Blood Brothers by Vicky Seleya

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John Danziger worriedly glanced down at Alonzo as they stumbled down yet another tunnel. The pilot had not made any sign of waking for quite a while and the mechanic was becoming increasingly concerned. Danziger had lost all track of time, as they wound their way through the planet following the pair of Grendlers, and his entire body begged for rest. Ahead of him, Morgan Martin swayed with every step, obviously in much the same condition. The Grendlers ambled around another bend and through a fork without pausing, the humans staggering to keep up with their tireless pace.

When the Grendlers abruptly stopped and turned to expectantly face the humans, the men drew up short with mutual sighs of anxiety-tinged relief. Their guide stepped back to indicate a portal leading up at the end of the tunnel then scurried past them, returning to its home, its debt fulfilled. Beyond the portal, the men could see one of G889's moons traversing a clear, starry sky.

Danziger and Morgan exchanged pleased grins and tiredly placed Alonzo on the ground as they went to examine the exit. As they stepped toward the opening, the second Grendler crouched in front of them, blocking their way.

Danziger approached the creature only to have it roar and shake its head aggressively. He backed up, coming alongside Morgan. "I think our friend expects a toll. What do you think?"

Morgan eyed the Grendler worriedly and nodded his head in agreement.

"Look, Martin, the exit's an easy slope. If we could just distract him..."

"He could run us down," Morgan interjected. "I think I have a solution. Just get Alonzo and let me negotiate."

Danziger scrutinized Morgan closely. When the other man met his gaze and held it, the mechanic turned and carefully slung the pilot over his shoulder with a grunt. When he turned back, Danziger saw Morgan and the Grendler crouched across from one another.

Morgan reached into his pocket and drew something out, presenting it to the Grendler with a crinkle. Danziger watched intently as the Grendler looked at Morgan's offering. The Grendler's eyes widened as his ears came forward. It grabbed for the object only for Morgan to cover it with an angry snort of his own. The human gestured their intentions and waited. Without hesitation, the Grendler eagerly nodded its assent, then fell on its prize as the humans rushed out of the tunnel into the cool night air.

They came out into a small clearing, behind them the portal squatted at the bottom of a tremendous cairn. Without a word, Morgan raced past his companions and into the woods beyond. Danziger checked for signs of pursuit then looked for Morgan. He could hear him wildly crashing through the underbrush in his headlong flight. Danziger sighed, shifted Alonzo's weight with a grunt and cautiously followed Morgan into the forest. He rushed to keep up with the liaison as the unburdened man raced on. They continued to run until Danziger pulled up in the midst of a glade.

"Martin, hold up!" Danziger bellowed as best he could as he eased Alonzo to the ground and sank down beside him. "Morgan, come back here! We've gone far enough."

Morgan slowed and stopped, looking around nervously. Scanning the surrounding woods, he slowly walked back to the other two men. "Do you really think we've gone far enough?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah, I think we're clear of them, at least for now." Danziger sighed. "It's dark and we don't have a clue as to where we are. Our best bet is to rest here and figure something out in the morning when it's light out and we're rested."

"I suppose you're right." Morgan crouched across from Danziger, his eyes still trained on the woods. "Do you think they'd follow us?"

Danziger's eyes narrowed as he watched Morgan watch the woods. "Why would they follow us? I'd think Alonzo would have frustrated them enough to make them give up. By the way, what did you trade with that second Grendler?"

Morgan did not meet Danziger's eyes. Instead, he sat with a thump and studied his shoes. "Just something I picked up," he hedged.

"Like?" Danziger prodded impatiently.

Morgan shrugged. "I've been saving bloody sand in a spirolina wrapper since the Grendler found us." At Danziger's disbelieving stare, Morgan sputtered, "Hey, it worked! We got out, didn't we?!"

Danziger wiped his face tiredly and looked through his fingers at Morgan. "You really scare me sometimes, Martin. You relate too easily to the Grendlers."

"Thanks a lot," Morgan responded testily. "This from the man who's been 'helping' Alonzo stay unconscious every few hours."

Danziger stared at Morgan for a moment then nodded. "O.K., you've got me there. I guess we both have done what we've had to do. Good thinking on your part, I'd never have thought to do that." Danziger shrugged his apology which Morgan accepted with a nod. The mechanic glanced around the moonlit glade then back to Morgan. "It's too dark to do anything. Tell you what, I'll take first watch. You get some sleep."

Morgan nervously scanned the surrounding woods. "I'd give anything for a fire right now."

