The Hooman Saga - XIII - Serial Fiction

So far: Sue, has met the Teacher, and another female wolf named Tig-she. Having rested in the Teacher's cave, she awakened after a long sleep, now dressed as an Indian princess...

Jan 17, 2025

THE DAY WAS BRIGHT outside and Soo-she shielded her eyes against the sun as it was low in the sky. It was already setting. It would be dark in the valleys soon.

"I have slept long and hard."

"We have checked on you often. We were grateful that you were inside the cave with the noise you were making." Both Tig-she and Gray Wolf looked at each other and smiled.

Soo-she grinned herself. "Yes I've been known to snore."

"Ah, that's what you call it. We'll have to remember that name. Our oldest wolves sometimes make a sound like that. But we say they're singing up a spirit and do not disturb them."

Tig-she excused herself to go hunt up dinner.

Soo-she then asked Teacher, "What are your plans for me then?"

"For now?" They sat at the edge of a brook nearby. "Just enjoy the sunset. See the birds? Why would we bother in this fine evening? Sense the night creature stirring as the day creatures make their beds. You can feel them, Soo-she."

And through Gray Wolf's mind, Soo-she sensed all manner of life in that valley both in the broad sense, and more narrowly to specific animals.

"We're all are sentient in this valley. And all share their thoughts or keep them close. There's a grand feeling of harmony."

"Do you hunt in this valley?" Soo-she asked.

"Very little. Our cubs practice here. But they do not kill. Sometimes we will render mercy. Those animals who are too old or sick to continue on. And all are blessed, and told of the debt we owe them. But, no, most of our hunting is out of this valley into the feral lands."

"But Tig said you also bless these..."

"Yes, it is our way. We do that for all life. All life is sacred."

They were silent then, and watched the sun go down. And the clouds seem to gather around it. As if it were pulling the covers over its own head.

Soo-she knew she had much to learn, as none of this was in her school-lessons. They had taught her the sun was just a chemical mass that flamed out radiation. Hoomans then turned it into energy for their own use. In fact, the hooman ship-generators were a form of that energy. Little mini-suns at the base of their ships. Those ships powered the moon-bases.

And this was not the truth that the wolves knew. They referred to the sun as Father Sun and the moon is Mother Moon or Sister Moon, depending on what size it was in the sky.

Teacher and Soo-she shared their thoughts back and forth, learning from each other until darkness enveloped almost the whole valley.

And yet there was still light up in the sky and the stars themselves started to shine. Soo-she told Teacher of a legend her own tribe had told her. That the moon was only a temporary station.

Stars were the ultimate destination and were supposed to be planets like this one circling them. Some day the hoomans, once they got enough resources from mining the moon, would take off to the stars and seek out their new home.

Tig-she had returned from the hunt by them bringing vegetables, like Tig had brought her. Laying one first at the feet of the teacher, and the second nearby the hand of Soo-she. She kept a small one for herself and waited until the teacher started to eat hers.

Soo-she only picked her up after the teacher began eating and brushed it off again as she had with Tig, and ate from the cleanest part.

Tig-she smiled at this. Then clamped her strong jaws through the vegetable. Juice squirted between her teeth. Then it was simply gone, chewed and swallowed. And she licked her face and laid down to clean her paws.

The teacher was more delicate, having a larger one, took more measured bites. Soo-she followed suit as her teeth were not as sharp, and jaws were not as long. She was last to finish. Then wiped her hands on the long grass nearby.

Tig-she cocked her head at this.

And the teacher sent to both of them, "Then this is not a hooman practice to lick your own paws clean?"

Soo-she giggled and sent, "No, but I think that if my tongue grew as long as yours I wouldn't mind. My tongue doesn't extend that far."

Teacher sent, "Can you still see to put on your first aid? Let's put on your medicines."

And Soo-she looked at her hands and found out they were actually already had flexible calluses on them. She looked at her feet and the blisters were gone and she was curious about this. "I should have needed to salve these.”

And the teacher replied, "We have our own medicines here and we are thankful that they helped you.”

"It's time for you to sleep some more. We have another day tomorrow and soon we'll prepare for the probe. Although I can already see this will not be difficult for you. Come, let us go."

We’re now well into a new serial.

Surviving her near escape from the ferals. Sue is befriended by two female wolves, the Teacher, and “Tig-She” — as she adjusts to living among a pack of sentient wolves. And preparing to undergo a mysterious “probe” which no human before her has survived…

Of course there are some 22 more chapters after this. But you’ll have to stay tuned until next week to see how they get out of this…

For now, set your calendar to keep track of these new adventures. Every Saturday.