Universe Hunters: Taken (6 page)

“The council will give you to me when I state my case.”

“I don’t belong to the council. I belong to me. The council can go screw itself.”

Cali curled up onto her bed. What was left of her wrap had dried out, making her flesh feel hot but at least her tummy was finally full. Altair huffed for a moment before settling a few short feet from Cali. Both of them closed their eyes.

****

In the morning, Cali woke with Altair sound asleep right beside her. Sometime in the night, he had scooted closer. She struggled to free herself from his grasp. He woke groggily. Cali had never seen either Deimos or Blazar groggy or disoriented; she had never seen any of the aliens sleep before. Altair’s hair was disheveled. He groaned as his hand went to his belly.

“This hurts,” he moaned.

“You’re hungry.”

“Is this what you felt aboard my vessel? It’s loathsome.”

“Will you suck it up? You ate less than twenty-four hours ago. I saw you chow down on that cobweb crap. Try three days with nothing but water in your stomach and then complain.”

“I’m dying. I needed the substance because I refrained from regenerating. Because of you.”

“My God, you’re a drama queen. Go out of the cave and change into your fire form and find something suitable…preferably far away from me.”

“I can’t change,” Altair whined. “I can’t regenerate until I reach my planet.”

Cali dropped before him. “Are you saying you’re stuck in human form?”

“Yes. I told you, I didn’t regenerate before we were attacked so I could stay close to you.”

“Then what do we do about the Gar?”

“We wait for the universe hunters.”

Grumbling, Cali marched out of the cave. Altair followed closely, so closely when she stopped to gaze around, he barreled into her, upsetting them both to the ground.

“Get off, fat ass,” Cali shouted. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“How would you like to suddenly be stuck in a different form?”

Cali took a good shove at him and jumped to her feet. She stopped when he howled in terror. Horrified he stared at his hand.

“I’m leaking,” Altair yelled.

“For the love of God. You’re bleeding, and it’s only a tiny bit.”

“Make it stop.”

Rolling her eyes, Cali grabbed his other hand and dragged him to the river; thankfully there was no sight of the bird-creature. She dunked his hand into the cold water and washed the cut thoroughly. By the time he cradled his hand to his chest, the bleeding had stopped. Altair screeched and yanked her in front of him. She landed on her ass while Altair crouched, peeking over her shoulder.

“What now?” she demanded.

“Look,” he whispered.

“I don’t see anything.”

“What is that hideous thing? Is it deadly?”

Cali gazed to where his dumbstruck look was settled. She sighed. “It’s a frog.”

When she looked behind her, nose inches from his, and gazed into his face all she could do was shake her head. Altair was six-two and at least two hundred and twenty pounds. Somehow she had become his babysitter.

This creep is supposed to take care of me for the next millennium? I don’t think so.
“You do realize if you try and drag me back to your planet, everyone is going to get an earful of the great and powerful scientist as a scared child.”

Altair looked appalled. “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me,” she drawled.

“I will be happy to see the last of you.”

“That makes two of us.”

Cali disengaged from Altair and stood up; she went further upstream and helped herself to the freshest water she had ever tasted. It appeared Altair wasn’t ready to see the last of her just yet; he trailed close, ever watchful. Cali took stock of what they had and what they needed as she made her way back to the cave. They had shelter and knew where to find water—two major problems solved. Although, they did need food. Cali could easily start another fire. She wondered if she should start a fire and leave Altair the mouse to tend it while she, the lioness, went hunting. The idea made her chuckle.

“I’ll start a fire, and we can gather some kindling so you can keep it going while I hunt,” Cali said.

“You’re leaving me alone? Out here? By myself?”

“That was the general idea,” she said.
If he starts crying I’ll whack him.
“I can’t hunt with you trying to crawl all over me.”

“I’ll stay out of your way, I promise.”

Altair continued to plead his case as Cali restarted the fire and left the cave to gather wood. She piled Altair’s arms full, then gathered more until she was loaded down. Altair dropped everything and screamed. Cali heard a startled scream in reply. It would have been comical, she supposed. Altair was cowering behind her while a female Neanderthal cowered behind her male.

