Free The Broken World Book One - Children of Another God by T C Southwell Page B

Lake of
Dreams."
    Nog glanced up
at the sky, where the sun emerged from behind the jagged moon. As
the light increased, the animals feeding on the plasma disappeared
with remarkable speed. The little crabs scuttled away, the flying
creatures drifted upwards to the safety of the high ethers, and the
others crawled, strode or wriggled into the undergrowth. Within
minutes, the plasma sea was a calm pool of thick liquid. Curious,
Chanter scooped up a handful and tasted it. The sickly sweet,
bitter flavour made him grimace and spit it out. Nog's skin mottled
and his neck fronds waved with amusement.
    "It's poison to
us, Mujar. Lucky you're undying."
    Chanter wiped
his mouth, wishing there was water to rinse it with, since the
plasma left a nasty aftertaste he sensed would linger for some
time. "Where did they all go?" He gestured to the plasma,
indicating the vanished beasts.
    "Underground.
It's the only place that's safe from the plants, unless they use
their roots to hunt as well. Apart from the flyers, they all have
warrens of burrows not far from the beach, and live together in
communities. The little shelled ones live further away, but I'm not
sure why."
    "Are there many
of our people here?"
    "Lots, but they
stay away from the plasma seas. It's more peaceful on the
plains."
    "Show me."
    Nog spread his
wings. "Quicker if we fly."
    The predator
ran along the beach and leapt into the air, invoking Ashmar.
Chanter followed, changing into an eagle with a rush of wind and
the faint sound of beating wings, his invocation of the Power
stronger than Nog's. Again he experienced the split second of
stretching and shrinking, along with a flood of information to
guide him in the use of his new shape. The plants shrank away from
his power, showing an alien dislike for it.
    Nog led Chanter
across the plasma sea, floating higher without effort and using his
wings to drive himself forward. The thin, calm air lacked winds and
thermals on which to soar. Unlike Nog, the Mujar could not use
Ashmar to defy gravity, but had to beat his wings to keep himself
aloft. Passing over the jungle at the sea's edge, they soared above
sparsely wooded land covered with aquamarine grass. A craggy cliff
that spewed a crystal waterfall into a black pool passed below, and
they climbed higher to glide above a plateau of velvet
blue-greenness.
    Chanter swooped
down to land close to a scattered host of rainbow-hued beasts. He
changed back into a man and gazed at the gentle animals with a deep
sense of fondness and kinship. It pleased him to see so many
creatures from his world feeding in the sun, even in this alien
land. Those closest to him hooted soft greetings, and several came
closer and raised their fronds, offering food.
    Their delicious
scent made Chanter's mouth water, and his stomach growled. Nog
plucked fronds and munched them, and the Mujar followed suit. Some
of the beasts had young at foot, spindly babies with overlong legs
and necks that spread immature wings to catch the sun. The
youngsters stayed close to their parents, learning from them.
Shamarese beasts cared for their offspring for many years, and
stayed together as a family group until the parents died, then the
youngsters would seek mates.
    Chanter folded
his legs and sat down to watch the mating dance of a pair of
rainbow beasts. They gambolled around each other with fluid grace,
their stilt-like legs looking too delicate and ungainly to perform
such athletic antics. They had invoked Ashmar, and used it to leap
and float in lazy arcs, fanning the air with their wings to propel
themselves in a stately display of elegance. Their rainbow skins
glowed with excitement and ardour, to impress their mate with their
beauty and allure. Chanter surmised, from the duration and
complexity of their courtship, that this was their first attempt.
Their chests glowed deep crimson, indicating that they were in
blossom.
    Their dance
slowed until they stood with twined necks, then they broke apart
and reared. In