Saving Neba

𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈: Allies with a Human

Tujan's mother had me sit on an armchair. She'd brought a small stool and asked me to place my right leg on it. There was a greenish mixture in a bowl next to me while wet leaves were on a plate.

They were all scared when they found out I was human but Tujan assured them that I didn't have bad intentions. She promised that they would get me treated and once I was okay, I could leave.

I didn't even want to leave just yet.

"So what happened?" Her cousin, Bihak, asked me. Nilsa, Tujan's mother, applied the greenish mixture to my leg. She would take a lump with her right hand and then rub it around the area. Each rub stung and I hissed.

"I was chasing this thing. A Kulni? I... I don't want to talk about it."

The young man still sat at the dining table. I could see him from my position. He was observing us, watching me, but not saying a word.

Rika - that was what Tujan called her father - sat on an armchair, watching his wife apply the mixture to a human, an 'athurhen'. That's what I was. Bihak sat on the floor because he wanted to be facing me. I had piqued his interest.

"What do you do on earth?" He asked me.

"Uh... I go to secondary school."

"Oh. My cousin teaches me how to fight. I can show you some of my moves if you want." He stood up and began to demonstrate.

I chuckled; he was quite good.

I glanced at Tujan. She knelt beside her mother, passing her the wet leaves while she used them to cover the wound. I didn't expect someone as angelic as Tujan to be a fighter. "Tujan?" I asked him.

"Oh no. Not her." Tujan raised her head here, sending me a coy smile. "It's Tevessa, he teaches me to fight."

"Bihak!" Rika stood up and faced his niece. "Kaw'vreh tur morr." [Go to your room]

"Rika..." His tone sounded like he was begging.

"Kaw'vreh!" He barked at the boy and he whimpered. He stood to leave, tears welling in his eyes. [Go away/leave]

My heart clenched. What had he done wrong?

"Rika." The man in the dining stood up. His voice was calm. "He ne tart'un gnor-ki. Tisk yanik. Heik tart'uka-thurhen." He turned to the boy, "Kaw'reh."

[He has done nothing wrong. Don't make him sad. He is talking to a human... Come here]

Bihak ran to him and hugged him, sobbing in his khaki trousers. "Shh." The man turned to me. "I'm the skilled young man who teaches this extraordinary child how to fight." He raised Bihak in the air and brought him back down. "Wipe those tears now."

"Tevessa, tisq tart'uka-"

"Let's speak in the girl's tongue, okay? We are not like humans, being secretive and selfish. Father, loosen up. Look, even mother is trying to be hospitable. Let's not fear the girl because of what the Chinese arthuhens did to us." Tevessa passed me a knowing look.

Chinese?

"Tevessa-!"

Tevessa shook his head, a bright smile on his coral lips. His garnet eyes shone when he looked up.

"Father!" His voice was stern. "I'd prefer if we don't argue. Not here." There was some sort of finality in his voice.

His father cast me a doubtful glance. I kept my head low to avoid eye contact. He sighed, walked through the curtains and out of the living room he went.