The healers from the rescue ships approach the pod, and the giant Pharent looks at them, he lies his head back down and does not move. They begin to examine Laurel and as they do so, the Pharent moves the other two away and sits upon her feet and watches as they touch her here and there and make strange sounds.
He cocks his head as he listens to them speak, wondering what they are saying and if his little thing will be okay. He makes this little cry or whimper and as if knowing what he is saying the others talk to him reassuringly, and for some reason he felt better. He lies down again, but this time on her legs and waits for them to finish, he would never leave her nor let anyone harm her.
"The pod had failed," One healer begins, "If this Pharent had not of opened the pod, Laurel would be dead right now."
Yuri in shock cries out, "What do you mean it failed?"
"I can see where something hit the bottom of the pod, under here it is shorting out, any longer in there," The healer looks at everyone gathered, "She would have been gone."
"So, what your saying, is that these Pharents are in a sense, heroes.." Winston begins.
"Yes, they saved her life," the healer explains, "and I bet if I look at your pod, it will most likely have failed shortly after hers."
"But his opened automatically." Tahla explains.
"Did it?" The healers chuckles, "These pods are linked, six pods in one area, from what I can see..." He examines a bit of metal, "Laurel and Yuri's pods are next to each other. They are designed that should things happen, it is better to lose two as opposed to losing six."
The other healer had been going through the wrecked pods and walks up, "You placed them side by side, which was the right thing to do, and in doing so..." He waves at the damaged pods, "you saved his life and hers. When the Pharent triggered Laurels pod to open, it also triggered Yuri's. I would say that if her pod was damaged, and you left the pods closed, they both would be dead at this moment in time."
"Both?" Dimitri questions.
"Yes, again, when we designed these pods, they were intended to lose as few as possible. If we tethered them in pairs, as opposed to having six or more, then the loss of two is smaller. We have learned much in the many years of space exploration, and one is that you never tether more than two, especially for a large ship that relies upon a greater amount of crew."
They continued the discussion of how the pods are set up as they waited for more of the team to help move Laurel from her pod to an emergency pod. It was smaller, and resembled Cinderella's glass coffin, which made it easier for the healers to watch over her. The Pharents had gotten out of the broken space cryostasis pods and were standing close by, when the people began to move Laurel towards one of the ships, they followed and kept a close eye on her and the male.
A healer had taken Yuri by the arm, and the female Pharent growled a warning, and the healer spoke to her gently. "I am looking at this wound upon his arm," She showed it to the Pharent, "See, he has a cut, and I must repair it."
Four other rescue ships had landed in and around the clearing that lie not a quarter of a mile away, most of the people were sent to help with clean up and look for survivors. The largest of the ships, was a medical and transport vessel, intended to carry the worst of the injured. It is here that the healers take Laurel and the others for a quick recheck and then as soon as all five Pharents came on board, the doors closed and they lifted off.
"Must they come with us?" Tahla asks, a bit nervous as the Pharents sit near her.
"They," Elizabeta explains as she points to Yuri and Laurel, "belong to the Pharents and vise versa. Even if we took Laurel and Yuri away, they would have followed to the ends of our world to get them back, and.." She dared not continue.
"And what?"
"Anyone who took them away, would be slaughtered," Winston adds.
"You mean?"
"Us? Yes, all of us standing here. They remember, their olfactory is beyond anything that we can imagine." Winston reflects on the lessons he had learned about Pharents, "How long were you out there before they showed up?"
"An hour, maybe a little more, why?" Tahla questions Winston.
"They can run very fast and they can smell for many miles, if I remember correctly, up to twenty- five miles away," He glances around, "What we call Dunaa. If it took them awhile to get to the crash then they traveled a pretty good distance."
"No one is to harm them," Dimitri begins, "They are to be revered and so are the children."
"When we get to the center, I want a full scan done on Yuri." Elizabeta tells them, "I want to ensure that he is not harmed."
"Of course," Zeus assures her, "we can do that."
"Sir," the co-pilot runs up to Winston, "We have confirmation that under the wreckage three pods were saved, the travelers inside," He checks his notes, "Of the three persons inside, two have died and one survived."
"Thank you, I appreciate you informing me." He taps the man on the shoulder, "Make sure that they are brought to the center."
"He is already enroute."
"Give her to me, please." Yuri asks.
"She is still not out of woods yet, if I give her to you, you must be gentle." Zeus and the other healers tell him and his family.
Yuri was on bed rest, he had been waiting three days for them to bring her to his room, so that they are side by side again. He had been given what he thought was vitamins, but they helped him to sleep, perhaps, he thought, that was for the best. He would awaken and become stressed and sometimes would get out of bed and pace around, then a healer would come in and put him to bed and give him something to help him rest.
"How long has she been..."He begins.
"We started the moment our team arrived at the compound, her Pharent came with us and has not left her side, but we had completed everything within eight human hours. She did very well, and has been in a state of rest since then." The healer checks Yuri over, to see if he looked more colorful, his face flushed and eyes brighter.
