So much for quicker updates. I actually pumped this one out pretty quick, but then I started worrying if things made sense and if the necessary information was conveyed, so I had to get my beta reader on the job who, as I said before, was MIA this last week. So sorry about the wait, I hope the chapter is worth it!
More and more as we walk, the women that appear have something wrapped around their chests. The people step to the edges of the path to let us pass. Only the children ever step over the rocks that line it, and only a few of the younger ones ignore us. Most of the humans observe, but they don't follow. Instead they make noises to each other I don't recognize before going on their way.
Am I really only so interesting as to get a passing stare?
And why the hell does Killua get all flustered looking at the women, but he won't even glance my way? What happened to him getting flustered over me?
The village woman leads us to a sizable hut on the other edge of the village. Unlike the rest of the village, where trees were downed and the sun lit the area, this single building stands in shade. A wall of tangled greenery far taller than the forest we walked through looms a distance behind it, the tip of its dark shadow enveloping the building. A strange cacophony of buzzes and clicks emits from it.
Our guide enters the building, no door separating its space from the outside. We nearly follow her in when an older man shuffles up from the side and greets,
"Hunters, Chwara welcomes you!"
The woman immediately returns outside, and shares the same shoulder tapping routine she did with Naii with the man. Naii does the same. He's not grey enough to be considered elderly, although silver strands are twisted here and there in his dark beard. Like the rest of the men and women in the village before the women started covering up, he wears only a skirt at his waist, displaying a chiseled torso I can't help but admire, and an arm so covered in vine-like green lines that the color of the rest of his skin can barely be seen between them.
"Naii, we celebrate to see you again. We enjoy seeing a familiar face." The man's eyes, their grey stark against his skin, drift over the rest of us. "We welcome new faces, as well. I am Jiakair. Come inside, and we will talk of your visit."
The inside of the hut is as simple as the outside. The walls are undecorated, a few doorless rooms surround the one we step into, and the ashes of a fire pit sit below a square hole in the ceiling. Jiakair and the woman who brought us go into one of the side rooms and return with a few blankets, which they spread before the circle of ashes. Jiakair urges, "Do sit," before seating himself on the other side of the fire pit. I gladly get off my feet. Even after sleeping on Killua's back, two nights without sleep still haven't left me. Killua seems to hesitate, then shifts a bit in an awkward attempt to put Alluka down without waking her. He turns a sharp glare on Naii when she moves to help. She assists him regardless, without expression or words, and helps settle her on the blanket with her head on Killua's thigh. While they move, our guide, and a few other humans who wander in, sit spottedly around the border of the room.
I can't help but be put on edge, being surrounded. In her sleep, Alluka pushes a foot against me, and I firmly shove it aside. Killua gives me a look that I ignore. Instead I glare at him and gripe,
"We're here, so feed me."
"Later."
"No, not later. I'm hungry, and right now, I'm not seeing anything I can eat other than human."
My name exits his lips sharply, but one of the younger ones in the room, a boy about Alluka's height, stands back up and mutters, "Will got food."
The slightly older girl next to him gently corrects, "Will get food."
"Will get food," he repeats. No one else addresses it as he rushes out.
After a moment of silence, Jiakair speaks up. "Would the Hunters inform us of their purpose in coming to our home?"
Killua opens his mouth, but Naii takes the lead without warning. "Botanist Hunter Gretel reported the recent disappearances of Baj and their groups. Because she also said you had a sighting of a strange chimera creature, we have reason to believe a certain magical beast was involved, and one of the Hunters assigned to deal with it has been sent. I chose to assist since I've been to Chwara in the past."
Someone along the wall says something indiscernible, and a few of their companions make noises that seem to be assent. Jiakair barks curtly, and they hush. Then, in words I can understand, he says, "One thing you must learn is that a Hunter is a Hunter. No matter their age or kind, all Hunters are capable. Apologize."
All the villagers who spoke immediately lay a hand over the unique area of their body covered in twisting designs and bow their heads. Jiakair similarly lays a hand over his multicolored arm.
"I, too, apologize on behalf of our people. Forgive the younger ones. They have not lived long enough to know the extraordinary power that comes with the title of Hunter."
"No offense taken," Killua finally gets in. "And we should be clear with each other. Naii and I are Hunters, but these two aren't. I'm travelling with them for personal reasons, and I'd appreciate if you didn't ask about it."
"I see. If you request it, we will not ask."
Naii steals the reins back. "Jiakair, we'll need you to tell us about the disappearances in more detail."
As the village chief talks, the boy who left earlier steps back into the hut and sets a basket down beside me. I tilt it towards me to look at the contents. A small hiss escapes me when it's revealed to be only fruit, but I suck it up and sink my teeth into one of the larger fleshy orbs.
"The first Baj to not return was called Lorra. He took a group of explorers led by a Hunter into the land of Bachan, and none of them returned. Ever since, half of the groups that have entered the land of Bachan have not returned. Even the Baj have disappeared."
"Am I supposed to be understanding this?" I wonder, a vague tartness lingering on my tongue.
"Considering no one's explained it to you yet, it'd be strange if you did," Killua comments. He reaches around me to steal a fruit. I glare at the intrusion. The closeness of his arm lets a bit of his heat waft over to my bare chest, and I stomp down on the urge to wrap my arms around it and pull him closer. He retracts his arm, and returns his attention to Jiakair. "But actually, I think it'd be better to hear about your people from you. I'm sure the Association left some stuff out. I know you probably have to explain your customs to every explorer that comes through, but it'd be great if you could give us the usual rundown."
My insides begin to churn, but not like I ate something bad. It's more...I'm still furious that Killua would let Naii stick so close to me, so I don't want to touch him! Using him for protection so I could sleep was one thing. I needed it! But if I don't let him touch me, how am I supposed to seduce him? And I want his heat! So what the hell am I supposed to do?
