Shehadtoswallowahissofsurprisewhenshesawthem.Theywere unlikeanycreaturesshehadeverseen—atleastinperson.Shehadonlyseen creatureslikethesebeforeintheancientstories.
Theyweresmooth-skins.Theoneintheleadhadgoldenfurthatdangled fromitsheadtoitsmidsectionandworearobethatwaspinkatthetopandgray atthebottom.Therobedidn’tevengodowntoitsknees,whichleftmostofthe smoothfleshofitslegsvisible.Thepinkhalfoftherobebulgedstrangelyatthe topofitschest,asifitwerekeepingapairofeggsinsidetherobe.Behindit wasashorteronewithcopperfurandarobethatwentallthewaytotheground.
Anevenshorteroneleanedagainsther,thisonewithdarkbrownfur.Attherear wasamuchsmallerone,probablyahatchling.Itsfurwasblackwhileitsbody wasfarbulgieraroundthemiddlethantheotherthree.Thehatchling’sfacewas redderthantheothersasitstruggledtokeeppace.Whydidn’titsparentsslow downtoallowittokeepup?
Sanawatchedthesmooth-skinsastheypassedby.Theydidn’tseemto carryanyweapons.Theydidn’tcarryanysuppliesofanysort.Howhadthey gottenherethen?Perhapstheyhadacavenearbyfromwhichtheyhad appeared.
Sheshouldgobacktothevillagetowarntheothers,butwhowouldbelieve her?Smooth-skinswerealegend;noonehadseenoneinathousand generationsormore.Ifshewenttothevillagesquareandscreamedabout smooth-skinsinthecountrysidetheywouldthinkshewasstillajuvenileplaying hatchlinggames.
Shecreptalongthroughtheswamptofollowthemfromabove.Shestill didn’tunderstandwhatthesmooth-skinssaid,buttheloudnessandtoneoftheir voicesindicatedtheyweren’thavingafriendlydiscussion.Thehatchling especiallyseemedtobeirritatedattherestofitsfamily.
Bymid-morningthesmooth-skinshadmanagedonlyacoupleof kilometers.Theirclawlessfeetseemedtohavedifficultywiththemarshy ground.Thehatchlingstruggledmostofallintheseconditionsandyetnoneof itsfamilyofferedtohelpit.Sanashookherheadatthiscallousness.Orperhaps theyweretryingtotoughenthehatchlingsoitcouldonedaybecomeamighty warrior.
Thesmooth-skinintheleadfinallycametoastop.Itlookedaroundinall directionsandthenreachedintoitsrobe.Sanathoughtitmightproduceoneof theeggsitkeptunderthere.Instead,itpulledoutablackcrystalonasilver chain.AsSanastaredatthecrystal,itturnedbrighterthanthesun,blindingher.
Evenwithhereyesblinded,shecouldfeelthelandaroundherchange.The groundbecamedryandthegrassshorteraroundher.Sheblinkedawayblobsof purpleandgreenlighttoseetheswamphaddisappeared.Aroundherwasdry soilfromwhichgrewgrasssogreenithurtherfragileeyes.Thisgrasswas muchshorterthantheswampfoliage,owingtothedrierconditionsofthesoil.
Sheclawedoutahandfulofthissoilandwatcheditdriftawayinthewind.She nibbledonafewleavesofthegrass,butsoonspatthemout.Theytastedbitter toher,notatallliketheswampgrass.
Sheheardshoutingfromthesmooth-skinsandworriedtheyhadfoundher.
Thegoldenfurredoneandthecopperfurredonewerespeakingtoeachother loudly.Thentherewasaflashfromtheblackcrystal,thisonenotbrightenough
toblindher.
Sanawatchedinfascinationasthecopperfurredsmooth-skinchanged shape.Itsfurturnedlightbrownandtoppedwithsometypeofcrown.Itsrobe becamelooseronherthanbeforeassheshrunkintoahatchlingnotmuchbigger thantheonewithblackfur.Thelightbrownfurredsmooth-skinshrieked somethingatthegoldenfurredone.
