Incarnation | Wandering Stars Volume One

Chapter 6

BAHYITH

Sariel sat on one of the rocks arranged in a circle at the center of the Chatsiyr village. Across from him sat the elder and his brothers—the other senior members of the tribe. The pale orange of the setting sun carved out shadows among their stern faces, making them appear even less friendly than during their previous visit. As was customary, the women of the tribe waited on the men, bringing the evening meal wrapped in a thick, broad leaf, tied into a bundle with a long strand of grass.

Despite their earlier hostility, the hospitality of the Chatsiyram was lavish when one was invited by the elder. Earlier in the morning, from the moment Sariel had entered the village, he was treated like a cherished object. The children ran up to him and began to touch the skin of his arms and legs, wondering at his paleness. He recognized some of them from their playtime at the nearby stream. The same boy, who had originally led him into the village, again took his hand and seemed content to just walk alongside. Sariel instantly took a liking to the child.

After the children were shooed away, the men casually led Sariel around their village, showing him how things were arranged. They enjoyed bragging to him about their building skills which were, indeed, impressive. Their living structures, set back from the central meeting area, were also made entirely from trees and grasses, but were more elaborate, with windows and multiple rooms. The men held back from discussing anything important, but Sariel knew that the time would eventually come.

After a few hours, he was then entrusted to the care of the women where he observed their food gathering responsibilities. Being herbivores, they foraged in the nearby forests, fields, and along the riverbanks for anything edible. Whatever they gathered, they brought back to the village to be prepared later in the evening.

Sariel sat now with the result of this work in his hands, given to him by one of the elder's other daughters. Normally, the wives and daughters would work together, with all the females attending to the needs of the patriarch of each immediate family. But with a guest among them, the responsibilities of the elder's daughters were conferred upon Sariel. It was a custom that should have excited him. But there was no sign of Sheyir. He'd felt distracted all day, constantly looking over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of her. Now, he was beginning to wonder if she had been locked away somewhere, punished for making contact with a stranger before the elder had allowed it.

Sariel looked methodically from face to face among the crowd that had gathered around them, searching while he waited for the men to initiate the meal.

The elder began to untie the bundle before him.

Sariel momentarily gave up looking to concentrate on the task at hand, mimicking the actions of the tribe leader. The dark green leaf slowly unwound to reveal a moist clump of vegetables that had been soaked in water, then mashed. Sprinkled over the top were small pieces of dried fruits and nuts.

The men dug their fingers into the paste and lifted it to their mouths.

Sariel watched, then followed their example. When the paste entered his mouth, his tongue exploded with various sensations he'd never experienced before. In the Eternal Realm, all things were sustained by the Spirit of the Holy One. But in the Temporal, other methods had to be devised for maintaining life—food was a necessity here. Sariel moved the sticky substance around in his mouth to experience it more fully, then swallowed it quickly. He wasn't sure if the tastes were pleasurable, but they were certainly vivid.