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sickle_storiesA/N: See Chapter 1 for disclaimer, rating, etc. Dear god, tell me the writing doesn't suck as much as I think it does.
Chapter 2: Under Scrutiny
Ringal Matnick’s Notebook, Entry 267
Early morning:
The humans have accepted the lone female they came across yesterday.
The female appears in generally good health though underweight. This, as has been noted previously, seems to be the case with the majority of humans. Having as yet not trapped it and taken measurements, the animal’s age is guessed to be early second decade (early adulthood for humans).
Stature: average (approx. 8 palms)
Fur: chestnut
Skin-colour: dark bronze.
Distinguishing marking: Three prominent spots over the chest in a rough diagonal, from lower left side to upper right side, ending below the collarbone.
Decorations: Various ‘necklaces’ made of what appears to be leather and assorted feathers and old nails, probably from the farms’ fences. Not particularly different from the others previously noted. A study of these artefacts would prove interesting.
The female, henceforth referred to as Omega, appeared alone yesterday evening just after the pack had drunk at the Round Pool for the night. (Again the humans showed no fear of the water, even allowing the pups to wade in. Such behaviour may be the cause for the rumours of humans actually swimming.) She hung to the fringe of the group and did not leave, despite the resident females’ numerous bluff charges. Perhaps the females considered her a competitor? In any case, it appears that she spent the night in the pack’s vicinity.
The males appeared indifferent, especially the Alpha. Only one male approached within two leaps of her: Indigo. Refer to male 6 for further details on this human.
It’s known that nomadic or pack-less humans find it difficult to join a new pack or even rejoin their own pack after a prolonged absence (see Dr Singa’s recent article, J. of H.). However, the pack members’ behaviour seems to indicate that this female is a stranger to them.
Perhaps this female’s pack was disbanded or generally captured in the recent ambushes? It may prove useful to visit the paddocks: perhaps other humans bear similar decorations with nails, which are uncommon.
This morning Omega remained at the fringes. Though the pack females appear to have stopped their charges, they still stay away from her. Omega’s attempts at approaching the young have failed at creating alliances with the mothers. The young are kept away, though some seem curious.
Alpha appears to have accepted her presence in the group, though little else.
Midday:
Have noticed that Omega is of a nervous temperament, keeping a sharp lookout about her. Behaviour similar to old male 8.
Most interesting developments! A pair of females taunted Omega again, haunting her steps about the trees, finally giving chase. Indigo, who’d kept a close watch over the developments, joined the chase. Omega ran into a thorn-bush and kept the females at bay, whilst Indigo stood behind them. Other pack members ignored the developments. Alpha, however, came up to the site. At his gesture, Indigo batted the females away from the thorn-bush. Alpha led the females away, leaving Indigo to draw Omega out. It seems that Omega, though on the lowest rung of hierarchy, is at last part of the pack, and not without allies.
Ending the day’s observations early today in order to pass by a couple paddocks, armed with a drawing of Omega’s necklaces.
* * *
The human whom Ringal Matnick had dubbed “Omega” made her way out from the thorn bush, wincing from her cuts. Cautiously she approached “Indigo”, so named because of the stone he wore about his neck, and extended a hand in thanks. He gripped it warmly and whispered, “Name’s Koom.”
“Asha”, responded the woman as she brushed leaves off of her clothes. She further avoided his gaze by examining her scratches.
“Don’t mean to sound intrusive or anything,” began Koom with a well-meaning grin, “but what happened to you?”
“What do you mean?” She was now focused on a thorn that had imbedded in her skin.
Slightly more serious now, Koom elaborated: “What happened to your tribe? Why were you traveling alone?”
Asha stopped picking at the thorn and cast her eyes evasively about her, refusing to meet Koom’s eyes.
Koom reached a hand to her face and lifting her eyes to his. Their gaze locked for an instant. Koom’s jaunting behaviour immediately sobered as he understood. He let go and took a step back, mumbling apologies and condolences. Asha pointedly ignored this and instead thanked him again and made to move past him, but he lay his hand on her arm.
“Don’t worry about the girls. They’re just nervous.”
Asha shrugged him off softly and walked away.
* * *
The next day found Asha in a bitter mood. The other women of the tribe took turns alternatively ignoring and harassing her, chasing her through the trees. They would only relent their chase when she was acceptably far enough from the group.
