Heart of the Agraak

by S. J. Sanders

  It didn’t quite reach the valley floor, terminating just a few feet above the surface, but Kaede seemed to deem it close enough. Frankie felt his arms tense around her as he gathered the vines into his hands and in the next moment, they were swinging thirty feet in the air. Frankie felt the brush of air against her face, stirring through the inches of stubble that had grown over her scalp. A shiver ran through her and she felt Kaede’s tail tighten into a comforting crush. She didn’t care if it restricted her breathing; she didn’t want to be able to move at all and risk falling.

  They didn’t dangle there long before Kaede began his quick underhand descent. His movements were smooth as he lowered them through the air with skill that bespoke of often climbing among vines. Frankie just couldn’t look down any longer. Although his grip was secure and his movement was certain, seeing the marshy ground coming toward her was too much. Instead, she pressed her face against his chest and inhaled his rich scent, allowing it to wash over her.

  She knew that they had reached the end of the vine when he hung in place for a long moment. Then they dropped. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming, but it was over almost as soon as it began. The impact of his legs hitting the ground, and the wet slosh of water, jarred her and she cursed out loud, but her most dominant feeling was simply relief.

  She became aware of the blanket of flowers surrounding her when Kaede pried her off his body and set her gently on her feet among them. From above everything looked so small, but standing in the growth, the grasses and blooming plants reached to her shoulders, several of them seeming to tower over her head.

  “This is amazing,” she murmured. “It’s like we stepped into a world imagined by Lewis Carroll. We must have. I half-expected the flowers to break into song and attempt to destroy us.”

  Kaede gave her a sidelong look.

  “Your imagination, agishi, is a frightening thing.”

  Frankie threw back her head and laughed.

  “I would love to take credit for it, but that’s all owed to a rather famous author from our world. He created an entire fantasy world called Wonderland where nothing was as it should be, and everything was entirely dangerous and quite mad.”

  Kaede’s frown became tighter.

  “I do not think I would care for the imaginings of humans. The world is absurd enough without any further outside assistance. I prefer order,” he said as he led her through the flowers to meet with the other males. The rock and mud that formed the waterfall basin seemed firmer than the rest of the ground and Frankie was happy to find that she was able to stand comfortably without mud sucking at her.

  The pleasant sensation of tiny droplets splashing over her skin from the nearby water was a bonus. She didn’t care that it would make her feel even stickier later with increased humidity. For the time being, she just enjoyed the cool kiss of droplets on her skin.

  Kaede pulled her beside him as he stepped over to join Emagul at his side. Frankie peered around the Agraak and watched as her squad lead gestured to some light imprints in the mud near the water. It seemed like scattered tracks, barely discernable, but Emagul had a pleased expression as he gestured to the faint markings in the mud.

  “Kaede, I am quite certain that this is what you have been looking for. These marks here,” he said, gesturing to another set that were large and misshapen by some creature with large three-toed feet and proceeded to point other tangled prints that seemed to merge together, “among others, show that this is an important place for game. And this, directly in front of us, appears to be one of several marks from Agraaks.”

  Kaede expelled an excited breath, making Frankie glance up at him. His eyes shone with awe. It was as if Emagul had handed him the one thing that he always wanted.

  Mi’yar stepped closer, a look of intense interest on his face.

  “This is fascinating. See how most collect around the outer shallow pools around the edge of the basin? Few of them attempt to go directly to the source. I wonder why,” he murmured as he slid closer, looking down into dark water frosted with white spray on its surface.

  Kaede’s eyes widened in alarm.

  “Mi’yar, step away!”

  Without warning, a large tentacle, the end of which was coated with numerous smaller tentacles and thick barbs interspersed among them, dived toward the Edoka. The male drew up his spines defensively even as he dodged. The tentacle plowed into the ground, and something let out a terrible sound between a roar and a multitude of enraged clicks like a beak clacking together with anger.

