Those two days flew by for Jack as he helped his friends with the transportation of their worldly possessions to its new home. Each day was long as they worked to pull the barges through the water. There were a couple of close calls with large sea creatures, but the young men of the tribe were able to fend off any potential attacks. Luckily for them the larger denizens of the deep were only curious and not truly hungry or they would have potentially had a problem on their hands. Jack had only caught a glimpse of one large body moving through the water and it had easily been about three times the size of the largest creature he had seen on Earth. He was glad they didn't have to do too much in terms of protecting themselves past the occasional encounter, though.
It was on the morning of their fourth day of travel that Jack noticed that the land mass on the horizon was now far larger than it had been the day before, and obviously the area that they were heading towards. He was glad for the work they had to do which kept everyone focused on their tasks, though the children were getting more excitable the closer they got. He reflected on the journey and how much he himself had changed. He was now tanned a dark bronze, his exposure to the sun turning his skin a deeper shade. His friends teased him, asking if he were done and whether they could now eat him since he had turned color. He made his own comments back to them which generated bouts of laughter amongst the group. Now that they were close to their final destination, however, the joking subsided in favor of everyone giving their all to the last push to get them to the winter quarters.
Nicolaren told his friend that the land mass was a series of extinct volcanoes and it was within their caverns that they would find their new home. Jack nodded, understanding that the geothermal hot springs that could be found there would be perfect for the tribe in the colder months. He craned his neck to see where they were going, but at the moment they were skirting the coastline and all there was to see was empty beaches for miles as he scanned both directions across the horizon. It was when they were still a bit away from their final port that a shout was heard at the front of the group. Nicolaren cocked his head for a moment before smiling at his friend.
"Contact has been made," he said with a smile of satisfaction. "We will be there soon." Jack nodded and looked ahead, but the flotilla of barges blocked his view from seeing anything meaningful. He did notice that they had picked up speed as if being so close was an inspiration to spur those pulling the barges into moving faster so they could be done with their journey. Jack added his muscles to the job as well and was side by side with Nicolaren when they passed the last rock formation that protected the winter quarters cove.
Jack gazed around as they entered the harbor area, curious about the new people that he was going to meet. Several of the younger members abandoned their barges to rush ahead to meet relatives and friends. Jack could see Nicolaren frowning but he really couldn't blame them. The excitement was palatable as everyone got caught up in the reunion with the rest of the tribe. Jack held back, not wanting to interfere with what was going on.
The whole winter quarters group had come out at the news that the rest of the tribe had finally arrived. Several of them looked at Jack curiously, not recognizing him, but they didn't approach him where he was near one of the barges. He hung back, feeling like a third wheel and not wanting to get in the way. But he avidly kept track of his friends and their own personal reunions, smiling when he saw families reunited again. Their obvious joy was heartwarming. He found he had grown quite attached to the people of this planet, and that he enjoyed the simpler life they led here. It was a balm to his soul after what happened in his past. There was something to be said for living without technology, he mused.
A voice called out his name and he turned to see where Nicolaren and Caterin were with some other people. Nicolaren nodded to him and gestured for him to come over. He headed in their direction, curious about the people who had greeted them. These people were his friends' family and he wanted to get to know them better.
"This is our foundling Jack," Nicolaren said by way of introduction as he approached. Three sets of eyes turned in his direction and for the first time in a long time Jack felt self conscious about himself as they stared at him. There was an older woman with silver hair who stared at him without blinking for a long moment before turning towards Caterin and saying something too rapid for him to follow. Caterin replied just as fast and Jack lost the exchange altogether. He turned his attention to the second merperson. He was an older man and Jack wondered if he was mated to the woman, though his conjecture was dispelled when he put his arm around Nicolaren and pulled him against his body in a close hug, his touch indicative of a more intimate relationship.
"Welcome, Jack," the man said as he smiled at the stranger before him. "My andraren tells me that he found you dead on one of his traps. You look in remarkable health for a dead man."
"Thanks," Jack said with a grin while he filed away the term that the man had used to refer to Nicolaren. It sounded like an endearment of some kind. He observed his friend's body language as he leaned into the other man with a smile on his face. It made Nicolaren look much younger than normal. The man had long brown hair with streaks of grey. His eyes were grey as well and they crinkled into well defined laugh lines as he smiled at the newcomer. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
"This is Rhylarin," Nicolaren said. "It was his job to ready our winter quarters for us." Jack nodded and turned towards the third member of the party who had been quiet. She was a young woman with shimmering gold hair and light colored eyes. Jack was wondering who she was when Rhylarin put an arm around her and pulled her against his other side. She smiled impishly up at him before leaning across his chest to give Nicolaren a kiss.
