I’ve never met a nice Upgrader. Er . . . and maybe I still haven’t. But Hoku likes her.”
Rollin. Aluna wasn’t ready to trust any Human willing to disfigure herself with tech, but she trusted Hoku. That was enough.
Aluna devoured two chunks of smoky meat, then stumbled to the washbasin and stared mournfully at the water. The idea of pulling off her clothes sounded excruciating. After a moment’s indecision, she picked up the cloth, wetted it, and covered her face with its cool bliss. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted to dump the whole thing over her head, let the water race down her face in rivulets, trip over her lips, soak into her shirt.
But she couldn’t. Not here. Shining Moon had given them a whole basin of water, more than most Equians would see in a month. It was one of the greatest gifts they could bestow. If she wasted it, the Equians would think she was just another rude, ignorant wetlander.
As she did her best to wipe the grime from her face and hands, her thoughts began to clear. “What did you do today?” she asked Calli.
Calli appeared next to her as if she’d been waiting for a chance to spring. “I learned about the Thunder Trials. I have so much to tell you and Hoku.”
“No fair starting without me,” came Hoku’s voice from the front of the tent. “Well, at least you left me some food. I’m starving.”
“Save some for Aluna,” Calli yelled back, and scurried off to greet him.
Aluna smiled. Calli wasn’t the best warrior, but more and more, Aluna was grateful for her friendship.
“Is there a single centimeter of you that’s not dirty?” Calli asked.
“I think the inside of my elbow is okay,” Hoku replied. “Nope. Guess that’s pretty gross, too.”
“The Thunder Trials,” Aluna said loudly. “You were going to tell us about the Thunder Trials?” She joined the others in the main room and sat carefully, arranging the pillows and trying several positions until she found one that didn’t make her squeal from the pain. If she could sleep at all tonight, it would be on her stomach.
Then again, this was good pain. The kind she understood. The kind she had
earned
. Her brother Anadar used to say, “Pain scares your weakness away.” She’d pushed her body hard and would be stronger for it tomorrow. This feeling was nothing like what she felt from her growing tail. That pain came out of nowhere, confused her, left her feeling fragile instead of fierce. It didn’t scare the weakness away; it scared
her
.
Hoku, his sunburned face covered in dark smears, grinned and handed her a hunk of rabbit. “You’re moving a little slow tonight,” he said.
She glared at him halfheartedly and took the food. “Funny comment coming from a walking oil slick.”
He opened his mouth to reply, then filled it with rabbit instead.
Calli picked up a piece of fruit but didn’t eat it. “Well, you already know that the Thunder Trials are contests, and that the winners earn more birthing rights for their herds.”
Aluna nodded. “The faster, tougher herds grow larger, and the weaker herds die off. They’re just accelerating what happens in nature anyway.”
“Spoken like one of the faster, tougher people,” Hoku grumbled.
“Except the Thunder Trials aren’t only for warriors,” Calli said, popping the fruit into her mouth. It bulged in her cheek. “They’ve got competitions for tech, too! And for working with animals, cooking, and even word-weaving. There are three paths — Sun, Moon, and Sand. Sun is for one-on-one fighting, Moon is for artisan skills, and Sand is for other skills, like shooting and falconry.”
“Fiddling with tech makes me an artisan?” Hoku asked.
Aluna snorted. She grabbed a small bundle of cactus flowers from the food tray and bit off a petal.
“Shining Moon has traditionally done well at the Trials,” Calli continued. “Khan Arasen himself won the coveted Sun Disc in his youth, the one for fighting. He was High Khan for three years. But
Rollin. Aluna wasn’t ready to trust any Human willing to disfigure herself with tech, but she trusted Hoku. That was enough.
Aluna devoured two chunks of smoky meat, then stumbled to the washbasin and stared mournfully at the water. The idea of pulling off her clothes sounded excruciating. After a moment’s indecision, she picked up the cloth, wetted it, and covered her face with its cool bliss. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted to dump the whole thing over her head, let the water race down her face in rivulets, trip over her lips, soak into her shirt.
But she couldn’t. Not here. Shining Moon had given them a whole basin of water, more than most Equians would see in a month. It was one of the greatest gifts they could bestow. If she wasted it, the Equians would think she was just another rude, ignorant wetlander.
As she did her best to wipe the grime from her face and hands, her thoughts began to clear. “What did you do today?” she asked Calli.
Calli appeared next to her as if she’d been waiting for a chance to spring. “I learned about the Thunder Trials. I have so much to tell you and Hoku.”
“No fair starting without me,” came Hoku’s voice from the front of the tent. “Well, at least you left me some food. I’m starving.”
“Save some for Aluna,” Calli yelled back, and scurried off to greet him.
Aluna smiled. Calli wasn’t the best warrior, but more and more, Aluna was grateful for her friendship.
“Is there a single centimeter of you that’s not dirty?” Calli asked.
“I think the inside of my elbow is okay,” Hoku replied. “Nope. Guess that’s pretty gross, too.”
“The Thunder Trials,” Aluna said loudly. “You were going to tell us about the Thunder Trials?” She joined the others in the main room and sat carefully, arranging the pillows and trying several positions until she found one that didn’t make her squeal from the pain. If she could sleep at all tonight, it would be on her stomach.
Then again, this was good pain. The kind she understood. The kind she had
earned
. Her brother Anadar used to say, “Pain scares your weakness away.” She’d pushed her body hard and would be stronger for it tomorrow. This feeling was nothing like what she felt from her growing tail. That pain came out of nowhere, confused her, left her feeling fragile instead of fierce. It didn’t scare the weakness away; it scared
her
.
Hoku, his sunburned face covered in dark smears, grinned and handed her a hunk of rabbit. “You’re moving a little slow tonight,” he said.
She glared at him halfheartedly and took the food. “Funny comment coming from a walking oil slick.”
He opened his mouth to reply, then filled it with rabbit instead.
Calli picked up a piece of fruit but didn’t eat it. “Well, you already know that the Thunder Trials are contests, and that the winners earn more birthing rights for their herds.”
Aluna nodded. “The faster, tougher herds grow larger, and the weaker herds die off. They’re just accelerating what happens in nature anyway.”
“Spoken like one of the faster, tougher people,” Hoku grumbled.
“Except the Thunder Trials aren’t only for warriors,” Calli said, popping the fruit into her mouth. It bulged in her cheek. “They’ve got competitions for tech, too! And for working with animals, cooking, and even word-weaving. There are three paths — Sun, Moon, and Sand. Sun is for one-on-one fighting, Moon is for artisan skills, and Sand is for other skills, like shooting and falconry.”
“Fiddling with tech makes me an artisan?” Hoku asked.
Aluna snorted. She grabbed a small bundle of cactus flowers from the food tray and bit off a petal.
“Shining Moon has traditionally done well at the Trials,” Calli continued. “Khan Arasen himself won the coveted Sun Disc in his youth, the one for fighting. He was High Khan for three years. But
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