by Ruby Dixon
“What is that stink?” B’rukh asks, waving a hand in front of her.
H’nah shakes her head. “No clue.”
“Look for birds,” T’shen tells me. “Dirty gray feathers and big, tearing claws. Short bill with a sideways clamp. They are scavengers and if something is dead, they will be nearby.”
H’nah’s hand touches my arm. “Should we be worried?”
“Not yet,” I reassure her. “Death-smell can linger over a very long stretch of land. It might be nothing.” But I hold my spear at the ready, because my senses—and T’shen’s tight stance—tell me that it is something.
And over the next ridge, we see them. The birds, just as T’shen described, but so many that whatever is dead must be large indeed. He casts a worried look in my direction even as the wind blows a fresh round of death-stench into our faces. “The females should stay back while we see what it is,” T’shen tells me. “There might be many scavengers, and not all are afraid of hunters like the blood birds are.”
“Fuck that,” B’rukh says.
H’nah grips my arm and shakes her head. “We’re staying with you guys.”
“It might not be safe,” T’shen reasons with his mate.
“It’ll be safer if we’re with you instead of out here in the open,” H’nah says, looking up at me. “Just give us weapons. We won’t get in your way.”
I glance over at T’shen. “It might be safer to bring them with us after all.” He nods, looking at his pink-maned mate with a worried expression.
H’nah puts her hand out and I give her my best knife. “Stay close.”
The females follow us as T’shen and I take the lead, heading into the valley that crawls with death and its scavengers. The birds are everywhere, and the smell grows stronger…and then we see it.
An enormous creature has fallen in the snow, one with long, thin legs that seem to stretch across the narrow valley and a mass of shaggy whitish-gray fur. As we walk toward it, the birds screech and fly off, settling onto nearby cliff-tops and waiting for us to leave. As we circle the creature, I see a pair of heavy tusks that jut from the mouth, and four eyes that once glowed with khui-brilliance but are now dull.
“Isn’t that a sa-kohtsk?” H’nah asks me.
“It is,” B’rukh says. “I remember how they looked when I got my khui. And you guys hunted them for the new babies recently, didn’t you?” She looks at me and I nod.
“Was there a hunt I was unaware of?” T’shen asks, glancing at me. “It seems foolish to waste so much meat.”
I shake my head, gesturing at the splashes of red that cover the snow. “This was no hunt. The chest is whole.” When we hunted these before, the ribcage was cracked open and the heart cut to steal the precious, life-giving khuis. But from this side of the creature, I can see that the chest is unmarked by knives, the fur here still snowy white.
T’shen continues to circle around the head, shaking his spear and hissing when a few of the scavenger birds grow fearless. He makes a sound in his throat and looks up at me. “Come see this.”
I jog to his side, and we stare at the killing wound of the dead creature.
It has been torn apart from the neck to the shoulders. Blood has spilled and frozen from the edges of the wound, and it is clear that this was the injury that caused it to die.
“What is it?” B’rukh asks. H’nah stands next to her, clutching her weapon.
“Stay there,” T’shen leans in close to me, his gaze on his mate. “Whatever attacked this was from above. The only big creature that flies is sky-claw, but they have never attacked sa-kohtsk before. They are not big enough.”
I stare at the wound, so big I could walk through it, and at the jagged teeth-marks that have left ragged edges. There are few creatures that take bites and kill without devouring the entire prey. I stare at this and remember stories my father’s father told me when I was a kit. Of an old sky-claw, bigger than all the rest. One with a gap in its long, deadly teeth so that when it bit down, it would leave a section unbitten, a spot unblemished in all the carnage.
I move forward, looking for such a mark, and I am sick to my stomach when I find it. There. An area by the neck, nearly two hand-spans wide where the teeth should have gouged it in line with the rest of the bite.
T’shen moves to my side. “What is it you see?”
I turn to look at him, and as I do, I see H’nah come around the side, a look of horror on her face as she stares at the ice-crusted wound. There is fear on her face, and that fear and worry tear at me. “It is nothing,” I tell T’shen, but give him a look indicating we will talk later.
