STORY 33 - part 3

Vuni was woken at dawn by a gentle shaking of her shoulder. Her eyes opened instantly, and in the half-light she looked up into Bajen's face. For a brief moment, she was disoriented, unfamiliar sights and scents flooding her senses, then she remembered where she was. The comfort of sleep fled her, the harsh reality of her situation reimposing itself on her conscious mind.

“Good morning,” Bajen greeted her in a whisper. “If you still want to help in the fields, we'll be starting work soon.”

She pushed herself up and nodded. She could not imagine doing nothing, in any case. She had to keep busy. Her thoughts were already on Tiasha; she wondered what kind of night her beloved had had.

But of course, she didn't need to wonder. She knew how she herself would feel if she believed Tiasha were dead. Terrible as it was for her to be seperated from the girl she loved, at least she knew she was still alive. Tiasha had no such comfort.

Bajen brought her a thick, flexible, moist leaf to wash herself with, then leant her a top once more, and she joined the family for breakfast. Eating at the table with three humans she had only just met, in a house, was going to take some getting used to, and the novelty still made her uncomfortable, but for the most part, she was just grateful for the food. She had had no lunch the previous day, and hardly anything for dinner, and she had woken ravenous. She wolfed down a solid breakfast of strange, sticky damp plant matter, which she found surprisingly tasty. It weighed comfortably in her stomach, which set to work on it with sloshing, gurgling sounds.

There was a faint chill to the air, as she slithered outside with a full belly, an anxious heart and an admittedly curious mind. Shareen had handed her a large, light woven container, identifying it as a basket. It seemed a simple yet practical object. Vuni imagined carrying food in it, when she went hunting, or picking fruit and plants. Or, she mused, she might carry some of the children in it. They would probably enjoy the ride.

For a moment, it was possible to trick herself into believing that she actually might see them again.

“You said you had no experience at all growing crops, right?” Roju asked, leading her past the field in front of the house, towards a set of other large, cultivated patches. She could see several human figures already at work, having no doubt emerged from the other houses, dotted here and there, some distance from one another. She shook her head. “But you can pull edible roots from the ground.” It was not a question; she nodded all the same. “Good.” He smiled. “Then we've got work for you.”

She felt instinctively nervous as she slithered at her slow, natural pace towards five other humans -three women and two men, of various ages-, who stopped in their work and watched her approach. Roju introduced her to them, as calmly as though she were not a being from another world, a curiosity none had ever set eyes on. The humans greeted her politely, but she saw a variety of expressions on their faces, more or less concealed. Fascination. Mild discomfort. Distrust. Among them -looking merely interested- was a young adult whom Roju introduced as his daughter, Nalea. She lived with her husband in another of the houses, he explained.

“I think I've made a bit of a mess of your old bed,” Vuni apologised, trying to sound casual about it. “I, uh… My body produces slime.”

To her relief, Nalea grinned, a pretty smile bordered by very faint freckles. Her hair was straw blond, long and curly, partly covered by a woven hat. “Don't worry about it. I used to make a mess of it myself, kicking the blankets about; I'm a restless sleeper.”

Vuni smiled. The human seemed nice, her attitude helping her feel a little more relaxed.

“Can I leave you to oversee our guest?” Roju asked. “I'll be in the next field.”

“That's fine, Dad.” Nalea smiled. “We'll be glad for two more hands.” She knelt down on the tilled earth, as her father left, and scratched at it with a rather shiny, hard-looking grey implement. “We're after the fat tuber roots of these little plants here,” she explained. “The tuber itself is the most nourishing part, but you have to dig deeper and get all the fiddly little root tendrils out. Watch, and then you can try the next one, ok?”

“All right.” Vuni smiled slightly, leaning down to watch, since she could not kneel. The motion caused her stomach to glug, gurgle wetly, and let out a loud growl. Nalea looked at her in surprise, and laughed.

“My, that's a loud tummy! What have Mum and Dad been feeding you?”

Vuni smiled a little. Despite her slight embarassment, she had already decided she was going to like this human. “I've no idea what it was I had for breakfast, actually. But my tummy always does that. All slug girls have loud digestion.”

