Niriki’s little face was ecstatic with joy when she saw I was Tsina. She sees my change for her as proof that I still love her…so that means I’ll have to continue changing for a long time. I love the way our hearts refuse to listen to logic most of the time.
Robbie grinned, but he let Tina tell them. “Last time we were here, one of the guests was close enough to hear Niriki and Tsina. Back home he wrote about them and gave your words for ‘I love you’. ‘Aísse fumiki e’ has become the way everyone tells everyone that they love them and the phrase has made it into our television shows, stories and even into a poem we all like.” She grinned. “I think you are going to find your tourists are going to love saying it, which I guess is going to confuse your crew.” Niriki listened as Tina explained and her tiny face glowed as she looked back at me. Kiris laughed and told Nericha and Averis that we are determined to corrupt them as a species (they do not speak of emotions easily).
Rakil made us all laugh, “The day I worry is when they teach Kaproti to say aísse fumiki e. He’ll probably terrify everyone more by saying that than by demanding their money.”
Actually, Arthur got it wrong. The plural should have been, “Aísse efeí fumíeki”, even though the direct translation would still be ‘I love you’. Isn’t it strange that, in English, we don’t differentiate between saying it to one person and to millions? In Greek we do (and Italian etc).
As I was saying about Kiris, he was nervous and needed Robbie to go with him to examine the ships and facilities immediately. On the other hand, we wanted to introduce them to Batsy. When our guests arrive directly from their planet without Freddie being visible to their world, they cannot see the change caused by Batsy, so their surprise is delicious when they meet him/her and learn who he/she is. I am not being pedantic when I say he/she about Batsy. The Batsy entity did not take long to realise that many, of our species and other species, take the male more seriously and he/she becomes a male for a time. When he/she is to sit with us for learning and joking, he/she then chooses to be a girl. Nobody has had the heart to point out to Batsy that appearing as a male who is slim in the way an adolescent boy is, with a mop of beautiful hair, bright eyes and a face stolen from a number of us as a mixture of what we consider beautiful, is not going to secure him the respect it seems he craves - all he gets is awe for who he is and for his sylphlike beauty. He does serve one more purpose, which is kept a secret from him. He provides us with the perfect opportunity to tease Cherine about how there is danger of Robbie falling in love with him. She knows what we’re doing but she plays along, remaining predictable in her responses because she is happy that we tease her now and then.
Robbie asked Freddie to let Batsy know he/she should wait to appear until after he returns. Taking Claudia and Agapi with, they left, leaving Nericha to chat with Cherine. Nericha is taller than she was and the features of her face are starting to define themselves and from our memories of what is attractive among the Kabetu, our sweet Nericha is going to be a lovely adult. Niriki, on the other hand, is surprisingly young looking for her real age and she still behaves like a younger child. Dommi found a moment to speak to Nericha while Niriki was not within earshot.
“The two of you are showing a lot of patience and love by slowing down the physical maturing of Niriki but are you certain she still needs it?”
“Could you share and show me how to rid her of her fear?”
“What does she fear? Was Samantha wrong, was she physically abused - hurt?”
Allan could not resist making a joke that Kiris appreciated. “I guess it goes to show that money can be just as powerful as our gifts?” After smiling, I found myself giving his remark serious thought. Money has power because it motivates us, but it is gradually losing some of its influence. I wondered what is going to keep Cherinians motivated as the centuries slip by. My thought were interrupted when I realised a serious conversation had replaced the light joking mood with a seriousness and a hint of anger that seemed to imply a challenge. Quickly I went through my memories to hear what I'd previously ignored and then listened as they continued their discussion. The young male, Kainas Sar Evomiser, who had come to Kiris with his ideas is now more than just a partner. Kiris considers him a friend and it had not taken long for him to bring him in as a Cherinian. He is the one who seems to feel a hidden tide of resentful anger, but none of us understood why.