Tahla was there and the healers from the wreckage, they were all looking at him and observing his color, his countenance. One of the older healers gives Zeus a nod and Zeus tells Tahla to go and get the young human. The healers then proceed to insure that Yuri has blankets and get him into a position that will be beneficial to Laurel.
The grand elder healer enters the room with Laurel and addresses Yuri, "I am Sanlio, Grand Elder Healer, I was the one who cared for and still cares for your little human." He waves his hand over Laurel as they bring her in, "She is strong and at first we were concerned for her, but she has pulled through but as of yet has not awakened. It is imperative that she awakens so that we can examine her wounds and be assured that her limbs are functioning properly."
"But Grand Elder," one of the other healers begins.
He waves them away, and shakes his head, "Where is her, ahhh, here he is." Sanlio bows to the Pharent, who in turn drops his snout and raises it again, "I am placing them together," He explains to the great creature, "They are as one, and he may awaken her."
"Why do you explain things to him?" Alexi asks.
"They are great and mighty creatures and far more intelligent than you or I could ever imagine. " Sanlio explains, "When we began to work upon her, she cried out and he did all he could to comfort her." The elder reaches over and lays a hand upon the great beasts head, "She will be better with her mate."
Zeus looks at Yuri, "It is colder here today, humans are not accustomed to this cold, therefore we have given you more blankets and we will adjust the temperature in here for her...." He looked Yuri in the eyes, "Which means it will be very warm for you and you may sweat."
"I will deal with it," Yuri tells them.
Tenderly they lift Laurel and place her on her left side next to Yuri, her cheek lying upon Yuri's chest and her right hand upon his heart. Tahla and Zeus begin to place the blankets upon them when Ivan steps up and hands them a pure white stuffed moose, it has a silver bow around its neck. They look at the item and wonder what it is for, but Ivan then steps up and places it under Laurels right arm.
"What is the purpose of this?"
"I got it for her," Yuri tells them, "When I am not around she hugs it."
"We do not understand." The grand elder tells them.
"Young females need something to hug or hold to make them feel comfort or secure." Winston explains. "A male will buy a stuffed animal for them and then the female will snuggle with it at night and sleep better or feel better knowing that the young male is attracted to them."
"I see," He nods, "let her have it, give her anything that will help her." He turns to walk towards the window, the windows were closed but the material covering the windows were open and he orders them to be shut.
"Will you be observing?" Dimitri asks.
"Yes, yes I shall be staying, I cannot allow myself the luxury of rest until I know that she is well."
Four hours pass, Laurel sleeps and Yuri watches her. A healer comes and offers him something to help him sleep and he waves it away, and that is when Sanlio steps up and insists that he takes it. Begrudgingly, he takes it, and they all felt a bit of relief when he finally drops off to sleep. It is while they are asleep together, that the elders work their magic as a way to insure that Yuri and Laurel would be well.
Words, mystical and magical are chanted softly as hands pass over wounds and breaks. Their hands touch not just Laurel and her grievous injuries, but Yuri, who was so stressed over Laurel. It continues for many hours as his family watches, and then two elders from the office of bonding and what humans call "matrimony" arrive.
"We understand that these two have not bonded." The male says.
"Nor have they mated." The other says flatly.
Elizabeta shakes her head, "No, no they haven't"
"Well, we cannot have that, now can we?" The Elder female smiles a knowing smile as they approach the bed.
"She was injured?" The male asks.
"Yes, she fell off..."Winston begins.
"Ah, this is the one." The male elder looks at Laurel with wide eyes, "She is beautiful, they did not lie. Will she live?" he asks Sanlio.
"Oh yes, she is strong for a human female, and yet, " He begins, "Humans are so fragile. We must take care of them, nurture them as if they are children."
"We will not disrupt your healing," He tells Sanlio, " we shall stand here at the head, will that be acceptable?"
"Yes, that would be good," Sanlio smiles and waves them towards the head of the bed, and then he begins to pray and wave his hands over the pair.
The bonding elders begin by making an offering to the old gods, and the female burns what appears to be incense to cleanse the room and call to the gods. Oil is placed upon their brows and a tiny ornate golden statue is placed in one of their hands. They offer up food and tiny golden statues, oil and flowers of many kinds.
It was during the bonding prayer that both elders stop, a look of confusion crosses their faces and they turn to Yuri's parents. They talk between themselves and then try the prayer again, and again they stop midway and can go no farther. The male walks out of the room and returns some time later with five more elders in tow.
"I don't understand." The female elder tells them, "They have not bonded, and yet, they are. How is that possible?" She whispers.
"I don't know." Torgan was the head of the bonding elders. "You know for certain that he did not?"
"His parents said that he did not, that he was waiting for them to meet her and give their approval."
"She bears no mark?" Torgan turns to Sanlio and asks quietly.
"There are no marks of bonding upon her," Sanlio assures him.
"I do not understand it either, let us begin again, and I shall see for myself."
