PREDATORS’ HUMAN - 33a free porn video

Chapter 33a: ALEX’S NEW EXPERIENCES

Six months after the training of the Western Team, life on the island continued suspiciously calm. Of course when I say six months it is something of my guess. I have known that the cycles of days, nights, months, moon orbit and orbit around the sun was different. I never thought to get a precise conversion from the Predators because, frankly, how does it matter? Life follows the cycles of the environment and is not predicated by some artificial timetable. But I established an artificial timetable on Alex for when I would declare her a woman. Totally arbitrary I realize now. As the cycles of day, night, the moons and seasons are dependent on the environment, so also are the inhabitants of that environment. And I have violated that by my application of the social norms of a faraway culture to this place. I now recognize that I did that based on the morality instilled on me by my former culture and my upbringing. That being the age of majority of eighteen. When magically she would be “mature”. When Alex came to live with me, I discussed this with the women of her village. They were confused by the approach to age but we finally derived a conversion and established her age (for me) relative to her assumed maturity at the time and my driven need to apply the age eighteen. As if eighteen is in some way a magical time that suddenly the body and mind is mature. Here, they relate life and its needs differently. Real maturity and becoming a woman, taking a man, and creating a family is dependent not on a calendar but on the body of the female. When the body is ready, the female is woman. Some younger, some older.

I now fear that we may have misgauged her maturation. Or, she is maturing more rapidly do to the change in her environment, the training, eating more protein for muscle growth, the exercise in swimming, running, and resistance, and the very active life in the jungle on patrol and scouting. Whatever, Alex was maturing at an alarming rate before my eyes. It was just six months ago by my estimation that I first noticed her budding breasts as she lay in my arms that morning. Now, my god! She has breasts. Okay not fully developed but she does and she is very aware of the changes happening to her. And she is wanting to talk about her body changes that she sees and feels. Surprisingly she has not started to menstruate and I have had discussions with the women from both villages. Seemingly continuous and ever-more frequent discussions as I am feeling woefully unprepared for this. She has more questions than I can sometimes answer comfortably. But, we have an established commitment to openness and honesty. And also a full acceptance and tolerance for each other when in that open conversation things sometimes become awkward and clumsy. We don’t become defensive or easily offended. When you think about it that is an amazing relationship for a young woman and an adoptive mother (for all practical purposes that is what I am).

Our swims in the morning and talks by the edge of the ocean is a saving part of our existence together. These times are personal, just for us, just “women talk” as I started referring to them. And it is becoming more and more apparent that it truly is becoming just that. I find I think of her and react to her more as a woman than a girl or even as a young woman. And giving her the respect and inclusiveness that it implies. And despite the distraction her changing body is causing, or could be expected to cause, she has remained dedicated to her training and her share of the work around the lagoon. Even more so. As though her changing body is also reflected in a growth in her attitude and perspective of her place in the family and the world around her. Which would just serve to validate that the local, tribal attitude to “maturity” may be far healthier and practical. She is not just dedicated to her assigned chores as before, completing what was required of her without issue, but now completing chores is a small part of her involvement. She steps in to make sure things are done even if another might technically be responsible for it. It seems she does not look at life in the family and world as completing assigned tasks as a c***d might, but influencing by full participation and providing for others in those actions. A natural mother couldn’t be prouder as I watched these changes in her.

So, finally accepting that calendars no longer exist as a measure age and time spans, age became unimportant. But I had already emphasized to Alex the need to wait for maturity into full womanhood. Even if arbitrary, it was now the expectation. Without calendars, however, what that meant became fussy. Of course in my mind what all this was about was sex, men, and families. And, despite her faster maturing she was clearly still developing. Therefore, I made another arbitrary decision about time. I determined that she was s*******n now and to adjust for the difference in the orbital effect on my perception of time, she would be eighteen in nine moon cycles or for easier tracking nine new moons. Arbitrary? No more so than my perception of time and cycles of days, months, or years.

