Imperial Guard – 005 Ethos of Solbrecht

Chapter 9 The Loss, Part III

Jetreycka, Majih and Seylah

As the trio followed the Goureg Mantrinesse, who had introduced herself to them as Reyva, through the fields and into the small village, Seylah welcomed the sense of relief that came from being received well, though a different kind of tension began to build. From the troubled look on her face, to the nervous twitching of her ears and her erect tail, Jetreycka displayed every sign of being afraid to discover the truth about what happened to her daughter.

Because of what her friend went through right now Seylah couldn't help but wonder about what happened to her own parents ever since she left Sogowa Prime. The same questions that had plagued Jetreycka, had haunted her many times. But it was Jetreycka who deserved her attention and support right now, so vowing to put her own troubled thoughts aside, she stayed close to her and Majih and prepared to do just that.

The village was one like many others in the region, though with its own unique features. Separated from the rest of the forest by a broad circle of both crop fields and fallow ground, for purposes of crop rotation and as extra protection against forest fires, the tall flat-crowned trees left standing between the houses formed an effective cover against the powerful rays of Solbrecht's sun that attempted to scorch their skin as they crossed the distance to shelter.

Her ears picked up the rush of the river in the background, joined by a multitude of voices, laughter and peaceful happiness as they retreated under the lush green canopy, its extensive shade creating an atmosphere that surprised her with its level of comfort while still allowing plenty of daylight in. The branches of the trees were loaded with colorful birds that added their singing, the crevices in the trunks being the home of shy, as well as curious small animals who weren't afraid to take a peek at the newcomers.

Also among the curious were the villagers themselves. Dressed in their tan-colored poetyo, many of them appeared to have started the day at a lazy pace, sharing a late breakfast with the family from the comforts of their own homes, or out in the open at the foot of a tree. The two halves of a young couple basked in each other's love in the middle of one of the large patches of flowers that grew all around the community. Splashing their colors everywhere, the many different species of plants created a wondrous display that was pleasing on the senses. Members of the community took advantage of this abundance to decorate their poetyo, adding color to their otherwise plain outfits.

"I must warn you," Reyva said, slowing to a halt in the middle of a broader circle of houses, before turning around. Even the roofs of some were covered with a layer of soil that had given birth to a dazzling floral palette that gave each house its own unique look. The expression on Reyva's face, on which the first wrinkles that betrayed her age showed, turned very serious, the corners of her pale yellow beak edging downwards. "She came to us many seasons ago with no idea of who she was. We had already given up hope that her real parents would ever come to retrieve her."

Shuffling one step forward, Jetreycka left their midst, one leg shaking as she dropped her tail into the soft grass, her ears lowering. Her voice was close to a whisper when she spoke.

"W-What are you saying? Is she…"

"We've taken good care of her, I can assure you. Weylu and Piyall have always treated her like she was their own ahmyr, even though they have children of their own."

Jetreycka took a deep shaky breath. Seylah watched her shiver, though it was far from cold even in the shade.

"Let me take you to her."

As Jetreycka gave her consent with a doubtful nod, Reyva crossed the last bit of distance to one of the houses, of which the roof was covered with a random pattern of blue and purple blossoms, swarmed by buzzing, pollinating yellow insects. She did not even have to knock on the entrance frame, for an average-sized, powerfully built Sogowan Mantrinesse left the seating circle around one of the rugs in the shared living space, having noticed that something was up, meeting with her under the last edge of roof that covered her communal home.

Figuring they exchanged a few words in some kind of local dialect, for Seylah did not understand a word of what she tried to interpret as Preidogian, the woman gasped in what to be astonishment as she covered the tip of her muzzle with one hand, her gaze shifting from Reyva to Jetreycka and back. For a moment it was as if she did not know what to do, scratching at the base of her neck as she slowly shook her head, until Reyva touched her hand to the woman's right upper knee, upon which a faint smile crept along her face.

Looking over her shoulder, she called inside the house. Several members of the Sogowan and Goureg families with which she shared the residence looked up, including a number of children of different ages. Only one other member got up from her pillow, stretching her legs before heeding the call. A teenage Sogowan girl, she was large for her age and as she stepped into the light outside, Seylah already recognized certain features, such as the shape and length of her muzzle, the size of her ears and her overall build that were unmistakable.

As she and her guardian approached them, Reyva followed while keeping a polite bit of distance. If the girl hadn't given herself away as Jetreycka's daughter already, it were her eyes that would've done it. That rare, warm, chocolate brown, although her face displayed little emotion. Neither she nor her guardian averted their eyes for even a tick as they halted at a mere two steps from Jetreycka's position.

"Uhreaht," the woman greeted them, her gaze moving to her and Majih before going back to Jetreycka. "I'm Weylu. This is…" She looked at the girl at her side, who had one ear flattened and a questioning look on her face as she studied Jetreycka. "We named her Naeya, for she could not remember her name when she came to us."

Jetreycka did not move a muscle. Frozen on the spot, all she could do was stare back at the girl in front of her as if averting her eyes would make her disappear. It was as if she still had trouble convincing herself that this moment was real. Pausing while trying to assess if she should continue when Jetreycka did not respond, Weylu did after a moment of silence.

