Chapter 28 Grighri
GRIGHRI
I followed my love through the new door, our companions following close behind. There, a huge image projected upon the glass tablet suspended from the ceiling displayed the council itself.
“So, it’s true your people took in humans from a crashed Pronok ship,” the one on the far left said.
Pronok. My mind stuttered for a moment until I realized that was the type of demon that had flown the metal grak, which was being called a ship like the ones the locals here sailed upon the frigid waters.
“Yes. I was on my way to check my traps when my Rah-bee stumbled towards me. He was moments away from collapsing and dying in the snow,” I replied.
“So, I wrapped him up and took him back to the village. Chief Grishk sent more hunters out to look for more of his kind, check my traps for me, and bring back useful pieces of the grak.”
“Your Rah-bee?” the one in the middle said, tilting his head to look at me questioningly, his black eyes slowly blinking as he did so. It was most disconcerting.
“At first, Grighri was concerned that Rah-bee was but a youngling in the flush of late youth,” Healer Grokah replied for me.
“After examining him, I was able to reassure him that such did not appear to be the case. A conclusion supported by the fact that once he was clean and Grighri could scent him properly, it became quite clear that Rah-bee is his mate.”
That caused a bit of a stir amongst them, and they began to murmur back and forth in their own language. Finally, one sitting to the right of the one in the middle addressed us once more, or rather, to Rah-bee.
“Arr yoo awherr thaht Grigri iz klaimeng yoo az hiz mayt, Rah-bee?”
Rah-bee went stock still for a moment, then turned to look at me, his face filled with excitement and what could only be joy.
He leaned into me, as if seeking reassurance.
I slid my arm around him, tugging him in even closer, and he sighed happily.
Then, glancing back up, he replied, “Aye wuznt buht thahtz uh loduh awf mie miend. Ahv fahlun fohr himm.”
Sahm gasped from beside me, while the others in his friend group merely nodded as if not all that surprised by whatever he’d just revealed.
“Thaht iz purhahpz just az wehl az wee kanoaht bie lahw retuhrn yoo hohm. Yur wurld iz tu ahdvahnsd hand eet reesks inndaygureng yur deeveluhpmuhnt.”
The council conferred once more, as the Ahsrree looked shocked, some of them wearing looks of resignation, while others looked angry.
They wisely kept silent, however, not wishing to provoke the Sky Gods’ censure.
Then the Sky God in the middle, who seemed to be the chief amongst them, spoke once more.
“Very well. Grighri, seeing as your hoomun mate is happy with you, we will not seek to relocate him.”
I bowed my head. “Thank you. Hoomun? He said they were the Ahsrree .” This had been a much easier task than I had ever imagined.
I hadn’t had to beg or plead, or demand that I be taken wherever they moved Rah-bee to.
He was staying with me, and we would return to our village and the cottage that we shared.
“They are called hoomuns.”
I memorized that, to make sure I did not make a mistake calling them the wrong thing again.
Hroash stepped forward. “What about the others?”
“Yes, are they staying with us as well?” Rimbet asked.
The one in the middle let out a soft hum, then panned his gaze across each of the hoomuns.
“Arr yoo hahpee tu reemayn aht thuh vil lij wiyth thim?”
One by one, the hoomuns nodded, some of them adding words to their physical affirmation.
Rah-bee was listening intently, his body rigid at the question asked of his friends, then relaxing.
“Then it is decided,” the one in the middle said after the last answer was given to his query. “The hoomuns will remain within your village, as members of your clan.”
The one sitting on the far right leaned forward. “We should arrange for tranzlaytorz for the hoomuns.”
“Excellent suggestion,” one nodded.
“It is also proposed that we install a portal. Theirs is the only settlement without one,” the one who brought us said, stepping forward.
“With the increased Pronok activity, it would be prudent,” the one to the left of the one in the middle agreed.
“Take a shut tul and bring the compohnitz with you. They can all ride back to their settlement with you, and the teknish shunz,” the one in the middle replied.
I felt excited at this news. I did not know what a shut tul was, but this sounded as if they were coming back with us to build a portal for my village. This was so much more than any of us had dared to hope for. I knew Chief Grishk was going to be well pleased with us all.
“The healer should remain here,” he continued. “We need to give him some training regarding hoomuns.”
Grokah bowed his head. “That would serve us all well. I am honored.”
“Be well,” came the reply, and the image went dark.
“Iz thaht eet?” Frehd asked.
Rah-bee turned to hug me around my waist, burying his face against my chest.
“Ah luhv yoo,” he said, and to my consternation, his eyes began to leak, wetting the front of me. “Ah wuz soh skaerd thay wur goheng tu tayk uhss ayway.”
I tightened my arms around him, seeking to reassure him, knowing it must be over something the gods had said. I dropped a kiss onto the top of his head. Whatever it was, it would be fine. Rah-bee was mine, and soon he would understand that I also was his. Nothing else mattered. Nothing at all.