The two short stocky humanoids were beautiful in a way. Each had dark black hair and deep dark eyes. The male was holding a spear; the female had dropped a basket. The male’s hips were covered in a fur pelt, as was the female’s; her breasts were bare. They looked so young and yet so wise. Cali was certain she gazed into her past.

“Altair,” she whispered. “Is this Earth?”

“No,” he whispered back.

It sounded like a woodpecker was making a racket behind them, searching for food, pounding into a tree. Until Cali determined the noise was actually Altair’s knees knocking. The male holding the spear shook it at Cali. Determined to show no fear, Cali did not humble herself. She nodded at the male and demanded Altair pick up the wood he had dropped. With Altair busy, the young male Neanderthal ordered his female to retrieve her basket. Altair fumbled with each piece of wood until Cali herded him along back into the cave.

Once inside, Cali dumped her burden onto the ground while Altair dropped his directly on the fire, insisting they build it up to keep any weird creatures away. Cali sat for a second ignoring Altair.

“This planet must just be starting,” she mused. “Thousands or hundreds of thousands of years prehistoric to Earth, no not prehistoric really, in its infant stages of humanoid development. The Neanderthal would be thirty-five thousand years old, if not older in Earth’s time period as of now. If I stay, that would make me the next beginning to the era. This is amazing, it’s impossible. Cro-Magnon. Would that make my children Cro-Magnon? Wait, when did children get involved?”

“Well, don’t look so surprised,” Altair said. “Earth was young once. A good place to study at one time, before you all turned into lunatics.”

“Said the man afraid of frogs,” she replied. “And I thought you knew nothing of Earth.”

“Universe hunters know nothing of Earth. I’m a scientist. You know those humanoids are too curious to stay away from us. They will be back, and there will be more.”

Cali knew that. She wondered if they would try to communicate with her and Altair or kill them. The male was small, but like Deimos he was solidly built. The male could probably throw her as far as his spear. Thinking of Deimos hurt too much to ponder. He and Blazar had abandoned her. It was best to think about her own needs. They still had to find food. Altair would never let her leave without him; he would follow her regardless. For a second, only a second, she felt a little sorry for him. Altair looked as bewildered and as lost as Cali had been when he had taken her. Then she reminded herself it was Altair’s fault she was in this mess.

“Come on,” Cali said. She rose to her feet and with determination strode from the cave.

Their surroundings were that much more impressive to Cali and she took closer note. Foliage was in abundance. She marveled at the massive bulk of high trees, trees that reached the heavens, or seemed to. An earthy scent hovered in the air, primitive and pure. Strange lush plants quivered in a slight breeze while a few giant bugs caught her eye. Terrain beneath her bare feet was cool and damp in places, dry and springy with renewed growth in others. Trails they followed she determined were animal made in some parts. She had no weapons and snapped off a few long sticks thinking she might remember how to make a bow and arrows, spears—thicker branches would make clubs. If she were to make this home, she would need to be prepared. Cali needed skins for clothes, bedding. Her mind raced with ideas.

Each newly scavenged item was handed over into Altair’s care; Cali needed her hands free. A sharp squawk had her looking skyward. A large bird stared at them from a huge nest.

“Give me the club,” Cali whispered to Altair.

“What club?” he whispered back.

Cali turned to look at him; his arms were empty. “Where the hell is all that stuff I gave you,” she demanded.

“I was supposed to keep it?”

“Damn you, Altair. You’re useless.”

“It was a bunch of sticks.”

“For a scientist, you have to be the most stupid person I’ve met.”

“Are all humans as disagreeable as you?”

Growling, Cali glanced around wondering if the bird would take flight. If it was defending a nest of eggs, it might stay and fight. Thoughts of roasting that plump chicken-like bird made her saliva flow. The bird squawked again and ruffled its feathers. Cali grabbed a large stick off the ground and began to scale the tree.

“C’mere little drumstick,” she crooned. “Come to mama, dinner. It wouldn’t be lunch without you, tasty morsel.”

“Must you do that?” Altair grouched. “The noises in my guts seem to be increasing.”

The bird cocked its head sideways when Cali got close enough. She grinned and raised her stick. Using all of her strength, she struck down toward the bird’s head. At the last moment, the bird caught the stick in its beak and dragged Cali closer. The eyes on the bird turned a soulless black. Cali gasped and Altair screamed.