After the joke by Allan, a visiting Muyzith made a comment that it is not the power of selfish motivations that have inspired our family and kept us so active; she said that it is mostly our Cherinian empathy that drives us. Kainas retorted with that hint of resentment or anger that caught my attention, “You are simplifying the truth to the point where it no longer represents the truth!”
Luckily Kiris was too astounded (and shocked) for him to respond immediately and Candy was able to ask, as sweetly as a puzzled five year old can, “What do you mean Kainas, how can making truth simple turn it into a lie?”
“Because there is more than one reason. It is not empathy on its own that drives your family - just as it is not the sole motivating power that drives other Cherinians.”
Dommi cut in before anyone else could speak, “Are any of these other reasons of a selfish nature?”
By now he had felt the reaction of our Kabetu friends and was regretting he’d spoken. Robbie put his hand on the arm of Kiris. “Kainas, we love this kind of debate, as we are constantly striving to see deeper into ourselves. We are human beings and that means we have our good points and our bad points. We can only grow as a people and family if others are honest enough to speak of our weaknesses. If you can answer Dommi, please do.”
The ruff of his throat betrayed his embarrassment, but he made an effort. “The reason I spoke had little to do with the subject being discussed and I should not have spoken. I apologise.”
None of us would have let him get away with it so it was just as well, for his ego, that Robbie responded. “Tell us what was the reason you spoke of, we’re all curious now.”
He gave Kiris a glance, but saw that Kiris was deliberately looking away and it made him feel he’d damaged their relationship. Perhaps he also felt that by us insisting on digging deeper we were deliberately forcing an estrangement between him and his best friend. Almost angry with Robbie, he answered. “Among our Cherinians there is constant talk about how brave you and your family and all the species who travel with you in Freddie are. Without fear you travel to unknown realities to help others and you travel in time and risk your lives at black holes and suns that are about to explode.” He paused, forcing himself not to shrink into himself as he concluded, “With the powers you have, what bravery? To me, the people who have no Cherinian powers and fight to survive and care for their families, they are the true heroes.”
Allan tapped his fingers on the table as he thought and then he answered, “Robert, you are simplifying the truth to the point where it no longer represents the truth!” He grinned at our frowns. “Your response was not very imaginative and to me it smacked of being self-defensive. The truth is, we don’t say we are being brave, we might not even think we are brave, however, our actions imply what Kainas claims. Would we have the courage to do half of what we’ve risked doing if we did not have powers that made us feel invulnerable?”
At first, Kiris and his friends only listened as we argued the various points. Kiris must have sensed how his friend was feeling and his anger had dissipated as he sensed how we enjoyed the debate, for he spoke up without really intending to cause more friction among those debating the subject but he impelled us into agreeing to something we never would have otherwise. “Sometimes, when I think back on my day, I am struck with wonder at how my link to Nericha has altered me. It is not that I dare to do much I would not have before, it is that I do so without even thinking of it as being exceptional or requiring courage. In that sense Allan may be right, but I cannot help wondering whether I have been changed permanently so that even the loss of my powers would not revert me to the Kiris I was. I have grown to sense empathy more strongly than I did before, but have I also grown braver without realising it?”
Tina said, “Perhaps the way of thinking would carry over, but the first time you are hurt, I think you would revert to being as you were before.”
“If I died and returned as a non-Cherinian, without any memories of this life, would I still be affected, would I be braver or more frightened of the unpredictability of life?”
Cherine said, “That is a question you can never find an answer for, as it is impossible for you to die and be reborn as a non-Cherinian, unless you die in a reality without Sparklers and your powers have been completely blocked. Even then, we’d return in time and find you.”
Cherine must have spoken without thinking first. Her ‘…can never find an answer…’ sent my mind spinning in search of a way for it to be possible. I found it. Everyone felt my family turn their attention to my mind so they stopped talking and waited.
“It could be experienced without having to die - sleeping for a day or two might be enough.”
