Page 26 of Across the Stars (Cosmic Threads of Fate #1)

“What are your thoughts, Xaynu?” Watai inquired as he wrapped his arm around his threadmate, needing to feel her touch to quiet the bond. “Would you like to spend some time learning alongside Mae? At least until our territory is free of predators and your mother can take you hunting.”

“If no one minds.” He shook his head. “I’ll do anything other than tending the fields and repairing the barriers. It’s too early for the trees to bear fruit or nuts, and planting seeds in the paddies is tedious and boring.”

“Then it’s settled.” Orox nodded, smiling at his son and gently shaking his shoulder. “When does he start?”

“Tomorrow?” Xarntu cast a glance at her threadmate. “What do you think?”

“That sounds good to me.” Yawix nodded and turned to face Watai and Mae. He could see the excitement in her eyes as she cracked a smile. “It’s now up to the two of you.”

Watai looked down at Mae, then pointed to Xaynu and called his name a few times before gesturing between the two. When she nodded, he pointed to Yawix and Xarntu, followed by the baskets on the ground.

He pointed to the basket and then made the flying gesture, placing his palms together and flapping his hands as he repeated Iskzo’s name as well as his own.

She frowned and stared at the ground, as if she was trying to piece together everything he was attempting to communicate.

“Why don’t you have me tell her?” Iskzo pathed. “It would simplify everything.”

“You can’t be with us all the time,” he shot back. “I understand you only want to help, and I’ll gladly accept your offer, but I can’t always rely on you to help us communicate.”

“I’ll explain it all to Mae later,” Iskzo replied. Watai sensed something grabbing his attention through their connection. “If I don’t fall asleep after eating all the fish I’m about to catch.”

Watai shook his head, letting his Z’myuzo hunt his evening meal while he returned his focus to the task at hand.

Mae picked up the basket, twirled it in her hands, and then nodded and smiled gently at Watai before handing it off to him.

“Mae, Xaynu, Yawix. Xarntu.” She shook her head. “No Watai. No Iskzo.”

“No?” Watai gazed at the older females, wondering if they understood what she was saying.

“ Ninu? ” Yawix replied, her head tilted in thought as she looked at her threadmate. “Doesn’t it sound like she realizes you won’t be around her when she’s working with us?”

“‘No’ must mean ninu in her language,” Xarntu replied, grabbing the basket from Watai’s grasp and passing it to Xaynu, Yawix, and then back to Mae, repeating each person’s name as the basket was passed around. She then pointed to Watai and shook her head, saying, “No Watai.”

“No Watai.” Mae nodded and then peered down at the lopsided basket in her hands. “Mae, Xaynu, Yawix. Xarntu.”

“Then, I take it she agrees to lessons.”

Yutesi and Orox exchanged uneasy glances, followed by a shared wince. Yutesi spoke up. “Watai, it’s getting late, and Xaynu’s mother is in the Gathering Hall waiting for us. We should leave now.”

Watai nodded, understanding their urgency.

There was only a short time after the evening meal to socialize with others before everyone retired to their respective huts.

He faced Xaynu, who was studying him with wide, inquisitive eyes.

“Xaynu, you should go find your mother. You can start your lessons later.”

Xaynu’s face fell, and he looked up at his family with a sad expression. Watai couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness in his heart.

He recalled being his age, excited to finally be able to take lessons from people other than his family. The first step toward independence and becoming an individual valued for his abilities rather than the blood in his veins.

“Perhaps, once things have settled after the rainy season cleanup and my workload has been reduced, I’ll train you with the ring blade, if your parents allow.”

Orox and Yutesi exchanged surprised glances. “Watai, we’d be honored. You are welcome to teach our son whenever your schedule permits.”

Watai watched as Xaynu, Orox, and Yutesi dashed toward the stairwell, their laughter and chatter echoing in the distance as Xaynu told his fathers about his day. Watai couldn’t help but feel longing as he said goodbye to Xaynu and his family, longing to be able to start his own family one day.

He turned to Mae and wrapped his arm around her, drawing her close. He pressed his head against the top of her head and inhaled her distinct exotic scent—something light and floral he’d never smelled before.

