Chapter 10: Packmates

Cal and Poppy spent another night huddled together between the roots of the tree beneath the tarp, and when they woke, Cal set Murzka’s breakfast cooking. Now that the Araxie was awake and on the mend, Poppy could have slept with her in the tent, but she seemed to want to stay by Cal’s side. He didn’t question it. Maybe she just felt safer being close to him after everything that had happened.

When they entered the tent, Murzka was awake and eager to eat, likely still hungry after her involuntary fast. Poppy checked her vitals using a UNN medical scanner while Cal fed her some MRE bacon and eggs. It was a poor approximation of the real thing, but the Araxie seemed too ravenous to care – not that she knew what the real thing tasted like.

“Your blood pressure is looking much better already,” Poppy declared, returning the scanner to its carrying case. “The smaller cuts are healing up nicely, and I’m not seeing any discoloration of your wound that would suggest infection. There’s some inflammation, but that’s to be expected. Have you felt feverish at all?”

Cal reached out to place the back of his hand against the Araxie’s furry forehead, and she blinked back at him in surprise.

“She doesn’t feel warm,” he declared.

“And, how exactly would you know how warm an Araxie is supposed to feel?” Poppy asked with a sarcastic smile.

“Fair point,” he muttered, quickly turning his attention back to the food.

“I still feel tired and sore,” Murzka began. “Less so than yesterday. Tell me – when do you think I might walk again?”

“Well,” Poppy began, pausing to think for a moment. “Keeping in mind that being able to walk does not mean you can make the trek back to the settlement – you might be on your feet again in a couple of days. I would still advise not moving around too much, because that claw cut through some pretty important muscle groups, which means pain and the possibility of tearing if you overexert yourself. You don’t want me to have to open you up again.”

“I will heed your advice,” the Araxie said with a resigned sigh.

“I’d expect a human to take about six weeks to heal from that kind of injury,” Cal added.

“The Araxie are tough,” Poppy replied. “She’s already showing remarkable progress, but it’s not magic. Her body still needs to go through the same phases of healing, even if it’s able to do it at an accelerated rate. It will still likely take weeks for the wound to properly close and perhaps a year or more before she’s back to one hundred percent.”

“Oh, I have something for you,” Cal said as he slid a hand into his pocket. “I thought you might like something to commemorate the first Araxie encounter with a backstabber.”

Her eyes followed the dangling claw as he held up the necklace, the Araxie extending a hand to take it from him.

“We used paracord for the string,” he added. “It was all we had. You’re a lot bigger than I am, so it shouldn’t look so comically oversized on you.”

“This is...”

“The claw that stabbed you,” Cal explained. “I took it from the backstabber you killed.”

“He figured you’d want a trophy,” Poppy added.

Murzka draped the loop of paracord over her shoulders, the large claw hanging down just above her leather sling, its pale color contrasting with her dark fur. He had been right – I didn’t look so oversized on her much larger frame. She raised the claw and examined it more closely, running her paw pad along its sharp edge, her green eyes admiring it. Her emerald gaze lifted to Cal, so intense that it was difficult to maintain, his heart starting to quicken. There was a gentleness in her expression that he hadn’t seen before, her chiseled features somehow softer and more inviting. Her dark lips shone in the dim light of the lamp as she smiled warmly. He had never realized how long and thick her lashes were before now...

“Thank you, Briggs,” she said with a subtle bow of her head. “It is a thoughtful gift, and from a packmate who I have come to admire. I shall wear it proudly.”

Poppy shared a smile with Cal as he prepared the next meal packet, watching him fumble with the MRE.

Another day passed without anything of note happening. Cal and Poppy took care of Murzka, feeding her as much as she would eat between her naps, the pair making small talk around the fire when they were idle. Poppy didn’t seem quite as antsy now that she had a task in helping the Araxie recover, and she enjoyed his stories about his time with the ranchers on Franklin.

Cal was settling in to sleep between the roots of the tree when Poppy came trotting over to him. He shuffled over to give her space, the little Worker snuggling up close to him, curling her two right arms around his midriff as she lay her head on his chest. He draped the tarp over them, feeling her wriggle to get comfortable.