"It happened about thirty seasons ago. One of our hunters found her, all alone in the forest, her head badly injured. She's lucky to have survived. Our healer took care of her and she grew up among us as one of our own."

Jetreycka's legs wobbled for a split tick as she emitted a sob. Until they gave way as she fell on her knees, the thick grass covering most of the soil dampening the impact to a dull thud. Unable to watch as her friend succumbed to her grief, Seylah kneeled next to her at the same time that Majih did, placing a comforting hand on Jetreycka's trembling shoulders, as tears pearled over her cheeks.

"Why is that woman crying?" Naeya asked, her voice devoid of all emotion and rather monotonous.

"Because…" Weylu croaked, wiping at her own cheeks. "Because she is your ahmo."

Naeya frowned, disbelief and curiosity fighting for dominance on her face, turning it into an odd expression of both.

"But… I already have an ahmo. You're my ahmo, are you not?"

Weylu took a deep shaky breath.

"Perhaps… perhaps it's best if we take this one slow step at a time. Will you join us inside? It seems we have a lot to talk about." Nodding as she wiped at her tears, Jetreycka apologized, before finally introducing herself. "No need to apologize, my dear," Weylu said in her warmest voice. "Please, join us."

Although science itself had proven that the Mantrin nose was not sensitive enough for parents to recognize their offspring past the infant stage from a larger group by smell alone, real-life examples had proven otherwise on countless occasions. It was as if the bond between parent and child, the deeper emotional connection between the two, heightened the senses to the point of invalidating this theory.

Jetreycka now experienced this firsthand, having sat close to the teenage girl who could not be mistaken for her long lost daughter. That characteristic leathery scent, strengthened by the absence of modern personal hygiene products that often masked the subtle distinctions between individuals. It hadn't changed. Naeya's bodily scent was still exactly the same as before her name changed from Oseya.

Sharing the side of a small hill near the edge of the village with Weylu, gently brushing her hand over the velvety soft petals of the bright yellow oola flowers that blanketed it, they watched the children play their games between the flower fields. Even though the girl was on the verge of becoming a young woman, she did not seem to enjoy the playful frolicking any less than the very youngest of the group.

With the searing afternoon approaching, the group's hunters, fishermen and foragers returned from the depths of the surrounding forest with their prey and filled baskets, the farmers and gardeners collecting what little equipment they used to tend to their crops and gardens. Taking in the sweet scent of the flowers, Jetreycka's ears picked up the subtle notes of one of the elders plucking the strings of his joyt with his claws for practice. In her thoughts, she thanked Solbrecht for allowing her daughter to live and be welcomed into such a peaceful community.

"You might have come at the right time," Weylu said, sounding hopeful all of a sudden. The conversations they had in the privacy of her home had avoided the subject in order not to interfere too much with Naeya's memory loss or make her feel uncomfortable and with good reason. "Since about a season ago she's starting to regain some of her lost memories. She's remembering things from before she came to us. It's not much and sometimes she forgets what she remembered the day before. But her memories might still be there."

"She doesn't even recognize me," Jetreycka whispered. "She looks happy though."

Having been offered something to eat, she almost refused and only took a piece of fruit out of politeness, for her stomach felt like it had a knot in it the size of one of Solbrecht's moons. Although Weylu had mentioned it to her, Naeya's troubled mind did not seem convinced that she had her real mother in front of her. In fact, she had ignored this fact completely, as if her guardian hadn't said a thing.

"These returning memories…" Weylu shook her head. "They're confusing her. She cries sometimes for no apparent reason. And when I ask her what's wrong she can't remember why she's crying."

"My poor girl. What happened to her emotions? It's like she feels almost nothing at all."

Weylu shrugged, sighing as she moved her legs in a different position, crossing them at the height of the ankles. Stretching her own legs, Jetreycka pulled one of them toward her, her toe claws digging into the soft soil.

"She's been like this from the start. It's as if she lacks real empathy. She can't feel other people's emotions, but she's always willing to help others in need. And there are still things she enjoys a lot, like playing with the younger children. Our healer thinks her mind is somehow stuck at the time of her accident."

Wiping at her cheeks with quick strokes from the tips of her fingers, Jetreycka took a deep breath as she watched her daughter, who was once named Oseya, lift one of the younger children in her strong arms, rubbing the tip of her beak to the boy's chest with a playful growl while he cackled with laughter. It was like Weylu said. She was on the verge of being called a woman, but she still had the mind of an eight-cycle old.

"Is she healthy? Apart from her memory loss?"

"She seems fine physically, but she has these headaches. They can become pretty severe sometimes. And she seems to have trouble learning new things. That doesn't mean we value her less than others. We're all equals here and she's doing the best she can. But she won't become a huntress or a healer."

It only took a moment of silence for Weylu to place a warm and comforting hand on her shoulder. As Jetreycka looked into the woman's eyes, which were a more unusual bronze color, she saw nothing but love and compassion in them. Qualities that people who spent time around her had often used to describe her as well.

"We mustn't lose hope." As she said that, Weylu gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You're her real ahmo. You being in her presence might awaken something."

