That male is long gone now. A naive young Protector whom I was in training with. The mimyckah were too many to save him.
I would not wish that fate upon any male.
"So we send large parties."
It was Aloryk who had spoken out again, keen as he is to find the female he deems of - the one he has already decided is real, and is his. One glare from Rynn has him visibly shrinking, bowing his head and dropping his wings a little. He is a young male and lucky to be included in this gathering at all. It is not his place to speak so freely.
Even if I can understand why.
"I propose we do not send part-ies, but oneparty," Zarriko says, gaining everyone's attention again. Before any members of either tribe can start to bristle, he continues to say, "I propose that we join our males and search for the missing females together. That way, each tribe can retain a healthy number of Protectors at their village to watch over the females we already have. We can form a large enough search party that would not become overwhelmed by the vast mimyckah bands found in the northeast, but we will have to work together to do so."
"The plan has merit," Rynn says, nodding. He turns to me and asks, "you have males who would suit a search party of merged tribes?"
I know what it is he is asking. He wants the most level-headed, the most tolerant. It is no use to the search should those in the party be bickering amongst themselves due to tribe loyalty. I nod and grunt, shooting Aloryk a nod, too. Of course he would be first in line to volunteer - anything to find his mishi-flower female. His face lights up with a smile and his chest expands. His hardest trial so far has been tofindthis mate from his dreams. He does not yet know how it will be between them when he succeeds. Perhaps she will not want to be his.
My eyes are drawn back to the etching of my Ah-Lanah.
I don't have the energy for this today.
Neither do I.
Would it be for the best if I insisted on joining this two-tribe search party? It might very well be expected of me, and Ah-Lanah does not seem to want my presence either.
Something inside me - something stubborn, something afraid - keeps me from volunteering.
I see Rynn eying me from across the other side of our gathering. I stare right back, my jaw tight. If he orders it of me, I shall go. He knows this.
Humans. Get. Sick.
If she is unwell, then I will care for her.
Whether she likes it or not.
I cannot go. Ah-Lanah is far too important.
I give the subtlest of head shakes to my High Spear. I know he understands, but his brows still rise a little on his forehead, his skin-stars dancing at his temples and his tail curling and flicking at his ankles.
"High Spear Zarriko," he says, still looking at me until finally addressing the other tribe leader. "Our tribe will supply males to accompany yours, they will be told to follow the orders of whichever male you place in command during the search party."
For one High Spear to completely submit to another in this way is unheard of.
And I find I respect my friend even more for it.
CHAPTER 11: ALANA
I don't think I can keep ignoring this. Not now that I've thrown up and have a really sensitive sense of smell. I've felt all kinds of queasy since waking up that morning curled up in Mav's lap.
I try not to think about that.
Great!I think, cursing myself. More things for me to mentally sweep under the rug.
Well, this metaphorical 'rug' is getting to be piled high around about now, with one particular thing I've been trying to keep hidden spilling out all over the place.
I'm pregnant.
I think the words to myself, letting them sink in.
I'm...pregnant.
