Lost and Found

Wonder

They take it in turns to go out hunting, never leaving me alone. They hunt for our food and for an offering for the temple.

Offerings are generally made of meat, furs or crystals.

I do not personally have crystals, the boys offer me theirs, but I refuse. I want my offering to be more personal.

I sift through my personal items. I have decided to finally let go of my phone and tobacco. The last remaining items from Earth. What better offering to give to their God, as I vow to embrace this world and let go of my past. Yet it does not seem sufficient.

My hands find the fur of the first animal I had ever skinned. It’s not pretty, but it represents so much more to me. I use this as a wrapper. I also find one of the first wood carvings I created. A circular piece the size of a saucer, images of the fruits and nuts I had first found carved into it.

As a gesture of thanks, I also add a portion of our meal.

Finally happy with my offering, I wrap it in my first fur securing it with a length of handmade twine.

Rowan and Ethan explain to me the nature of the temple. The beastmen that look after it have a dedication to the beast God rather than females. They pay homage to their god through offerings, having ritualistic fires during midsummer.

They do not celebrate their God on specific days but have an open policy. Any beast that wishes to worship, can do at any time. They are at their busiest during the festivals, as many beastmen pay homage desiring favour for finding a female.

The temple also looks after waifs and strays. Beastmen, both young and old that are struggling, can find respite and sanctuary within.

I mount Rowan once more for our journey to the temple. Ethan once again walking at our side carrying our offerings.

The route seems busier than this morning. Males rushing to and through. The occasional female is being led, surrounded by groups of males. Their males heavily laden with their belongings.

I cannot see much of the females; they too are hidden under cloaks of fur. The males though, for the most part, they remain in their human form. From what I see, there is not an ugly one amongst them.

The ones in their beast form are huge. Each beastman are at least twice the size of their beast counterpart. So far, I have spotted a tiger, a bear, a horse, a snake, and a lizard.

The temple’s monoliths stand tall and proud before us, drawing my gaze to it in wonder. I have visited a couple of Neolithic henges back on Earth, and they pale in comparison to this one.

The outer stone circle is the first that you see, as it towers above everything. These huge monoliths surround three smaller stone circles, the first having connecting lintel stones.

We stop a few meters before the large outer ring. Ethan helps me to descend from Rowan, who shifts and swiftly secures his loin cloth. Within moments three men are before us.

Each man wears a brown speckled loincloth and a matching short cape. On each of their chests, right in the centre, is a matching symbol. It looks like the sun rising above the horizon, five rays of light fan down interceded by two moons. The symbols look to be painted on or possibly tattooed. They are a bold black with a golden outline, around 10 cm in diameter.