7. Amma

Chapter 7

Amma

A mma was tired. She had always prided herself on staying in shape. Every day she ran two miles around her family estate. She had weights in her bedroom she used almost every night, and she ate properly to keep her body in prime condition. None of that mattered in the alien forest. Her body dripped sweat and vines left welts on her uncovered skin. She had tried wearing the sleeping pants her mother had packed, but they were too thick and added to the heat. Instead, she put on shorts with a tank top. Amma growled as she waved her hand in front of her face. Some tiny fruit flies followed her motion. She wished she could control insect minds. These were just too small and had no spirit to latch onto, unlike the caterpillar.

The sore spot on her left heel shot pain up her leg. Amma knew the shoes she was wearing when she'd run out of the house were not meant for daily hiking. Or maybe daily hiking was fine, but they weren't good for hiking in a hot humid climate. She was constantly sweating. She had been slogging through the new world for three days and was losing hope of ever finding her way out of the forest. Traveling at night to avoid the more dangerous animals made her more prone to other hazards. Few of the animals she met were both willing and able to talk to her. Many didn't have the ability to think above their primal needs.

However, Amma found steady entertainment in listening to her three fuzzy little friends, who kept trying to outdo each other with stories about their lives. Amma tried not to giggle when Mike and Sam told far-fetched lies. Sam especially looked proud of himself as his stories started to become things of myth. The animals were also great at finding water sources and food. Astro, even as a kit, could find and kill animals twice his size, and Mike and Sam found fruits and nuts to supplement the meat.

On the fourth day, Amma almost shouted for joy when they came across a fresh river next to a cave large enough to house all of them comfortably. Hand-sized fish that tasted delicious, cooked or raw, swam in schools. She found having sushi so far from home was a comfort. Small, delicious berries grew on a few vines that hung over the river. They tasted like strawberries, but looked like tangerines. Amma sent a thanks to her mother and aunties for teaching her how to survive in any wilderness, even a wilderness not on Earth.

She spent the next few days learning about the area she found herself in. While empty of any large animals, it had enough food for her to eat three hearty meals, plus snacks, daily. She even found that the water was not only clean enough to drink without a purifier, but it did wonders on her skin. Slowly, the cave started to look like a home as she set up a bed using large leaves that when used together could rival any mattress. Even though she knew she would have to venture out further into the world, one day, Amma knew that she needed to learn a little more about what she would be facing. It wouldn't do her any good to find her family and not have a way to protect them.

We need to hide. Mike came running into the cave with Sam on his tail. Hurry . They ducked behind her.

Amma tensed. She was used to Mike and Sam getting scared over every little change to their environment, but this time they sounded different. "What happened? Where's Astro?" She reached down and picked the brothers up. "You're trembling."

We smell something different, Sam said. The wind is blowing the scent this way.

"Where's Astro?" she demanded.

Outside, Sam answered.

"You know that wasn't an answer," Amma said. "Since he's not here, he must be outside. Can you be more specific?"

We don't know, Mike answered.

"You guys stay in here." Amma placed them on the ground and stood. "And next time, don't leave Astro all alone."

Amma stepped just outside the cave opening and scanned the clearing. While big enough for her to be comfortable, the space was surrounded by dense forest that she couldn't see through. Usually, when the moons rose, she would stay inside where her fire chased the loneliness away. Her boys, on the other hand, loved to play in the trees at night since most of the tree dwelling animals were sleeping.

"Astro," she whispered. "Astro, get over here right now. Astro!" She turned in a slow half circle waiting to see the young male run from the forest. "Astro!"

A vibration, lower and softer than a sound, warned her she was no longer alone. Every hair on her body stood to attention and her prey drive caused her muscles to lock in fear. Her ears strained as they tried to pick up any sound as the forest dropped into an eerie silence. There was something dangerous lurking in the darkness and Amma felt a heavy stare boring into her chest.

"Who's out there?" Amma took a step back towards the cave doorway. She didn't want to leave Astro outside, alone, but she also didn't want to end up food. "I'm armed."

The shadows shifted and a massive figure stepped into the moonlight. Amma's mouth dropped in shock. Of all the things she expected to encounter in the world she found herself in, a ruggedly handsome minotaur was not one. He had to be well over nine feet, including his thick proud horn sweeping up to the sky. His face was more bovine than human, partially because of his elongated muzzle. His bottom lip was plumper than the top and he had a ring through the septum of his nose to emphasize it more. He was a warrior, battle-scarred and proud. He wore nothing over his impressive chest and tight pants that hid nothing low on his hips. Over his shoulder she could just make out a long stick and she wondered what type of weapon it was.

He held up his hands in the universal sign of peace. "Female, are you out here without a protector?" The monster's voice was deep and rolled around the air, tickling her eardrums.

Some of her goodwill faded at his words. She had practiced enough times with Jo to be able to hold her own, maybe. "I don't need a protector. I am not defenseless."

"She looks like Mia." A younger, shorter, male stumbled into the clearing. "Does she also have a calf?"