Thehatchlingmutteredsomethingandthenthegoldenfurredoneturnedon it.Therewasanotherflashfromtheblackcrystal.Thehatchling’sbodybecame widerandthebulgeinitsmidsectionmoreprominent.
ItbecameclearfromtheseincidentsthatthiswasnofamilylikeSana’s.
Thismustbeagroupofoutcasts.Theywereprobablybanditslikethenameless Shadans.Thegoldenfurredonewasclearlyincharge.Butwhatwasthat strangecrystalitcarriedthatcouldchangenotonlyitscomrades,buttheland aroundit?
Sanawouldhavetoconsulttheeldersofthevillage.Theywouldnodoubt thinkshewasmad,butshehadnochoice.Iftheywantedproof,shecouldtake themouthereandshowthemwhathadbecomeoftheswamp.
Shereachedoverforherbucketofgrubs.Itremainedunchanged,unlike thegroundaroundit.Thegrubsseemedtohavesurvivedaswell.Shestrained tofreethebucketfromthisdrysoilandthentriedtocrawlforward.
Itwasnogood.Thisgroundwastoodryforhertocrawlthroughasshe hadbefore.Toworsenmatters,thelandaroundherbodyhadformedarutshe hadtostruggletogetfreeof.Shesawlittlechoicebuttoriskgettingtoherfeet.
Itwasunfortunateforherthatassoonasshedidgettoherfeet,thelight brownfurredsmooth-skinlookedinherdirection.Itpointedtoherandthensaid somethingtotheothers.Sanaknewshehadtofleebeforethesebanditscaptured heranddidunspeakablethingstoher.
Sheleftthebucketofgrubsandbrokeintoarun.Itwasmoredifficultwith thisdrysoil;shewasunaccustomedtomovingfastonsuchground.Sheheard thesmooth-skinsshoutsomethingather,butshewasn’tabouttostopto conversewiththebandits.
Thenpaineruptedthroughherentirebody.Itsenthercrashingtothe ground,whereshecrouchedonallfourslikeananimal.Shescreamedwitha painmoreintensethananythingshehadeverexperiencedbefore.
Hereyesremainedopenenoughtoseeherscalesdryuplikethesoilhad.
Anevenmoreintensewaveofpainsweptthroughherasthedryscalesbeganto crack.Shewatchedacrackrunalldownherleftarmasifitweremadeofclay andnotlivingscales.
Thecrackwidenedtoformmorecracksthatwidenedtocoverherentire
arm.Thedryscalesfellawaythen.Sanascreamedagain,thistimenotoutof pain.Inplaceofherscalyarmwasonethatwasshorterandcomposedof smoothtanflesh.Theclawsattheendsofthefingershadshrunktotinywhitish nubs.Sheflexedthesesmooth-skinned,clawlessfingersandnotedhowthey movedinresponsetohercommand.
Shedidn’thavetimetocontemplatethisastherestofherbodybeganto crackinthesameway.Itwasasifherentirebodyhadbecomeastatuethatwas nowcrumbling.Asthescalyfleshflakedaway,initsplacewasthesmoothtan fleshlikethatonherarm.Likeherfingers,hertoeslosttheirclawsaswell,to leaveherdefenseless.Notevenherjawswereremovedfromthesechanges;her tonguebecameathicksolidmasswhileherteethflattenedintodullstones.As thefinishingtouch,blackfurcoatedherhead,fallingintuftsateithersideofher headdownpasthershoulders.
Thegoldenfurredsmooth-skinkneltinfrontofherandshoweditsteeth.It reachedoutwithoneclawlesshandtostrokethefurrytuftontheleftsideof Sana’sface.“Oh,lookatyou!You’resoadorable.”