Nalea smirked. “It must get noisy when there are lots of you at a banquet. OK, take a look, then. I scrape the earth away off the sides…”

* * *

The work was simple enough, yet unlike anything Vuni had ever done, or even imagined. Growing food next to one's home, to avoid having to go out and look for it - the idea was ingenious. Of course, when Nalea discussed it with her, she explained that Tiasha and she could not do the same; planting crops would immediately attract predators. There was a sound reason why agriculture had not developed among the small denizens of Bulvon Wood.

She found herself talking quite naturally about family, particularly when the human mentioned she thought she might be pregnant. The pain of recent loss was diminished just a little by expressing happier memories, describing her own joy at her babies' first crawls, at watching them cuddle up to one another, or at holding them to her breast. Her eyes soon moistened over, however, and Nalea gently changed the subject.

Vuni learnt more about the village community. Okhlee was an agrarian society, tight-knit and mutually supportive. Villagers helped build one another's homes, and worked all their lands together, sharing their produce. They exchanged news, products and ideas with other villages in a close radius, but people rarely travelled much. They had their routine here, everything they needed, a spirit of cooperation expressed in regular festivities. To Vuni's eyes, however, their most precious commodity was one they all seemed to take for granted - safety.

“So,” Nalea asked with a mischievous tone, plucking a thick root from the ground and placing it in Vuni's basket, “has my little brother been ogling at you?”

Vuni gave a little laugh. “Just a bit.” Lying on her belly, she worked her own digging implement round another tuber.

Nalea smiled. “I can imagine the effect you must have had on him. It's not often an attractive young woman appears out of nowhere in the village. And he was the first to find you.” She continued digging. “He's not making you uncomfortable, is he?”

“No, I'm fine,” Vuni assured her with a smile. “He's being very kind. And he makes sure I keep these clothes on,” she added with just a brief giggle. “Why do you humans wear these, anyway?”

“During the warm seasons… I'm not sure actually.” Nalea gave a little laugh. She brushed the earth off her hands. “What do you and your people do with your free time?”

“If you actually are pregnant, you'll soon find out that a mother has very little free time.” Vuni gave her a friendly smile. “Before that, though, when I was growing up with my sisters and friends… We had games we used to play.” She withdrew a tuber and its smaller roots with care, adding it to the pile in the basket, and slithering over to the next one. The sheen of her slime, on the earth, highlighted her progress so far. “In autumn, we'd gather up stacks of leaves, form two teams, on either side, and try to hit the piles by tossing cones. They're sort of… hard, inedible fruit from trees.” She smiled fondly at the memory. “We couldn't do that very often, though. And we couldn't laugh and make a noise. It wasn't safe.”

Nalea gave her a look of sympathy, but Vuni went on: “Of course, when we were in our burrow… Or visiting friends… We used to draw - you know, with our fingers, draw into the earth. Sometimes one of us would draw something, and the others would have to guess what it was. Then we could wipe it out and start again.” She giggled, and, on an impulse, dug her finger into the ground, quickly sketching out an outline of a human house. She laughed, just a little awkwardly, as Nalea smiled.

“I'm glad you were able to grow up having a bit of fun.”

“Well, sometimes.” Vuni smiled faintly. “In your parents', uh, house, I saw something… A place with greenery and water, a stream… Bajen called it a…” She stopped, struggling to remember the word. Nalea looked at her, waited, thought about it, then smiled.

“Oh, you mean a painting?”

“Yes, that's it!” Vuni scrabbled about a tuber, but looked at her again. “How do you do that?” she asked eagerly.

Nalea laughed. “I don't. It takes a skill that I haven't got. But if you want to know about painting, I'll take you later to someone who has.”

“I'd like that. Thanks.” Vuni smiled broadly, then paused. “Of course, I don't-” She stopped, abruptly, as she caught sight of something from the corner of her eye. Scuttling between the low plants was a small mammal. On instinct, she spat, a gob of slime hurtling towards it, splatting over it and sticking it in place. Nalea remained still for a moment, caught by surprise, then her eyes widened, as she looked from the slug girl to the creature.

