“Crow’s mother is from Earth, so Crow should know something of her home planet.” He glanced at the youngling who had begun to wander off. “The wildlife of Earth interests him.”
“Okay,” Ursula said, frowning. “You do know that wild dogs are fierce hunters andnever get tired. They tear their prey apart and begin eating it before it’s dead.” She shuddered.
“Much like yirklas,” Suvesh replied. “Crow, return to me.”
The boy sighed and obeyed.
“And what are kodos?” she asked Suvesh, as the castratus seemed to have knowledge that Zul did not.
“The name and form of a kodo is similar to that of your planet’s komodo dragons,” Zul answered. He felt proud for making that comparison. He’d spent a lot of time with Crow and Suvesh learning about Earth’s wildlife from the many books Gil had imported from her homeland at Ursula’s request.
“Oh,hellno!” Ursula shook her head. “I amnotstaying where komodo dragons roam freely—and neither is Crow.”
“We will keep you and Crow safe from predation,” he assured her. Suvesh nodded his commitment to their well-being.
Crow drew himself up to his full height which was still quite a bit shorter than his mother and said with solemn conviction, “I am not afraid.”
Ursula opened her mouth to object again, then merely sighed and shook her head. She glared at Zul. “If the dragons or wild dogs eat us, then we’re coming back to haunt you.”
Chapter 30
Ursula watched as Crow and Suvesh scouted a somewhat level place and set up camp. She considered asking why two tents were set up, then decided against questioning the decision.Doubtless they have valid reasons. Besides, she was weary.Sick and tired of arguing and losing, more like.
The stinging candor came from her own conscience rather than one of her mates. Once the tents were erected, Zul set Suvesh to gathering firewood while he scraped out a shallow firepit.
“The fire will deter the predators from approaching,” he said after she offered to assist in setting up camp and he declined that offer, telling her instead to keep a close eye on her son.
Ursula did that anyway. No one needed to remind her.
Suvesh soon returned with an armful of sticks, and Zul sent him out for more. “Best to build up a supply just in case we’re out here longer than expected.”
“And how long do we expect to be out here?” Ursula probed.
Zul did not answer her.
Finally, she sighed and repositioned herself on the boulder she sat upon. “Zul, we’re entirely out of touch. We have no communication devices that I’m aware of. Why can’t you tell me what’s going on?”
He met her gaze and his hands stilled. “I do not know what is going on?—”
Ursula scoffed. He frowned at her.
“—and Bran has cut off all communication.”
She rolled her eyes. “So, talk to Gil.”
He blinked in confusion. Did she not understand how the triad bond worked between bonded warriors? “I cannot.”
Her head tilted to one side. “Why not?”
“That is not the way the triad bond works.”
“Why not?”
Why was she asking questions like a child?Her persistence annoyed him, but he stifled that annoyance and returned his focus to laying sticks in the firepit.
“Do you think you must go through Bran to speak with Gil?” she asked, ignoring his refusal to discuss this triad bond further. “Bran’s not a switchboard. You can communicate with Gil directly. After all, I can communicate with each of you directly without having to involve the other two if I want.”
Zul went still. Raising his head, he asked in astonishment, “You can do that?”