"This is Bellaron," Rhylarin said as he watched in amusement. "Our candorith." Jack wasn't sure what the term was, but assumed it signified some sort of personal relationship. Bellaron peered through the hair over her face at Jack and smiled. Looking down, Jack could see that the three had their tails entwined with one another.
"We will not see you three for the rest of the day," Caterin teased. She pulled away from the older woman and approached Jack. "I am sorry Jack, this must all seem confusing to you." She reached out her hand and he let her pull him towards the silver haired woman. "This is Allorith, our mother," she said by way of introduction.
"Hello," Jack said with a nod.
The woman tilted her head to one side and regarded him for a long moment. "Is it true what my son said, that you were dead? How is that so?"
"It is because of something that happened to me a long time ago," Jack told her. "But it is true." She nodded slowly as she considered his words.
"It must be hard for you then," she observed. Jack looked down, not wanting to admit to the truth of her observation. After a moment she extended her hand to him and he took it lightly. "You are welcome here in our home, Jack."
"Thank you," Jack responded. He watched as the others chatted for a bit, not feeling so much the outcast with their warm welcome. He did find himself scanning the group, looking for a familiar face that he didn't see. He began to wonder if there was a version of Ianto in this world, or perhaps he had to go further afield to find him. He was lost in thought about it when Nicolaren and Rhylarin pulled away to go begin the task of unloading their barges into their new home. Jack volunteered to help but they demurred, telling him he had done enough and that it was now time to rest.
"Perhaps you should go with Allorith and get settled," Rhylarin suggested. Jack was torn, because he felt like he was slacking off if he didn't help them, but they were insistent that he relax. He finally acquiesced, knowing that they could probably move much faster without him. He followed Caterin, Allorith and Belloran out of the harbor and into a passageway that led under the volcanic rock formation of the island. Jack was curious about exploring the area above the water, just to see what was there. He resolved to do so at some point and scout the area out for the people since they couldn't do it themselves.
Soon they were in a complex series of tunnel connections and Jack felt the temperature rise considerably now that they were underground. He listened while Caterin and Belloran chattered back and forth, mostly sharing information of what had been going on while they were separated. It left him swimming alongside Allorith, who glanced at him curiously as they went along.
"You have no tail," she observed as he kicked his legs, noting that he did very well without one for the most part. "It is strange to see."
"I guess I am unique in your world," Jack told her. He gave her an abbreviated version of how he came to be in this world which she accepted without question.
"And everyone is like you where you come from?" Belloran asked. She had been listening while they had been talking.
"Not exactly. There are other races in other worlds who are as different from me as that rock would be," he said as he pointed to a rock formation sticking out of the wall. "There are many different types of people, all looking different from one another." He grinned as Belloran stared at the rock for a moment and tried to think of it as another type of person.
"Truly?" She asked. He nodded. "That is amazing." Jack wondered briefly if he was screwing things up by telling them these things, but then decided it didn't matter anyhow. They weren't at all close to having any kind of technology to find out for themselves so either they would take it at face value for what he said or dismiss it as a tale.
He noticed a growing light different from the algae that he had gotten used to and realized that they were coming out into an area that was exposed to daylight. They came through the mouth of the tunnel they were in and he found himself in the middle of a sea lake surrounded by what had to be blown out volcanoes. The landscape around them was jagged as bits of what was left of the chain stretched fingers towards the sky. This was obviously their central meeting area, as he noted from the same sort of set up that had been at the other camp where he had first arrived. This had a more permanent look to it, as well. The sky above them was a brilliant blue with streaks of orange and red as the sun passed beyond the edge of the volcanic rock. Allorith gestured for Jack to follow her and he did as they moved over to an area of beach to rest. The girls kept on chattering and she looked on them with amused affection as they caught up on everything that had been going on in the months that they had been separated.
"Did everyone from the tribe come out to greet us?" Jack asked. Allorith turned her head in his direction before shaking her head.
"No, there are some at work in the caverns over there," she said with an elegant wave of her hand, indicating another entrance that he hadn't noticed before. "Some of our group is involved in several projects that take their attention away from reunions." Jack looked over in that direction, wondering if Ianto was there, and what he would be like. "We will see them with the evening meal."
"I think they just use it as an excuse not to help with the unpacking," Belloran said with a laugh. Caterin obviously agreed and nodded as well. "After all, they are historians and the like. What is the purpose of that? It does not bring food to us!"
"Our history is very important, cheya," Allorith admonished gently. "The work that they do is what raises us above the glannon and hisrath. We are people, are we not? Our history is a teaching tool, and a reminder of where we came from."