So, if age (and time in general) was going to be increasingly less significant to us, I wanted to celebrate this one and downplay the next one. She was already increasingly a woman in my mind. Although she still liked to sleep curled in my arms as I was curled into b**st, it wasn’t as a girl. It was instead as a loving gesture and wanting to be a part of this experience and the security and peace that could be found with us and shattered so quickly by the arrival of more new people or dogs. Away from the lagoon we were constantly on guard even when our intention was casual for hunting or visiting a neighboring species groups, human or a****l. And she knew this. She was now a full part of the experience outside, the patrols, even the longer and more extensive scouting ventures when more area was covered and more potential dangers could be expected. She had proven herself to not just me but to b**st and the other Team members, as well. She had numerous dog kills, sometimes timely that could have save one of the others from injury. Her bow skills were excellent and her training on the battle lance and the gun were very good. Her habits were good and her control was good.

As a result, b**st and I decided it was time for Alex to celebrate and the best way to celebrate is to be given the opportunity for new experiences. And, also, a positive sign, reward, for achievement. We decided on these events: A birthday celebration shared with Landda’s baby; presenting her with the extra gun we discovered (she has proven herself and earned the trust of both Alliance Teams); an extended tour of all species groups we share Alliance with around the island including the dragons (I secretly am hoping she can get her first ride); and, following the tour of groups, to possibly confront the new people settlement.

That last would be a new experience for all of us. It is really the reason for the tour of species groups. It occurred to me after continued requests for updates from the dragons and dolphins regarding the new people’s harbor activity and finally accepting that no new ships have arrived for more than these past six months (I know, whatever that is. Just accept it has been a long time). There are still new people living there, but the numbers are smaller as they continued to try to attack our groups but were repelled and largely fatally defeated each time. There hasn’t been a significant sighting of new people away from the harbor for quite a while. Perhaps, this was an opportunity to achieve a truce and common understanding for us all to co-exist. At times I can be a romantic optimist. But I will not let my guard down.

So, to start the series of experiences we had planned for her we invited Gongin and Landda and the family to join us at the lagoon tomorrow and to stay the night. Although the gorillas certainly did not celebrate birthdays, their new baby was born about the time Alex came to be with us. Therefore, if I decided it was Alex’s birthday for celebration, it would be the baby’s as well. And besides, these times at the lagoon is special for the young ones. They can chase around as they want, so long as nobody gets hurt, without parents fearing for their safety from anything else in the jungle.

Typical for Alex when we get together, she is torn between the two worlds of playing with the young and participating with the adults. And, because there are no pressures for her one way or the other, she is very comfortable in each, easily moving from one to the other. So she spends time playing hard and rough with Gongin, chasing around the beach, climbing trees and occasionally running into b**st who would love to be a part of it but his thigh doesn’t let him move quickly enough. Then Alex is showing Landdi how to draw pictures in the sand with fingers. Finally, as the evening is approaching and the young are quieting down from the activities that Alex has thankfully kept them going with, we find her holding the baby to give Landda an additional reprieve. Did I mention how she jumps in to help? While she is holding the baby as we adults are sitting conversing (b**st and Alex keep up by tapping into my thoughts as I speak and react to what the gorillas say), the baby is lying in her arms quietly and starts suckling on Alex’s young breast. She looks shocked and embarrassed. I point it out to Landda and we both smile which makes Alex even more uncomfortable. We assure her it is okay and I say, “Landdi did the same thing to me. But, Alex, how does it feel?”

“Good. Different but good. And it is not just a physical feeling. What she does to my nipples, yes, that feels good, but how it feels to have her here in my arms taking comfort and safety in my arms … that feels really good.”

“Remember Alex, that despite all that we do, the training, hunting, even fighting, that you are always also a woman. The baby is suckling as a pacifier to relax and sleep. That is what a mother gives to her c***d.”

Soon it is, and Alex takes all the young into hut for the night. When that happens, it is the signal that b**st, Gongon, Landda, and I can go to waterfall pool for adult playtime. We finally have our foursome, again. It has been too long since we have been together like this. The baby, Alex, training for Alex and training for the Teams. We quickly agree on one of our favorite positions getting all of us involved in the same grouping. Namely, b**st is down on his back, I am on top of him and will take his knot, Gongon will then be in my asshole, and Landda will sit over b**st’s tongue. I help get b**st into position because it is definitely not a normal position for a b**st to be in, lying on his back. But once in position, I take my place and line up his cock which has already been hard and exposed since we left the young. I slowly descend onto this magnificent cock and rise and lower several time to get seated properly. Then I truly begin fucking him to get his knot exposed so I can get it inside me. If I wait until after Gongon is inside my asshole, I will never be able to achieve his knot penetration. And the knot penetration is a major element of the arousal for Gongon, myself and b**st. Landda not so much. Soon I can feel b**st knot bumping into my pussy lips which is good because everyone else is waiting. And because of that b**st and I work extra hard to force that knot into me as quickly as possible. And we do. I yell out but muffle it at the last moment with my hand so not to alarm the young or gross out Alex, as b**st and I have managed before.

