In Search of Home

Chapter 68

With Vok'Rul's explicit permission, more and more aliens started to come in. Mostly, they lingered near the outskirts of the perimeter, content to watch from a slightly closer distance. It was mostly children that got up close and personal with the humans. 

Nohkka was one of those children. 

She ran to the middle of the field where Viktor and Vok'Rul were hanging around as fast as her legs could carry her - which wasn't that quick. She launched herself on Vok'Rul, who let out a loud groan as she landed right on his stomach. 

"Hi, Kohgrash!" she yelled with excitement, climbing over Vok'Rul to wrap Viktor up in her arms. Thankfully, she didn't squeeze him half to death this time.

"Hi, Nohkka." 

She turned to peer at Vok'Rul for a moment, before saying matter-of-factly, "Uncle, Mama said that you are a no good, horn-less idiot." 

Vok'Rul spluttered for a second before he said, "Nohkka, we don't repeat what your mother says, okay?  She doesn't say nice things, sometimes." 

Nohkka nodded seriously. "She also said that when the next Competition comes, she's gonna par-tic-i-pate," she slowly said every syllable, slowing her pace for just a second before she started up again, "just to beat you up. I'll beat you up, too! Then I'll be Vokkra!" she declared, getting to her feet and jumping up and down.

Vok'Rul smiled fondly at her, "I am sure you will win, little one." 

"What's this competition?" Viktor asked. Vok'Rul had mentioned it before, but he was unable to get any straight answers out of the alien. 

"Competition?" Pedro asked. He was lying on the grass nearby, arm flung over his face to shade his eyes from the small sun.

"Is there a monetary prize?" Ezekiel wondered. He was also lying in the grass. His head was propped up on his hand, and he was watching Viktor and Vok'Rul's interaction with Nohkka with interest. "Perhaps a one-way trip back to Earth?" 

Vok'Rul wilted, just a little bit. Viktor rolled his eyes. "I told you why we can't go back, yet. There's -" 

"Yeah, yeah," Ezekiel groaned dramatically. "Politics and shit." His tone got serious for a moment, quieter, "I miss the blue sky." 

"Yeah," Viktor reluctantly agreed. "But it's not so bad here." 

Someone snorted. "I can't believe you of all people are saying that, kid," Pedro laughed. 

"Shut up," he told the man before looking at Vok'Rul with a tilt of his head. "Competition?" 

"Yes," Vok'Rul said, thinking for a moment. Nohkka sat on the ground beside him, content with pulling the grass out of the ground and covering his tail with it. "The Competition happens every ten years at the Pit. Contenders will fight one another for the title of Vokkra. There are no rules whatsoever when you are in the Pit. You are to use what you have been given at the start of your life; claws, teeth, tail... though, now weapons have been tossed into the mix. Death happens frequently. Only the strongest will win, and the strongest of those will go on to win the title of Vokkra." 

Viktor blinked at him before his face scrunched up in thought. "So..." he started slowly. "How long have you been Vokkra?" 

"I have won the Competition four times consecutively." 

"Forty years?" Viktor put together, more than a little shocked. "Wait, how old are you?" 

Vok'Rul blinked, tilting his head to mirror Viktor's. "It is not polite to ask a Vokkrus about their age, my little Kohgrash." Viktor rolled his eyes, staring earnestly at Vok'Rul until the alien relented. "Fine. I am only 435, if you must know - Kohgrash, you look like you are about to fall over. Are you alright?"