The reason for this was simple: a lone human with no tribe was a rare sight. Their situation could only mean one of two things: either some misfortune had befallen the others or the loner had been expelled for any number of reasons. Either way, a loner was considered unlucky, possibly cursed. The rumours of increasing disappearances of tribe members, even of entire tribes, did not help in making strangers welcome.
Asha would always give a wicked grin when walking back to the group. She was there to stay, tagging along many steps behind, but a part of their group nevertheless.
Things got particularly nasty once they began foraging for food. Every individual would stare intently at the ground or up at the treetops, trying to discern anything that might be edible, hardly speaking with the others. The instant anyone reached out for anything, all eyes turned and glared. The few infants in the group would rush towards the individual and stare up mournfully, hoping for a morsel.
Amongst the older children and the youths, things were different. Numerous scuffles broke over lumps of root or a choice piece of fruit. The unlucky holder of the fruit would call out to friends to help fight off the other and his friends. Asha noticed with relief, however, that the elders would interfere with a glowering look and the wrestling would soon cease.
She herself did not have the same chance. She’d just unearthed a ripe tuber and was brushing the damp earth from it when a pair of youths bounded towards her. They did not bother with any polite behaviour, as would be expected when dealing with an adult, but instead began trying to wrestle the tuber from her. Asha shrieked, refusing to give up the morsel to children who were old enough to forage for their own. Unfortunately, the commotion attracted more children. As she struggled against an increasing number of hands, their grips and scratches going beyond anything their owners would dare with an established tribe-member, she became aware of a lack of movement in the other adults. Fuming, she knew that mothers should have rushed to the children and dragged them off by now.
“Hold it! Back of! Now!” a voice shouted from her left. She felt the huddle of bodies surrounding her tremble and weaken.
She managed to break away and stumbled, gasping, still holding the tuber in her hands. She stared as the terrible pack of hands ran off.
“You alright there, Asha?” said Koom as he walked towards her, casting a glance back at the pair of youths that were to blame as they wandered away. “Looks like they gave you quite a fight.”
“Yes. Quite.” Asha steadied herself against a tree. “Thanks, Koom.”
He shrugged this off. “Seems like you found yourself a juicy one there,” he said, pointing to the muddy relic.
Asha looked down at the tuber, mushy in parts from where she gripped it and began to rub the mud off again with the edge of her clothes. Koom stood watching her.
“Oh. Would – would you like some?”
“No, you earned it. Thought they’d eat you alive though.” He winked, turned away and began walking back to the group, which had gathered loosely by a large tree. As he reached them, one female said something in an angry voice and tried to smack him on the shoulder. Koom ignored this and instead walked to stand beside a tall man.
* * *
That evening the tribe made their way back to their main water source, the one named Round Pool by Ringal. People went in twos and threes to the water’s edge to drink and rinse off the days grime, though the young children were more interested in splashing about that cleaning up.
Asha had finally gathered up her courage to mingle with the group in order to quench her thirst when the two youths of the morning went to drink. Huffing, she sat down again, her back to a tree, to wait until the pair was finished. But it seemed as if they were playing a cruel sort of game with her: they would begin to walk away from the water then, with a glance in her direction, return to take another sip or rinse off an imaginary speck of dust. “You’re already clean, stupid apes!” she wanted to scream.
When the two walked up again for the umpteenth time, Asha saw Koom walk up to the water’s edge, though he’d been one of the first to drink and bathe. He turned to look at her just as the youths did, his black hair dripped into his eyes. One eye winked. A slender hand beckoned.
Asha made her way to the Round Pool, glancing warily at the pair that stood behind Koom. She smiled her thanks at Koom and stooped down to drink, painfully aware of the presence of the three males. She forced herself to ignore them and instead focused on washing her arms and legs of grime. She winced as she scrubbed and paused to examine the thorn-cuts from the day before. A few were red and puffy. Asha gave a sigh of annoyance.
Abruptly she found herself half-crouching in the water, hands jarring painfully on the gravel as she tried to steady herself from a rough push. Spray hit her face as the two youths ran off.
“Up you go, clean as a babe,” Koom said as he gripped her arm and hauled her upright. Asha noticed he was breathing heavily and wondered whether he’d driven the two off.
“Thanks, Koom.”
“My, aren’t we well-trained?”