Once inside me I pause and breathe deeply and compose myself. I then turn and look over my shoulder to Gongon and let him know that it is his turn and I bend over and hug b**st as Gongon comes up behind me and presses his cock to me (only after I have sucked him enough to provide some lubrication) and pushes. He is big but not awfully so and he slowly works in despite the knot firmly planted in my pussy. Finally he is inside sufficiently for us to begin fucking and as we do, Landda approached b**st’s head and going onto her knees places her pussy directly over b**st’s mouth. I see her react and hear her sigh deeply as b**st’s wonderful tongue goes into action. I know that feeling because I have enjoyed that tongue many times and been brought to orgasm every time. But while I see Landda’s enjoyment of the action she is getting, I have my own action happening to me. b**st isn’t terribly mobile in this position so a large part of the movement has to come from me so I move back and forth on the cock and knot in my pussy, but am also influencing the cock in my ass. But Gongon can influence his experience and he is driving his hips into me and we find an easy rhythm between us that stimulates both us and b**st. b**st ends up being the recipient of our movement while he focusses on the tonguing he is giving to Landda. And when I hear her react and look up and see her with her head thrown back and mouth hanging open I know he has worked that tongue into her pussy. Curled so he can thrust it inside and then opening it to lick the inside of her pussy. What a deliciously perverted image, especially knowing that it is truly happening.

But while Landda is getting her pussy wonderfully stimulated, I am going through my own rocket trajectory stimulation as my ass and pussy are both filled with cock. The one in my ass pounding into me as a gorilla can and the other completely filling me as b**st’s knot can and rocking back and forth on that knot, bumping my g-spot and providing such intense pressure and fullness. And when Landda leans forward as she u*********sly rocks on b**st’s tongue, I grab her and latch onto her breast and devour a nipple between my lips and suck. And I suck greedily. And soon I actually get milk from her. And that extra stimulation sends Landda into her orgasm and the milk from my friend’s breast and feeling her going into orgasm at the same time I am being so well fucked with my g-spot being bumped, I go off into my orgasm, as well. And almost as though they didn’t want to be left out, both Gongon and b**st are also tensing inside me and I feel Gongon shooting his cum deep into my ass as he plunges one final time into me. And b**st, almost unable to move, thrusts his hips with what leverage he can muster and drives his cock and knot further inside me as I am consciously trying to assist both of them. And he too is shooting deep inside my pussy. The combination of which is leaking out of both holes. As Landda recovers, she moves off of b**st’s mouth and then I feel Gongon slowly pulling himself out of my ass. I now just collapse on top of b**st, his cock and knot firmly embedded inside me and will be for more than a few minutes to come. And at that moment it all feels so good. Our sex life in full swing including our best friends. Made possible in some ways by Alex recognizing the needs of adults and taking it upon herself to give us that time.

The next morning after we all walk Gongon, Landda and the family through the tunnel out of the lagoon, b**st and I ask Alex to stand on the beach near the hut. We tell her how much we appreciate everything she does, how she has adapted to us, dedicated herself to the training and learning the nuances of weapons, combat, and physical training. And, more, how much we admire how she handles herself with others, regardless of species and how she is maturing, so rapidly it seems, into a woman. And because of all that, not to mention the love we all share, we have one gift we want to give her now that truly signifies our love, admiration, and trust. So, after all that we ask her to close her eyes and not peek. I run up to the supply cave where I have placed the extra gun and holster Alex and I found during our inventorying. I return and b**st and I stand directly in front of her. I am holding the gun out in front of me. We tell her to open her eyes and she sees us with funny gins and starts to ask ‘what’ when … She freaks! She clamps both hands to her mouth as she shrieks out loudly.

