Nightfall soon came to the simulated desert environment, and the newcomers were shown to a small sleeping cave with a sandy floor, vacant because so few babies were hatching.
They curled up in the sand. Boro tried to leave some space between himself and Sata, but no matter how he placed himself, she quickly wiggled closer until their bodies were in contact. “Are you sure you want to tempt fate?” he asked softly.
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.
He sighed, put his arm around her, and wrestled with his own feelings for more than an hour, before finally drifting off to sleep.
Three times during the night, Boro’s instincts woke him to find young males lurking near the entrance to the sleeping cave. He growled and they scurried away. Each time, Sata lifted her head, looked at him with sparkling reptilian eyes, then curled up beside him again, closer than before.
During that short night, strange dreams haunted all four newcomers. The half-remembered images seemed completely out of place for a desert reptile species. Shades of green colored everything, mists and dripping water formed a constant background, and all manner of living creatures lurked in every shadow.
Morning brought females with invitations to join food-collecting parties or
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mushroom-tending teams. Mati quickly indicated, by example, that they should fit right in and do their part. The other females assured Boro and Rini that their girls would be safe, and they could join the males playing Bones or brewing shmur.
Without an override from Mati, Boro decided to stand his ground. “Our cavern was not so fortunate, and the males could only . . . brew shmur and . . .
play Bones when other work was done.”
Sata’s reptilian eyes sparkled with pride, and she brushed against Boro lovingly.
Mati remained silent, so Boro continued assertively. “I will be on the gathering team, to carry heavy loads and protect . . . anyone who needs protecting . . . from anything.”
“And I can learn to tend mushrooms,” Rini said calmly. For Mati’s mind only, he added, If I remember the lessons correctly, you’ll probably go into heat sometime while we’re here.
Mati’s eyes snapped open wide and she swallowed.
The other females giggled among themselves about the males who insisted on helping to gather food.
Silmula Sorafax sat alone in the observation tunnel, watching Mati and Rini sprinkle water from a hollow gourd onto the reptiles’ fungus garden.
Three other females worked with them, talking with throaty sounds as they worked. Mati and Rini only spoke when responding to one of the females.
When interacting with each other, they remained silent, but their glances often revealed something about their secret conversations.
The large white feline enjoyed trying to guess. Just then, someone licked her neck, and she knew by his scent who it was. She purred and turned to greet Toran Takil. “I am the luckiest cat in the universe to have a handsome male like you!”
He purred. “I’m just as lucky! How’s your project?”
“They’re just getting settled,” she said, turning back to the observation window. “Days in there pass very quickly, six to our one. I don’t think Mati and her crewmates have any idea how to find the information they need.”
“Do
you?”
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“Of course not! Kerloran never makes things that easy! And with Melorania involved, it’s bound to be a nearly unsolvable puzzle!”
Toran Takil sat on his haunches close beside the female cat and looked into the mushroom cave. “I almost wish Kibi was in there. It would be good for her. You’re not mad at me for leading her on for a few minutes?”
“As I understand it, you led her on just long enough to get her to Psychic Development. And I completely understand her reaction to your presence. I experience it daily, you know.”
The male cat growled lovingly. “But you get much more than she did . . .”
She licked his mouth. “That’s right, and I plan to continue getting . . .”
Just then a large bird came waddling along the tunnel and the cats ceased their intimate conversation.
“Boro just had to fight off another male, bok, who was trying to get close to Sata. This time a little blood was spilled.”
Silmula Sorafax chuckled in her feline way. “That’s good for him, but not really a test. It’s Rini who will be tested when Mati goes into heat.”
The bird thought back to the day the process began. “But he was the first to step up and volunteer to go in . . .”
“Only because he’s mentally quicker, and realized what would happen if he didn’t,” the white cat added.
The bird nodded. “It’s going to be a strong crew, isn’t it?”
“I think so, after they fully understand Nebador and work off some rough edges.” She turned and looked at her lover.
“I was worried about Mati right after the escape, but now my gut tells me Sata has the biggest test coming up. But I agree about Rini, too.”
At that moment, Toran Takil’s mission bracelet chimed. “They want me at Mission Assignment.”
“I’ll come along. I want to talk to the ursine in charge of the planet search.”
The two cats bowed to the large bird, who stayed to observe the fungus gardening.
“WHY are you keeping all the males away from this perfectly ripe and beautiful female, but not mating with her yourself? ” the cavern leader asked
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as he held Boro’s gaze with his penetrating eyes. “If you’d just mate with her, her scent would quit driving the others crazy!”
Boro stood his ground. “Because, where I come from, we don’t force females to mate! And she says she’s not ready.”
Sata rubbed up against Boro. “Well . . . actually . . .” She stopped herself and took a deep breath. “Yeah. He’s right. I’m not ready.”
The leader rolled his reptilian eyes and walked away, muttering, “It’s your blood . . .”
Soon they were alone. “I’m sorry,” Sata began with a shaking voice. “It’s just . . . my whole body is screaming at me, day and night, and it’s becoming harder and harder to ignore.”
Boro wrapped his arms and claws around her. “I just want us to be able to go home . . .”
“Me too. I’ll do my best to ignore it.”
“And I’ll keep fighting off other males, but . . .” He held her at arm’s length and looked into her eyes. “. . . if you work against me, I’ll quit trying.”
Sata swallowed hard and slowly nodded.
Deep Learning Notes
Sexual temptations are a serious test for anyone. They are often the root cause of abuses of power by government and religious officials. Some religions have tried to deal with the temptation by completely forbidding sexuality, with mixed results.
What forces or actions made it harder for Boro and Sata to avoid mating?
What forces or actions made it easier?
What qualities can we observe in the relationship between Silmula Sorafax and Toran Takil?