He nods at me. “Come, Brooke,” he says to his mate. “Let us continue on.”
“Should we stop and skin the thing? Use what we can?” She moves to his side, casting worried looks at the dead creature.
“No, we will leave it,” he says. “The stench is too much and the blood-birds are already here. We will continue on to the fruit cave so we may be there before dark.”
“Okay,” she says, her tone uneasy, but she puts her hand in her mate’s and lets him lead her forward.
“Is everything all right?” H’nah whispers to me. Her face is pale despite the sheen of sweat on her brow.
I want to hold her close, to reassure her that I will not let her come to harm. But…if this is Old Grandfather of the Sky-Claw as I think it might be, then we might be in danger. “I will keep you safe,” I promise her.
I hold my hand out, and I am surprised when she takes it. Pleased, but surprised. I squeeze her gloved hand and lead her away from the dead thing.
The sooner we get to this cave, the sooner my female is safe.
11
J’SHEL
The dead sa-kohtsk has brought speed to our feet, because we make good time as we head through the endless weave of valleys and canyons. We arrive at the one that T’shen wants and I am not entirely surprised to see that it looks like all the others. This place is all white snow and stone to me, and it will take time before I can distinguish one rocky place from another.
“I can see nothing,” I admit to T’shen as he looks around the valley.
“That is the beauty of this place.” He grins and heads straight toward the rocky cliff wall, and then puts a hand on a rock. “There is a path up behind these stones. Come and see.”
We do, and there is a narrow, twisty walkway, just as he described. I let H’nah go in front of me, as her excitement is palpable. She wants to see this fruit cave badly, whereas I am here simply because she is.
The females follow behind T’shen and he leads them a short distance up the side of the cliff, until it turns once more. Then, he disappears into the rock. As I follow the others up, I see a cave mouth, half-hidden amidst the gray crags and weathered stone. It is not a large opening, and I duck my head as I follow the others inside.
A wall of heat hits me as I step into the cave tunnel. Surprised, I pause in my steps, but the others continue forward. I clutch my spear and then as it opens up before me and the others exclaim in delight, I see it.
Greenery cascades down the walls of the cave around us. The heat and humidity of the cave itself make the air feel thick, and the scent of fruit and green things is overwhelming.
It…reminds me of home.
A wave of longing moves over me and I close my eyes, allowing my spirit to live on the island once more. It almost feels as if I am home again, with the thick, humid air surrounding me, the scent of plants perfuming each breath. And I want to be back there so badly that it aches deep inside me. Home.
A soft hand touches mine. “Are you okay?” H’nah’s voice is gentle. “Do you need a moment?”
I open my eyes and look down at her lovely face. Her mane is curling against her brow with the damp, warm air, and her skin is sheened with a fine sweat. Her cheeks are pink and her gaze is locked on my face. She has never looked more beautiful to me.
I squeeze her hand. “It reminded me of the island.”
Sh
e gives me a little smile full of sympathy. “I understand. Maybe we can come and visit this place again regularly.”
We? I like that she is talking about being here in the future. Those are not the words of a female that will be returning home, and it pleases me. Perhaps her mind has already begun to turn in my direction. She tries to pull her hand free but I hold onto it. “No,” I say. “Let me hold you for a time.”
H’nah nods at me, casting her gaze away in the way she does when she is embarrassed. But her hand stays in mine, and that is everything.
“This place is like a layer cake covered in greenery,” H’nah says. She points at the cave walls. “Look. There’s ledges after ledges and little hidey holes that go all the way up, and everything is dripping with green.”
“I see it.” I tilt my head slightly. “And I hear water, too.” And a buzzing of some kind, but it is not that of an animal or a khui. I do not know what it is.
