Geyt kicked me awake. He was the current leader of our gang,
and thus it was his job to kick us awake. If there are qualities to leadership
beyond the ability to kick us awake, then Geyt made a special effort to keep
them hidden.
'Up, Kal! To work. Leic is due to walk among us again. You
must go find him.'
I liked Leic more than Geyt, whose kicks were less
coordinated and more likely to cause damage. Leic was better at finding the
shape of a good vessel, too.
Within moments of the kick I was walking away from the camp,
passing beneath the wide-limbed trees towards the healing pools.
Jiar joined me in my task before I had reached the cliffs.
He was the next smallest of us, and thus the second most likely to be kicked by
Geyt.
'Leic will spit teeth when he discovers who won the fight to
replace him.'
'It's too late for him to challenge,' I said. 'The hollowing
is half-done.'
'Leic would have found us a better bole to shape.'
I hadn't bothered to answer the man; the fight was old news
and I had no interest in discussing its details with one of the losers.
We reached the land's edge at a place where the cliffs
offered an easier climb down to the healing pools.
'Do you know where he is?'
Jiar shook his head. 'His burning was long and bright. He'll
be in deeper water.'
I pointed towards the rocky stack with the arch at its base
and the tree sprouting from its midpoint: 'There's guardians over there. Half a
dozen at least.'
'No. Too deep, I reckon. The kelps grow thick at the
footings there. Let's try over this way first.'
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