* 27 *

             In The Forest emerged from the cover of the willow tree branches that overshadowed his side of the creek, taking off both his moccasins and loincloth he began wading across the stream to her side. She watched him expectantly wondering what he wanted her to do. Soon he was close enough to be heard without shouting and attracting attention.
             "Come, O'vettun, I want you to come over to this side of the creek. I have a surprise for you," he said carefully navigating the slick bottom rocks.
             "Do you want me to wade out to you?" she asked, standing on the bank of the creek still unsure what he wanted her to do. It was dark but with her night vision she could see him plainly as he came towards her in his unadorned glory, his desire plain.
             "The water is still warm," he commented, making it seem to be an invitation to join him in the water.
             Thinking that was what he wanted he to do, she shrugged and began peeling off her clothes and equipment. She then wrapped them together into a tight bundle that she could carry across the stream. The water was cool at first when she first entered, but she soon warmed up as she got used to it. A second bath was not a bad idea after the hard sweaty work she had done that afternoon and evening moving equipment and supplies at the camp.
             Meeting her at the halfway point he told her, "I had not meant for you to take your clothes off to meet me, my mate, but I do not object either." He was very delighted to see her this way.
             She blushed. "You didn't tell me not to undress," she told him, coming to where he waited in the middle of the waist deep stream. "But the water does feel good, and I think I needed another bath," she said laughing.
             "I did too after making my camp ready for us. It has been awhile since I have used it. There was more to do than I thought because of many small visitors in my absence," he said taking the bundle of clothes from her and carrying it.
             "Small visitors?" she inquired as they swam more than waded across the stream, letting the almost warm water cleanse and refresh their bodies and spirits.
             "Mice, probably. They tore up and got into a few things I had stored away, but it was all salvageable. I hope you like turkey. I left it cooking on the fire along with other treats for us," he said casually as he helped her out.
             "You cook too? That's good, I haven't since I was a young girl at home," she told him, then she began to shiver. "It's gotten cold," she complained as she began to feel cooler night air brushing against her wet bare skin.
             Setting down her bundle on the ground, he quickly put his moccasins and loincloth back on. "It is a cool breeze, and you have wet skin," he agreed. "You are not used to the differences in temperature yet and you have nothing to cover you. We will go back to my camp quickly, it isn't far. Put your arm around my neck and I will carry you and keep you warm," he offered, trying not to get aroused by the sight and nearness of her.
             She did as he had suggested and felt herself lifted up into his strong muscled arms. In her arms she carried her clothes and they helped protect her against the coolness of the night.
             To him she was light as a feather as he carried her with ease nestled against him to his private camp site in a cave hidden behind a stand of thick shrubbery. The entrance lay half-way up the hillside by the side of the creek.
             From the outside no one could see the entrance so thick were the leafy bushes covering it. In The Forest moved the scratchy leaves aside with one hand. He then stepped through the tall narrow opening in the rock wall with his burden.
             As they got past the entrance, and past a short narrow tunnel, a huge rock walled room was revealed to O'vettun's unbelieving eyes. She had learned about caves in general, but this was the first time she had ever seen one.
             The huge main chamber was brightly lit. The torches he had set into crude holders along the walls flamed with golden lights creating dancing patterns and shadows where the light caused the crystals in the limestone rocks to sparkle like miniature suns and rainbows.
             He carried her down the natural steps that led into the main chamber far below the level of the outside opening. Here at the bottom he had made his campsite. It looked as though he had been here many times before from the variety of personal items that lined the walls and floors of the large chamber.
             There were large piles of animal skins of various types in different stages of being worked on and shaped into objects, she noted as they went down. She also saw many containers and baskets holding foodstuffs and supplies. The cave had a very settled look.
             "I take it you live here?" she asked looking around after he set her carefully down upon a fluffy bear skin near his large cooking fire in the center of the room.
             "At times," he answered. "When I am hunting in this area. Sometimes over the winter I come here and stay, just to be alone and to think without my family trying to play match-maker with some of the young women of the village. They will no longer have to do that," he said, grinning down at her.
             "No, they won't," she agreed, and then she blushed, terribly aware of her nudity and his. Being mated was still a strange experience for her and especially to this unknown non-Atanzi. There were adjustments that needed making on both sides that neither had ever dreamed about.
             It had all happened so fast, everything --the crash, his finding her in the wreck, helping the survivors, and realizing what little had survived as far as people and supplies. Then they had gone off to find the new camp and help set it up. This was in-between their whirlwind courtship and mating. It had happened so fast, yet naturally, but all without a chance to think things out. They were going to have to do much more talking if it was going to work out between them beyond the physical.
             In The Forest gave her a huge robe made of bearskins to wrap around her since she was beginning to shiver with the coolness of the cave air. She wrapped it around her gratefully and waited for him to make the next move.
             For the moment he busied himself with other duties. He went over to check what seemed to be a large lump of dried dirt buried in the deep coals of his fire. There were several other containers nearby that when he stirred them gave off unfamiliar, yet delicious smells to her sensitive kitten-like nose. She then realized how hungry she was.
             "Whatever you are cooking smells good. Is this what your people usually eat?" she asked, curiously.
             Wrapping the bearskin around her shoulder s she came over to where he crouched by the cooking fire turning over the large clay covered object in the coals. Standing nearby she was fascinated by what he was doing. She had never seen anyone cook before, at least not like this. No one she knew cooked over open flames, it was a skill all her people were going to have to learn as well as how to prepare food.
             "Sometimes. It depends on what we catch or find in its season. Not everything in my world is edible, or safe to eat, so that is why we cook it. This is one of the things I and my people will teach yours if they wish to learn," he said thoughtfully, looking up at her after he finished turning the package.
             "What's in that large thing you keep turning?" she asked, trying to learn.
             "Our chik'kun-num, turkey, stuffed with parched corn or soo-toy'yo, wild onions, herbs, and nut meats. I wrapped leaves around it and covered it with wet clay to cook in the fire," he said, straightening up to stand in front of her.
             "More language lessons?" she asked, noting that neither of them had their translators nearby, but they were still understanding one another.
             "Yes, I have been doing much thinking on that. You and I are somehow able to understand one another without your devices, but not always. I have no word-pictures in my head to comprehend much of what your people say, nor do you have the word-pictures for many things in my world. There are large gaps," he said taking with his hands and spreading his arms to indicate what he meant.
             "Yes, I am just starting to see that," she agreed. "And our talking, you speak in your language and I in mine but we don't really hear the words with our ears, we hear them inside our heads. We talk with out talking!" she realized with a start.
             He nodded. "You begin to understand now," he said without moving his lips, but she heard him nevertheless. "What I discovered when I carried you to this place. I almost dropped you when I realized I could hear your thoughts when we were close to one another. This is strange magic you bring to me, O'vettun," he said seriously. In his voice there was not fear but wariness in his tones.
             She was frightened too, because this was beyond her experience as well. She knew that such telepathy was possible, or had been possible in the past between couples, but no one she knew of had had such an experience as this.
             "In The Forest, this is as strange for me as it is for you. This is not science, like other things have been that you have seen from my world. This is something I can not explain. I think this a good thing, I hope it will be for us, for our peoples."
             "I do too. Your people will take getting much getting used to by my family. When I was making this place ready for us I thought a lot about this and where you and I would live together as man and wife."
             "I have thought about that too. I am needed here at this camp with my people, but I want to be with you, go where you go, be where you want to live. . . but I'm afraid too, I don't know if I could fit in among your people," she said. It was difficult to envision his home and being surrounded by non-Atanzi.
             Looking down at her leonine features with her grass-green eyes, her fair coloring and her golden hair that he loved so much he did understand her fears. Even as a fair haired and fair skinned human she would have caused a stir with her appearance among his dark haired, dark eyed, and bronze skinned peoples. With her cat-like appearance there would be talk about him lying with animals more than about her coloring.
             "Sadly, nor do I my O'vettun. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, but I see you with lover's eyes. To know how my people will react I must try to remember how shocked I was when I first saw you. They will fear your people, and fear is not a good thing. You will be seen as animals and not as true men, animals that mock the gods and the ways of the creator. Then they will try to destroy your people. This why I warned that your people should be careful in what they do to the land. My people will be watching for excuses to destroy the animals-that-walk- like men who are invading their land," he said seriously, taking her small clawed hand in his large one.
             "Do you see me as an animal-that-walks-like-a-man?" she asked her green slanted eyes regarding him intently.
             "No, never. You are all woman in every way. I see but don't see your differences, and I like those differences. And how do I look to you, a hairless male since your men are so furry? Does it bother you that I do not have claws and teeth such as you do?" he asked not sure how she did see him.
             She was thoughtful for a moment. "At first you were a shock too, all bare skin shining in the sun but I love your body, its hardness and its softness. Your hair is beautiful, long and silky while mine feels so coarse and wild. In every way you are like my men, and better," she smiled shyly.
             "Better?" he inquired, with an upraised black eyebrow.
             "You won my heart, and made me your mate. None of my men could. That is what intrigues and puzzles me--our attraction and bonding. I know you are not an Atanzi but Tanz K'ranx says you might as well be."
             "I know. He was as surprised as we were. The news made me very happy," he said, his eyes sparkling in the reflected firelight.
             "As it did me," she said, her green cat-like eyes staring into the depths of his black endless ones. Then she reached up and stroked his silky blue-black hair, marveling at the texture and beauty of it as well as him.
             "O'vettun, do not start what must be finished," he warned getting aroused by her touches and looks at him. "I hunger for you, but my empty stomach also calls. Are you hungry? Our supper is almost ready," he told her trying to distract her and change the subject.
             She smiled and drew her hand back. "I am. Food sounds good, I want to see these wonderful smelling things that you have cooked."
             He led her back to her bear skin rug and made her sit while he went back to the fire and carefully started pulling out the buried cooking containers. He put the main course on the floor of the cave and with several quick taps cracked it open on top and began pulling it apart to get at the meat inside. Mouthwatering smells came from the thick steam rising out of the container.
             He found two large low walnut bowls and put generous helpings of both meat and stuffing within. From other containers he ladled other foods to where both bowls were almost overflowing. Then he brought them over to where she sat and handing her hers he sat down as well.
             She looked at the strange steaming foods in puzzlement, not knowing where or how to start, or if there were any customs they must observe before they began eating. She decided to let him take the lead and show her his ways. He saw her waiting for him and wondered why she was not eating.
             "You do not like your food?" he asked, dipping his fingers into the stuffing and putting it into his mouth.
             "It looks great. I wasn't sure if you had rituals or certain ways of eating your food," she said.
             "Sometimes, but not for everyday meals when we are both as hungry as we are. Just eat, and enjoy tonight," he replied, continuing to eat.
             "Do you have something to eat with?" she asked hopefully, not wanting to really have to eat with her fingers.
             He looked amused, and embarrassed. "I apologize. I was so hungry that I forgot. I will get you a em-hawn'is to eat with," he said getting up and bringing her back what was in her language a wooden spoon. She took it gratefully and began eating.
             It was wonderful, or else she was that hungry. She wasn't sure. She probably should have run a discreet analysis on it with her recorder to make sure it was safe to eat. So far their physiology had been similar enough for him to eat her food without ill effects. She hoped that the same held true for her. She would know one way or the other within the next couple of hours.