"It is boring," Belloran said with a shrug, the movement tumbling her long hair over her shoulder. Allorith shook her head in rueful admonishment. "It is boring to me," the younger woman asserted.
"Someday you will see the importance it has for our people," the older woman told her. "And you will come to appreciate the efforts of the asharen." She saw that Jack looked puzzled at the term she used. "Is that not a word you know?"
"No, I am sorry," he apologized. "I obviously need to expand my vocabulary."
"I think you are doing quite well, Jack," Caterin said warmly. She came over and gave him a hug for which he was grateful. He had missed the warmth that a casual friendly touch could bring and relished in the closeness that he had found here with his friends. "I forget that you are still new to this world and our ways."
"I am learning," Jack told her with a smile. She nodded her agreement and he grinned at her. "So what is the asharen?"
"Our scholars, those who work to preserve our heritage," Caterin said. She brought him over to the ledge area they had been heading and he gratefully pulled himself up so he could sit and rest. As good as he had gotten in the time he had been here, the constant motion was draining, and he liked being able to sit back and relax. Swimming was hard work! "We also have those people who study the world around us and help us learn new things to help us." Jack nodded. It made sense.
Allorith went over to another area and began preparations for the evening meal. She called Belloran over to assist her, leaving Jack and Caterin alone. Other groups started to drift in and prepare as well. Jack saw that they were obviously putting together a feast, since the amount of food was much larger and more varied than he had seen in their own camp. When he questioned Caterin about it, she told him that this was an important meal, as it signified the first time the whole tribe had been together in some months. He asked her about the other unfamiliar words that he had heard and she explained both the terms that had been mentioned.
"Andraren is the term used for a mate who is male," Caterin explained before continuing on. "Belloran is their candorith, which means mated female, though in reality it means more than that. A candorith is also one who has born both andraren children." Jack blinked.
"Nicolaren has children?" He asked and Caterin nodded. "Were they here and not with you?"
"Yes, they are here. It is partly why Nicolaren was so grumpy while we were in the other camp," Caterin smiled. "He missed his family. They have a son, Jaranen." Jack smiled wistfully at the news. It was obvious that Nicolaren was besotted by his mates just from the short time he had seen them together. Caterin went on to explain that there was a group who cared for the younger children who were too small to be on their own. This allowed the parents to do their everyday tasks without having to worry about caring for a little one. It also explained why he hadn't seen any very small children in the fishing camp - they had all been left with the main camp which had gone on ahead to set up the winter quarters. Caterin went to help her mother and sister in law and left Jack to sit and take it easy. He was content to do so, feeling like he would be interrupting the women by insisting that they needed help.
He leaned back against the rock wall and let his mind wander. Was the Ianto of this world a historian? It would be very in keeping with the Ianto he had known from his world. Or perhaps he was a caretaker of the small children. Jack smiled. He was trying to picture Ianto with small children and just couldn't see it in his head. It didn't fit the man he knew, though he realized that the one in this world would probably be vastly different, even without the tail. He knew that there would be no hope or future for him with whoever this Ianto was, but he couldn't resist meeting him, anyhow. It was another aspect of Ianto, after all.
Caterin called him over to help and he obligingly did his regular task of peeling vegetables for her. They sat side by side working, used to this daily task and he easily fell into the others' chat as they caught up on what had been going on with one another while they had been separated. Belloran told Caterin stories about what Jaranen had been up to in the last few months as well as two other names: Dranan and Rhyllen, her two children with Rhylarin. Jack listened in, a smile on his face as they chatted. Together, his friends had three small children between them at least and he felt a wistful thought of his own lost offspring. Resolutely he banished those thoughts as being unproductive. Today was a day to celebrate, not wallow, he told himself sternly.
"Will everyone come to the feast?" Jack asked and the women nodded. He smiled in anticipation, feeling impatient about meeting the Ianto of this world. He was more than ready to do so, and was glad once their preparations were finished. He helped carry their offerings to the communal table that was floating on the water. The lake had gotten quite crowded as the crews finished unpacking their supplies and the now at strength tribe went hunting for the evening meal, returning with a large catch for them to eat. Jack had helped gut and prepare the fish, his growling stomach making his friends laugh. More people arrived and he began to see tiny children in people's arms. The caretakers had arrived, and perhaps with them the others who had been absent during the day. He craned his neck looking at the new faces.
"Those are the others," Caterin pointed out a group on the other side of the lake. "I will bring you over if you want." Jack shook his head. He didn't want to put her out. "It will be easier now than when the juices start to flow," she said with a teasing note in her voice. Jack laughed. He had already experienced their fermented juices and he understood what she meant. "Better now than later." With that, she tugged on his hand after calling to her mother that she was going to introduce Jack to the others.