They all tried to puzzle out my statement but nobody wanted to be the first to ask. Luckily I have Allan who is always happy to oblige me and play my games. “Are you suggesting we fake it by going to a world of the mind?”
“Not at all, we can do so on a real world.”
“I see.” Allan looked around, saw nobody had guessed. “Would you like…”
Robbie interrupted him with a laugh. “These two would love nothing more than to spend the rest of this day driving us crazy. Sam, tell us in plain words, what do you mean?”
“Whoever wants to ask the question Kiris did could find an answer by going to sleep on a certain mountain ledge?” I pretended to ask.
Kainas watched everyone’s reaction and asked Kiris what I meant. Kiris reminded him of the ‘dream’ trip taken by Jade and Robbie. What caught all of us by surprise was the excitement many felt at the idea of trying it. Kainas was probably the most excited of all and asked whether we would be returning to the planet of that mountain.
Robbie nodded. “If anyone really wants to go, we wouldn’t mind the trip, it will be nice visiting our friends there. However, before deciding, do make certain you know what price you could be asked to pay.” Us girls quickly volunteered to explain to all who had questions to ask.
The next morning, Robyn threw her bombshell at us, upsetting not only Robbie, but all of us - especially Haven and Dimi. This is what she told us. “I’ve never had a life as a Normal, my soul has no past lives. I don’t know what I would be like if I was not a Cherinian and I think this is the only opportunity I’ll ever have. Robert, if the mountain can send me to be of a different species, would you mind not coming with?”
Robbie explained that Campbell and his tourists will be arriving in two days and that he does not want Campbell to learn about our next trip. He did make it clear that we are not keeping it secret because of Campbell, that we have to do so to avoid creating a paradox. As everyone promised, Robbie sensed me watching him and them and that my emoting hinted that I was sceptical about the wisdom of his decision. I decided I had to speak now or else do as he’d asked.
“Dad, I’m not worried about creating a paradox as Campbell, Samuel and Birshima will avoid speaking to us from the day they return - we already know from Vincent that they will. I am worried what any deception could lead to, and the way I see it, even should there be some justification to your worries, I think we should still tell him. Our present relationship is not built on friendship; we have grown to respect each other, but it is still easy, from both sides, for suspicions to flower and poison what we’ve achieved. If we are open about our plans, it means he will keep it a secret from us. I can’t find any excuse for us not trusting him in this case.”
Robbie had a nagging sense that he’d missed something important during his visit to the tourism facilities. Only hours before Campbell was supposed to arrive he asked Dommi and Cherine to accompany him and Kiris went with to open doors for them. They returned with the two girls just as puzzled as Robbie. As they relaxed with coffee (Dommi had a camomile), Dommi jerked and spilt her drink over the table. She ignored it as Cassie used her gift to mop it up.
Now that Robbie had a clue, he communicated with his healer. “Kiris, Dommi was close, but she got it wrong. The timber itself is poisonous to our species.” He grinned. “As always, you are far ahead of your time - Kiris, it will take thousands of years before Cherinians want to go on tours that kill them. When they do, you can charge them ten times what you are charging now and you’ll become really wealthy.” Poor Kiris had to not only endure his embarrassment, he had to also listen to Robbie laugh at his own witticism. Cherine stopped him when he started to search for ways to block the poison, insisting it is part of the exotic aspect of the tour.
We watched for Campbell’s platform/ship, Freddie focussing cameras on where we expected them to appear. Even after all these years, it still is an impressive sight seeing a spaceship the size of a small seagoing passenger ship suddenly appear out of nowhere. Freddie hailed them and Campbell himself responded. He agreed to visit us after two hours.
I was among the first to greet him and then sat back watching the others responding to him. I am starting to like him, but there is still something about him that makes me tense up (self-defensively). I have gone deep into my mind to find what is causing this reaction, even examining the possibility that it is an instinct from the past. I still don’t have a clue and all I can do is trust whatever it is that is faintly warning me. I do have the feeling that he is not a physical threat to me or my loves so that may mean I should fear he may corrupt us by influencing us in a way that leads us away from our dream. I don’t see how.
