by Candy Rae
Over a week later, the surviving vadeln-pairs had travelled home to the joint lands, together with those humans who lived there and some who had decided to move there for the first time. A number of orphans had elected to join them, older ones for the most part, keen to make a fresh start in a place that held no disturbing memories.
They walked; there was no hurry on this return journey, no Larg to fight at the end of it. It was high summer; the plains were teeming with life. As they travelled, their hearts lightened the nearer they got to the hills.
“Seems funny to think that these plains belong to humans now,” Jim said to Laura and Francis. “In the years to come it will be dotted around with farmsteads as the population grows.”
“It will take generations to fill it,” Laura said.
“Meanwhile our home is growing nearer,” said Francis with satisfaction. “Only a day away now.”
“You’re setting up in the southerly area then?” asked Jim.
“Yes, the Vada needs room and after all these years in space I don’t feel entirely comfortable in dense woods. You?”
“Larya and I are heading back to our daga. We intend to rest there right through what remains of the summer so don’t be having any emergencies for me to solve.”
“Laura very busy be with all the young,” said Asya. “No emergencies planned.”
“By their very nature, emergencies can never be planned for,” said Jim. “Just keep the numbers down to a minimum, that’s all I ask.”
“All the young?” laughed Laura. I seem to remember saying that it was very unlikely that a woman has more than one at a time.”
“True,” said Faddei, “but Asya will have more than one. Perhaps six.”
Francis just looked up at the sky and opened his arms wide.
“Why me?” was all he said.
Jim laughed, Larya howled with glee. Faddei managed to look proud, modest and nonchalant all at the same time. He succeeded very well.
Kolyei got restless the closer they got to the hills. Tara sensed this restlessness and whispered to him.
“We can race on ahead if you want. Radya is waiting and I want to see Peter too. I’m sure nobody will mind.”
With a whine he bounded ahead of the others. They reached the domta a full three hours before the rest and Kolyei evaded all who came to welcome them in, intent on reaching the daga as soon as possible.
Janice was waiting outside, tears of joy on her face.
Tara looked around the familiar surroundings and then at Janice Randall.
“It’s good to be home.” Her chin wobbled and she felt salty tears in her eyes.
Janice simply held out her arms to the girl she had come to love as her own and Tara tumbled off Kolyei’s back and into them. They were warm and soft, much like her dead mother’s and just as comforting.
Tara lifted her tearful face towards her.
“We won,” she said, “but it’s been terrible.”
“I can imagine honey,” Janice said. “Now you must try to forget.”
She glanced over to Kolyei who looked at her out of sorrowful eyes.
Then Tara saw Brian, standing proudly beside a blue-striped Lind female.
“Hello little sister,” he said. “We wanted to surprise you.”
Tara’s tears stopped and her face broke into a smile.
“You have succeeded!” she exclaimed. “When did this happen?”
“A few days after you all left,” he replied. “Sofiya and I decided to keep it a secret. Thought you might need a bit of cheering up when you got back.”
“We should celebrate,” she agreed. “It’s not every day a brother of mine finds his lind-mate.”
She grinned at them all, feeling that she was a real family member of the Randalls at last.
Violet, Lucy and Juliet were jumping up and down in excitement.
“I missed you,” cried out Lucy.
“Me loves Tara,” added Juliet.
It was Kolyei who, as usual, had the last word.
“We are a family,” he said. “That is the most important thing,” and was rewarded by the smile that lit up Tara’s face, filled with love for him, equally matched with the love he felt for her, his vadeln-pair.
* * * * *
