Evaluations of the Tribe Page 20

  Aly looked at Catty and shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.” She then went back to studying the sky.

  “You be a hopeless cause, Alytchai. In the meantime, why not focus on the task at hand? Truly, daydreaming of – what be the moving mountains the storyteller talks about called again?”

  “Spaceships.”

  “Ah, truly. Daydreaming of ‘spaceships’ shall offer little help during our travels in the morrow.”

  “Fair enough. And thus, we forget. If the four of us are to end the other teams, then we must bout against one another, if we are to still desire a single victor. Who knows? In the end, perhaps it shall be the two of us fighting to be the last one who stands.”

  The joke was too real for Catty to laugh at, and even Aly regretted making light of the possibility. With that, both mastras’ minds came back to Planet Gooliun. The aliens could wait.

  * * *

  Chapter 13

  The mastras got up at the break of dawn, and checked to see if any would-be easy prey had left tracks for them to follow. It was getting harder to hunt people, now that the best survivalists remained. However, Catty lucked out and came across a piece of half-eaten fruit, not even two hours into the search when she broke off from the others. Then again, she already knew leaving evidence so bluntly out in the open was a given invitation, so she decided to play it safe and backtrack to her team.

  She only took a step before her spine shook. Not enough time. She raised a charged hand, swatting the yellow ball of energy away. She couldn’t hold in her scream as the kick from the shot turned her own being in on her own hand.

  Catty charged a sphere, more angry than hurt at someone having the audacity to sneak up on her. The shooter gave away his position easily, since he expected an easy hit. She spun around and aimed at a male Young One with yellow tents, stiff as green oak wood. His spotter, another master, pinched him in the arm so he would move. Even then, the lad’s withdrawal was slow and cautious.

  “Your heightening, Masters!” Catty said as she fired.

  The lads plummeted down to a branch beneath them, only to have it explode when Catty’s other beam struck it. The shooter made it to another branch, reaching out so he could grab his falling comrade. He touched the tip of his fingers before Catty fired again and sent him soaring.

  The mastras heard the shot and the yelp of the victim as they ran toward the sounds of combat.

  “Perhaps we needn’t worry so dearly, yes?” Glani said. “It sounds as if she is well enough.”

  Requai flipped onto another branch. “Be that as it may, if we can hear this, so shall others. Double time.”

  Catty and the lad both somersaulted back onto nearby branches, placing ten meters between them altogether. The lad charged both hands while Catty switched to a defensive form.

  The master shot a beam, and Catty spun around it like a dancing partner. The Young One shot with his other hand, and Catty cartwheeled to the right in a half circle, knowing the tree was as solid as a rock.

  The other three came upon the duel, ready to aid their comrade.

  Catty motioned them to stand down. “I have this.”

  The lad uncharged one of his hands to wipe the sweat off his forehead, and Catty shot a beam into his chest the second she saw the opening, knocking him on his back. Before he could get up, Catty soared into the air, breaking twigs, and landed on top of him. She shoved a knee underneath his chin, and held his left arm down with her forearm so he couldn’t shoot her off of him. After pressing her other leg down on his right arm, Glani covered her eyes, knowing what would happen next.

  Catty pushed the knee she had underneath the lad’s chin deep into his windpipe. She let up just so he could get a second hint of air before she pressed in harder. His gag made Aly and Requai cover their ears, its sound mixed with an interrupted exhale and high pitched shriek that a five-year-old couldn’t even make. His eyes bulged out of socket as he clawed Catty’s knee and tears ran down his cheeks. And then, Catty pressed harder.

  With oxygen not making it to his lungs or brain, the lad’s primitive instincts cried out to him. Breathe. He needed to breathe, and there was only one way to do it. He tapped the ground until Catty finally let up.

  Requai uncovered her ears. “Truth’s Grace, that was a brutal sight. I did not know she could manage close-quarter so well.”

  “And neither did I,” Aly said, still eyeing Catty.