I say, “Alex, take it. This is yours now. You’ve earned it.”

She just looks at it, then me, then b**st and back to the gun. “Are you serious? Really, it is for me? My own?”

“Yes, dear. Yours. Put it on.”

She still hasn’t touched it. Then she reaches out slowly, glancing at me like I might pull it away. Finally having it in her hands, she throws her arms around me and then around b**st. “I love you guys so much. I don’t know what to say.”

“Put it on! And you don’t have to say anything. You’ve earned this. You have proven you are ready for this added responsibility. Now you can prove that trust in how well you use it. It is a weapon of very powerful capabilities. Used wrong it can be disastrous.”

She finally unwraps the straps and fits the holstered gun to her right leg just as I always do when wearing one. She tightens it to her thigh, unfastens the holster catch, removes the gun and checks the settings. It is off. She slips the clip out and notes it is full. She replaces the gun and replaces the catch. She looks up at us. I am impressed. Despite her joy and excitement she properly checked the status and safety of the weapon.

I ask, “Well since you have the weapon on, should we go out and make a quick check around the area?”

“We haven’t done our swim today.”

“That’s fine. You can take it off and we can do that if you prefer.”

“Well, maybe this once to skip won’t hurt.”

I chuckle and wink at b**st. We get ready to go out by walking back up to the supply cave. Alex and I put on our boots, take our lances, arrows and bows. And I put my gun on just like Alex. I put my hair into a pony tail and the same to Alex. We rejoin b**st near the tunnel and walk out into the jungle. This is a spur of the moment thing so we decide as we go what we want to check. We soon find ourselves near the village and I suggest we go in for a visit and at least greet and have a discussion with the new leader, the young man who had supported us.

As we enter the village, we receive a little more attention than normal. b**st and I always create a reaction and since Alex has been with us and started staying naked that was a reaction. But those were normal reactions. The female warrior and her b**st and daughter. Now, as Alex walk alongside me with b**st on the other side, not only naked like me but now equally armed including the gun on her naked thigh, there was a new reaction. But mostly, it was excitement. Clearly a new stage for Alex and there seemed some measure of pride that a female of their kind could measure up to me. We had our meeting with the leader. I sought his council on a matter that had me wondering about for some time. As we stood with him among a larger group of the people, I asked, “It seems that it has been a very long time since there has been a reported incident with dogs or the new people. Would you agree?”

“Yes, it has been quite a while but we continue to wary and to remind the village of the potential dangers that may still exist.”

“That is good. But I wonder if perhaps this might be a good time to seek a meeting with the new people that remain? It has been a long time since any ships have arrived according to those who are watching for it.”

“You mean go to them and seek a meeting to discuss a means of coexisting here?”

“Yes, that would be the peaceful approach to resolving conflict that still threatens us.”

“You might be right, Alexa. How would it happen?”

“I don’t know. But I will seek input from the others in the Alliance as well.”

“Alexa. As you know we are a peaceful people. And that has gotten some of us killed. If you decide to pursue this meeting, we would be pleased to support it.”

As we walked through the village, several of the young ran up to walk with b**st and others to Alex who they now saw as different. They still came to her but now looked at her differently. And as I watched this, I noted that her attention was not on the young. There was a young man walking some distance to the side but keeping pace with us. That was in fact where her attention seemed to be but then she refocused on the young, even picking up a quite young little girl. As we got to the edge of the village, Alex stopped, turned and scanned the people until she found the woman walking to her with a big smile. Alex gave her the little one, put her hand on the woman and kissed the little girl in her arms.

Outside the village I bumped her as we walked, “That was a very nice thing you did for the mother. Recognizing her and her daughter. I could see the pleasure she got from that simple recognition you gave her. I could also tell they are quite proud of you. That you are of their kind and you have achieved my trust.”