“A Gar.” Altair turned and fled.

Cali dropped the stick and leapt to the ground. The bird made a horrible noise, and as Cali staggered to her feet a tremendous commotion came through the foliage at her. It was the massive bird from the river. The nesting bird flew gracefully toward the larger bird and settled into a wing. Cali noted what she hadn’t before, what Altair must have been trying to explain. The bird wasn’t one giant fowl; it was at least a hundred smaller birds creating one. She should have remembered the attack on the bear. In her defense, she had been traumatized and in shock.

Spinning on her heels, Cali took off. “Holy Kentucky fucking fried,” she yelled.

The bird was gaining on her. A beak snapped at her ass and she yelped. The loud clomping of its three-toed claws made the earth beneath her feet shudder. Cali fell. The bird was on her, a huge foot pinned her chest. The large beak stabbed at her face, missing by inches. Cali thrashed and screamed. A spear landed on the side of the bird and one dropped to the ground to squeal in agony.

To Cali’s left stood six Neanderthal men and six more to her right until they surrounded the beast. Spears were thrown from all angles but managed to hit only one bird at a time. Using its large claw, the bird-beast pinned Cali harder, pressing her into the dirt until she couldn’t breathe. Using its beak, it grabbed one of the men by his arm and threw him, arms flailing wildly, into a bush. The man howled in pain. Cali was slowly slipping into unconsciousness from lack of oxygen. The Neanderthals must have been hunting this creature. They would lose and civilization on this planet in its infancy would cease. Cali felt her heart would break at this conclusion.

Out of nowhere came a bundle of fury. Cali saw Deimos in his human form attack the bird. If he were in his light form, he would have been forced to burn Cali with her close proximity. Another thought hit her; Deimos was wearing clothes. Even half-unconscious, she couldn’t help admire her hero’s ass in black jeans. The look on his face would have scared a rabid grizzly.

Feathers were flying everywhere. For the life of her, Cali thought she was in some crazy pillow fight. The Gars had no choice but to release her. Cali rolled away and found herself in Blazar’s embrace.

“Do something,” she yelled. The air and ground were a mass of feathers and ripped wings. Bird heads were tossed like snowballs. Innards were now outwards.

“Why?” Blazar asked, he was smiling.

The birds which made up the long gangly legs were ripped apart. The creature’s chest exploded as it hit the ground, scattering a multitude of smaller birds. The Neanderthals joined the fray, dispatching single entities. Deimos had one bird left. Cali gagged as he took both hands and ripped open the creature’s chest. When he turned to look at Cali, Deimos was covered in blood. His blazing eyes next settled his vicious stare onto Altair who had stepped out from behind the tree where he’d been hiding.

“This is how you take care of her?” Deimos gave a snarling growl. Altair’s gums flapped, but he was too scared to speak. When Deimos took a threatening step toward the scientist, the man whimpered.

“Stay calm, Deimos,” Blazar said.

Fists balled, Deimos looked as though he could slaughter anything that moved. The tension hanging in the quiet air made Cali think of the proverbial pin. Deimos cast a glance around, noting the terrified looks in his direction. The others who had come to Cali’s defense tried to appear unconcerned; they were no doubt the most powerful warriors of their tribe. Deimos took a calming breath and unclenched his fists. Everyone present took a collective sigh of relief.

One of the tribe’s men grunted and nodded to his fellow hunters. The Neanderthal-looking people began gathering the dead birds. Cali’s tummy rumbled thinking they had a good idea. Cali searched for the gutted bird Deimos had ripped apart—its innards lay on the forest floor, then snapped it up off the ground and headed back to her cave. Deimos raced to her side.

“Cali, we never should have let Altair take you. Our society puts our scientists first because they keep our people alive. I was deemed a hunter at creation. As was Blazar. I have always trusted my instincts, except when it came to you. After you were gone, and I took my light form, I felt so lost without you. I learned the true meaning of feeling desolate. As did Blazar.”

Cali didn’t want to listen but felt she had no choice. Deimos, Blazar, and Altair followed her into the cave. Ignoring him as best she could, she began plucking the dead bird. She concentrated hard on not vomiting as the feathers landed on the ground. She wasn’t certain if it was fowl or Gar she would be eating, but at this point she didn’t care.