“Did you… Wow. That was incredibly quick. I hadn't even seen it.” Vuni smiled proudly, straightened up, and slithered towards her catch. “Is that how you hunt?” the human asked, curious.

“Yes. In part. I also eat creatures that get caught in my slime trails.” Her pace was slow, but she could see the little creature wriggle frantically, unable to break free. It had short, dark fur, six little legs, and two thin, furry tails. Its head seemed indistinct from its torso, with no neck or even a change of shape.

“Are you going to eat it?” Nalea sounded both fascinated and a little uncomfortable. “Raw?”

“If you don't mind.” She reached it, and plucked it out of her slime, holding it up between her fingers.

“Oh, um, no, go ahead. Those little things are pests. They nibble the crops.” The human paused. “Actually, if they get caught in your slime trails, that could be quite useful.”

Vuni grinned. “I'm glad to be of service.” She popped the squirming animal in her mouth, sloshed it about for a moment to absorb its flavour, then swallowed hard. She licked her lips, enjoying the feel of it travelling down her throat.

“How was it?” Nalea asked, cautiously. She had obviously not expected Vuni to swallow the creature alive.

“Not too bad.” The slug girl smiled.

“Well…” The human returned her smile. “Vuni, I'd say you really are making yourself useful. Come, let's dig up a few more roots, then we can go and cook some of them for lunch.”

* * *

By the end of the day, Vuni felt pleasantly tired, a healthy exhaustion as she slithered back to the humans' house. The work had seemed odd, at first, but she had soon understood the sense of it, and had found working with humans strangely enjoyable. She had traded stories with Nalea most of the day, while her weary arms scratched at the soil. Eventually, she had felt she could talk about Tiasha, and the human had provided sympathetic attention.

She slept easily that night, and woke early, ready for another day in the fields. Within a few days, her mind and body had settled into a routine. While it worried her to a large extent, there was also comfort to be drawn from it, and she did not fight hard against slipping into new habits. Work, and the company of friendly humans, could not keep her grief fully at bay, but they lessened the pain of it, filling part of the emptiness in her heart.

She had talked to villagers, as had Bajen's family on her behalf, gathering as much information as they could about the world beyond the small area she now found herself in. Nobody knew very much. Nobody had heard of slug girls. Nobody knew what lay beyond the mountains, nor whether they truly were a land of elves. Nobody had ever seen mermaids, or nagas, although they were known to exist. As though to compensate for their inability to help, they did their utmost to make her feel at home in this alien community. She worked hard as one of the villagers, learning to till the soil, wash clothes, mend tools, cook food. She ate the pests which got caught in her slime, and was praised for it by curious humans, who watched with some discomfort as she devoured the little creatures. She joined in regular gatherings, in the evening, when stories were told and songs were sung. She told her own stories, to a fascinated audience, eager to hear about such distant, different, and so very dangerous lands. When she mentioned standing up to the naga who had eaten Tiasha, until her beloved was released, she was surprised to find herself treated as a hero. Her true story of self-sacrifice in the name of love was an immediate village favourite; she had won their respect. She was shown how to paint, too, but declined to try it for herself, far too intimidated by the impressive human skill.

It occurred to her that these human discoveries and inventions -tools, houses, growing and cooking their food- might have developped among slug girls too, were it not for the threat of predators. She felt a little angry at that, for a while. Her kind had been forced into a life of hiding, prevented from giving free flow to their creativity - and even that had not prevented many of her sisters from being eaten. She envied these humans, who never seemed to realise how lucky they were. She felt comfortable among them, too - but she could not imagine this ever being home. Home was a burrow where Tiasha grieved for her, and her children were growing up without her. She had to get back, if there was any way of doing so. And then, perhaps, if there were some way of doing it safely, she would bring her family here -her girlfriend, their babies, her parents, her surviving sisters, their relatives, as many people as she could-, to where they would never have to fear a predator again. They would grow crops, and live in safety, and all her children would grow up and reach adulthood. It was a dream, first forged in sleep, which she clung to upon waking. The light of day exposed its unreality, but she held on to it nonetheless. It was hope. And hope was the fuel of her determination.