  The thing that emerged was easily three times larger than the biggest Teril. Spine-tipped ridges ran all along its bulbous body and no fewer than a dozen tentacles slid out of the water. Everyone dodged as tentacles slapped around them, digging into the soft ground as it attempted to pull itself out of the water. A dark beak clacked at them, a maw in the center of four upper tentacles that slapped ceaselessly through the air.

  Snatching her pistol free of its holster, Frankie leveled it at the creature and took her shot. The creature wailed as the plasma bore through one of its tentacles, leaving the flesh hanging limp. It thrashed and renewed its savage attack, driving back her squad for a moment before they were firing again at it. Thick, dark blood spewed from its wounds, but it seemed that no matter where they struck, they couldn’t bring the creature down.

  “Kaede, what the hell do we do?” Frankie shouted desperately as she watched him slide away from a narrow miss as a tentacle snapped across the ground between them.

  “I do not know. I have never encountered this particular creature before. I’ve never traveled this deep into the swamps. Not even the murol have come here. I’ve never heard of such a thing as this.”

  “Fuck!” she shouted as she took another shot.

  “This is not the place,” Borth shouted cheerfully as he shot off another round of plasma bolts.

  Frankie let out an exasperated laugh. She dodged and fired ceaselessly but she felt the fatigue settling in. Small cuts bled from where the tentacles had brushed her before she could get completely out of the way. A quick glance told her that everyone was in a similar condition. Pretty soon, someone was going to slip, and they would begin to lose their squad. Kaede let out an angry shriek and blasted a tentacle that she hadn’t seen sweeping in on her left side. In the next moment, he was kicking the severed three feet of the tip that had separated under the onslaught of his fire and pressed his shoulder against hers.

  She heard Grish shout as Borth fell. Mi’yar shrieked as a barb jabbed into his side as a tentacle wrapped around him. Emagul dug his claws in and shredded the tough flesh until the creature let the Edoka free, but the male slumped to the ground. Even the Arobi, for all their speed and terrible claws and teeth, weren’t able to get past the creature’s defenses. Angry tears blurred her eyes.

  This was it. It wasn’t going to be much longer now. She met the opaque, large eye of the creature. It was empty except for a frenzied hunger that seemed to drive it.

  Kaede snarled.

  “Cease now, spawn of the cavern of waters,” a voice growled out.

  Frankie didn’t notice the owner of the voice, but she was aware of a large spear slashing out that had an odd shine to its metal tip. The sharp edge cut into a thick tentacle and the creature let out a terrible shriek as the limb parted from its body. It wobbled furiously, twisting through the air. Then, pushing off with its remaining tentacles, it slid back into the water, its limbs writhing with pain and anger.

  Panting, Frankie collapsed to the ground. She felt Kaede crouch close to her, a comforting presence. A warning hiss echoed out of him. She couldn’t imagine what it could be now. Only gradually did she find the strength to look up and take in the sight of a massive emerald male easily a head taller than Kaede looking down at her. His brow puckered with confusion, and the brackets around his mouth deepened. He shook his head in disbelief, his gray-streaked braids clacking with intricately carved wooden beads in place of the metal crimps favored by th
ose living in the dome-city. His gaze drew up as Kaede scrambled to her side, his spines clattering with aggression at the larger male. The Agraak stepped back, his thick tail swinging around his hip as his lips pulled back to expose sharp teeth.

  “Dweller of the bright hives, why do you have my female?”

  Frankie’s mouth dropped open. His what?

  Chapter 22

  Exhausted and bloody from numerous minor wounds, Kaede trembled with fury at the strange tribal male crouched by Frahnkee’s side. Rage was accompanied with incredulous wonder at the daring of the other male’s claim. Though the tribal accent felt strange to his ears, he’d understood the words clearly enough.

