by Zara Starr
I had no knowledge of females, let alone whatever species she was.
Eight
Bahl
I had watched the interaction between Khay, Karr, and Arh. Already I had determined that the female was indeed capable of being mated with.
How could she not be? She appeared nearly the same as us—save for the fact that her coloring was pale in comparison, and almost a burnt sandstone color; at least that was what it reminded me of.
Arh was right that all of us had the same rights to be chosen in a triad, but Karr too had been right when he said that we did not know if she even possessed the ability to agree to our customs.
I was overly curious about the creature. Just as Arh had said, I too could smell the scent of her femininity all over her. It almost seemed to pour from her pores.
I had to admit, from first glance, her skin appeared almost mottled. It was light, and a strange shade that I couldn’t quite name, but it looked just like the hardened sands in the Pilotchi Desert. The desert had been my favorite place to hunt.
As I watched this female sitting by the fire, still clearly damp and cold from the lake she had nearly drowned in, I realized that Karr had been absolutely right to pull her from the waters.
Any female that could produce children was important to their tribe. But as the few females in our tribe disappeared to hide their small children, I realized quickly that some of our people were in fear of what they did not understand.
What I had overheard transpire with the elders was only more revealing with this sentiment, as it seemed even Funi had shown his fears of her differences when he had voiced his suspicions.
He had even insinuated that Karr had lied about how he had procured the creature but I knew Karr to be a male of honor and high esteem, regardless of what his mother may have done in the past.
Still, it did not make sense that we should just toss her out into the wild to fend for herself. It was obvious she would not make it—she was small, weak and clearly not well from the looks of things.
I watched as Julene did her best to see to the female’s needs, but as her body began to visibly tremble before me, I felt obligated to do something about it.
There was no need for the creature to be tortured while she waited. She was soaking wet and cold, and everyone seemed more afraid of what she might do than what could be happening to her.
I could only imagine what it must be like to find oneself in a place where one did not understand anything and everyone appeared so tremendously different. What would I want if I were in that position? I asked myself.
I walked over to Julene and tilted my head. “She looks cold to me. I will do something about it,” I said matter-of-factly.
Julene perked a brow and folded her arms over her chest. “She is to stay where she is. If you want to help her, you can bring something,” Julene said.
I snorted slightly. I couldn’t deny that Julene had the authority here and with Karr having found the creature, I would not tread on a respected hunter’s territory. But it was obvious to me that the female was not comfortable and that did not sit well.
As I overheard what the council had been discussing I came to understand that the elders were in fear or suspicion of her—which seemed to be the reaction that everyone around us was having.
How could we convince a female to agree to our customs if we behaved so standoffishly toward her? It didn’t make any sense to me to treat her that way and I inhaled a deep breath as I gave a curt nod.
“If you’re not going to help, you might as well get lost. She is a female in need. She needs help, not idiots gaping at her,” I said to the other males gathered around, shaking my head as I glanced to Julene.
“As I said, if you wish to help, bring her something,” Julene reaffirmed.
“Very well, she looks cold and I don’t think that mantle is sufficient,” I replied.
Julene shrugged. “Understandable, do what you wish,” Julene replied.
I knew the elders would continue their arguing until Karr made a strong enough argument. If he was smart, he would point out that the female was possibly similar and therefore capable of reproduction. This was the first thing I would have spoken up about had I been the one to first encounter her.
I glanced down at the female one more time and tilted my head curiously. She was obviously different, but still strangely alluring. Beautiful, even with all of her differences—at least in my opinion.
I determined I would do anything to make her stay with us more comfortable and less about my own personal desires. Though I was no fool. I too desired to be a part of a triad with someone.
I strode out of the tribal cave and made way toward my own home cave. I had recently acquired several bovine furs; a few of which came from the furrier beasts.
They had thick hides to keep out the cold, and long, thick, curly hair that was incredibly soft to the touch. I figured parting with them for the case of warming the female would be a gesture she would appreciate and I could always find more.
I gathered two of the larger furs and one that was a bit thinner in case the thicker furs were too stifling, as I knew the humidity of the jungle was sometimes stifling.
On many occasions, I found myself searching for the waterfall under the light of the moon just to rid myself of the itching sensation my constant sweating had caused.
It was within those moments that I longed for a mate most. Someone who would appear in search of me as I bathed in the light of the moon and the calming waters of the fall.
These thoughts plagued me constantly. If I was to be honest, I couldn’t deny that I also had ulterior motives, though none were nefarious. I certainly did not want this female to assume the worst of me.
As I wandered back toward the tribal cave, I wondered what the elders were going to say about her and what sort of response the other males of the tribe would give about their decision.
I knew one thing for certain: there was a new female who had obviously appeared out of thin air, and during the strange torrents that seemed to be occurring with more frequency.