Campbell was amused when Kiris sorrowfully told him of our discovery and shook his head with pretended amazement when a dejected Kiris offered to reimburse the tourists. “I don’t know what our partners have been telling you, but I hope you did keep in mind that they are all Talents? Samuel King was wise when he advised we only bring Talents with healers for the first half a dozen tours. Kiris, not one of them will want to return home and their healers can handle the poison - as Cherine suggested, I’ll even tout it as one of the features that makes inter-species and inter-planet tours interesting. What do you think Allan, should we charge the next groups a little more for having provided the extra spice to their trip?” He could not understand why everyone reacted to his effort to be kindly with screams of laughter, Allan holding his sides as they hurt from his laughing. Only Kiris, Robbie and Campbell did not laugh and seeing them look so serious made us laugh even more.
Local Cherinians went with Campbell to meet the tourists and model for their healers the changes needed for them to physically pass and survive as Kabetu. Once they felt they had succeeded, they were brought over to Freddie. We have quite a large number of food machines able to process Kabetu foods and drinks so they had their first buffet, allowing them to get used to the idea of eating alien food, while not surrounded by Normal Kabetu who could feel hurt if they should evince dislike for certain of their foods. By sampling the variety we can provide, each of them discovered which foods and drinks they dislike and which they enjoy. Most of them enjoyed the local ale and a couple of the harder drinks, while only a few enjoyed the fruit drinks. It is a strange fact that changing the body changes what tastes we like. We had a party for them and the next morning they were taken to the on-planet facilities. It is just as well they all have healers, otherwise they would have started off their holiday with hangovers.
One small cabin was free, not really a cabin for sleeping in; Kiris had intended it to be where he jumps to and from. We took turns making use of the room and joined the tourists on deck as the ship sailed. The feeling (emoting) from them betrayed the fact that they were excited and enjoying themselves. There were a number of married couples and we heard many of the husbands teasingly tell their wives that they looked forward to biting through their nose flaps. None of the wives were amused and threatened to bite off certain male protuberances if they tried it. Empathy, the act of it, can have strange results, for empathy and our ability to put ourselves in both the shoes of the men and women resulted in my loves and I finding it hysterically funny as we imagined both sides of it. Just to make the point clear, biting the nose flap of a female will not automatically result in the female becoming pregnant. They all have healers and have been warned and we do not expect many of them to willingly become pregnant with a child of a different species.
I think I lost focus on what I was talking about and branched off. What I did intend writing about was Claudia and the statement I made that she trains them. Over the years it has been repeatedly claimed that Claudia cannot sense her gift, so it would not be unreasonable of anyone to ask how she can train others. What makes the situation even more paradoxical is that none of those being trained can sense their gift or influence it. However, the fact does remain that when Claudia spends time with them and encourages them, their abilities do strengthen and grow. Some say it is only psychological while others claim that the gift Claudia has reaches out without her sensing it and helps the gift grow in those who have even a hint of the ability. I can’t work out how we can ever prove either theory.
Although they pretended to be nonchalant, Campbell, Allan and a few others were tense for the first three days. As we saw the tourists were happy and willing to put up with small inconveniences without complaining, even joking about them, they relaxed. Not Kiris. Cherine says he will not relax until he has had at least three to five groups come and go without any serious complaints. Samuel and Birshima waited until it was obvious the tourists were okay and then they departed for their own travels and adventures. They were told about the trip to the dream mountains, but they decided they came here for Birshima to learn and the lessons are important enough for them to stay and miss the excitement. I bet Birshima is happy that Samuel feels that way.
