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The attack had not happened yet. The occupants of the canyon had just moved underground in preparation for the coming battle.
“Come on,” Jagga said. “Follow me.”
The silence was eerie as the little trio ventured deeper into the canyon. Serenity was anxious, and she stayed close to her ukkur guardians. Jagga continuously sniffed the air, leading them in the direction of the stronger scents. Grodd’s nose was snuffling away too, and Jagga knew the big ukkur could smell them as well.
Shapes began to emerge from the caves lining the walls of the canyon. It was just one or two at first, but soon a multitude of ukkur warriors surrounded them.
Jagga had never seen so many ukkur in his life. At least not since he escaped the ksh farms with Grodd.
“Who are you?” said one of the approaching ukkur with a shaggy blond beard. “I don’t know you. What is your business here?”
Okay, not exactly a warm welcome.
Before Jagga had a chance to answer, another ukkur with a mane of red hair spoke out.
“These are the others whom Hruk spoke about.”
“Yes,” Jagga said. “We—“
But he was cut off again by third ukkur warrior, this one with a large scar across the bridge of his nose.
“Hey, I know that woman with them. I’ve seen her around the camp before.”
Jagga’s blood heated with annoyance at the way these ukkur kept interrupting him, but he maintained a calm exterior. There was no point in getting into an argument or even a fight right now. He just needed to get a word in edgewise to ask what the situation was.
Before he could do that, however, he heard a growl from behind him, and his blood ran cold.
Grodd.
Just as Jagga had feared, his friend was getting anxious in the presence of all these strange ukkur warriors. Grodd didn’t like the way the others were hemming them in, and he didn’t like the way they were looking and pointing at Serenity.
Grodd was a simple ukkur with simple emotions, and his mind followed predictable pathways. When he got nervous, he got angry. And when he got angry, he turned bestial.
That’s what was happening now.
From his upright stance, Grodd dropped down on all fours, walking on his knuckles. From deep in his chest the big ukkur let loose a roar that would have scared a full grown abolith, and he charged at the warriors nearest to Serenity.
“Grodd, no!” Jagga shouted.
Grodd came to an abrupt stop before he crashed into the other ukkur warriors, who took a few steps back, startled by his aggressive behavior.
But Grodd wasn’t done yet. His brain was locked in an animalistic rage. He turned and with another deafening roar, he scattered the ukkur who were closing in from this direction. He did this a few more times, racing back and forth, snarling and charging at the figures who surrounded them.
Grodd roared again and beat his chest in a display of aggression.
“Grodd!” Jagga shouted again.
He tried to restrain his friend, but it was no good. The crazed ukkur just shook him off and gave another warning charge toward the circle of surrounding ukkur. Grodd wasn’t going to listen to Jagga now.
This was bad. Exactly what Jagga had feared. The other ukkur warriors were frightened by Grodd’s rage, but they had strength in numbers, and any moment now real violence was going to erupt. Jagga knew he had to do something, but he did not know what.
Then he heard another voice, tiny and soft. It was Serenity.
“Grodd,” she said. “Grodd…”
Her feminine voice was so small and fragile compared to Grodd’s angry roars, which were echoing around the canyon like thunder. Yet something about Serenity’s voice penetrated through the fog of Grodd’s rage, and the big ukkur halted. His eyes locked onto the little female.
Grodd looked terrifying. His muscles bulged with veins. His nostrils flared, and his lips were peeled back from his teeth and tusks in a fearsome snarl.
