Evaluations of the Tribe : Prossia Book 0 - Act 3

Chapter 11.1

Chapter 11

Pick and stuff, pick and stuff. That was the beat fourteen-year-old Aly made as she plucked weeds in the field. Some shifts could go on for four hours, while others took six. Either way, the mastra was worn out by the time she was done. She brushed a tent back; they now went a little past her shoulders and were blue beyond the base of her head

"Why not take a moment, Nala?" Aly told the large four-legged creature plowing the gravel for her up ahead.

Nala turned her large head and snorted through her snout. Her pair of tiny blue eyes fluttered their eyelashes before turning back around and moving on.

"Aw, I beg. Truly, we made goal already along with the second quota. I assure you, the tribe shall be well off, indeed. Thus, be a good choulloo and hold, if for a moment." Aly leaned over to the creature's left ear. "I shall sing this one a melody if you do."

She hummed and rubbed between one of the eight fans made out of hardened skin protruding from Nala's back. The creature howled slightly and Aly scratched Nala's rough and bumpy gray skin even harder. The choulloo sat back on her hind legs, which were larger than her front.

"There, that be a good mastra." Aly undid the yoke around Nala's neck. "I shall hate having to give you up when I become of Young Age. Truly, this one makes the task easier."

Aly rolled her neck around twice when she felt a kink. Even though the Little One had an extra load of expectations to meet, she still had to go to school and the sparring grounds. She didn't complain, though. Any Goolian of a good age was expected to tend the tribe's fields, no matter what. Still, the work was easier when she didn't have a migraine after getting kicked in the head.

Aly popped her neck again and swore quietly after patting her assigned choulloo on the hump. The wallop Catty got on her during sparring that afternoon was more irritating than anything else. Teacher said she might have gotten a slight concussion, but she was still good enough for work after school. So, like any proper young Goolian, Aly didn't fuss, whine, or talk back to an elder. She just did as told.

A good Goolian did three things, after all. They were to fight, to learn, and to work. There be nothing beyond the tribe. Besides, she knew she'd have to get used to moving when her body begged her not to. The Evaluations started tomorrow.

Stranded in the middle of the wilderness for only Truth's Grace knew how long, she and the rest of the Goolians between thirteen and nineteen would be pushed to the limit. Food and water would have to be found while other teams were hunting her. Fatalities were very rare, but still possible, and even if the deaths didn't happen, she was witness to the potential injuries years ago. This was far from any game or sparring match she ever had at the grounds.

Shanvi told her the assessment was more of a spiritual enlightenment than a physical analysis, but Aly didn't care about that. She just wanted to prove her worth to her people. Without their approval of her value, she might as well have been a castaway. Let the alien nations go about their own business; the next few weeks belonged to Planet Gooliun, as far as she was concerned.

After rubbing her left shoulder, the Little One sat down and leaned against Nala. The chouloo snorted loudly and nudged her off. Aly rubbed the back of her head when it bumped against the creature's back. As far as she could tell, there was nothing but muscle on the gentle giant.

Aly cleared her throat. "Apologies. I did not forget."

She hummed as she rested against Nala again, and the creature rewarded the Goolian by letting her use her body as the temporary pillow needed. Aly just knew bending over for so long in the fields couldn't possibly be good for someone her age, especially since she was still growing. And growing was an understatement in her case.