Chapter 10

Daium looked at the bird girl before her.

All she could think of was her father. He had died for these creatures. Betrayed his own kind for them, and been betrayed in return. Tanah had burned because of them, the Sacred Forests lost forever.

That was not this one's fault. Even if she had been on one of the ships, it was not her fault. It was ... the universe's. Or ... something quantum. That was it. Something quantum was always to blame.

Daium sat on a hastily brought out chair, up on the hilltop near the replanted Sacred Tree. The Ludzie girl sat on the ground before her, legs folded under her, wings at her side. Her head was a bit lower than Daium's, those eyes full of hate. Alicia stood behind her, weapon holstered but with her hand near the grip. Daium hoped that, with just the two of them, the girl wouldn't feel like a prisoner.

Even if she was.

"What is your name?" she asked, using the Common speech. She had not been off planet in months, so was a bit rusty. The girl just stared at her.

Daium looked off to the west, to the still burning fires.

"We didn't want this. None of it. I saw Tanah burn. Burn..."

"Dom burned..."

The girl's voice was high, chirping. Her yellow eyes locked with Daium's.

"The bombs came down on the nesting grounds. The rookery's burned, our chicks screaming in terror. Orang fired on every ship that tried to leave. We ... we..." she shook her head. "We couldn't stop you!"

"And we couldn't stop you," Daium said, sadly. "I fled my people before the counterattack. Fled, never wanting to see Orang, or Ludzie, again." She let out a sigh. "Why did you come here? With all the universe to flee to, why here?"

The girl looked over at the burning ship, expression going from hate to hopelessness.

"Father didn't say."

"Are there more ships?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "No more. Not with us." Her hardening eyes returned to Daium. "So you are safe. I am not needed. You may kill me."

"We're not going to kill her," Anthony said disgustedly, running his hand through his hair. "I don't know what we're going to do, but killing isn't on the list. We have enough bodies to bury as it is."

Daium tried not to look, as a droid carried a fallen Ludzie to be placed with the others.

"Do we send her away, then? With the squirrels?"

"Squirrels..." He shook his head, as if trying to loosen his brain. "Tonight. We'll all talk about it tonight."

"She'll be OK?"

Cathy looked at the teen lying on the wood frame bed. The dark haired girl was asleep, her left shoulder heavily bandaged. She looked so ... fragile, yet she had been so strong. As strong as Heather, or Sam. Cathy's gaze went to the light brown skinned woman standing beside her. Nona nodded.

"Mary should be OK. The bullet came out easily, which is good. I wish I had blood to give her, but ... yeah, she should be OK." She looked down at Cathy, eyes speculative. "How's the chair working?"

Cathy once more looked down. She sat in a metal chair, large wheels on either side. By putting her hands on the tops of the wheels, she could ... move herself.

"I never imagined something like this," she said, softly. "It's ... magic." Nona smiled.

"Chuck made it when Mary here broke her leg. If you're going to be staying with us, I'll have him make one that fits you better."

"Oh, he won't have to!" Cathy looked up at the female doctor, smiling. "Once we find Sam's sister, I'll be able to walk!"

Heather watched as Sam buried her face in her hands.

They sat against the wooden log wall of some building, activity all around them. In the distance, the sun was setting behind the wall of still rising smoke. Their weapons were discarded next to them, leather chest armor undone and on the grass. Heather could hear the anguish in her friend's voice.

" ... not here. He's not here..."

"Shh..." Heather put her hand on Sam's back, rubbing. "We'll find him. The path led to this world, so..."

"The compass is GONE!" Sam's hands became fists. pounding downward. One hit the grass, the other Heather's thigh. She didn't notice. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?" With a groan, she got to her feet. "I'm going to look after the horses. This place doesn't even have a stable."

Heather stayed where she was, watching the teen walk away. Sam was right. They weren't here. Had never been here. There was no trail. There were no other people on this world, even, if she understood right. They were exiles, with no way forward, no way home.

And who's fault was that?

Hers. This was all her fault. All of it. She had gotten Cathy involved with the wizard, which had gotten the poor man killed by Sam's father. Sent Sam into exile with her family. Then she had not stopped Cathy from leaving home, had HELPED the girl flee a family that, yes, didn't understand her, but they loved her. In their own way. And, now...

"I know that look."

Heather looked up. A thin, athletic woman looked down at her, dressed in tight bluejeans and a white blouse. Dirty blond hair was pulled back into a ponytail, tied with a blue scarf. She smiled, a good, honest smile.

"I'm Tammy. May I sit?"

Heather nodded dumbly. She had not, as yet, paid too much mind to those living in this small village, actually little more than a farming homestead. This one she had only seen briefly, helping the medicine woman. The stranger slid down next to her, long limbs graceful in a way she had only seen with Sam. Tammy sighed.

"Tiring day."

"We were up at midnight," Heather said, body now feeling the ache as if mention of it removed her ability to ignore it. "The squirrels woke us."

"Yes, they do that."

There was a resigned sense of humor when these people talked about the creatures. Heather didn't know what to make of it. She pounded the ground between them.

"We shouldn't have come here."

"You're looking for her husband?" Tammy's voice was soft, understanding. Heather nodded.

"And sister. And they're NOT here."

The woman nodded.

"And neither were you. Let's give it some time before giving up hope. The universe is ... well, this universe, at least, tends towards unexpected coincidences. Don't ask why."