“I’ve missed you,” Watai muttered, his voice thick with longing for her all day.“ Yusum yev? ”

She raised her head and smiled at him. “ Yusum yev. ”

He glanced over at Xarntu and Yawix who were watching them in amusement. For Mae’s sake, he asked, “Would you like to eat with us?” He pointed toward the Gathering Hall. “We should celebrate the two of you getting two new students and Mae having both of you as mentors.”

Their faces lit up with delight, and they eagerly nodded. “We’d love to,” Xarntu said excitedly.

Watai couldn’t help but feel content as they walked toward the center staircase, reflecting on everything that had been accomplished that day.

He knew they were just getting started at finding Mae a place in the tribe, and he was glad she’d made new friends in Yawix and Xarntu.

His neighbors would be valuable allies in the community because they were respected and knowledgeable workers in their fields.

Interacting with them throughout the day, with Xaynu as a fellow student, would hopefully help her progress in understanding their language and grasping some skills she needed to survive within their territory.

If she was capable of making the basket, despite its flaws, he hoped she’d be able to pick up on other things as well, at least until his wingleader responsibilities lessened. Then he would be able to fill in the gaps in her education.

Watai wrapped his arm around Mae and pulled her close as they walked up the side spiral staircase, guiding her as she stared at the glowing flora around them.

It amused him to see her studying something he’d grown accustomed to with such awe, and it made him wonder if he’d fallen from Z’myu by taking the beauty of the world around them for granted, rather than thanking her for such creations.

Had Z’myu selected Mae as his threadmate to remind him of how good he’d had it all this time?

It was something he would need to consider in the coming cycles.

He cast a glance at Yawix and Xarntu, his two neighbors who were trailing them closely, and they, too, were watching Mae’s reactions to their ascent. “How was she?”

Yawix and Xarntu exchanged glances before returning warm smiles to Watai. “She’s wonderful,” Yawix replied, her eyes twinkling with delight. “Despite the language barrier, Mae is a quick learner and a joy to be around.”

Xarntu nodded in agreement. “She was an expert with her hands. Hopefully, after a few cycles, she’ll be able to make usable storage baskets. Regardless, we had a great time teaching her and watching her reactions. I can tell she’s a visual learner, which is a valuable trait.”

“We had a lot of fun teaching her,” Yawix added. “And we can’t wait for tomorrow.”

Watai felt a surge of pride and joy as he heard Yawix and Xarntu’s words. Even though Mae couldn’t speak the language, knowing she had a special gift for connecting with people and learning things, even when he wasn’t there, put him at ease.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Watai said, his voice filled with emotion. “I couldn’t have asked for better instructors for Mae.”

As they entered the Gathering Hall, Watai scanned the large, crowded cavern where his tribe gathered around the cooking fires. The air was thick with the aroma of roasting meats and the sound of laughter and conversation.

Watai noticed his wing off to the side, in their favorite spot near where the hunters usually ate, next to the entrance to one of the landings.

He pointed to the cooking pit and then led them over, weaving Mae through the crowd with his arm wrapped around her shoulder and his tail secured around her waist. The crowd parted for them with nods and welcoming gestures, to which Watai nodded in reply.

His wing and their families gathered around the fire greeted them warmly, smiling and nodding.

“Watai, it’s good to have you back,” one of his wingmates said, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Who’s this lovely female?” another asked, nodding toward Mae.

Watai felt at ease knowing that his wingmates had already accepted his threadmate regardless of what had happened during the morning meal. “This is Mae. She’s now taking lessons from Xarntu and Yawix.”

Despite not understanding their language, Mae smiled as soon as she heard her name and greeted them by touching her forehead and then the middle of her chest.

“She’s a quick learner,” Yawix said. “She has already grasped the fundamentals of basket weaving. Soon I’ll be teaching her more advanced designs that will be more useful to the clan.”

The wingmates nodded and welcomed Mae to the group. Watai felt content as he watched Mae interact with his wingmates.

“We can show her around and introduce her to some of the other Gathering Hall workers,” Yawix offered, leaning into her threadmate as she reached for Mae’s hand and jerked her head toward the food display stands. “Mae, eat food?”

Watai hesitated as he looked at Mae. He didn’t want to leave her side so soon, especially after being away from her all day, but he knew Mae was strong and capable, and he trusted Xarntu and Yawix to look after her.