“The storms have passed,” he began, feeling one of her antennae brush his cheek. “I figured you’d want to dig a burrow by now, or maybe sleep with Murzka in the tent now that she’s awake.”

“Nah, I like being out here with you,” she replied. “Unless ... you’d prefer to be alone?” she added, glancing up at him hesitantly.

“No, not at all,” he added hurriedly. “I like the company – I just kind of assumed it would be a temporary thing.”

“Like I said, you make a good pillow,” she replied as she returned her head to his chest. “I never really liked sleeping alone,” she added. “This expedition has been the first time, really.”

“You miss your sisters?” he suggested.

“Yeah. That, and ... I kind of feel... safer with you.”

“We’ve been through a lot these past few days,” he sighed. “The storms, the ambush. Figures you’d still be a bit shaken up.”

“Put your arm around me,” she demanded. Cal did as she asked, and she wriggled a little closer, pulling the tarp tighter. “There – nice and safe.”

“If you say so,” he chuckled.

“I think Murzka really liked your gift.”

“You think so?” he asked.

“The way she looks at you now ... I think she’s warmed up to you a lot. Cal,” Poppy added, hesitating for a moment. “You haven’t really been around aliens much, have you?”

“Well, not the sapient kind,” he replied. “Why?”

“I don’t know if you realize how much interaction there is between species who live in close proximity like we do,” she began. “Murzka respects you now. She’s taken you under her wing, and I think she’s started to see you as part of her pack. That’s how she referred to you earlier. It’s significant in their culture – not something to be said lightly. Based on what I know about Araxie, she may come to you soon.”

“Come to me?” Cal repeated.

“Don’t play coy,” Poppy scoffed. “You know the kind of relationship that Araxie packmates share. If Murzka approached you in that way, would you accept her?”

“You’re asking me if I’d ... sleep with Murzka?” he mumbled, glancing over at the tent for fear that she might overhear them. “Poppy, that’s ... I don’t know how to answer that question.”

“You like her,” Poppy insisted. “You’re always looking at her when you think she’s not watching. Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it, even if it was just an errant daydream.”

“Is this what you meant when you were talking about chasing the things we want the other day?” he asked. “You think it’s an opportunity I shouldn’t pass up like I did with Cassie?”

“Well, partly,” she mumbled as she averted her eyes.

“I dunno, Poppy,” he sighed as he stared up at the canopy. “She’s so much bigger and stronger than I am – she’s leagues above me in every respect. I don’t know what I could even offer someone like her. You really think she’s going to approach me in that way?”

“Lots of aliens like humans,” Poppy insisted. “Borealans, Valbarans, Jarilans...”

“You teased me for being intimidated by her, but I kind of am,” he said with a nervous laugh. “Murzka is ... a lot. I don’t know if I’d survive the encounter, to be honest. She’s also strangely beautiful and graceful, and you’re right – I’ve maybe let my eyes wander a few times too many. Convergent evolution is a hell of a thing. Maybe if she came to me and asked...”

“I can feel your heart racing,” Poppy murmured, her words making it miss a beat. Her sensitive carapace probably let her hear his pulse as clearly as a doctor’s stethoscope, not to mention her antennae sucking up every hormone and pheromone that leaked from his pores. He was an open book to her.

“Well ... thanks for warning me,” he added. “Murzka is usually pretty direct, and I might have fallen over if she’d asked me to sleep with her out of the blue. At least I can prepare myself now.”

“Don’t mention it,” Poppy sighed.

“Whoa, hold on,” Cal protested as Poppy helped Murzka crawl out of the tent. The Araxie stood on shaky legs, the Worker raising her two beefy upper arms to help support her. “I thought you said two days?”

It was the next morning, and Cal had barely had time to set their breakfast cooking. Murzka took a few faltering steps, Cal leaping to his feet and rushing over to take her arm when she faltered. The pair guided the Araxie over to a seat on the log beside the fire, and she lowered herself down gingerly, still gripping her injured side.