The ceremony begins again, the burning and the oil, all of the offerings. They chant softly in unison and then as they approach the midway, they stop and all look confused. Torgan says another prayer and makes offerings and does a blessing over Yuri and Laurel. He continues alone and shortly after the others join him, at the end he leans down and kisses Laurel upon her brow and places his hand upon Yuri's.
Torgan walks over to Dimitri and Elizabeta, "I cannot explain how, seeing as Yuri did not mark the little female, but they are bonded in spirit and soon their bodies will follow."
"Spirit?" Alexi asks, "What do you mean?"
"Bonding of spirit is far deeper than the bond that we place, our bond is physical, mental, where as their bond is on a more pure level." he passes his hand over the two of them, "She loves, admires and desires your son, just as much as he does her. Their bond, even if they never consummated it, would be ....forever. I do not believe that they would ever leave each other, they would always be together in some way."
This both delighted and awed his parents, Elizabeta clutched at her heart and reached for Dimitri, tears falling. He smiled at her and felt confident that the two would be a good pair, and then he bowed and waved his hand in an excited motion and made all of the family leave. He commented on how it was ashamed that Mishka could not be there, but perhaps it was for the best. They all talked excitedly and went to gather a nice meal for themselves and for Yuri.
"It may be another day before she awakens," Sanlio explains to everyone, "You must be patient."
The sun was up and it was shining right in Laurels eyes, she yawned and stretched and felt something very large beside her, only this thing was very hairy. She thinks that perhaps Yuri did not shave? No, this is far too hairy for even a man, but Yuri was not from earth and maybe they do get hairier than earth men. She opens her eyes as she slowly rolls over and is given a large and loud lick from what seemed like a dog, it's wild coal black eyes looking into hers. She isn't afraid, because Winston and his men had already told her about the different animals here. Wait?! Here?
She sits up and looks around, everything is white, pure pale white and these curtain like things....gauzy and light hang from the ceiling making it look larger than the room appears. Vine like wreaths hang on the wall, the vine the color of molasses, and flowers unlike anything she had ever seen! Purples and blues, reds and oranges that looked like they were on fire, green so dark it appeared nearly black. This room was stunning!
Her feet touch the cold floor and she tried to stand, but she is still weak and the Pharent comes to her side and runs its nose under her arm so that it can help support her. She smiles and thanks him out loud and then chastises herself, but then thinks to herself, "what if he is intelligent?"
She points towards the window, which in truth is a very large door that goes from floor to ceiling, and now she can see that the ceiling must be fifteen to twenty feet up! She takes it all in, all of the colors contrasting with white and it nearly takes her breath away. Then she turns to look outside and what she sees is even more beautiful. Large flocks of strange birds and Grah-na-it-lo were flying in the sky, a sky of the darkest blue, a tiny little rabbit looking creature bounds by the door and stops for it moment. It looked like a cross between a kangaroo and a rabbit with a bit of mouse thrown in, it was cute and kind of scary because of the massive teeth.
"I cannot remember how I got here, but," She reflects on this new world around her through the giant picture window, "But I am glad that I am here to see this."
"Ooh, look at that snail! It is the size of a tricycle! The slime trail is disgusting," She glances around the window, "There is a whole herd of them, must be twenty or more of them!"
The Pharent begins to growl, a low deep growl, his eyes focused on something beyond the tree line. Laurel tries to look in the direction that he is looking and only sees this serving platter size butterfly looking thing. It flutters about oddly, not much unlike butterflies back home. Just the way that it was moving, something seemed a bit off about it, but Laurel could not tell from this angle.
"Shhh, it's okay, it's just a butterfly," She tells the large looking dog creature. "It isn't going to hurt us." She strokes his neck and talks gently to him and then turns to look at the butterfly thing, with massive blue, yellow and green wings and a fluffy thorax and abdomen, it was gorgeous.
"GRRRRRR."
The Pharent begins to become more aggressive and uses his body to try and shove Laurel away from the window, he is now drooling and baring his teeth. At that moment the butterfly turns and shows it's long thick proboscis, it begins to violently tap at the window and in striking it over and over again, the window cracks slightly.
"Oh no! Come away, hurry, you must move away from the window." Tahla tells Laurel. "SANLIO!"
Many feet approach swiftly, and suddenly Laurel is wrapped in giant arms, while others move the Pharent from the window. Curtains are drawn closed and the light in the room changes to a vivid yet gentle yellow, not unlike the color of a dandelion. Quickly Laurel was inspected from head to toe, and others glanced over the Pharent to insure that neither were harmed.
" I am Sanlio, I am the Grand Healer here," He turns and points towards the window, "That was an Anitizika, and they are deadly, one bite and it would make you very sick and if no one got to you in time....you would die."
"Oh." Laurel replies. "That is good to know. So, when did I get a companion? He is very handsome and is he trainable?"
A voice that no one had heard in a long time responds, "Are you talking about Yuri or the Pharent?"
