Arboreal Installment 10 [the original. picking up from installment 8]

she drawled, if ye'd swallawed a mouth 'o that and we would not uh be able to save you. with that she set down her stirrer to reach a few fingers and thumb into a small pot and tossed side hand some pungent dust over the two bowls. she jammed a pair of spoons in one, and handed them both to him. arching a brow and cocking her head sideways she said, now ye won't die when ye have your bite. with that she motioned with her chin that their business had concluded.

as he turned away and walked off, a musical peal of laughter erupted from the direction of the stall he'd just left. with the bowls too full to lurch around and see if it were truly the same woman laughing, he had to assume it was. he dodged and swerved through the bustling pop-up marketplace back to where quo had still slept when he'd ventured off in search of breakfast. sitting far enough off from her that should someone want to speak they would do so without disturbing quo.

taking a spoon and bowl oto, peered down into the still warm and fragrant patchwork of harvest colored blotches,

all solids having nearly liquefied. after placing quo's near her he sat and lifted his spoon eagerly to his lips as the smell was so enticing. now he could have at it. an appreciative slurp presented a plurality of textures and flavors. each bite bursting with juices, and the spice that had been added. after the food had cooled it looked like the sparkles from a long sunset on water, only in the colors of the land. they stood out in the chewy brothy food, not melting and acting as sudden crunchy flares of flavor. tiny brief infernos flared on his tongue and lips as the granules came to rest on the light film of oil there from the food. he'd known quo would find it surprising and different to the flavors either we're used to. in many ways it was comforting and he knew she'd like it. from the satisfied grunts he soon heard his guess was correct.

oto motioned to the man wearing a pack filled with a local tea that he dispensed to customers in the containers they had or ones he provided crafted from woven leaves. the vendor stepped in to the zone of the barrier oto had erected to ensure quo till the got the quietude she needed. he stood to accept the two cups proffered to him and got a wink when oto traded a coin in return. the seller smiled and tapped the pocket of his garment as he walked off.

quo stepped into place beside him and exchanged her empty bowl and spoon for a cup of tea. oto smiled as he took them quickly running them back to the stall where he'd got them. then they both sat and sipped at their cups. exhaling appreciative puffs of pungensteam in the chill dawn air. they watched the activity in the trading stop until their cups were empty. when they heard the conveyance sound to alert it's passengers of imminent departure they stooped to grab their the parcels of belongings they and set off in the direction of the sound.

once all of the riders were assembled the captain of the vessel spoke to explain how the next leg into the drylands would be carried out. everyone was aware of the extreme heat of the area but few had traveled in it. in their group none had, save the operating crew of the vessel. to the group they started speaking of how they had to be ready for at least a 20 degree increase in temperature. after the short interval between the current pre-sunlight cresting of the horizon and total sun exposure. of how they had to really push it and in the punishing heat to make it to the next destination before the second sun peeked over the horizon. at that point the the outdoor heat would be hot enough to kill if they continued.

the next stop was a naturally occurring declivity in the ground but once the riders and crew disembarked the vehicle, the people would be able to cool down from the exertions of the day. they would be able to while away the molten daytime temperatures in a much cooler, breezy space, eating drinking and resting. there was even a small depression next to the mineral springs that splashed quietly along the farthest wall from the entry. a smaller channel on the land leaving from the depression to the stream was keeping it back from these by a small floodgate. all anyone needing it after they arrived had to do was raise the gate and then the depression would fill up with water. the space was large enough to hold six grown people as they sat in the cool and effervescent waters the heat and physical and exertions would be washed gently away.

lower ranked team members of the crew stepped in front of their superior and started to speak. the elder person's head comically popping out from behind the younger as they informed the listeners of what they call, a few things you need to know. saying the words with the smugness of a precious child armed with some piece of info they're sure their parents lack.

why, they began, you may be asking, is the captain fluffing up the good points about where we're headed? the team leader's face took on a mock look of shock and then dismay. the steward continued, he didn't want to tell you all that getting there is going to be hard. it'll be hot and hard and we won't have time to delete ramone. we must push ourselves until we get there. when we do, everyone's going to want in that pool. than to eat drink and sleep, in that order. the youngster passed their gaze over the faces of the passengers and saw trepidation, anticipation, excitement and anger, even betrayal. soon though, each one settled into acceptance. they all understood that the time to've protested was before setting out.

the two crew clasped forearms and began ushering writers into position. having assured everyone that despite the straight run with no breaks frequent drinks would be given out as they rode and snacks too. with that they moved off.

once everyone had settled into an easy pace, the stewards moved from their posts, scattered amongst the writers and began to loudly vocalize a series of simple phrases rhythmically. soon the riders found themselves joining in on the chant. the pace picked up and the stewards circulated with water filled sacs, dispensing squirts to each rider. the lead steward kept on spurring the writers speed upwards so that soon only stewards and the head driver were belting out the chanty.

like the rest, quo had retreated into silence and reverie. at first on the trip, quo could admire the passing scenery. certainly, all of the riders had noticed, as where they had started out, the terrain was filled with heat and sound dampening plant life. trees providing the shady canopy, their trunks, row after row of them, acting as a buffer against the free entry of any creature. or against any wider than the largest creature known to them, could physically fit through. the main reason one has to travel through the tree hollow.

