Mate Hunt: Vixen (Horny Reindeer #5)
1. Xin
Xin
I’ve always been told that I have a nose for trouble, and it would seem this evening is no different. People sit around the separate fires after supper, like we do every single night. Same people telling the same stories while the younglings listen on with rapturous attention. But not me. No.
The stories of our banished brethren started to ring hollow in my ears many years ago. When I was little and saw a good hard working man suddenly disappear, I knew there must be more to this. Why would you banish the good and leave those who contribute nothing but slovenly behaviours?
Now the rumors have whispered over to my realm on Santos, that at least two men have disappeared in the past year from the other side of our planet. Elders gather more often than usual. Their usually peaceful expression marred with something more. Apprehension? Or dare I say fear?
They scurry off thinking they are undetected, just like they have the last few nights, but tonight they have a shadow. Me. I must know what it is they know and what they are hiding from us. When I do, I will expose the secrets and destroy the myths.
I hurry behind them, careful not to be detected. My steps falter as I enter the grain stores and see them staring out into the purple pastures. I duck behind a large container when I'm close enough to hear their hushed words.
“What do you mean a third has been detected missing? All the God’s! This is really close together, we usually have years apart.” The elders' shock is evident.
“And in the vale of light, so it is even closer to us than the other two.”
Three missing? Why are they keeping this from us?
Everything in me wants to jump out and ask, but I know it’s best to get as much information as I can gather. If they refuse to inform everyone, I will. A harsher voice pipes in, and his words shock me more than the situation.
“If it is getting closer to us, maybe we should take the decision out of their hands and send someone first.”
Send someone? What in our God’s name are they suggesting?
Do they know where the missing men are afterall? And are they really willing to send a sacrifice, for what? To save their own skin, or their own kin?
“If we send someone now we lose the one chance to do it again for another hundred years. Do we really want to waste the opportunity we’ve saved for forty-seven years, in case someone is taken?”
Taken by who? Taken to where? Use more words.
My calves burn from crouching, but it's the fire in my chest that has me more concerned. Anger. A feeling I rarely have is bubbling up, fast. They know exactly what is going on but choose to keep us all in the dark. Well no more. I’m going to expose them and they will have to explain everything to all the inhabitants.
Yes. I will tell the others. I attempt to stand, but crouching for so long puts my legs off balance, and I tumble forward and out of my hiding spot.
Sprawled out and in clear view of everyone I know I'm rumbled.
My eyes dart between them as they all shoot questions at me, and panic amongst themselves.
“What did you hear?”
“You know what he heard. He heard everything, he knows too much.”
“What are we going to do about this? It could ruin everything.”
I scramble to my feet, ready to defend myself if they rush me, but they don’t move.
They just stare at each other and have a silent conversation.
That worries me more than if they had attacked me.
I begin to back out of the room when suddenly all three of them raise an arm and I can no longer move.
Stiffness takes over my body as they chant words in a tongue I have never heard them use before, a bright light flashes out of nowhere and then…
Nothing.