             "Do you have anything to drink?" she asked, getting halfway through the meal.
             "Water, or some blackberry juice?" he offered, realizing he was thirsty too. "I've never had guests before, so I forget things. At home my mother and sisters take care of guests, I just stay out of way," he added, apologizing.
             "Then this is not your home, this place here?" she asked.
             "No," he said getting up and finding a container of juice for them to drink, "this is just a place I use when I'm out hunting. In my village I live with my parents, and sisters. I don't have my own lodge yet. One does not get a lodge until on finds a mate and wants to have their own family. Although one must be able to provide for their own lodge by being a good hunter and warrior," he explained, handing her the clay jug after uncorking it.
             She sniffed it experimentally, it was pleasant, but strange. She took several small sips. It was sweet and tart. She liked it drinking more. It made her tingle all over after a while, and feel good. She began to giggle and laugh. He looked at her strangely, then sniffed the jug and realized what had happened. The juice had fermented and been made into wine.
             "Oh, O'vettun, I am sorry I should have checked that before I gave it you."
             "Why, it was good whatever it was," she giggled, feeling suddenly warm and very, very happy with the world.
             He shook his head watching her. "It was juice but it's now very strong spirits. I think you ought to lay down and rest," he said gently taking her bowl away from her.
             "No," she argued. "I'm fine. I feel good, very good. I don't want to lay down, at least not alone," she smiled, holding her arms out to him, while her bearskin covering slid down revealing her body.
             He wanted her, but he wasn't sure he wanted to take advantage of her like this. He wanted her fully conscious and willing as she had been that afternoon in the grass. That seemed like such a long time ago. He couldn't resist her so he went willing into her arms, and lay her gently upon the soft fur. Her covering fell away and there was nothing now between them and their love.
             "My little cat, you are drunk," he said looking at her glazed expression as he held her to his chest.
             "I am. . . not!" she protested, trying to get up but she couldn't get past his gentle strength holding her to him, so she began stroking his chest and twining her legs around his.
             He closed his eyes, and submitted to her touches, feeling his willing body respond to everything she did. She wiggled in his arms to rise up where she could kiss his neck and nibble on his ears. He relaxed his grip and let her have her way. She worked upwards with her lips, tongue and teeth, raining kisses upon him until he thought he could stand it no longer. When she found his mouth she kissed him fully and deeply then he responded to her with every fiber of his being.
             "Are you all right?" he asked after a particularly passionate kiss that left her breathless.
             "I feel wonderful, I'm still floating . . , what you did . . . it is beyond anything I could imagine feeling. You are truly amazing, my mate, to do what you do to me." she lovingly purred, touching his lips with a gentle finger, tracing the line of it.
             He smiled down at her, seeing her slanted green eyes still sparkling with passion's fire for him and growing love. Her long golden hair fanned out around her like a halo contrasting against the deep brown hairs of the bed. It was hard for him to believe she was real but he feeling her body beneath his and still tasting her upon his lips he could not doubt her reality.
             "You are the wonder to me, O'vettun. A woman from the stars who wants this humble warrior who has never been beyond his village. That you want me as much as I want you and we can be together as man and woman is a miracle. We have been together for such a short time and yet, I know you despite the differences between our worlds and will love you."
             "And I know you. To say I love you, really love you--is too soon for both of us to believe, but that will come," she told him more sober now. She marveled still how his long black hair covered his shoulders like a cloak across his wide back, to fall down in front on either side to frame his chiseled features.
             "Yes, it will. But love needs to be nurtured and allowed to grow between us two. This will be our home, our place separate from both of our people's where we can live without prying eyes and the objections that may come of our love. I know now I cannot live without you. O'vettun. You complete me, make me whole."
             "And you me, my love. It will be hard to keep our secret."
             "Yes, but it will be worth it as long as we can have nights like this, together," he said, bending down to kiss her.
             "Together. . .," she murmured, meeting his mouth and feeling him stroke her fires.
             "Always. . .," he told her, stroking her body and feeling her move underneath him suggestively and his hardening response.
             When they had aroused their passion to a fever pitch once more he entered her, making the bond between them sing as they felt their bodies, minds and souls merged. It was like a sun gone nova when they met at that highest point. That lasted for both an eternity and for the briefest span of time filling and completing them. Then it was over and they spiraled downward to lie spent in each other's arms, glowing from the encounter.
             They broke apart when they could move and she lay with her head upon his chest resting in the protecting circle of his arms, content and feeling more loved and wanted than she had ever believed possible. For him it was the same. Finally their tiredness from the day took over and they fell asleep at last listening to the sound of each other's hearts and the crackling of the fire.
                                                

* 28 *

             "Excuse me, Tanz H'lertzz, have you seen Specialist O'vettun this morning?" Ky'tulendu asked as he called the tent where O'vettun was assigned quarters.
             "Sorry, sir, no one has seen her since last night when she was seen going towards the waterway. The sentries have not been able to locate her on any of the sensors either. She's just vanished, sir," the officer on the other end of the commcon reported, her voice worried too.
              "Has anyone seen the native, In The Forest?" he asked, hopefully.
             "No, sir, not since early last evening before the skimmers came in. He left the camp alone heading for the heavier woods. It has been assumed that he either went home or made a camp away from ours," she relayed, wondering what the interest in these two were.
             Ky'tulendu was evaluating the information he was getting and putting his impressions of the two missing persons' behavior together and coming up with some ideas of his own. Absent-mindedly, he tapped his fingers rhythmically on his make ship desk as he thought. He took another sip of klass from his cup, and made a grimace as the pieces fell reluctantly into place.
             The static coming over the line made him realize that he was leaving the officer waiting for his response, finally he said, "Thank you, Tanz H'lertzz for your help. If Specialist O'vettun reports in or is seen please have someone call me, and the same with the native."
             "Understood, sir," she replied, puzzled but not questioning his orders.
             Ky'tulendu cut off the transmission, and sat thoughtfully on the edge of his cot in his tent. He wasn't sure how to handle this very delicate situation. This was beyond his experience or his people's. Interspecies attraction and possible mating were virtually unknown among his people even with similar genotypes. His talks with both the parties appeared to have fallen on deaf ears. Prohibiting them from seeing one another would not work that was the surest way to keep them together.
             He had no doubts that they were off together somewhere close and hidden from the sensor probes. He didn't see how that was possible but certain types of minerals and elements could disrupt or block the sensing signals and a life form reading could not be picked up. Oddly enough the sentries on the perimeter had reported two Atanzis leaving camp separately last night and meeting by the creek. Then the two had vanished from their screens like the earth had swallowed them up. The sentries' equipment was still being checked for malfunctions so far nothing had showed up.
        So Tanz K'ranx initial findings were holding true and In The Forest couldn't be distinguished from any other Atanzi male. Did that hold true for his fellow tribesmen? There had been reports of Atanzi's out beyond what the survey teams should have been, Maybe these were natives and not Atanzi's after all. He had wondered when the locals would investigate this new camp and the ship since In The Forest hadn't returned home. So they had been looking around and no one had noticed. Maybe fine tuning the sensors would help. They were going to have to fine a simple test of determining who was who before they had serious problems.
        Just one more thing to add to his to-do-list. He still needed more crew persons to work on the camp. Only a small portion of his people had been moved over so far. There were still many more loads of equipment and supplies that needed to come over before the ship was completely stripped of all available materials.
     Thinking about the natives he was glad there was a good supply of light weapons and power units for them. The weapons could last a couple of years or more with careful use. The power cells to run the commcons and communicators as well as the recorders could last several years beyond that, but then too they would fail. He didn't see any way they could duplicate the technology to manufacture power cells from scratch. It was beyond their now limited resources and technical capabilities. However, he did have hopes of using hydroelectric power to generate electricity for the camp.
     They would have to adapt to the local conditions and figure out substitutions for items from the available resources. It was going to mean a lot of reeducation for his people because they needed to learn primitive survival skills, and technology. There was no way their old way of life would not work here after the machines died.
     They could not view this world as a true colony planet. Their circumstances were not the same, nor could they treat this planet as they would have a colony. Already he had heard too much talk in passing that suggested that they were already taking that attitude. That was something he was going to have to head off immediately as soon as he had all his people from the ship in camp.
               There was someone outside his tent door. "Asenti? Are you awake?" asked the feminine voice.
        "Yes, give me a moment to get dressed," he replied as he threw on his clothes and went to let his visitor in. Opening it he saw B'tunku waiting there. She looked all too cheerful.
             "Sorry to disturb you, Asenti,. I took a break and decided to come over here and see how the new camp was progressing," she cheerily said in greeting.
             "As you can tell, very slowly," he said inviting her in, acutely aware of his semi-dressed appearance and disorganized quarters. "I apologize, for not being on top of things this morning. I been trying to sort out priorities for our people and wake up." he said pouring himself another cup of klass from its dispenser. "So what news from the ship?" he asked, motioning her to go on.
             She shrugged and sat down as she began her report, "Vokolin still has three salvage units going section by section through the ship. They are still under orders to look for survivors, but their main priority is let us know what equipment and supplies survived the crash. So far they have found three more Ritilans, but none are expected to make it. They can not handle the gravity and planetary conditions here."
             A look of pain went across his leonine face as he looked out the front of the tent as he listened to her report, "That's a shame, but it would have been more difficult for them to adapt here than us. How are the other non-Atanzi species doing. I understand that the Soaettes and Tranquils are holding up, but some of them are having problems," he asked, walking over to his bed to sit down and put on his heavy boots.
             She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he dressed, "The Tranquils getting worse and there is nothing we can do for them," she reported sadly, feeling that failure personally.
             "They are all going to die?" he asked point blank.
             "Yes, it's definite," she said nodding her head, "within the next two weeks if not sooner."
             "All right," he said accepting that information. "And the Soaettes, what of them?"
             "Only five have been found out of the ten on board, and one of the females is in critical condition. She may not recover. The other female was bonded and her mate died in the crash. She will not accept another in his place. So far the microorganisms that are affecting the Tranrils are not bothering the Soaettes. However, the local insects are finding them quite an attraction. They keep coming in with massive insect bites, and those are starting to get infected from the wounds. They are also starting to lose their feathers from the stress of their situation."
             "So what you are telling me is that within the next month or so the only survivors from the ship will be Atanzi, if we don't develop some problem adapting to this planet's biosystems," he asked carefully.
             "Yes, sir, you are correct. So far we have found very little that is not compatible with our needs. In fact this planet seems tailor made for us. But to the non-Atanzi life forms among the crew this is a deadly and hazardous environment," she commented.
             "Do the Soaettes and Tranrils know this?"
             "Not yet, but they will. I feel for them, I really do. But there is nothing we can do for them except help them die in peace," she said without emotion.
             "I understand, I just hate to lose any of my crew, especially this way. It would have been kinder if they had all died in the crash. Do what you can to make their ends painless," he said trying to dismiss her.
        She stood there stubbornly. "I will, sir. But my main reason in coming here was to see the new camp and consult with Specialist O'vettun on modifications I want for the medical center," she told him giving him a reason for her staying.
        "You can get a tour of the camp but O'vettun isn't here right now. She and the native do not appear to be in camp," he replied.
        "I see. Are they hiding out because of the bonding?"
