NOVEL NEXT B 2 C 23: Hunter
B 2 C 23: Hunter
I’m fairly certain that the event to transpire at noon is likely the hatching of that special egg. The egg containing two creatures had begun to hatch, but then merged. I was startled when they reverted to a single combined egg. Still, walking arm in arm with Lao, peacefully in the lands that we can now call our home is pleasant. Her motherly nature helps me recover from my own emotions simply via her presence.
I gaze about, reminded that I should marvel at the majesty that is nature. This whole region is our settlement. I’ll expand it some day, though not far enough to annoy our beaver neighbors, since they probably don’t want to be known as the Shellcracker Beaver Colony or anything. I know there are more beings out there, I’m positive of it at this point. I’m finally starting to understand some of the rules of our world, although yet more mysteries remain. Still, the clues I’ve gotten give me hope that we’re not alone in a desolate landscape devoid of other lives.
Lao begins chatting, in between sobs and sniffles, startling me from my reverie, “Sugar and Spice have grown up to be so ingenious, so fast. Spice is planning something, but won’t let on what it is, only Sugar knows, and as exuberant as she is to share everything of herself, she won’t dare spill a single secret of Spice’s.”
Lao pauses a beat as her tone acquires a layer of sadness, “Mata is not taking as well to life here as I would have hoped, I don’t understand it. We each grieve in our separate ways, yet he seems to fester with rage rather than grieve. Our Manaia and Manameia are of course growing, their youthful innocence is always refreshing, though sometimes I cannot share their joy. There are times I still grieve. I must steal away in these times, such as this one. Agwai is the only one that understands my need. They are so dear to me, a bastion for me to rely upon.”
Laomati ruffles my hair as she continues, “Our family is so small, smaller still without you four around. My heart aches each moment you’re away, though that is not your fault, it still aches while you are with us. A lesser ache though, even if only slightly.”
Lao catches me up on her take on everyone, and I have no words for her. I let her hold my right hand at its broken wrist as I lean against her with my damaged side. We walk together and I don’t begrudge her her sadness, nor do I burden her with my hurts.
When Lao’s been silent for a while, I fill the silence with rambling, “We gained a lot of, well, a lot of many different things in Fire Biome. It wasn’t where I’d meant to start this leg of our journey, but somehow that was the choice that had to be made first. We were in the right places at the right times for certain things. We’ll easily be able to get enough lumber without disturbing these trees or the rest of the canopy. I don’t know why they’re so important to me. I made stupidly risky decisions, selfish decisions to preserve these woods. I hope you can forgive me for that choice that nearly lost several of us, several times. I’ve gotten some more magic, enough to grant several of our family inventory magic, I’m not sure if all of us yet or not. I was kind of out of it for a couple of days, so I don’t know what Lil has, or if Lu was able to grab any of the magic.”
Lao pauses our walk to stroke my cheek with her free hand, she responds to my self-recriminations, “Nearly lost you, but didn’t. Somehow, I feel that will always be the case. I don’t know what blessings any future family members you bring to us may bear. I know that the four of you will somehow weather any storm though. Whether it’s because you’re each connected to the heart of a dragon, or if some other forces are at play, I know not. Our time in this life may be brief, and may be cut short, yet you and yours will persist. You always must. Danger seems to find you no matter where you are, but you bring such soothing to those in need. When a fire rages, threatening to destroy all we have left, you’re a cool shadow to rally under.”
Laomati’s analogy strikes me as odd. Bright radiant energy of something like fire being the threat, and umbra, or shade being our solace. Where have I heard something like that before? I rest my face in Laomati’s chest for a moment as I sigh. She cradles my head while I let myself cry unbidden tears for a while. Lao has such faith in me, in us. I don’t deserve it, I may overreact and think we’re finished often when we aren’t, but I still nearly get everyone killed time and time again. Should I tell her that I might have some other entity riding around with me at times? Or worse, that a specific entity that desires my destruction hounds me?
“Don’t.” The command startles me with its authoritativeness. Is Lao upset that I’m crying on her?
I stammer an apology, “Oh, uh, oh, okay Lao, sorry, we can get back to walking.”
Laomati furrows her brow as she gazes down at me questioningly. “What are you sorry for my dear child?”