As she tried to smile, the change in expression on the face of her daughter's guardian betrayed that she succeeded to some degree. That this woman had done her very best to be her mother and that Naeya, as she was called now, viewed her as such made her feel grateful toward her.

"I know the drill," she responded to Weylu's hopefulness with a nod. "Don't force the memories upon her. They'll have to come back on their own."

"Let's give it time. Will you stay with us for the next couple of days, or do you have to go back to the city for work?"

"Actually, none of us are from this world. Three days is all we have. I might have to… leave her behind again." Only while she said that she realized the possibility of it. She could not force her daughter to come with her if Naeya didn't recognize her as her mother. "But I know you'll take good care of her," she added quickly.

"We'll wait and see. Shall we go for a walk while we let the children play?"

"Yes, I'd love that."

Switching to lighter subjects to grant the both of them a moment of relief, the route Weylu chose for their casual stroll took them past the fields around the community, and the banks of the river which was the tribe's water supply. Every step of the way, Jetreycka continued to be mesmerized by the abundance of life in this part of the forest. She had already lost count a while ago of the number of different species of birds, small animals and insects she had already encountered.

"Whole generations of my family have grown up in this community," Weylu narrated, lowering her voice to a whisper, which made Jetreycka wonder where they were heading.

With Weylu holding up a thick overhanging branch loaded with bright pink flowers that spread a pleasant fruity smell, preventing it from slapping back into her companion's face, Jetreycka had followed her to a secluded spot near the village border. The thick growth appeared to function as a kind of wall around a large rock formation that erupted from the forest floor like a tiny mountain. What she noticed upon entering was that even the sounds of the forest had faded to a whisper inside the circle.

As Weylu put a finger on her lips, she felt the weight of this silence pressing onto her like a blanket. The rock formation was several times taller than she and Weylu were, its flat gray surfaces smoothed by thousands of solar cycles of natural erosion. What she did not expect however was that its footprint followed the rough shape of a horseshoe and that the center was a plateau open for entering. Weylu had brought her to the shrine of her community and they weren't the only visitors at this time of day.

A Goureg couple sat side-by-side on their middle legs on the natural stone floor, speaking reverently in the ancient tongue of their far ancestors. Although the space inside the shrine was large enough to fit ten Mantrins, Weylu waited by the entrance to grant them their moment.

The walls of the shrine were carved with symbols, forming the names of those who had passed on and keep their memories alive. In the middle of the plateau stood a single large torch, to allow for ceremonies to be performed and for respect to be paid after sundown. Their people had several ways to honor those who had returned the bodies given to them by Solbrecht back to the planet. Embroidering their names on rugs and pillows was the most common practice. The use of this rock formation as a shrine to preserve these names, which was in essence a part of Solbrecht itself, was a more unique example.

Waiting for the couple to finish the honoring of their ancestors, Jetreycka maintained absolute silence, exchanging a few glances with Weylu as her own mind took her back to the funerals of her grandparents back on Sogowa Prime. Although laden with emotion, she distinctly remembered the innate beauty of these two separate events.

The members of the family dressed in ceremonial poetyo. The bodies of those who passed away in similar attire, carried on a bed of flowers to a designated spot in the middle of the forest for the cremation, accompanied by powerful notes on flute, joyt and drums and the deeply emotional chants of men and women. Although saying goodbye to a loved one was never easy, the ceremony strengthened the bonds between the entire family, creating strong positive energy out of great sadness.

The thumps of two heavy tails on the natural stone floor of the shrine brought her back to the here and now and as the couple rose back on their legs, exiting the shrine with shuffling and scratching steps, Weylu stepped aside for them to pass. As the Goureg Mantrinesse wiped at a single tear that had escaped her eye, she and her mate subtly smiled away their emotions when their characteristic blue green eyes met Weylu's and Jetreycka's during their passing. As Jetreycka followed Weylu's example in a respectful bow of the head while maintaining silence, they received the same in return from the couple before they left through the same arch in the surrounding growth.

"Will you share this moment with me?" Weylu asked, her voice still little more than a whisper.

Surprised as well as honored by her request to share such a personal experience with her, Jetreycka humbly accepted, following the replacement mother of her child into the shrine. The smooth rock had retained the warmth of the patch of sunlight that crawled over its surface, warming her feet as she followed in Weylu's careful steps.

Standing still in front of the wall of rock, Weylu placed the palm of her hand on its surface, covering one of the spirals that formed the name of one of her ancestors. Her claws retracted, she shifted her hand to cover several others as she called them with her soft gentle tone of voice, her ears lowering as did her tail, which she rested on the floor.

Unsure what to do, Jetreycka kept silent until Weylu kneeled in front of the memorial wall, adjusting one of the strips of poetyo that ran over her left shoulder, before the woman tapped her hand on the floor next to her, looking over her shoulder once before bowing her head forward. Taking her place beside her, Jetreycka studied Weylu before assuming the same pose. Weylu had her eyes closed, her hands folded in her lap, one of her large elliptical ears twitching at the sound of Jetreycka's toe claws scratching the floor until near-complete silence fell over the shrine.