        "Probably, even though I gave orders that no one was to leave camp."
        "You forget how strong the bonding process is in the initial states. It is an overriding urge that strips reason, and logical behavior away. It has not been a serious problem among our people for generations. In fact the urge has almost died out except on some of the Colony planets. From what I have observed of them, the bonding is very strong. They will find ways to be alone even if it means defying orders," she said seriously.
        He nodded, thinking about it. "I was trying to maintain discipline and not show favoritism.
Since bonding isn't something that comes up that often, I was treating it as any other relationship between crew members, etc.. Which was my mistake as now they are going to try to hide the fact of their relationship. I can not see them being open about it."
        "I agree," B'tunku said thoughtfully. "It might be best if we ignore them," she suggested.
        "I've been trying, doctor. But the crew is starting to notice and wonder what is going on. Even though the specialist and the native have been behaving themselves in public, it's obvious there is more going on between them than just work and interspecies curiosity."
        "When we do get things organized here I think we should let the crew know officially that our people are compatible with the natives. Right now it's just rumors and speculations. They need to know the facts to keep down problems for any other couples like O'vettun and the native," she suggested.
        "Yes, . . . the crew needs to be aware of what is going on. There are going to be reactions from our people and possibly from his," he said, thinking out loud.
        "So you think we should just ignore these bonding couples, if more occur?" he asked, getting up and pacing.
             "That I cannot say, Asenti. Just let it be and see what happens. Even now if they want to disappear for a few days I would let them," she suggested.
             He flashed her an angry look as he stopped his pacing. "She's one of my crew, an officer! Discipline must be maintained," he protested, his anger rising because she was suggesting just to let the crew person go on with being disciplined for leaving camp with the native.
             His anger was not bothering her, it rolled off her as if it had never been, he had to face the facts, carefully she told him, "True, but the ship is gone. The duties we had are gone. That life is gone. This is a new world with new priorities and imperatives. We will be able to hold the discipline of the ship together for a while, but eventually we will find ourselves presiding over a community of individuals where artificial ranks won't matter, only skills will," she said, slipping reality in on him.
             "Yes, I have had thoughts along that line, B'tunku. I plan to gain those skills, so that I can continue to lead my people," he warned her that he was not going to allow himself to be replaced.
             "I had no illusions about that, Ky'tulendu, nor do I want your job. I have enough to do with mine," she defended, and made to leave, then his communicator started beeping. "Your communicator is beeping," she told him, casually.
             He took it off his belt and answered it. "Ky'tulendu, here. What is it?"
             "Sen Commd Y'kkenn reporting from the outer perimeter. Specialist O'vettun and the native have just passed our position heading into camp, should we retain them?" he asked.
             "No, let them pass and don't announce your presence. Did you see where they came from?" the Asenti asked.
             "No sir, they just appeared out of nowhere up on the hillside on the other side of the waterway. One minute there was nothing on our screens then suddenly there were two blips, both reading as Atanzi. That confused us, sir, because we are supposed to be the only ones in this sector. We then did a visual check and realized it must be the missing officer and the native. We still haven't figured out why the native showed up as one of our people. He sure doesn't look like one," he commented confused.
             "We're working on that Sen Commd, continue at your post and let the two come into camp on their own. However, have someone inform the officer that we want to see her and the native in my tent as soon as possible."
             "Very good, sir. I'll that relay down the line. Sen Commd Y'kkenn out." he said shutting off transmission on his end.
             "So they've emerged from their hiding place? Judging from the time, I bet they overslept. The specialist probably hoped to sneak back to camp early and hope she wasn't missed." B'tunku commented, halting in her forward rush to the door her anger having evaporated.
             "No doubt. Now it only looks as if they've been off exploring. We'll see what explanation she has when she arrives. You are staying, aren't you?" he asked offering her a seat as he straightened up his rumpled bed and himself.
             "I had wanted to see the camp, but I don't want to miss this. Do you have any of that klass left?" she asked her silver eyes sparkling as she held out her empty cup as she sat down in his chair to wait.
                        

* 29 *

             The sun was nearing the mid-morning mark when O'vettun and In The Forest emerged from their cave. She looked up at the blue sky and the sun high in the heavens and groaned.
             He looked at her strangely. "What troubles you, my mate?" he asked helping her down the hillside.
             "Look at the time. We overslept. I needed to be back at camp many hours ago. They have to know I've been gone all night. I'm in deep trouble." she said worriedly, trying to watch where to put her feet down on the slippery loose shale.
             "It is my fault for letting you. You were so tired from the last days, I just let you sleep. I also enjoyed lying with you, and having you close to wake up to. You purr in your sleep," he said with a smile, catching her as she almost slipped.
             "I do not," she defended. "But do you take all the covers," she complained.
             "I am sorry. That comes from not having anyone to share covers with. I will make sure there are many, covers so you won't ever get cold," he retorted with good humor.
             When they got to the creek she pulled out her recorder and scanned the area. Two sentries were downstream and two up as before but neither made a move in their direction.
             "They are staying put," she told him, putting the device back into her pocket. Then she sat down and began to take off her boots.
             "Why are you doing that?" he asked, watching her.
             "So I can wade across."
             "Put your boots back on. I will carry you. You have so much more to take off than me, and the water will not hurt my clothes," he said.
             He waited until she had put her boots back on then he reached down and she wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up. Snuggling against him, she enjoyed this nearness to him. He carried her high in his arms, so the swirling waters would not splash her clothes. The slick bottom rocks made keeping his footing difficult, but he managed to get her to the other bank without mishap.
             He saw her looking at him with bright eyes, and felt her kiss his cheek. He turned his head and bent it to meet her lips. Tenderly he kissed her and felt their bond sing in response. He wished they were still in their hidden cave, together and alone, so he might be able to response to her more fully. She broke their contact, and looked up at his dark watching eyes.
             "I think you can put me down," she suggested rather breathlessly, not really wanting to get down.
             "There is no way we could spend the day together in my world?" he asked suggestively, still holding her close to him in his muscled arms.
             "I wish there was, I really do. I don't want to go back to my duties."
             He smiled, "I feel that, my mate. Nor do I want to share you with others, either. Not now. Is this part of this bonding--to feel this way?" he asked his voice full of wonder.
             "I think so. The first few days are described that way in old books," she said. "But I must go back, In The Forest, please put me down," she requested.
             "Books?" he asked, unfamiliar with the word and concept. He did set her down, but not without another lingering kiss that threatened to make her legs weak from the passion of it.
             Recovering somewhat she looked up at him. "Thank you for carrying me across. I've got to hurry and get back to camp. What are you going to do?" she asked.
             "I have no real plans. You said the Asenti wants to see me. I will see him after I make sure you get to where you are going."
             "If you want. I just worry that people will talk about how much time we are seen together," she said as they entered the borders of the newly formed camp.
             "Let them. I am bursting with the happiness of my love for you and our being mates. Let them think what they will," he said proudly, without shame.
             She stopped in her walking and looked at him with worried eyes. "I feel the same way too. For both of our sakes we must keep to the promise to keep our love secret for the time being, Please?" she begged.
             He stopped too and looked down at her, and nodded. "I will do what you wish, O'vettun, but it will be hard. My feelings for you are strong, and I want nothing more than to tell all the world how I feel. If this frightens you then I will keep silent, so that your heart will stay at peace. Know that I will try to do nothing that will cause you sorrow or pain," he said, looking deeply in her eyes, and taking her hand he kissed it gently before letting it drop to her side.
             Gradually, they became aware of the sounds around them, songbirds singing across the open spaces of the small glade, small animals scurrying through the underbrush, and in the distance the sounds of hammering, wood being cut, and machinery warred with the peace of the forest. The spell between them was broken as they heard the approach of booted feet coming along the stony natural path. Reluctantly, they broke apart and resumed their walk into the rapidly growing village.
             Already crews were at work on a number of cabins and outbuildings of various sizes. In The Forest was amazed and impressed with how fast the camp was going up. Yesterday this had been a quiet virgin forest, today it was taking on the shape of a huge village, larger than any he had ever seen. People and vehicles came and went with a speed he never dreamed was possible.
             Everywhere he looked he saw the Atanzi magic. How they could do so many things was still beyond his comprehension. The human could only stare at wonder after wonder being performed. O'vettun took it all in stride, but she understood how all this must appear to him. How wide the gap was between their two cultures and technological levels. To do what her people had done in a few short hours would take his people many days, weeks, or months to do the same tasks--if they could even duplicate them.
             She knew as he did these wonders would be short lived because the magic would run out and never work again. For now it worked and he was fortunate to see it happen, and he would be able to tell his people how this place had come to be because he had seen it with his own eyes and helped sometimes with his own hands.
             It took awhile to get to O'vettun's tent as they dodged construction vehicles and machinery. It was getting harder and harder to recognize the glade they had seen yesterday. Finally they arrived at her tent and he was about to say good bye when they were interrupted by the arrival of a large burly female Atanzi in field garb carrying a laser rifle slung over her broad shoulder. She looked them both over curiously, the human most of all before she spoke.
             "Specialist O'vettun, Asenti Ky'tulendu wants to see you and the native in command quarters as soon as possible." The sentry informed her as the specialist tried to enter her tent.
             "Understood," O'vettun replied.
             The sentry having executed her duty then left. The couple stood by the tent and watched the sentry walk off before either one spoke. In The Forest waited for O'vettun to speak, wondering what she was going to do. She looked panic stricken and very afraid. He did not like the wave of fear he was feeling from her. He wasn't sure that he understood the cause.
             "O'vettun, what is wrong?" In The Forest asked touching her arm, wanting to hold her but daring not to.
             "The Asenti wants to see you and me in his tent."
             "I understand him wanting to see us, but why this fear. You have no cause to be frightened."
             "I know, it's silly. They probably know I've been gone all night. I expect to hear about leaving camp without permission. He did ask me last night to ask if you would take him to your village to meet your people. I probably have no reason to be apprehensive like this, none at all," she told herself, trying to calm her nerves.
             He could feel her trembling, she had so many fears, it was not good, he thought, wishing he could take her away from all these worries and responsibilities.
             "O'vettun, I will not tell you what to do. You must decide." he said gently, making her come to a decision and face her fears.
             "I must report in, get it over," she said, her green eyes sparking with determination to face the Asenti.
             "I will be there with you, my mate, by your side. You are not alone. You will never be alone again," he told her, giving her arm a gentle squeeze as he turned and led the way to the cluster of tents across the compound.
             After finding the right one, O'vettun announced her presence outside. "Specialist O'vettun reporting as ordered, sir."
             "Come in," Ky'tulendu invited them both as he opened the tent door wide to let them both come in.
             "Thank you, sir," O'vettun replied, and then noticed the doctor sitting at the table beyond.
             The doctor's presence bothered O'vettun, but she didn't know why it should. She nodded to the doctor acknowledging her presence and then stood loosely at attention waiting to see what the Asenti would say first.
             "I understand that you were gone from camp all night and just returned. I also received a report that last night the outer sentries saw two Atanzi leaving the area who then disappeared off their sensor screens. When you returned earlier the sentries also reported two Atanzi appearing suddenly on the hillside and then coming across the waterway into camp. A visual check identified these Atanzi as being you and In The Forest. Can you explain this?" he asked, wanting answers and doubtful that he would get them.