H’nah pulls me forward, and as she does, I see that B’rukh and T’shen are already climbing lower, heading toward the deeper layers. We move to the edge of the ledge we stand upon, and as we do, I see there are more layers of greenery, just as many below as there are above. It is as if this entire cliff has been hollowed out and plants from home placed inside. Toward the lower end of the cave, nearly hidden in the foliage, is a dripping waterfall and a small pool below. It is the water that B’rukh and her mate head toward, but H’nah seems content to stay up here at the entrance with me.
The light in the cave flickers, going dark for a moment before lighting up again, and both H’nah and I look up automatically. For a moment, I feel a clench of fear—that the light of the suns was blotted out because the ancient sky-claw I fear is in this land—Old Grandfather—is here. But when I look up at the dizzying heights of the cave, I see no hole to the outside, no way to go out except where we came in.
But the light shines down from above, bright and unnatural. As I stare up, it flickers again, and the buzzing grows louder.
“Artificial light,” H’nah says. “I guess the ancestors made this place as a greenhouse of sorts, and we get to reap the benefits.” She releases my hand and picks up a fallen fruit near her feet, sniffing the reddened skin. “This looks yummy.”
“Do not eat that one,” I caution her. “Once it falls from the vine, the taste grows too sweet.”
H’nah looks at me in surprise. She holds the red fruit out to me. “You know what this is?”
I shrug. “We call it bright-tongue because it makes your mouth as red as the skin. But it tastes best when fresh off the vine. If it falls to the ground, it is too late.” I tap my mouth. “Too sweet.”
“I like sweet,” she says, and takes a big bite out of it, a defiant look on her face. A moment later, her expression contorts, and she spits out the mouthful. “Okay, maybe not that sweet.” Her tongue flicks out as she makes a face, and it is as bright as the fruit in her hand.
I chuckle. “You think I would trick you?”
H’nah studies the fruit in her hand, and then glances up at me. “Maybe not trick me, but you guys don’t eat the same things we do. Everyone thinks kah is delicious when to me it tastes like eating a mouthful of pepper. I was hoping maybe this would be something that tasted good for humans and not for aliens.” She squints at it and then holds it out to me. “I dare you to take a bite.”
I snort, crossing my arms over my chest. I like this playful side of her. “What do I win for such a dare?”
“A mouthful of fruit?” H’nah smirks at me and then tosses it aside. “Fine, don’t play my games then. Be that way.” She studies the walls of hanging greenery and then steps toward a vine covered in overripe berries. “You know what this is?”
I nod. “Bitter on the tongue but pleasant when crushed and left to sit overnight. We call them ‘little suns’ because they are pale in color.”
“Oh, that’s pretty,” she says, smiling at me. “So you know all of this stuff?”
“I do. They are from my homeland.”
“Do you suppose the people that built this place went to your home and then came back with seeds and made this place?”
I shrug. “The ancestors have many stories of how they came to be. I am sure some of them must have seen the island, but I do not know why they would have left it to come here.”
“The volcano, obviously,” she says, fingering one of the berries. After a moment, she gives me another shy look. “Do you think you would share your stories with me? Someday? Or would it be too painful? Because I’d like to hear them.”
There is a knot in my throat. “I would share them with you, yes. You have but to ask.”
The smile she gives me makes my cock ache, and my khui sings loudly in response. “It won’t make you too sad to talk about them?” H’nah asks.
“It will make me sad, yes, but I would also like to share them with you.” I reach out and brush one damp lock of her mane away from her brow. “Will you share your stories with me?”
“Of course, if you want to hear them.”
“I want to hear everything,” I reassure her. I like that she does not shy away from my touch when I reach for her. That she looks shy, but she meets my gaze more and more often.
I like that she is speaking as if we will be together. She is not talking of leaving this place anymore.
Perhaps it is time to push forward, to show her that I want to be her mate in all ways. I need to show her what I want.
I study the fruit and vines covering the walls of the cave. There is a variety of good things to eat, but H’nah mentioned she liked sweet things. I reach for what my people call heart-fruit and pull one off the vine. “You will like this one,” I tell her, holding it up.
Her eyes light up with pleasure. “Oh?”
