The Traveler, still feeling some of the effects of his head injury, found it more trouble that it was worth trying to follow Maldore around as he packed supplies. The newborn Namican still shakily stood close to her brother Palluck, who was trying to explain that he was not her mother, albeit unsuccessfully. The young female still watched him intently, her lips moving with faint words sounding every so often.
Their guest eyed both brothers, shaking his head slightly. "For lads your age, you're doing better than I would have expected for keeping the house together in the last few weeks."
Palluck, seizing his opportunity, nodded toward the Traveler. "How did you know our parents were gone? Did you see them taken?"
The Traveler shook his head. "I didn't. I... stumbled, almost quite literally, into the gathering place. I found notes painted into the rocks with times and dates about it, and I've worked with writing paint. I knew it was a number of days old. And the tracks leading in around the area came from every direction, but only left in one. Opposite from here."
Noticing that his sister was watching their guest now, Palluck thought quickly. "You used another weird term, 'lad.' What does that even mean?"
The Traveler chuckled. "Sorry, just been spending a lot of my time with some of the other species that shared our world. They talk like that."
Palluck stiffened. "Other species? But Namicans almost never get to meet anyone else!"
"Not normally, no. But I was given a unique chance."
Palluck nodded. "Wait, what did you mean, 'shared?' They're not still here?"
The Traveler hesitated. "Some are not any longer. They have been led to other worlds."
"Is that where our parents are?"
He shook his head, wincing. "No. At least, I don't think so."
"Why?"
The Traveler gave a slight bob of his head, eyeing the polished stone ceiling carefully. "Only one is capable of moving so many between the worlds. And he was not involved with moving any Namican's last I remember."
Palluck nodded. "I dunno what to do about my sister here."
"Attaching to the first living thing it sees is often a trait of newborns. But there is a special bond between a mother and her child. When we find your parents, I have no doubt that problem will be resolved."
"I meant feeding her. You really don't know what to do about that, do you?"
The Traveler swallowed. "Not without a heavy price. It would be safer to get her where she belongs."
Maldore padded up, dropping a heavy satchel on a nearby table. "We're ready. Palluck, carry her if she can't keep up with us."
His younger brother stood forward. "She's almost as big as I am!"
Maldore nodded. "But not as heavy when newborn. We can rotate after our first meal, so you don't have to carry this thing's full weight." he pulled the straps of the satchel over his shoulders. "And Traveler... lead the way. Quickly."