Closing her own eyes, her hands folded in a similar fashion, it was as if Weylu sensed her readiness, for she began to speak reverently in her own dialect, in which she recognized little more than the names of the ancestors mentioned. Although the phonology of the language was similar and some of the words sounded like variations of standard Preidogian, she could not derive much meaning from them, though she felt the other woman's emotions through the subtle trembling of her voice.

She had not been asked to do anything, but the way Weylu treated her made it feel like they had known each other for far longer than the small part of the day that had passed since they met. What was also unusual was that their people were not known for extensive practicing of prayer, though certain subcultures diverted from this with a stronger spiritual sense, often connected to either the honoring of those who had passed on, such as this community, or acts of religious devotion to the planet itself.

Before she knew it, Weylu finished her personal ritual with a series of rhythmic taps of her tail on the floor, similar to the Goureg couple that went in before them. Lifting one eyelid to take a peek, Jetreycka opened her eyes when she saw Weylu looking at her, a single tear glittering on her cheek, which she wiped away with a finger before smiling.

"Myrsya, for your respect."

"I'm truly honored. I'm curious though. Why would you want to share such a personal experience with me? We… just met."

Weylu smiled again.

"Our paths have crossed today. Who says it did not happen before?"

Leaving Jetreycka to try and figure out on her own what she meant by that, Weylu rose back on her feet without further explaining herself, though she continued to smile at what must have been a glimpse of confusion.

Without further ado, she left the shrine with slow shuffling steps until her feet hit grass, looking over her shoulder when she reached the arch in the surrounding trees and bushes. Holding up the sweeping branch like before for Jetreycka to pass, the two women walked a few steps between the crop fields before Weylu stood still and took a deep breath, her shoulders sagging as she blew the air out of her lungs.

"I don't understand why so many of us gave up on this," she said more to the village in front of her. "Those cities the humans have built. What makes them so appealing?"

Attempting to appreciate the intense warmth of the sun's rays on her skin for a brief moment, Jetreycka buried her middle legs into the soft freshly watered soil, taking in its earthy smell, mixed with the surrounding lush green growth and the more distant sweetness of the flowers. The uninitiated were quick to underestimate the ability of their people's traditional clothing to keep the body cool even in these temperatures. Her lungs had begun to get used to the high humidity, making breathing feel like less of a struggle.

"It's all about making things as convenient and instantly accessible as possible," she answered. "They are aware of the cost. It's just that they seem less willing to reduce that cost to an absolute minimum if it means they'll have to give up on some of those conveniences. It's different from Sogowa Prime. We put the health of the planet first, like you do, despite our modern world being similar to that of the humans."

"I wish there was a way to make them see the error of their ways. Without turning to violence that is."

There was something about the way Weylu's voice changed, a kind of disappointment that convinced her to ask the question that had bothered her since they arrived. She hadn't seen any signs so far. The community appeared to be a most peaceful place, with no interest in throwing themselves into a conflict that was certain to claim lives.

"There's… something I would like to know," she began, looking up at Weylu.

The replacement mother of her child glared down her muzzle at first, before lowering herself in a similar kneeling position right in front of her, her tail swishing with calm sweeps. The edges of her beak turned upwards, her bronze eyes twinkling despite the worry that leaked into her voice.

"I think I know what you want to ask."

Taking a slight breath, Jetreycka tried to relax, even though she felt that things weren't as bad as they could have been.

"Have you… answered the call of… you know, Wyr'Mo'Gwi?"

Not entirely surprising, Weylu shook her head, though it did feel like a considerable load dropped off her shoulders. Her companion heaved a sigh.

"Short answer, no. We have not. That doesn't mean they did not try to convince us to join their cause." Gritting her teeth, her unsheathed claws prodded into the muscle of her thighs as she squeezed them. "It was a couple of seasons ago that they paid us a visit."

A pained expression forced its way onto Weylu's face. The change was so sudden and unexpected that a cramped feeling took hold of Jetreycka's chest.

"They didn't hurt anyone, did they?"

Again Weylu shook her head, her ears flapping as if they had suddenly lost the strength to stand up straight.

"No, nothing like that. But it was immediately evident that they were not nice people. Their abwot was this really big Logri. He was accompanied by three others. One of them was an older woman, she…" Weylu shivered as if someone walked over her spine. Like the memory itself drove away the warmth of the sun despite its scorching intensity. "Reyva and I didn't like her. Even though she had this sugar-coated voice, she spat poison whenever she talked about the humans. One of the children even asked me who that scary lady was."

She sighed.

"Anyway, they made a couple of compelling arguments about how human colonialism is destroying our way of life. How it damages the planet and brought a sickness to their community. The only thing we agreed on was to offer our help should they need food and medicine, or even refuge. They claimed it wasn't enough. They would not give up their home to the humans and would fight them."

"That's terrible."

Weylu nodded.

"We felt their pain. It's not that we're not aware of all that is happening around us. But we're worried that things have already gone out of hand. People are dying out there. We're not looking to fight a war. We just want to… be ourselves. Like it's always been."

"So, what did you tell them?"