  After they updated their notepads, Requai and Glani went on-guard so Aly could clean Catty’s wound. The masters they just dismantled were pretty thorough, considering the two of them alone managed to take out six people. Now, according to what they knew, only twenty-four remained.

  “I am relieved the two of you were able to silence your quarrel,” Glani said as she watched Aly wrap Catty’s bad hand. “Truly, the last thing one needs in a group is inner turmoil, yes?”

  Requai looked over her shoulder. “Glani, has anyone ever informed you that you make settings uncomfortable?”

  “Nay. Why?”

  “Truly, you make settings uncomfortable. By Truth’s Grace, be still.”

  “No worries, Requai.” Aly ripped the bottom part of Catty’s top and wrapped it around the mastra’s arm, since they wanted to reserve the remaining bandages as long as possible. “I suppose I did take a more aggressive approach the prior day to prove my worth. It be difficult to watch others do what I cannot at times, yet there be no excuse. I can admit my fault.”

  Catty rubbed her face, wiping the agitation off it. She knew if she could just explain why Aly couldn’t control her being, maybe the self-loathing would go away a little. All the secrecy over the past six years made her sick, both physically and mentally. Still, such was the way of things on Gooliun, which was why, even then, Aly had no idea she was a Sungstra, nor what a Sungstra even was.

  Aly stopped when the mastra groaned. “Are you well, Catty? You seem troubled.”

  “Fret not. The wound merely stings, that be all. I am fortunate the burns are not as severe. I would hate having to lose an arm.”

  “Truly,” Requai said. “Perhaps you would give us a fair advantage, then, yes?”

  “Not funny, at all.”

  Aly finished the bandage, got up, and froze when her alarm mechanism jolted her. “Wait. Mastras, did you not just sense that?”

  The others felt a tingle in the back of their neck as well, and moved in to cover. As being markings on their faces protruded, they scanned the forest through infrared, checking their positions and designated corners. And as they marked their surroundings, each one of them knew whatever triggered their alert sensations was beyond the usual. Yes, something vile was out there, and Glani was the one that came across it first, when her eyes detected something charging straight for her.

  Catty, now watching the figure rush the mastra, hopped into a tree. “Truth’s Grace, what is that? Evade, Glani!”

  Glani didn’t blink. Her muscles tightened. Her lungs pressed into her chest, and her brain went numb, unable to settle its current fight-or-flight conflict.

  The creature in front of Glani wasn’t large by comparison to the mastras, only being a meter tall at the shoulders and one and a half times as long. However, its head was massive – twice the size of a Goolian’s. The body was compact and scuttled across the ground with the aid of six insect-like legs. It was furless and its dark green skin blended within the terrain perfectly. Requai ran after Glani when it opened its wide, ant-like jaws.

  “Glani!” Aly cried.

  Catty shot two beams right into the creature’s snout – solid hits.

  The creature flinched and stopped. Requai tackled Glani away from it and made her scramble to her feet without missing a beat. The wild animal hissed and jerked its head at the two mastras, even though it didn’t have eyes. Its large antennae twitched, picking up the mastra’s racing heartbeats. Like the Goolians, the creature was virtually perfect for its environment.

  Catty fired again. “Do not just stand there. Kill the damned
thing!”

  Glani got her body’s controls again and did as told along with Requai. The three fired relentlessly, but the creature’s skin was thick and hard as stone. Before they knew it, the beast leapt right in front of Requai and Glani. Both girls shrieked before the creature knocked Requai away with its head, leaving what it already knew was the weakest link. Its jaws snapped around Glani’s left thigh before she had enough time to run away. It squeezed her leg like shears snapping a twig.

  Glani’s holler was beyond crazed. Catty froze as she watched the creature try to bite off more than it could even chew, its appetite showing by the saliva splotching across the tree limbs. Still, it was strong enough to pull and jerk Glani’s body around, positioning her so it was right on top of her. The creature crushed her thigh even harder.

  Glani stopped screaming and fainted from the shock. It took every bit of Catty’s mind to keep calm. She inhaled and aimed. Unlike the shots she usually made in sparring, the next beam she fired flew insanely fast, bright, and shrieked loudly, indicating its lethal intent.