I walked back into the tribal cave and made my way directly for the female who seemed to be content eating the Estrela fruits that Julene had provided her.
I wondered suddenly if she had a preference for fruit for some reason, as it seemed she would not touch any of the other proteins—nor the meat, which was utterly strange to me.
I knew that to most of the others, such a thing was unfathomable and it piqued my curiosity to see this creature refuse the best of our foods. I looked to Julene as I drew closer and held out the furs.
“She is cold. I would like to give her these,” I said.
Julene took the furs and walked back to the female, leaning down as she held them out to her. I watched as the female glanced from Julene back to me and then furrowed her eyebrows.
The female made sounds and I could tell that she was attempting to communicate, but I could make no sense of a single word she had uttered. I wondered suddenly what tongue she spoke in and how I might learn it.
“I do not understand a thing she says, but her name is El-Luh,” Julene retorted as the female took the furs from her. She stood up, pulled the thicker hide over her shoulders and smiled back at me as she nodded.
I nodded back to her. “Do not be cold,” I said, though I knew she probably did not understand anything I said.
“She does not understand our tongue, Bahl,” Julene said.
I shrugged.
“Then we should teach it to her, Julene. How else will she ever know?” I asked curiously.
It took a fool not to understand that she was a sentient creature. I could tell it from the way her eyes moved from person to person as we spoke. She desired to understand what was going on around her, of that much I was convinced.
“How do you propose we do this, Bahl?” Julene asked, tilting her head as she looked down at me.
She always had a sort of superiority that I did not appreciate. But since she was the only
female elder in the tribe, I had no choice but to respect her position.
“How did you learn her name?” I asked, avoiding Julene’s question entirely.
“She pointed to herself and said it and I did the same to teach her mine,” Julene said.
“And did she do so?” I asked. “Did she say your name?”
“Yes, she did,” Julene replied.
I nodded as my lips spread out into a grin. It was just as I suspected. I now had no doubts that she could be educated in our ways; something I was now intent on doing.
“Then it is most entirely possible that she can learn more. We simply have to teach her,” I said, appeased with the knowledge I had obtained. “Like anything, instruction is possible when permitted. If we offer her the opportunity, we can learn more about her too.”
I had a knack for persuasion, I knew, and I could see the possibility flickering through Julene’s mind too when I made emphasis on these facts.
“We should learn about her, but we do not even know if she will live. She looks as if she is near death with the pale appearance of her complexion. And she refused the monlas. I do not know how she will regain strength if she does not eat meat,” Julene retorted.
“This may be true, Julene, but to alleviate her problems we should do all we can to understand her. Wouldn’t you want the same if you were in her position?” I inquired.
Julene seemed a bit stunned by this, her mouth falling open widely as she gasped in my face. “When the elders determine what should happen to her next, you can have a discussion with Karr to find out what he thinks of this. I am here solely to oversee her healing,” Julene said.
I wondered then if she actually cared for the female at all or if she only felt an obligation after having been faced with no other choice.
“Indeed, I shall discuss it with Karr,” I muttered, looking back to the female, and stepping back slightly as I folded my arms over my chest.
The elders wouldn’t banish the female. Karr would never agree to it.
I watched as Karr walked out of the conference cavern and approached Julene to speak. I knew immediately that my suspicions were correct—the female would not be banished; her presence meant entirely too much to our kind.
Ella
I was still unsure of what exactly was going on when Karr finally emerged from the cavern he had disappeared to after leaving me beside the fire.
The one purple female who stayed nearby offered me plenty of food, but I still didn’t quite understand what the deal was with the hairy cheese, or why she seemed a bit annoyed that I hadn’t even touched it.
The fruits were delicious, however, and I really wanted to eat more of them. Before long I was hoping that the other vegetables and fruits on this planet were as filling and delightful.
I still didn’t know what any of them were called, but I did realize that the water Julene had brought me tasted entirely different than what Karr had offered me in his cave.
I wondered how extensive their cave systems were, but mostly, I was still afraid of finding out what they intended on doing with me next.
Several of the purple males seemed to be surrounding me and I could tell they were all talking about me; but it was the gesture of a different purple man that made me feel a little more secure—especially when he offered thick furs to Julene on account of me.
Karr glanced at me as I stood with the furs wrapped around me and tilted his head as he looked back to the male who had offered them. I did not know what he was saying, but I could tell that he and the other male were conversing. I figured it must have been about what he had offered me.
Was Karr angry that this purple man had given me the furs? Was I his captive now? How exactly did this tribe see things like that?
I knew that Karr had saved me but I still did not know what he planned to do with me. Every horror movie I could think of seemed to be flashing through my mind as they continued to stare at me, speaking in their strange and undecipherable language.
I sighed as Karr pointed toward me and motioned with a wave. Karr pointed at the furs and then tilted his head as he looked back at me. I suddenly wondered if he was going to lash out at the person who had given me the furs. Considering that I was freezing, I hoped that wasn’t the case.
