5. Zeleck

5

ZELECK

The first few rays of dawn filter through the trees as I sit by the crackling fire, sipping my second mug of morning tea. I am not the only Rakui getting an early, post-celebration start.

Rykana and her mate Sartok are preparing the tribe's morning meal. Vauss and Harek are getting ready to hunt. And blood brothers Deek and Darht appear to be suffering the effects of too much mead.

As I wait, more Rakuis come and go. Still no sign of the Terran females. There is little friendly banter this morning which makes me think that Jay-duh, Deek, and Darht are not the only ones who over-imbibed during the celebration.

It is fully light when Jay-duh finally emerges from the North Caves and makes her way to the fire, and I admire the way her Terran leathers cling to her lithe form. The strange black coverings leave little to the imagination, especially since I know what she looks and feels like beneath them.

Soft, smooth, perfect.

Her face is pale, her steps slow. No doubt due to the mead. She is carrying a small pack, which she drops on the ground before sitting gingerly on the bench beside me. I pour her a mug of tea.

"Dirt tea. My favorite," she grumbles, wrinkling her delicate nose. "I'd kill for a double tall mocha with extra whipped cream."

Most of the Terrans think our nutritious tea tastes like soil and prefer the human beverage called coffee . "It will soothe the after-effects of the mead, calming your stomach and clearing your head."

Jade merely grunts in response, although she does sip the tea. The bright morning light accentuates the weariness on her face. Gone is the warm, flirtatious Jay-duh from the night before. The one who pressed herself against me and licked my neck. The one who questioned my desire for her.

The return of her somber mood is disappointing, though not unexpected. I am a patient male. Persistent, too. Now that I know there is a spark of fire between us, I will bide my time until that spark becomes a flame, then an unstoppable blaze.

After draining the last sips of tea, she sets the mug aside with a grimace.

"You should eat something before we go." I offer her a bowl of moogah, which the Terrans call berries .

She uses her fingers to eat the moogah, and I watch, entranced, as her full lips part to accept each bite of juicy fruit. Her appreciative moan is the sweetest of sounds. "So good," she says. "I'll be sad when the rains wipe these berries out."

"It will not be long before they are gone for the season. Most of the moogah bushes are barren now."

"Banan fruit grows year-round though, right?"

I nod. "There is plenty of banan in the area of our search. When you are finished, we should get going before…" My words falter as I catch sight of the weapon holstered at her hip. "You will not need a laser weapon on this quest. I will keep you safe."

"I don't need a man for protection." Irritated, her eyes bore into mine. "I can protect myself."

For a tense moment, we regard each other in silence, her stubborn defiance clashing with my instinctual need to be her protector. Then, Jill-ee-un's words remind me not to push too hard.

"You are right." I slowly exhale. A flicker of surprise crosses her features, and her posture relaxes. "Your skill and resourcefulness will serve you well in this quest."

When she is finished eating, Jay-duh stands and puts on her pack. "Ready to get going?"

I stand as well, grabbing my own pack and lifting it onto my shoulders. "Yes. We will head east, toward the rising suns and salty black water."

"How far away is our search area?"

I shrug. "At least half a suns cycle. It depends on how quickly we move through the trees. We must travel to the site of our ancestors' original crash site. That is our best chance of finding scattered pieces of Rakuium."

Jay-duh looks disappointed. "I guess that's why you wanted to leave at first light."

"Do not worry about getting a later start." I pat the pack on my back. "I am prepared for an extended outing."

"Good luck with your search," Sartok calls out as we leave.

"May the gods bless your journey," Rykana adds cheerfully, and I nod my thanks.

Not all Rakuis support Jay-duh's quest to find more Rakuium—or my offer to aid her in that quest. Some fear what the Terrans will do with its power and worry that our simple lives will be further upended if we find more than small bits. Yet I trust Jay-duh to use Rakuium wisely.

Revived by the tea and moogah, Jay-duh heads toward the tree line with quick, purposeful strides. I fall into step beside her, easily matching her enthusiastic pace with my longer gait.

Morning dew still clings to the lush foliage as we enter the forest, our footfalls crunching quietly over a bed of fallen leaves and twigs. The canopy of trees filters the suns light, yet our path is illuminated well enough for Jay-duh to continue her brisk pace.

My spirits are high as we weave our way deeper into the forest. While Jay-duh's focus is on the quest, mine is torn between her goal and my own. I let her lead so I can steal glances at the gentle sway of her narrow hips as she navigates around ancient trees with giant trunks, over fallen logs that block our path, and between plants and bushes growing in the thicket.

We make good progress. Yet, as the morning warms, loose tendrils of her hair escape from the tie at the nape of her neck, curling from sweat and humidity. When her cheeks become flushed from exertion, I worry she is pushing herself too hard. Jay-duh is tough and determined, although her body is not as hearty as mine.

"We should stop and rest."