Up a Tree (p.15)
They found seventeen more cocoons before afternoon. They had to shoo off a few Sunsails that were already eating theirs when they arrived. And they had to shoot one that refused to give up his snack.
The jungle started to thin out toward midday, becoming dryer and more foresty. With the better visibility they were able to spread out farther, and found another dozen cocoons within the hour. “Hah hah!” They heard the Doctor’s triumphant shout as Amy was helping Bill carry an especially large cocoon back to the carts.
They arrived to see the Doctor prancing along like a cockerel on the strut. Janet and Erik were lumbering behind him under the weight of an unbroken cocoon.
“You found one!’ Bill exclaimed as she and Amy heaved their cocoon into the last of the carts. Pickles packed it in, and started rearranging the cocoons to make room. Silas helping him.
“It’s an unhatched one, Amy!” The Doctor said delightedly. As tickled as if he’d won the cakewalk at the fair.
Jonas ran up to take one heavy end of the live cocoon from Janet, she gave it over with relief. She wiped her forehead. “You’ve got good eyes, Doctor,” she said, taking a swig from her canteen. Amy peered at the cocoon as Jonas and Erik maneuvered it up into the cart.
Silas and Jonas glared at each other, and Pickles deliberately sent Silas to help Erik on his end instead. Amy ignored the byplay and stared at the cocoon, she could faintly see the colors of the Sunsail's wings, pressing against the inside of the silk.
The Doctor stared with her, looking as proud and proprietary as a boy scout who’s earned a merit badge. “Janet tested it, she said the hormone levels aren’t quite high enough for it to hatch yet. So it might make it back to the tree for imprinting.” He grinned and bounced on his toes. “Now we only have to find one more.”
Erik hefted his end into the cart and dusted his hands off, letting the others secure it. He turned, “It looks like we’re going to have to call you our good luck charm, Doctor. At this rate, we’ll make our quota long before we have to turn back.”
“Then how about taking a bath break at the falls, Erik?” Darcy, the only other woman, called from the back of the caravan. The suggestion was supported by all the other groups, who’d converged at the Doctor’s hoot, and bringing in their own finds.
Erik looked at the six carts of cocoons trailing along after the supply carts. And the ragged, sweaty look of his hunters. Even the Doctor, in his shirtsleeves, with mud halfway to the knee, looked like he’s been rolled in a tortilla and deep fried.
“All right,” the agreement was met with a cheer. “Switch up. Darcy, since it was your idea, you and Delta group lead the way, Alpha will take rear, Beta right, Gamma left. Keep your eyes open people, we’ve still got quota to fill and another live one to find.” He shouldered his rifle and stepped back. “Darcy, lead em out.”
It was a cheerful group that made a sweep through the jungle. The forest was clearer here, the ground more level, and the walking easier. They’d all switched sides, so the unfamiliarity was enough to heighten everyone’s alertness. Amy could hear the Doctor chattering off behind the wagon train like he did when he was excited, and wondered if she’d have to go save him before Erik shot him.
Nelda had been paralleling them in the trees, keeping even closer since Amy’s accident. She’d switched sides of the trail too, swinging along between Amy’s group and the Doctor’s alternately checking on both of them.
-
Rory was liking the idea of a bath. He felt like he’d been folded up wet and left to mold. Silas left the wagon train and joined their group, allowing them to spread out a bit farther. Silas was another quiet man, but he made Rory uneasy, he had the air of a man with a chip on his shoulder. But since he did his work and no one else mentioned it, neither did Rory.
-
The caravan broke out of the forest to the sound of thundering water. They were in a flat, rocky clearing at the side of a gorge. Water and flowers perfumed the air. A stark cliff face rose across the gorge facing them, and a high silvery waterfall, thundered down over the stones at the head of the gorge, half a mile away.
There was even a breeze here, and everyone let out a sigh as the air evaporated the sweat off their backs.
“Why isn’t there a rainbow?” Amy asked, as the different groups converged at the clearing. They immediately started breaking out provisions and personal supplies. Darcy, Kevin, and Jonas, Delta team, didn’t wait for permission but immediately headed for the pools at the bottom of the clearing. A rockfall had blocked off a lee at the side of the river, creating the perfect swimming spot, out of the fast moving flow of the river.