             O'vettun exchanged quick glances with In The Forest through their bond he reassured her, encouraging her to go on and answer her commander.
             "I was gone from camp last night, Sir," she admitted. "With what Tanz K'ranx told us it is obvious that it was In The Forest and myself on the scans," she told him truthfully. "As to where we went I would prefer not to say, sir."
             "I see," he said stroking his chin, as looked down at her. His greater height made him appear to tower over her. "You know I left standing orders that no one was to leave the camp?" he questioned.
        "Yes, sir," s he replied. "It could not be helped. We needed to be alone, sir," she defended.
           "I do understand and I do sympathize, but we can't have everyone that has this 'urge' going off and doing what they please. It's not good for discipline or your personal safety," Ky'tulendu told her tactfully.
        "I am aware of that, sir . But In The Forest and I are bonding. Even the scanners and tests show that. I think, sir, you are going to have to make allowances for that. Because I don't think he and I will the only ones bonding among our people or his."
        Ky'tulendu glanced towards B'tunku who had been listening to the exchange and she shrugged her shoulders. There hadn't been time to think this one out.
        "Asenti, I think I am going to have to agree with specialist. We are going to have to make allowances for these couples. Or we will have far more difficult problems with discipline than just this," B'tunku interjected.
        He shook his head, struggling with the idea. "I know, but I don't like it. It's not a problem that I thought I'd ever have to deal with. On board ship it was very rare. Here it seems like it may be happening a lot."
        B'tunku smiled, "you said you wanted this to be a community, and a community means familles, and that also means children. It looks like you're getting your wish. My own scans confirm that a true bond between the specialist and In The Forest has taken place and that the specialist has been impregnated," she told them all.
             In The Forest had heard everything perfectly through his translator which he wore on a thong around his neck. He lifted a dark eyebrow in amusement as well as satisfaction. "You did not believe my dreams, O'vettun. Do you now?" he asked in a low voice as he leaned towards her grinning.
             She shot him an angry look. It was almost too much for her. "So our secret is out. We had wished to keep our relationship private because we are aware of the problems that it could cause between our peoples both mine and his," she said, not sure what was going to happen now.
              "What is happening to O'vettun and myself is very strange. Few of my people have ever had such thing occur between them," In The Forest commented.
             The doctor and Ky'tulendu both got interested. The native's people had experienced their own form of bonding in the past? That might explain a lot of what was happening between these seemingly different appearing species.
        "But it has happened?" B'tunku asked.
             "In a few couples of the old blood line, but not among those that have mixed with the tribes on the mainland. My family is of the old line. We go back to the beginning in an unbroken line to the First People of our legends. My line is that of the shamans, the medicine men, and chiefs of our tribe," he said proudly.
             B'tunku nodded in understanding, much of what he was telling her was clicking into place and creating more theories and thoughts within her head.
             "Your bonding may prove to be important to our survival here on this planet. It may even help to cement relationships between our two peoples. Especially, if viable offspring result from unions such as yours," Ky'tulendu told them thinking of the future.
             "You have begun the process and we will not tamper with that. In normal society a couple is left alone for two weeks or more to strengthen the bond. However, under our current circumstances we need both of you and your skills to help with setting up the camp," B'tunku told them seriously.
             "So what do you want of us?" O'vettun asked.
             "We need to make contact with your people, In The Forest, as soon as possible," Ky'tulendu suggested.
             "All right, how soon?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest and regarding the Asenti seriously.
             "Today or tomorrow. Whenever you want to start. But I need information from you on their customs. How to greet them, whether gifts should be brought, how to talk to them, what types of formalities need to be observed, etc.. Basically I need anything you can tell me so that we can get off on a smooth foot with your people. If we are to be neighbors I want us to be the best neighbors we can be," Ky'tulendu replied, seeing the native smile and agree with his thinking.
             "You ask to know important things. It is a good plan, Asenti. You and my father will get along very well I think," In The Forest said in a satisfied tone.
             "Your father? Who is your father?" Ky'tulendu asked, with a certain amount of anticipation.
             In The Forest smiled more, and stood up straight as he relayed in proud tones, "His name is Thunder Arrow, chief of the Round Foot or Wolf band of the Lay'nee Lay-na'pay. A chief is our equivalent to an Asenti. I am his only son, but I have three younger sisters. My uncle, Roaring-Wings, is our shaman, and holder of many great and powerful magics."
             B'tunku did a sharp intake of breath when she heard Roaring Wings' name spoken. He was a figment of her dreams. He couldn't be real. Maybe this was just a person with a name similar to that of her dream person's? She started to ask the young warrior a question then she thought better of it. In any event she was going to go to the native village, and put this dream to rest.
             "So your father is the Asenti of your tribe? Is that why you were sent to check what fell from the sky? Why did no one come with you? I still find it hard to believe that you had no escort," Ky'tulendu asked, wondering about his coming to the crash site and his help with the survivors.
             "I volunteered to come because I had visions of your coming. Visions of O'vettun and our life together. I knew she had to come from the stars. When your ship trailing fire came down I had to see, no one could stop me from coming. Two of my friends came as far as the ridge overlooking this valley, but they would not come closer because of the fire. I don't know what they did after I went on alone to your ship," he answered truthfully.
             "Do you know if your people have been watching us?"
             "I don't know. I have seen no signs but it would be unlike them not to. If my friends stayed, they would not have approached the ship or me while I was with any of your people. My staying with you is probably confusing them because they cannot tell if I am a prisoner or not," the native answered worried what garbled reports his father might be getting.
             "Asenti, we must go to my father's village as soon as we can before he thinks I have been captured and made your prisoner," In The Forest added quickly.
             "And if he thinks you are our prisoner what might he do?" Ky'tulendu asked, trying to evaluate the situation.
             "Attack this place, regardless of the odds against him. He will not understand that you have weapons beyond anything dreamed of by my people. He will see you as animals-that-walk-like-men and think if you are animals you will be easy prey for his warrior's weapons. This is not a good situation for either side." In The Forest said truthfully.
         "Then what must we do?" Ky'tulendu asked, the tension in the tent building as all parties realized the potential danger.
             "Meet him in peace, bringing gifts, and understanding. He is an old man, but very proud and set in his ways. In his day he was a great warrior turning back the invaders from the mainland and keeping our lands free. Now he and the other elders sit and do nothing, but talk of the past. He will see your people as invaders too, and as a chance to win back his glory, so he may leave this world as a true warrior instead of a shriveled old man. I can talk to him, reason with him to leave your peoples in peace. But you must do as I suggest, so that he will believe that your intentions are honorable and just," he told the Asenti.
             "I hope you can convince him we are peaceful, In The Forest. My people have been through enough these past days. In a war your people would lose. I don't want either one of our people's to lose. So how do we approach your father?" Ky'tulendu asked, sitting down and asking the native and O'vettun to do like wise as B'tunku leaned in closer to hear the plans being made.

* 30 *

             The interior of the lodge was dark as the night except for the red glowing embers of the small fire in the center of the floor. The smoke smelled of strange flowers burned on a still odder fire, so what drifted out the vent hole was yellowish-green and hung on the air for a long time before dissipating finally. A tall misshapen figure crouched over the fire, chanting and beating on a small hide-bound drum made from a beaver's skull filled with special small pebbles and dried seeds, so that when it rattled with rhythmic sounds whenever it was struck.
             The misshapen appearance came from the wolf skull headdress Roaring Wings wore on his own dark head. It was tied down with boneless legs and paws. The fur skin from the huge silver-white wolf covered his shoulders and back like a ghostly cloak in the dim lights. Yellow orange colored crystal rocks had been carved and shaped to fit the empty eye sockets and dark green crystals and jet black ones were inset in the larger crystals to give the appearance of eyes which now flickered with hidden lights as the firelight reflected off of them. The long teeth of the wolf snarled from the skull as they had in life.
             He wore the skull so that his face looked out of the wolf's mouth giving the impression that the wolf had eaten him. On top of the head were woven bright feathers and charms into the fur, then eagle feather earrings and beads dangled from the large tufted ears of the wolf.
             Roaring Wings was the most powerful shaman of all the wise men on the island and for many leagues distance on the mainland. The strange garb was necessary for his people to believe in his magics. It had always been so from the time of the beginning to now.
             His own tall reddish-bronze body was lean and wiry with long strong legs and equally long muscled arms. He wore his own long blue-black hair braided with leather thongs. His slanted wolf's eyes were almost black with serious and somber depths that few could bear to have look at them for very long. His long thin face was handsome except for his long hooked nose that had been broken in the struggle to get the headdress and the parallel scars that ran down the left side of his face almost closing his eye. Thin lips hid canine teeth that were almost too long for a human mouth. Even the fingernails on his long fingers on his large powerful hands were not quite the same as other men's.
             These differences set him apart as did his lineage. His uncle, and his grandfather's brother before him all the way back to their dim beginnings for generation upon generation had been shamans, keepers of the old knowledge. Their siblings had been leaders, chiefs and great warriors.
             In his medicine lodge he was performing magics to far-see. The shaman had been doing this every night since the night of the flaming star when the dreams had started full force again. The visions of the silver haired cat-woman with the eyes like polished mirrors who had filled his nights for many, many moons with a joy and an impossible wanting that no woman of his village could ever hope to quench. He hoped his prayers would bring her to him now--they must! Before he went truly mad!
             In his heart he knew she was real, and not made of moonbeams, or brought forth from one of his potions. She had come from one of the those points of light that dusted the heavens at night. He had seen her among her people traveling in their strange shiny bird that flew through the blackness where the gods dwelled.
             In the dreams she walked beside him in his world and he became like a young boy he showing her all there was to see, sharing the mysteries he alone knew that he had never shared with anyone. He was only just past his prime in real-life, but she made him feel young, alive as he had never felt before.
             He had thought her to be an animal in human form, a man-it'to spirit, or a chee'pai-hkway because of her pale coloring. At first he thought her to be a totem spirit sent as a guide from the invisible world but he soon discovered she did not act like a proper spirit. It was most distressing. Then the dreams began of the two of them together. He began to live for the dream time he shared with her. It was his private vice and obsession.
             When his nephew had come to him shortly after the dreams began and told him of the dreams he had of another cat-woman who had hair like the sun and eyes the color of spring grass. He began to believe that these were visions of things yet to be. Even his niece, White Deer, had seen the cat-people. Her dreams were of a cat-man with hair the color of flames and eyes the color of the sky who wore strange black clothes. Roaring-Wings could explain their visions no better than his own.
             There were others in the village who had these dreams too, each of a different cat-person of the opposite sex. All that saw these visions were unmarried, and alone. The ones who dreamed stopped pursuing marriage plans they might have had to wait for their dream person for all were sure that their dream mates were real and would appear to complete their lives.
             The non-dreamers were concerned about these strange events and attitudes developing in the people especially when carefully arranged alliances were broken off because one of the parties had a dream-vision. It was most distressing to the elders of the tribe.
             When In The Forest had refused to marry the daughter of the Owl Band's war-leader after both fathers and tribal elders had held lengthy discussions for days, exchanged many gifts and tokens of good faith, Thunder Arrow had banished him until he decided to come to his senses and marry Little Snowbird.
