The blasted Xi are back! (Caveman Chronicles)

The Index -|-

The cave floor tremored slightly, and Zara’s eyes blinked open. It has been mere minutes, perhaps seconds, since she had fallen asleep. The room was quiet, and all she could hear was the faint sound of her Da’s breathing on his own pallet against the far wall.

Her ears strained to hear whatever had jostled her from her sleep. After a few seconds, she came to the conclusion that there was nothing amiss.

“Did you feel that?” Kpleeb whispered.

Zara propped herself up on her shoulder. The room had no openings into the outside air, and it was absolutely pitch black. “I thought I heard something, but I’m not sure,” Zara whispered back. She felt for her bracelet and slid it onto her wrist. The forces were ignited, and a ball of light sprang to life above Zara’s hand.

The streaked cave ceiling and pale, grey walls glowed in the pale, white light. Across the room, Zara saw her Da sitting up and rubbing his eyes. His curly hair spurted out from his head like the shaggy mane of a large tundra cat. Zara stood and padded to the door and looked into the main cave. Even from the doorway, she could see the faint lines that connected the red device, the other objects that her or her Mama had created, and the web that kept Kiipo locked to the floor.

Kpleeb moved to stand beside her.

“Light,” said Zara. The main cave slowly lit up.

Kiipo lay with his eyes open, his neck slits opening and closing rhythmically.

There was at that moment a distant thunder crackle followed by a slight shudder in the floor.

Kiipo’s eyes blinked and shifted toward Kpleeb and Zara.

Kpleeb ran toward the cave entrance and Zara followed as quickly as her little legs could carry her.

When she reached the cave door, there were lights in the sky over the nearby village and spots of fire on the ground. When more lights flickered, she could see smoke. Her Da stood there with his large palms on his bushy head of hair. He turned to Zara when she approached.

“They’re back. The blasted Xi are back!” He raised his arms in anger and pointed toward the Ganix village. “We have to do something before they kill everyone and rescue Kiipo!”

Zara nodded. “We will Da. The warriors all have their lightning spears. We can go there and help them, but I have to make sure Kiipo is not able to escape.”

“What if they come here and take him while we are gone?” Kpleeb grimaced. “We need to know so much more about the Xi if we’re ever going to beat them, and he is our main source of information.”

“I know, Da!” said Zara loudly, “but if we don’t go help, the village may not survive!”

Okay. you’re right,” he said with audible frustration. “Let’s make sure this Xi turd is as secure as he can be.” He trotted back into the cave and grabbed his lightning spear that leaned against the wall. From the workbench, he picked up his own latest invention and strapped it around his waist. It was a belt of sorts with a ring that was about the diameter of a bracelet. Slung in the ring was a rod made of the yellow stone. The rod was as thick as his forearm in the center and tapered to a somewhat smaller rod at one end. The other end ended in a handle that was tailored to Kpleeb’s hand. The whole thing was about as long as his arm and it swiveled on the ring as he moved.

Zara watched Kpleeb for a few seconds as he strapped it on. The smaller tapered end bumped his knee, and to her it seemed very unwieldy. “What do you call it, Da?”

Kpleeb grunted. “I’ve found no name for her yet. Is Kiipo secure?”

[No name for her?] She did not want to pry into her Da’s business, but she had not ever met a device with a personal name. Her lightning spear was merely named for its utility and obvious function.

Zara scanned Kiipo’s bonds and found that they were all as tight as when she left them. Then she looked at Kpleeb. “He is secure. You won’t name it ‘Thoka’ will you?”

“What? No way!” Kpleeb looked guilty.

[…or maybe he’s just uncomfortable talking about the naming idea.]

“I was thinking of something more like “Xi killer.” Kpleeb looked at Kiipo with a malicious grin and saw that the creature’s eyes were fixed on him. “Can we talk about this later? They are out there killing our people right now.”

“I’m ready to go, Da,” said Zara. She looked at Kiipo. “If you betray us, I will kill you.”

Kiipo’s eyes blinked and its neck slits fluttered a little more quickly.

“And even if you don’t, I may kill you for what they have done,” said Kpleeb pointing toward the wall. Without waiting for a reaction, he turn and jogged toward the cave entrance.

Zara followed, and as soon as they reached the night air, Kpleeb kneeled on the path. “Up on my back, Z. We need to be quick!”

Zara clambered up onto Kpleeb’s back and latched her hands around his neck.

“Don’t squeeze too hard,” Kpleeb said with a slight twist of his head. He then bounded off toward the village in a manner that was much like the Ganix warriors.