second sun has breached the horizon,” I announced at the fire rod in the center of the cave. “The white bark tea is brewed. Make you ready for today!”
A chorus of groans and surprised laughs met my ears, and CeCe came up behind me to wrap her arms around my neck. “It’s a good thing you made Predator Planet coffee, or you’d be public enemy number one right now,” she whispered in my ear.
“It is a good day to battle,” I said, pleasure and happiness bubbling inside my heart like a pot of good soup.
She squeezed me once then let go and came around to sit beside me, holding her cup for the tea. “You have a strange way of celebrating the morning after,” she murmured and sipped, her eyes smiling at me.
“It is a celebration, indeed,” I said, and I wasn’t the least embarrassed to say so within earshot of every member of our traveling party.
“I rolled up our pallets and sharpened my blades,” she said.
The humans appeared one by one, accepting my brew and settling into their breakfast of foraged and dried mushrooms and sister-bread.
My brothers cast me suspicious looks and grumbled as they packed their things.
“Take heart,” Natheka told me and slapped me on the back. “You never noticed their foul morning tempers because you used to lead the pack!”
Startled at his words, I realized he was accurate, and I laughed. Holding my cup up, I saluted my brethren. “May your every morning follow a night of unrepentant sexual sport!”
CeCe groaned and covered her eyes, falling backward and yelling “No, no, no you didn’t!”
The other humans squealed and laughed but held up their cups and smashed them together with a metallic clank.
“Hear, hear!” Pattee agreed.
“Truer words,” Amity nodded and emptied her cup.
Joan and Esra cracked grins and yanked CeCe to sitting. “Come on, Sis, it’s not like we didn’t know. Be proud! Own it! It’s a beautiful thing!” Joan encouraged her friend and CeCe laughed and put her arm around me.
“I am proud, and I own him, all right,” she said.
“Swear to God,” Esra finished her drink and shook her head. “It’s the only bright spot on this godforsaken planet sometimes.”
“You are not wrong,” Naraxthel joined in and sat beside his mate, stealing a kiss before he spoke. “Speaking of goddess-forsaken. Let us outlay our preparations one last time. We reach Raxthezana’s ship today. I will deliver our mates to Pattee’s glade, and then we will travel to Ikshe to make peace with our people—and war with our Queen.”
I nodded and glanced around the circle to see the grim expressions of my brothers and the composed features of the humans. Naraxthel continued.
“We will gather intelligence regarding the IGMC ship, and when BoKama is safe, we will return to Ikthe to bolster the humans’ preparations for their guerrilla warfare upon the indolent sots who dare to attack them.”
“Indolent sots,” Esra said. “I love that.”
“Have I missed anything?” Naraxthel said, smiling down at her.
“A word,” I said, and everyone looked at me. “I treasure the bonds we have formed together. Let courage sustain you in the coming days, and we will reunite to forge unbreakable bands of friendship, brotherhood, sisterhood, and love.”
Unexpected moisture brimmed in my eyes, but I didn’t dash it away. When I saw my brothers similarly afflicted, I gave them a soft smile, and they nodded at me in turn.
Our trek to my ship was uneventful, the open mountain air free of storms or ikadaxl, though I did not doubt our thoughts rolled with the thunder of anxiety at our coming battles. But CeCe was mine; the humans were cunning and powerful, and my brothers and I determined.
Today was a good day to battle, and we would.