“Damn, take it easy!” Cal warned.

“She’s healing faster than I anticipated, so I said that she could take a walk,” Poppy explained. “It’ll help keep her limber and stop her muscles from cramping up.”

“I could not stand to be in that tent for a day longer,” Murzka grumbled. “It smells of blood and medicine.”

“Yeah, we couldn’t exactly hose it down with you still inside it,” Cal replied.

Kevin came trotting over to her, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he panted. Murzka would normally have recoiled from the animal, but this time, she extended a hesitant hand. She patted Kevin on his head, the dog sitting down obediently, whining contentedly as she used her claws to scratch beneath his wiry fur. Cal and Poppy shared an excited glance, not needing to express how surprising her change in attitude was. Kevin had stood his ground and fought with the pack, and he had protected Poppy, earning his own share of scars in the process. That was enough to gain even Murzka’s respect. The Araxie reached into one of her pouches and gave the dog a piece of jerked meat, Kevin trotting away to eat it.

“You’ve finally given him his treat,” Cal said with a grin.

“It is a loyal beast,” Murzka replied.

“You doing okay there?” he added as she winced, shifting her weight on the log.

“It is nothing that I cannot endure,” she grumbled. “This idleness troubles me far more than the pain.”

“I know you don’t like how the tent smells, but you should probably keep sleeping there for the time being,” Cal said. “You can’t be climbing trees and building nests in this state.”

“I can sleep on the ground if I must,” she replied. “Where have you been sleeping with your tent occupied?”

“Me and Cal have been sleeping together in the roots of the tree,” Poppy replied, gesturing to their spot.

“You have left your burrow?” Murzka asked, cocking her head at the Worker. “It seemed a practical means of making shelter.”

“I feel safer if he’s close by,” she admitted.

“After such an attack, I cannot fault you for it,” the Araxie conceded. “Fear is a healthy sentiment – it keeps us alive and prevents us from behaving foolishly. It is not something to be ignored, but rather managed.”

“Cal said something to that effect,” Poppy said.

“I would not be surprised. He has proven himself dependable in my absence.”

“I’ve got some breakfast cooking for you,” Cal interjected. “When you’re feeling a little better, it might be a good idea for me to go hunt some mossgrazers to beef up our supplies a little. We have plenty of rations, but I don’t want to take any chances if it can be avoided. We’re not sure exactly how long we’ll be staying here.”

“It should not be too dangerous,” Murzka replied. “I trust your abilities, and it is likely that we have slain most of the predator population in this area. Another ambush of similar size seems improbable – there would not be prey enough to support them.”

“That was my thinking,” he said with a nod.

“You know, I can clean the tent,” Poppy chimed. “It’s not that big of a deal. Gimme your canteen, Cal.”

“You want me to help?” he asked as he passed her the bottle. “It’s no trouble – really.”

“I’ll handle it,” she said, hopping to her feet. “Feed our patient, and make sure she eats her greens! She still has an iron deficiency!”

She left the pair alone, and they sat in silence for a few moments before Murzka cleared her throat, speaking up.

“I have not properly thanked you for what you did during the ambush,” she began. “When you first arrived, I must admit that I doubted your abilities. The other UAS scientists were no scouts, and though I did not question your intellectual skills, I was ... skeptical that you could survive in an environment such as this. It has been trying, even for some of our most senior hunters. Perhaps I was also ... irked by the presence of your hound. It rekindled sour memories that I would rather leave behind.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Cal added. “You wouldn’t be the first person to get a bad first impression of Kevin.”

“You have proven me wrong at every turn, however,” she continued. “You protected me, and you protected Poppy when I could not. I see that you have even learned from my craft,” she added with a glance at Kevin. “That is a poultice of angel blossom, is it not?”

“Yeah,” he replied sheepishly. “Your knowledge of the jungle has been invaluable.”

“You learn well,” she added, appraising him in a fresh light. “Any pack would be glad to count you among them.”