  A hiss rattled out of him from between his venom glands, his spines shaking, Kaede stood, ignoring the pain rushing through his limbs. Although older by several revolutions, the male facing him was strong and fresh, in sharp contrast to Kaede’s weary, battered body.

  His foe did not react, except to lower his spear, directing the point at him.

  “I ask for the last time: why do you have my female, how did you abduct her from the village... and what did you do to her?” the male demanded, a note of anger entering his voice as he glanced at Frahnkee’s battle-worn body and shorn hair. He made a step toward her but Kaede pushed his frame between them, his aggression rattling louder from him.

  The Arobi pressed closer but he gestured them back. This was his fight alone. Frahnkee was his mate and he would be the one to defend her. The pack didn’t like it, but they yielded to his wishes and drew back.

  “Do not attempt to near my Frahnkee again,” he snarled at the stranger with no little threat in his voice. His tail whipped aggressively, letting the tribal male know the seriousness of his threat.

  The lines in the face of the older male deepened as he frowned down from his greater height at Kaede, his eyes skimming over Frahnkee with a hint of confusion.

  “What is a Frahnkee?” he rumbled.

  “Mine,” Kaede returned.

  “I’m Frankie,” his mate said as she pushed to her feet and drew closer to his side.

  The male’s brow furrowed, and he leaned forward just enough to sniff at her. Kaede hissed, feeling his venom collecting in the back of his mouth but the stranger withdrew quickly.

  “This is not my mate,” he said, his tail lashing the air as his spines flexed with agitation. “The scent is similar, but this is not her. It makes sense,” he declared with an air of satisfaction. “Of course it cannot be her. My mate would not ruin her mane like this one.”

  “There is nothing wrong with Frahnkee’s mane,” Kaede objected, bristling with offense on her behalf.

  “Kaede, it really isn’t worth arguing over,” Frahnkee protested and he gave her an affronted look.

  “This male dared to insult you,” he responded with a growl.

  “It is hardly much of an insult,” she said with a wry twist of her lips.

  Kaede didn’t care. He refused to allow anyone to speak with even a hint of disrespect toward her in his presence. He didn’t care if it was a male who he ought to be trying to gain favor with. His mate came first.

  The male in question suddenly pushed forward, his eyes locking on Frahnkee with fascination.

  “She speaks our tongue!” he marveled.

  “I do not,” Frahnkee argued but then her eyes widened when Emagul cleared his throat with amusement.

  “Actually, you do, Frankie.” Emagul corrected her gently. “Fleet personnel and merchants have access to specialized secondary translators that allows us to speak in the native tongue that our primary translator detects. Our entire squad is speaking the Agraak language.”

  “Ah, a marvel of the offworlders,” the stranger said as he barked out a deep laugh. “Perhaps all of these things are not so bad. I know my mate understands me, but I can make no sense of her words.”

  Emagul shrugged, his large wings buffeting the air around him.

  “The only way you would be able to understand her is if you have a translator implanted.”

  The male seemed to think of this and then he nodded, his features settling into the familiar lines of an uncompromising male. Kaede knew the expression. It was one that he frequently wore himself.

  “You will give me this translator you speak of.”

  “No can do, friend,” Rodriguez spoke up with a good-natured grin, not at all deterred by the other male’s scowl. “Not that we don’t want to... but we don’t have one.”

  “Any translator would need to be surgically implanted in the city,” Emagul added.

  “This is most inefficient. Very well, you will come and speak to my mate,” the stranger stated with the finality of a male in command. “Your wounded will be tended to and you will be my honored guests.”

  “I will be most grateful if I may speak to the noswal when we arrive,” Kaede interjected.

  The male grinned and a loud chuckle escaped him.

  “You are fortunate. I am the noswal, Gorul, of the Mishk tribe. Come now with me and I will be happy to hear all you have to say. Especially from a male more like my own people than those of the bright hive. We will speak. After I speak to my female.”

  “It is as the gods designed,” Kaede agreed.

  Speaking to one’s mate took priority. He would never deny a male that right first above all things.