Campbell, at our invitation, moved his platform into Freddie and was given the same treehouse apartment he’d used before. During the tenth day, he jumped back to Freddie, less than halfway through the day, with a rather sheepish look on his face. “A couple have had a fight and the wife asks whether she can wait here.” He grinned. “She is furious with her husband because he flirted with a local girl on the island, if you agree to her coming here, she’s really going to bend your ear.” Now we could sense his amusement.
“I don’t suppose you will happen to be here during this time?” Claudia asked in the tone she uses when she’s spoiling for a fight.
Campbell chuckled, “Come on, be fair, you are making it sound like I’m shirking my duty or something - you know that I have been spending every day on planet; are you asking that I abandon our business to play nursemaid to a woman who is more than likely going to drink too much and make life a misery for everyone now that she doesn’t have her husband to make miserable.” Claudia had the grace to blush and then she laughed. “Is she Swedish?”
That got him and all of us laughing. Campbell had a drink, projected and jumped. Within a few minutes he was back with her. She immediately stopped projecting and half apologised for imposing herself on us as he jumped back. Allan pointedly asked Maria to bring her a cappuccino and she seemed happy with his choice.
Beatrice was happy to have us question her for details. For instance, we had wondered whether any of the tourists would give in to temptation and stop projecting when alone in their cabins. She assured us that none did as all of them are still eager to experience every nuance of being a Kabetu. She must have forgotten that we have lived on planet, especially Cherine, for she lectured us, even carefully explaining that her dreams as a Kabetu seemed to be different. We encouraged her without trying to appear to be too impressed for she would, at sometime, recall our story and take exception to such excess. She also reminded us that they have been warned that if they resume Terran bodies, the food they have eaten that day may poison them. We refrained from pointing out that anyone wanting to revert to their true body only had to ask their healer to alter the remaining food and drink contents.
I can sense that Beatrice does not like me, she must have sensed me, so I took a walk on my own, enjoying the solitude while also remaining wrapped up in the gestalt and love of my family. Jade and Gina whispered to each other in private and giggled. Jade turned to Robbie and he concentrated on her with a half smile, suspecting that I was going to be the butt of their joke
“We were remembering when Cherine told you off for ignoring Samantha during a meeting with others a very long time ago and we were wondering…”
Robbie burst out in laughter, glanced at Cherine and interrupted her, “Don’t say it, I can sense you’ll end up in hot water if you do.” He grinned at Cherine. “Well love, how were you to know that it would be impossible to stop or ignore Samantha when…”
Cherine cut in, sternly, “Don’t say it or else you’ll be in hot water and even I won’t be able to save you.” When she saw she’d succeeded in making everyone laugh, she relaxed and also laughed. The only one who was not supposed to be laughing was me, but I was amused.
The entire fofor family nest structure named Agwissaït, conspired to honour Irasbit, their Father. Sovia, a direct descendent is appointed with the task of speaking for all of them, despite Sovia being a temporary son (a youngling), past fully grown second claws, but not having reached the age when reproduction glands confirm his role of hunter or female.
The history of the Agwissaït family is one that is rare and thus distinctly unorthodox, flying in the face of tradition, and Irasbit is the one who had the strength and determination to challenge all conventions so as to establish his own fofor family. It was known that Sovia would be speaking of their family history, so many came to listen, for, as a people, they love drama and good stories, even when they do not approve of what was done. At least none could or would disapprove of what was achieved, so Sovia was not too nervous, more worried about not attaining the level of tension well-timed drama achieves, for it is well known that too many surprises can break the tension and earn for the storyteller the scorn of all. If he earned the status of being a good and entertaining speaker, he would find clouds parting for him that could provide him with the means of becoming a key provider for his family, for all good storytellers are willingly tithed by the hunters.
When the elders arrived, they found a seat reserved amongst them and on it lolled a straw doll representing a creature never seen or imagined before. Father Irasbit Agwissaït took his place with hidden amusement, his double clawed foot indolently grabbing hold of the small balancing bars before him, pleased that Sovia had found a way to stir the elders and start off the evening with their interest already piqued. They would have to discuss it in fofor privacy, for if what was hinted at proved to be fact, Sovia might have a rare talent that could raise their family status food wise and distinguish them with the corjoun of respect and high standing that only powerful hunting results usually earn.