Asha looked up into his hazel eyes, confusion fading as she caught the reference. “What do you mean?” she asked suspiciously.
“ ‘Thanks, Koom’, ‘thanks again, Koom’” he repeated in falsetto, poking her ribs softly in jest. “There seems to be an awful lot of rescuing going on.”
Asha tried to smile, though the thought had occurred to her already.
“Anyway,’ continued Koom a bit more seriously, “Fren wants to have a word with you.”
“Fren?” asked Asha as they made their way past the others.
“Tribal leader. Good man,” answered Koom curtly. He glanced at her as they walked and shrugged softly.
“What does he – ” began Asha, but the sight of Fren silenced her. Koom gave a nod and walked away.
Fren was a particularly tall man, with the lean muscles of a long-distance runner. Asha wondered if, before he’d reached the level of ‘tribal leader’ he’d been the tribe’s messenger, allowing communication between the other tribes. His hair was brown like parched earth and had some strands braided into little cords. A bead or two swung from the odd braid. Blushing for staring, Asha promptly stared at her feet for a long moment, almost feeling Fren’s gaze on her. Cursing, she realized that her fall at the water’s edge had left her muddier than she’d been all day.
“What is your name?” said Fren softly in a deep voice.
“Asha.” Thinking quickly, she added, “Sir.”
“No need for those formalities here. So, Asha. How many were taken?”
Asha glanced up quickly, shocked at the direct question.
“Need to know the enemies movements, nothing more. Just things one needs to know,” he said, apparently attempting to reassure her.
“Oh. Well,” Asha hesitated and glanced back at her feet.
“Look, Asha, you’re welcome to stay. That’s obvious. Everyone knows that, or should.” He thought a moment. “We’re all in this together,” he finished lamely with a shrug.
“Thank you. Oh, thank you.” Asha tried desperately to convey all the relief she felt into those two words.
“So?”
“Sorry?”
“What did the bastards do to your tribe?”
Asha tore her wandering eyes from the ground once more and looked him full in the eye. She took a deep breath, held it then let it out in a soft hiss.
“They got everyone.”
Fren looked at her quietly for a long moment, as if sorting and stowing this information carefully, then sidestepped her and walked off to the Round Pool. As he passed her, he gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze.
Chapter 2: Under Scrutiny
Ringal Matnick’s Notebook, Entry 267
Early morning:
The humans have accepted the lone female they came across yesterday.
The female appears in generally good health though underweight. This, as has been noted previously, seems to be the case with the majority of humans. Having as yet not trapped it and taken measurements, the animal’s age is guessed to be early second decade (early adulthood for humans).
Stature: average (approx. 8 palms)
Fur: chestnut
Skin-colour: dark bronze.
Distinguishing marking: Three prominent spots over the chest in a rough diagonal, from lower left side to upper right side, ending below the collarbone.
Decorations: Various ‘necklaces’ made of what appears to be leather and assorted feathers and old nails, probably from the farms’ fences. Not particularly different from the others previously noted. A study of these artefacts would prove interesting.
The female, henceforth referred to as Omega, appeared alone yesterday evening just after the pack had drunk at the Round Pool for the night. (Again the humans showed no fear of the water, even allowing the pups to wade in. Such behaviour may be the cause for the rumours of humans actually swimming.) She hung to the fringe of the group and did not leave, despite the resident females’ numerous bluff charges. Perhaps the females considered her a competitor? In any case, it appears that she spent the night in the pack’s vicinity.
The males appeared indifferent, especially the Alpha. Only one male approached within two leaps of her: Indigo. Refer to male 6 for further details on this human.
It’s known that nomadic or pack-less humans find it difficult to join a new pack or even rejoin their own pack after a prolonged absence (see Dr Singa’s recent article, J. of H.). However, the pack members’ behaviour seems to indicate that this female is a stranger to them.
Perhaps this female’s pack was disbanded or generally captured in the recent ambushes? It may prove useful to visit the paddocks: perhaps other humans bear similar decorations with nails, which are uncommon.
This morning Omega remained at the fringes. Though the pack females appear to have stopped their charges, they still stay away from her. Omega’s attempts at approaching the young have failed at creating alliances with the mothers. The young are kept away, though some seem curious.
Alpha appears to have accepted her presence in the group, though little else.