  Emagul and Rodriguez promptly busied themselves assisting Mi’yar, balancing the now conscious Edoka between them, while Grish attempted to rouse his brother. When that failed, a forlorn sound erupted out of him. Concerned, Kaede stepped toward the Teril, conscious of Frahnkee close behind him, and crouched to examine the fallen male. Kaede winced in sympathy at the wounds that cut deep into his hard hide. Looking up at Grish, he set a hand on the other male’s shoulder.

  “Come. I will help you transport him.”

  Grish nodded miserably and pushed to his feet.

  “I should have been closer,” he said. “My brother and I protect each other in battle. I failed him.”

  “I doubt he would agree,” Kaede murmured, dipping under one arm as he shouldered his portion of the fallen Teril’s weight.

  Grish snorted disdainfully.

  “That is because my brother has been in enough battles to have the sense knocked from his brain on more than one occasion. Now he thinks it is normal.”

  Kaede chuckled and together they heaved the large male from the wet, sucking earth. Borth’s massive head rolled to the side and Kaede ducked to avoid the horns coming at his face. Once they managed to balance his weight between them, they were able to follow after Gorul without too many problems.

  Beyond the waterfall, they continued to walk as the valley eventually gave way to another forest, thick with purple-gray trees of such size he’d never seen the like before in his travels through the swamps near Aminae. Their roots burrowed deep in the swamp waters, growing into each other until they formed solid platforms that ran for great distances, as far as Kaede could see. The roots were smooth and stable under his feet, and he relaxed as Frahnkee paced beside him. He didn’t realize how much he’d worried about her walking through the swamp until that moment. Seeing her able to walk easily and safely at his side without having to worry about her being sucked into a boggy spot eased his mind.

  They walked for some time at a crawling pace before the trees opened up before them. In the heart of the swamp a vast pool of water stretched out before him. Trees still dotted the water, but a long rope bridge left the platform and extended to one of many dry, natural islands connected to each other with numerous bridges. In the calisk trees that dotted the islands, he could see rounded huts constructed on solid platforms made of wood rather than the reed ones made by murols. These too were connected by various bridges and ladders for the comfort and ease of their people.

  Gorul led them to the central island where the noswal hut dominated over the village. Although his hut was nearly twice the size of the others to accommodate meetings when necessary, it was more defined
by its position in the heart of the village than by any extravagance. Rounded thatched roofs of each home were identical, as were the solid plain walls smoothed by patient hands. The only splashes of individuality came with the dyed fiber cloths that curtained off the open doorways and the wooden beads that seemed to hang decoratively from various posts to billow with the winds.

  The thing that was the most noteworthy, however, was the number of females with hatchlings. They stared wide-eyed from their homes, or amid their various tasks in the village. They still weren’t quite as numerous as the males, but the number was shocking compared to the average Agraak dome-city. He heard the gasp of surprise from Frahnkee and knew that she noticed the same thing.

  “How is it you have so many females?” Frahnkee asked in wonder. “The dome-cities have few, and many are sterile.”

  “Even many of the males as well,” Kaede added.

  Gorul looked at them in surprise and then shook his head sadly as he approached the tree holding his hut.

  “The people of the bright hive. They didn’t want to listen to the people of the swamp, to the ways of their forebearers. We said don’t depart from the ways of your ancestors, and what do they do? They reshape the people in society and in body. We said it was against the will of the gods to play with such things. For what need was it to remove your tails? The tail is part of mating for the Agraak. It protects our mates and locks them to us as we bond in clutch. They are foolish. I am pleased you have the look of our people. Maybe there is hope for your people yet,” he said.

  “My tail has little to do with the dome-city,” Kaede admitted. “The mate of my father’s grand-sire was from the swamp. He found her at the Amwalee and brought her home with him. She lived a long, happy life, as much as was possible in Aminae. I am the first of my family to be born this way.”