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But the tiny naked human was unafraid.
She walked toward Grodd, her little bare feet moving gracefully over the ground. Gently but confidently, she reached out her hands and cradled the angry ukkur’s bearded jaw. Grodd was bent in a crouching stance, so his head was level with hers. She leaned in and pressed her forehead against his, whispering soft words that Jagga couldn’t make out. It wasn’t the meaning of the words that mattered, however. It was the sound, soft and soothing like water over smooth stones.
Jagga could hardly believe what happened next.
The tension faded from Grodd’s muscles. His breathing slowed. His bestial growl trailed off into a gentle purr. All the while, the big ukkur never took his eyes away from the little human female pressing her forehead against his.
Serenity had done it! She had calmed the savage beast. She had tamed Grodd.
All the other ukkur were just as amazed as Jagga. One of them came up beside him.
“Is your friend always this irritable?”
“No,” Jagga said. “He just gets a little nervous in new situations.”
“But the woman is always able to calm him down?”
“Yes.”
Jagga didn’t know aboutalways. He had only seen it happen this one time. But the canyon ukkur didn’t need to know that.
“Very well,” the ukkur said. “We’ll just have to make sure your friend remains close by the woman at all times.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Jagga said. He knew how protective Grodd felt toward his new mate.
Just then, another voice called out from behind them.
Jagga turned and saw an ukkur running toward them. But this ukkur was not like any he had ever seen before. He was really small. His head only reached to Jagga’s chest, and his limbs were slender.
It was a little ukkur. How strange.
The little ukkur stopped in front of Jagga. The small guy was winded from his sprint, and he took a moment to catch his breath. Jagga sensed Grodd and Serenity coming up behind him to see what was happening.
Once the little ukkur had caught his breath, he raised himself up as tall as he could make himself, and he spoke.
“Follow me,” he said. “The leaders of the tribe request your presence. They have been expecting you.”
CHAPTER 35: SERENITY
Serenity and her companions followed the young ukkur boy who led them hurriedly down the length of the shady canyon. The other ukkur had dispersed, heading back into their hiding places within the tunnels, but Jagga and Grodd still flanked her protectively. Grodd, who only a few moments before had been in full-on beast mode, was now calm, and he held onto Serenity’s hand possessively.
She felt a bit like the girl Dorothy from that old, old movieThe Wizard of Oz. Except Dorothy hadthreemale companions. Serenity was missing one of hers.
Hruk.
She wondered where her dark ukkur could be.
He had obviously made it back here to the canyon and warned them of the coming attack. That had to be the reason why all the ukkur and human refugees had moved out of their tents and into the tunnels. And just a little while ago, when the crowd of ukkur warriors had surrounded Serenity and her companions, she had heard someone mention Hruk’s name.
Maybe he was with the leaders of the tribe. Serenity hoped so. That’s where the ukkur boy was leading them now, and Serenity very much wanted to see Hruk again.
The leaders of the tribe had made a temporary headquarters inside a small cave branching off from one of the biggest subterranean tunnels near the deepest part of the canyon. The room was small, but well lit by numerous primitive tallow candles that filled the space with a warm glow and filled the air with an oily, earthy smell.
As Serenity entered the room, she saw on the opposite wall a map drawn with charred sticks. It was a map of the network of tunnels, and it looked very much like the one she had seen on the data slate Patrick had handed over to the nith. Her memory of that image was not perfect, of course, but she was still impressed with how detailed and accurate this primitive cave-drawing map appeared to be.
Gathered around this map were the tribal leaders.
The boy announced that they had visitors, and the leaders turned around. Serenity had seen them before, on those occasions when they had spoken to the tribe as a whole. But seeing them up close was a bit more intimidating.
