumped up onto the table so that he was visible above the heads of the other warriors and Denynso men who had gathered around him. Bannack looked around and saw Creia sitting silently on the platform, staring at the men with a look on his face that was at once worried and pleased.
"If you aren't brave enough to come with me, then don't," Pyra shouted and some of the warriors shouted back at him, "I'm going. The king has given me permission and I am going to take it. I've already discussed it with Eden, and she agrees that we don't want to bring our baby into this world until we know what kinds of threats, and what kinds of opportunities, may exist outside of our compound. She may be close to delivery, which means that I need to go soon if I am to be back by the time the baby arrives."
"Where are you going?" Bannack shouted up toward the warrior.
Pyra looked down at him.
"I'm going to explore Uoria outside of the compound. There are other species out there that we don't know anything about, and I want to change that. Eden, Leia, Elianna, Zuri, and Samira all came here from Earth because the humans want to know more about our kind, yet we haven't even gone so far as the other side of our own planet to find out what might be there."
"When are you leaving?"
"Three days. I need the time to get together all of the supplies that I might need while I'm gone." He straightened and looked out over the group of warriors. "Who's with me?"
There was defiance in his voice, a sense of strength and defensiveness that seemed to come from the idea that there were things he couldn't protect his mate and future child from because he didn't know what they were or what they might do. It enraged him, and as the fiercest and most aggressive of the warriors already, that was intimidating to see.
A few of the other warriors yelled back up to him, but Bannack turned and ran toward Creia's platform.
"Are you alright, Bannack?" the king asked as he approached.
"May I have permission to have a leave from my responsibilities to Loralia and go with the other warriors?" Bannack asked, ignoring Creia's question.
The king hesitated.
"She is new to our compound, Bannack. She specifically asked if you would be her guide. That must mean that she trusts you."
"I understand that, but I feel that I would be better serving the tribe if I went with the warriors and helped explore the planet. I'm sure that the human women would be happy to keep an eye on Loralia and help her get accustomed to the compound. They would probably do better than me anyway."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because they're different, too."
"Different?"
The king seemed to be testing Bannack in some way, but he didn't have the patience to explore what he might mean.
"They aren't Denynso. They are a different kind, so they know what it's like to be a strange species among the tribe. It might make her feel better to spend some time with them."
"I'll give you permission to go with the warriors, Bannack, if you are able to convince the women to take on your role as protector. But listen carefully when I tell you to think about your decision, and your reasoning, carefully."
Bannack nodded his thanks and ran back across the meeting hall. He couldn't get the taste of Loralia's lips or the feeling of her body on his fingers out of his mind no matter how hard he found them, and he knew that he had to get to the women so that he could get them on his side and start preparing for the journey. He, like the other Denynso, had never ventured away from the compound, but right now getting as far away from his home, and from Loralia, as possible seemed like the only thing that he could do.
He got to the edge of the table where Pyra stood and shouted up at him over the voices of the other warriors who still seemed to be locked in a debate over whether they should go at all. Many thought that it would better serve them to concentrate on building up the defenses of the compound before they started searching for threats.
"Where's Eden?" Bannack asked.
"She's at the bakery with Samira. Why do you need her?"
"Creia says that the only way I can go with you is to get the human women to agree to watch over Loralia while I'm gone."
"Why?"
"She chose me as her protector."
A smile crossed Pyra's lips, but Bannack refused to acknowledge it. He pushed away from the table and ran out of the meeting hall toward the bakery. The smell of fresh, hot bread greeted him as soon as he opened the door.
"I need your help," he said and saw Eden jump slightly where she was sitting on a high stool near the counter where Samira was rolling out long ropes of dough to form into braided loaves.
"Is everything alright?"
"I want to go with the warriors to explore Uoria, but I need someone to watch Loralia while I'm gone. She chose me as her protector and guide, and the king says that I can only have permission to go with Pyra if you will agree to watch over her while we're gone."
The two women exchanged glances. If he didn't know better he would think that they were communicating with their minds in the same way that mates could. Eden's hand wandered to her belly like it so frequently did and she seemed to press into a certain area as if she could feel the baby through her skin.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Eden asked.
Bannack was growing impatient with being questioned. Everyone seemed to think that they knew something he didn't, and it frustrated him. He nodded, not wanting to give her the satisfaction of acknowledging her seeking tone.
"I want to know what's outside this compound. I'm tired of seeing the same things and going the same places. There's more out there and I want to know what it is, but the only way I can do that is to unload Loralia."
"You're the one who brought her here."
"So I've been reminded," Bannack said through gritted teeth.
"If you're sure that's what you want, Bannack, I'll be happy to help her get used to the compound."
"Thank you."
Bannack stepped back out of the bakery and took a deep breath of the night air, hoping it would cool the burning on his cheeks. He didn't know what he wanted anymore, other than to get away.
(To be continued in Part II…)
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