Extraterrestrial Exploration

chapter 24

–Nala– 

waking to the sound of humming, I stirred with a small groan and cracked my eyes open to find myself in a room I didn't recognize, lying on a warm pile of furs. 

blinking a few times while my eyes adjusted, I noted there was sunlight shining through an open doorway across the room, illuminating the space I was in, as well as the scent of some kind of incense burning.

The humming continued behind me and I felt someone playing with my hair as I turned my head to find the source.  

looking up I found Nori sitting behind me, braiding bits of my hair with a smile as she hummed happily. she paused as I looked up at her confused, and just giggled, saying something I couldn't decipher in her native tongue.

I also found myself dressed in cloth similar to what Astaria was wearing when she entered the bathing chamber. 

Pushing myself upright I winced and grabbed my shoulder in pain as the movement irritated my wound. 

Nori gently helped me and said something in a scolding tone before looking over my shoulder to see if I tore my wounds open again. Surprisingly the rest of me felt great, and I was no longer sore or exhausted.

My head spun as I remembered everything that happened the day before with her and their leader Astaria. ‘I swear I heard their voices in my head…not just that, but I could actually understand them. but that's impossible…’

my brows furrowed as I grabbed my head as the phantom pain of the headache I experienced before, made me dizzy. 

Nori just watched me curiously until my stomach grumbled and we both froze.

I found myself a bit embarrassed by the sound but Nori just giggled as she got to her feet and grabbed my good arm to help me up as well. 

She then led me to the doorway that led outside and I was momentarily blinded by sunlight as we stepped out into the jungle. 

As my vision cleared I was met with the sight of numerous women going about their daily routine. Some were busy organizing herbs and cleaning them, others were carrying containers and baskets around, and a few were lazing around seemingly engrossed in silent conversations while they painted one another's skin and did each other's hair.

“Nala!” Nori called out to me, snapping me out of my daze as she pulled me down a few steps of the stone structure we had been in before and towards the temple.

I continued to glance around at everyone amazed as she pulled me along, and more than a few of the women stopped what they were doing to look back at me with curiosity. I couldn't help but note how none of them wore masks nor had horns like the males I had seen. Was that a trait and custom among their kind?

Nori led me up the steps of the temple and into the main entrance. upon stepping inside we were greeted by a decently large open space furnished with pelts, blankets and pillows all across the floor and steps, besides in the center of the room where a fire burned with what I assumed were bowls of spices and other containers sat. 

My eyes widened as a saw a young boy running around chasing some kind of small furry creature while a woman who looked to be his mother watched, across from them two other females were laid back lounging, and cuddling with one another, while in the far back of the room Astaria sat back on a phone of sorts, dressed up in her armor, mask and even her horned headdress. She looked like a queen in her own right.

The young boy caught the small furry creature and stopped to look up as he saw me and Nori. he tilted his head as he looked at me weirdly and his mother quickly came over pulling him away while giving a quiet scolding.