She mentioned it to Bajen, and Nalea, and the humans eventually understood that she really did want to go home, despite the extreme danger she would face. They talked it through with her, discussed it amongst themselves, and it was eventually decided that she should be taken to the city. People knew a lot more about the world in the city, Roju argued. If anyone knew where to find slug girls, the city would be the place to ask. Besides, the authorities would want to know that a unusual being had appeared in one of the villages. Vuni might be expected to go and present herself to the sledthreens - the administrators.

The slug girl agreed -admittedly with little idea what she was agreeing to-, and a request was sent out to the city. Within less than a moon cycle, the reply came in the form of a carriage pulling up in the village, ready to whisk the strange visitor away. Most of the villagers turned up to see a rather nervous Vuni off. Shareen wrapped a lunch for her in fresh leaves, pressing it in her hands, and then hugged her with unmistakable affection. Nalea -now visibly pregnant, with a faint bulge to her tummy- hugged her warmly and kissed her on the cheek, fondly ruffling her pale blond hair. Roju gave her a kind smile as he shook her hand, and wished her well. There was nothing to worry about, he assured her; and if nobody in the city could help, she was welcome to live in his home for as long as she wished. In any case, he hoped she would come and say goodbye again if she did find her way home. By the time she had finished embracing everyone and thanking them for their well wishes, the little slug girl was feeling quite misty-eyed.

She was also, however, both apprehensive and excited about the carriage. Of all the human inventions she had witnessed, this was by far the strangest. Carved and decorated, painted in reds and blues, it was like a very small house, but made of wood and resting off the ground, fixed to four wooden circles. Inside were three cushioned benches, the front one being reserved to a human who introduced herself as the `driver'. She would sit with her back to them, looking forward through an opening in the wooden panel, towards the four creatures harnessed to the contraption. The creatures themselves resembled duikers, lithe and graceful yet muscular, with small, beautiful curved antlers. Vuni was bursting with questions before she even got in, and Bajen clambered in beside her. He, too, was excited, and almost blushing at the thought of being the lovely slug girl's only companion all the way to the city. Unable to sit, Vuni remained between the benches at first, looking out through the window at the assembled villagers. They waved, emotion on Shareen's face in particular, and she waved back, trying to sort out the jumble of her own uncertain emotions.

“Are you both settled?” the diver asked, looking back at them, and Vuni gave the human her attention. She seemed only a few years older than Bajen. Her dark hair was cut rather short, and her eyes were a warm shade of grey. She was dressed in a fine, ornate but comfortable suit, whose patterned colours matched those of the carriage. “I'm sorry our seats aren't designed for…” She looked down at Vuni's tail, trying not to stare.

“You've never seen a slug girl either, then?” Bajen asked.

The driver shook her head. Vuni felt her heart sink a little, but the young woman gave her an encouraging smile. “From what I understand, though, you're quite the topic of conversation among high circles.”

“Really?” The slug girl was uncertain what to make of that. She smiled out nervously at her friends outside, and changed the topic to one of more immediate interest. “Is this thing going to move, then?” She had not seen it arrive, and could not imagine how it might actually be set in motion.

The driver laughed, not unkindly. “Yes. And quite fast, too, if you've never been driven anywhere before. You may want to hang on to something.”

“But it… How?”

“The wheels,” Bajen explained. “The, uh, round things. They turn.”

“Really?” Vuni looked down out of the window, just as the driver smiled and gave the duiker-like creatures the command they were awaiting. Startled by the sudden motion, Vuni lost her balance, and banged her shoulder against the frame of the window. The slight pain was secondary, however, to the surprise of two simultaneous realisations. The wheels were indeed turning… and she was moving! She let out a nervous laugh of disbelief, and waved quickly at the humans outside, as the distance between them increased, and they seemed to grow smaller, receding at last into the background, along with the fields and the houses. Embarking on a hard dirt track, the carriage sped away into what was, for her, another unknown.

“Are you ok?” Bajen asked, a little worried. Her smile was one of mixed astonishment, delight and lingering caution.

“This is… This is weird!” she laughed, for lack of a better word.

“Wait until you hear what people say about you,” the driver replied, smiling.