But, how could I know whether Karr was actually friendly—or if any of them were—without being able to understand them?
It was a dilemma that had me confused, worried, downright frightened, and on constant edge.
Karr
I had my day disrupted enough by the presence of the female, but when Funi and Otoro agreed that I would be responsible for her care I felt a sense of relief.
Perhaps, this would mean that I could finally return to doing what I was supposed to be doing—fishing for more monlas for the wintry season. Although, I did not wish to leave Ella alone, not while the tribe was still uncertain about her.
I perked a brow as I noticed the furs that were draped over Ella’s shoulders and tilted my head as I looked toward Julene.
“Where did the furs come from?” I asked.
“Bahl brought them for her,” Julene said.
I glanced from Ella over to Bahl and tilted my head. “Do you wish to help with her care?” I asked him directly.
Bahl nodded. “She is intelligent, is she not?” he asked me, his eyes meeting with mine as he spoke.
I nodded. “Yes, from what I have learned so far she is,” I admitted.
“Do you think she could learn our tongue?” Bahl asked me.
I shrugged. “I do not doubt she may be able to. She was the first to discover a way to communicate with me by drawing in the dirt with a stick,” I explained.
“Then you would not be against my instructing her?” Bahl asked me.
“Julene will assist with her healing care and bring her vakasha root so she may sleep. I think she needs rest before she can begin such things, Bahl. We do not know if she will survive if she does not,” I said.
“I understand. I wanted to see if I could come to your home cave,” Bahl began. “She will be staying with you, no?” he asked.
“Yes, you wish to come to my home cave to teach her?” I asked him.
This was what I had hoped would not yet occur. I did not want just any male coming to my home cave. I understood the importance of a triad and I knew the males in the tribe were curious about Ella.
But just because I was caring for Ella, I did not want everyone to think that her presence meant they had acquired rights to my domain that they most assuredly had not.
“Yes, but I would not come if you did not permit it, Karr,” Bahl said.
I could tell from his body movements that he respected me and I had never before had any problems with him. Not like I had with some of the others; specifically, Arh.
“I need someone to be there for her when I must be on the lake. Would you come to care for her long enough for me to fish?” I asked him.
“I would be privileged to do so, but I think she needs more than what we have offered her. Everyone is gawking at her. Have you not seen it?” Bahl asked.
I nodded. “Yes, she does not appear like anything they understand,” I said.
“Are all of you merely going to gawk at her? Do none of you intend on doing anything else?” Bahl asked as he looked past me toward the males who were still staring at the wet female below us.
“Be easy, Bahl. Our people do not yet understand what is going on and are right to be concerned about these things,” Julene said matter-of-factly.
“I do not think staring at this creature is going to do anything to resolve or make sense of anything. It infuriates me that you would view her as you are without knowing anything about her.” Bahl said.
I grinned. This was the sort of reaction I had hoped to see in some of the others, but it was my brother who pointed it out first. Khay strode over to Bahl and gave him a heavy slap on the back as he began to chuckle.
“Mellow, brother! Karr and I shall ensure that she
is treated properly. Do not worry about that,” he said.
Bahl scoffed. “Then why is she still dressed in scarcely anything. Are her clothing still wet from the lake? If she is to be cared for, shouldn’t her temperature be the most important thing to consider? Especially so that she does not develop a fever from exposure.”
“He speaks with great wisdom, brother,” Khay said with a nod.
I nodded back to him and pursed my lips. “Yes, I agree that he does. I think you should come to care for her while I go off to fish. We can take turns caring for her if need be. So, you can continue to tan hides,” I said.
Bahl nodded. “Aye, I will need time to hunt the creatures to skin them and give the cuts to the tribespeople; but I have no problem coming if you want to fish during the morning. Is that not your ideal time for such things?” Bahl asked.
I nodded. “Aye, the fish seem to be most active in the early part of the day,” I explained.
“This works for me. Shall your brother be there to assist?” Bahl asked.
Khay piped up for himself then. “I shall be helping as much as I can, but I, too, have hunting to tend,” Khay said.
“Then we are in accord?” Bahl asked as he glanced between myself and Khay.
I nodded. “We are in accord,” I said.
“Aye, of an accord,” Khay said.
I glanced down at Ella and sighed. “She seems to be silent now. I still do not understand why she will not eat,” I said.
Julene put up her hand and shook her head. “You are all of an accord. I think it time you move her elsewhere. The spectacle will only grow the longer you stand here,” Julene said.
Arh stepped up from behind her, his eyes flickering over Ella as he tilted his head.
“Yes, Karr, see to it that she is moved elsewhere so she can recover and a real hunter can step in to care for her needs. She will not eat because you supply only fish. She likely needs real meat and a larger bulb.” Arh chuckled as he took a step back.