“Well, you deserve the best,” he smiled, and a lump caught in my throat. I had no idea I wanted someone to say that to me until it was said. The words hung in the air like a beautiful flower coiled around atwisting knife. Why would he say something so sweet when he didn’t like me?
I pushed all those thoughts aside. It was time to head to the kala. For better or worse, we were going to do some larping today.
Chapter 5
Drovo
“It’s a beautiful day for a long walk.” One of the females walking behind me commented as we made our way to the kala. I walked in front of Kayla as I led Jelly down the path, smoothing out every tree root along the way. As long as I was around, Kayla would have a smooth ride in her mobility device or chariot, as she called it.
The whispers of the leaves reached my ears as they swayed overhead. Strong tree trunks lined either side of the path and I could feel the energy of each one of them flowing through my veins. Each root drew nutrients up from the ground providing itself with the life and strength it needed.
The teal topped trees draped with vines sang happy songs as we passed by. I brushed my fingers through some tall ferns as they told me their gossip of the day. The forest has never been a quiet place for me. It was full of songs, and whispers, and the laughter of flowers.
I loved it here. Inside the mountain I was home, but out here in the forest I was free.
Even though the energy of the forest flowed through me, I did not control the plants or the trees. They did not obey me like I obeyed my Savrix. Instead, they listened to me because I listened to them.
Even before I first shifted, I could feel the spirit of the trees. Even then I began listening to their songs. I didn’t know what I was hearing, but I listened all the same.
Axon and I had struggled the least when we first shifted. He had his parents for comfort and support and I had the entirety of the forest to listen to me as I wept and to hold me when my father had turned his back on me.
That first night we’d spent outside the valley, I laid down to sleep and vines coiled around me to keep me safe and warm. I woke the next day to a jagwa, a mere hand span from my face. Its body was lifeless and limp with vines wrapped tightly around its neck. The forest had protected me from a danger that I hadn’t even known lurked in the darkness.
“Yes, I think tomorrow is a good day to journey to the ship.” Tarak’s words cut through my thoughts.
“The weather looks clear and the sooner we can find out if there will be enough rations for the winter, the better.”
“I can be ready to leave by tomorrow,” Taylor agreed.
It had been established that Taylor would go to the hu-man’s space ship since she knew where the hidden cabinets were located, but they hadn’t yet chosen who else would journey with her.
“I’d like to go too if that’s ok,” Kayla volunteered and my heart nearly stopped beating in my chest. What if she got hurt? What if something happens to Jelly, and she has to pull the chariot and walk with her limited energy? What if- a thousand scenarios ran through my mind.
“I’d like to go too.” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could even process what I was saying. I didn’t mind going, but I hadn’t intended on it. But if Kayla was going, then I was going. I would not leave her unprotected. While the other males of my dekes were capable fighters, no one would look out for Kayal as I would.
Tarak nodded his head and asked, “Brexl, would you consider going as well?”
Brexl was an obvious choice for this journey. His fighting skills were unmatched. The group would be safe under his protection.
He looked to Taylor and then to Tarak before silently nodding his head.
It was settled then, Taylor, Kayla, Brexl, and myself would journey to the spaceship tomorrow.
It wasn’t much longer before we got to the stone wall that marked the kala. It looked like a landslide had caused a wall of rock to fill the narrow gap between two hills.
A ladder lay flat on the ground beside the wall and Tarak picked it up and held it steady for Gab-bae to climb on.
One by one we everyone in the dekes made their way up the ladder and down the stone slope tothe bottom.
Kayla was the last one to go. She had been standing next to Jelly, petting him and looking concerned.
I approached her to ask if she needed help up the ladder when she said, “I didn’t think about how Jelly would be out here all alone while we were all in there. Do you think it’s safe enough out here for Jelly to be tied up like this?
Kayla pointed to her beloved pet who was happily eating the grass near our feet.
This area wasn’t safe for us, but Jelly was an animal who knew when danger was near and when to run away from it, but I didn’t think that would be a sufficient answer for Kayla.
She worried her lip as she looked back at Jelly again.