Sovia gave his youngest sibling Arissi, a hint of a smile so that he would know he would be speaking of him with pride. “It is said that the dreams of the elders should be shared so that we all learn from them. This evening, I wish to share a dream that our youngest, Arissi of Hiddessi, had a few nights ago, so that we all learn from it. The grass doll that sits among you as honoured guest represents the being that came to visit Arissi in his sleep.” There were exclamations of surprise and wonder and Sovia had to pause as everyone wanted a good look at the grass doll.
Our ways of thinking during dreams do not reflect the way we think when awake and Arissi was curious, so he approached the being and spoke to it. ‘Who are you - what are you?’ he was not surprised when it answered him, for it felt natural, so he tells me.” Sovia used their fofor family hand-signs to send his amusement-love to his little sibling as others turned to stare at Arissi. “It answered him with a voice both soft and sweet, ‘It is more polite to give your own name first before demanding the name of another. My name cannot be spoken for you, but it is the colour of my…head-feathers I am named after.’ Arissi stretched for a closer look and asked, ‘You are named Golden? As those who are of the eldest among us? You are that wise?’ She made a sound he realised was a laugh and replied, “No, it is not wisdom I am known for, it is claimed I am beautiful.’ Astonished, Arissi forgot his manners and stared at it rudely and said, ‘You are beautiful to your people? Then they must be too ugly to be seen - that explains why my people have not spoken of your kind’. As he spoke, Arissi realised that since the being could speak to him, he had been rude. He was not given the chance to apologise, for it laughed and answered him, ‘Truly your kind are beautiful, very beautiful.’ Doubly shamed, his wings drooped as he explained, ‘I am very young and spoke rudely. I did not mean to.’
The being pointed at an eiliosi tree. ‘Is that not beautiful?’ Arissi was confused by her question as his mind was still on his shame. Politely he turned to look at the tree and replied, ‘It is’. ‘It has not the same kind of beauty as your people, but you can see it has its own kind of beauty?’ Arissi was stunned by her words and he stared at the tree to see what the being spoke of. As he learnt how to see the tree in new ways, he wondered that he had never realised this truth before.” Father Irasbit felt his chest heat with pride and pleasure at the reaction of the elders as they exclaimed over this new way of seeing the world, the flush forcing the oil glands to cover his chest feathers with a sheen that betrayed his pride and love for his younglings to those close to him. Today the Agwissaït family had achieved a rare status, for two younglings had shown they are gifted. Father Irasbit struggled to prevent his head feathers from standing upright for all to see how proud he felt, for it would have been unseemly of him to make it that obvious.
“Arissi told the Golden of what he had learnt and the being came closer to him, showing no fear of his size and newly formed claws. ‘If you can see that about the tree and the grass and the sky and all other things of your world, maybe you can learn to see that there is beauty in everything, including my people?’ Arissi was still shattered by his experience and forgetting tact once more, spoke of his thoughts. ‘It is not in the nature of our people to see beauty as you are teaching me. We are hunters and, to us, there is beauty in the way prey races to evade us, beauty in the way it twists at the last moment to avoid our claws, or, there is ugliness in the way it shames itself by freezing in fear or running in a panic without plan to save its life. How can I be a hunter if I am to see beauty in everything? How will I focus on prey who hide? Am I to hunger and die as I stare at trees?’ The being answered, ‘There is a time for hunting when eye and mind must focus on prey, but there is much time that is not spent hunting. Your life will be richer if then it is you can see beauty.’ Arissi could not explain to me why, but he felt angered and replied, ‘I see beauty in my family, that is all the beauty I need to see.’. He says the being did not grow afraid as he swung his wings back to strike with anger. ‘What is your name?’ Arissi stopped himself, for he realised he had been rude again. ‘Arissi’ ‘Arissi, will you walk with me and talk about your people? I come from the other side of the sun and wish to learn all I can about such beautiful and proud beings’. Arissi, in his dream, found it natural that he should speak about us, for he has not learnt to fear and he is very proud of our species. He found his mind addled by the thought of the being visiting from such a distance. He spoke for what seemed like hours. Arissi does not know much about our history, as a species, but he does know the history of our fofor family. He spoke about us and he spoke with great pride about our father, Irasbit.