  The creature’s cry would’ve made the hairs on the Goolian’s skin rise if she had any. When Catty’s beam struck, the animal’s left mandible blew off where the hard substance met pure muscle. It then spat out the still quiet Glani, realizing it wouldn’t be able to enjoy its food unless it fended off the stronger opponent first.

  Catty looked over to Requai. Knocked out. She then searched for Aly, who was sharpening the tips to one of her sparring sticks with a rock. That only left her to deal with the odd animal. She shot the creature in the mouth when it ran in to take a chomp out of her.

  The beast paused momentarily and charged again with the remainder of its mouth closed. Catty somersaulted up to a tree and ran, already figuring the creature was made to kill anywhere it needed to.

  “Hey!” Aly went after the two. “We best stay together, fool!”

  “Then, I beg, give me a hand prior to its taking my head!” Catty yipped when she heard the animal take a chomp at her. “Ideas? For I truly struggle to think as I run on my toes!”

  Aly swore when the two switched their course. “Then this one has not been put under enough pressure.”

  “Just hold your tongue and make yourself of use!”

  Aly climbed up an extra level to get a better view. From what she could tell, Catty was now making the creature go in circles, up and down. She’d never seen the creature before in her life, but she couldn’t imagine it not knowing what irritation was until then.

  “Try and keep the same pattern, very good?”

  “Less talk and more action would be preferred greatly, Aly, my thanks!”

  She found the rhythm, her eyes locked on. She was the predator now, the strange beast the prey. Aly dropped off the edge of the branch she stood on. She shut her eyes so the twigs wouldn’t cut them as much as her face. Closing in on the unexpected target was a rush as Aly heard its hisses and Catty’s shrieks near.

  And when the moment came, she flipped over, tightened her legs, straightened her body like an arrow, and slammed her heels into the creature’s back when it passed underneath her. Her momentum made the branch break, and both bodies plummeted. Still, Aly tumble-rolled off the beast like a ball when it crashed into the ground.

  She got up, dusted herself off, and walked right up to the dead creature. She twirled her sharpened stick over the body, and thrust it in the center. Kill confirmed.

  Catty landed in front of her, sweating and panting. She bent over and placed her hands on her knees. “Whew! Better.”

  Aly grinned. “Why, this one made this all seem so difficult. Truly, it was easy enough for me.”

  “Hate you dearly.”

  * * *

  “More pressure,” Catty told Aly as she wrapped Glani’s leg.

  Aly hugged the thigh as hard as she could, turning her head so she wouldn’t have to look at the wound while blocking Glani’s view. The mastra still tried to look, regardless.

  “Truly, how grave is it?”

  Aly forced a smile and rubbed Glani’s leg. “It is not severe.”

  “Were we not told to say such things for the sake of keeping people at ease?”

  Aly didn’t say anything else, but looked back at the mending process.

  “There.” Catty moved away from the leg, finishing the wrap. “Requai?”

  Requai took an extra look, examining the quality of the job. “It appears well enough. Even so, we best keep it clean and avoid excessive moisture.”

  Aly noticed Glani staring at her arms and top. She faked another smile, and acted like wiping blue into her loincloth wasn’t that big of a deal.

  “Truly, you have a great amount of blood on you,” Glani said. “I beg, do not lie. Shall I be well?”

  Aly looked at Catty, not wanting to answer.

  “Truth be told, I am not sure.” Catty checked how much more daytime they had. “Other predators may smell your wound from milos away. Thus, the remaining combatants against us may very well be the least of our worries, I fear.”

  Glani rubbed her leg and tried getting up. She gritted her teeth.

  “Putting weight on it hurts, yet I shall not let my mess-up jeopardize everyone else’s safety.” Requai offered her a hand, but Glani shook her head as she hobbled around. “Apologies. Why did I not move when I saw that creature? You lot have my thanks, all the same.”