             In The Forest had chosen exile rather than give up his hopes of a life with his dream woman. His father had not yet forgiven him for that. Many persons had chosen to leave the tribe rather than be forced into marriages they did not want because of their beliefs. It was rapidly becoming a serious situation that no one knew how to solve.
             The elders had approached him to find a way to stop the visions. They suggested that the shaman make some potion or medicine to give the dreamers so that they would return to normal before the tribe lost most of their young people to this strange belief of mates from the stars. He told them he would to calm their fears, while he kept silent about his own dreams.
             He made the potions as he had been ordered. The dreams stopped, but the memories of those dreams could not be erased. So he was asked to make potions to make the memories fade, and he did. He didn't wish to do this--there was no choice if the tribe was to survive.
             For himself, he found potions and drugs to enhance his dreams to where he and his cat-woman could talk and hear one another in the dreamscape they made. It was during one of these potion enhanced dreams he saw the battle of the silver ships and felt her coming closer to his world. He saw her hide and prepare for a terrible danger, then there was blackness that knocked him out as well. After he awoke he was told of the great flaming star that fell to the earth and was burning the forest close to the sea. He knew then she was here, and the dreams would become real.
             His concentration was shattered by a persistent banging on the drum hung outside. Someone wanted to see him urgently by the frustrated tapping they were making. Reluctantly he shut down his magics and returned to the real-time to greet his visitor.
             He noted by the light streaming in from his vent hole that it was almost mid-afternoon. He had been under the effects of his potions longer than normal, but he had seen nothing.
             Stretching to relieve his cramped muscles he let his visitor wait a little longer. He was in no hurry to answer his door. With reluctance, he walked to the entrance and threw aside the heavy bear skin door covering to reveal his visitor. His older brother Thunder Arrow stood on his doorstep looking agitated.
             "Come in, my brother," Roaring Wings invited, surprised to see him for rarely did he come to his lodge.
             "I would prefer to stay here in the sunlight. Your rooms make me uneasy," he said nervously looking up at him.
             "As you wish," the shaman replied folding his tall frame down to sit in the doorway. He still was on an equal level to talk with him sitting down because of the height of the lodge from the ground.
             "What brings you here?" he asked.
             "The scouts have been reporting strange happenings where the flaming star came down. They report seeing talking animals that walk like people, shiny things that fly and make terrible noises, trees being cut down by beams of light, and a whole village of huge lodges being built in the far valley overnight. They also report that my son walks among these beasts as a friend to them, especially with one of the females. They were seen going last night to his cave and not returning until late morning," Thunder Arrow said angrily, his heavy face pursed into a scowling pout.
             "You banished In The Forest, so what he does should not concern you," he reminded him feigning disinterest when he was anything but. Calmly he asked, "But tell me more of these strangers. Has anyone seen them up close?"
             "Only from the edges of the forest and from high in the trees. Our scouts have not dared to get closer. There seem to be three kinds, two of which there are not many of while the third kind is the most numerous and seem to be the leaders."
             "So what do these animal men look like?" Roaring Wings persisted.
             "One of them have huge wings like a bird and feathers but they are man shaped and wear clothes. They appear to be their scouts and can fly great distances. One of them almost spotted Running Water and Spotted Tail when they were trapped inside the strangers camp."
             Roaring Wings nodded, digesting this information. "What are the other two types?" he asked.
             "There are small cat-people with tails, claws, and colored fur that walk on their hind legs. There aren't too many of them. The main type in the new village are cat like as well. They walk like men, have no tails, some have a little fur on their faces and bodies, but they all seem to have claws and cat-like mouths and noses as well as strange teeth. They also wear black clothes that cover all their bodies. Around their waist are belts with several small boxes that make noise, and they look at and speak into these boxes a lot. Some of these boxes shoot out bright narrow lights that when pointed at a tree cuts it like we do with an ax. Those same boxes can make rocks melt and go away," he reported with awe and fear in his voice.
             Roaring Wings was excited, but he kept his demeanor calm to hear more of the scouts' reports. "What else do the scouts know?"
             "They talk. They all talk in strange words. My son can talk with them somehow. He was seen wearing one of the strange boxes around his neck. Maybe it helps him to understand their words and for them to hear him. They do not act like animals but like men. They build and use tools like men. They laugh. They cry. They bleed like men and can be hurt. This is important. At first the scouts thought these people were gods until they watched them more and saw that they bleed and feel pain as we do. Gods can not. But they use great and powerful magics."
             "Magics? What kinds of magics?" Roaring Wings asked very interested now.
             "The lightening boxes for one. They have shiny boxes that fly like birds in the air that carry people in them and on them. Things that make heavy things light like clouds so they can be floated above the ground and moved where they want them to go. They can also lift people up to reach high things and stay there for a long time. They have boxes with round moving circles that move on the ground to carry people, and some of these have long shiny arms that can dig into the earth, or pick up whole trees in their claws. And this is only a part of the magics they can do."
             "Are you sure the scouts really saw all these things?" he asked not totally believing everything he had heard. But in the back of his mind he saw the strange things he had seen in his visions and was not so sure.
             "Spotted Tail and Running Water are no liars. They are experienced scouts. Much of what they saw the cat-people do they had no words for. One thing they are sure of is that these strangers are building a village on our hunting lands and my son is helping them." he said disgustedly, folding his arms to his chest.
             Thunder Arrow was mad about his hunting grounds being taken over by these animal men--they had not even asked or given gifts in exchange for the use of it. Ordinarily he would have led his warriors in a war party against these invaders and driven them from the land. The weapons and magics that they had made him hesitate against taking action. These were no ordinary foes. Caution was advised here until they could learn more and see if they had weaknesses.
             Roaring Wings was lost in his own thoughts. He wondered if In The Forest had found his cat-woman among these people. If he had then maybe his was there too. He must be cautious in his questions now.
             "Thunder Arrow, did the scouts describe the female In The Forest was seen with?" he inquired carefully, his dark eyes shadowed to hide his growing excitement.
             "They did."
             "And?"
             "She is smaller than the rest of her kind, my son is a head taller. She is pale with long thick hair the color of yellow corn. Without her clothes she looks like any other female except for her face which has a nose and mouth split like a cat's. Her eyes are slanted and her eyebrows angle up. On her hands she has claws. He made love to her in the grass and now they act like husband and wife. I want no cat-woman as a daughter-in-law. He can stay with these strangers I want no part of him now," Thunder Arrow said bitterly with great anger in his voice.
             Roaring Wings was shocked but not overly so. In The Forest had found his dream woman as he had described her to him. That they had made love after just meeting was what shocked him. They had not waited, exchanged gifts, vows, or sanctified their union with the proper rituals. The spirits would not be pleased, nor would their union be recognized by the tribe. What had prompted his nephew to act out of all tradition and honor, he wondered?
             "I can understand your sorrow, brother. In The Forest has done our tribe great shame by joining with this strange woman whom we do not know and without the sanctity of the marriage ceremony to bless it. He was the only male of our line, since I have no children to carry on our blood. We can only hope your daughters marry wisely and give you fine grandsons."
             "Yes, they are my only hope now. But it is not too late for you to find a wife and have sons," he suggested.
             Roaring Wings laughed. "I have tried, my brother. But this scarred face frightens any that might want me. And my magics make those who could overlook my flaws to be afraid. I will marry, and soon when my bride comes to me," he said mysteriously.
             "I hope so. It is not good that you have lived alone since Yellow Fawn died with your son. She was a good woman," he told his younger brother.
             "She was. I miss her, but life goes on," he said looking away and trying to change this painful subject. "So, what will you do about the strangers and your son?"
             "Get a party together and go to their camp to see these strange men for myself and their magics. I want you to come too."
             "Me? Why? I am no warrior." he protested.
             "You understand magic. You can tells us if we can fight theirs if need be. You have know-ledge none of us have. For the sake of our tribe you must go," Thunder Arrow told him.
             Roaring Wings had been trying to figure a way to see the cat-people on his own. Now he was being handed the means. It was all he could do to hold back the eagerness in his voice.
             "If you put it that way, then I must, my brother," he said trying to sound reluctant to go, but his heart was leaping with joy and excitement at the prospect of seeing whether his dreams had been true or false.
             "We leave within the hour," Thunder Arrow announced with satisfaction. "Cheer up, you've been complaining you never have adventures anymore. Now you will," he said patting his brother on his arm and then he turned and left to make ready for the trip.
             Roaring Wings watched him leave and let a slow smile cross his features. Then he roused himself and began to pack for his meeting with the strangers.
 

                                                              * 31 *

             "Is everything secure back there?" Ky'tulendu asked turning around in his seat to check his passengers.
             "Everyone is buckled in, sir," O'vettun told him and settled back in her seat.
             She glanced over to In The Forest who seemed frozen in his, and patted his hand reassuringly. The native had wanted to know what it was like to ride in one of the great metal birds that flew, now he was getting first hand experience. Sitting inside the dimly lit interior he wondered if his curiosity had been a good thing.
             The Atanzis were used to their magic machines, but for him the ship was filled with strange smells, lights, and sounds. There was so much to take in at once, and he was trying very hard not to show his fear, especially to his mate beside him.
             They were still on the ground he saw. He looked out the window watching Atanzis moving supplies from the landing field on the small things that flew without people to the camp. They were always working, doing things, some he could understand while there was much he didn't.
             He was finding these people to be more complex than he had thought. Was it going to be possible to bridge all the gaps he saw between his and O'vettun's worlds? Was he going to be able to explain the Atanzi to his people. He hoped so. Survival for both peoples rested on what he did or didn't do.
             Only four people were going on this peace mission. Adding more observers would not be wise. He and O'vettun, the doctor, who had somehow overridden the Asenti's objections about going, and the Asenti, himself.
             In The Forest understood that the doctor was not the second in command, but she acted like it and Asenti gave in to her wishes. They were not mates. They didn't even act as if they were friends. According to what he understood from O'vettun's explanations of the hierarchical structure of the survivors the doctor was not generally an officer in the chain of command. However, she did insist on being included in on all the plans made about the camp, and was, much to the other officers' surprise. Everyone was confused, but no explanations were forthcoming from either B'tunku or Ky'tulendu.
             Ky'tulendu and B'tunku were doing final checks before they took off. He and O'vettun sat behind them in two of the passenger seats and watched the final preparations. There was much to do to make these machines go In The Forest realized. He sat behind the Asenti to help guide them to the camp, even though they would use their far-seeing devices, his visuals would be to confirm their readings.
             The ship rose into the air, leaving the ground far behind. Soon they hovered above the tops of the tallest trees. It was several hours walking distance between the two camps, but it took no time at all to cross the distance by air. It was that quick. He began to realize how they could travel through the stars if their big ship had been that quick or quicker.
             He was acutely aware of everything around him. He hadn't acquired the ability to shut out all the sensory sensations impacting on his mind and body. He could feel how strange the material of the chair he sat in felt against his naked skin, smooth and slick, like leather that had been oiled too much.
             The hard, rough textured straps crossing his chest chaffed him, they were uncomfortable, but O'vettun had told him he had to wear them, as they all did. The air in here was cooler, almost too cool for him without coverings, causing his skin to have goose bumps. He was glad that the journey was nearing an end.