If you have the patience, I would like to tell you all Arissi told the Golden being about our father Irasbit and what it asked of him and of the shame it taught him, that he then brought back to our family - that demanded of us that we call for this meeting.”
“Arissi said, ‘Before our father, there was no family’. The being interrupted him, ‘I do not understand. Surely he was the son of a family?’. Arissi had the wisdom to recall that there are animals of our world that do not have the same kind of families we do and he reasoned that the people of the Golden being might be different also, so he explained.
‘Our families, at the most basic of relationships, consist of four individuals and they in turn form four unit-families that join to become a fofor family. It means there are sixteen of us, one male and fifteen females. Most females can only have one youngling, while some cannot bear and a very few can have a second. A family that has enough younglings to replace itself is considered strong and if they have any younglings that increase the numbers beyond simple replacement, then they are honoured by all and the younglings are sought after by all other families once their second claws are fully grown, but before they mature and settle into the sex they are to keep for life.’
The golden being nodded its head. ‘There are also other species that choose their sex’. Arissi saw the being had not understood. ‘We do not choose our sex…the fofor family leads us so that only the one that must be male remains a male’. Excited by the idea, he asked, ‘There are species where each can choose whether to be male or female?’. The being answered softly and Arissi heard love in its voice, ‘I was thinking of a particular species, they also are very beautiful, who can change sex if an accident has deprived them all those of a given sex. There is another species that start as males and then become females, therefore becoming, in turn, both fathers and mothers. I am sorry, I should not have interrupted, please continue with your explanation’.” Sovia was forced to stop again, for it seemed he was presenting the elders with too many new concepts and they had stopped listening to him to argue among themselves. Even father Irasbit no longer made any effort to hide his pride in his family out of seeming modesty. His head feathers stood up as if they had been dipped and shaped in liquid gold and his eyes shone with a wild pride as he saw the reactions of the people. He came to his feet, his eyes turning hot with blood lust (deliberately, for he felt his pretended anger could only serve to highlight the genius of his younglings).
“Am I to understand that you do not allow Sovia of the Agwissaït family to tell his tale?” Aghast at their own unthinking behaviour, silence fell upon them instantly. Then protests filled the air, for such an insult was unheard of among their people, even the elderly could not recall such an insult ever being brought upon any family. The rest of the crowd were aware of the real reasons behind the seemingly insulting behaviour of the elders, that it was not meant as an insult, but was the finest compliment ever bestowed upon any storyteller within memory. However, they also understood the purpose of Irasbit issuing the challenge and for the first time ever, the majority showed they approved of him. As the elders apologetically returned to their seats, one of them accidentally knocked over the grass doll and the ‘head’ went rolling to stop between the elders and Sovia. Everyone froze as Sovia looked at the doll head and then sighed as he showed his amusement as he looked at the elder, letting the tension evaporate. His easy acceptance of the event as an accident won over many who had tried to hold back because of past animosity towards Irasbit.
That animosity was half of the reason this meeting had been called. The Agwissaït fofor family had hoped the story of the dream plus their decision at the end, would soften the stance of those who clung to tradition beyond what sense and heart should allow. On that gamble and dream, Sovia had chanced speaking for them.