I nod, and using my hands, rip the fragile fruit in half, exposing the small pit. Sticky juice spatters my hands, but H’nah looks impressed at this show of strength, so it is worth the mess. I take one half of the fruit and hold it up to her, offering it. “Trust me.”
For a moment, it feels as if I am offering her more than a mere bite of fruit. She gazes up at me, her eyes full of questions, and just when I think she will decline, she changes her mind. H’nah moves forward and takes what I am offering. She grabs my wrist and pulls my hand toward her lips, taking a hearty bite out of the fruit I hold for her.
Red juice dribbles down her pale skin and she lets out a soft little moan of pleasure. “Oh my god, that’s so good.” She puts her fingers to her mouth to cover it while she chews, smiling sheepishly up at me. “I’m making a mess.”
“My fault,” I say, and I reach out and brush one droplet of juice off her chin, then lift it to my mouth and lick my thumb clean.
H’nah’s lips part and she stares at me as I suck the juice off my finger. She is fascinated, and her gaze flicks to mine before she blushes and wipes at her chin.
I am pleased at her response, though. This is progress. I hold the other half of the fruit out to her. “Do not eat the pit. It will make your stomach turn.”
She nods and pops the rest of the fruit into her mouth, chewing quietly as she peers over the edge of the ledge. I watch her, memorizing her movements, her expressions, the way she licks her fingers and then blushes, as if thinking of me. Then, she waves at someone below.
B’rukh’s voice calls up, “I’m in heaven! I’m going to eat so much fruit I’ll look like a melon myself!”
H’nah laughs, peering down over the edge. “Are you guys going swimming?”
“You should join us!” B’rukh calls.
“Maybe later. I’m gonna relax up here for now.” She waves again and then straightens up, moving away from the edge. Her face is bright red and the embarrassment is on her cheeks once more. She moves toward me, whispering. “You can join them if you want, but I have to warn you, there’s a whole lotta naked down there right now.”
I chuckle. “You think naked bothers me? I have spent most of my days wearing nothing but a leaf over
my cock.”
She looks surprised, and then gives her head a little shake. “I guess I should have realized that. Was it hot on the island, then?” She tugs at the collar of her leathers, pulling them away from her skin. “Because it’s hot in here.”
“It was like this, yes,” I agree. “We will be more comfortable if we take some layers off.”
She considers me for a moment, and then nods. “Maybe just a few layers.”
H’nah waits, watching me, and so I turn away so she can take her leathers off. I set my pack down against the cave wall and then toss my cloak off, scratching at my sweaty skin. It feels good to peel off the layers, and I remove as much as I can. Boots, leggings, everything but a loincloth, because I do not want her to run away out of shyness if I show too much. Down below, I can hear T’shen and his mate splashing and shrieking with delight in the water. Their happy noises make H’nah laugh, and I glance over at her.
My mouth goes dry.
H’nah is almost naked. It is the first time I have seen so much of her, and I am fascinated. She wears a loincloth like I do—a strip of leather that goes between the thighs and is held up on both ends by a belt—and over her teats she wears a tight leather band. Other than that, she is all pale, pink-and-white skin. Her waist is gently rounded, and her buttocks look like they were made to be gripped by my large hands. The two brown tails of her hair brush at her shoulders, reminding me that I tasted her neck not too long ago. I want to touch her everywhere, and I groan at the realization that my loincloth will not do much to hide how hard my cock is at the sight of her.
She glances over at me and her cheeks are bright red even as she pulls off a boot. “If you’re in a loincloth, I can be in a loincloth too, right?”
“I would prefer you were in less,” I tell her honestly. “But wear what pleases you.”
My answer makes her giggle, and I see the indention peek out of her cheek. She does not look over at me, and I know she is feeling shy. Just as well—it will take a bit for my cock to ease from its straining hardness. I crouch by the greenery, pretending to study them to hide my erection, and notice the walls here seem to be wrapped with tubes that are nearly covered by the vines. “There are things under here,” I tell her. “Do you know what they are?”