Hands flew to hilts, bowstrings creaked taut, and Malcolm's fingers curled into fists as the paaluns slowly stepped closer, their luminous manes casting eerie shadows across the green gravel path.
Malcolm's jaw clenched as he leaned closer to the others, his voice barely a whisper. "Let them come to us first." His eyes never left the approaching figures, tracking their halting movements. “They may not have had a choice earlier.”
The others nodded, then Izzy spoke up. “Looks like they’re moving slow.”
Malcolm focused on the approaching six, their feet scuffing and sliding on the green gravel. All but Nori raking slender fingers through their glowing manes, the light catching on their trembling fingertips.
"I wonder if those voices where in their heads already," he murmured.
One paalun lurched sideways, nearly colliding with another who flinched away. A third stopped mid-stride, head cocked as if listening to something only it could hear, before continuing with a visible shudder. Their eyes darted between each other, wide and glassy in the dim light.
"Weapons down, but stay ready," Malcolm said. Beside him, Izzy's bow lowered a fraction as she and Valgrin nodded confirmation back to Malcolm.
Nori's head jerked up, luminous mane swaying as she pivoted in a half-circle, blinking rapidly. Her shoulders hunched forward as she squinted into the shadows. The rippling light from her mane cast moving patterns across her confused face. "I good...maybe?"
"Maybe," the other paaluns repeated in perfect unison, their voices flat and hollow as empty shells.
Malcolm stepped forward, “Let’s close the distance, I think they are safe.”
Gravel popped beneath their boots. Six pairs of luminous eyes snapped toward the sound rather than their approaching silhouettes. Malcolm raised his hand after a few yards, fingers splayed. The group froze. A heartbeat of silence. Then a guttural shriek tore through the air as one of the paaluns lunged forward, lips peeling back from jagged teeth, mane bristling with light. The creature's feet kicked up sprays of green gravel, its shadow stretching and contracting with each bound. Bowstrings creaked as fingers tightened. Malcolm's breath caught in his throat as the creature closed the distance, its eyes wild and unfocused.
"Tanu! Stop, no attack. Friends!” Shouted a frantic Nori.
A shrill voice filled the air, “Close!”
“Light hurt!”
“No see…”
“…hurt…”
“Head silent…”
“Glad I remembered what to do,” Bridget’s voice rose over the shouts and moans of the paaluns.
“Tanu!” Nori’s voice called out, “what you do?”
“Fall. Hurt, helped. Sorry to big’uns,” Tanu rose to all fours and began sobbing. “Sorry.”
Gravel crunched under Ylnah's boots as she darted forward, ignoring hissed calls to come back. Malcolm and Valgrin ran after her. The other paaluns had started to run towards Tanu as well. lnah skidded to her knees beside the fallen creature, sending green pebbles flying. Her fingertips trembled as they found Tanu's quivering back. He went rigid at her touch, a strangled sound escaping his throat before his arms shot out, wrapping around her waist, his glowing face pressing into the hollow of her shoulder.
Malcolm came to a stop, shaking his head. Glad that worked out, not the smartest thing she’s ever done. Valgrin came to a stop next to him. He’s vibrating, trembling, whichever. Wonder if it’s anger, relief? Probably a mix of both.
Nori approached from the other side of Ylnah, her brunette mane covering her bowed face. “We sorry, did not know Tanu would do such th…” she shook her head. “Voices gone. Fear and some bad thinking for Tanu. He young, never know no voices. It has been long time since voices not in head.”
Izzy spoke up, “How long has it been?”
Nori cocked her head, her luminous veins pulsed brighter. A few heartbeats later she turned back to the other paaluns who had remained a few steps behind her. “Ulel, Dira, how long voices been in our heads?”
A smaller than average paalun scampered to Nori’s side, it’s rusty mane was peppered with gray. It’s head bobbed as it answered in a thin, tinny, voice. “It be one hundred forty-seven years. Yes, it be.”
“You’re saying you’re over one hundred and fifty years old?” Valgrin’s outburst and shocked face brought a chuckle to Malcolm.
Nori nodded, “Me, Dira,” she pointed to the paalun that just spoke, then she pointed to one still behind her, “and Ulel. We all over two hundred years old. There others too. Many go out to help the young before they all panic. Is why small group come to thank you. More come soon, maybe.”
Valgrin pointed to the fountain. “These voices came in and took over?” The paaluns all nodded in unison.
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Nori, still nodding, walked over to Bridget, reaching up to pat her shoulder. “We promised to take you to daughter. We go now.”
“No need.” A shrill voice sounded from the darkness.
Malcolm and Valgrin both came to attention. Malcolm whispered, “Everyone alert. If that voice is…”
“It is.” A small purple skinned humanoid appeared several yards from the paaluns side. “Me surprised when you led in here.” He waved a six fingered hand towards the place Enal had led them from. His bright yellow teeth nearly glowed as he smiled. “Relax, me no attack.”'
Valgrin grunted his disbelief. Skwilly bumped his leg for attention. “He’s not really there. This is just a magic projection, so he maybe telling the truth.”
“Never lied to you, then or now.”
“To those not in the know,” Malcolm made a grand gesture, without taking his eyes off the creature. “I introduce you to Pelhiglo the genchemist.”
“Oh,” Izzy exclaimed, her mouth remained slightly open. “From that job Steeyann…”
“The very one. Guess we should have figured out the similar speech patterns. You did this to them?” Malcolm’s question carried an undercurrent of threat.
