Page 40 of Gentle Giant

BRUTUS

Outside the cavern,I cupped Hailey’s face and stared intently at her. Around us, Montikaan females and children were gathering. Most held baskets containing food and other supplies. The basket I’d packed for Hailey rested at her feet. It contained her favorite nuts and berries, as well the human food she liked.

I regretted that we must send the females and children away from the cavern, but if the Volmatt tribe set our mountain on fire, the cavern would become a tomb. Several of my strongest tribesmen would escort the females and children south, where they would seek refuge in Hailey’s cabin until we vanquished our enemies.

“Tell me what the dark entity looks like,” Hailey said. “Based on some things you’ve said about it, I-I have an idea.”

I gestured at Chief Squava, who’d glimpsed the creature with his own eyes, and beckoned him to come over. He hobbled toward us with slow steps and gave me an expectant look.

“Please describe the dark entity to Hailey in as much detail as you can,” I said in English, for Hailey’s benefit, then I repeated my words in Montikaan.

His eyebrows drew together, and he appeared taken aback, but he soon gave a deep nod and said, “His body is covered in thin black fur, though his head is completely hairless, and his eyes glow red. He’s taller than most Montikaans but not very muscular. His fingers are thin and long, longer than mine,” he said, holding up his hand. “He’s the strangest creature I’ve ever seen, this dark spirit that walks our lands.”

As Chief Squava spoke, I translated for Hailey, murmuring in her ear, making sure not to leave out a single detail.

Her gaze fell to the ground, and she looked deep in thought. Then her head shot up and she said, “I know what he is. The dark entity. He’s not a spirit at all. He’s a living breathing creature. I-I’ve seen pictures of his kind before.” She pointed at the sky. “Brutus, do you recall the times I’ve spoken of aliens? And eventually, I told you they are non-humans who live in faraway lands?”

“Yes. I recall.” Then I translated what she’d just said to the anxious looking chief.

She stabbed a finger at the sky. “The faraway lands where aliens live are located in the stars. I know that might be difficult for you to comprehend, but I promise I’ll explain it better at a later time. Anyway, the dark entity isn’t a spirit at all. He’s an alien. From the stars. And his people are known as the Feshhallians. They are a violent race of beings that once tried to create a settlement on Earth, but our leaders banished them after they kept setting fires and… eating humans.” She paled and wrapped her arms around herself as a shiver quaked through her body. “Apparently, their world was very hot, and they usually settled near volcanos. I don’t think fire bothers them one bit—somehow it won’t burn them. It’s said they can walk through fire and over active lava flows.”

After I finished translating for the chief’s benefit, I stared at Hailey in disbelief. A Feshhallian. Not a dark spirit, and not a Montikaan from a distant tribe. Somehow, putting a name to the creature was comforting. But could thealienbe stopped?

The clearing outside the cavern had grown quiet, and a glance around showed everyone had paused what they were doing to listen to Hailey’s explanation.

“This alien,” I said. “This Feshhallian, do you know if such creatures have a weakness? Is it possible to kill them?”

Hailey gave an enthusiastic nod, her eyes no longer filled with fear. “Water,” she said. “Water will cause their flesh to melt off and it will shatter their bones. I can’t explain how it works, I only know that when the United States government asked the Feshhallians to leave the planet, the aliens refused, and a great battle ensued. At first, the Feshhallians were winning, until it was discovered that water worked better on them than bullets and bombs.”

Once I finished translating her words for the benefit of the Lonnis tribe, I felt the sudden collective hope of my people swelling in the clearing.

If we destroyed the Feshhallian, we would have a fighting chance against the Volmatt tribe. Without the alien’s powers adding to their darkness, the Volmatt tribe might not withstand the combined healing energies of the Starblessed. They might attempt to burn us, to harm us in the same way they’d destroyed most of the Lonnis tribe, but the healing energies of my tribesmen were strong. We’d put out large fires together before.

I thought of the metallic air vessel that had recently crashed and set part of our mountainside ablaze, cutting twenty-five lives short, most of them females.

I refused to allow a similar tragedy to happen again.

“We will send our females and children south to Hailey’s cabin,” I announced, first in Montikaan and then in English. “Then we shall fill containers with water and wait until our scouts return with news of the enemy’s movements. Once we are certain which path they are taking through our territory, we will set a trap. We will hide in the trees and hurl water at the Feshhallian. After the alien is vanquished, we will eliminate the threat of the Volmatt tribe.”

“But they will smell us!” someone called. “They will smell us in the trees, and we will lose our advantage!”

I lifted a hand and gestured for Mastorr and Gorran to approach. Lugging large, covered woven baskets into the clearing, they set them down, each took a deep breath and held it, then removed the lids. A foul scent permeated the air, and noises of disgust filled the clearing. My people, as well as the Lonnis tribe members, covered their noses and backed away.

“They won’t detect us in the trees,” I said, “because we will shield our scent.”

“What is that?” Hailey asked. She tucked her head down and lifted her shirt to cover the lower half of her face.

“Elk droppings mixed with damp soil, wet leaves, and pine needles. It will mask our scent perfectly.”

She lifted her eyebrows but said nothing further, still keeping the bottom half of her face covered with her shirt. Mastorr and Gorran replaced the lids on the baskets, though the pungent scent lingered in the air. We didn’t need to coat ourselves in the muck until after we finished gathering the water.

I released a low howl, a signal for my tribesmen to say farewell to their females and children. I turned to Hailey and gathered her close, wishing we didn’t have to part.

“We will be reunited soon,” I said in an adamant tone. I pulled back to stare her directly in the eyes, then leaned myforehead to hers. “And once we are together again, nothing will stop me from claiming you.”

Chapter 30

HAILEY

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