"We told them we needed time to think about it. After that they left, though they came back not long after that. After we refused a second time, they said they would keep in touch anyway, for they assured us we would change our minds soon." Biting her lip, Weylu gave her a serious look. "We haven't, I promise you."

Jetreycka could not shake the uncomfortable feeling that despite the tribe's efforts to stay out of the greater conflict that spread all over Solbrecht, their eventual involvement one way or another could be an inevitability. The more the conflict heated up, the easier Wyr'Mo'Gwi rallied people to their cause, until reaching critical mass. If anyone was still capable of putting a stop to it, it had to happen fast.

Having grown up in the rural areas of equatorial Sogowa, Majih learned from a young age about the very delicate balance of managing the food chain for the modernized part of their people while keeping the impact on the planet's ecosystems as low as possible. With his parents being farm owners, cultivating more than a dozen different types of crops on a relatively small number of acres, employing advanced techniques such as computer-assisted vertical farming and robotic harvesting, the instinct of caring for the environment ran through his veins as strongly as it did for the people he found himself in the middle of.

Sitting on the small porch at the rear of one of houses close to the village border with Seylah and Johra, one of the farmers, the large powerfully built Goureg surprised him with this knowledge of cultivating various crops with little more than the strength of his and his fellow worker's bodies and simple handheld tools.

"We rotate our crops about every twelve seasons. Our yields have been strong and steady since I remember holding a hoe for the first time." His age betrayed by the lines on his face, in particular around the eyes, and somewhat discolored teeth, Majih deduced that this community had mastered the art of farming a long time ago. Hardened by many seasons of hard work, Johra's naturally high muscle mass was enhanced even more by his passion for keeping a steady food supply. Having no need for the top part of his poetyo under the last edge of tree cover, he flaunted a well-developed chest and enormous biceps that rivaled Jirro's. When sitting next to each other, he was quite a bit taller than he and Seylah were, his enormous legs stretched out ahead of him as he leaned back on his arms. "Now I am curious about what your parents' farm looks like. I bet an old fool like me wouldn't understand more than half of what's going on in there."

The chuckle he added was as deep and vibrating as his soothing voice.

"Most of our produce goes directly to nearby towns to keep the supply chains short," Majih explained. "We've got a bit more mouths to feed. Stacking layers limits the amount of land required, though we still grow part of our crops out in the open."

"Hmm, it pleases me to know that the other half or our people haven't forgotten to take good care of their world." Pushing himself up on his legs with a powerful motion to a towering height, his short tail lashing as he balanced himself, he smiled. "Excuse me, Seylah, Majih. I promised my grandchildren to join them for a swim this afternoon. If you would like to come with us, feel free to do so."

"That doesn't sound too bad, actually," Seylah accepted his offer. "Majih?"

"Sure, maybe find Jetreycka first and ask her to join."

"I'll see you in a bit," Johra said with a nod before disappearing around the right corner of the house at a leisurely pace.

Breathing a relaxed sigh, Seylah's soft purring made Majih close his own eyes as he focused his attention on their environment. The occasional glitter of the sun's rays peeking through the roof of leaves overhead. The ever-present smell of sweet blossoms. The buzzing insects, singing birds and animal sounds. There was nothing in particular that reminded him of home, except for the overall peacefulness that could also be found in and all around the place where he was born. It also happened to be the thing that Seylah felt the need to mention.

"It's really peaceful around here. The people are so nice."

"It is. Of all the possible places that Oseya… I mean Naeya could have ended up in, this one seems like somewhat of a fluke considering the stance of many communities toward modern Solbrecht in this region."

Opening her eyes, Seylah sighed as she shook her head.

"I feel sorry for Jetreycka. She finally found her daughter, and the girl doesn't even recognize her own hahme."

"Yeah, poor Jet. Let's hope Weylu's right. Her hahme's presence might bring back those memories. Shall we go find her?"

"Sure."

Adjusting the top part of her poetyo by pulling the tucked-in ends for a tighter fit, Seylah yawned once before getting up. Blending in with the villagers, she had decorated her outfit with a trio of different flowers on her left breast. Making sure they too were secured between the strips of cloth, she followed him back in the direction of the village center.

"I noticed right before we left the city that most of the crew have gone off grid. How many of us are looking for family members who went back to life as it was before humans came to Solbrecht? I am somewhat worried Seylah." Halting in unison after only a few steps near the wall of the house, her focus seemed to be elsewhere as she averted her gaze to the little shoots of tall grass that grew along its foundation. Remembering that she wanted to go look for her own family too one day, he attempted to correct his mistake. "Sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of that."

Seylah shook her head, her upper lip pulling back as irritation drew its lines on her young face. That she and Jetreycka had grown close did not surprise him, with Seylah's mind being more comparable to that of a teenager than an adult, and Jetreycka who used to be a mother. Digging her toe claws into the soft grass below her feet, he watched as her hands balled to fists.

