Chapter 11 Little Green A watery sun lit up their makeshift camp the next morning.
Its first fingers of light touched Felicity's face and woke her before the others.
Felicity stretched and quietly stood.
Rubbing her eyes,
She enjoyed the moment of peace as all slept.
She noticed the sun's rays picked out the colours of the beasts' shelters.
They'd hung their wraps and capes over the available limbs and nobbles of the plants.
The whole camp looked like a soft-shelled beetle of many colourful parts.
Only Georges stood separate,
Snoring loudly as he slumped against the tallest green.
Many of the plants seemed content to simply sleep as they stood or lay.
Felicity watched a pile of colour-changers resting in the corner like an unused compost heap.
A movement on the other side of the hedge caught her attention.
Let me in,
Let me in,
A voice said.
Its sound was strange,
Hypnotic.
Is there an Orion within,
An Orion who seeks to make the quest of which the whole world speaks?
Let me in,
I must speak with him.
Please,
Please let me in.
At these last words,
The beautiful young voice started to sob.
Felicity felt a tear slide down her own face,
Unable to avoid feeling its pain.
She turned to fetch Ruben,
But he'd woken to the sound and was behind her.
She stumbled as she bumped into him,
And he held her steady as he looked over her head to the wailing in the hedge.
Felicity wasn't sure she'd ever been quite so close to him.
She inhaled that wonderful spicy scent he carried,
And enjoyed the feeling of his rough body coat before he let her go and called Scrat.
Scrat brushed across from his hidden shelter.
It's a green,
But a very young one,
I think,
Ruben said.
Can you let him in now?
Then close the gap again until I've sent Sib out to check the toxics have absolutely left.
And before the last murmurs of sound faded on the misty air,
The little green had slipped inside their hideout.
He stood about the same height as Scrat,
But his youth was evident.
Felicity knew the size of the mature greens,
And this little sapling was clearly very young.
She looked more intently.
Baby palm leaves trembled above a tragic little face.
Felicity wanted to hug him.
She'd always wanted a little brother.
But the camp was awakening,
And one of the mature greens cruised towards them.
Its long droopy arms encircled the little green,
And it gently lifted him aloft onto its shoulder.
He seemed comforted by this and stopped weeping.
Ruben addressed him formally.
We welcome you,
Little green.
I am Ruben 4000th.
Please introduce yourself if you may.
I am green 7000th 70 and I am a greeness.
There was a murmur of surprise from the listening crowd.
We apologize green 7000th 70 for mistaking you,
But your youth and separation from home suggested otherwise.
But why is a young female wandering alone?
The little green's face began to crumple again,
And its protector made a warning sound to Ruben.
It turned without a word and transported its charge away.
Ruben followed meekly.
Scrat spoke quietly to Felicity.
The greens are the seniors in the plant families.
Their learning and knowledge bestows upon them the highest respect.
Ruben must wait until the greens accompanying us are ready for him to speak with her again.
They will ease her pain.
She should not be travelling at such a young age,
And a female too.
Felicity felt herself flush,
But this wasn't the time to defend women's rights.
She counted to ten in her head and went after Ruben.
Ruben,
Her voice draws me in.
Does it have special powers?
I felt myself cry as she did,
She said,
Trying to catch up with him.
Her spirit is vast.
It shines out around her further than I can see,
Ruben replied.
Well,
I can't see that,
But I love her musical voice.
I thought she was a little male green.
Why is everyone surprised he is a she?
The greenesses prefer to stay in their homelands.
They have much to teach their young,
Being the plants of great knowledge.
A great responsibility befalls them.
All greens must chant the history of our world from the very beginning.
The stipple greens,
In addition,
Lay down everything that was,
Is and can be.
A budding stipple must take in ancient connections that other greens will never possess.
Ruben hushed his voice at these last words.
Felicity raised an eyebrow.
Just occasionally she felt the desire to giggle at Ruben's reverence.
Well,
We must move on,
He said.
He clapped his hands for attention.
Sib or Cherk,
If we're safe to leave,
He called out into the space.
His voice echoed slightly against the thick green walls.
All were packed and ready by the time Sib returned.
Felicity was surprised at Ruben's choice of Scout.
Scrap released them from their shelter and as they stepped out into the dense hedgeways,
Felicity found herself holding her breath for a moment.
But there were no more ugly voices.
The small band marched back to day two of the matings.
As they approached,
The snarls were loud in the early morning air.
Georges picked up his pace and Felicity felt the tremors of adrenaline in Pippi,
Who'd kindly offered her and Scrat a ride.
Ruben was going to try to talk with Little Green once everyone was inside the arena.
He felt she was an important part in this puzzle and was determined to persuade the older Greens to loosen their protective hold of her.
He had not forgotten the aquatic sense of urgency.
The matings were a marvellous sight,
But his path lay now to the west and he was very keen to be there.
Speaking with Little Green was essential.
An immature green ass travelling alone.
There was a reason she'd found them.
She might tell him where to find the next member.
Why hadn't the new member presented themself?
This waiting was hard.
He picked up his step alongside the others and entered the arena.
The scene before Felicity's eyes was as yesterday,
But at this hour the crowds were thinner,
Giving her a better view.
The Lupata came in a variety of colours.
Steely grey,
Ash silver,
Tawny brown like Pippi,
Fox red and hazelnut brown.
A huge black Lupata in the far corner caught her eye.
He was pacing the perimeter of the arena and his colour and size made him stand out.
She looked up at Pippi.
She knew Pippi had seen him.
Her friend was very,
Very still and her head was raised proudly.