"Why are you on our tribal land?" The larger of the two demanded before Amma could ask any questions. "Where did you come from?"

"I'm a long way from home." She tried to lighten the mood. She hadn't meant to settle on anyone's tribal land and could understand the hostility. "I didn't know anyone owned this area of the woods. If you give me a day, I will move on."

The large male huffed out a breath. "My dam would have my ears if I chased a defenseless female away. My name is Suni."

"I'm Gar and my brother is Rown," Gar waved behind him. "He is coming." It was like Rown was waiting to be introduced. He stepped into the clearing and smiled.

Amma wanted to laugh at how normal things seemed. They were three towering alien males who could kill her with a flick of a finger and yet, the fear she had felt at first was dissipating.

"Would you honor us with your name, little female."

"My name is Amma."

"Amma." The sound of her voice on his lips gave her goosebumps.

"That's me." She nodded.

"Are you a witch?" Gar asked.

"Gar," Suni knocked the smaller male in the head with his fist, making a sound that was oddly hollow.

Gar shook his head from side to side and whined, "We were all thinking it."

"I am sorry about my companion," Suni said. "He is still young and has not learned to hold his tongue."

Amma covered her laugh. "I am used to youngsters." Suni reminded her of how the older cousins corrected the younger ones. Instead of fists, they used their magic. She turned to Gar. "Do I look like a witch?"

"We have only ever seen two witches," Suni answered. "They are human, like you."

"Not all humans are witches," Amma said. "In fact–wait." She took a half step forward. "Is this the Mia you spoke of?"

"Mia is mated to my younger brother." Suni replied. "He has adopted her calf as his own."

"Mia." Amma had heard the name before, but it couldn't be who she was thinking of. "What is her daughter's name?"

"How do you know Julian is a female?" Suni asked.

"You asked if I was a witch and that means Mia is one. If she is part of my family, we only have girls." Amma shrugged. "It was a lucky guess. You said mated? How long have they been here?"

"Three seasons."

"Three?" Amma wondered if passing through the portal somehow took more time than it seemed. "Is there a way I can talk to Mia?"

"We can head back early." Suni grabbed Rown before he could move much further into the clearing. "Would you mind sharing your space with us?"

"I'm the trespasser." She smiled. "Be my guess, but I wasn't expecting three visitors. I have nothing that will fill your bellies."

"What type of warriors would we be if we took food from you?" Suni asked. "We will hunt for last meal and sleep under the stars. It is what we are used to when away from our home."

"Aren't you worried about the animals if you sleep outside?" Amma had learned the hard way that the animals of this place were much different from the ones of Earth. The most dangerous ones roamed during the day.

Suni lips lifted in a half smile showing off the tip of a fang. "They will scent us and know to keep away. We will protect you."

"After being on my own for the last few days, I welcome the company."

"I will hunt while Gar and Rown start a fire and ready the camp. While we eat, I will answer any questions you have."

Amma tried to hide her excitement at sharing dinner with the three males. She loved her furry friends, but she missed her sisters and cousins and the trouble they got into over meals.

"I expect the camp to be set up upon my return." Suni turned on his hooves and disappeared into the forest.

She stared at the spot he had been in surprise. If she hadn't been staring at him, she would never have known he moved. For such a large male, he moved light on his hooves. Amma turned to find Gar and Rown staring at her with large eyes. They reminded her of the younger girls when they saw something new. "How about I clear the air? I am a witch. I have been practicing since I was around five years old and can control my magic. You are in no danger."

"We do not think you will hurt us." Gar said. "Suni would not have left us alone if that was the case. We are just surprised to see another witch. We grew up hearing horror stories and yet, we have not met a bad witch."

"There are good and bad in every species." Amma said. "While I like to think my family is above playing with the dark arts, I know for sure some do. I even have a few who play both sides."

"I do not mind witches." Rown said. "Maybe my mate will be one."

"Never know." Amma smiled at his eager look. "How about we get that fire started before Suni returns."

"I will do that." Gar said. "Suni would know if we slacked off."

"We can't have that, can we." Amma turned to duck into her cave when she heard a high squeak, and the small running form of Mike almost knocked her on her butt. She dusted herself off and turned to find Rown with his bow drawn and an arrow notched. "Hey! Put that away."

"I wasn't aiming at you," Rown said. "What are those things? I have never seen anything like them. I didn't know if they were going to harm you."

"Please don't shoot my friends." Amma picked Mike and Sam up. They tried to burrow into her chest as their little bodies vibrated. "They are from my world and are harmless. We call them ‘squirrels."

"Squirrels? Are they good eating?"

"No," Amma hugged her boys tighter. "They are not food. I raised them since they were babies."

"I am sorry." Rown put his weapon away. "I was only trying to protect you. They are safe from me and my brother."

"Thank you."

"What type of witch are you?" Gar asked. "The same as Mia or like Julian?"

"I don't know what their magic is, but mine lies in Zoopathy."

Gar and Rown both cocked their heads to the same side and their ears flicked. They looked like confused puppies. So cute.