"Nah, it's not that. It's just… All of a sudden her eyes pierced into his, a grouchy undertone leaking into her voice. "I wanted to support Jetreycka through all this. She's been nothing but kind to me from the start. And I just had a thought." She swallowed, snorting as her eyes flashed back and forth from making contact with his, to the rough stone wall on her right. "I feared that now that she found her daughter she would forget about me." Smashing her fist into the wall with considerable force, she stomped her foot at the same time, startling a small flock of birds into taking off from the roof of the house. Shaking her hand as she clenched her teeth, all she seemed to have succeeded in was hurting herself, though her anger did subside as she took a few breaths to calm down. "Can't believe I'm jealous."

"Seylah… you've spent more time around Jetreycka than I have, and even I know that she would never just drop you like that. Trust me. You've got a friend for life."

"Well, she did say she'd be there for me if I needed her support."

"There ya have it. I understand your thoughts, but given the type of person that she is, are they justified?"

"No," was her slow response.

"Don't beat yourself up over every little thing. Even when we work together I notice you're pushing very hard. That I understand too, but maybe you're being too hard on yourself."

Heaving a deep sigh, dropping her shoulders as the tenseness drained out of her muscles, she turned her eyes down.

"I know." The reserved smile that showed itself on her face went hand-in-hand with a longing look in her eyes as she stepped closer to him. Seylah had the tendency to cling to people who were nice to her, which was understandable given what she had been through. "You've been really kind to me. Can I… give you a hug?"

The first thought that sprung to mind was that of his own mate. What would she think if she saw him with another woman in his arms? He had never seen any evidence that Binjeh harbored feelings of jealousy or distrust. Their bond was so strong that even the thought of her face tickled his stomach. It was this feeling that kept him from even looking at other women in certain ways. Noticing his hesitation, Seylah's lips parted, ready to apologize for her request, though her need for comfort was what convinced him to make an exception.

"I'm sure Binjeh won't mind that we're just good friends," he said with a chuckle.

In response, she closed what little distance was still between them, lowering herself on her legs so that his chin ended up on her shoulder. Rubbing her back, as her strong arms tightened around his, he heard her swallow, unsure what to say and therefore keeping his mouth shut. He couldn't help himself from picking up her strong leathery scent, interlaced with that mild sweetness despite a hint of sweat, that young members of their species often had.

She held on to him for longer than expected, and he continued to rub her back with soft strokes while she savored the moment to the point of purring under his touch. When she finally let go, an honest smile played on her lips, sweet warm breath tickling his face as their muzzles remained close to touching each other.

"Uiisa, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay. You looked like you could use a hug."

Taking an extra step back, there was nowhere to hide her flushed cheeks and ears. Giving himself a mental slap in the face for feeling all warm inside, Majih was glad she did away with any further awkwardness by taking the lead, her voice having a much more positive tone.

"Let's go find Jetreycka."

As if the village wasn't picturesque enough during the day, the setting sun turned the community into a living painting, reminiscent of the dreamy landscapes that great masters of art recreated on whatever materials they used for a canvas all over the galaxy. With the powerful rays reduced from a searing blaze down to a gentle caress, the dense tree cover no longer blocking them from penetrating deep between the buildings, Majih, Seylah and Jetreycka enjoyed a very traditional meal.

With jerked simr, different species of fresh raw fish seasoned with little more than salt and local herbs, a number of different fruits, both fresh and dried, raw vegetables and a small selection of nuts and seeds, not even a single piece of wood was burned for cooking purposes. The trio learned from Reyva that the tribe went to certain extremes to keep their relationship with the planet and its resources as harmonious as possible.

One example was restricting the use of fire to lighting only and without burning wood. Instead, the tribe collected a type of slow burning natural wax, produced by a species of pollinating insects common to the region and used in the construction of their large nests. The abundance of flowers caused the insects to thrive, and because they migrated during the cooler seasons, the remains of their nests could be collected without harming the tiny creatures, creating a self-sustaining circle of harvest and rebuild.

"By caring for their environment they give us something in return," Reyva explained, her eyes tracing one of the big wooly yellow insects as it buzzed around a bowl filled with fresh fruit. It stood with a host of others in the middle of a meeting circle formed by around twenty other members of the community. "We use their product sparingly, so we have our evening meal before sundown."

Taking a gulp of clear, flavorless water from his cup after tossing his chewed fishbone, Majih decided to go for a few more pieces of simr and raw vegetables. Despite the cheerful mood, light conversations and occasional laughter, he noticed Jetreycka had trouble participating, having her meal like the people around her weren't even there, only reacting when someone talked to her directly.

Weylu sat on her left and even though the replacement mother of her child did her best to get her engaged, her responses were limited to short answers and silent nods. Paying close attention to the interaction between Jetreycka and Naeya, Majih noticed that something did change. Had the girl merely acknowledged her real mother's presence earlier that day, the curious look on her face and long gazes in Jetreycka's direction began to raise his hopes that her mother's presence had begun to awaken those lost memories.

If Jetreycka did not notice this, it was only due to Naeya averting her gaze whenever her mother looked in her direction. After this happened three times without any positive change in Jetreycka's mood, Majih tapped her knee.

"Hmm?" was her delayed response while chewing slowly on her food.

"Jet, she's looking at you," he whispered. "She doesn't want you to know, but I think you've stirred something."

As expected, Naeya looked the other way when Jetreycka looked in her direction, though her sudden fascination with her toes was obviously faked.