             "In The Forest, I believe we are approaching your village. Can you see if anything looks familiar?" Ky'tulendu asked, pointing with a clawed finger towards the window. Below the ship lay a large village spread out along one side of the large creek surrounded by forest, beyond which were fields of ripened corn and vegetables ready for harvesting.
             "That's it, Asenti. Do not land in the fields. The corn and beans are ready to be picked and your ship would hurt them. Can you land by those trees?" he told him pointing to a large flat piece of barren ground.
             As they made a pass over a clump of trees a large group of brightly colored and elaborately decorated men came out of the thicker undergrowth to cross a small clearing. They were heading in the direction of the Asenti camp and they had a purposeful air to their actions. Ky'tulendu also noted that they were very heavily armed. A friendly visit was not what they had on their minds.
             "Who is that group of people down there? They look like they were going to our camp," the Asenti asked making adjustments on the control panel to take them lower.
             "I cannot see them clearly from here. Do you have magic to see them better?" In The Forest asked, straining against his seat to look out the window. He was squinting against the bright sunlight trying to make out the features of the tiny figures below. He couldn't, they were too far away.
             Ky'tulendu looked surprised at the request but figured that In The Forest had seen such a device used, and understood its usefulness.
             "O'vettun, tie your viewer into the ship's sensors," Ky'tulendu told her.
             She did as he asked and the picture from outside appeared on her screen. She handed her recorder to In The Forest who stared at the small images.
             He shook his head. "Can you make people bigger? They're hard to see," he told her. She bent over and touched some of the controls and the images got bigger.
             "More. A little more," he requested, turning the controls himself as he saw her do, then nodded with satisfaction as he recognized the people and how they were garbed.
             It was a group of about thirty warriors on foot. They were decorated and painted in their best not as peace party but as a war party. He had come at a good time before they could get to the Atanzi camp. With the images now enlarged and the viewer going from person to person he could see their faces clearly. It was not a happy sight.
             "It is not good, Asenti Ky'tulendu. That is a war party with my father leading them. I told you he was angry man. No doubt his scouts have been watching you and reported back about the new village and my part in it. My uncle has come with him too?" his voice held surprise at that as he noticed the shaman in full regalia trailing the group.
             "My uncle never leaves the village except to go on holy quests to seek visions. The other men are our best warriors in their war paints. They were not coming to talk peace with you," he said, embarrassed for his people's intentions.
             "I might have done the same if I had been in your father's place. We can met them now on neutral ground in that field they were about to cross," Ky'tulendu replied, steering the craft that way and beginning the landing sequence.
             The ship set down vertically from the air in a large cloud of blowing tan dust from the dry ground. The warriors stopped their forward motion and began coughing and wiping their stinging eyes as well as saying uncomplimentary things about this strange silver bird.
             The ship landed and the dust began to settle. The warriors recovered and began dusting their bodies off. They were not in a good mood. Their bear fat greased bodies were covered with dust. They were mad about the strangers on their land, and they were wary and frightened of the strange bird-box than had landed in their path. None of the men dared bolt from their place less they be thought a coward by their fellows. They knew that this bird had to be from the strangers because of the scouts' descriptions of similar things, but it was still a thing beyond their wildest imaginings.
             When the dust settled, a humming noise started and two wide seams appeared on their side of the beast. Where the seams had been became a wide door that fell down loudly on the ground as a ramp into the thing. Colored lights blinked off and on, and odd noises as well as voices came from the darkened inside.
             From within the belly of the beast In The Forest walked. He stood on the ramp arrogantly with his arms folded across his broad chest regarding his fellows who just stood there opened mouthed gaping at him. He had a good idea what was going through their minds and he was now playing it for all it was worth.
             With a theatrical flourish he turned and offered his hand to O'vettun who came down the ramp cautiously to stand beside him. Ky'tulendu and then B'tunku appeared and walked out to stand behind them.
             Before they had left the ship Ky'tulendu had agreed to let In The Forest conduct the preliminary talks with him stepping in if necessary. The four of them wore translators around their necks, but the natives would not. That way they could keep their conversation private but they would be able to understand what was being said and have In The Forest act as translator.
             "Greetings, Thunder Arrow, my father," In The Forest said raising his hands in peaceful greeting as he stepped forward alone to meet his father in the center of the field.
             His father came forward with anger carved on his strong chiseled features. He was just a little shorter than his son. His tattooed muscular body was naked except for a simple deerskin loincloth and some necklaces made of brown and white shells and yellow beads. His head was shaved except for a long scalp lock down the middle that had been dyed bright red and had white feathers and colored beads woven into it's length with colored strips of deer hide. Attached to his decorated belt he wore a long decorated fringed knife sheath from which a carved wooden handle protruded.
             His dark eyes under heavy gray frowning brows held contempt and suspicion as his son neared him. His lips were taunt in a thin line. His weathered face showed deep character lines and the strength of his courage and convictions. For all his fears he kept his expression calm trying to maintain his dignity in the face of these multiple assaults upon his emotions and mind. In respect for the visitor behind his son he took two steps forward but no more. His warriors took three backward so that the two were left alone before their respective groups.
             "I see you In The Forest. You are not welcome here," His father said after a long silence before he spoke. "What do you want and why do you bring these animals?" he asked, contempt and disgust in every word.
             A momentary flicker of pain and anger crossed In The Forest's features, but he refused to be pushed into hasty actions. He faced his father, his features and mind steely calm now.
             "I come to talk, my father. To make peace before there is war. I bring the leader of the new people to talk to you and offer their friendship. The two females are here as witnesses to these talks and are also mighty warriors of their race," he said carefully.
             "Warriors, humph!" his father said contemptuously and spat on the ground next to his son's foot. "Females even if they do have claws are not equal to any man and can not be warriors," he said letting his own prejudges cloud his mind to new ideas.
             "Nevertheless, they are, Thunder Arrow," he said defending his statement and then motioned Ky'tulendu forward.
             He did, coming to stand where In The Forest motioned him to. They had discussed this carefully before leaving camp, but anything could happen or go wrong and they both knew it. Already the reception that Thunder Arrow was giving them was not as they had anticipated. What had the scouts reported to have him so hostile to In The Forest?
             "This is Asenti Ky'tulendu, chief of the Atanzi. That is the name they call themselves. They come from one of the lights in the night sky. They wish to be our neighbors and I have showed them where they can stay."
             "Yes! I am very aware of this! Who gave you permission to give away our sacred hunting lands to animals-that-walk-like-men? Who? You are not a warrior, a man of honor, a man of our tribe! You had no right! BOY!" he shouted at him getting redder and redder in the face as he exploded and launched a fiery attack upon his dumfounded son, who backed up a pace from the fury of it. Even the watching warriors looked uncomfortable because of their chief's anger.
             "Who gave you permission, BOY?" he asked again against coming forward with a raised fist.
             "No one. It was the right thing to do. You banished me. I went to my hunting lodge in the caves. I have claimed that land as mine own since none of our people use it but myself. The strangers needed a place to go so I gave them one!" he said calmly defending himself.
             "They can go back to where they came from! I DO NOT WANT THEM HERE!" he shouted, his anger getting hotter.
             "They cannot. Their ship, the thing that brought them here is gone--destroyed when it fell. It can never fly again. They are here. Will be here. There is nowhere for them to go," he told him truthfully.
             "Yes there is! OFF MY LANDS!" he yelled. "I want them to go away, far away. I want no animal people here with strange flying things and magics. And we have heard about the magics. THEY ARE BAD! EVERYTHING ABOUT THEM IS BAD--INCLUDING THEIR MAGICS! THEY GO!" his father ranted, gesturing angrily.
             "NO! They are not going and their magics are good, very good. They can help us so much. Teach us things, wonders that you could never have believed possible to exist
. . . ." In The Forest tried to explain.
             "Hah!" his father said cutting him off and slicing the air with his hand to indicate no more talk. "They are not of the People. They aren't even people--look at them if you still have eyes and you are not blinded by their magics. They are animals," he yelled contemptuously and sniffed the air.
             Ky'tulendu was getting hot under the collar himself but had held his tongue. He was trying to see the old native's viewpoint. It was difficult when the native's point of view was that his people were the animals and not true people to them. He decided to speak.
 

                                                                  * 32 *

             "Excuse me, Thunder Arrow, but I am not an animal," he told him and watched the look of shock on the native's face.
             "It speaks. I cannot understand IT, but it spoke!" he said with wide brown eyes looking at the Asenti with fear and apprehension.
             They had forgotten the natives wouldn't be able to understand them without the translators. If they couldn't understand them then they couldn't prove to this one that they were people. They had to fix that.
             Speaking quickly Ky'tulendu told the native. "In The Forest, give your father your translator, quickly, so he can understand my words," he ordered.
             "But Asenti, then I won't be able to understand you," he protested, looking at him with a mixture of pain and uncertainty. He wanted to hear the interchange.
             "Do it. He's not going to believe we are people unless I can prove it to him. He isn't believing you, and there is too much friction between the two of you now," Ky'tulendu told him.
             In The Forest had to agree with his logic but he also hated being parted from his translator. He wanted to know what was being said. Reluctantly with a sigh he began to lift the small device from around his neck and almost had it over his head when he heard the doctor come up behind him.
             "Wait! Ky'tulendu, he needs his. Here take mine. I'm not necessary for these negotiations but he is. He needs to know what is being said by everyone, I don't," B'tunku told them both when they turned quickly to look at her.
             The silver haired Atanzi held the translator out to In The Forest who took it gratefully while his own fell back in place. He handed her device to his father who took it, looking over the smooth black oval shaped device, turning it this way and that as he minutely examined it. It was not stone, nor wood, nor anything the old man had ever seen or felt before and it purred ever so slightly against his skin.
             "Put the translator around your neck, Father," he told him in their language and indicated he should wear it like him.
             The old man hesitated, afraid of the strange object and having it next to his skin. Would it bite? Would it hurt him? What would it do to him? If he did not do it then he would be a coward in everyone's eyes, His pride would not allow him to be a coward, not now! With trembling fingers he took the black device and made the cord slip over his headdress and down until the translator rested against his throat. Then he waited with wide eyes to see what would happen to him.
             "Can you hear me Thunder Arrow?" Ky'tulendu asked, waiting patiently for the old native to get used to the translator and letting the device adjust itself to its host's brain waves so that he could hear and comprehend what was being said.
             ". . . yes, . . . I . . can . . hear you," Thunder Arrow said slowly with looks of both wonder and terror crossing his usually immobile features.
             His black-brown eyes stared straight ahead, wide and unbelieving of what he was experiencing. While the device was trying to calm subliminally and reassure him that everything was all right, there was nothing to fear, nothing would hurt him.
             "Good, now we can talk," Ky'tulendu said satisfied, but he kept this tones neutral. "Since you and In The Forest are having difficulties I thought I might try to help you know us."
             The old warrior came back to himself, recovering from his shock and glared at the Atanzi who presumed so much. "You may talk though I may not listen cat-man," he said making oblivious his contempt of these unwelcome visitors.
             "My different appearance bothers you?" he questioned.
             "Yes! You are not of the People. You are animals. You mock true men like me. You are abominations in the eyes of the Creator and of the People. For you are not Gods. Gods could appear before me like that." he said snapping his fingers. "Gods do not have to use strange objects to help them fly or make talk," he said daring the Atanzi to tell him differently.