Sanastaredatthesmooth-skininshock.Shecouldunderstanditnowasif ithadspokenherownlanguage.No,ithadspokenitsownlanguage. Shewas theonewhowasdifferent;shewasoneof themnow.“What…whathaveyou donetome?”
“I’vemadeyoupretty,”thesmooth-skinsaid.Itheldupalookingglass.
Thelightbrownfurredsmooth-skinkneltdownbesideherandputahand onhershoulder.“What’syourname,sweetheart?”
“S-sana.”
“That’saveryprettyname.Doyoulivenearhere?”
“No.Iamanoutcast,”Sanasaid.Shedidn’twantthesebanditstofindher village.Shecouldonlyimaginetheterriblethingstheycoulddotoherfamily andtherestofhervillage.
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��Areallyourpeopleuglylizards?”thegoldenfurredonesaid.
“We’renotugly!You’retheoneswhoareugly.”Sheheldupahandfulof herblackfurforemphasis.“Furisforanimals.”
“Thenyoumustreallybeananimalthen,”thegoldenfurredonesaid.
TherewasawinkoflightfromthecrystalandthenSanasawhertuftsoffur growinglongerandlonger,untiltheyreachedtoherthighs.
Sanaforcedherselfuptoherfeet.Shestillhadtolookuptomeetthe
goldenfurredone’seyes.“Youcandowhatyouwanttome,butmypeoplewill killyou.Wedroveyourkindawaybeforeandwe’lldoitagain.”
ThegoldenfurredonetousledSana’sfur.“Sillygirl,you’reoneofourkind now.Anditwon’tbelonguntilalltherestaretoo.Thenthiswholeplanetwill bebeautiful.”
“No!”Sanalaunchedherselfatthegoldenfurredsmooth-skin.Shetriedto grabthecrystal,butwhenitwinkedather,shefoundthesmooth-skinbecoming largerandlarger.Sanarealizedshewasactuallygettingsmaller,untilshewas notallerthantheblackfurredhatchling.
“That’senoughofthat,younglady.Anymoremisbehavingandyou’re goingtogetaspanking.”Thegoldenfurredoneshoweditsteethagain.“I supposeweshouldfindyousomethingprettytowear.Can’thaveyouwalking aroundnakedasthedayyouwereborn.”
Therewasanotherflashfromthecrystal.Sanafoundherselfcladinapink robetrimmedwithwhitethatwenttoherknees.Herfeetbecamecoveredin pinkleather,fromwhichextendedwhitecloths.
Withthatthegoldenfurredsmooth-skinspunaround.“Comealong,girls.
Timetogivethisplanetamakeover!”
Sanatookacautiousstepinherstrangefootcoverings.Shelosther balanceandwouldhavefallenifthelightbrownfurredsmooth-skinhadn’t caughther.“Carefulthere.It’sgoingtotakesomegettingusedto,Ibet.”She stuckoutonehand.“MynameisKari.”
Sanastaredatthehand,unsurewhatKariwanted.“Idon’thaveanything togiveyou.”
“Thisisagestureofgreeting.Takemyhandandgiveitashake.”
SanatookKari’shandandshookitfromside-to-side.Karismiledather.
“That’scloseenough.Comeon,I’lltellyoumoreaboutbeinghumanalongthe way.”
Human?Thatmustbewhatthesmooth-skinscalledthemselves.Asshe ploddedalongwithKari’shelp,shedecidedshehadtogetmoreinformationso shecouldfindsomewaytostopthembeforeitwastoolate.
Chapter10
Foranenemy,Kariwasverytalkative.WhileSanawouldhavepreferredto discusshowtogetthatblackcrystalawayfromthegoldenfurredone,Kari seemedmoreinterestedindiscussingSana’snewbody.ShebattedoneofSana’s tuftsoffurandsaid,“Whatyoucalled‘fur’wecallhair.”
“Whatdoesthishairdo?”
