Sabine and other women believed they could. They saw it as a risk worth taking. But their mates are now…I’m not sure they are domesticated…they enjoy the luxuries of colony life but can survive without it.
Humans will not survive.
We need to be taught how to be wild.
10
HRAD
Iposition the second camera so that it has a view up the river of the bridge. Again, my doubts about the use of cameras to watch the tribe surface. The humans want to learn from my people, but I feel it would be better achieved through conversations instead of spying. However, I can’t deny that there is a part of me that is curious about how other tribes live.
Given that I remember little of my tribe, and all I know is what I’ve been told by my brothers, I want to watch what is recorded. I don’t raise my concerns about the spying as it was all discussed in the pre-mission meeting. My thoughts do not matter, and I understand why the humans are hesitating to make a more formal introduction.
We make our way back to the waterfall as the sun sets, and we cross the river in the dark. Alisha wants to push on, but in the dark her eyesight isn’t as good as mine, and we are both tired. The headache that had begun earlier in the day has now bloomed and consumed my skull. While I was on alert before almost crossing paths with the hunting party, since then I have been more active with my searching for others.
I cannot stay alert much longer, so I make the call to stop for the night, even though I’m not sure how safe stopping will be.
While I did what I could to mask our signals, and we were not seen, that doesn’t mean someone didn’t sense something or that it wasn’t reported. There may now be scouts searching the forest for Honey in the area. They may assume they are looking for one banished warrior. They will not be looking for humans. They will not be familiar with the signals a human gives out.
Alisha shrugs off her bag with a stifled groan and sits next to it. For several heartbeats, she doesn’t move. With another sigh, she pulls out her water bottle, a packet of sludge, and the tablet. Her fingers dance over the screen, which sends a pale glow like moonlight over her hands and face.
I sit next to her so we can talk. If she wants to talk.
Whatever she’s typing, I can’t read as she is going too fast. It could be a status update. Or a report on today’s events. Or even a message to one of the other teams.
She presses her leg against mine and then glances at me as if expecting a response. I realize what she is trying to do ani roll up the leg of my pants, and do the same to hers, so we are skin to skin.
You have no kam. I need to touch your skin.
I didn’t realize clothing blocked the signal. I just said, I’m not being rude. I need to get this written up before I forget or fall asleep. I’m not used to doing so much walking and climbing. Do you want to set up the tent?
Ah, that is why she was expecting me to answer. I glance up at the sky. It is clear of clouds, so even though the temperature will drop overnight, we will not be rained on.I do not think a tent is a good idea. It is too big and too obvious.
She sighs and nods.Charlie has made good progress. They haven’t encountered any trouble. Erica says they are ready toleave as soon as we return, though our delay will affect how much they can do.
That can’t be helped.
Alisha rubs her hand over her face.I’m half tempted to tell them to leave tomorrow morning since we will be back by noon. That way they don’t lose any time, and the ship should be fine for half a day.
What is more important? The research or the ability to get home?
She lifts one eyebrow.I can tell you think it’s the latter.
It’s always the latter. You never put your means of transport at risk.Perhaps because she’s never had to fight and steal a ship, she doesn’t value it as much as my brothers and me. The ship we took gave us the freedom to travel far further than we ever could’ve on foot. It gave us protection and escape from the tribes that hunted us, and it enabled us to cross the sea.
You’re still worried about being found.
I glance at her. Of course I’m worried about being found. She has no idea how close we came to discovery today. That I sensed the others talking amongst themselves and that they were close enough to see us through the trees. If one of them hadn’t started silently talking about not being selected as a mate, despite claiming to be the better match, we may have crossed paths. I’d sensed their heartbeats, but a Honey warrior is not that much different from any large beast.
I am. We are very close to their settlement. We are on their land and hoping that their scouts and hunters don’t find the ship.Whoever is at the ship needs to take action if Honey warriors find it and prevent them from reporting it. That means either stunning or killing.
I have killed enough warriors that death doesn’t bother me if I am attacked. Is it an attack on me if they find the ship? Ifit were the sailing ship, I would do anything to protect it for my brothers, so I must guard the human ship in the same manner.
Perhaps the problem isn’t the style of attack, but my loyalty.
I side more with my people, even unknown ones, than with humans. That is something I need to think about. I do not need to return to the colony. I could stay here, but I will be on my own without my brothers. Alone, like most banished, I will be dead within a year.
I pull out my water and sludge. While I am unsure about many things, I do not want to die. Nor do I want to return to a life of mere survival when I have seen there can be more. I need to carve my place, but I don’t know where to start.