Midday:
Have noticed that Omega is of a nervous temperament, keeping a sharp lookout about her. Behaviour similar to old male 8.
Most interesting developments! A pair of females taunted Omega again, haunting her steps about the trees, finally giving chase. Indigo, who’d kept a close watch over the developments, joined the chase. Omega ran into a thorn-bush and kept the females at bay, whilst Indigo stood behind them. Other pack members ignored the developments. Alpha, however, came up to the site. At his gesture, Indigo batted the females away from the thorn-bush. Alpha led the females away, leaving Indigo to draw Omega out. It seems that Omega, though on the lowest rung of hierarchy, is at last part of the pack, and not without allies.
Ending the day’s observations early today in order to pass by a couple paddocks, armed with a drawing of Omega’s necklaces.
The human whom Ringal Matnick had dubbed “Omega” made her way out from the thorn bush, wincing from her cuts. Cautiously she approached “Indigo”, so named because of the stone he wore about his neck, and extended a hand in thanks. He gripped it warmly and whispered, “Name’s Koom.”
“Asha”, responded the woman as she brushed leaves off of her clothes. She further avoided his gaze by examining her scratches.
“Don’t mean to sound intrusive or anything,” began Koom with a well-meaning grin, “but what happened to you?”
“What do you mean?” She was now focused on a thorn that had imbedded in her skin.
Slightly more serious now, Koom elaborated: “What happened to your tribe? Why were you traveling alone?”
Asha stopped picking at the thorn and cast her eyes evasively about her, refusing to meet Koom’s eyes.
Koom reached a hand to her face and lifting her eyes to his. Their gaze locked for an instant. Koom’s jaunting behaviour immediately sobered as he understood. He let go and took a step back, mumbling apologies and condolences. Asha pointedly ignored this and instead thanked him again and made to move past him, but he lay his hand on her arm.
“Don’t worry about the girls. They’re just nervous.”
Asha shrugged him off softly and walked away.
The next day found Asha in a bitter mood. The other women of the tribe took turns alternatively ignoring and harassing her, chasing her through the trees. They would only relent their chase when she was acceptably far enough from the group.
The reason for this was simple: a lone human with no tribe was a rare sight. Their situation could only mean one of two things: either some misfortune had befallen the others or the loner had been expelled for any number of reasons. Either way, a loner was considered unlucky, possibly cursed. The rumours of increasing disappearances of tribe members, even of entire tribes, did not help in making strangers welcome.
Asha would always give a wicked grin when walking back to the group. She was there to stay, tagging along many steps behind, but a part of their group nevertheless.
Things got particularly nasty once they began foraging for food. Every individual would stare intently at the ground or up at the treetops, trying to discern anything that might be edible, hardly speaking with the others. The instant anyone reached out for anything, all eyes turned and glared. The few infants in the group would rush towards the individual and stare up mournfully, hoping for a morsel.
Amongst the older children and the youths, things were different. Numerous scuffles broke over lumps of root or a choice piece of fruit. The unlucky holder of the fruit would call out to friends to help fight off the other and his friends. Asha noticed with relief, however, that the elders would interfere with a glowering look and the wrestling would soon cease.
She herself did not have the same chance. She’d just unearthed a ripe tuber and was brushing the damp earth from it when a pair of youths bounded towards her. They did not bother with any polite behaviour, as would be expected when dealing with an adult, but instead began trying to wrestle the tuber from her. Asha shrieked, refusing to give up the morsel to children who were old enough to forage for their own. Unfortunately, the commotion attracted more children. As she struggled against an increasing number of hands, their grips and scratches going beyond anything their owners would dare with an established tribe-member, she became aware of a lack of movement in the other adults. Fuming, she knew that mothers should have rushed to the children and dragged them off by now.
“Hold it! Back of! Now!” a voice shouted from her left. She felt the huddle of bodies surrounding her tremble and weaken.
She managed to break away and stumbled, gasping, still holding the tuber in her hands. She stared as the terrible pack of hands ran off.
“You alright there, Asha?” said Koom as he walked towards her, casting a glance back at the pair of youths that were to blame as they wandered away. “Looks like they gave you quite a fight.”
“Yes. Quite.” Asha steadied herself against a tree. “Thanks, Koom.”
He shrugged this off. “Seems like you found yourself a juicy one there,” he said, pointing to the muddy relic.
