Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 83205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 416(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
I need to find out where so I can get supplies for myself and Aidy.
"What if we find something dead?" the reptilian one asks the others. "Can't we just bring that back to camp?"
"Has to be alive," says the moden, his voice deep and sonorous. "The blue thing dies quickly, and we need it living to put it into someone."
Blue thing? Put into someone? I prick my ears, listening carefully.
"Bah," says the reptilian. "Feels like they are assigning busy work to us so we stay away from the females."
"We are helping save them," the moden says. "Surely they will look fondly upon us for that. The khui helps with the cold."
The praxiian says nothing, content to let the others speak. The three trudge on through the snow, and when their voices become indecipherable, I leave my hiding space and follow them carefully. I keep enough space between us that they will not pick up my scent, and the wind remains in my favor.
By the time I catch up, they have caught a slow-moving, round beast with quills. It wriggles in the hands of the moden, who grips it like a ball and ignores the beast's efforts to escape. I duck to the side, hiding in the shadows of the canyon, as the three clueless males stand around and discuss their prize.
"How do we know this creature has one?" the reptilian asks.
The praxiian finally speaks. "The eyes. They glow blue. That means the parasite is active."
A parasite. Interesting.
"Let me see it," the reptilian says, and the moden hands it to him.
Immediately, the creature squirms wildly and the reptilian loses his grip. He catches it again, only to wrench it by the neck and the creature goes limp.
"You killed it. Idiot." The praxiian's words are a displeased growl. "Now we can't bring it back."
"My hands were just too strong," the reptilian protests. "My killing instinct took over. It's because I'm such a fierce fighter."
I have to bite my lip to keep from snorting with derision. Someone thinks highly of himself.
The moden speaks up. "Open it. We can take the khui for one of us and bring the meat back to camp. All is not lost, but we must be quick." He turns to the praxiian. "You don't have a khui yet, Valmir."
The praxiian nods and takes the dead animal from the other. He pulls out a small, crude knife and cuts it open, and the scent of blood fills the wind. After a moment, he pulls out what looks like a glowing blue filament and stretches it on his fingers. "It looks like a worm."
"It is a worm, but what other choice do you have? It's necessary for survival." The moden remains unruffled. "Be quick so the creature's death is not in vain."
The praxiian splice cuts his arm open with a claw, and as I watch, he places the filament there. It disappears before my eyes, and the praxiian shudders and collapses on the ground.
"Great. Now we have to carry him back to camp." The reptilian is disgusted. "He's not going to wake up for hours."
"You should have thought of that before you killed our catch," the moden says. He bends down to scoop up the collapsed praxiian, and as he does, I notice his eyes are a faint blue instead of the normal moden black. Interesting.
A parasite.
Blue eyes.
Necessary for survival.
Will help with the cold.
All of this is fascinating and precious information. I need to find a creature of my own. If what they say is true, Aidy and I both need these worms to ensure we thrive in our new environment.
I watch the direction the males leave, arguing the entire time, and I head in the opposite direction. I stalk through the snows until I catch scent of game, and then a path full of old mesakkah scents. A trail of some kind. I note the game and which direction it heads and follow the trail for a bit longer, my need for supplies for Aidy outweighing the hunt for game. It must be alive when I bring it back, after all, and Aidy might not be if I don't find her warm clothes soon.
The trail eventually brings me to a small cave with a stretched leather screen covering over it. The people scents are everywhere here, and when I duck inside the cave, I want to shout with joy. Supplies are piled here. Dozens of furs and dried meat are packed neatly away in baskets and piles. There are roots and fire-making supplies. There are fur cloaks and fishing nets and a few spears. I take some of the carved bone knives and a spear, and a bag of foodstuffs. I pile several of the furs into my arms and then make the long hike back to the cave where Aidy waits for me, shivering and alone.