Page 96 of Return of the Nine

“Good question. The females. The males only notice two things, other males and females. The females watch out for everything else. Can you see anything else from here?”

Tidae looked and squinted at the small, pudgy creatures in the field. “They are crushing rocks with their teeth.”

She chuckled. “Yes, they are. They use them for digestion just like some birds do on the surface. Their jaws can be exceptionally dangerous. Don’t get bit.”

Morro gave her a narrow-eyed look. “I thought you said they were easy to catch.”

“Compared to most of the wildlife on Gaia, they are. Now, who wants to use the net?”

Cavos stepped forward. “I will. Do you have a spare knife?”

Blinking, she handed him one of her folding blades. “This should do it. Lift the head with your less dominant hand and slice back as hard as you can. The blood will scatter the herd. They won’t be around the smell of their own wounded. Basically, cut fast or they will be gnawing on your limbs before you know it.”

Morro asked, “You won’t be joining us in the hunt?”

“I don’t hunt with other people around. For me, the kill is solitary.” She shrugged. There was no way she could manage it today. Her damned straps were acting up.

She looked around and found a wall that would allow Trusk and herself to remain on higher ground. They boosted themselves into position and watched the proceedings.

She looked at her companion and grinned. “This is going to be fun.”

The Wilders straightened and made a run for the Zaphlings. The hunt was on.

Chapter Five

It took the intrepid trio three hours, and Niika’s sides ached with laughter. Trusk had soon joined her in hooting with amusement as Cavos was knocked over by a knee-high doe.

When the death was accomplished and the three hunters thoroughly exhausted, Niika stepped down from her vantage point and walked to the kill site.

“Allow me. They are particular buggers when it comes to being butchered. You don’t want to puncture the scent glands. It would ruin the entire carcass.”

She drew her long knife and took charge of the field dressing. The men watched attentively, and when she had removed the gut but kept the more edible innards, they lifted the skinned animal to carry back to the city.

She grunted as she got to her feet and bit back a scream as the braces contracted. She forced herself to her feet, wiped the blades on her trousers and sheathed them before she limped back toward the city.

Cavos turned, and he dumped the innards into Trusk’s arms. In the next moment, he was next to her, running his hands down her spine and outer thighs. “I knew I had heard that creak before.”

Without another word, he lifted her and carried her with speed to the building they had set up camp in. He brought her into one of the empty rooms and kicked open the door of the bathing chamber. He ran water into the tub and quickly stripped off her outer garments.

He froze when he saw the bracing. “What the hell?”

She slowly turned and showed him the blaze of scar tissue onher spine. “It’s what lets me walk. A friend reprogrammed it for me, but I suppose it is wearing out.”

He ran his fingers over her scar, and she shivered. “That is a Tokkel blast.”

She shivered. “It is. The braces keep me moving.”

He helped her into the tub, and she grimaced at the pinking of the water from the blood on her hands. The warmth loosened the braces.

He sat and poured water over her shoulders and back. “Why does it have to be the braces?”

“We don’t have tech to repair spinal damage.”

Cavos sighed and sat back on his heels. “We do, but it would involve you going to the mother ship. Would you do it?”

Niika felt a surge of hope. “Are you serious? Yes, I would love to.”

He nodded. “Will tomorrow be soon enough?”

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