It was soon agreed that we should consult with all the species groups on the island who make up the Alliance to discuss the idea of meeting with the new people at their settlement. So far the village and gorillas on our side of the island consider it a worthy effort if we can keep it safe. My thought is to include all the species groups when the meeting occurs to show full involvement on our side. So, I propose to b**st an extended tour of the groups and to individually meet with each getting their input and reaction of such a meeting.

b**st, Alex and I prepare for this tour. Alex is quite excited because she is being treated as a full participant and will be included in these discussion with all the groups. Although they have all been involved with Alex in past visits, to cover all of them in one trip and after being brought into my full trust and being awarded her own weapon is extremely exciting and I fully understand that. So we go over our preparations. Both Alex and I will be armed with gun, lance, knife, and bow and arrow. Additionally, we will both have backpacks for the extended journey and time away. With our boots and equipment, we head out to first meeting with the wolf pack near us. We meet with Thunner and Holden and then with their leader. They are likewise in agreement and we spend the night with their pack. There is much discussion among the wolves of Alex’s new status and all of it is positive. Thunner is especially pleased with not only Alex’s maturity and growth but he points out the positive effects he sees in me. Although I am still the warrior they all admire and rely on, I am also showing a softer, caring side around Alex that he feels in rounding me as a woman besides a warrior.

b**st and Alex, keeping up with much of the discussion through my thoughts and reactions, nudges Alex and thinks to her, ‘She dear, you can be a warrior and a woman.’ And he looks at me. I know he is also saying that to me.

The next day we move to the other village and arrive just before evening. With just the three of us we are able to make really good time in traveling and are not afraid to travel some in the plains. Besides, we regularly spot one of the eagles soaring overhead which provides additional comfort that we have an early warning system above in case there were to be something ahead or coming from behind.

We arrive at the entrance to the village and the place seems to erupt. Like the other locations, young immediately swarm in to b**st. I place three or four onto his back and Alex and I each pickup another each leaving the bigger ones to walk alongside or ahead of us. When the women come running out to greet us, the young wave enthusiastically from their perch on b**st or us. But the women stop and shout on seeing Alex. The girl they turned over to me to care for after her parent’s death was now not that girl. After the initial surprise at seeing Alex, they let the reality of the change soak in. b**st and I stand back and let Alex be the focus. And soon the leaders arrived and we need to separate and have the same discussion about the new people. After quickly receiving agreement from them, we joined several families for the evening and night which gives Alex the opportunity to catch up on the happenings in the village that she had recently called home.

The next day we covered meetings with gorillas and wolves and received the same support. We then moved to the dragons which requires us to hike up the mountain and over the pass. We arrived as the sun was setting over the ocean horizon. We have the same discussion with Thorrass and several of the other dragons. It is overwhelming to be huddled together with these giant winged creatures. Even b**st is dwarfed by them which puts Alex and I as very small. But the respect and cooperation already developed between us quickly makes our size irrelevant. That is the truly amazing part of my current life when the true reality of my situations breaks through to my consciousness. The fact that I am sitting in a group discussing a meeting for the purpose of achieving peace and I am with giants seems no more odd than the fact that these are winged dragons who I actually am conversing with. We of course receive the same positive response from them in support. We have now discussed with and received support for the meeting at the new people settlement from all the Alliance species groups. Tomorrow I will request that the dragons help us further with a reconnaissance of the settlement to determine the best way to approach and protect ourselves.

We spend that night on the ocean side of the mountain with the dragons. Alex is in awe of the spectacle and majesty of these b**sts that had previously been mythical to the villagers. She was getting a crash course in integration into the species relationship. Nearly every night we spent with a different species as though guests in their homes which is symbolically the case. And she was adjusting to the reality of this being our current and future existence. Her only real problem was that she could not communicate directly with them.

The next morning I posed the idea of a recon flight over the settlement and harbor area. Thorrass was in agreement. Thorrass says to me, “Alexa, I think Alex is a very strong, brave, sensitive and intelligent young female. Very much like you. And, I see in her a potential of the future of the species on this land together.”

“Thank you, Thorrass. I wish there was some way for her to also be able to communicate with the species.”

“Again, Alexa, patience. You have shown true dedication to the Alliance and our future existence on this island. As I continue to reinforce to you, there are forces and things in play on this island that none of us understands.”

“Okay. But it is hard to just trust and wait.”

“Not wait. We must continue to push forward. But trust that there is more involved that will influence the outcome than just our individual actions. Without our individual actions in cooperation with each other the other forces may not be able to affect any influence on the events.”