“Don’t even answer her, she’ll worry.” I search the area with as many senses as I can muster, but I don’t feel anyone else’s presence.
I come up with an excuse, something else that I’m sorry for, “Oh, um, for getting your chest wet.”
Lao’s reply is as soothing as her presence, “Never apologize for being vulnerable with me, beloved child. I would soothe an endless stream of your tears for what you’ve given us.”
Honestly I think Laomati might soothe an endless stream of tears for anyone, she’s just that kind, giving, selfless, caring, and tender. The sentiment tugs at my heartstrings however and I resume bawling into her chest for a bit longer before we finally continue back to camp.
When we arrive, Lu is gathering everyone. She ushers us to hurry over. Lu worriedly paces about, shoving family members into certain positions, mostly in a circle. Luni then grabs Lao by the wrist and drags her to the center swiftly. I notice that Lu passed something into Lao’s palms as she bids Lao be seated, slightly off center in the circle.
As a creamy gray glow emanates from Lao’s palms, I think I understand why we’re so spread out. A life begins to form as a silhouette. It elongates away from Lao, starting as a snout and jaws resting in her palms, it becomes lupine ears, a shaggy mane, a neck, shoulders. It spreads out into forepaws, a somewhat lanky torso, a spinal ridge, and rear paws. Finally, unlike the cragbeasts, as they had no tails, a tail that’s thick and tapered. All down the tail the spinal ridge follows.
As the creature becomes more form and less silhouette, it’s clear that the ridge is actually a continuation of its shaggy mane. Somehow the hair near its spine is much thicker and longer, such that it forms a bit of a side swept mohawk similar to Teuila’s hair. As its form is given color, it’s a myriad of blues, the darkest being the shaggiest hair that adorns its spinal ridge. I’d swear its paws end in draconic claws, and are scaled beneath the fur. In fact, if I had to hazard a guess, I’d guess this creature has properties of Teuila, Lil, a cragbeast, a blue sphere’s secondary evolution, and possibly some influence from Luni or myself. This new blue hound is absolutely massive, probably the size of our home, certainly large enough to bear the entire family upon their back. No wonder Lu spaced us so far apart.
Luni sends an elongated “Heeeee” into our shared mental wavelength. She pulls me into a private accelerated thinkspace again, one with our grassy hill, shaded by an apple tree. Luni holds me in a tight embrace for minutes on end in our own little world.
I find myself letting a sadness I’d carried around slowly drip away. A pressure residing beneath the surface of my emotion stops boiling to be released. I smile as I return her embrace. I feel like somehow Lu has reduced the pressure that my trauma involving Teuila builds. It’s like she installed a release valve, and she is it.
Lu puts a finger to her lips as she shushes me, and my thoughts before she exclaims, “I almost thought we weren’t going to do it! You had me worried there a few times bucko, but we did it! Mm you’re the best! The absolute best next to Lil. I knew we’d get out okay, and that you wouldn’t let me get hurt, but I wasn’t sure we could accomplish everything else we needed to. And there’s you all, rah, Luni you’re a genius, thanks for the idea. Even when you’re completely winning on your own merits, you were attributing it to me. I didn’t even get in position to help you out before you figured out how to get out of it on your own. Teuila’s right, sometimes you can be such a dingus, but you’re also so unbelievably sweet.”
Luni plants several kisses on my cheek, “Thank you Reggie, thank you thank you thank you. My hero, you did it, we did it. They’ll be safe now. They have a protector, this Hunter will only listen to Lao. I wonder what she’ll name it though.”
I’m caught a bit off guard by the whirlwind of Luni’s admissions. I start to mutter, “Uhhh,” but I think better of it and just remain silent as I try to absorb everything she said.
Luni sits me down beneath the tree to cuddle for several hours. I sit silently with her, enjoying our closeness. I’d guess about ten seconds have passed in meatspace when Lu grins at me and floods my mind with warmth and affection, booting me back to reality.
When there, I’m greeted with Luni sticking her tongue out at me and lightly dragging her right cheek down with her index finger. Then she puts that finger to her lips in a shushing motion.
For once, I don’t name a member of our family. Lao strokes her chin as she deliberates. Her face alights with joy as she determines the name her Hunter will have. There’s a mixture of reactions at her choice, but this is Lao we’re talking about, of course it would be this endearing.