Breaking the Ice (Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Four

ZODIAC

The thrum.

There it was again. The presence. It was nearby.

The stranger could prove useful to his mission, if not, he'll simply dispose of them. What his mission was, the Chief was vague. He knew that he was on the right course, though, He could feel it. The tug in his consciousness pulled him toward whatever it was. But the tug in his chest pulled in the other direction.

Neither spoke until the talkative stranger broke the comfortable silence. "So...are you, ah, alone...out here?" The zilch asked, falling into step behind Zodiac. He turned around, glaring as he nodded his head. "Why? Were you betrayed or separated?" More like shoved away and forced to evacuate into this green hell hole. She waited for an answer, when there wasn't one, she spoke again. "I take you don't talk?"

Zodiac was going to call her zilch. A talkative nothing that lacks intelligence nor hostility. He craned his neck down to scrape a marking into the bark of a tree with his horn, so he knows he's passed here.

...

They continued to march, the zilch didn't complain. Sadly. Otherwise he had an excuse to kill her rather than being useful. He led them up the mountain, he could get a better view from up there.

The mountain was steep, only the trees could be reliable as climbing tools. The zilch caught up with him, which was somewhat impressive.

But then she began talking again. "So...uh..you may be wondering why we attacked your camp..." Then she slapped her forehead, like she didn't want to word her statement that way. She was entertaining, he admitted to himself, but for how long before she ceases to amuse him? Before he really has no use for her? She sighed, "the two Scorpians you imprisoned. They were my friend's parents. We were just gonna break them out. But I must've taken a long time coming back so my friends kinda attacked..."

Why was she telling him this? Zodiac couldn't care less. But what did interest him was that she claimed to befriend an Icee, Heatling, and Scorpian. Which was impossible. Curious, he motioned his fingers in finger-speak.

What are you? What are you doing with other tribes?

"Who am I?" She asked, pressing her fingers into her chest. So she could understand finger–speak. "Who are you?"

Zodiac crossed his arms, then gestured something else.

I'm Zodiac, zilch.

"Oh! You're Zodiac!" She realized. "I've heard someone mentioning you and some mission." Zodiac's arms dropped to his sides, he reached for a weapon from his belt when she added, "You can do your mission, I won't stop you." She quickly reassured. "Also....what's a zilch?"