“Mae food with Xarntu and Yawix?” Watai asked, looking at Mae for her opinion.

Mae smiled and nodded. “ Ninu Watai . ”

Watai felt pride and admiration for Mae’s independent spirit and her willingness to try new things. He knew she’d be safe with Yawix and Xarntu, and he didn’t want to prevent her from experiencing everything this new world had to offer.

“All right,” he said, nodding his head in agreement, and peered at his neighbors. “Stay with her. I don’t want any mishaps.”

Yawix and Xarntu assured him that they would take good care of her and set off, both of their tails almost possessively wrapped around her.

Watai watched them leave wistfully.

Forcing himself to look away from his threadmate, he turned to his wing assistants, Drxya and Jie, who were having a conversation. “What’s on your minds?”

“We were just talking about the fallen trees along the river,” Drxya replied, concern etched on his face. “We need to clear them before the next rainstorm, or else there will be a flood that may damage the paddies.”

Watai nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “I’ll gather a team, and we’ll take care of it first thing in the morning.”

“I’ll notify the others and make sure we have enough help,” Jie said, nodding. “Since you’re busy with your threadmate, I could reach out to the other wings and see if they could send anyone to help.”

“Good,” Watai said, relieved that he wasn’t letting his people down by being preoccupied with Mae. He was aware of the importance of meeting the needs of his community, and he was grateful he could rely on his wingmates to assist him in doing so. “Make it so.”

Watai couldn’t help but wonder where Mae was as they discussed the logistics of the task at hand, even though he knew she was in good hands with Yawix and Xarntu.

As a wingleader, it was his responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of his community. The prospect of a flood caused by the fallen trees weighed heavily on his mind.

But at the same time, he wished he could protect Mae as well. He needed to strike a balance between his community responsibilities and his feelings for Mae—and he needed to do so quickly.

A distracted mind could spell danger.

“Let me speak with my parents.” Watai stood and nodded to his wing.

Watai walked through the Gathering Hall, his gaze falling on his mother. He’d had to restrain himself from retaliating against Oekan for what he’d done during the morning meal. He didn’t want to deal with the male’s negativity.

Oekan was too jealous and argumentative to be an effective leader as the next Z’Awnu, standing beside his Darha, who had the original blood coursing through her. Watai hoped his older sister could tame him before his parents retired and handed over their positions.

The way his mother smiled and nodded at Watai as the golden speckles in her eyes twinkled told him everything he needed to know. Z’myu had shown her something, and she was bursting to tell someone.

“Mother,” he said, nodding his head in greeting.

“Watai,” she said with pride and love in her voice. “I see you’ve been preoccupied with your responsibilities.”

Watai nodded. “Yes, we were just discussing the downed trees along the river. We need to get them cleared out before the next rainstorm, or our gardens will flood.”

His mother’s face became solemn. “Let’s take care of it as soon as possible. We need to replenish our food supplies and prepare for our harvest festival offering. If our paddies are damaged, it will take time to restore them so that we can grow more crops.”

“Yes, that’s why I’m here to ask you and Father whether the other wings can lend their support,” Watai explained, grateful for his mother’s guidance. “When we’re done, my wing will repay the favor in turn.”

“Of course,” his mother said, softening her eyes.

“You must be struggling without your Mae. I trust you’ll learn to strike a balance between your responsibilities to the community and your personal life.

Mae is new to our land, so make sure she’s safe and comfortable, especially when you’re not around. ”

“I’m trying, Mother. She’ll be taking lessons while I am away, but I need to teach her our language, too.

” Watai sighed, searching the room for his threadmate among the remaining crowd and smiling when he found her beside their neighbors, eating food from the tray she’d prepared for herself.

“Do you know why my body aches whenever I am separated from her? It happens regardless of the distance.”

“A cosmic thread of fate is as natural to us as breathing,” his mother murmured, taking his hand in hers as she leaned forward, their heads a few inches apart.

“When you deny your body—your soul—the ability to be whole, your connection will punish anyone linked to your cosmic thread until it is completely sealed.”

Watai nodded, feeling a sense of clarity about the constant ache in his hearts.

With his mother’s words in mind, he felt confident that he could face any challenges that arose.