everyone had to have noticed how the vegetation was thinning. the light from over head, gone from dim to dappled to patches, to full blast sunlight with few obstructions in the way to temper its heat.

quo noticed the sounds of the mechanism they all rode upon that she hadn't before. in the grinding repetative motions her body performed she found her mind open to a new place, a cube of awareness should not previously encountered. not even in trance. in it, she stood gazing at its contours and realized she saw no doorway. there seemed to be no way out but she didn't worry over it, she simply sat cross-legged and stared into the wall facing her. the interior of the cube was dimly lit by some invisible source, and was cool. unlike the exterior and her sweating heaving body. the wall's texture appeared to be a fabric like substance, light gray in color.

it was soothing in the new space, and she relaxed, aware of her body. they were only 2 hours along when all but a green feltiness growing in patches here and there on the sandy earth was the only obvious greenery about. soon there was no sign at all of the lushness the couple had spent their life in. quo heard the noise and clatter of the vehicle carrying them to the location of the next step in her destiny.

the feet of the conveyance actually closely resembled feet. mounted atintervals on four giant wheels, each located at a point best to best stabilize the remaining portion of the propulsion drive. to prevent the wheels dropping into a crevice on the average land and snapping off due to the other three over compensating and over torquing the incapacitated turner. they were footlike protuberances that the crew's leader could activate. the rest of them directed which riders to activate their areas to necessitate getting free.

a breakdown of the vehicle would certainly decimate the living and recovery of the vehicle would be a dangerous effort. It would likely be left behind to be recovered over time by the land.

that's all just a worst case scenario, this day nothing like it occurred. from inside her cube quo rocked with the motion of the traverse and the sounds. the Sounds created by the conveyance in motion, a creak that could be felt as the weight of the people moving it shifted. a slapping air propeller like sound, although there were none on the skeletal frame of the vehicle. it was merely the result of the percussion from air rushing through the panels and joints throughout it at speed. there were creaks and cracks and squeaks and all of it combined, made a continuous rhythm that had induced quo's sensitivities. to be drawn to this place of enhanced concentration and contemplation. she noted the tempo and the staccato beat of the sounds, to share with quotienne. she set to music on one of his on one of his instruments.

gradually sound and sensation started to penetrate quo's awareness.. someone was on one side of her, a gentle female voice asking if she was all right. small warm fingertips grasping her shoulder to move it out of it now rote movement and disrupt her from her daze. on her other side oto leaned from his seat, as far as his still pumping limbs allowed him to. he called to her over the din of people's movements and grunts of exertion. quo, he called out, you got to wake! you need to drink and eat. please come out of it my love, we can't have you become a casualty out here. he then drooped himself, as if the act of raising his voice threatened to use his resources of energy up.

a steward darted over to oto, mildly scolding him. you also need to drink and eat, she said. she aimed the spout of the water sac she held closer to his mouth and he accepted the burst of fluid greedily. only the steward's regulation of its flow prevented him from draining the entire sac.

once assured that oto had had sufficient to drink the steward pulled out of wide flat leaf wrapped parcel from a pocket of their smock covered with them and they unwrapped it. revealing a cake like bar that smelled of fruit and nuts or seeds and a spicy scent of a sticky syrup ubiquitous around the planet. each region's version was a guide to the unique ingredients flavoring it. this was used to hold the ingredients together. a dusting of ground grains coated the dark richness of the bars so they could be held while eating, minimizing the stickiness transfer.

the steward instructed Otto to look up and open his mouth so the attendant could drop in more pieces. they broken off into bits into oto's mouth and the process was repeated until the bar was finished. the steward stepped away to tend to another rider. oto then turned to see how quo was faring and saw that she was just finished with her own repast, was alert and speaking to her steward. they prepared their kit to aid the next rider.

after everyone aboard had been fed and watered the team of attendance rotated and tended to themselves. this took place fairly rapidly as the stewards team leader raised their voice to give an instruction. everyone,they called out, this is it. the time for the final push. we will begin a new incantation and we want you all to just concentrate on what you're already doing and leave that to us. you will be working hard so you will probably want to, but I'm asking you not to try. conserve the energy for the push.

they pushed back the brimmed hat they wore further back on their head, which they then threw back and gulped in a great air mass. they then lowered their face to its normal place and open their mouth to vocalize a series of sounds. their colleagues soon chimed in and harmoniously be assembled responded in kind.

a feeling swept over the occupants of the vehicle and they all began to breathe in sync. their movements, which had been rather sloppy and not very well coordinated came together to the wailing tones. soon quo realized they were using a language nearly lost to time. urging the listener to reach deep for hidden depths of strength. this she felt more than deciphered and it's provenance was unimportant as it nonetheless spurred the riders to greater exertions than ever they'd known.

the vehicle fairly flew along the desiccated ground throwing up a shrapnel the writers didn't feel as it nicked their feet and legs, the exposed areas hanging closest to the ground. just as the energizing incantations effect began to wane the crew leader and captain raised voice over the clatter of the conveyance and the wheeze and huff of the riders' exertions to call out that their destination had come into view. he informed them that they'd on 10 or so passings of time increments until they arrived. the stewards began clapping and changed their singing to an upbeat anthem everyone knew, so they all joined in again. the knowledge that the journey's end was near gave them all a boost of energy. by it's end they'd arrived, the captain calling them to a halt.