“Notmuchexceptkeepyourheadwarm.Mostlyit’sjusttolookpretty.
Wedoalotofthingstolookpretty,especiallygrownupslikeJeri.”Kari motionedtothenastygoldenfurredone.“Adultslikeherwearcosmeticsand showalotmoreoftheirskininordertodrawattentionfromtheoppositesex.
It’skindofamatingritual.”
“Whatarecosmetics?”
“It’slikepaintyouputonyourfaceandthenwashawaybeforeyousleep.
Kidslikeusdon’tgettowearit,notuntilwe’reolder.”
“Howlongisituntilyoushedyourhatchlingskin?”
Karishowedherteethatthis.“Wedon’tshedourskin.Wejustgrowtaller andforusfemales,wedevelopsexualcharacteristicslikeenlargedmammary organs—breasts.SomeofusgetreallybigoneslikeJeriandothersnotso much.”
“Youweredefinitewynotsomuch,”thehatchlingwithblackfur—hair—
said.
Kariturnedaroundandsaid,“Notlikeyourswereanybigger.Andatleast Ididn’talwayslooklikeaboy.”
“No,youjustwookedwikeabwob.”
Karistuckoutherbulkytongue.ItseemedmuchshorterthanaShadan’s.
SheturnedbackaroundtofaceSana.“Don’tpayattentiontoVal.She’sjealous becausesheusedtohavetheStoneofChangeuntilJeritookitfromher.”
“Shestoweit,”Valwhined.
“ThisStoneofChangeisthatcrystalshewearsaroundherneck?”
“Yes.Itallowsthepersonwhowearsittochangeanythingintowhatever theywant.That’showshechangedthelandandeventheskyaroundus.Plus howshechangedallofus.”
“Whydidshemakeyouintohatchlings?”
Kari’sshouldersjerked.“Isupposeit’seasiertocontrolusthisway.
Makesitharderforustostanduptoherbecausewe’resosmallandweak.”
“Andthisiswhatshe’sgoingtodotoallShada?”
“That’snotanyofyourbusiness,”Jerisaid,turningtofacethem.She
pattedSana’shead.“Alittlegirllikeyoushouldn’tthinkaboutsuchbigthings.”
“We’resorry,”Karisaid.
Jeriturnedbackaroundandtheykeptgoing.Theywerestillinwhathad beentheswamp,butwasnowavastgreenplainfullofdrysoilandshortgrass.
Sanalookeddownatherfeetwiththeirstrangecoveringstomakesureshe didn’tfall.
“Isyourwholeplanetasswampyasthisplacewas?”Kariasked.
“Idon’tknow.I’veneverstrayedfarfrommyvillage.”
“Howoldwereyou…before?”
“Iwastwentycycles.Ihadjustshedmyjuvenileskin.”Sana’svoicefaded asshethoughtofwhenshe’dlefthomethismorning,howshe’dworriedabout marriage.Nowthatshewasamerehatchlingagainshewouldn’tbeableto marryforquitesometime.Shewouldhavetogrowupalloveragain,thistime asasmooth-skin.
Shefoundmoistureleakingfromhereyesandastickyfluidcomingfrom hernose.“What’shappeningtome?AmIinjured?”
“No,you’rejustcrying.Becauseyou’resad.”
“Idon’tunderstand.”
“Whenushumansgetunhappy,ittriggersaphysicalresponse:tears,a runnynose,andaredfaceforstarters.”
“Idon’tlikethishumanbody.It’sdisgusting.”
“Whatdidyoudobeforewhenyouweresad?”
Sanatriedtomaketheappropriatekeeningsoundherpeoplemadetoshow theirunhappiness,butherhumanthroatcouldn’tmanageit.Thispromptedher tearstocomeevenfaster.Shecouldnolongerseeherfeetasthetearsclouded hervision.Shefoundherselffallingagain,thistimetakingKariwithhertothe ground.
Karilandedontopofher.Thehatchlingshowedherteeth.“It’sallright.
