Chapter 13
Cael's heart squeezed in his chest as Pugly's terrified squeals reverberated through the jungle. Midori's eyes widened with fear as she grasped his arm.
"Pugly! Cael, we have to?—"
"Come on," he said, pulling Midori to her feet.
Gathering their clothes, they dressed in a flash. Now, the underbrush slapped at their legs as they ran through the jungle, following the desperate sound of Pugly's cries. Vines wound around their ankles, threatening to slow them down or trip them up altogether, but they ran on, desperate to find the cause of Pugly's cries of terror.
The squeals were louder now. They were getting close. Adrenaline pumped through Cael's veins and he ran faster, regardless of the pain from his injuries. Midori's breath came in short gasps behind him. Cael glanced behind to see her face flushed with exertion and fear.
"Keep going," she said between ragged breaths. "Don't slow down."
Cael nodded and continued leading the way.
They broke through the underbrush and slid to a stop at the edge of a clearing. Pugly stood on shaking legs, surrounded by a tribe of about ten black-and-white striped men. Each one was pointing a razor-sharp spear in the pig dog's direction while Pugly shrank back, quivering with fear. The tribesmen didn't turn, and for a moment, Cael believed they hadn't been detected. However, when the tip of a spear entered his peripheral vision, he knew they'd been hunted and caught as well.
Spearheads dug into his flesh, instant threats of what would come if he struggled. A dozen hands from the striped tribesmen pulled them both to their knees, and Cael winced as the motion jarred his injuries. Their captors did not seem care for gentility and encircled his wrists and arms with tight, rough bindings.
Midori knelt next to him, her eyes wide and scared as she surveyed the scene, yet her pupils blazed with defiance when the tribesmen threw a net over Pugly and pulled his feet out from underneath him.
"Leave him alone!" Midori struggled against her bindings, ignoring the spears poking her own flesh.
Even in danger, she hadn't lost her spirit, and Cael felt a surge of strength from her unyielding resolve.
"Midori," he whispered, "we'll figure this out. All will be well."
She nodded, her gaze meeting his with a steely determination. Cael vowed to do whatever it took to protect her.
It hadn't missed his notice that these people were the same as the male who had attempted to take the women from the frigate. Was that just a few days ago? So much had happened since then, it could easily have been weeks. Did that man—what had Midori called him? Captain Malgren – belong to this tribe of hunters? None of them were brandishing blasters, though. They were using low-tech means for hunting their prey. A closer look at their leathern clothing confirmed they were homemade. Cael wondered if they skinned and tanned the hides themselves.
One of the striped men stepped forward, and a hush fell over the crowd. Cael assumed it must be the tribe's leader. He was a formidable figure dressed the same as the others in black leathern pants and a vest. The male's long black and gray-streaked hair was tied in intricate braids decorated with beads that clicked together as he walked. He was as tall as Cael, his shoulders broad and muscular.
As he came forward, the leader approached Midori with a questioning gaze, his eyes narrowing as he took her in. He circled her, his expression inscrutable as he scowled and studied her. Something about her had caught his attention.
Midori met his gaze head-on, her chin lifted in defiance despite the circumstances. Cael felt a swell of pride well up inside his heart. This Earth woman had undergone such adversity, and yet she was still ready to meet this challenge. She was refusing to cower before the unknown male, defiance etched across her face and in her glaring eyes.
As the male drew close, he reached out to touch Midori's face, his action gentle despite the harshness of his demeanor. His fingers traced the lines of her jaw, the curve of her cheek, as if searching for something. Recognition flickered in his eyes.
A low murmur rippled through the crowd as the leader turned to address his followers, his voice grave and solemn.
"We have found the missing human," he announced, his words echoing through the clearing. "The one the four-armers seek to reclaim. She will be our bargaining chip, our ticket to securing the release of our own females." He looked back at Cael. "I am Zephryn, leader of the far western Zebrans. You now belong to us."
Cael's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. The tribe intended to use Midori as leverage to secure the release of their own kind, and he was powerless to stop them.
A tribesman secured a rope around Pugly's neck and pulled it tight. The pig dog squealed and bucked, his eyes full of terror.
"Pugly, look at me."
Midori's voice was calm and full of authority, but the pig dog was lost in his fear. Pugly's eyes bounced back and forth between the warriors, his breathing quick and shallow. The creature was on the verge of having a full-blown panic attack.
"Pig dog!" Cael's voice boomed, demanding Pugly's attention. "The empyreal mistress of the universe demands your attention!"
Pugly's eyes stopped roving, and though his lips quivered, he nodded and turned his shaking body to look at Midori.
"Pugly, breathe with me." Midori took in a deep breath, held it and released. Pugly mimicked her actions, his panic subsiding.
"Don't worry, my friend. I won't let anything happen to you. We're going to get out of here."
Pugly nodded. "Thank you, oh celestial one. I am much better."