"Our village is blessed to live under Bachan's benevolent care. The land of Bachan is sacred, and it is precious. Creatures cannot enter the lands without disappearing into them. Bachan is caring. With great blessing, at some of our people's births, the radiant flower of Bachan appears by their side. These chosen children we call Baj, and they are the only ones who may enter the land of Bachan with safety. For ages, Baj and those who accompany them have always been able to enter and leave the land at their will."
I gnaw on the sweet core of one of the fruits. Anger or lust? Pride or power? How am I supposed to overlook any of those? Can't I dominate him while being upset? I am an Ant! And not just any ol' Ant! I'm attractive, I'm skilled, way better than any of those pathetic bottomfeeders of the colony!
"Since Lorra's disappearance, that safety is at risk. I hope Bachan has simply decided that not even Baj should be allowed in its lands, but I worry as well that something has happened to the lands that have caused this disturbance."
"Why can't creatures normally enter?" Killua asks.
"They are swallowed by Bachan's land."
Naii clarifies blandly, "Meaning they never come out."
"Yeah, but why? Hasn't anyone investigated it? A jungle that 'swallows' people isn't exactly normal."
I absently add, "Maybe there's a creature that just eats everything."
"Of course it is in protection," Jiakair replies. He lifts his head to stare at the sky beyond the hole in the ceiling. "Many who visit speak of how well preserved the land of Bachan is, how other ancient lands are torn down and invaded. Until now, we have long thought Bachan allowed Baj to enter because we are trusted. Maybe that trust has been lost." He lowers his head. "But if that is so, we will still protect the land. First we must discover if we have simply lost this trust, or if there is something else. The help of Hunters, you of great power and wisdom, is appreciated in greatness."
Killua nods. "Okay, what about the chimera sighting? When did that happen?"
"A few days before Lorra disappeared, Deion and her son said they saw a creature with a head like a bug, a body like cat, and hooves like a goat. It entered into the land of Bachan, and as every creature, it has not emerged. Mostly we would not worry, and assume Bachan destroyed this intruder, but now we must worry about it. Some have thought that it may be the cause of the change. Young Hunter, what is your thought?"
"It's too soon to say if the two are definitely connected, but the timing's there. By the way, the name's Killua. This is Alluka, and he's Sera."
When he says her name, Alluka stirs. He pats her back gently and she cracks open her eyes, then sits up rubbing them. He shifts his hand to rub her head.
"Don't worry, you don't need to get up yet, Alluka. You can sleep as much as you need."
Her mouth gapes in the groggy yawn, and she squints and blinks as she looks around the room.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Killua, Alluka, Sera." Once again he does the shoulder tapping thing to each of us, and this time Killua does it in return. I sink my fangs into a particularly bulbous fruit and press its flesh against the top of my mouth, slowly squeezing out the juices to drink. It tastes like plain water with a splash of earthiness.
"Earlier," Killua removes his hand from Alluka's head, "you said it's about half of the groups that don't return. How often have people been going into the land of Bachan since this started?"
"All Baj of age enter almost every day except for me, but some have resisted going since people began to disappear. Even so, all Baj who have entered alone have returned. It is Baj who led explorers in who have not returned."
Killua leans forward, elbow on his knee, and points at Jiakair. "That's a problem. To investigate, I'm gonna have to enter the jungle. I would say Naii, Sera and I could go by ourselves, but the inconsistency is what happens when your Baj people go in, so whatever happens to animals who enter without them could be different. But are any of your people willing to lead us in when it's exactly leading people in that opens the possibility that they'll vanish?"
"Jiakair!
The obtrusively loud voice in the little hut sucks all eyes to its owner, and I sit a little straighter. It's a male youth, newly adult by the looks of it. His muscles are just as toned as his chief's and equally on display, but this one's got a strong, smooth symmetrical face to go with it. His hair, a similar color to his skin, frames his handsome face in two thick braids that are just asking to be pulled. The lines in his skin swirl teasingly around his abs. He sits with his back rigid as he declares, "I am willing to lead the Hunters."
After a moment, the chief concedes.
"Really? That easily?"
In response to Killua's disbelief, Jiakair explains, "Hunter Killua, surely there is something in your life you simply cannot abandon. Understand that for us Baj, the land of Bachan is something we cannot abandon. Bachan resides with us, and we with Bachan. Some have chosen out of fear to not enter for now, and I have chosen not to because of my position as the eldest Baj, but even with danger present, many of us cannot help but continue to enter."
"Brother, what about me?" Alluka wonders, her voice still a bit out of it. Frankly I'm wondering the same. He blatantly didn't mention her when he was saying we'd enter. Also,
"And me!" I add, finally shoving away the fruit basket. "When did I say I'd go? Disappeared means dead, right? I'm not just gonna walk into my death with a smile on my face!"
Killua opens his mouth to answer when Naii says, "Sera should stay behind."
I cringe back. Well...fuck! I don't want to stay now that she's said that! But I sure as hell don't wanna go if what's sitting in wait's a creature that's eaten even Hunters!
"You're coming," he states. His tone is final. Since Naii said that shit, I can't bring myself to fight it. To the chief, he says, "I hear you're used to housing explorers that pass through. I would appreciate it if you could house Alluka until we come back."
The rejection on her face is clear, but she doesn't say a word in her defense. I sure as hell don't, either. Why would she even want to come? The lucky little morsel should stay where it's safe and be content.
Jiakair nods. "Of course. She will be given our best treatment." Again, he lifts his head towards the hole in the ceiling, and this time, he closes his eyes. "I truly hope you will return to us as you have said."
Whatever will happen in these mysterious lands? Find out next time (and the time after that, and the time after that...)