“I'm not weird,” Vuni smiled back. “You are. You have those strange leg things. Very unsteady.” She breathed in the air rushing past her face, whipping her pale hair. The humans' creativity was amazing! How had they ever come up with something like this? Outside, fields of various colours passed by - faint yellows, bright oranges, luscious greens and startling purples. Workers glanced up, or ignored the carriage altogether. Here and there, children waved, and Vuni waved back, enchanted. Low hills appeared up ahead, and the carriage slowed to drive over them, then picked up speed on the way down, prompting a thrilled gasp from the slug girl. Eventually, she drew her head in, and, with Bajen's help, lifted herself up onto the back bench, lying down along its length. She still had a good view of scenery, and watched it tirelessly - while Bajen watched her with a quiet smile.

The driver glanced back at them, and nodded approvingly at seeing Vuni laying down. “That's right, make yourself comfortable. We'll be at the city by tomorrow evening.”

The faint, steady jolt of the carriage on the remarkably smooth stone road lulled the little slug girl into an unexpected sense of comfort. She turned onto her back, stretching out and letting her tail hang off the side of the bench, folding her hands over her belly, above the shirt Nalea had leant her.

To pass the time, Bajen taught her a simple mind game. Asking basic questions to guess what the other person was thinking about. The driver joined in, and they had a few giggles, but their frames of reference made it impossible for them to guess objects, plants or creatures they'd never heard of, so she, in turn, told them about the collaborative stories she used to create with her parents and sisters as a child, quiet whispers in the snugness of their burrow. The two humans seized upon the idea eagerly, and it kept them busy through much of the afternoon.

The light was dwindling by the time they approached another village, after passing through one rapidly several hours earlier. The darkening sky plunged the now empty fields into shadows, blurring their horizon into the greyish-black of a cloudy night. The driver yawned as she led the carriage in between the houses, and pulled up in front of a busy-looking building, lit with those strange, enclosed flames in large pots. This village was much larger than the one they had left, and Vuni felt both curious and apprehensive as the driver helped her slither down from the carriage.

“This is our local hub, a resting point for travellers on their way to or from the city,” the woman explained, as Vuni gazed upon the building with a faint churn of uncertain feelings. It was rather loud, like Bajen's village during a celebration; laughter drifted out into the dark street. The thick, open door depicted an image of prancing, dancing humans, dressed in blues and greens, carrying various objects, some of which she recognised as human musical instruments. There was no sound of music from the building, however, and the paint was slowly flaking from the door.

“We're just stopping for a meal, and a night's rest,” the driver told them both. “Well, I'll be getting in touch with a few acquaintances,” she added, smiling, “and you're welcome to join our company. But if you're tired, we have a room booked.” Vuni nodded, not sure she entirely understood, and the driver put a hand on her shoulder, reassuringly. “People may stare at you,” she said, kindly. “But they'll mean you no harm. It's just that almost no-one here has ever seen a non-human.”

“I understand,” Vuni said softly.

“All right.” The human's smile broadened. “I'll introduce you to the owner of this place, then I'll just need to nip out and park the carriage.”

* * *

They had stared, of course, with varying degrees of discretion. Vuni had slithered quietly into a large, well-lit room, filled with about two dozen humans gathered at different tables. Mixed, heavy scents of cooked food permeated the air. Paintings graced the walls, some far more realistic than any she had seen so far, portraits, landscapes and houses. Four short, thick wooden pillars jotted the floor, each topped with a carved wooden figure, which she in turn stared at as she passed. A rather thin, very tall, balding man with a thin grey-brown beard welcolmed her with polite curiosity, and led the three of them to a table. Vuni had followed in silence, out of her depth in this strangest of environments. She had shivered a little, discomforted not only by the presence of strangers, but by the reassertion of deep-seated instincts. The noise, the lights, the smells… They stood out here. Every instinct within her screamed that this was dangerous. Sensing her discomfort, Bajen had talked to her reassuringly, but she had found it impossible to relax.

The driver, Sephia, had joined them at the table soon enough, and had tried to engage the slug girl in friendly small talk to make her more at ease. Bajen was only too glad to talk and find out more about this place; close as this was to home, he had rarely strayed this far. But Vuni had remained withdrawn.