"She's happy here, Majih," she said with an undertone of defeat in her voice and a longing look in her eyes. "Unless she gets her full memory back… and even then I can't just take her away."

Swallowing away that tight feeling in his throat, by sipping from his cup, Majih didn't know what to say. From the start they knew it wouldn't be as easy as paying a visit, introducing themselves and taking the girl with them. But with every memory of her previous life locked up behind a barrier which let little more than the occasional sliver leak through, Jetreycka looked like she was about to give up.

"Let's… give it some more time. We've got a few more days."

She nodded in silence. In the meantime Naeya had lost whatever memory kept her interested in her real mother, leaving the food for what it was as she and the much younger children around her had left the circle and formed their own. He was not surprised when Jetreycka excused herself early on.

"I need a moment."

After she left, Weylu shuffled a little closer to fill up her space, not even having to explain the worried look on her face.

"The poor thing," she said, looking at where Jetreycka had disappeared between the houses. "I can hardly imagine what she's going through right now. I wish there was something I could do."

"You've done a whole lot," Seylah tried to assure her. "I'm sure she really appreciates what you've done for her ahmyr."

"She does," Weylu confirmed with a nod. "She told me herself. Doesn't make it any easier. But you noticed it too, did you? How Naeya is looking at her ahmo?"

Majih nodded.

"Let's see what tomorrow brings."

That night, all Jetreycka could do was think back about all the times she had imagined finding Oseya. The different ways she had pictured for herself in her mind. Feelings of longing turned into happiness. Ardiin's as well as her own and that of her daughter. Reunited as a family. Not one of these scenarios had involved her daughter not even remembering her own name.

The room the tribe prepared for them was very cozy, perhaps overly so. It was located in a corner of one of the houses, meaning two of the walls featured thin-curtained windows which brought in a mild breeze as well as allowing some moonlight to enter.

A giant embroidered rug covered most of the floor in between the cloth-wrapped, grass-stuffed mattresses that formed their beds. The room was stuffed with a bit too many pillows of different sizes, which were piled into the far corner between the ends of two of the beds. The way they found them after Seylah and Majih had used them in a small pillow fight in an attempt to lighten her mood.

She had thanked them for their attempts to cheer her up, even though it didn't do much about the way she felt. Staring at the ceiling as she listened to Seylah's and Majih's light breathing, she wondered how long they had already been asleep without her. The room felt a little too warm for comfort, despite her occupying the bed under the window along the longest wall, the thin sheet used as cover thrown loosely over her bare chest, while leaving her legs uncovered. The strips of cloth had turned moist with the sweat that pearled over her skin, though this did make them feel cool to the touch.

Giving in to another yawn, she again shifted her position to find the coolest spots of the bed. Unable to calm her troubled mind on her own, she led tiredness aid her into falling into a restless sleep.

It was still dark outside when she opened her eyes again, though it was the pelting of raindrops on the angled roof over their heads that made her take a quick look outside through the window on her left to find out that a combination of the early morning and a thick cloud cover were responsible for the absence of sunlight.

Her light slumber was more vulnerable than Seylah- and Majih's deeper sleep, the latter curled up in a little ball in his covers, making her wonder how he hadn't melted into a puddle, and Seylah sprawled out on top of her sheets, murmuring something in her sleep as she licked the air a couple of times.

Groaning softly against the beginning of a mild headache, as the warm, earthy fragrance of Solbrecht's sky water hitting dry ground and vegetation entered her nostrils, she tossed the small part of the sheet that covered her body aside and flung her legs over the edge of the bed. Reaching for the strips of poetyo on the floor, grabbing hold of one, she got up on her feet while trying to figure out which part it was before applying it and the other one.

Still adjusting the top part as she shuffled closer to the room's exit, she shoved the curtain aside after a quick look over her shoulder to confirm that the light creaking of the wooden planks under her considerable weight hadn't woken her roommates. The corridor was dark, the wall torches composed of little metal bowls filled with the natural candle wax no longer carrying a flame like the night before. The faint sweet and smoky remains of the product tickled on the inside of her nostrils as she walked past them.

Instead of setting them up in a separate guest residence, Weylu had made the spare room in her own home available. Following the light and the refreshing smell of rain at the end of the corridor in the direction of the shared living space, the intensifying shower on the roof of the house began to drone out the occasional snore coming from behind the closed curtains of the other rooms.

With many animals having sought shelter against the water falling from the sky, the calming rush of the rain was the only sound of significance when she made it to the open living room, with its common seating arrangements composed of pillows and rugs, and wall shelves loaded with large gourds for storing food.

Weylu's home was one in a circle around a large open spot in the tree cover through which the falling drops formed a thin veil. It took her a few ticks to discover that despite the intensifying downpour, her ears picking up the deep rumble of an approaching thunderstorm, someone stood outside in the middle of the circle. It took a few more to realize that said person was no one other than her own daughter.

Freezing on the spot right in front of the small front porch, droplets of rain tickling her toes, she blinked a few times to assure herself her eyes weren't lying to her. Naeya didn't just stand out there in the pouring rain, bare naked and all alone. She had her beak pointed up at the clouds that continued to drop their load, her arms stretched as if trying to reach for them. Trying to describe for herself what she saw, Jetreycka could not decide between someone watching rain fall for the very first time in their life, or a religious fanatic in a gesture of worship.

