Between The Crystals

Ch 68 Party Crashers

Callie happily braided my hair, combed it all out, and began re-braiding it again as I half-dozed on the grass.

"There's a Saursune," a hunter quietly said.

Callie paused, then kept playing with my hair as if the presence of the aliens was as common as grass at this point. Having her aunt's hair at her disposal was a far rarer event.

"Looks like the same one that usually hangs around here," Ariel said, sounding uneasy, but not scared. "I often see it when I bring the water cart."

Various footsteps hobbled closer as the hunters and gatherers retreated to the crystal as a precautionary measure. With a heavy sigh, I finally sat up. Undeterred, Callie walked on her knees behind me to comb out my hair now that I was upright.

The dark brown female wandered closer as she examined the rather large group near the crystal. Her eyes kept drifting between me, Merryl, and Ariel, scarcely noting the ten older folks who had remained near the crystal with us.

I didn't even bother wondering if the alien would harm us. Not only was I semi-familiar with this one, I'd seen too many over the last few weeks and grown too accustomed to their almost cat-like act when they tried to steal some energy. Time, exposure, and their gifts were slowly dissipating the terror that their mere appearance had once held.

"Any suggestions?" Merryl asked nervously, reminding me that not everyone shared my outlook. "Lately I've been staying, and they just hang around and let us do whatever we're doing."

I covered a yawn. "This is the same one that circled me about two weeks ago. I don't think she's a threat, but if she's looking for energy, she's not going to get much from me after how much porting I did this morning."

Merryl shrugged. "They never try to steal mine."

"I...I guess I could let it have some of mine," Ariel said, her fingers ripping pieces of grass out of the ground.

With us having voiced our plans to stay, the ten older foragers and hunters began spreading out. The Saursune sat and watched for a while.

The area close to the crystal didn't have much left to pick. With Keywa Village coming here every third day, Grant saw no reason for us not to come the other two days, but this meant pickings were becoming rather slim unless we went farther into the forest.

Rising to four feet, the Saursune approached in a very tentative manner, carefully observing our reactions with each step she took.

"I wonder how many porters have let her approach," I murmured. "She's doing everything she can to avoid scaring us."

"None from Keywa Village would let a Saursune near them," Merryl said.

"Do we just sit here?" Ariel asked, her voice going higher.

I watched the Saursune edge closer. "It's optional. You can sit, stand, or bounce. I just don't have the energy or ambition to move."

"I'll stay," Ariel murmured as she pulled her knees up against her chest and hugged them tight.

Merryl shifted her weight as the Saursune got within ten paces, yet she remained sitting. The alien towered over us, even on all fours. Her shy cat-like body language was helping, but that only did so much when you were approached by something that big.

Angling to the side, she came over to me first, perhaps because I was the least nervous. Her humming was soft as she snuffled my hair and gently nudged my shoulder. Callie scuttled to my other side, staring at the huge creature that had suddenly appeared beside her in her distraction.

More to reassure the child than anything, I stroked the Saursune's neck. "Sorry, I don't have much energy left."

Her scales were vaguely warm, and my energy didn't shift, so she must be able to tell I had nothing left to spare. Still, she closed her eyes as she leaned into my hand, her hum growing louder.