Page 53 of Caveman Alien's Touch

“I know that Brak can kill rekh with teeth,” I try again. “Maybe it was him?”

“It was Noker. With hishands.” Trat uses his spear to turn over the purple bulbs in the fire. They’re starting to smell really good, like fried potatoes.

“He not tell me he can do that.”

“He didn’t tell anyone,” Trat says, adjusting his baggy loincloth. “But we saw it. Gesk and I. He said not to tell anyone because Shaman Melr’ax wouldn’t like it. But Gesk told everyone.”

“Gesk is your friend?”

“Yes. He’s older than me, we think. He’s taller. But not as much taller as he was before, Noker says. He has a bow and arrows. He shot a spront from the platform!”

“Oh. Gesk is a good hunter, then.”

“Not as good as Noker.”

“Noker is good,” I agree.

“He can jump so high, too. I wish I could. But…” He goes quiet.

I glance at his wrapped foot. “Can I see your foot?”

He curls it up under him. “It’s not a usual foot. It’s… different.”

“Noker is different, too,” I tell him. “Brak also. And I am different.”

He frowns and looks me up and down. “You?”

“I’m a woman,” I tell him. “That’s very different on Xren.”

He nods. “But you’re not… broken.”

I have to stifle a laugh. If only he knew. “You also are not broken, Trat! Sprisk is not broken. Noker is notbroken. Just different! Not worry. You not have to show me.”

Trat unwinds the wrapping around his foot. “I don’t usually cover it. I run faster without it.”

The dirty wrap comes off and reveals a foot with a sole that’s curved sharply inwards and toes that point in and up, looking almost knotted. It’s about what I expected.

“Can I?” I reach out and touch the skin, which looks shiny and is pulled taught over the bones. “Does it hurt?”

“Sometimes.”

“Not put the wrapping back on,” I suggest. “I seen it now. And you jump high, almost like Noker. Did you know he kill an irox the other day?”

Trat’s eyes widen. “With his hands?”

“With his hands and his spear,” I tell him. “He jumped and pulled the irox down. Then he used the spear. Into the irox’s throat. And then he fought a swarm with Smallsthisbig!” I show him with my hands. “And he won!”

I tell him about it as well as I can, including the honor he was shown, and by the end Trat’s so visibly proud of his clansbrother hero that I have to smile.

“Being different is good,” I finish. “It can help you. Shall we try thedrap?—”

Someone clears their throat nearby.

Trat bounces to his feet and grabs his spear, pulling it back to thrust it at the big, dark shadow standing behind him.

18

- Noker-

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