Chapter 3
Lerinna
Sometime later I awoke again in the little room. I fought to stand again and succeeded. Mara was gone, replaced by another of her species, whom I assumed to be male. In contrast he was taller and solidly built, and had shorter, gray hair on his head as well as the lower part of his face. I wondered what purpose the facial hair served.
He looked up at me and smiled with his mouth. "Welcome. I am Garand," he said, and I recognized his voice as the one who had ordered I be brought here, "Please, I would be obliged if you would drink that." He motioned to a container of crystal clear water that had been set on the floor to one side. With difficulty, I limped to it, keeping my bad leg off the floor, and plunged a hind hoof into it. Water had never felt so good. It rushed into my spent body, cool and clean and wonderful. Some of my aches disappeared and I suspected that Garand had put something in it. It didn't matter, if they had gone this far to care for me I had every reason to trust my life to them.
I turned to face Garand. «I am…» I struggled, «…Lerin—» My head pounded but I managed to finish, «…Lerinna.» I felt dizzy and my vision swam.
"Lerinna," he repeated, "I am glad you are still alive, the others suspected us of some sort of treachery. Tell me, are all members of your race so mistrustful?"
My mind whirled around what he had said, others? I… I don't… Understand, I thought, I don't understand! «I…» My thumb massaged the side of my head as I tried to form the words. Nothing made any sense, my mind spoke gibberish. In all of history who had heard of an Andalite with a speech-impediment? It made no scientific sense! Andalite scientists weren't even positive on how that part of our brain worked. If it was damaged, could it be fixed? I was suddenly frightened, what if I was forever impaired? What if I could never speak properly again? I looked down at my injured leg and felt despair creeping up on me. I couldn't walk normally, I couldn't talk normally. The realization came on my like a shock of freezing water. I was a vecol, a handicap, physically inferior, mentally unstable.
No. No, no, no! It couldn't be! I could not be. Vecols live their lives in isolation, apart from anyone else, the shame of their condition was too great to bear in front of others. No, that couldn't be me. It couldn't be. I knew I couldn't live like that, I simply could not.
But it was true, and the full weight of it fell on me. How could I face another Andalite in this state?
Garand watched me, patiently.
«I…can't…» I said, haltingly.
Garand nodded his head up and down and said, "If you feel strong enough I will take you to them."
I looked at him, unsure. He looked at me, encouragingly. «Yes,» I said, «Ta…take…me.»