“Not me. Found them like that.” Pelhiglo answered, showing no concern for any danger he might be in. “Before go further. You’re daughter will be here in short while. I had some of my creatures taking her back home when understood why you here. Punish for stupidity those creatures. Bringing a people to me like that. Me no want people types. Still surprised you find me, but thinking you not looking for me, yes?"
“No, we weren’t looking for you. Her daughter, yes.” Malcolm answered, pointing over at Bridget. “What do you mean found them like that, did you find this place after we chased you away?”
Pelhiglo’s head bobbed up and down, shifting to side to side when Malcolm asked his question. “Came here after, yes. But here was main place, been here many years. Now have to find new place.” His hit the ground with his cane, “Me upset when first came back. Over now. Is what is. And needed to make sure these little ones were okay. Come bac…”
“Mom!” A voice shouted out as a figure came running from around the corner.
Bridget ran toward the girl, “Shawin!”
Mother and daughter collided twenty yards away, their silhouettes merging into a single trembling shape. Siwan's voice cracked between sobs, her words dissolving into the distance before reaching Malcolm's ears. Bridget's shoulders shook as she clutched her daughter's head to her chest, her fingers tangling in the girl's hair. Izzy shifted her weight from foot to foot, glancing at Malcolm with glistening eyes before sprinting across the gravel, arms already outstretched as she crashed into their reunion.
“Said she be back.” Pelhiglo said and grinned again.
Valgrin looked over at the purple man, to Malcolm, to the reunion, and then back to Pelhiglo. “Why…”
“Daughter need Mom. Sent almost chickens, good name you gave I still use, to get a monster I heard that had vines and always touch ground. They couldn’t tell no monster, girl. I not like.”
“Back to my question,” Malcolm interjected. “How did you come to the paaluns.”
“I start by waking up and not knowing where was. Self in a lab cave with people I somehow captured, but don’t remember doing it. Something like voices in head telling me I must work as genchemist on people there. Me also find out ones like you coming to kill me, so I start working.” Pelhiglo shuddered as he spoke.
“The Structure forced you to experiment on people?” Ylnah asked in disbelief.
“No. Not Structure, something else. Not voices from here either, was at different place.”
“Bleeding Tree?” Malcolm threw out another possibility.
Pelhiglo’s face scrunched up for a second, “Me not know for sure, maybe? I know Structure talk, it not that. I know I did find a cave spider and used people and spider to make potions that give me spider climbing abilities. Used that and hid in ceiling when those like you came. They not find me and left. I ran from lab cave after few days. Found this place.” He motioned around him, his arms flickered a little as they waved about. “Moved in, then found lower lever with paaluns. Make this place my first place. No more of the voices telling me have to work on people.”
“Hmm, if you could give us a minute.” Malcolm turned his back and motioned for Valgrin to do the same. “Not sure if he can hear or not, but with what he just shared. Maybe we were to hard on him?”
Valgrin stared for a second, “What I was beginning to wonder myself. Sounds like his hand was forced. Want to encourage him to stay here? It would give the paaluns someone looking out for them.”
Izzy pushed in between them, “Saw you talking and hurried over. Guessing you’re talking about his story and lack of choice? If so, need to add Shawin thinks he’s great. Nothing but a gentlemen, after the freak out of his minions grabbing a people, he’s made sure she’s comfortable and well fed. Even spent his evening meal time with her, talking.”
“Seems we’re on the same page, all around. Lets see if he’ll stay.” Malcolm nodded and turned back to Pelhiglo. “We’ve been talking, obviously. Seems that we may have jumped to a few conclusions when we first met. Though telling the almost chickens to kill us might have something to do with that. As long as you behave, I think staying here makes a lot of sense for you.”
“Me, no move? You won’t bother?” Pelhiglo danced a little jig, his spindly legs moving furiously. “May I come closer?”
“Sure, come on over.” Malcolm motioned for him.
He appeared next to Valgrin and then closed in the circle of four. He kept his voice low, “Me do need to tell you. Didn’t want to earlier, look like me lying to stay. Was history logs when I got here. The paaluns and the dauruns are from same. Brother, sister type. They were all paaluns before, some word for them all but I forget. Fierce warrior race. They threaten all with might. Other group, never found name, came in and magically changed them. Added the mind talking controls. There are only three or four dauruns now, and no new ones can happen. Think safe, I watch may need help to control them, maybe?”
“I won’t lie, we’ll be watching you and them both. Problems on either side and we’ll come in and intervene.” Malcolm tried to look stern while address a diminutive purple man with a bright yellow grin, still doing a jig.
“Me understand. Me want to work with you and not run. You help get me other creatures?”
“We won’t steal for you, but if we find something interesting while out someplace. We’ll collect it and bring it to you.” Valgrin promised.
“Good, good. Maybe find place and buy other stuff. Never need before, but now try to be good.” Pelhiglo’s whole body nodded it’s agreement. He turned to something next to him for a moment, then turned back toward the group. “Me will come there, if okay. Have more to share. Before go to come. It be morning! Today is day to celebrate.”
The paaluns erupted in high-pitched trills and cheers that echoed off the cave walls. Nori's hands flashed in the light, pointing left and right directing traffic. Smaller paaluns scuttled between larger ones. Three collided in their haste, and possible confusion, tumbling into a squeaking pile before scrambling apart. The whole area buzzed with excitement and wonder, with a few milling about trying to figure out their new future.