“You keep pushing this and reminding me. Thank you. You and b**st are the two who continually try to keep me patient in outside influence. And it has happened before.” I put my arm around Alex and pull her in to me, pulling her naked body into mine. Running my hand up and down her arm, I kiss her forehead. “You both told me to be patient and here she is.” Tears welled up and fell to my cheeks. Alex raised her fingers and wiped them off. Embarrassed, “Some way for a warrior woman to act, huh?”

“You are without a doubt a warrior, Alexa. All the species know that. They follow you because that fact is irrefutable. But, remember that you are also a woman. I would bet you have instructed Alex in the same.”

I kiss Alex again and hold her to me. Alex ‘hears’ the thoughts and smiles. Seeing her reaction, I smile too. “Yes, frequently in fact.”

Pulling my thoughts and the conversation back to the settlement and the meeting, “Thorrass, can you and another fly us over the settlement to determine the safest approach and defensive positions?”

He calls over a younger male. He is introduced as Lassto. He is described as a younger male with determination for the future. He has lost a parent to the new people and wishes to help influence the future. Thorrass and I bring Lassto and Alex together. Even without the ability to communicate they appear comfortable and bonding. They see the opportunity to influence and contribute through there combination more than individually.

Thorrass and Lassto communicate on how I have ridden him and they both get into position by getting on their knees and lowering their front so their necks are near the ground. I then show Alex how I get on to the shoulders and where to hold on. Alex follows my lead and indicates she is comfortable and secure. I tell her to hold on and be ready for an amazing thrill. b**st indicates that he will cross over the pass and meet us on plains at the base. He will hunt during our flight.

The dragons stand and then leap into the air, flapping their wings and quickly gaining altitude. As we glide over the pass, I hear Alex call out in her mind, ‘b**st! Look at me!’ He rears up onto his hind legs and roars his approval. I look back at her as she turns from b**st to me and her face is shining with awe and excitement. I then see her lean forward and stroke Lassto’s neck and say something, but he will not understand the words, but he will understand the intention from her actions. I smile and describe the scene to Thorrass and he expresses his pleasure that they are bonding so quickly.

As we soar over the mountain pass, they again begin climbing to higher altitudes but at a slower ascent. When we are over the plains and I can see no evidence of the new people, I lean into Thorrass and ask if we can give Alex an additional thrill by some wild flying. He adjusts his flight to come up alongside Lassto and communicates to him through their calls to follow him. As we are alongside each other, I look to Alex and her to me. She is smiling so wide her face seems that it might hurt. I look at her and marvel. A young woman on the shoulders of a dragon. She is naked except for her boots and the weapons and backpack attached to her. Her hair is streaming behind her in flight. Soon I feel Thorrass bank to the right as he goes into a wide spiral. Then a left bank and begins climbing again. Soon we are as high as I have been and glance back to see Lassto and Alex right behind. Then Thorrass falls to the left and dives straight down. The speed of our descent takes our breath away. The air is pulling at us and I hope that Alex is holding on tight as the wind pressure increases. I press my body to Thorrass’ and relieve some of the pressure and see out of the corner of my eye an object. It is Lassto and Alex as they come up alongside us. She too is plastered to Lassto’s body and her head alongside his neck. As we pull up from the dive, the dragons are no more than twenty feet above the grasses of the plains. We gently climb and soar over the jungle as we continue to the harbor and settlement. I see Alex still pressed to Lassto, stroking his neck and occasionally giving his neck a kiss. I watch and wonder if her young maturing body hadn’t gotten a little more excitement than I had intended. I will have to ask her about that and perhaps need to be more diligent about the ‘birds and the bees’.

I ask Thorrass to gain lots of altitude before we reach the settlement. As we circle and soar over the settlement and harbor, we can indeed see that there are no ships and the people are relatively few. Where once they had been close to a hundred, I am now estimating thirty or forty. We soar out over the ocean for a short distance and can see no indication of ships on the ocean or on the horizon. Returning I focus on a safe approach to the settlement and determine one. We return to where b**st is devouring a plains grass eating a****l (similar to deer on Earth). I thank Thorrass and Lassto for the assistance. I get no response from Lassto and turn to see and am greeted by a dragon distracted by a young human female. His head is nearly at ground level and Alex is hugging him, planting a kiss on his nose. I look at b**st and Thorrass and smile. Again, a little concerned. She is growing up, most definitely.