Now that she had a better knowledge of the Lupata,
She could see Pippi was actually quite small,
But she was far more muscled and solid than some of them.
The first two who'd come to the east had been taller than Pippi,
But more rangy.
The black beast who paced ever closer was very broad like Pippi,
But tall too.
He really is quite breathtaking,
Felicity thought.
She edged towards Shors as she felt Pippi's attention leaving her.
Pippi took one step forwards and then with a bound she was in a skirmish with another female who'd sidled up to stand between her and the approaching male.
The other female was considerably larger than Pippi.
Her fur was silver.
Felicity noticed some of the sparring males eyeing her in between mouthfuls of fur.
The skirmish was brief and fierce.
The silver female limped off elegantly.
Pippi returned to her proud stance.
The huge black male was now so close Felicity could see his muzzle was speckled with grey hairs.
She felt a slight shift in Pippi's stance and a pause and then imperceptibly her neck straightened again.
From behind Shors's front leg Felicity watched the meeting.
Pippi was beautiful.
Her fur shone chestnut and golden and red-brown in the strengthening sunlight.
Her face was broad and her eyes deep and kind.
Her full tail swished in pleasure as they rubbed noses.
The male bowed down and Pippi placed her paws on his knees.
The top of her neck was now completely exposed to his huge muzzle.
But instead of lifting her up and dragging her off,
He simply licked her with rough strokes of his huge black-spotted tongue.
Then he walked away.
Felicity ran across the sandy ground.
What happened,
Pippi?
She asked excited.
What was all that?
Is he your mate now?
I dealt with silverback so that I could consider him,
Replied Pippi with nonchalance.
He is fine but too old to spar.
Why he's here I'm not sure.
I allowed him to approach me.
He is attractive to me.
I'm not surprised,
Said Felicity.
He's magnificent,
Pippi.
Yes,
Pippi replied and then was silent.
She wished for the tenth time that Al was here.
Oh,
Al,
We could have had so much fun.
But Al was not and she was.
She would tell Al the best bits when she got back,
When she was home.
Ruben strolled across.
He looked very pleased at something.
Felicity wanted to hold his warm hand but couldn't think how to manage it.
If only it was as simple as it was for the Luparta.
A steely grey beast was carried away at that moment with its left foot dangling by a bloody thread and as Felicity swallowed the rising nausea,
She quelled the thought.
Perhaps not,
She muttered.
Perhaps not,
Said Ruben,
Catching up her hands and swinging her round.
Why are you so happy,
She said,
Laughing.
I have spoken to little green and my heart is greatly eased.
Her story is a sad one but we can help her now and she is a strong young green ass.
This is a great asset to our quest.
She is young but already her power is very advanced for her age.
Her spirit of light and already considerable knowledge is our gift.
I feel she is the key we were waiting for.
But we must gain permission from her people for her to accompany us.
She found her way to us,
Using the aquatics as a guide once her family were lost to her.
I think we must divert to the south east,
Her lands,
For this permission.
It's a long delay but we need her and we cannot take her without the elders permission.
Her family's flight was rash.
We must heal the laws before we go west.
If we set off shortly and travel through the night,
We can be at the ocean by tomorrow evening.
I will plot how we can avoid the toxic lands as they will line our path.
But we will find a route around them.
Ruben swept Felicity up then and as they hugged,
She closed her eyes to better enjoy the moment.
Georges looked across at their laughter and gave a bellow of delight.
Time for your enharmonic,
Ruben,
He boomed out across the spectators,
Making Ruben flush.
What does he mean?
Asked Felicity as Ruben placed her hastily down.
I don't know,
He muttered.
Sometimes he seems so young,
Felicity thought.
A thorn came by with a basket of sticky buds.
Felicity's mouth watered.
Ruben put up his hand and the thorn offered him a handful of the tasty sticks.
Felicity bit into hers.
Oh,
It's absolutely delicious,
She exclaimed.
The best thing I've tasted yet.
It's like an extra salty,
Extra sweet peanut crunch stick.
She sat on the dusty ground and leant back against the thick hedge,
Savouring every small mouthful of her feast.
The sun was high in the sky.
It wasn't hot,
But it was warm.
Felicity enjoyed the moment.
Ruben relaxed properly for the first time since they'd met.
He joined her by the hedge and they happily sunbathed,
Sticky treats in hand and watched the rest of the day sparring.
It didn't worry Felicity now.
This old world,
With its savage but beautiful traditions,
Had brought into her life a strange happiness.
She recognised the honour and excitement of the participants.
She hoped Pippi would soon find a mate.
She woke with a jolt.
Someone was shaking her shoulder.
Hard.
Wake up,
Felicity,
Sib was saying crossly.
His tongue snaked out and in as he spoke.
Felicity jumped up.
The light was fading.
It was cold and she shivered.
The arena was almost empty.
How long had she been asleep?
Where's Ruben?
She asked Sib.
He speaks with Luparta 4000th before we travel.
He did not want to disturb you.
Sib was sidling away as he spoke.
Where are we going?
She asked,
Scurrying after him.
It was cold and she pulled Ruben's shawl across her chest and knotted it behind her waist.
She discovered it was easier to walk fast like that.
We gather by the Nord gate to take sustenance and then we travel tonight,
He said.
Felicity and Sib crossed the arena and left by the furthest side.
As they reached the other large exit,
Felicity turned.
She looked across the darkening,
Dusty space.
The growls and snarls were forgotten echoes.
Tufts of fur rose and dropped in the small flurries of wind and only the drying patches of scarlet brown were witness to the violence of the day.
Goodbye,
She said to the silent space.
