And ice planets.
The big alien gestures impatiently at me. "Time to leave."
I clutch the strange clothing tighter against my chest. None of it fits right. I'm swimming in an oversized tunic and pants, and the boots flop on my feet. But considering that I woke up naked? I'll take it. I hesitate for a moment longer, then give the alien my hand. The moment I put my boot onto his leg, it's like I'm flung into the air, only to be caught at the top by another alien.
The bitterly cold air practically smacks me in the face, sucking my breath away. It howls, too, loud and overwhelming. I whimper, staggering, and big hands straighten me out. "The cold will get better soon," the alien holding my waist murmurs. "I promise this."
I look over at him in surprise, because it's an awfully nice, understanding thing for someone to say. Half the time, these aliens are looking at us with impatience, like they don't understand why we're freaking out. I want to grab the vest of one of them and scream, “Of course we're freaking out! You would be too!”
Instead, I just stare at the nice guy. The alien down below was dismissive and abrupt. This one stares at me. Hard. He sets me down carefully and stares at me for a moment longer, then rips his gaze away. As he does, he rubs his chest. I continue to watch him, even though he's deliberately not looking at me. These aliens are tall and muscular, as if they've never had a lazy day in their lives. Everywhere I look, it's pectorals and delts and biceps and obliques, all so perfect they could be made of marble. These men are all blue skinned, too, though the one up here was slightly paler than the others. Large, curling horns frame their heads, and some arch into the air. To a one, they have thick black hair, and most wear it long and braided, like the one standing nearby. He's covered in furs, but the hand that brushed mine felt warm and friendly, even if it only had three fingers and a thumb.
Oh, and they have tails, too, because of course they do. Every good hallucination should have a tail, I think.
"Over here, Nora," someone calls. I don't know anyone's name yet, but I obediently head over to join the women, because they're standing near a tree that might block out some of the horrible, wailing wind that rips at my hair and clothes.
As I step forward, my boots sink into the deep snow and I shudder. It snows at home, but not like this. At home, this would be a whiteout situation. Here, the aliens are wearing loincloths and the occasional fur tossed over their chests as if it's just another day. They haven't blinked an eye at the snow pouring from the gray skies. It worries me that this is normal weather for this world, and if it is…yikes.
Then again, it's not like I can leave, right? I screw up my face, determined not to scowl as I approach the other women. It won't do any good, after all. I can be as upset as I want, but it won't change anything, so I might as well try and get along.
"Is everyone up here now?" Georgie asks as she approaches with the last of the stragglers. "Is everyone warm enough? Does everyone have shoes?"
"What if we have shoes and fur and we're still freezing our tits off?" I ask.
She gives me a wry look, but I notice her jaw is clenching like she's trying not to let her teeth chatter. "I'm told it'll be better once we get the khuis."
Right. The parasite that everyone says we absolutely have to get or we'll die. I open my mouth to complain about that, but then one of the girls near me breaks off into a racking cough, practically doubled over, and one of the big alien men races over to pick her up. Okay, maybe we do need that thing to live. I hug my furs closer, trying not to show my worry. This is all a lot to take in. A whole lot.
Georgie counts heads, and as she does, the big, scary-looking alien she says is her mate comes to her side. He puts a possessive hand on her shoulder. "We must go. The sa-kohtsk is near."
She nods. "Everyone's here. Okay, guys. It's just a short hike. If you can't walk, someone will carry you, all right? Don't be afraid to speak up if you're having trouble. If we're all good, then let's get moving." She gives us all a bright smile, as if it's taken care of, and then starts walking.
I stare after her as she heads down a rocky, snow-covered slope. "She's joking, right?" I whisper to the woman next to me. "I hope she's joking."
"I don't see a trail," the brown-haired gal next to me agrees. "But it beats staying here, right?" She shrugs and walks forward.
I'm not so sure it does. As I hesitate, I watch the brown-haired woman follow after them. As she does, one of the aliens peels off from their group and moves to her side. She stumbles a little in the snow, and he's right there to offer her a hand. Ah. So that's how it is. Even if we wanted to stay behind, I'm not sure they'd let us. Someone would “help” us move along. I purse my lips, watching as a few of the more injured women—including the cougher—are scooped up and carried forward.
"Do you need to be carried?"
I yelp in surprise, turning as a big alien suddenly appears at my side. It's the one wearing the furs, the guy that stares a lot. He's dressed more than any of the others, bundled up in layers. His long black hair is pulled back in a tight, long braid at the back of his head, but he has a nice enough smile…for an alien. He's smiling at me right now as I stare up at him.
"Should I carry you?" he asks again when I don't speak up. "Are you injured?"
"No," I admit. "Just cranky."
"Crank-ee?" He thinks for a moment. "I do not have this word."
"It means I'm in a bad mood."
"Why?"
I shoot a look over at him, wondering why he's so chatty. "I mean, you wouldn't be thrilled if you were in my situation. Look at where we're at. And the whole parasite thing? I'm not sure—"
"Ho," barks one of the other male aliens. He glares at the one trotting next to me and gestures that we should move up. "The female needs to join the others."
"I'm going," I mutter, wrapping the furs tighter around me as the wind rips at my face. The guy at my side melts away without a backward glance in my direction, and the one yelling at me scowls until I jog up to reach the others.
Some saviors. I feel like a cow being led to the slaughter.
4
DAGESH
Raahosh and Vektal cast me suspicious looks all through the hike toward the valley where the sa-kohtsk was spotted. I do my best to keep my head down and to steer away from the others, all the while my khui thrums and throbs in my chest, so loud and insistent that surely everyone must know by now that it is me that sings.
I must stay away from the females, lest I be sent away. So even though it is difficult, I force myself not to look at my female, the one that is crank-ee, the one with the sharp tongue and bright eyes. I want to talk to her more, but I tell myself there will be more time once she has her khui.
The females are gathered near a cluster of thin trees as if it will somehow provide them shelter, and only one or two males are left behind to guard them. The rest of us go to hunt the sa-kohtsk, to herd it into the valley and close to the females. The largest, strongest creature in the land, it is tradition for a sa-kohtsk to be brought down for a new birth, and the heart pulled free. Only a sa-kohtsk has many, many khui inside it, and we will take the strongest for a new kit…or in this case, the twelve females.