I send out runners to the groups to meet at the landmark I identified from on top of Thorrass in ten day cycles. Each group to determine who would attend.

We meet at a designated spot well outside the settlement near the jungle and away from the road they have created by the wagon use over time into the plains. Each group is represented. Combined there are twenty-one of us. An excellent showing of support for peace and co-existence. Thorrass and Lassto circle overhead watching and providing an early warning system in case of trouble. The eagles come and support us also by flying overhead. Nearly half of their remaining number come out from the settlement to confront us. I move forward with b**st and have Alex joins us. You can see the pride glowing off her. The people are very nervous, I indicate peace in their language, they are confused how that is possible, why I am naked, and many more questions. I address what I can and what I want to. Not wanting to give too much that they don’t need to know. They are resistant and defiant despite that many further back are clearly still scared. I press the need for peace and co-existence to stop the bloodshed. I tell them there is room if we cooperate and care for the environment, that it is fragile but can support life for all species. But instead, half a dozen of the men start to threaten us in action by pressing forward with their weapons. Some gorillas advance as a show of force. A stalemate of force and the new people stop. Alex and I both have drawn our battle lances (I warned her about not using the guns unless absolutely necessary – she responds perfectly).

In anger the lead says, “You will be sorry when the rest come. You have resisted long enough. In time ships will arrive with fighters and you will be conquered.”

“Why not share the land?”

“They, the company, don’t want the land! Only all of you.” And he is pointing at the whole group. “For entertainment shows and slaves.”

I translated for the group. That also made the new people nervous. “You can speak all their languages? How is that possible?”

I stepped forward until I was only an arm length from him. Alex and b**st moved with me but stayed back a little. I said to him, “Yes, I can speak to them. How do you think we are able to organize an effective defense again each of your other assaults?” I speak louder to the larger group of new people, “So, more of your kind will come. Fine. Tell them that we will not give up any more of our kind. This is our island, we will keep it. What you see here is only a small representation of the numbers that exist. But, also tell them our message this day. That we will also consider sharing and living in peace.”

Now at least we know what we are dealing with. I motion to the back and we all back away carefully, but the dragons have their fun by dive bombing the new people and soaring barely over their heads causing all of them to fall to the ground. Our group laughs, howls and roars in pleasure.

Following that disastrous meeting, our entire group stops in the middle of the plains and discuss the new evidence. At first there is a near chaos of angry exclamations by the groups of species. I am disheartened by the total failure of the idea. I apparently was totally naïve in my hopes for the outcome. Suddenly it goes quiet. I have been lost in my own thoughts and playing over the conversation and my approach worried that I might have somehow caused their resistance and defiance but I don’t find it. But I am pulled out of those self-centered thoughts with the sudden change in our group. Suddenly twenty-one members of our interspecies group are quiet. There is a large circle forming, pushing out from a center. Something has their attention and has quieted them. b**st and I move through the crowd to the edge … and see Alex in the center holding her bow high over her head and slowly turning.

When her turning reaches us, she says, “Mother, I need you to translate.” She needs me to translate? She is intending to address this group of species leadership? But I am obediently walking out to her. I am still tempted to tell her to let herself earn her place among them, first. But I look around the circle and see that the leaders I have consulted with, sought guidance from, and provided guidance to are all watching and quiet. They are not looking indignant at this young human female.

But I can’t help myself, I don’t want her hurt if she is rejected. “Alex, are you sure you know what you are doing?”

“No. But nobody else seems to know what to do, either. Please, let me try to express my perspective.”

“Okay. I am right here if you need me, otherwise I will just translate into the languages. Give me time for the three before continuing.”

My Alex starts, “Alliance members. You know who I am. You know me as a young human female. You know me as now the daughter of Alexa. You give me respect and consideration because of her.” There is protests of disagreement, that they respect her for her development as a warrior like me. “Thank you. And I have trained hard. I have wanted to make my new mom, Alexa, and father, b**st, proud of who I am and what I am growing into becoming. But, and this is very important, I have work hard to earn your respect and acceptance. You all, every one of you, are the extended family of Alexa and b**st. They came to this island alone and stranded. But they weren’t that way for long. Each of you welcomed them in your own way and in your own time. You have all welcomed them, accepted them, and brought them into your homes. You have entrusted your safety and the safety of your families and the safety of your futures to their idea of this Alliance.”

