Primitive Instinct: The Journey Home
A New Friend

When we got out of the pool, we got dressed and left it open for someone else, but stayed close by so we could dry more before leaving the heat. We didn’t talk much more because we didn’t really have a reason to.

I, for one, was busy thinking. The discovery I had made on the mountain still had me reeling and I was struggling to accept that what I had thought was my future was no longer possible. I wasn’t going to ever return to my beat-up old truck, my tiny apartment, my shitty job, or go to the pet store to pick a new chewy with Diesel. I’d never see another person that looked like I did.

I was, in a word, alone. And it was terrifying.

Diesel woofed nearby and came over to where Roar and I sat warily before sitting and putting his head on my lap, looking up at me. It always looked funny, how he had to hunch over to put his head on my lap, even when I was sitting in a proper chair and I smirked a little bit as I gave him a few pets before he decided that was enough and sat up, pushing himself into my legs closer to poke me in the chest with his nose, right over my heart.

“I’m okay, Dies,” I told him in English, and he licked his nose, not buying it. “You know, no going back means no more Annie’s Pet Shop. What are you going to do without her peanut butter puppy biscuits?”

He snorted and looked unamused before licking at my jaw and moving to lay his head on the hunter’s arm to get a scratch in his ruff from the male.

“Traitor,” I muttered as I tried pulling more tangles from my hair.

A short, terrified squeal and the signature laugh of bullies brought all of our attention back to the pools and I tilted my head, seeing a very small person being held up by the back of a shirt by one of the Eeng Mapok. This person had short rabbit shaped ears and tiny baby horns on its head and its paws were narrow, but the back legs were very long.

“This is not good,” Roar said quietly.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Quasim Mapok aren’t often seen around others. They are very timid and are not fighters in the least. Eeng do not like them because they see them as weak,” he answered, standing carefully.

“Roar’kaol’tok,” I put my hand on his arm to stop him. “Let me and Diesel handle this.”

“You will get hurt,” his jaw tensed.

“Psht,” I waved my hand. “Have you seen Diesel when I get hurt? I wish that idiot would try.”

“You have not been hurt, so no. I haven’t seen Diesel when you’re hurt,” he answered. “Which I am very grateful for, and I don’t wish that to change.”

“I got this,” I said as the Quasim squeaked again and held its clothes tighter when the Eeng gave it a shake. “Diesel?”

He stood at my side, and I swear, he’s gotten bigger since we came here. The muscle mass had certainly added significant weight to his already imposing size and I had to assume he was closer to a hundred and seventy pounds if not more. It didn’t matter what this Eeng tried to do. Diesel wouldn’t allow it.

“Guard,” I told him, and his feet moved slightly apart, and his tail went loose, head up, ears forward, and body pushing into my legs as I walked over to the Eeng who was shaking the Quasim like a child shook a stuffed animal. “You should probably stop that.”

The Eeng looked at me, stunned for a second before he started laughing and reached to grab me, too, but Diesel and his giant body, flew forward and knocked the Eeng down, landing on his chest and putting his muzzle inches from the bully’s face as he snarled that terrifying, pissed off canine growl that never failed to give me goosebumps from the sheer amount of danger and menace it held.

Knowing Diesel had that under control. I bent down to help the Quasim up and picked up the dropped belongings.

“Are you alright?” I asked. It was a young female and she nodded fearfully as she took the items that I held out for her, her eyes darting to where Diesel was still standing on top of the Eeng. “Oh, don’t worry about Diesel. He’s not normally scary like this. Do you mind if I ask why you’re here alone?”

She just shook in fear, and I smiled softly.

“Would you like company back to your clan, then? I wouldn’t put it past some of the lanka shit like this one to cause more problems,” I said, and she looked around like she suddenly realized that there were a lot of other Mapok here, then nodded shortly. “See the Balla Mapok over there with the stick? That’s Roar’kaol’tok. He’ll keep you safe, too. I’ll finish dealing with this, and then we’ll take you back to your people.”

She looked over at the hunter before literally bunny hopping off the little ledges on her way down the tiered pools to the hunter who nodded briefly in greeting to her.

I turned to Diesel and went to crouch by the Eeng’s head, looking down at him.

“Not so fun, being the one intimidated, is it?” I asked and looked at my scary boy before smirking at the foolish Eeng. “In all fairness, I did warn you that you should have stopped. Maybe you should think really hard about picking on the little guys in the future. Not all of us are timid and we’re very rarely alone. You’re fortunate that this is the snow camp, and I don’t wish to bring trouble and fighting here. Oh, and you might want to take another bath. Diesel’vor’maan ripped into a some pulak entrails last night for his dinner. Very messy. Very smelly.”

I stood up and clicked my tongue, calling Diesel back to my side as we went to rejoin Roar and the Quasim.

“Mind if we take a short detour?” I asked the tense hunter as the Quasim looked at Diesel nervously.