"Did you check 'Lonz's pockets? He usually has a fire kit with him. Of course, after all the rains we've been having, we'd be hard pressed to find something that will burn. Just rest for now, we'll worry about that later, too."

Morgan nodded uneasily and settled down on the wet grass near the pilot. When Danziger looked over minutes later, Morgan was all ready sound asleep.

Danziger sat back, quietly watching the woods. G889's second moon was now slowly climbing the night sky, chasing its larger mate. Nearby, a bird soundlessly swooped through the glade in pursuit of some prey the human could not see. Beyond, amongst the trees, an animal howled, its mournful cry echoed by others, building into a melancholy chorus.

Morgan started to snore lightly, accompanying the snuffling from Alonzo. Danziger shone the light near enough to see his companions without disturbing them. Morgan lay sprawled flat on his back, his arms and legs flung with abandon. Alonzo had curled onto his side, an occasional dream-induced tremor coursing through his body. His pale skin contrasted sharply with the twin shiners, a result of his broken nose, and his various lacerations. Danziger grimaced at the pilot's injuries. He knew enough first aid from his days in the military to know he was over his head with Alonzo.

Danziger sighed and wondered how True was, whether she got to bed on time, how she was behaving for Devon and the rest of the group. Thoughts of his little girl brought a smile to Danziger's face. She was all he had, but that was enough.

A twig snapped nearby, jolting the mechanic from his reverie. He switched on the lumalight and shone it into the woods, sweeping it in a circle as he slowly rose, standing at the ready on the balls of his feet. The light revealed a pair of eyes which glowed dusty purple back at him. As he turned, other sets of eyes reflected back, the creatures staying deep within the safety of the shadows.

A single animal broke from the woods and stalked around Danziger in a wide circle, appraising the human warily. Danziger turned with it, never breaking eye contact as he cautiously edged over to Morgan. He watched as the creature's jet black coat melted into the darkness beyond and set off the pure white teeth and glowing eyes. He kicked the sleeping man's leg once and then again.

"Not now, Bess, I'm exhausted..." the slumbering man mumbled.

"Morgan," Danziger whispered. "Morgan, wake up."

Morgan muttered incomprehensibly and settled back to sleep. Danziger gritted his teeth and kicked Morgan again, this time harder.

Morgan sat up suddenly, grabbing his leg. "Ow! What was that for? Are you getting tired of hitting Alonzo?"

Danziger's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he looked at Morgan. "We've got company, Martin. I've been trying to wake you up for the past couple of minutes." He looked up to find the creature had disappeared.

"Where? What was it?" Morgan asked nervously. "Was it the Grendlers?"

Danziger stepped away, sweeping his light in long arcs, the light cutting through the forest. Despite the two moons and his own lumalight, he could not see any of the creatures. Hair on the back of his neck rose with the feeling of being watched. He walked slowly back to his companions, pausing to turn suddenly and look into the woods with no success. Alert to the sounds of the woods, Danziger sank down next to Morgan. "No, they weren't Grendlers," he explained. "More like dogs, or wolves, from Earth. Solid black and shaggy, and their eyes reflected the light. Looked like a small pack of them -- not more than a dozen. They may be what's been eating those carcasses we've been finding."

"Wolves?" Morgan gulped. "But where are they now?"

"I think you scared them away."

"I did?"

"Well, I tried to wake you up quietly. I looked away for an instant and they were gone."

"Are you sure you saw what you say you saw?" Morgan asked doubtfully, rubbing his own eyes.

Danziger bristled and glared at Morgan as he replied, "Yeah, I saw them in the woods and one came out into the open. It was right there."

A low howl cut through the men's conversation, silencing them as it spoke to their primal instincts. It was followed by a number of short yips which seemed to come from every direction at once. Morgan sat straight up and froze as Danziger shone the light into the woods once more.

"Did you hear that?" Danziger growled.

"Um, yeah?" Morgan replied, hesitantly looking everywhere at once.

"Well then, I guess I wasn't hallucinating," Danziger commented imperiously. "You might as well stay awake, it's almost time for your shift anyway. Why don't I stay up with you for a while just in case they come back."

Morgan nodded and helped Danziger move Alonzo to a small rise in the center of the clearing. Hastily collecting a small pile of sticks and stones, they sat, unmoving except to occasionally scan the woods again with the light, until Danziger could no longer remain awake. The mechanic handed the lumalight to Morgan with a few words of encouragement and lay down, drowsily watching the moons chase each other across the heavens.

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