The Dawning of Fate

“So, the Terran?” Amondis questions, landing beside me on the roof. It has been many lunars since I have seen my womb mate. I recall all of the games we played together as saplings and the scoldings we would receive from mother and father. It saddened me to hear of their passing but it was of no surprise. I resigned myself to the idea that I had no family long ago.

“What about her?” I ask, my shoulders tensing.

“Relax brother, I mean her no harm. I’m just curious. I have never seen a Terran before,” he assures me.

“Neither had I until she showed up. Not many have.”

“How did you two come to meet anyway?” I tell him the story of my encounter with Echo and the hunter and he laughs in surprise. Just now, she comes walking out of the house with Thunder at her heel. “And that beast? She has given it a name!”

I chuckle at his disbelief because I too share it. She’s a vision, walking through the garden with the beast at her side and artistically wild tresses atop her head. The flawless chestnut of her skin glows in the new light of the sun. A steady and immense resonance spreads throughout my chest when she spots me on the roof and smiles.

“You care for her,” my brother states. I tear my gaze away from her and look at him.

“I know not what to think of it. She is Terran and I am Tumerian. We are built for war; she is shrouded in delicacy. Two different worlds and two different species. We couldn’t be more different, yet she understands me completely.”

“But you are restraining yourself, why?” I sigh.

“Death clings to me like an old friend, brother, and I do not wish to shower her in my cloud of darkness. Yet, I can’t help but be drawn to her light.”

“Well, she is stunning,” Amondis suggests, and a sharp spike of rage erupts in my chest causing me to growl loudly. Echo looks up from her plants, worry etched across her features. The rage fades quickly and I’m left confused by my reaction. I have never let my emotions get the best of me that way nor have I ever felt them so strongly. Amondis shares the same expression as Echo.

“My apologies,” I say to him before preparing to fly down. He takes hold of my arm before I can take off.

“Are you sure this is not something more Azandum?”

I nod and dive towards the ground. What else would it be? Amondis follows and I guide him down the stairs and through the tunnel to the spacecraft. We enter and I contact Gutark.

“Azandum, I wasn’t aware you had a brother,” he says by way of greeting. I shrug and they exchange introductions.

“I apologize for missing your call. Have you found anything for me? I already know of Dronan.”

“Yes, a few of my contacts say that Dronan is opening a breeding ring and he’s been collecting rare species,” Gutark informs us. "A Terran is among the species he was looking to include in his selection. Word is that he's willing to pay a shit ton of credits to get her back since the Terrans are few and far between."

“Faex,” Amondis curses.

My jaw clenches tightly and the heat from my body rises. They won’t lay a claw on her. I'll drown this universe in the blood of all who stand to take her away from me. I shudder at the wave of violence that just settled over me. This bloodlust, this rage is so unfamiliar.

“I know that look Azandum. You are preparing for a fight. Count me in,” Gutark announces. I shake my head.

“Gutark, I can not ask you to do this.”

“You did not ask. My friend, you saved my life,” he says solemnly. “Allow me to repay you this debt.”

I sigh and express my thanks to Gutark before ending the call and plopping down in the pilot seat. “What are we going to do?” Amondis asks.

“We?”

He places his hand on my shoulder. “I am with you brother, always.”

“I do not know, but I must tell Echo. She deserves to know the truth.” He nods and when we return outdoors, Echo is breaking off pieces of dried crinik meat and tossing them into the air for Thunder to catch.

“Your Terran is very unusual,” Amondis says. My Terran?

“You should see how she eats her meat,” I tell him as we walk over to her. Amondis stops when Thunder turns around and growls.

“Thunder,” Echo warns. The dog huffs and circles around behind her legs. “You need something?” She asks while petting the animal.

“I reached out to an old friend of mine regarding Dronan and he has given me new information,” I begin. She wills me to continue and I tell her everything.

“So why don’t we just kill him?”

Amondis looks at me in surprise and I’m sure my expression is no different. “We can not simply kill Dronan. He has advanced weaponry and men at his disposal that we can not combat alone,” he answers for her.

“But we will keep you safe,” I tell her. She stops petting the dog and looks up at my brother and me.

“I know and I appreciate that, but Dronan will come. Maybe not today, but eventually. And when he does, I will fight for my freedom or die trying,” she promises.

“Your spirit is strong, female. I will be honored to fight for you.” Amondis and I place our fists over our hearts and bow deeply, giving Echo our respect.

Later that day, we all ate the evening meal together. Laughter tinges the air as sapling memories are shared. Echo regales us with wild stories of productions on Terra called movies. When it is time for Amondis to depart, Echo sends him off with one of her concoctions she calls perfume and tells him to give it to a woman he wishes to court. My brother thanks her before we share our goodbye and he takes off to his ship.

