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Sharpsand was getting close to the base of the Tallest Tree when he heard heavy footsteps in the leaves. He thought about continuing — he was almost there, after all this time — but if the creatures were dangerous, he might never get to see it. He’d spent most of his life wanting to see the root system that was rumored to be bigger than the town plaza. So he ran behind a smaller tree and held still, listening.
But whatever was making the noise had stopped. He waited a moment, then poked his snout around the trunk.
There were a lot of them, whatever they were, and they stood staring at him. He almost took off in fear, but they hadn’t attacked yet. They weren’t even spreading out to circle him, not acting like predators at all. And the shiny one in front looked downright weird.
Then a different one stepped forward, holding something up, and words appeared in his head.
“I greet you.” The thought came out of nowhere, and Sharpsand twitched, shaking his head in reflex. What was happening?
“We will not hurt you,” the un-voice said, and Sharpsand realized that the creature must be doing it. But how?
“Will you speak with me?”
Sharpsand stepped back, thinking quickly. This was frightening, but if he left now, he would regret it. He’d never heard of an air-breathing creature — or any creature! — that could speak directly into someone’s head. It wasn’t even sending him colors; each thought appeared as an idea that he instantly understood. It was amazing.
=Yes, I will speak with you,= he decided, stepping forward to plant all four feet in the way that he’d seen land creatures do. =What do you want to discuss?= He hoped that no fear-colors were creeping into his words, but he suspected that they were.
“We are curious about you,” the un-voice said. Behind the lead creature, the others made mouth-noises to each other, and kept looking over the shoulder of the one holding the object. “How long can you stay to talk?”
Sharpsand thought about it. This was beyond fascinating, but he didn’t want to spend all of his time here. =I can stay a little while longer,= he said, =But not long. I do have other things I want to do.= He glanced up at the color of the sky. =There is not much light left!=
The other creatures made more mouth-noises, looking like they wanted to talk too, but couldn’t. Sharpsand thought it was a pity they lacked proper voice-flesh. This conversation would be much easier if they could speak as well.
=Will you have more time to discuss things tomorrow?= the un-voice asked, =When it is light again?=
Sharpsand blinked, cocking his head at the creatures. =No, I only get one day.= How could they not know this?
“One day for what?”
=For being in the air.=
“Then what?”
=Then I die,= he said in exasperation. =Like everyone does!=
This seemed to throw them into confusion, and Sharpsand sighed, looking again at the darkening sky.
“Do you live in the water for many days,” the un-voice asked. “Then move to the air for one?”
=Yes,= Sharpsand said, losing interest in the conversation. =Look, why don’t you go talk to someone in the water? They have more time for this. There might even be a few adults who haven’t emerged yet, though not many. And I need to be going.=
“One more question, please,” the un-voice pleaded with him. “What does it mean when someone — an air-breather — twitches a lot, then falls down? We’ve seen it happen to your people, and to ours as well.”
Sharpsand was taken aback. =You mean the stutter-sleep?= he asked. =That’s part of mating. I don’t know why it would happen to your people.=
The creatures didn’t know what to make of this. “That is indeed strange. But what causes it, if someone is not mating?”
=Well, being in the air,= he began, then looked up sharply.
As if the conversation had summoned them, a cluster of invisible blue clouds came drifting through the trees.
=Those!= he yelled in bright reds, pointing with his tail. =Those cause it! Swim away!= With that he took off, pushing on the ground in the awkward air-creature way, longing for the speed of water and hoping that he wouldn’t be caught yet. He had already mated, and if the clouds caught him now, he would never get to see what the base of the Tallest Tree looked like.
He ran for all he was worth, leaving the strange creatures far behind.