Asha looked down at the tuber, mushy in parts from where she gripped it and began to rub the mud off again with the edge of her clothes. Koom stood watching her.
“Oh. Would – would you like some?”
“No, you earned it. Thought they’d eat you alive though.” He winked, turned away and began walking back to the group, which had gathered loosely by a large tree. As he reached them, one female said something in an angry voice and tried to smack him on the shoulder. Koom ignored this and instead walked to stand beside a tall man.
That evening the tribe made their way back to their main water source, the one named Round Pool by Ringal. People went in twos and threes to the water’s edge to drink and rinse off the days grime, though the young children were more interested in splashing about that cleaning up.
Asha had finally gathered up her courage to mingle with the group in order to quench her thirst when the two youths of the morning went to drink. Huffing, she sat down again, her back to a tree, to wait until the pair was finished. But it seemed as if they were playing a cruel sort of game with her: they would begin to walk away from the water then, with a glance in her direction, return to take another sip or rinse off an imaginary speck of dust. “You’re already clean, stupid apes!” she wanted to scream.
When the two walked up again for the umpteenth time, Asha saw Koom walk up to the water’s edge, though he’d been one of the first to drink and bathe. He turned to look at her just as the youths did, his black hair dripped into his eyes. One eye winked. A slender hand beckoned.
Asha made her way to the Round Pool, glancing warily at the pair that stood behind Koom. She smiled her thanks at Koom and stooped down to drink, painfully aware of the presence of the three males. She forced herself to ignore them and instead focused on washing her arms and legs of grime. She winced as she scrubbed and paused to examine the thorn-cuts from the day before. A few were red and puffy. Asha gave a sigh of annoyance.
Abruptly she found herself half-crouching in the water, hands jarring painfully on the gravel as she tried to steady herself from a rough push. Spray hit her face as the two youths ran off.
“Up you go, clean as a babe,” Koom said as he gripped her arm and hauled her upright. Asha noticed he was breathing heavily and wondered whether he’d driven the two off.
“Thanks, Koom.”
“My, aren’t we well-trained?”
Asha looked up into his hazel eyes, confusion fading as she caught the reference. “What do you mean?” she asked suspiciously.
“ ‘Thanks, Koom’, ‘thanks again, Koom’” he repeated in falsetto, poking her ribs softly in jest. “There seems to be an awful lot of rescuing going on.”
Asha tried to smile, though the thought had occurred to her already.
“Anyway,’ continued Koom a bit more seriously, “Fren wants to have a word with you.”
“Fren?” asked Asha as they made their way past the others.
“Tribal leader. Good man,” answered Koom curtly. He glanced at her as they walked and shrugged softly.
“What does he – ” began Asha, but the sight of Fren silenced her. Koom gave a nod and walked away.
Fren was a particularly tall man, with the lean muscles of a long-distance runner. Asha wondered if, before he’d reached the level of ‘tribal leader’ he’d been the tribe’s messenger, allowing communication between the other tribes. His hair was brown like parched earth and had some strands braided into little cords. A bead or two swung from the odd braid. Blushing for staring, Asha promptly stared at her feet for a long moment, almost feeling Fren’s gaze on her. Cursing, she realized that her fall at the water’s edge had left her muddier than she’d been all day.
“What is your name?” said Fren softly in a deep voice.
“Asha.” Thinking quickly, she added, “Sir.”
“No need for those formalities here. So, Asha. How many were taken?”
Asha glanced up quickly, shocked at the direct question.
“Need to know the enemies movements, nothing more. Just things one needs to know,” he said, apparently attempting to reassure her.
“Oh. Well,” Asha hesitated and glanced back at her feet.
“Look, Asha, you’re welcome to stay. That’s obvious. Everyone knows that, or should.” He thought a moment. “We’re all in this together,” he finished lamely with a shrug.
“Thank you. Oh, thank you.” Asha tried desperately to convey all the relief she felt into those two words.
“So?”
“Sorry?”
“What did the bastards do to your tribe?”
Asha tore her wandering eyes from the ground once more and looked him full in the eye. She took a deep breath, held it then let it out in a soft hiss.
“They got everyone.”
Fren looked at her quietly for a long moment, as if sorting and stowing this information carefully, then sidestepped her and walked off to the Round Pool. As he passed her, he gave her shoulder a friendly squeeze.
