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“Jagga, look out!” Grodd barked.
But Jagga had already seen and reacted with grelk-like reflexes. He caught the nith’s wrist, and not a moment too soon. The scaly hand grasped a thin, evil-looking dagger, and the thorn-sharp tip glistened wetly in the moonlight only a hair’s breadth from Jagga’s ribs. Jagga could smell the acrid odor of the poison which coated the blade.
The nith let out a rasping sigh. It realized it had missed its opportunity. With the element of surprise gone, it was no match for an ukkur’s strength. It would never be able to force the blade in.
So instead the nith switched its strategy and plunged the blade into its own side.
The effect of the poison was almost instantaneous. The nith convulsed briefly. Its mouth foamed and gurgled. Then the creature’s body went flaccid in death.
Bastard.
The coward had killed itself.
Jagga spat in disgust. He stood and stepped away from the dead nith. He scanned his eyes over the mangled bodies of the others Grodd had dispatched. Then his attention turned to the bloody garments that the nith had been inspecting before.
The so-called “human” remains.
Jagga strode across the sand to the area stained with red blood. He knelt, touched the bloody sand, and pressed his blood-stained finger to his tongue.
Ukkur blood. No doubt about it.
Jagga spit the sand from his tongue and picked up the tattered garments. Grelk leather, just as he’d thought. Just the kind of garment a free ukkur such as himself would wear.
“What be?” Grodd asked.
The big bearded ukkur was towering over Jagga, watching his companion carefully.
Jagga didn’t answer.
He raised the tattered garment to his face and inhaled deeply, letting the scent stream into his lungs. There was the smell of blood of course, acrid and metallic. But underneath there was something else. An even stronger animal odor that raised Jagga’s pulse and made him feel light-headed. A delicious smell like raw meat, sea salt, and just a touch of sweetness, like honeyed ksh.
Jagga’s piss stick instantly grew painfully rigid, lifting the flap of his loincloth.
Big Grodd noticed his friend’s reaction and guffawed deeply.
Annoyed, Jagga tossed the scrap of animal hide to his simple-minded companion. Grodd took a deep whiff of the garment. His body’s response was immediate and identical to Jagga’s. His big cock hoisted proudly.
“It smell good,” Grodd groaned. “Jagga, what be?”
“A human.”
“Human? What be human?”
Jagga reached down and lifted a long black hair from the sand. The silken strand carried the same intense fragrance as the tattered garment.
“I don’t know,” Jagga said.
But he intended to find out.
CHAPTER 19: SERENITY
Eventually, the strength and coordination returned to Serenity’s legs, at least enough for her to stand. She first went to a small natural alcove in the rock wall and relieved herself. Once that was done, she tottered to the center of the natural rotunda where some rainwater had collected in a depression of the stone floor. She used the cool water to wash away the sticky mess that the ukkur had left on her face and breasts and tummy.
It was still night. The moon had moved beyond the rim of the broad circular opening above, and the interior of the cave-like space had grown much darker. The only light was the glow of the stars. The wind blew overhead, making a hollow whistling sound.
Serenity wondered what time it was. Surely it was getting close to dawn.
As for the ukkur, he was still sitting cross-legged facing the narrow dark crevice through which they had entered.