She leaned closer, casting him into shadow, one claw reaching for the button on his collar. He felt his face flush red, his heart thumping in his chest, his head starting to swim the same way it had when Murzka had carried him up the tree. Was this it? Was this the moment that Poppy had spoken of – when the Araxie would come to him with her request?

She opened up his collar, then hooked a claw around his pendant, lifting it to examine the backstabber claw that now joined the ivory polecat tooth.

“You fashioned one for yourself,” she mused, her lips poised an inch from his nose. “It is fitting that they should match.” She pulled away again, her emerald eyes peering down at him questioningly. “Are you well, Briggs?”

“Y-yeah,” he stammered, wiping the sweat from his brow. “It’s just ... the damn humidity, you know?”

“I have heard that it is bothersome for humans. My kind favor it. It keeps our fur moist.”

“I can see that,” he mumbled, the sunlight reflecting off the sheen of her silky coat.

“The food smells ready,” she added, snapping him out of his haze.

“Yeah, should be good to go,” he replied as he suppressed a sigh of relief.

He passed her the packet, and as he watched her eat, he tried to puzzle out what he might say if Poppy’s prediction came true. As apprehensive as he was, and as much as he still doubted Murzka’s interest, it was hard to envision a scenario where he could turn her down.

“I will sleep here,” Murzka insisted. She had created a bed of leaves and fallen twigs on the ground near the campfire, lowering herself down gingerly, still sore and fragile. Once she was lying on her back, she threw her cloak over herself like a blanket, the woven leaves rustling.

“Are you sure?” Cal asked skeptically. “I really don’t need the tent, you know. We’ve been doing just fine sleeping under the tree.”

“I know how much you dislike the heat,” she added. “Go – I have grown weary of it anyway.”

“If you insist,” Cal said, giving Poppy a shrug. “I guess Kevin will be pleased.”

“Give us a shout if you need anything,” Poppy added.

The pair left the Araxie beside the dying embers of the fire, Cal crawling into the newly cleaned tent, feeling the climate control rustle his hair. Poppy had done an incredible job with what they had available, and she had even washed all of the blood off his bivvy bag. The fabric was hydrophobic, so it had mostly just been a matter of rinsing it clean. He lay it out on the floor to act as a soft bed to lie on, Poppy zipping the flap closed behind her as Kevin curled up to Cal’s right. As Cal lay down, the little Worker joined him, her small frame pressing close to his left. Just like beneath the tree, she draped two arms over his belly, lifting her head so that she could rest it on his chest.

“This is cozy,” she said with a contented sigh. “It’s a little more ... intimate than the tree.”

“Do you think Murzka is going a little too fast?” Cal asked.

“Hmm?” Poppy muttered, opening one eye lazily.

“Do you think she needs more rest?”

“Oh, nah,” Poppy mumbled as she hugged him a little tighter. “She’s healing well, and she knows her limits. I think she’ll be just fine. The nice thing about the Araxie is that they always trust expert advice, and right now, I’m the best healer she has.”

“You’re a little limpet,” he chuckled, shifting his weight.

“What’s a limpet?” she giggled.

“A creature that hangs onto things very tightly.”

“It’s nice being in the tent now that it’s clean,” she added. “It’s a welcome reprieve from the heat, and I can barely smell the blood and disinfectant anymore. Mostly, I just smell... you.”

“Sorry about that,” he replied. “I haven’t had a bath in a while, unless you count the constant rainstorms.”

“No, I like it,” she said, her voice trailing off into a whisper. “Kevin, on the other hand, smells a lot better dry.”

The next few days were much busier. Poppy did her best to nurse the Araxie back to health, checking her vitals religiously and managing her medication. When Murzka was a little stronger, Cal went out to hunt mossgrazers, confident that she could hold down the fort while he and Kevin were away. Even injured, she was a match for anything that might test her. It was important to keep her eating, and fresh, protein-rich meat was a much better source of raw calories than his human-sized MREs. She taught him how to prepare and smoke the meat, along with a few Araxie dishes that used herbs from the jungle for flavoring. He was also able to find a few choice sauce packets among the rations, doing his best to approximate some Franklin barbecue methods ingrained in him by the ranchers.