"What is that?" Rown asked.

"It means I can communicate telepathically with animals. Most times when you see me talking to myself, I'm not." She smiled at the little friends in her hands. "I find that if I speak out loud, I can keep who's talking straight."

"You can talk to animals?" Rown dropped into a squat and stared at her like she hung the moon. "That is an awesome ability. Can you talk to all animals, or only certain ones?"

"On Earth, which is my world, I can. Well not insects, per say."

"If you can talk to animals, do you eat them?" Gar asked.

"I do. I get that question a lot. I won't eat my friends for obvious reasons, but I eat meat."

"If you can read animals' minds, do they think like we do?" Rown asked.

Amma smiled. "I can't read their minds. I can hear them when they talk to me. From what I understand, their needs and wants are usually a lot simpler than ours. Food. Fight. Mate. Survival. That's it."

"That is all my brother thinks about." Gar knocked his brother on a horn with a closed fist. "Get up, we need to get the fire going."

Rown flicked his brother away as he climbed to his feet. "Mia told us we look like beasts from your world."

"You look like monsters from mythology," Amma said. "Trust me, if you went to my world, women would be chasing you down."

"Why would they chase us?" Rown asked. "We would not run unless they were trying to harm us."

"I mean that girls would find you attractive and try to outdo each other to get your attention." Amma explained, then snorted at their wide eyes. "I'm serious. There are hundreds of books written about women finding love in the arms of other species. While they are all fiction, I'm sure women will still line up for an otherworldly love if given the chance."

"We still have not gone through our warrior trials," Gar said. "Why would they want a male who has not proven himself?"

"I think it's because human men can't even start to compare to you guys."

Gar flicked an ear and smiled. "Maybe we should visit your world. We could catch witches of our own."

Amma chuckled. "Not all humans are witches. How about we get this camp set up before Suni returns with dinner?" She left them and ducked back into her cave. She hummed as she picked up her discarded sewing and placed it in the basket at the back of the cave. She checked her food stores and was disappointed to see there weren't enough berries to make a sweet treat for the males. Maybe she could make one next time. If they would even try it. Amma snorted. She was so lonely she was already counting on the males returning to visit. With a firm shake of her head, she returned to find Gar and Rown finishing the fire pit and laying logs as benches.

"I have returned."

Amma swallowed her snort as Suni stomped back into the clearing with a skinned animal carcass over his shoulder. He dropped it onto a large leaf and started butchering it. Amma was happy she wasn't squeamish as she sat on one of the logs and placed the small basket filled with herbs and spices next to her. "Did you want to use these?" She held up her mixed spices.

"This meat does not need it." He pushed some of the chunks of flesh on long sticks over the fire. "I want you to try some and tell me if you think I am wrong."

She looked at him a little doubtfully until the meat began to cook. Her mouth watered at the scent. "Wow, the smell is delicious. It reminds me of my family barbecues."

"I am glad to remind you of home." Suni finished carving a few more pieces and positioned them over the fire. "Gar, you and your brother finish stripping the kill."

"Yes, Suni," both brothers said.

Amma smiled as Suni knelt by the river to wash his hands. She could tell the brothers not only respected him but looked up to him as the warrior they wanted to be. Suni, as most great men do, didn't seem to notice. He dropped onto the log across the fire from her and started sharpening the points of his morning star.

"I have never seen one of those in real life." Amma leaned forward to get a better look at his weapon. It didn't look like a normal morning star, it was ten times bigger, and the studded ball was the same size as two bowling balls. If hit, it would do some serious damage. "I always thought they were one of the more dangerous weapons because of how hard it has to be to control the chain."

"It is a difficult weapon to master." Suni glanced up. "Not many warriors ever do."

"I doubt I would ever try." She sat back. "Are you still up to answering a few questions?"

"I keep my word."

"I have learned a lot in the last three days, like to stay hidden during the day. What I don't understand is how your brother ended up mated to a human."

"Mia? She found him after he had been left for dead on a battlefield." Suni's lips lifted in a snarl. "A dishonorable male stabbed him in the back with a poisoned dagger. Mia and her daughter were able to heal him. On the trip back to our village, Mia and Ni'em fell in love."

"Mia. I feel like I should know her." Amma tapped her lower lip as she flipped through her family members, there were a lot. "Wait, now I remember Mia. Her mother was one of the best seers in our family. My auntie Charlotte was second. Julian should be around five now and coming into her magic. Wait," she stopped talking as something he said finally hit her. "You said that Mia is mated to your brother. How is that possible? We are not the same species."

"The goddess knows what she is doing." Suni answered. "Love and devotion know no bounds."

"You're right." Amma shouldn't judge anyone for finding love. "As long as she's happy."

"They both are."

"How do mates meet in your world?" She wondered if the males left home to seek their mate like many used to on earth before the modern world.

"Some meet when they are calves, and others take a little longer." He glanced up from his weapon and met her eyes. "I have always known I would know my mate the second I laid eyes on her."