Page 104 of Planet Zero
“Fortunate.” They started walking home, hands linked.
“What does it mean?”
“You know, some people are born pretty, like Queen Qalae. Others are very strong and hale, like Vuskas. In other words, they have something that other people don’t. Just because. They didn’t have to learn or earn it. They’relucky. Me - I’m lucky to have you on my side. Just because.”
“And I am lucky to have you, Addie,” Melmie said and then raised her eyebrows. “You came and became a sister I never had. Or an aunt, someone close. Does it mean I’m lucky?”
“We’re both lucky, Melmie. We’ve found each other, and we should be grateful for that.”
They entered the settlement and let go of each other’s hands when a warning whistle from a sentry brought them up short.
Heart beating in her throat, Addie reminded herself that a whistle meant intruders. Not exactly a dance party, but only intruders, not the underground monsters. A Wrennlin attack would be heralded by a long shout.
Her Yuux were already in a frenzied flight, but the two lowered on Addie’s shoulder, their behavior comforting. It wasn’t Wrennlins.
But someone was coming.
People were gathering outside. Oma came out after Hunlath who was armed with his heavy club. Mekni, this time unburdened by a child, fearfully joined the growing circle of women as her mate went with the men. Vircea and Iguell. Illied and Klarm. Qalae. Chief Net’ok took his place at the head of the men’s organized cluster. Finally, the yellow robes floated by Addie on their way to the warriors, presumably for negotiations as it was doubtful Chemmusaayl had the strength or the wherewithal to defend anyone.
At first, Addie wasn’t able to see anything from behind the women who were all universally taller than she, but finally, the approaching For became visible.
The “invaders” were not invaders at all. Refugees, more like it. And they seemed to be in dire need of medical attention.
Three males straggled into their settlement. One was propping a semi-conscious friend with the man’s arm thrown over his shoulders. The third was trudging behind, clutching his bleeding stomach.
With difficulty, Addie recognized two of the men behind the grime and blood smeared on their faces as their recent guests. The injured and bleeding was Ell, the leader. The semi-conscious one who struggled to stand upright was another one of the males who had come with Ell; she thought his name was Egis. The male holding Egis was unfamiliar to her.
“Greetings!” Ell rasped, his cheerful salutation ringing incongruous under the circumstances.
The tribesmen standing at arms lowered their weapons. Seeing that there was no danger, Chemmusaayl stepped forward.
“What happened?”
Ell wanted to speak but swayed and sank to the ground.
“Wrennlins came,” the other man said, the stranger. “Ten of us escaped. We were making our way here when we were attacked by marauders. We’re all that’s left.”
“Your women?” Chief Net’ok questioned.
The stranger shook his head. “They took them. Killed other men. Killed a child.”
No one else said anything.
“We stopped because we found a pile of furs and this.” The stranger withdrew an object from behind him and placed it on the ground at the warriors’ feet. “It distracted us and that’s when they attacked. Six of them. But there must be more. They’ve grown in numbers.” He continued talking, retelling the story of the attack, but Addie stared at the object on the ground half-listening. It was a small axe, made for a woman’s hand. It had a newly broken tip but still retained a pretty and intricate scroll lovingly etched on the handle. The one and only time Addie had seen this axe was in Sav’s hands when the woman was leaving.
Understanding rippled across the crowd. Sav would not be coming back.
“We are asking to stay with your tribe,” Ell said weakly.
Chemmusaayl raised his eyes from the axe and regarded them intently. “You’re injured.”
“We will recover,” Ell assured him hastily from his kneeling position. His gut wound looked serious even from afar. “We are good hunters.”
Chemmusaayl glanced at Net’ok and Vuskas meaningfully. “You’ll need women,” he stated flatly.
The stranger threw a loaded glance at the sizable crowd of the women where Addie stood. His glance was intercepted.
“Not enough here for the three of you, warrior,” Chemmusaayl nipped that idea in the bud. “All our women are claimed.”
