Page 59 of Ahelno
“Excellent!” he said, “Let’s eat!”
We ate companionably on the blanket I had laid out and pointed out various features of the cliff face. There were several flying orange bird-like species. I hadn’t seen them before, but they appeared to have nests built high on the cliffs. All too soon, another vehicle parked nearby, and Leo got up
“It was short, but sweet,” Leo said. “I’ll see you at the Palace tomorrow?”
“Yep! I’ll come by to practice the piano after my chores, and then maybe I could meet your mates at lunch?” I suggested.
“Sounds perfect. Thanks, Andie,” he gave me a quick hug and hopped in the car. I sat back down on the blanket, grazing a bit more on fruits and some dried nuts and meat I had brought. M’Pak had wandered off, but came back as he saw Leo leaving.
“Why is he leaving?” he asked.
“The Charonu are early. He’s eager to see his partners,” I explained.
“Understandable,” M’Pak said. “He must miss his mates.”
I thought back to my conversation with Dakleth about M’Pak finding a mate. “You can stay with me forever, you know that, right?” I mindspoke to him. “But if you ever decide to leave and find your own mate, I won’t hold you back. It’s your choice either way. I just want you to be happy.”
“I feel a pull sometimes,” M’Pak said. “There is an urge to return to the wild and find a mate. I may do that someday. But not today.”
“Of course. I understand. If you find a mate, maybe you can convince her to come live with us, and I could play with cute Granthor cubs!”
“I doubt I could convince an adult female Granthor to live in a Ptexari village.” M’Pak said.
“Iknow, I know. A human can dream!”
“I suppose she can, Andie. You would be an excellent Second Mother to my own cubs.” He nuzzled his head affectionately under my chin. “We can convince them through belly rubs,” he said as he dropped dramatically to the ground and exposed his belly to me. I, of course, complied. He may be one of the scariest predators on the planet, but he was a big furry dope, and I loved him.
“Come on,” I said, standing up. “I want to walk around thecliffs to that waterfall, and then we’ll head back.”
It was getting late in the day, and the mom packed up her toddler and flew back towards the city. I waved at them as they headed out of the canyon. M’Pak and I made our way around the edge of the cliffs - not too close - and headed towards the waterfall. M’Pak sniffed the ground as I carefully picked my way around the stones and some slippery moss.
Suddenly, a large orange bird flew up from the cliffs below and dove right for me. It screamed as it pecked furiously at my head. I waved my arms to fight it off, but it dove and swooped as it tried to drive me away from the canyon. M’Pak growled and lunged at the bird, bumping into me in the process. I lost my footing and screamed in terror as I went tumbling over the cliff’s edge.
CHAPTER 48
Andie
I scrabbled at the cliffs as I slid down the canyon face, trying to find purchase before I dashed to my death on the rocks below. I tumbled, petrified as I managed to stay mostly upright, tearing my nails and scraping my face on the rocks as I tried to keep from falling the whole way. My shoes couldn’t seem to find any toeholds. I was falling faster when I landed with a jarring thump on my stomach on a small ledge about halfway down the stone wall. My legs were hanging over the edge. I barely stopped myself from sliding off the ledge and lay there, hyperventilating from my near-death experience. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I started crying tears of relief.
“ANDIE!!” M’Pak shouted in my mind from above.
“I’m ok,” I thought back at him. “I landed on a ledge.”
“I can’t get down there,” his mindvoice was frantic
I gingerly pushed myself up into a sitting position and looked up at the top. One of the orange birds was shrieking at me from a nearby nest.
I wondered if it was the one that attacked me. Looks like I got too close to their nest. I knew I couldn’t climb back to the top. I wasn’t an experienced climber, and I was terrified Iwould slip and fall. “It’s too far for me to climb,” I thought at M’Pak. “Hang on, I’ll call for help.”
I brought up my wristband and grimaced as my elbow protested the move. Ow. The face of the band was cracked, and it didn’t respond to any of my commands. Well, shit. I was stuck here.
I told M’Pak about my broken wristband, and he said, “Stay there, I will get help. I will need to go to the Palace, where they know me. I run fast, but it may be a while.”
“Well, I’m not going anywhere,” I chuckled. Ouch, laughing hurt. I sighed, wincing, and settled in to wait.
Dakleth
There was a stir in the palace. I received a call from Andokar. “Your Highness, I received word that there is a Granthor at the gate that is behaving oddly.”