"Let's move," Zephryn shouted, and rough hands pulled Cael and Midori to their feet.
Zephryn and his tribe of Zebrans walked deeper into the jungle, keeping their prisoners in the middle of their group. They walked for hours through the dense brush. When they finally stopped for food, Midori collapsed to her knees on the spongy ground. Cael knelt beside her, but with his arms and hands bound, there was little he could do to help.
Pugly squatted down next to her, offering her his body to lie on. She slid down onto him, taking big deep breaths, her face shining with sweat and exertion.
The tribe's leader squatted down next to her, his gaze curious. "What's wrong with her?" he asked.
"She's exhausted. We all are. We haven't eaten in a long while. She'll need rest if you want to use her to bargain. I don't think Lord Krissayr will be too happy to have his slave worn down by exhaustion and starvation. I doubt you'll be able to make your trade if you don't take better care of her."
The leader gave Cael a hard look, as if trying to decipher the truth of his words. But he ordered the men to start a fire and offer food and drink to their prisoners. They released Midori from her bonds, but Cael's remained. The tribesmen were taking no chances with him.
Midori stood next to him as he sat on the ground and fed him bits of dried food and water from a pouch the tribesmen had given her.
"Thank you for advocating for me. I thought we were going to walk forever. I didn't even realize how tired I was until we stopped." She slipped a morsel of food into her mouth and chewed on it thoughtfully. "Is what you said true? Do you think they'll be able to trade me for their tribe's own women if they take care of me?"
She placed another bit of food in Cael's mouth, her fingers lingering on his lips as she looked to him for answers.
"I'm not sure. But they seem to believe it, and that's all that matters."
Midori bit her bottom lip. Cael recognized this attribute of hers. She was deep in thought, making a decision.
"This Lord Krissayr wants a human slave for his collection, right? Sounds like he'll do just about anything to get one."
"Unfortunately, yes."
"I think the right thing to do is to help these people. Their women have been taken, too. They're just trying to get back the people they love."
"I understand their frustration. But I will not let them take you in exchange for their own females. There has to be another way."
"I sure hope so."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the jungle floor, the tribe gathered around a fire. While the men were engaged in their discussion, Midori turned to Cael.
"These people look like Captain Malgren, don't they? All zebra striped but different somehow. Do you know anything about these people? What they're like?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Cael looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. "Not much. I know they're native to this land. If I remember right, there are many Zebran tribes. Some live on the plains, some in the mountains, and others in the jungles. Most of the tribes have forsaken technological advancements and live as hunters and gatherers. But they're usually peaceful people. At least, that's what I've heard. There's so many civilizations in the galaxy, it's hard to keep track of them all."
"Peaceful, huh?" Midori raised an eyebrow.
A log popped in the fire, and Cael lifted his eyes to see Zephryn staring at him. He continued, "I imagine having their females taken might have changed things, though."
Midori's face fell as she listened. "They must be so desperate to get their women back."
"They are. And that's why we need to find another way to help them without sacrificing you."
Midori nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "I agree. We can't let them take me in exchange for their own females. There has to be another way."
Cael smiled at her resolve. "I know there is. We just need to find it."
The air grew cooler, and the stars twinkled above the jungle canopy while the tribesmen shared stories and songs of their lost loved ones. Cael and Midori sat on a large log near the edge of the firelight, their eyes locked on the flickering flames. Pugly laid on the ground at Midori's feet and snored.
"What are you thinking about?" Midori asked, breaking the silence between them.
Cael considered her words. He'd been thinking of her, of course. How to get all of them out of this predicament. But then, what to do after that? Did she still want to go to Rivia and become a surrogate mother? Did she want to return to Earth? Would she even consider living a life with him?
But you haven't even told her who you really are. She deserves to know.
His lips itched to spill the truth of his lineage, but he needed to tell her in private, away from the listening ears of the tribesmen. If they found out he was a Zyranthian prince, they might hold him responsible for their kidnapped women. It would only complicate things.
I'll tell her. But I need to wait for the right moment.
Cael looked at her, his eyes filled with longing. "I'm thinking about you, of course."
Midori blushed at his words, but she didn't pull away from him. "And what about me are you thinking about?"
Cael leaned closer to her, his voice dropping to a whisper. "How beautiful you are, how strong you are, how much I want to be with you forever." Cael's heart skipped a beat at his own words. What would she think of them?
"Cael, I?—"
A roar filled the night air, along with the crashing of trees. Something big was tearing its way through the jungle. By the sound of it, it was heading right toward them.
"What—what is that?" a tribesman asked, standing with his spear in hand.
The rest of the tribe raised their spears along with him, holding them ready for the creature roaring and smashing its way through the trees.
Midori's hand gripped one of Cael's arms, but it was Pugly who answered, his voice raised an octave in terror.
"It's the vyrmm. It's found us."