“I do not,” Roar finally answered. “And we will be having words when we get home, Fern’rath’fik.”

“I kind of figured you’d say that,” I smiled and looked at the Quasim.

She was barely four feet tall and looked very young in the face. Her gray and white fur was messy and her ears swiveled and moved constantly as she listened for threats, much like a rabbit would. She was also thin, but in a lithe way, not a skinny and underfed way and she was very pale as her brown, beady eyes darted around wildly.

“Am I that scary?” I looked up at Roar who smirked.

“Terrifying,” he answered. “We should go soon, though, so we have time to get to our own home after visiting the Quasim clan.”

“You make me nervous when you try to walk,” I muttered and hovered at his side as he used his crutch to hobble back towards the sled, the Quasim staying beside me when Diesel went to the hunter’s other side.

“You will worry regardless of what I do,” he replied.

“And you don’t worry?” I countered, making him snort softly.

We made it to the sled, and I put the pack down then went to get Diesel ready while Roar sat down and complained under his breath about his condition once again, making the Quasim giggle softly, then jump, like the sound of her own laughter scared her.

“He complains, but I think he kind of likes not having to walk everywhere,” I whispered loudly to her, making her smile.

“I would prefer it to this,” Roar said, and I grinned before indicating she led the way to her people.

“What is your name?” I asked her after a moment of her walking beside me at Roar’s side while she pointed out where to go.

“Li’hal’las,” she answered softly.

“A healer,” Roar said, and I nodded.

“I am learning,” she blushed and looked up at me. “You are... strange to look at.”

I laughed and Roar chuckled.

“She is small, but clever,” he said.

“A blood fighter,” she nodded, and I looked at Roar, who shrugged.

“You defended Diesel’vor’maan quite viciously,” he answered. “You are small and were new to things still when you jumped on the back of the orou.”

“Did you really?” Li’hal’las gasped, looking at me in awe.

“It’s a long story,” I sighed. “And not nearly as brave as Roar’kaol’tok makes it out to be.”

“It was very foolish,” he nodded. “But you surprised me with how fast you killed it and how little you hesitated to do so. Not many would do so when faced with a predator almost the same size as them.”

“No one messes with my family,” I said darkly, then smiled. “So, now do you know why I wasn’t worried, going over there?”

“Yes,” Roar laughed. “It would appear that no one messes with Diesel’vor’maan’s family either.”

“Before coming here, I was alone except for him,” I reminded him. “Not all of my kind have honor, either. The Eeng is fortunate he didn’t struggle or try to fight. Blood would have spilled, then.”

“I’m pretty sure he was too busy trying to control his bladder,” Li’hal’las giggled, and I laughed with her.

After a long walk, we came to a camp of Quasim who all froze and looked panicked when they saw us. Then, Li’hal’las stepped from around me and rushed to a worried looking female who hugged her tightly before checking to make sure she was unharmed.

“They’re wearing woven clothes,” I frowned, looking around.

“Quasim aren’t good hunters,” Roar explained.

“I wouldn’t expect so, being so shy, but do they not trade?”

“Not outside other Quasim very often,” he answered. “We should start home, Fern’rath’fik.”

Diesel turned the sled, and we were about to head home when a male’s voice stopped us.

“Wait.”

I turned back around and saw a male with brightly colored clothes and beaded designs sewn into then woven material. Looking round, I noticed that most of the females had wooden beads in their hair and nearly all of the Quasim had some kind of design sewn into their clothes. Most of them were of natural colors, except for this male and the female that Li’hal’las had greeted.

“My daughter says you stood for her,” the male said, and I nodded slowly. “You have my thanks.”

“I don’t need it, though I accept it gratefully,” I answered.

“Return tomorrow and you will be properly thanked for your efforts,” he nodded.

“I’ll return, but I’m not looking for a reward for doing what was right,” I tilted my head. “But... Perhaps we can trade? I’m a hunter and I have soft hides, bones, feathers...”

“In trade?” the male asked.

“I’m not familiar with Quasim and what you do. I am told you aren’t hunters, like the Balla,” I said, and he looked at me oddly before looking at Roar who nodded.

“We gather,” the male said, and motioned for someone to come over, holding a woven basket.

He took it and held it out for me to look inside and I went over slowly, so I didn’t frighten anyone and looked inside, replaceing the root vegetables we had eaten on the way here and a bunch of berries, all dried and preserved to last.

“When they are cooked in water, they grow larger,” the male spoke as I picked up a dried slice of vegetables. “Almost as if they were freshly harvested.”

“Li’hal’las is learning to be a healer?” I asked and he nodded proudly.

“We have many herbs and tonics for the craft,” he said.

“I think we’ll have much to trade between us,” I smiled at him. “What needs do you have?”

“Hide and materials to make tools,” he answered.

“I’ll bring some tomorrow when I return,” I nodded, and he held out his paw for me to slap.