“Is this a Terran custom to present items to one another to show one’s affections?” I ask her as we walk back inside.

“Not all the time, every woman is different. Some like gifts and others don’t,” she answers.

I take her hand and pull her closer to me. “And what do you like?” The scent of her arousal wafts up my nose and low growls form in the back of my throat.

“Well, there’s this guy. He’s sort of moody but super sweet,” she hints shyly with the red tint in her cheeks. My pupils change into slits. She has already been courted by another? No, that simply can not be.

My Terran.

“The real kicker though is that he’s purple. With these enormous wings!” she exclaims with a bright smile on her face. I relax.

“Oh? Enormous huh?” She giggles softly. I love that sound.

“Oh, yea. He’s cocky about it too. Flaunting them around stuff,” she agrees off-handedly. As she says it, I spread my wings out and her eyes roll behind their lids before settling on me.

“This guy, is he aware of your infatuation?” I ask, caressing her soft cheekbones.

“I’m sure he knows by now. Yet, he comes across as a bit irresolute but that’s okay. I have time,” she adds softly.

“Perhaps he does not wish to taint you with his past.”

She nods. “Maybe, but I do not care about the past, it is done and no more. And the future I can not see. So, the only moment that matters is now.” I stare into her eyes, looking for any falter but I find none. All I see is resolution shining in her silvery depths. She retires to bed, leaving me to my thoughts.

I walk outdoors and fly to the roof. The twin moons are high in the sky.

“Why?” I ask, looking at them. “Why, Matu? Why, Fati? Why have you brought her here? She gives me hope and makes me want what I can not have. You taunt me with her beauty, too easy to scar. You taunt me with her heart, too delicate to hold. These hands have only known destruction.”

Of course, I receive no answer in response. Making my way back inside, I somehow end up outside her door. Quietly sliding it open, I lean against the frame and listen to her steadying breathing as she sleeps.

Echo, a temptress of male divinity. Eyes the color of a raging storm, generous curves like ocean waves, soul wild and eccentric. The stars must have shone their brightest when Matu and Fati released a goddess onto the earth.

The next sun, Echo does not show up for the morning meal or her combat training. I figure she must need her rest and go to my ship to plan with Gutark and Amondis. By late evening, she still had not left her room so I decided to check on her. Right before I get there, Echo opens the door slightly and there is a pained expression on her face.

“What ales you, little Terran?”

“Do you have anything absorbent?” she asks instead of answering my question.

“Besides the drying furs?”

She nods. “Maybe something a little softer? I will need to cut it.”

I leave her and go to my chambers, searching in the chest by my bed. I find the pelt the tribe chieftain wore and return it to her. She runs her hand over the material.

“Are you sure? This looks very expensive.” I nod. “Thank you,” she takes it and closes the door behind her. I wait outside her chambers to ensure that she is alright.

Echo opens the door and walks out. The expression on her face is less troubled but slightly uncomfortable. Underneath her usual scent of fresh rain and wildflowers, there is a scent so faint yet so familiar. Blood.

I check her thoroughly but find no injuries then I scan her room but there is nothing there either.

“Zan, what’s wrong?”

I ignore her and tap into my hunter instincts. Once I lock onto the smell, I follow it. I roam around her chambers and into her bath. The path leads me back to her and my eyes narrow in between her legs.

“You are hurt,” I say and I am about to pick her up but she steps away.

“I am not hurt. What are you talking about?”

“I am familiar with the scent of blood and it is on you. There,” I point to her nether regions. She gasps and her hands fly to cover herself there. I can practically taste the embarrassment rolling off of her.

“I-I’m not hurt. That’s...oh my god,” she stammers. “I am on my period,” she grits with her eyes averted.

“I do not understand. You must let me heal you before you lose too much blood,” I tell her but she shakes her head adamantly.

“This is normal. It happens every month.” This conversation is making her uncomfortable.

“Bleeding is normal? Your species releases blood every cycle? This does not make sense,” I growl.

“No! Only females bleed every month. It is called a menstrual cycle, the body’s way of preparing for pregnancy. If you don’t bleed, you’re pregnant,” she groans. “And it hurts like a bitch.”

“So you bleed because you are not with child?” She nods. “Why did you need the cloth?”

“To catch the blood when it comes out,” she explains.

“Is there any more leaking that you do so that I am prepared?”

“Other than using the bathroom, vomit comes from our mouths when something we eat disagrees with our body.” The look on my face must show my disgust because Echo laughs wholeheartedly.

“It is a wonder that your species even survived.”

“I’d like to think that humans are resourceful,” she says haughtily, walking towards the cookery.

“Sure, little Terran, sure.”