How old are Ahstahl and Aercek?
Taking another sip, I enjoy my chocolate-flavored breakfast blend before looking over at Ahstahl, where he’s propped up against what has now become their oak tree. His coloration is striking in the morning light, the turquoise of his scales almost blindingly bright, offset by the midnight hue of his fur. Horns reminiscent of a kudu extend several feet from his head, but at an angle where they don’t prevent him from leaning against the tree.
Clearing my throat, I ask. “How old are you?”
Opening his eyes, he regards me steadily with his brilliant green gaze. “The answer to that is relative. My species ages much more slowly than humans. Our average lifespan is several hundred seasons, so to you, I would beold, but to my people, and by human standards, I’m more akin to a male in his mid to late twenties by human.”
Frowning, I roll that over for a minute before prompting. “What about Aercek?”
AERCEK
“What about me?”
Dropping into Keelie’s camp from above, I snap my wings closed and land in a slight crouch with a herbivore slung over my shoulders. Calling out my question to a surprised Keelie and a knowing Ahstahl, the former is awed, while the latter is rolling his eyes at my dramatic entrance. The adolescent in me is preening that I’ve managed to impress my mate.
Ashtahl knows I would have heard at least part of their conversation, since our hearing is so much better than a human’s, but I want her to speak to me with the same ease she does Ahstahl. My blunders yesterday have caused a slight amount of reticence on her part.
Rightly so.
I acted like an eejit.
Setting my kill down next to the fire, I crouch down to finish field dressing it. The non-edible internal organs have already been disposed of, and I saved the rest for our mate should shewant any organ meat. Observing Keelie out of the corner of my eye, I watch to see if she’s upset or offended by what I’m doing.
Undatfonyh is not an easy planet to live on, and everyone must pull their weight. Ahstahl and my job is to feed our people, so if she’s offended by my actions… we must know. Relief fills me when she doesn’t bat an eye, so I proceed with my task while prompting her about her question.
“Little Keelie, what about me?”
Shaking her head a little, she offers me a small smile and repeats. “I asked Ahstahl how old y’all were? He explained that your species ages much more slowly, so the answer is relative, but I still want to know.”
It appears as though females of all species are sticklers for details. Huffing out a breath, I watch Ahstahl walk past me to the cooking area, perusing the spices our mate brought with her. He keeps his silence, and I realize he’s noticed that Keelie speaks more freely with him than with me. He’s giving me a chance to make up for my errors.
“If you want a specific number, Ahstahl has seen eighty-five seasons, and I’ve seen one hundred and fifty-six. He and I have been together for fifteen seasons. Is that specific enough?”
Keelie’s eyes are wide with shock. “Exactly how long does your species live?”
Dropping my eyes, I pull the heart and liver from the deer, placing them on the platter Ahstahl found and is holding out for me. “Our average lifespan is roughly four to five hundred seasons, which equates to eight to one thousand of your years. A season on Undatfonyh is longer than what you call ayear.”
Keelie isn’t slow of wit at all, and I see her mind come to an epiphany.
“How am I supposed to be your mate if the two of you are going to outlive me by hundreds of years!”
Chapter 14
Keelie
What the actual fuck?
Leaning back in my chair, I yell at the cheery blue sky peeking through the canopy above me. “For fuck’s sake, Wayne! I swear, when I die, I’m kicking you in the dick for this!”
Twin snorts jerk my attention back to the infuriating males cooking me dead deer for breakfast. The scent of venison cooking over the fire is making my mouth water, but I need more than just protein with my coffee. Rolling the concept of their lengthy lifespans around in my mind, I head over to my cook tent and start making biscuits. There has to be something I’m missing.
“What aren’t y’all telling me?”
Ahstahl shoots Aercek a poignant look, and triumph fills me. I knew there had to be something else. Aercek bares his teeth at Ahstahl, and I snicker at the silent byplay between them.
Aercek’s rumbling voice answers me. “Remember how we told you that our gods created theaima teneturto stop the violence between their children?” At my definitive nod, he goeson, “The result of the blended species was an extended lifespan and a reduced birth rate. Our ancestors did far too much damage to the planet for it to sustain a large population. There are three males for every female in our society. The sex disparity is the repercussion of their divine meddling, and to compensate for that, our gods gifted us withaptet.”
Greasing the inside of the Dutch oven before putting the biscuits in, I almost don’t ask, but at this point, what do I have to lose? “What is uhptet?”