Food was brought to them, and, following the long journey, she found the appetite to devour a fairly large dinner. She managed a little polite conversation after that, but soon asked to go to bed. Sephia showed her up to her room, and saw her comfortably settled, staying with her a short while before returning downstairs to her human passenger.

“She's nervous,” she said as she sat down opposite him once more. “Poor thing. This must be very unsettling for her. Is it really true she lives in a hole in the ground, in a forest somewhere?” It was the first time she had been able to speak to Bajen in Vuni's absence, and her curiosity rose quickly to the fore.

The young man nodded. “She was confused by everything when she arrived. She didn't know about growing crops. Or fire; she's used to eating her food raw.” He closed his hands round a cup of fruit brew. “I think she's coping really well, all things considered.” The driver nodded, and Bajen's eyes lit up a little. He leaned forward, lowering his voice. “I mean, imagine… She actually comes from a whole other world. That none of us has ever heard of.”

Sephia gave a half-smile. “It is a bit… It's… Yes.” Words seemed to fail her for a moment. “How did she even get here? Nobody's told me that bit.”

“That's because she doesn't know herself. She just kind of appeared. One moment she was in her forest, and then suddenly…” He made a sweeping gesture with his hand, and paused. “I suppose it could just as easily have happened to us the other way round.”

“Now there's a scary thought.” Sephia topped up her cup of water.

“You don't know the half of it. There are creatures on her world that eat people. She was eaten herself once. Actually swallowed by a naga, alive, and then thrown up.” He never grew tired of telling people that part. Sephia's eyes widened.

“Man-eating nagas? That's…” She stopped once more. “I hope she'll be ok in the city.” She took a swallow from her water, and looked at him with a sly smile. “I bet you're glad you're here, though.”

“Going to the city?” Bajen brightened. “Oh, yes, of course! That's always exciting!”

“I didn't mean just that.” Her smile grew into a grin. “The way you're looking at her…”

Bajen blushed, and straightened up a bit. “Well, she's pretty,” he mumbled. “And she's really nice,” he added, as Sephia gave a playful smirk. “I mean, tonight she's a bit… She's obviously not comfortable here. But you saw what she was like during the journey. She's really lovely. She has this… kind of… I don't know; I like her.”

“Now that much is obvious.” Sephia giggled, before taking on a more serious expression. “Do you know if she's single?”

Bajen sighed, his shoulders slumping a little. “No. She has a mate. And nine children.”

Sephia's eyebrows rose, and she whistled quietly, impressed. “I'd never have guessed. She looks so young.”

“She had her kids all in one go,” he explained, feeling just a little awkward at discussing Vuni's life in her absence. “They have broods. Not children one at a time, like us.” He paused, as a somewhat trivial thought struck him. “They must be born really tiny.”

Sephia nodded, and was quiet for a while. She finished her water. As she put her cup down, there was an expression of heartfelt sympathy on her face. “So she's a mother without her kids. That must be hard to bear. Assuming slug girls have similar feelings to humans.”

Bajen nodded. “I think they do. In fact I'm sure of it. I've seen her cry…” He stopped, embarassed. “Well, anyway, I'll look after her, as much as I can.”

Sephia merely smiled, not unkindly. She looked up, as two men and a woman, in their thirties, approached the table. They looked a little awkward.

“We're sorry to bother you,” one of the men said. “It's just, it's not every day you see a… A person like your friend. We were just wondering…” He sat down, curiosity rendering him bold, and looked searchingly into Sephia's face. “Could you tell us… What is she?”

* * *

By the time Sephia and Bajen made their excuses and retired to bed, the inn had crowded up with people called in by friends to hear about the strange creature sleeping upstairs, and which they had just missed seeing with their own eyes. The slug girl's two travelling companions had answered questions as best they could, but it was clear that Vuni's brief passage would remain, for a long while, the gossip of the town. Sephia imagined there might be quite a crowd to see them off in the morning.

