Page 1 of Claimed By the Krijese

Chapter 1

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Kala

Our world has changed since the first ship filled with humans arrived on Tavikh many moons ago. I stare up at the bright, clear sky from our small village within the hillside trees and watch as this latest ship slowly descends. For a brief moment, it obscures the sun, until the alien object dips below the treetops and they hide it from my view. Unless things have changed from the other ships that have landed here, I already know where it will set down.Outside of the human settlement that is beyond the trees where the Tavikhi village is located.

I have only a few regrets in life, and participating in the attacks upon the newcomers—and the subsequent deaths of far too many of them—is the biggest one.

King Armik frequently punished me when I refused to force myself on the females my people stole. Warring is all I haveever known, and I have killed hundreds from the various tribes inhabiting this planet since I picked up my first war axe as a kit.

However, I could not bring myself to harm any of the females in that way. I was willing to endure whatever consequences I must. The weakness of the humans reminded me far too much of the weakness suffered by Sorin’s momo. She had been small. Thin. Always hungry. Always sick. While she was not my true mate, I cared for her in the only way a Krijese knows how. When she wasted away to nothing after the unknown disease spread and joined our god in the holy place, I grieved her.

Sorin races past the main fire and skids to a halt in front of me. “Gogo, was that another human ship?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think any of these new humans will go to live with the Tavikhi?”

I lay my hand on his small shoulder that is still far too thin after the illness he suffered the previous cold season. “I do not know.”

“Perhaps one of the new females is your mate.”

“You know that is not possible.”

My kit stares up at me with a small tilt to his head. It is the way he always looks when he does not understand something. “Perhaps these females are different than the other ones.”

As much as I tried, I had been unable to fully hide the fact there were humans in our old village that the others attempted to force kits on. Sorin is too young to realize exactly why all those other females died. “I am sorry, but all human females are the same.”

The flicker of light in his darkened eyes dims. “Healer Sage and the shefira are very different from each other. Healer Sage’s hair is the color of fire and the mounds on her chest are far bigger than the rest of the females. She also has the most curvy body of them all except for Astrid. The warrior Remi is tall and slender like one of the fiku trees that fills the forest and her hair color is the most similar to our floks. How can you say all human females are the same when the mates of the Tavikhi warriors are nothing alike?”

I had not thought to explain how breeding works to my kit so soon, but if he is to understand my meaning, then he must learn. At least enough to satisfy him about why these new arrivals will be no different than any of the other humans who have come to Tavikh.

“Come.”

With my hand remaining on Sorin’s shoulder, I guide him to the tent we share. It is one of the few that makes up our village. Just before the Tavikhi killed King Armik and the males who attacked their people the final time, the remaining members of our tribe—the ones who no longer wished to fight and only wanted peace—moved here. The cold season was harsh, and we lost two of our elders, so our numbers are even less than they were before.

I guide Sorin into our dwelling and gesture to his pallet. He seats himself on it, and I lower myself to my own.

“Krijese and humans are not able to mate in the ways Tavikhi and humans can. There is something within us that does not mix well their females. When Krijese and humans have attempted to have young in the past, none of the kits or females have survived. None of them.” Far too often I can still hear the ragged cries of the momos as they attempted to give birth until they faded awayto nothing. “As I said, it is impossible for humans to mate with Krijese.”

“What is it within us that does not mix with them?”

I pause to think of a proper explanation. There is only one. “Our seed. Humans are unable to accept the essence Krijese males produce that create young.”

It is the only explanation I have for why the females who did not sacrifice themselves to their god died within two or three turns after giving birth, and why all the kits eventually wasted away.

That stubborn tilt of my kit’s head arrives, although I can tell there is some confusion as well. I can only guess what will leave his mouth next.

“Perhaps it was onlythose…”

“No, Sorin.” I slice my arm through the air. “Human females arenotmeant for Krijese.”

His shoulders drop and he hangs his head. There is pain in my hearts from being so harsh. I lean over and stroke his floks. “Let us go hunting. Benham said he, along with Talek and Cecily, would be doing so as well. If we are lucky, we will come across them and you can spend time with your friends.”

Sorin nods without enthusiasm and rises from his pallet to grab the war axe the Tavikhi weapon-maker crafted for him several moons ago. Benham is not only a mighty warrior and hunter, but he is the most skilled of anyone I have ever met at making weapons.

I reach for the war axe that used to belong to my gogo and secure its sheath around my shoulders and chest. Sorin steps outside without a word, and I release a sigh before following. Eversince Healer Sage saved my kit’s life and my small tribe became allies with the Tavikhi, he has developed great affection for their human mates.

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