Thorrass and Lassto land nearby and walk up to the outside of the circle. They still make many members of the Alliance nervous but they remain to hear what will come. I look at Lassto and see a look of concentration on Alex as I now add their language as well to the translations.

Alex has her head down like she is thinking about the next part carefully and continues, “I repeat, you all who are here and all of the rest of yours who are back at your homes are family to Alexa and b**st. They have put their own lives in danger and have been wounded, both of them, in your defense. I say that not to embarrass them or to cause you to feel a debt to them.” She is looking at b**st and me now, “Because I know these two. I know what they are inside. What they have and will continue to give you is free from them. Why? Why would they risk so much for you who aren’t like them? Why for so many who are so different?” She pauses as if waiting for a response, but nobody can. They are waiting for her. “My parents, my first parents, died protecting me. Why? Why didn’t they just take me in their arms and try to run away? Why did they risk so much for me?” There were now tears running down her cheeks but she pressed on. Quietly she said, “They were my family.”

I quietly repeated those words like she said them, quiet, hesitant, dying off at the end. The effect was startling. The ones who heard my translation spread it to the others in their species. Then it died down to absolute quiet. I didn’t know if she could continue. I didn’t know if she had more to continue with.

But she walked to the edge of the circle and walked the entire circle. She touched many along the way and many reached to her. I was in awe of what she was doing. This young woman who had been so introverted because she didn’t ‘fit in’. When she got to the members from her old village, she received hugs from each including the men. She returned to the center and I gave her a hug.

But she did have more. “As my first parents put themselves in danger for me, so do my second parents. But they also do it for you. All of you.” She paused again, thinking of how to say something. The group was not leaving and was not about to interrupt. “I want to confess something to all of you. And to my new parents who have only loved me since they met me which was after that battle. b**st was wounded that day because he jumped in front of me. Alexa kept me behind her as she fought off others all around me. And despite that, I related to Alexa as someone who would protect me. She immediately loved me. There was no hesitation. It took me much longer. But suddenly I saw what she was and in that insight I also saw what b**st was. I didn’t know how to relate to b**st. How should I? How could I? But, one day I realized something. When I was troubled by something and Alexa wasn’t around, b**st always was. He would sit with me and he would help me. It didn’t matter to him that I was a human and not like him. He just helped me. And that was when it made sense to me. Alexa became ‘mom’ and …” She went to b**st and hugged him and kissed his snout. “And … I regret that I never let b**st know that he became ‘dad’.” She walked next to me, again, and we hugged. “I don’t know what I am saying or if it makes sense to you.” There was only silence. “But I wanted you to understand that what species we are is not what makes us a community. We are a community because we have a common cause, a common will, and a common faith in the future. And that future is ours to make and ours to protect. Our very best friends are from the gorilla clan. I was able to witness the mother giving birth to a healthy young. It was amazing. I continue to care for it often to help Landda. That baby is a miracle. So delicate, for a gorilla.” And she laughs as others join in with the translation. “But, I guess what all this is about is that baby and every other baby and young and old member of our community. What is their future? Do they have a future if these new people come with more fighters? Our future is up to us. All of us. Not my parents. Not the Teams that patrol for our safety. All of us. If we don’t stand together, all of us, what future will we have?”

There was silence but only for a moment. Then, everyone in their own way cheered her. They came together and thanked her. I noticed Lassto watching Alex intently still. I could see he was proud to have been chosen to carry Alex and hoped it would continue. And I saw that indeed, as Thorrass said, that Alex was in some way a key for the future of our Alliance and island. So we talked strategy. I would talk to the dolphins and they would communicate the message to the killer whales to intensify the patrolling for ships arriving and to give as much advance warning as possible. Thorrass committed patrolling the sky for changes at the settlement or harbor. We all dispersed with renewed commitment to our ‘community’ as Alex put it.

* * * Part 33b will follow * * * Thanks for reading.