Pompods

25

"Zaree!" screamed Gato as she swung through the branches.

She'd been awoken from a deep slumber by one of the elders, but couldn't remember who it had been. To be woken up suddenly was a recipe best left for those who could cook. She enjoyed her sleep and would wait until the morning's suns would cast their glowing warmth across her before she'd even contemplate waking. If she could sleep through an earthquake, she probably would and this had been the problem as she had. Toko's insane shaking had brought her to semi-consciousness and all that she'd clearly understood had been someone shouting 'Get Zaree!' into her face.

Now she swung and catapulted herself along the trees that led up the path towards Zaree and the teaching grounds.

"Zaree!... Waa!" she cried out as the branch under her gave way and dragged her downwards.

She grasped a passing branch on her downward descent long enough to stretch herself out and launch upwards. As she flew over the trees, she eyed the horizon, her destination now clearly in sight. Below the trees dropped from view as a rend in the earth slowly tore its way up the path. She swung herself around another branch on her descent and let the momentum propel her onward.

"Zaree!"

Almost there, just a few more swings and she would be there. Her momentum flung her far enough to land in the clearing that faced their hut.

"Zaree!" she yelled again as she propelled herself towards the home when four round objects flew out one of the openings.

"Weee!"

"Ahhh!"

"What?"

"........"

She caught the podlings instinctively as they flew by.

"Gato!" three of them said cheeringly as the fourth remained sound asleep.

"Where's Zar..." she began just as Oku burst through the door and sent splinters flying everywhere. Zaree had been tightly held in his arms and he deposited her quickly on the ground.

"We have to go," she shouted as she ran towards Gato, "Hold them tight!"

She did not get to respond before Zaree picked her up and held her tightly as Oku picked them all up and threw them briefly into the air. They landed on his back and Zaree wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Hold onto him tight!" she shouted to Gato.

She peered down quickly to see Oku on all fours, at least it resembled Oku in some ways. It was armored and a low red glow emanated from between the armored segments, but the body was sleeker and somehow looked less sharp, even with the jagged spikes and horns that protruded outwards from his head and body. It looked up at her over its shoulder, as if waiting.

"Pop!" said the tiny Memee resting on his head. It watched her intently as it gestured vigorously toward her.

"Gato!" screamed Zaree, "Now!!"

She whipped her tentacles around his waist and Zaree's and held the podlings securely between them. She could feel the incredibly hard but smooth skin beneath her grasp; it was not what she'd expected.

He bolted forward the instant she'd secured herself. She'd never felt such speed as the wind rushed across her skin. It took all her concentration to hold on for dear life as they rushed up the path to the teaching grounds at breakneck speed. The sound of trees being torn down and the earth splitting surrounded them as they sped up the path.

They crested the hill in time to see the great tree begin to lean to one side as they sped past it. She remembered how she would swing within its branches as she listened to the stories being told by Kaia. She never tired of listening to those wonderful tales about her star ancestors.