Between The Crystals

Ch 25 The Keeping of Secrets

"—and Mark's group also mentioned it, so there might be a chance the Saursunes are somehow taking our porting energy." I shrugged, trying to make it seem like an idle thought instead of the earth-shattering news I considered it to be.

A couple of porters looked thoughtful, but most had the same tolerant expression as when Old Fred told stories about humans waging wars against each other in the distant past. A ridiculous concept. Everyone knew that if village were to fight against village, the foundations of harmony would be shattered and weaken both.

Surely our distant ancestors would have known the value of working together to benefit everyone. How else would they have created paradise-like metropolises if they didn't focus on cooperation? Selfishness was a surefire way to destroy a community and bring a village to ruins.

Yet, my fellow porters clearly considered the "new theory" to be as impossible as some of Fred's "histories". My heart sank as I examined their expressions.

Mitch shook his head. "Energy isn't something that someone can take or give to you. It just doesn't work like that."

"If energy can be shared, lend me some," Andre joked, grinning at me to show it was an idle attempt to lighten the mood and not a jealous jibe.

Pushing aside the feeling that my porting abilities were causing some jealousy—or possibly even making other porters feel like they weren't contributing enough—I chuckled and replied, "I would if I could. The next time you see a Saursune, ask them how they do it."

Andre snorted. "How about I never see one again, and we don't have to worry about that?"

With a shudder, Belle said, "I agree. I never want to be knocked to the ground and pinned like that again. And that sniffing was just downright terrifying. At least playing dead lets us get away."

Their encounters with Saursunes matched over a dozen stories Grant had heard today. They only had a couple of faint bruises, proof that none of them had truly been tackled. The Saursunes' claws hadn't even pricked hard enough to draw blood or leave marks.

A porter from a different village had frozen when a Saursune got between her and the crystal. It had circled around her for several minutes, close enough that its tail had brushed against her legs. My story was no longer unique.

And to make things even stranger—although it was being kept very quiet—if the person hung around long enough or came back to collect their companions, food always seemed to appear. Usually something they had been collecting in that area, such as a rabbit, edible tubers, nuts, or berries.

Grant flipped through his notes, frowning thoughtfully. "In a way, it would make sense. Why else track down fifteen groups, pin them, and let them go? Only three had trackers, and those had been raiding crops."

"Ten people died today," Mitch said flatly. "They didn't let my cousin go. Nolani's cousin also died."

I winced at the reminder of the news Grant had brought back from the Oasis. The individuals had been among the three groups caught raiding farms. The porters had been released unharmed, but this wasn't the time to point that out. Not while Mitch and others were grieving over relatives in different villages. It wasn't as if our discussion would bring them back or change what had happened.

"With how the Saursunes are acting lately, should the hunters be leveling spears or holding drawn bows when porting?" I asked into the uncomfortable silence.

Grant thought about it and nodded. "Yes. They can drop the weapons if they see a Saursune, but we've startled animals a few too many times to not be prepared."