?? CHAPTER 27 ??
Ryle
My stubborn mate works tirelessly to convince the unconvinced. She shows them her photos, her work, chases them as they try to dodge her, talks on and on as they try to complete their tasks around the camp.
I cannot watch her for long, though I’d love to. I’d love to do nothing else but observe her.
But I must consult with my crew. We need to move Trecol, and we need to create a plan to do so. The human medics who buzz around him insist on being part of the planning, and insist on at least one of them escorting him.
“Does that mean you believe he is still in a dangerous condition?” I ask the one called Rowan.
“At this point, we don’t know. Your anatomy is very similar to ours in a general sense. We were able to relieve the pressure in his skull. It’s all up to him now.” Her eyes are downcast as she speaks, her hands twisting before her. She still fears us. Despite her near-constant proximity to one of us, she shrinks away. To be fair, I am much more awake and active than Trecol. And about twice his size.
“We should be there when he wakes,” she says, “At least one of us. One person with some medical training. What if he has a seizure? Would you know what to do?”
I don’t even know what that word means. Even when they explain the translation. We all trained in basic battle medicine; I can administer a syringe of painkillers and tie off a bleeding appendage and plug a puncture wound. That’s all, though. Trecol’s ongoing state is something we know nothing about.
I feel guilty now of traversing the planet and enjoying my mate so much while my friend lies so still, so close to death.
“We will add some long branches to your backboard,” I tell her, “To extend it for his legs.” The flat yellow board designed for immobilizing and moving humans is too short for any of us, and too narrow, but with a little creativity, we can extend it to hold our friend. Then we will carry him to the caves.
“How long do we have?” Rowan asks, hugging herself and grimacing.
“Six days until the storm,” I say. The sky is clear right now, cloudless, perfect blue, aside from the winged creatures all flapping and squawking in their flocks, aiming the same direction. Down the shoreline. Away from the threat. “You humans need to give yourselves time to get there. You should leave as soon as possible.”
“I’ll leave when Trecol does,” Rowan says. Her jaw sets with determination.
Luckily, not all the humans are so determined to delay their departures. Several are strapping on their packs as Rowan and I speak. They raise walking sticks and with last backwards glances, they head towards the downward path. They’ve overburdened themselves, but knowing how stubborn these creatures are, I’m sure they’ll make it in time.
I summon Styt and Craxyn and command them to escort the group. If that huge King Kong returns - as the humans have been calling him - I want at least one or two of us to be with them. The sight of the Rurim will rightfully scare him off.
Hopefully, there aren’t more of him waiting in hiding. Or heading our way right now, crashing through the forests on their own escape missions.
“No one travels alone,” I tell my crew as we gather that evening. “If that means you have to sit on a human to stop them, do it.”
“They aren’t quite that impulsive, thank goodness,” Zoxsym laughs.
“Fear makes them do impulsive things,” Shorek says. I can still see Maysee’s many foolish moments - reaching for those colorful mushrooms without knowing if they were safe. Throwing herself into the sea to go for a swim. Attempting communications with us in the first place was incredibly risky on their part.
None of her reckless moments were out of fear, though, were they. When she’s afraid... she turns to me.
My crew, my brothers - I hope they find mates, here. I hope they can experience this joy that swells in my chest. They all deserve it. They’re all worthy. All of them.
?????
We manage to fashion the backboard into something that fits Trecol by the next day. Five days until the storm. Whoever from our team carries him - plus Rowan and any humans that wish to accompany her - won’t have enough time to return to camp for any more supplies. It will be a one-way trip, for now.
I wish Maysee would go with them. But knowing her as I do, she’ll be here in this camp until the very last moment, convincing her captain to join the exodus.
The humans have begun to look to me in the absence of their leader as we prepare to leave. “Should we bring the sleeping bags?” one asks. “They’re bulky, hard to carry with everything else we’ll need...”
So I explain to them about the beds of moss.
“Will we need many water containers? Filters? Canteens? Camp showers?”
So I describe the pool and the waterfall.
“I analyzed a fruit thing, and it looks like they are safe to eat.” This one comes from the human biologist, Viv. She, at least, does not appear to fear me. She has an orb of dark hair, a dark complexion, and wears corrective lenses on her face. “Safe for the humans, at least.”