Youjustletitallout.Wecancatchuptotheothers.”
“Weshouldweaveher.She’sjustastupidbaby,”Valmuttered.
Karigottoherfeet.Shepushedthesmallerhatchlingback.Valtoppledto thegroundnotfarfromSana.Herfacereddenedandtearsleakedfromher eyes.“Youmeanie!”
“You’rethemeanie,”Karisaid.“You’vebeenameanieeversinceyougot yourhandsonthatstone.WhathappenedtothewomanIloved,theonewho usedtoholdmeinbedallnight?Wheredidshego?”
“Idon’twuvyouanymore!Itowdyouthatawongtimeago!”
“Sowhat?Thatdoesn’tmeanyouhavetobesuchanastylittlethingallthe time.Sanahasn’tdoneanythingtoyou.She’scompletelyinnocent!”
“Maybeyoushouldmawwyherthen.”
“MaybeIwill!”KaristampedafootandthenyankedSanatoherfeet.She draggedSanaawayfromwhereVallay.Thesilentsmooth-skinwithdarkbrown hairstaggeredafterthem;sheseemedasunsteadyonherfeetasSana.Hadshe beenaShadantoo?
“Whatdoes‘mawwy’mean?”
“Shemeant‘marry.’It’sjustastupidspeechimpedimentbecauseshe’s suchaba
by.”
“Youwouldmarryme?”
Kari’scheeksreddened,butnotearscamefromhereyes.“No,ofcourse not.Imean,we’retooyoungrightnow.AndIbarelyknowyou.”Karimadea strangehigh-pitchednoisewithherthroat.“Wewerejustbeingsilly.”
“Idon’tunderstand.Femalesmooth-skinscanmarryotherfemales?”
“Yes.Onmyplanetit’sbeenlikethatforcenturies.Femalesarethe dominantsexthere.Isn’tthathowitishere?”
Sanaignoredthequestionassomethingmuchmorepressingoccurredto her.“Whatplanetdoyousmooth-skinscomefrom?”
“WecomefromPhera.It’salongwayfromhere.I’mnotsurehowlong, really.We’dneedtobeabletoseethestarssoIcouldfinditforyou.”
“Youcameherefromthestars?”
“Sortof.ValusedtheStoneofChangetobringushere.Therewasa gatewayfromanotherplanetthatledushere.Doyouhaveother‘smooth-skins’
onyourplanet?”
“Theyareonlylegendsnow.Ireadsomeoftheancienttextsabouthowour ancestorsdrovethesmooth-skinsunderground.”
“You’llhavetotellmethoselegends.WhenIwasanadult,Iwasan archaeologist.That’ssomeonewhosearchesthegroundforrelicsofancient civilizations.That’swhatledustotheStoneofChangeandtoyourplanet.”
SanaleapedonKari.HerclawlessfingerswrappedaroundKari’sthroat.
“You?Youdidthistous?You’vedoomedusall!”
IntimeSanamighthavebeenabletokillKariwithherpunyclawless hands,butshewashoistedintotheairbythebackofherrobe.“That’senough ofthat,younglady.Itoldyouwhatwouldhappenifyoudidn’tbehave,didn’t I?”
BeforeSanacouldanswer,Jerisatdownontheground.SheheldSanaon herlap,facingtheground.Shewasn’tsurewhatwashappeninguntilshefelta stingonherrear.SheturnedherheadandsawJeristrikeherrearendwithone hand.PainradiatedthroughSana’sbodyagain.Thoughshetriedtoresist,soon tearscametohereyes.
“Jeri,stopit!Shedidn’tmeanto,”Karisaid.ShetriedtostopJeri’sarm, butherbodywastooweak.ShebecameweakerastheStoneofChange flashed.KarishrankuntilshewasevensmallerthanVal.Thebottomofher robefelltothegroundwhilethetophalf—whichnowwentdowntoherknees—