Mike Carss
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Heavy, grey fog blanketed the vanguard the next morning. As they set forth on the day’s journey, ragged shapes revealed themselves from the bedrock scar—emerging from the mist like giant hands greeting them. The group’s muted voices echoed strangely against the stone, bouncing once before disappearing into the thick haze. The rising sun helped to melt the disconcerting fog away, and within a few hours, they were met again by bright, blue skies. They travelled north along the scar’s edge fo
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It only goes one way. All pactrids have the ability to share their memories by touch, but only a select few (called the gotachi) can probe another's thoughts/intents.
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I'm happy to have you aboard. I read ... ... a few months ago and enjoyed it, but then forgot to leave a recommendation. That's been fixed. 😄
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Now that Eudald's feelings are known, the other vanguard members will certainly try to keep Callum safe.
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Yes, there's a good chance it would've been a death sentence. Katock might be angry about the situation, but there's nothing to gain in losing a member of the vanguard over a violent argument. Eudald's feelings are known by everyone now, so the others will know to keep an eye on Callum. And Rym, of course, will do everything in his power to keep Callum safe.
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Thank you. How people cope -- and not cope -- with PTSD is a subject I find fascinating with a very sympathetic heart. I plan on exploring it further in future novels, but with great care. Indeed. I feel for him as his hate isn't without cause, and no one in the vanguard can directly relate or properly understand how to help him. I can only imagine how he must feel having the vanguard side with a human. It's sort of like a form of peer pressure, which never feels good.
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He's been simmering the entire time since meeting Callum, and couldn't hold in his anger any longer.
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Sleep continued to evade Callum. His mind wandered aimlessly—filled with incessant musings of unknown danger that could befall the vanguard. Imagining a grisly end of being caught by the sea, torn asunder. It wasn’t until the early morning hours that he finally nodded off, only to be awakened by a gentle nudge. Lamplight revealed half of Rym’s face, the other half lost to stark shadow. His large hand sat on Callum’s chest, rubbing softly. “It’s time to go, pup,” he whispered. Callum
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It certainly seems that way. It goes to show how each pactrid's life experiences colour their view of humans. Sure, humans are the enemy, but Cior also believes wholeheartedly that any human who passes a gotachi test is a friend.
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Unfortunately he only lasted a day as an interpreter -- he couldn't stomach the interrogation "techniques" -- so his knowledge of pactrid physiology is essentially nil.
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Yes, there's no doubt many were lost to the sea. It goes to show how desperate they've become to escape the Anberans.
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Yup, that's absolutely the plan. This was discussed at Brookside when Rym proposed for Callum join him.
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Yes. As Callum has learned in this chapter, there are maps of the sea bed, however it's only a narrow strip that's been explored so far. There's mention of those especially brave explorers in the next chapter. At Brookside, Rym mentions that the land is uninhabited, although it's entirely possible they might find indigenous people elsewhere. They have no idea how large the landmass is.
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The giant crates of supplies they'll be carrying should help keep their speed in check.
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As night fell, each member of the vanguard retired to their bunks. Some individually, others in small groups. In no rush to follow suit, Callum instead wandered the meadow and edges of the forest—enjoying the complex song of emerging night insects and the ever-present sea. The idea of sleeping in a barracks filled with pactrids raised a question that frightened him, though. When will I meet another Anberan? Despite the days of travel away from Brookside, only now did the question become apparent
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Thanks! I really enjoyed writing him. He'll continue to play an important role in the story, so you can expect more of him.
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Put a pin in these apt observations. Callum has met a number of pactrids in a short period of time, and so far they've regarded him with either fear, unease, quiet contempt, or curiosity. Despite Callum being proven "safe" by a gotachi, Eudald's blatant hate and vitriol toward him (and humans in general) still remains. Rest assured we'll learn more as the final act of our story unfolds. 😉
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Countless days passed as Callum and Rym hiked westward toward the sea. Only the procession of the slow-travelling moon gave them any clue how long they’d travelled. Not that it mattered. With no scheduled date to reach their destination, there was no need to push themselves beyond their limits. The rising sun didn’t dictate when to break camp each morning. Instead, the day’s journey commenced at their leisure. In the afternoon, if they encountered an agreeable spot to set up camp, they’d stop th
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This is the main reason. From the point of view of the Anberan leaders, there's a seemingly endless bounty of trees to be harvested. They just gotta get rid of those pesky pactrids slowing them down. This as well. The war has brought on a level of control over their populace -- control the higher ups certainly don't want to lose.
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Maybe, just maybe the Anberans will realize they need grow sustainable forests? Pfft!
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The advance, while persistent, is very slow. The pactrids have accounted for this and will have time.
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Exactly. Drone attacks make it easier to murder, but I know technicians can still suffer from PTSD. And I wouldn't fault them at all for that. Put in their position, I'd probably never be able to sleep properly again.
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Indeed. The propaganda and dehumanization of our "enemies" is essentially required for soldiers to go to war. I'm glad you've enjoyed the themes I was aiming for in this story. Thanks! 💗 It's so easy to ask: "can't we all just be friends?" but that kind of mindset is generally seen as naive and unrealistic, and oversimplifying complex issues that end up causing wars. I won't deny that, but I also won't add to the hate toward our "enemies".
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Callum woke to the sight of early morning fog. The grey mist partially obscured indefinite layers of treetops, their edges blurring the farther they stood. Gentle, deep breaths from behind told him Rym was still asleep. They were lying on their sides beneath a blanket with Rym’s thick arm across Callum, holding him protectively close. With each breath, the pactrid’s chest against his back had rocked Callum gently to sleep. Rym’s trunk lay atop the blanket. Callum could feel the weight of i
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While the word "asexual" isn't mentioned directly, Callum's musings about his earlier relationships told he's into every part of a relationship aside from sex. His attraction to Rym is multifaceted -- romantic touch, physical appearance, and personality -- but he has no interest in sex. This is mentioned again in the next chapter (in a kind of humourous/embarrassing manner.) 😋 As for Rym's desires? It's never made 100% clear, but even if sex was something he wanted, Callum would definitely try his best to fulfill Rym's needs. Callum isn't disgusted by sex, he just not interested in the act.