She slipped into bed in the dark, with only the glow of moonlight through the window, and got undressed under her bedsheets, before settling down for a few hours' rest. She could hear Bajen adjusting his blanket, a shadowy form close by, while Vuni had pulled her own blanket onto the floor. She, too, was a dark outline - her slow, steady breathing hinting that she was fast asleep. The only other sound was that of her still rumbling stomach, processing the last remains of a mostly digested dinner. Sephia watched her for a while, and found herself wondering about her, with renewed sympathy. What must it be like, to be trapped in such an alien environment, far from your loved ones? It seemed barely imaginable. And what would the young slug girl make of the city, if she was so disoriented by a mere village?

Sephia glanced over at Bajen, who lay with his back to her, perhaps asleep already. He was clearly smitten with the non-human woman - keen, in his idealistic youth, to be her guardian and companion. To `look after her'. Sephia could not imagine how Vuni might ever get home, but would she just settle down to a village life with a human as her new mate? She shook her head quietly to herself. It was too soon for questions like that. All she could do was hope the little lost slug girl would find some way to ease her sense of loss.

If Bajen truly was willing to devote himself to her, he might just be her answer.

She sighed, too tired to ponder the fate of strangers she had only just met. With a little yawn, she snuggled down into her bed covers, and closed her eyes.

* * *

To escape the curious eyes of townspeople, they ate breakfast in their room the next morning, then Sephia went down to ask patrons and idlers milling about not to crowd in on Vuni as she made her way to the carriage. The slug girl's progress, slithering cautiously down the wooden staircase and across the floor, would be painfully slow; being the focus of everyone's attention would only make it worse. As it was, the townspeople present proved remarkably understanding. Many withdrew to peek from behind windows or half-shut doors, but at least they were not standing intimidatingly in full sight. As a result, although Vuni looked relieved to settle in the carriage, she was not as flustered as her human companions had feared. Bajen did notice, though, that she relaxed visibly once they had left the town behind.

“I'm sorry about that,” Sephia said, as the wheels rushed smoothly over the stone road, to the sound of the duiker-like creatures' hooves. “I suppose we could have slept outdoors somewhere, or even in the carriage; I'm just too used to sleeping in a bed.”

“It's fine,” Vuni assured her, a little too quickly perhaps. She paused, gathering her thoughts. “I just… I'm not used to being in a confined space with lots of people I don't know. Especially, uh, if… If they're making a noise and not being discreet. I still… I still have this reflex, I suppose, not to get myself noticed. And back there… I know there's no danger here, but it's just the way I felt. Not… not safe.” She paused. “Which is silly, because…”

“It's all right,” Sephia interrupted her gently. “You don't have to explain.” She kept her eyes on the road. “It'll be just the three of us for the next few hours. Until this evening.”

Vuni smiled, faintly, and settled back onto the cushioned bench. Although she did not know it, the same thoughts were passing through the two humans' minds.

If she was so uncomfortable in a moderately crowded inn, how would she react to the city?

* * *

The second day's travel passed much as the first, in casual conversation, games, and long periods of silence. During the latter, Vuni found herself wondering what Tiasha was doing at that precise moment. The thought brought moistness to her eyes, which she wiped away discreetly before the humans noticed. Tiasha's face seemed to hover in front of her mind's eye, clear as ever, anxious and sorrowful, digging deep into the ache in her heart. What frightened her most, she found, was the fear that Tiasha's life might be in more danger without her. Her beloved would be tending to the children on her own, before going out tired to hunt for food. And what if something happened to the babies while nobody was watching them? They were very young, but some were showing distinct signs of a curious mind. What if they crawled out of the burrow when left unsupervised?

Brooding over those dark thoughts, she was only partially soothed by a spectacular sunset over a clear horizon, casting its dark golden glow over shadowy fields. She was getting dozey by the time she caught sight of another glow, a shimmer over a hill. She blinked, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and looked out with interest as the coach ascended the low hill… and something astonishing came into view.

There, sprawling through a shallow valley, and stretching out to a large lake, was a cluster of buildings more numerous than she could ever have imagined. She straightened, gaping, struck momentarily silent. As the light of day faded away, the buildings were lighting up from the inside, the flicker of lamps responding to the twinkling stars far above. From the mild altitude of the hill, she could see the pattern of streets snaking between the houses, some of which seemed up to three storeys high. “The city…” she whispered, awed. Towards the far end, close to the lake, several gigantic buildings towered far above the rest, their outer walls carved with figures of humans tending crops, and symbols she did not recognise. Some of the doors were so huge she could see them from a distance. Wide, clear roads led to the massive constructs, between the far smaller buildings.

