softly. “He’s just, what, about sixteen or so. Just a kid.” She flicked some dirt in Deni’s direction.
Deni only smiled with her golden eyes as Deni so often did when she looked at Tala.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Deni said softly.
Teltel hurried to Deni’s side as he clumsily said, “I’m sorry about that. How can I help?”
She clapped the giant on the arm and said, “We’re digging up root vegetables today,” Deni reached into the dirt and pulled out something round and orange.
Teltel stood in front of the next mound but had to bend over quite a bit to place his hand on the dirt.
“Don’t be shy, kid, jump right in there,” Deni urged.
“I’ve just never touched dirt before,” he said hesitantly.
“Never touched dirt,” Deni said to Tala. “What are you guys teaching them in school these days? Dirt has been around longer than we have. It’s meant to be played with.” She took the giant’s hand in hers and thrust it into the dirt.
“Oh!” Teltel gasped. “I feel something.”
“Well pull it out, son,” Deni said with a laugh.
There in his giant hand was a giant orange potato.
“There you go, son. Got one on your first try and the biggest I’ve seen yet.” Deni was all smiles. “I think he’s gonna work out fine helping around here.”
She put her potatoes up on a narrow shelf that hung above the mounds and ran the length of the gardens. “Just lay them up here and later we’ll come by and pick them up.”
As they made their way down the row plunging their hands into the mounds of dirt, Tala followed as she read.
1200 BE
Far below the surface of the planet REEN
Atenilek had grown tired of being cooped up and looked after. He was also concerned about his friend. He seemed to recall something that Tinnen had said.
“Master,” Tinnen had called him. “I wonder what he meant by that,” Aten ilek mumbled to himself.
“Hnta,” A tenilek called to his mother.
“Yes, Atenilek. Do you need s omething?” She asked her son.
“Hnta? Has Tinnen been by to see me while I was resting?”
“Oh! That stench of a Nen? Don’t worry son. You never have to see him again. He’s been matched with Ehik. Tinnen is of the walking dead now.”
“No Hnta!” Atenilek bellowed.
“His ration has even been transferred by request of his family,” she said. Then she raised a hand to caress her son’s hair for comfort.
“No, Hnta,” Atenilek protested again. “This wasn’t his fault. I am proud, from proud people, and it was my pride and fear that tempted me. I listened to the voice of Ish calling my name. I was afraid and fearful but too proud to back down,” Atenilek confesse d.
His mother spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. “Well there’s nothing that can be done now. You rest.” She rose and left the room be lieving the matter had ended.
Atenilek’s gills turned bright red as his breathing intensified with fear for his friend. His mother busied herself with her duties and left Atenilek alone to rest. But instead of resting, he rose from is bed and quietly l eft his house to find Tinnen.
Only one step out the door and Atenilek heard a faint voice, “Master?”
Tinnen lifted his head from where he lay. Atenilek grabbed up his dear friend in an embrace and held him. He could see that Tinnen had grown weak from the lack of food as was the way of all Nen.
“Lie still. I'll ret urn for you,” Atenilek said as he stood him against the rock.
Tinnen reached out a weak hand toward Atenilek's f ace as he tried to say, “Master,” but the word stuck in his dry throat.
“I will return,” Atenilek reassured his friend. He took Tinnen's hand, gazed deep into his fading eyes, “I promise on my only hand I'll return.”
Tinnen slumped against the rock and his eyes rolled back. Atenilek lay him peacefully down. He crept quickly back inside his house and packed a pouch made from kench hide. He filled a smaller pouch with water and slid it into the bigger
Deni only smiled with her golden eyes as Deni so often did when she looked at Tala.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Deni said softly.
Teltel hurried to Deni’s side as he clumsily said, “I’m sorry about that. How can I help?”
She clapped the giant on the arm and said, “We’re digging up root vegetables today,” Deni reached into the dirt and pulled out something round and orange.
Teltel stood in front of the next mound but had to bend over quite a bit to place his hand on the dirt.
“Don’t be shy, kid, jump right in there,” Deni urged.
“I’ve just never touched dirt before,” he said hesitantly.
“Never touched dirt,” Deni said to Tala. “What are you guys teaching them in school these days? Dirt has been around longer than we have. It’s meant to be played with.” She took the giant’s hand in hers and thrust it into the dirt.
“Oh!” Teltel gasped. “I feel something.”
“Well pull it out, son,” Deni said with a laugh.
There in his giant hand was a giant orange potato.
“There you go, son. Got one on your first try and the biggest I’ve seen yet.” Deni was all smiles. “I think he’s gonna work out fine helping around here.”
She put her potatoes up on a narrow shelf that hung above the mounds and ran the length of the gardens. “Just lay them up here and later we’ll come by and pick them up.”
As they made their way down the row plunging their hands into the mounds of dirt, Tala followed as she read.
1200 BE
Far below the surface of the planet REEN
Atenilek had grown tired of being cooped up and looked after. He was also concerned about his friend. He seemed to recall something that Tinnen had said.
“Master,” Tinnen had called him. “I wonder what he meant by that,” Aten ilek mumbled to himself.
“Hnta,” A tenilek called to his mother.
“Yes, Atenilek. Do you need s omething?” She asked her son.
“Hnta? Has Tinnen been by to see me while I was resting?”
“Oh! That stench of a Nen? Don’t worry son. You never have to see him again. He’s been matched with Ehik. Tinnen is of the walking dead now.”
“No Hnta!” Atenilek bellowed.
“His ration has even been transferred by request of his family,” she said. Then she raised a hand to caress her son’s hair for comfort.
“No, Hnta,” Atenilek protested again. “This wasn’t his fault. I am proud, from proud people, and it was my pride and fear that tempted me. I listened to the voice of Ish calling my name. I was afraid and fearful but too proud to back down,” Atenilek confesse d.
His mother spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. “Well there’s nothing that can be done now. You rest.” She rose and left the room be lieving the matter had ended.
Atenilek’s gills turned bright red as his breathing intensified with fear for his friend. His mother busied herself with her duties and left Atenilek alone to rest. But instead of resting, he rose from is bed and quietly l eft his house to find Tinnen.
Only one step out the door and Atenilek heard a faint voice, “Master?”
Tinnen lifted his head from where he lay. Atenilek grabbed up his dear friend in an embrace and held him. He could see that Tinnen had grown weak from the lack of food as was the way of all Nen.
“Lie still. I'll ret urn for you,” Atenilek said as he stood him against the rock.
Tinnen reached out a weak hand toward Atenilek's f ace as he tried to say, “Master,” but the word stuck in his dry throat.
“I will return,” Atenilek reassured his friend. He took Tinnen's hand, gazed deep into his fading eyes, “I promise on my only hand I'll return.”
Tinnen slumped against the rock and his eyes rolled back. Atenilek lay him peacefully down. He crept quickly back inside his house and packed a pouch made from kench hide. He filled a smaller pouch with water and slid it into the bigger
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