Chapter 12 Peculiar Vocal Qualities #2
I lean down and stare in fascination. It looks exactly like overgrown mushrooms with moving, swirling colors. “Do you eat them?”
He nods. “They will choose someone to eat them. Their life cycle is very short, so it is an insult not to if you are chosen.”
Interest piqued, I ask more questions. “What happens when you eat them?”
There’s that cute, boyish smile on his face again. “A good time.”
“Psilocybin!” I squeal in delight. “It looks amazing…” I look up at him. “Can I touch them?”
Shaking his head, he says, “No, they are resting. If you wake them, they might imprint on you.”
Respectfully, I back away. “Imprint?”
For a second, his face disappears, and all I see are his upturned mouth and sharp teeth. “You will see soon enough.”
I’m too curious to brush it off. “What, like ducklings? Will they think I’m their mom?”
His laughter is booming, echoing through the forest. “Nothing so emotional. Although they will chase you around.”
“They will grow legs?” I balk.
“Amongst other things.” Patting my butt, we travel once more.
I’ve never been so happy riding piggy-back on a tall plant-man. Teva had not been exaggerating. These boa constrictors are just as thick as my whole body. I breathe a sigh of relief as soon as we emerge from the forest.
I nudge him with the heel of my foot. “Put me down.”
“I am enjoying you pressed up against me.”
“Yeah, but my human legs need to stretch.” Not me shitting on my species again.
When we arrive in the east village, I’m not sure what to expect. Datu sets me down and keeps a hand on my head. It’s ridiculous how it makes me feel protected.
“Does east village have a name?”
“Sikat. The sunrise here is one you must not miss.”
I look up at the sky. It’s still dark, but who knows with Esoterra?
A snap of a finger, it might just light up.
Their day and night cycles are mercurial at best. He makes a loud, whistling sound that echoes all over, indicating his presence.
There’s a responding whistle before another Terra jogs up.
Female. Approximately six-seven, willowy with soft, sloping curves. She has thick, needle-like hair that stops past her waist. She is absolutely stunning.
“My chief!” When she smiles, there’s those same set of sharp teeth again.
Are all the females here carnivores? She doesn’t look as destitute as the ones I saw back at the shore, but maybe it’s because she has a naturally more slender form than the rest.
Her call summons more Terra, and they gather around. It’s as if Datu’s presence enlivens everyone—they can’t get enough of him. They treat him with utter devotion, touching and sliding their hands all over him. Is this the culture here? It is overwhelming.
I have no idea how to respond, but one thing’s for sure. I don’t like it.
Datu is not uncomfortable at how touchy they are, and I feel like an outsider looking in again. There’s something grimey about the way they clawed at him. I blink wildly as one lady starts licking his arm. Holy shit, they aren’t flirting. They are trying to eat him!
His eyes find me and he smiles apologetically. Raising his hands, he coaxes them to calm down. Their reactions are automatic. They bow their heads and apologize. It’s as if he’s flipped a switch in them.
“Please forgive them. They are just hungry.”
Clutching my satchel, I look around guiltily. I feel bad for being—for all intents and purposes—jealous. Of all people, I should be empathetic to them.
“Geez, couldn’t you have said that louder?”
“Oh, Xiaoyu…” He croons. “Only you and Sateva can hear me.”
That shuts me up. The women have dispersed which gives me a lot more room to observe everyone. The people here are all the varieties of tall and slim—plant qualities most common in high-altitude areas.
Reaching into my satchel, I jot down some notes. Datu has an efficient way of communicating with them, and I notice they all ask yes and no questions. When he introduces me, I refuse to clam up.
“Hello, my name is Xiaoyu.”
The stunning plant lady smiles at me, seemingly pleased at my presence. “I am Savi. I am so honored to meet you, Hara.”
Hara? My gaze flicks toward him.
“I will only tell you what it is if you come with me to the cliff.”
Why does that sound so threatening?
“As long as you don’t push me over the edge.”
“I would rather eat you.”
“What a comforting thought.” I say dryly.
The ladies leave to gather for some sort of ceremony, and I’m surprised Datu doesn’t join. Instead, he hauls me over to the edge of the village where the sight of the mountain ranges steal my breath. This is what they call wild, untamed beauty.
The sun has just risen, and I have no words. Words—speech, poetry, taxonomic classification—aren't enough to equate, describe, qualify what I’m seeing right now.
"Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?" I ask rhetorically, but Datu still answers.
"Yes, I have." He gives a lopsided grin that’s as dangerous as it is attractive.
“So…aren’t you going to tell me what a hara is?” My toes tap in impatience.
“Hara is a title. Hara means beloved partner of the chief.”
“Oh? Me? A partner?” I stammer, confused.
There’s something irresistible about Datu grinning while sweeping the tip of his tongue along his canines.
“It is a coveted title. You have made my pollen plume. You made my form want to provide sprouts. You don’t want it?”
For some reason, this stresses me out. What does he mean partner? Sprouts? Was that what the iridescent dust was back there?
“Does this mean I can’t go home?” I am so clearly panicking. That same panic—however—is extinguished immediately. It turns to regret as soon as his expression dims.
“Of course you can.”
It feels disrespectful to rejoice in it, so I stew in my own thoughts.
He begins again, “In some parts of the Otherlands—the human world—hara also means destroyer.”
Destroyer of moments, yeah. This is starting to sound oddly like foreshadowing. “You know a lot of human stuff?”
“Too much.” Datu doesn’t elaborate, but the succinct response is enough.