The Doctor grinned as brown haired Darcy and Kevin shared a kiss on the run, Jonas shot an exploding shell into the water. With an underwater "crump" several things flipped away in panic. But otherwise it seemed clear. Kevin tossed Darcy into the water, she shrieked. Jonas laughed.
The Doctor turned and saw Amy’s questioning gaze. He tilted to the side, staring at the waterfall. “Sun’s too low, jungle’s too tall at the top of the cliffs," he answered her question. "The angle's all wrong. Besides, it’s cloudy. We’ll probably get one if the sun comes out.”
Amy frowned disgustedly at this contradictory explanation. “Where’s Rory?” she asked suddenly, looking behind the Doctor. Gamma team still hadn’t arrived.
The Doctor tossed a thumb over his shoulder. “They found another cocoon, just inside the treeline, they’ll be a minute.”
-
Rory hacked away at the webbing that fastened the cocoon to the tree. Shale had already sprayed it with the enzymes that would stop it deteriorating until the Yblins could use it. Shale was on the other side, prying it loose with his machete. Brian and Silas were keeping guard.
The cocoon came loose with a wet ripping sound, and Rory staggered backward as the tension gave. He grinned at Shale and the strappy man grinned back. This was more commission in his pocket.
Rory wiped his arm across his forehead, not doing much more than smearing the sweat. Something hissed behind him, sounding like a radiator about to explode. Something heavy slammed into his side, sending him spinning.
An eight foot long grub charged Rory like an enraged boar. It was between the guards and the clearing, they didn’t dare shoot for fear of hitting their own.
“Run, Rory!” Shale yelled.
Rory scrambled up and ran, the grub right on his heels. Why would a grub have teeth?! his mind yelled through his panic.
He stumbled through the trees, and burst out into the clearing. Everyone there whirled, guns came up, but Rory’s guards blundered out of the jungle behind him. Everyone was powerless in the crossfire.
Suddenly there was a huge burst of stink, like a skunk had exploded, and something erupted from the treetops. A brown, mansized shape.
A brown Trelwin hit the grub, knocking it over, wrapping all four long arms and legs around the writhing creature as it rolled.
The move allowed Rory to outpace the creature, get some distance, that’s all he needed, somehow he still had his machete.
He subdued his fear, stopped and turned. “Get out of it!” he yelled, waving at the brown Trelwin who he recognized as Chitchi, the first Trelwin to welcome them to Yblis.
The anthropoid was trying to bite the back of the bucking grub’s neck.
“Let go!” Rory yelled. The Trelwin looked up, saw his wave and leapt away.
Rory stepped forward with his machete, and with a two handed sweep, beheaded the grub.
-
The Trelwin crouched to the side, tense and alert, a fug of burnt skunk, tar, and black licorice rolling off him. He watched the grub for several minutes, apparently checking if it was going to continue moving. Everyone else was still shocked into stillness around them, it had all happened so fast. Darcy, Jonas, and Kevin were standing stark naked, dripping wet, pointing their guns from the side of the pool.
Once the Trelwin was satisfied the grub was actually dead, he loosened from his crouched position and ambled over to Rory. He pushed the bloody machete aside with one long meticulous finger and took Rory’s hand. The stink had washed away, and he now smelled of cherries, licorice and butterscotch. Rory took that as approval.
Everyone relaxed. Amy ran over to Rory, the Doctor not far behind. “Rory!” She smashed into him in a hug. “Are you all right?” she started checking him over, frantically.
“I’m okay, Amy,” he said breathlessly. He nodded at the Doctor over her shoulder.
The Trelwin pulled on his hand, it was looking at him with calm eyes but clearly beckoning. Rory sent a puzzled look to the Doctor and Amy, but let the Trelwin drag him gently away.
“What’s he doing?” Bill asked, from where the others had gathered behind them. Amy shrugged.
The brown Trelwin led Rory toward the edge of the jungle, several of the hunters cocked their weapons just in case there were more grubs. The Trelwin stopped and pointed one long brown finger up into the tall trees. Zeke edged out from behind a bole and looked down at them.
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