Although it was far from cold, and no harm could come to her within the border of the village, the strange behavior worried her to the point that she left the dry comfort of the house, taking bigger steps than necessary to cross the distance. A shiver crawled over her back as the rain soaked her poetyo, while she made a circling movement to avoid startling the girl. Naeya did not seem to notice her. Her eyes closed, her mouth slightly agape, it was almost like she was caught in a kind of trance.

"Naeya?" Standing at a mere three steps away from her should have gotten her attention, considering her heavy steps and powerful voice. A swish of her tail. A mild flick of her ear, though it could just be it reacting to the falling droplets. "Come back inside, girl. It's pouring."

The flash of lighting striking close by was so bright that Jetreycka closed her eyes in a reflex. Reaching for her ears as they popped, the snap of thunder that followed was like a gunshot. Only worried about the child in front of her, the high-pitched scream Naeya emitted turned her inside into ice.

Blinking against the temporary blindness, which Naeya did not suffer from as she had her eyes closed, she saw the girl had fallen on her knees, screaming with her hands pressed against her ears and head, like her skull was about to split apart.

"Oh my-" Rushing toward her, crashing knees first into grass turned muddy by the heavy rain, Jetreycka wrapped her arms protectively around the teenage girl, who created the impression of suffering from a severe migraine attack. "It's all right, I'm here. I'll protect you."

Letting herself get pulled into her arms, Naeya's screams were reduced to whimpering as she buried her face into Jetreycka's chest. Clenching her teeth, Naeya's claws digging into her back as she clamped herself against her, she rubbed her daughter's head behind her ears, whispering soothing words into them. She was so focused on trying to make her feel safe, despite the unrelenting downpour, that she had to convince herself that she hadn't misheard it and only unwrapped her arms to find out if that was true or not.

"Ahmo?"

For several ticks her breath caught in her throat. Despite her blinking as the rain dripped into her eyes, there was that spark of recognition. The subtle way her voice had changed from flat and monotonous to young and emotional. Naeya was Oseya once again.

"Y-Yes?"

"Ahmo."

The moment Naeya's fingers reached for her muzzle and began to explore her face, like the youngest of children often did when being close to their mother, Jetreycka shivered under her warm touch. As her own tears mixed with the rain, she returned the gesture, upon which her daughter purred in her arms.

Naeya's screams had awoken several of the villagers, including Weylu who hastened herself toward them in her sloppily applied poetyo.

"What happened?" she asked, lowering herself on one knee, her face twisted in shock.

"She's back," Jetreycka whispered. "She recognizes me." There was another flash. Another deep angry rumble that made Naeya hug herself against her. Cradling the girl in her arms, Jetreycka noticed the concern that drew its lines on Weylu's face, offset by a faint smile. "She was out here all alone, reaching out to the sky."

"That's… That's happened before. We don't know why she does that. I think she just loves the rain, but it's still odd."

"My sweet girl."

Closing her eyes against the cleansing rain, she couldn't help but savor this unspeakable moment. Weylu's mate Piyall had come to inquire as well, followed by some of the children that lived in the house, including their own. With the worst of the rain over, easing off into a light shower, those who were already awake decided to start the day early.

(Easily the most emotional version of this series' beautiful theme. I think it fits.) Brian Tyler - Children of Dune - The Preacher at Arrakeen: youtube /watch?v=my-zHsvYvPQ

Jetreycka was still so caught up in her euphoria that it took her a while to notice that the girl in her arms tried to free herself. Until Naeya gave her a firm push.

"J-Jetreycka?"

It was gone. Naeya's voice again called her name without any emotion. As she looked down and into her eyes, that tiny glimpse of her former self was gone again. Those chocolate brown eyes, identical to her own, had lost the spark that had been there mere moments ago. Now there was confusion, accompanied by a flattened ear and even a bit of discomfort.

Feeling like her stomach had just been removed, Jetreycka dropped her arms, leaving her shoulders hanging as they started to shake.

"Jet!"

"Jetreycka!"

Even the concerned voices of Seylah and Majih sounded distant, insignificant despite them standing right next to her mere ticks later. There was nothing they could say or do to turn things around. Naeya had not gotten up in the meantime. In fact, she still sat on her middle legs right in front of her.

"Why do you cry so much?"

The question was so out of place, she ceased abruptly. It was like the girl couldn't even remember what happened. Like Naeya and Oseya were two different people sharing the same body, but with a separate consciousness, unaware of each other's memories or existence.

Not knowing what to say, Jetreycka shook her head. What could she do? Any kind of explanation would merely confuse her. Perhaps even trigger another migraine or anxiety attack. What Naeya did next none of those present anticipated. Shuffling closer on her knees, she flung her arms around her mother's neck. Gasping for breath, Jetreycka rubbed her back with light strokes as she looked in the eyes of those standing around.

"Don't be sad, Jetreycka," Naeya said, surprising her with the amount of compassion that coated her voice. "It'll be all right."