"We've survived for a year on hope," Heather muttered, body limp, eyes looking up at the darkening sky. "I don't know how much longer we can do it."

"I think love was involved as well." Heather looked at her, surprised. Tammy gave her a sad smile. "I said I recognized that look. That's why you're still with her, right?"

"Cathy..."

"Yes, because you love her, too, although not the same way. Two loves. And you're helping the one to find someone else." Tammy shook her head. "I could never do that."

A door opened down what passed for a street here. Cathy, in that strange metal wheeled chair, was pushed out by the nurse. Heather felt Tammy's hand take hers.

"That's my love, Nona. It took over a year for her to understand her feelings, longer for us to be together, but it has been bliss. Not perfect, no, but I wouldn't change a thing."

Heather watched as the pair moved to where Ben and the two half human teens were, saw Cathy easily talking to them. Saw Nona smile, and to her surprise felt a reaction inside herself at that. Tammy squeezed her hand.

"We've had to change, here, isolated from all other humans. Adjust. Marriages are no longer just two lovers. They are three ... and can be more." Heather's head swiftly turned, eyes wide. Tammy nodded. "We will help you find those you seek. Whether you do or not, all of you are welcome here. Welcome to join us, love us, and be loved. Open yourself to what can be."

"Sam..."

"It took a year with Nona," Tammy whispered again. "Never give up hope." She squeezed Heather's hand again, before pushing herself up, as if getting ready to stand. "I need to finish dinner for this mob. Care to help?"

Heather let herself be pulled to her feet, eyes once again going first to Cathy ... then to where Sam had vanished.

"Yes ... of course..."

Lil sat on the shingled peak of the human building, looking down at Cathy and the others. Actually ... just the furry one. The human faced four legged girl. Goldie. Kik was at Lil's side, arms around her, one hand on her swelling belly. She spoke without looking at her mate.

"Her?"

"Yes," he said, sadly. They both looked on in silence. "But ... you are my queen. My love. My mate. This will not change."

"I know," she said, voice uncertain. "I know. We will fill this world with our children. but ... her? How is that even possible?"

"Have dreams ever lied, Love?"

"No..."

"And I do feel something, when I look at her. She ... look at her, Love."

Lil did. The creature ... the girl, looked sad. Alone. Alone, among the humans and monkeys, and squirrels. None were like her. Even the one who was her brother. And there would be no mating with him, if she understood these things. The question remained, though.

"Kik, my love ... HOW do you expect to mate with her?"

"Carefully," he laughed. "Very carefully!"

The fire was contained.

Chuck looked at the wreckage, exhausted. Seven hours. Seven hours at least, doing something he had no experience with, trying to save the home he had spent the last year building. Some spots still smoldered, black smoke still rose into the sky, but...

A clawed hand tentatively touched his bare arm. Chuck turned to Hedva. Her eyes held an admiration very different than the religious devotion he had seen before. This ... this emotion, he knew, respected. She smiled up at him.

"We did it, Chuck."

"Yup," he nodded. The others were gathering around, shovels and axes in hand. "The fire is out," he shouted, fist raised into the air. "Three cheers for us! Hurrah!"

A hundred squirrel women raised their fists as they cheered, bringing him the joy of the absurd he knew so well. He honestly was coming to like them. One, Annot, he thought, began singing, the others joining in. Hedva laughed, her hand still on his arm.

"It's a song of joy, joy that the day's work is done."

"I like joy." Turning to her, he placed his hand over hers. Hedva's eyes widened. "Sit with us during dinner."

"Ch-chuck?"

"It's been awhile since we had a new friend."

Sam was annoyed the horses were OK.

Mostly it was her care that was keeping them happy. She knew this. The teen had gone over their hooves, rubbed them down, made sure that they had some oats from their precious supplies to supplement the grass here, and generally did the normal end of day routine. There was no reason they would be showing distress. Yet ... if they WERE unhappy, she could use that as an excuse to leave. Grab up little Jay, call over Heather and Cathy, and be gone over that hill. Ben could be left with these fine folks. They seemed eager to have them join this community, so they could have the boy. Goddess knew she wasn't that attached to him yet...

"Beautiful horses."

Sam looked at the intruder. She was blonde, busty, like Heather, yet totally unlike her. Her curly hair fell to her shoulders, blue eyes regarding Sam with unashamed interest. What drew Sam's eye, though, was the scar. It was red, evil looking, running up her right cheek. The wound was obviously old, the story behind it one of a young girl, not the woman standing before her. Moments passed before Sam realized she had been staring, and that the woman had just stood there, waiting for her to finish. She felt her cheeks heat.

"What is it?" Her voice sounded harsh, harsher than she intended. The woman folded her arms before her.

"I just thought I'd see if you needed anything. Tell you we'll be eating soon. Your friend Heather has been helping in the kitchen, which is good as Melinda's been in a state since this morning. Almost had to restrain her from going out to the fire, especially since she was going to take Carol with her. Had to convince her it was either stay with her daughter, or go to Chuck." She looked at the nearby basket. "Is that your son?"

"Yes," Sam said, eyes following hers. "Jay."

"He looks not much older than Daium's"

"Do you ALL have babies?" The question had been nagging at Sam. The woman smiled.

"All that have a man, and as you may have noticed we have been forced to share. Well, not forced, as it was all quite romantic." Her eyes became serious. "Anthony told me about your quest. I'll help any way I can."