Aynsefian

I know that Arlyss and Cindlyss are both experts in planetary environments, including any plant life previously unencountered and its potential for food. Now is definitely the time to ask them about eating the moss.

I bend down, wincing internally as I do, still well aware of constant severe ache in my left shoulder and pick up some green moss. It actually looks quite reasonable. It’s thicker and leafier now that I am looking at it closely. The leaves are tightly packed, almost like miniature broccoli. I have found through my travels that there is surprisingly little variation from planet to planet with regards to vegetation. My preconceptions before setting out to visit other worlds were that I would find vastly different species of animals and all sorts of wondrous plant life. Not so.

I could easily imagine this stuff growing back home. In fact, if I took it back to Inconflencia, I feel as if it would thrive. That’s with only a basic knowledge of botany. It’s not one of my strong suits. This moss, though, appears to be robust and adaptable, on first impressions. I think I’d even try eating this on my own, without any advice. Nonetheless, I definitely want Arlyss and Cindlyss to examine it for me.

I’m bringing the moss over to where they’re standing, making gestures simulating my earlier fall where I accidentally ate some of this stuff, which I haven’t actually told them about. I point to my sore shoulder and my forehead. They seem to realise, for the first time, that I’m actually injured. My head injury is just under my hairline, so it isn’t obvious to the casual observer. My shoulder is of course hidden under layers of clothing.

Concern crosses both of their faces. Fatigue must have prevented them from figuring it out earlier. They ignore the moss and go straight for my injuries. Arlyss to my head, Cindlyss to my shoulder. I’m mystified as to what they could possibly be doing. I’m really keen to have them evaluate the moss but instead they are totally focussed on my body.

I trust them both, but I flinch as Cindlyss touches my left shoulder. Distracted, I drop the moss. They are so delicately touching me, and through my clothing, yet still I’m nervous. It feels unstable and aches so much.

And then, it doesn’t.

I can’t believe it. Cindlyss has touched me in a certain way and somehow taken away my pain. I never knew they were capable of something like this. They are an advanced species, yes. I knew that beforehand. They have just finished projecting images directly into my mind. That was amazing enough. But then, they go and heal me with touch. My jaw drops open in astonishment.

Arlyss has done the same to my head. Their soft touch is calming and gentle and I feel lighter as a result. My headache is now gone, too. I look at both of them in wonderment and they in return regard me with a look of love and tenderness that I’ve never seen from them before.

I want to hug them. Words almost fail me.

“I… Thank you for… How…” I can’t get the words out.

Arlyss gives me a look that seems to mean more than just “You’re welcome.” I get the sense that this is nothing to them, and they would do so much more for me if they could because I saved their lives and brought them here to this place that they revere so much.

I didn’t really do anything of the sort, as far as I’m concerned. I just made a series of dumb decisions and nearly got us all killed. Okay, so I had a couple of bright ideas since we were dumped and I fought fatigue, thirst, hunger and pain to get water for them. Any dumbass could have done that.

I’m feeling unworthy of such reverence from two very special beings, as I’m beginning to realise. They are having none of it. Their expressions are even more earnest towards me. They are so very grateful that I brought them here. That’s what I’m getting from them.

I swear they are reading my thoughts. Perhaps they always have.

Instead of talking, I return their look, trying to think my response back to them. I tell them I love them so much and I’m glad they’re my friends. They smile warmly at me. They’re so beautiful. They really are.

I’m shocked at how much I feel for these two wonderful beings. I don’t even know where the feelings came from. It wasn’t just from the healing they performed. My feelings for these two beautiful beings from Tenflicta have emerged from pretty much nowhere. I was always glad for their company and regularly enjoyed communicating with them in the unique but limited way that we do, but this is different. We were just companions before this, who got along well enough. The shared hardship has changed everything.

They seem to get what I’m trying to think towards them. I receive similar responses, in general impressions. They love me too and are so happy I’m their friend. I feel there is more to this silent communication that I could learn. I want to. I want to converse with them more freely and learn from them. If they can instantly heal by touch and perform telepathic image transfers, they must be capable of so many other things. As if those two abilities weren’t enough on their own.

My shoulder now feels a little numb and quite delicate, but the pain is gone. My head no longer hurts either. I’m still astonished.

I feel the urge again to hug them, but I get the sense that this would be impolite. I’ll save it until I learn how to talk with them. Then I’ll know if it’s okay to do that in their culture. I realise, even after a year, that I still don’t know them all that well. I really want to, now.

I bend down, now delightfully pain free, and pluck some more moss out of the ground. I make a gesture as if to put it in my mouth, indicating that I would like to try to eat it.

Arlyss takes it from me and looks it over. They sniff it and then place it gently on their tongue.

They swallow it. They nod to me, sagely. I look to Cindlyss and they appear to fully agree with Arlyss’ assessment of the moss, without needing to verify it for themselves.

I’m excited. I can finally eat. And the food is massively abundant. It’s covering the ground in the immediate vicinity of Salvation’s Creek for the several hundred metres that I can see in the dim backlight of the cave, supplemented locally by Salvation’s light. I drop to my knees, blissful in my now pain-free state. With something in my stomach, and my pain gone, sleep will be almost enjoyable, especially in this wind-free cave.

The moss here is slightly sweet, just like the moss I accidentally swallowed where I fell, farther back towards the cave entrance. It has bland taste, a little like lettuce, but just a touch nicer. It’s a bit crunchy but has some pliability. I’d really love one of Nikse’s beautiful meals, but obviously this will very much do for now. I eat handful after handful, grateful to this planet for providing me with food.

I don’t hate it quite as much now. Aynsefian. I roll the name around in my head. I like it. It suits.

I desperately yearn to sleep. I have some more water from the creek and then realise that the Purlinians are already laying down. This time I know they’re not dead. Did they eat too? I didn’t notice.

We don’t have to walk anywhere, just for now. Everything is starting to feel easier. A massive weight of desperate survival has been lifted off us.

Salvation is still nearby. I glance at him and give him a look of love too.

“You really were our Salvation, buddy,” I whisper quietly, so as not to disturb my companions. “I love you too.”

I could swear one of his lights flickered in response. It was probably my tired mind, imagining it. I’m glad of his company too. The four of us make a curious group, here in a cave on a foreign planet that hides something mystical, which I’m yet to discover.

All in good time.

With food, of sorts, in my stomach and my thirst quenched, I lay down and prepare to sleep too. I’m still astonished at the lack of pain in my shoulder. I lay on the right side for now, though.

Sleep comes instantly. I have no dreams.

When I wake after what must have been many hours later, all is quiet and I remember where I am instantly. I am acutely aware of how close we were to death. There is still much to do. We have survived for now, yes, but we need to live here in this cave until help arrives.

I still have no idea how that’s going to happen: how someone is going to come to this planet in the first place and then find us in this cave. We still need a miracle if we’re to ever leave here. Then there’s the question of searching for Aynsefian the society on… Aynsefian the planet. It’s a bit weird, but I get it. I want to see what has happened to the civilisation, presumably by following Salvation’s Creek down into the heart of the cave.

I glance at the Purlinians. They’re still sleeping. I’ll let them sleep as long as they want. I remember the loving thoughts we shared before we slept. The glow of those moments floats back to me pleasantly. They are my friends now. I really like that. Salvation is my friend too. A very good friend. Not my soulmate. I’m not going there again.