             "No, we are not Gods nor do we claim to be Gods. We are people called Atanzi. We are from far away across the stars. We came here seeking sanctuary from our enemies who damaged our ship, so we cannot return to our homes. We can never go back to our home because our ship is beyond fixing. We came to you asking for help and to ask if we may use your lands. In exchange we will help your people in any way that you chose, share our knowledge, our skills, or give you tribute if you wish. We can help one another, Thunder Arrow, and make each other's people have good lives. We desire only peace and the chance to live full, rich long lives in harmony with your world," Ky'tulendu said carefully watching the chief for reactions to his words.
             Thunder Arrow listened, considering the cat-man's words, trying to judge the truthfulness of his statements. He could not detect any falseness, but he was still suspicious of the device that hung around his neck. He wondered whether it was somehow altering the outcome in some subtle way.
             "Your intentions seem honorable cat-man-from-the-stars, but how do I really know what is in your heart? How true are your words? This translator--this is of your making. Can it not make your words seem reasonable to me, make me hear what you say so I believe you, when in truth you may be telling me many lies. I do not believe you because it is too easy to," he said in rebuttal.
             Ky'tulendu almost looked at him dumfounded, but he had been on too many diplomatic missions to show his surprise at the chief's logic. He saw the direction he needed to go. "Truth can be that easy if the person speaking has no falseness in his heart," he said quietly.
             "Yes, that is so. But whether your intentions are honorable or not you are on my peoples land, destroying what was very good hunting grounds and forest. You build your lodges and do not ask if it is all right with us. You bring strange magics to our land, maybe strange sicknesses as well as it has been told that some of your peoples are very sick. We fear you giving our people sickness we cannot fight."
             "I understand your fears and they are good ones. Your son showed us where we might build and also told us that we would need to talk to you about using your lands. We needed to move our people from our ship as soon as we could. We have enemies that might come back and look for us. They will see our ship and when they get through nothing will remain. I wanted my people safely away from it. Would you not do the same if an enemy was looking for you?" he asked.
             He shrugged, "I might. I do not like the idea of you having an enemy that might come to destroy you from the sky. If he can destroy you what is to stop him from mistaking my people from yours. I do not want your enemies here. We have done nothing to make them mad except to allow you to live. The more I hear the less I like you Atanzi"
             This was not going well at all Ky'tulendu realized. The more they talked the more the chief was determined that they were a threat to his people. Unfortunately, he was right in many ways, they were a threat to the natives. He couldn't really deny that.
             Ky'tulendu tried again. "Great chief, our enemies may or may not come back. They will see our ship and think that we are all destroyed because of how badly damaged it is. Then they will go away and leave both of us in peace. They will not come here on the ground and search. They do not like leaving the safety of their ships. Once they have searched they will forget us and never bother this world again," Ky'tulendu told him, hoping that this would be the case.
             "But they will come?" Thunder Arrow questioned.
             "They will come," Ky'tulendu admitted.
             "You will hide, not fight?"
             "Yes. We do not have the weapons it will take to fight them. Those weapons are gone with the ship and cannot be fixed. What we have will not do any damage against their ship only to individuals if they came seeking us out," the Asenti explained carefully.
             "I have heard of your fire sticks and what they can do and you say they are not powerful enough to hurt your enemies?" he asked surprised.
             "No, they are not. True they are more powerful than anything your warriors carry but they cannot reach where our enemy's ship will be far up in the sky. They can be up higher than the highest cloud in your sky and still destroy us and we would be able to do nothing to them."
             Thunder Arrow was having a hard time with these conceptions. A bird-box that could fly higher than the clouds, weapons that could reach that far, and the powerfulness of such weapons. "How would they know it was you if they were up so far. How can they see that far?" he asked frightened now.
             "They have devices, machines that can see us and find us from very far distances. We have similar devices with us so that we will know if they are coming and can escape before they come," he said, appreciating the mental jumps this primitive was having to make.
             "This is becoming too much for my head to understand cat- man," Thunder Arrow complained, wheeling from all the information that he could barely begin to understand.
             "Yes, it is a lot at once, great chief," Ky'tulendu admitted.
             "Much of what you have said must be heard by the Council. I am chief, but I am not the only voice of the People. I cannot make by myself the decisions of whether your people can stay or must go. We need to return to my village and have talks cat-man. My son, and your females may come, but they may not be allowed to speak unless the others say they can," Thunder Arrow decided.
             It was getting too hot to stand there in the hot blazing sun to talk. They were all getting tired, hot and thirsty. They needed to sit and smoke upon all that had been said and hear what was yet unsaid by the strange ones. He was still hostile and suspicious but he was not a fool. There were as many of the cat-people as there were of his own people and they had fire sticks and magics. They would have to work this out.
             "Come, we go," Thunder Arrow announced abruptly, motioning that they should follow him and his warriors back to the village.
             "Wait chief. We wish to bring gifts and close up our ship so that animals do not get in while we are gone," Ky'tulendu requested.
             Thunder Arrow nodded. "Gifts would be good, and your ship does not need nosy visitors. You may do that. We will wait," he agreed standing with arms folded.
             "Thank you chief, we will hurry," he said thanking him and then motioned his group to follow him. In low tones he gave orders to them in Atanzi. "B'tunku, O'vettun, and In The Forest get the gifts we had planned to give them and secure the ship. In The Forest, how many people sit on your council?" he asked the native as they were entering the ship.
             "Ten, maybe fifteen, sometimes more depending on what the council is to be about. This will be a big council, Asenti as everyone will want to hear you," he said puzzled.
             "How many translators do we have on board?" he asked B'tunku.
             "Thirty including what we carry," she said replacing hers from their supplies.
             "Good, bring them all," he ordered.
             "I thought only we were going to use them?" she questioned, her silver eyes narrowing.
             "I changed my mind. I want our stay to be peaceful. If we cannot explain our situation then it won't be. They will not go for In The Forest acting as an interpreter as we wanted. Only our speaking as equals is going to work, so we need all the translators we can lay our hands on. There will be time later for everyone to learn each other's languages," he told her as helped her look. They gathered all the communicators and put them in a box to carry. "Do we have everything?" he asked seeing that they were all loaded up with backpacks and carry bags.
             They nodded. "Then let's go," he told them as they left the ship and closed it from outside with a punch button code. They then walked over to join the chief who looked curiously at all the bundles and then motioned them to follow him.

                                                         * 33 *

             The village was further than they thought. It took a good ten units to walk to the outskirts of the large village. The three Atanzis received many curious looks from the almost naked natives tending their crops in the carefully laid out fields as they passed them at their work. The looks were both for their leonine features and for their strange silky black uniforms that covered the Atanzis completely despite the searing heat of the day. The people had never seen anyone cover themselves so completely and thought the strangers were crazy on top of their strange looks. Even In The Forest was gathering strange looks because his closeness to O'vettun and his deliberate separation from the other warriors that accompanied the group.
             Roaring Wings had kept silent at the earlier meeting, staying in the background just listening and surmising what he could from the way his brother and the tall red-haired male acted as well as by the tone of their words. He was surprised to hear his brother speak as one of the cat people after he put the small black thing around his neck, but he quickly caught on to the strange object's function.
             Some of the cat-people's words they spoke were haunting familiar and yet different. He was going to have to mediate to find the answers to why they were. They shouldn't have been.
             He now believed fully in the dreams. There was no doubt that they had been showing the dreamers their futures. There was no doubt watching the subtle interplay between In The Forest and the small golden haired cat-woman that walked beside him that his nephew had found the mate he had seen. Had the cat-woman had similar dreams about him? He hoped they would be able to tell him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, so much to learn from these strange star-people.
             He hung back deliberately to watch the other female. He had no doubt it was the woman of his dreams, not with that odd silver hair and silver eyes. He did not think there could be too many like her among the newcomers.
             She didn't recognize him. He was sure of that because of his ceremonial garb hid his features. The dreams would have shown him as just a man, not as a shaman, but she had sensed his interest in her. He had caught her looking, evaluating him as they walked. She was also searching the crowd as if she was looking for something she could not find, that made him smile to himself.
             B'tunku had noticed the wolf skin clad native that the other natives kept a respectful distance from as they walked. In The Forest had indicated before they left the ship that the wolf headed man was his uncle, Roaring Wings. That was the name from her dreams. She was certain of it. It was hard to reconcile the images in her mind to the real man by that name she saw a short distance from her.
             Covered with animal skins, feathers, decorations, and war paint on long naked limbs he did not look like anything she wanted to get near let alone make love to. The whole group of natives smelled of rancid animal fats and flowers which had gotten rather vile in the hot sun, but he smelled the worst of all with sulfur and other chemical smells trailing him. The prospect of all of them packed in a lodge for the talks did not thrill her.
             Worse of all he gave her the creeps the way he stared at her through the open fang-tooth mouth of the wolf skull. His shiny black eyes were intense, probing, trying to see into her soul and heart.
             Had he had the dreams and was trying to determine if she was who he was to meet? Too many of these people and places were familiar to her unbelieving eyes already. She had never believed in dreams or visions before but the evidence was getting too overwhelming to be dismissed. If he was the man of her heart, why then did he frighten her and make her want to run far away?
        The village itself consisted of roughly fifty one story buildings. Some were thatched with grass and some were covered with woven mats. A wide well trodden hard packed dirt path led into the village past some of the buildings, evidently private homes, to open into a huge public square. At the northern end of the square was a large, bark covered building with carved and painted posts. The better class of buildings were square or oblong, with some gabled or arched roofs of bark, but there were some domed shaped and covered with thatch with many bark sheds attached to the dwellings or separate.
        Cooking fires with racks of drying food stuffs were in front of many of the high platformed buildings tended by bare breasted women and young girls, wearing either short skirts made of woven grasses or hides tied around their middles. Children of both sexes ran naked and tried to get close to see the strange visitors but the warriors shoed them away.
        In one area a group of women were working on large pieces of animal hides stretched on wooden frames with stone and wood scrapers, while others wove flat grasses and reeds together to make baskets and mats . Still others sat and talked while nursing their children. Everywhere was activity of some sort even if the Atanzi just vaguely understood what the natives were doing. The well laid out clean village was not what they had expected, nor were the happy naked people who had no embarrassment about their bodies as did the Atanzi who were body shy. It was going to take a lot of adjusting on the Atanzi's side to feel comfortable around these people.
             The war party entered the village proper with the Atanzis surrounded on all sides in the center of the group. B'tunku concentrated on what was transpiring a couple of steps ahead of her with In The Forest, Ky'tulendu, and Thunder Arrow. Turning up the intake volume on her transformer she could hear what they were saying. It did not sound good. The native chief had not calmed down any on the trip to the camp. Listening to him he was more hostile than before, especially to his son.
             "But--Father listen to the Asenti. He tells the truth," In The Forest protested to his father.
             "Listen to an animal--I find it difficult to believe they are any sort of men. They wear clothes only to hide the fact that they have tails and fur. I will not be deceived by such tricks!" he shouted at his son gesturing to the clothes that all the Atanzi wore.