“Arissi learnt much about the way our families are formed because of the questions and the need to think on what is usually taken for granted and considered known. The story of our father has been told many times within our family and without meaning any lack of respect or love, there are times we no longer listen. Arissi listened to himself as he spoke and as he wove the tale he found himself living with our father through the times that the cold winds thrust him down to crawl on the ground and his brave - and stubborn some do claim - determination to survive. This then, is the story Arissi told the Golden being.
‘It is said that since the sun gave birth to our world and our people were created out of the need to fly back to the sun, that no person of our species has ever truly been alone, for we love our families above all else. So it is said, but then, many are those who forget that for it to be true, those who survive the loss of all loved ones, are those who are in greatest need of love and should be held closest to their nest. Because all fear the nightmare of such a loss, they shun such a person until that person is gone, flying in skies where none of our people fly, so that it truly can be said that none exist who are alone.
One of the younglings of the Agoreït family was asked to become part of a new fofor family being formed by younglings of families of a higher status. There was much rejoicing, for this meant that the rest of their younglings would also be sought after. Two days later the one who asked for their youngling visited to explain, with regrets, that they had changed their mind as one of the Wissaït younglings had agreed to join the new fofor family.
The Agoreït father saw this as a deliberate ploy by his so-called friend to humiliate him and he flew over in a rage. The Wissaït father was not home, he had not returned from the hunt, and the females and younglings rushed out to tell him of their joyous news. As is right, with our species, no father hurts females or younglings, so he made his excuses and left. He did not return home. He flew up the face of the cliff, not aware of much more than his bitter thoughts. Perhaps it was the odd shadow the late sun accentuated, but the father swerved and flew back down to see what had changed. He saw that a blade of rock had split from the face of the cliff and was likely to fall in the near future. He landed on an edge and felt it tremble beneath him.
As he examined the splint, the father of the Wissaït family returned home, which was directly beneath the splint. He must have been tired, for he did not look up and only kept his eyes fixed on his home. Seeing him brought the rage back so that it filmed his mind with thoughts of revenge. Not giving himself time to think, he wedged himself between the splint and the cliff face and pushed. Pebbles and small splints fell, peppering the roof of the Wissaït home, but nobody came out to look as such minor falls are common. As the splint wobbled, the father realised what he was doing and pulled back, horrified by what he had been about to do. There was a crack and grinding sound and the splint leant over and with the tip facing the house below, it fell.
Many rushed over to help the survivors and by the time the father landed, concern, guilt and grief stuttering his ability to think, it was known that none had survived - the Wissaït family, all thirty five of them, were dead, their bodies crushed.
Golden, we are a hunter people, but we only kill to eat. We do not kill our own kind, not for any reason. Such killings do occur now and then, but sometimes many generations pass between killings and never are the entire family killed. The Agoreït father could not face what he had done, for he had killed an entire fofor family, a crime no other of our people has ever committed, and by the time he left the scene of death his mind had slipped into different skies of crimson and purple clouds. On his way home he conceived the idea that to right the wrong he had done, to balance the injustice, it was not enough that he die, he had to kill his own family; his entire fofor family.’
Golden surprised Arissi with the comment. ‘I feel his pain. It is terrible to know you have caused such an evil thing and there is no way you can make anything be right again.’
‘You feel his pain? Not the pain of the Wissaït family?’
‘Feeling the one does not stop me from feeling the other Arissi’.
He did not know how to answer, so he asked the first thing that came to his mind. ‘Do your species have male and female sexes?’
‘I am female but - my male has more than fifty females.’
‘Fifty!’. Arissi admitted to me that he forgot to continue his narrative and tried to get the female being to explain how one male could hunt for over fifty females. What of the children, did they not also have to be fed? Surely one male cannot hunt enough food for such a big family? Do the females also hunt?”
Sovia paused as a few ribald comments were called out and many laughed. More shocking than the idea of one father having so many females, was the idea of females hunting to feed their family and the jokes were mostly slanted by that element, not so much by sexual innuendo.
“Golden asked, ‘What happened, did he kill his family?’