  “We best spare our gratitude for later,” Catty said. “Our plan for going on the offensive is no longer valid. Thoughts?”

  Aly turned and pointed out some potential lookout positions. “I propose we stick to the mid-levels and remain here. Let us set a base of operations and wait the ordeal out, yes?”

  “Surely, you are not serious, nay?” Requai said.

  Aly backed up a little. “Um, I am. Truly, it be as Catty said. Our circumstances have changed. This be not an assessment only based on hit counts. Survival antics are vital as well, yes?”

  Catty rubbed her chin. “Agreed. We have taken a healthy number out of the ratio, thus we best rely on maintenance for the moment being. I believe Teacher and Master Slew would appro––”

  “Teacher and Master Slew are milos away, Mastras!” Requai shouted. She pointed at the wounded mastra’s leg. “Are you blind? A monster nearly ate Glani!”

  Glani raised a hand. “That be a little harsh, yes? As ferocious as it was, it could not even fit my entire leg in its––”

  “Enough of this. Why, look at us.” Requai held out her palm and counted. “We be tired, we reek, we hunger, and we see no end to this. There shall be other assessments in the future, yes? Why should we not take out as many as possible and be rid of these worries? Truly, we have done enough to earn good credit on our records.”

  Catty shook her head. “This is to be more than a mere scoring session.” She stumbled back when Requai got in her face.

  “And who was to put you in charge, Little Mistress?”

  Aly shook her head. Time after time, Catty let that mastra walk over her; over them. And she was such a better leader than Requai; a natural!

  She hated it. These were the Evaluations, and some things were still the same, even milos away from civilization. Someone needed to put an end to this nonsense... Aly went as stiff as green oak wood when it hit her. She took a step forward, and froze. No, it couldn’t be her. How silly. Even she knew she wasn’t brave enough.

  “Oh, be damned with it. I... Enough, Requai.”

  The other three mastras eased their faces to Aly, who quickly covered her mouth.

  Requai closed her eyes and tried not to laugh. “What did this one just say?”

  Aly’s eyes darted from side to side. “I...I said we are not departing. Catty has provided the soundest plans thus far, and has yet to lead us astray.”

  Requai’s jaw dropped. “Who does this one think she be?”

  “One who has enough sense to realize Catty has earned our trust.” Aly raised a brow, baffled by her own words, and smiled.

 
Glani’s eyes widened. “Woah.”

  Aly then got between Catty and Requai, and to her satisfaction, the maroon-tented mastra stammered back. “Now, I shall only say this once. Blow off.”

  No one made a peep. Aly knew if it were yesterday or tomorrow, she might have held her peace. But today was just that – today.

  She didn’t know that one of her Sungstra reactions made her pupils dilate, so she was impressed by how fast Requai followed her instructions. The other mastra backed away from Catty and walked off, not saying a word.

  Glani hobbled after her. “I know that one’s pride has probably been put into shock, thus I shall make sure she does not trail too far off.” She paused and smirked at Aly before leaving.

  Aly exhaled. She had held her breath, not knowing how Requai would react to her words. Catty then playfully punched her in the arm.

  “My, so this one does have a spine when need be, after all, yes?”

  “Apologies. I was too blunt, yes?”

  “Who is to care?”

  Aly watched Requai and Glani trail off, and felt guilty a little longer before shrugging the notion away.

  “Fair enough.” She cleaned her hands again with her loincloth. “Beyond this, I never really liked her that much, anyways.”

  Catty wrapped her arms around her, and squeezed. “For what it is worth, my thanks, Mastra. And truly, I am proud of you.”

  “It be no big deal.” Aly shrugged and winked. “Beyond this, I feel I owed you a return to numerous favors.”

  * * *

  Chapter 14

  Shanvi came around the counter when the front door creaked open. “Ah, such a fortunate surprise, Quongun. I beg, sit.”

  The other master nodded and took his favorite seat. “It seems the crowds have not been as grand as usual for the past month and then some, Teacher. I suppose the local celebrity’s absence is to blame for this, yes?”