“See those great buildings?” Sephia asked, with her eyes on the road.

“Yes,” Vuni breathed, finding her voice at last. The flickering lights were almost mesmerising. It seemed inconceivable; so many people gathered in one place, and advertising their presence so blatantly. With no fear of danger… And how long had all those houses taken to build? The dark, shimmering water of the lake was almost as enthralling. While she had heard of large expanses of water, she had never seen the likes of it.

“That's where the sledthreens live. That's where we're going.” The carriage rode them smoothly down the hill, and on towards the city's outer edge. The city lamps seemed to captivate Vuni's gaze, drawing her in. To her own surprise, she felt a little excited, nervous rather than truly afraid. Cloaked in shadow, the first houses grew clearer as they approached, their stone walls thrown into relief by lamps hanging from roofs.

“Welcome to the city,” Sephia said, with what sounded like just a hint of pride. They passed similar houses, then more as she guided the carriage down another street, slowing its pace to mind for pedestrians. Gazing out, Vuni caught glimpses of families through windows. Her heart clenched a little.

She settled back, avoiding the eyes of passers-by, while the carriage completed the final stage of its journey, crossing the city at a more leisurely pace. From every angle, the gigantic buildings by the lake loomed above them, growing ever larger as they approached, until Sephia brought them to a stop, and a rather timid Vuni disembarked. She found herself facing a gigantic, open door, so large and high that a giant slug girl could have entered without stooping. Inside, an enormous corridor led to a number of doors; its walls were painted, although she could barely make out the images in the penumbra. Humans in green and blue suits were soon fussing around her, taking her indoors, patiently matching her slow, slithering pace. She followed with a silent, nervous smile, reassured by Bajen's company, as she was taken to a gigantic bedroom, incongruously fitted with a number of human-sized beds. She was told where she might bathe if she wanted, provided with a fresh set of clothes, fussed over for a short while longer, then left alone with Bajen in the gigantic room. She looked around it, trying not to feel intimidated, gazing at vast tapestries depicting -it seemed- the workers who had built the city. The difference in size between the beds and the immense room was more than her mind could wrap itself round; she felt inescapably dizzy.

“Well,” Bajen said. And stopped. There seemed little more to say. The humans had buzzed round them, brought them in here and then gone again; Sephia seemed to have vanished without a word, perhaps whisked away somewhere else in turn.

“So… Why are we here?” Vuni asked, her voice barely above a whisper. It echoed slightly off the high stone ceiling. Lamps, on two tables, supplemented the feeble glow of moonlight, but most of the room was in darkness. On one of the tables, a warm meal had been set out. Bajen shrugged.

“I suppose we'll find out in the morning. Do you want some dinner? I'm not really hungry.” She shook her head. She did not have much of an appetite either. “All right.” Bajen smiled. “I'll help you pull your blankets off your bed.”

* * *

The first rays of the sun found the little slug girl lying stretched out over her comfortable bed covers, on a carpeted stone floor, hugging a pillow to her face, while Bajen slept snugly in a bed nearby. The sun's rays did not wake her, however; nor did the massive door, when it opened without a creak. The silent breathing of their quiet visitor did not rouse her. She woke only, with a start, when her sensitive nose picked up the scent of danger.

A giant predator was looming over her. She straightened up with a yelp, clutching her pillow, and stared in shock at the giant face far above her own. The face was female, its features smooth and graceful, a fairly pale brown. The oval eyes gazing back at her were a deep brown, tinged with hints of green, warm, gentle but confident. Silky brown hair framed the attractive face, cascading down onto shoulders clad in rich, shimmering green robes. Below the waist, a dark brown, serpentine tail held criss-crossing patterns of rich, dark yellow. A giant naga. As Vuni stared, petrified, the naga smiled.

“Hello, Vuni,” she said, her voice soft and almost musical. “I hope you've slept well? I'm sorry if I startled you.” A pause. “When you're properly awake, we'll have a lot to talk about.”

[To be continued…]