             "Must they be stripped naked to prove they are not animals and are men just like us?" In The Forest yelled back, losing his control as his anger rose at his father's stupidity.
             "That would be a start," he shot back smugly daring them to do so.
             In The Forest flushed, his hands clenched tightly by his sides as he just stared at his father, coolly he asked. "You would ask our honored guests to strip so that you may see that they are worthy to talk to?"
             "Yes," Thunder Arrow said with satisfaction. He had intended it to be a joke but the more he thought about it the more he liked the idea. It would prove once and for all these were animals and also humble and humiliate the visitors and show the People that they had no worth.
             "Then you are a fool, Thunder Arrow," he told him and turned his back on him to walk away.
             "Stop, In The Forest! If removing our uniforms will convince your father that we are men like him then I will. I have complied with stranger requests before. I am not ashamed of what I am," Ky'tulendu told him seriously.
             "Asenti, you should not have to do this. He would not make other visitors to our village do such a thing. I am ashamed that he asks you to prove your worthiness and in front of the entire village," In The Forest replied, feeling angry and helpless as he looked from Ky'tulendu to his father and back.
             "There is that. I would have liked more privacy myself, but this is his village, his show, and his rules. I can see no way else to prove that we are men and are telling the truth," Ky'tulendu replied, taking off his back packs and setting them on the ground.
             "The females too," Thunder Arrow said, seeing that Ky'tulendu was complying but they
weren't.
             "No!" both Ky'tulendu and In The Forest protested at the same time.
             "I do not care what you may think of me, me, but I will not order the Doctor or the Specialist to disrobe. My being on display is enough," he said turning to Thunder Arrow scowling with his lips pulled back in a snarl to reveal his fangs. It was not the best thing he could have done but his anger was rising too.
             Thunder Arrow was getting unsure what to think as he saw Ky'tulendu's transformation and anger. That the male was willing to comply was good enough--for the moment. He was afraid to go too far with these strangers. His once joke was now getting out of hand.
             "All right, the females do not have to remove their clothes-- but you do," Thunder Arrow ordered imperiously as he pointed haughtily to the Atanzi standing in the middle of the village. It had gone too far for either one of them to stop without losing their dignity. Neither could back down now.
             Ky'tulendu shrugged and calmly stared at the chief as he began removing his weapons belt, setting it down on the packs. He undid the fastening on his tunic and pulled it up over his head, shaking his long thick red hair out as the shirt was off. Then for effect he flexed the powerful sleek muscles on his back, shoulders, chest and arms. There were several gasps and a lot of suggestive comments from the admiring semi nude female audience who were avidly watching the proceedings from the sidelines.
             He took his long black boots off, then his socks to stand barefooted in the dirt. He was magnificent standing there in the late afternoon sun. The golden light filtering through the leaves of the trees surrounding the square enhanced the red in his mane and on the hair on his chest, and forearms. The tight pants slipped down and he stood clad in only his form fitting black briefs. The finely chiseled leonine profile blended perfectly with the athlete's body drawing admiration from many quarters.
             He started to remove his briefs.
             "Halt! That will be enough. I am convinced," Thunder Arrow said. The skin tight briefs left no doubt to the cat-man's claim that he was a man like himself. And they also proved that the Atanzi had no tails.
             The chief could hear the giggles of the maidens and the almost rude speculations coming from some of the older woman who had avidly observing this. The chief glanced around and saw his own daughter, White Deer, entranced at the sight of the Atanzi. He also saw a look of shock and surprise on the Atanzi's face as Ky'tulendu noticed the beautiful dark-haired maiden wearing nothing but a short white buck skin apron looking at him. The chief didn't even want to imagine what was transpiring between them. One child enamored of the cat-people was enough.
             "You may put your clothes back on, Asenti Ky'tulendu. You have passed my test," he said briskly, trying to cover his own embarrassment at falling to prove that the strangers were really animals.
             Ky'tulendu nodded and smiled to himself satisfied that he had called the old man's buff and won. He put his clothes back on noting he had been cooler with them off. They might have to make clothing adaptations to survive the climate here. Uniforms were not really going to be necessary now.
             Glancing up as he put his boots back on he watched the large chested, long legged native girl in the white decorated apron he had spotted in the crowd. She was unbelievably beautiful for a human, he thought to himself, and the interest seemed to be mutual.
             Then he caught himself, realizing what was happening and suddenly got very alert. This pull between them and the natives was incredibly strong more than Atanzi to Atanzi he was afraid.
             Judging from the fineness of her brief outfit and her elaborate jewelry she was no ordinary person in this village. No doubt she was some official's daughter. He just hoped she wasn't Thunder Arrow's. He didn't want to visualize trying to court the girl if he was her father seeing how the human disliked them so.
             He finished dressing and looked to Thunder Arrow expectantly.
             "Come, we go to the Council lodge. Already the elders and warriors are gathering there," the old man announced leading the way down the wide streets of the village.
             The council lodge was bigger than the other structures near it. It sat above the ground as did all the lodges on high foundations of sturdy logs and poles. The outsides were covered with both birch bark and woven mats over log frames in a long oblong shape. Its roof was gabled and covered with thatch. Wide wooden steps lead up into the buildings whose door coverings consisted of animal skins that were flung aside to enter.
             Ky'tulendu entered the council lodge after Thunder Arrow followed by In The Forest, O'vettun and B'tunku. It took a minute to get used to the dim light inside because of the lack of windows. There was a low fire burning in the center of the room, its smoke rising up to a hole in the roof. Around three sides ran an almost waist high platform upon which a group of twelve elderly men sat watching the strangers as they entered.
             "You may sit here," Thunder Arrow said indicating places on the mat covered floor facing the elders while he took his own seat on the platform next to them.
             Behind them they heard other people entering and finding places to sit. They could feel the intense scrutiny of everyone in the lodge and it was making them uncomfortable. The old men on the bench looked them over carefully. They gave no indications of what they were thinking as they watched the people file in. When everyone settled down, one of the elders looked to Thunder Arrow and the chief began addressing everyone in the lodge in his own language.
             "Great honored ones, these strangers have come to our land from far away and wish to talk with the council. They wish to live on our land as neighbors and have already begun building their village in the valley where the deer run swift, and wolves sing to the moon."
             The old men looked shocked at that.
             One of the elders, a white haired man with eagle feathers on the back of his head spoke up angrily, "They did not ask before they did this?"
             "They asked In The Forest and he gave them our hunting lands." Thunder Arrow replied.
             "Humph! But they did ask this council?"
             "No."
             The white haired elder glared at the young warrior sitting among the Atanzi. "In The Forest, by what right did you do this? You were banished because of your refusal to marry Little Snowbird. You are no longer of this tribe and can not give away what is ours to strangers, especially to these cats-that-walk- like-men."
             "Honored, Walks In Silence, there was no choice. These people had many injured, and needed shelter. They could not go far. No one lives on that land but myself. I saw no harm. We were on our way to talk when we met my father and his warriors going as a war party to the Atanzi village. The Atanzi, that is the name they call themselves, wish only peace with our people. They bring many gifts and wonders to seal the pact of friendship between us," In The Forest said carefully trying judge how his words were being accepted.
             The elders looked among each other, nodding and murmuring over his statements. There was approval and disapproval both.
             "They wish to live in peace? Why are they here and where do they come from. I have never heard of a tribe called the Atanzi before," Walks In Silence asked suspiciously.
             "They came from one of the lights in the night sky in a flying thing they call a ship. They were escaping from their enemies. Their ship was hurt and fell to the ground near the great waters. Many of their people died, and many are still hurt from their ship falling to the ground," In The Forest tried to explain.
             "Ship? They fly through the air like birds? They come from the stars? What lies are these young one? You tempt my patience. I want the truth now!"
             "This is the truth, oh, honored one, as I have told you. They have machines . . big shiny boxes that fly through the air. Even my father has seen that," he protested.
             "Is this so, Thunder Arrow? Boxes that fly?" Walks in Silence questioned.
             "It is so. And the scouts have seen many of these boxes in their camp and the huge one that fell from the sky," he admitted.
             "Are we in the presence of gods then?" the elder asked afraid.
             "No. They do not claim to be gods, only men like ourselves that look different from ourselves. I am still not sure that they are but they do resemble us and act like men." Thunder Arrow told him.
             "Do they talk? Will they talk now so that I can ask them what they want?"
             "Yes, you can ask them anything you want," In The Forest told the elder, who looked back at him surprised. "Walks In Silence this is Asenti Ky'tulendu. He is their chief and will talk with you," he said introducing the Asenti who had been watching and listening to everything.
             "Honored one," Ky'tulendu began using the titles the others had used. "First I must give you a gift so that you may hear what I say better," he said handing the elder one of the translators.
             The elder had not understood what he had said and was puzzled by his strange sounding words. He was equally puzzled by the small black box the cat-man was holding out to him in his hairy clawed hand. He looked to Thunder Arrow for an explanation.
             "Take the small black box and put it around your neck. They gave me one so I could understand their words. It's magic but it won't hurt you," Thunder Arrow explained, showing him his own device.
             "No! Let Roaring Wings see this thing. He knows magic. If he says it has good spirits then I will touch it. I do not wish to die from strange evil magics," the old white haired man snapped back, not wanting to touch the device in Ky'tulendu's hands.
             "Roaring Wings, come here and look at this magic from the cat-people," Thunder Arrow ordered.
             The shaman bestirred himself from where he was sitting by the door in rustle of fur and feathers and walked over to where the chiefs sat, careful not to step on the visitors. He faced the Asenti who still held out his hand and cautiously the shaman took the translator from the Atanzi's upraised bare palm.
             The shaman performed the sensing, touching rituals he used on stones and other elements and was confused and frightened. It wasn't anything that he had ever touched before or knew of. He looked at both In The Forest and Thunder Arrow who seemed to wear theirs with no ill-effects, but he was still uncertain.
             He had heard his relatives and the cat-people talk in the cat-peoples' language along with his own. Somehow it did help speakers understand one another. For that it must have a good spirit inside. He wanted one for himself to study. Would they give him one, he wondered?
             "Have you one for me, Asenti Ky'tulendu, so I may know whether this is a good thing with a good spirit inside?" he asked, looking down at the red-haired cat-man.
             Ky'tulendu nodded, and pulled another one out of his pack and gave it to the shaman who looked at the identical objects. That was his second surprise to see that they were the same. Rarely had he seen identical objects before because most things in nature were not. This was high magic in itself.
             Satisfied that no harm was going to come from these things, Roaring Wings turned and handed one of them to Walks In Silence. He then took a seat by his brother so he could observe the strangers more closely and see their magics. He unfastened the fabric cord of the translator and tied it around his neck and indicated to the elder he should do the same, which he did cautiously.
             Ky'tulendu then brought out more translators and began passing them out to be distributed among the people in the council lodge. Soon everyone present who needed one had one. Those that didn't had their friends translate anything they didn't understand. With the acceptance of the translators things began to go more smoothly for the Atanzi group.
             When all had settled down and the newness of the devices had worn off the elder began the meeting in earnest asking for silence with up raised arms, he began.
             "Now Asenti Ky'tulendu, tell me about your people and how you came to my people's lands," Walks In Silence asked his dark penetrating eyes boring into Ky'tulendu's sky blue ones.

End Part 4/10