The Nature of Predators - Cilany's Adventures (5/7)

First | Prev | Next 

Memory transcription subject: Cilany, Harchen Reporter

Date [standardized human time]: December 2, 2136

The diverse expression of human music revealed itself through the park’s entertainment. On the ride to his place, Lars had given me an overview of major genres and historical pieces. After easing me in with love songs and pop tunes, the Swede brought up the umbrella of rock music. The fast tempo of the music felt like a sensory assault; the vocals were raspy and even outright screaming, often with angry, defiant lyrics. The string instrument driving the noise was distorted, and the percussion was being smashed in loud fashion.

This was complemented by indulgent solos, lengthy sections which leapt between notes like they were on a timer. Lars played live renditions, which allowed me to see the chaotic craftsmanship as it occurred. The human musicians’ fingers raced across the fretboard with impossible precision, blurs of motion. The rambunctious crowd, which was a sea of thousands of predators, basked in the aggression. Some listeners were running around in circles, and slammed into each other…hard enough to knock people to the ground!

After having thought about it for a day, I still don’t get what they were doing. Someone could get injured or trampled; why is physical contact and body checking a part of music? It’s violent and uncontrolled.

Lars explained that the practice was called a mosh pit, and likened it to a form of physical release. If predators had art, this is something like what I would’ve imagined—especially the metal songs that touted imagery of blood and death. I asked whether it stemmed back to the “hunting chemicals”, and “adrenaline and danger” making him feel alive; that had been his explanation for roller coasters. The human decided that justification was fitting here too, but also thought it was about the raw emotion. My conclusion was that Terrans required outlets for their negative inclinations, though I’d research further before putting that in writing.

“Okay, Cilany! You’re going to like my idea today.” Lars was rushing me off on “an adventure”, almost as soon as I was awake. “I got them to give us a trail ride free, since it’s top-tier marketing to have you doing…well, you’ll see!”

“After yesterday’s ‘rides’, I fear what you’ve signed me up for. I won’t be riding any death traps. But, you have my thanks for providing a dinner that didn’t make me choke to death. Those vegetable platters tasted amazing with the char,” I replied.

“Glad to hear it! I almost made you kebabs, but I didn’t know how you’d feel about skewers. You herbis seem to squirm over everything sharp and pointy!”

I typed “kebab” into my holopad’s search engine. “…thought to have originated from soldiers grilling chunks of freshly hunted animals on swords, over open fires?!”

“Fuck, were they really? I had no clue, but I was gonna make veggie skewers anyways. I’ll still make them if you want?”

“I have no interest in mimicking eating meat off a battle sword. That is ridiculously predatory. Uh, no offense.”

“None taken. I wonder what Wilen would say if I made him kebabs, and then told him the origin! He needs me, so he can’t be too sore about it.”

“If he needs you, then why hasn’t he been around, yesterday or today?”

“I don’t ask questions I don’t want answers to. Fraysa and him do their own thing off in lovey-dovey land, and I sure ain’t poking my nose in it.”

“I have questions I do want answers to. About this ride…”

“It’ll be very chill and safe. A scenic tour of the outdoors—I mean, with a catch, but nothing death-defying or predatory! What we’re riding is a ‘prey’ animal with a lotta endurance.”

“What?! Lars, this makes—”

“No sense? I’ll explain everything when we get there. I was thinking about the endurance shit, and I wanted to show you an animal with high endurance that wasn’t all predatory. To boot, one that is a lot bigger and faster than us. This’ll make you feel better about humans—ooh, plus, it’ll show we don’t eat every herbivore we come across!”

I leaned away from the pale human, and consulted my holopad again for straight answers. The first entry that popped up was on working animals, which seemed to be a subset of domestication from pets or livestock. Domesticated creatures weren’t new to me; it was one of the first things the United Nations cautioned me about, upon moving to Earth. I thought Terrans kept two predator species as hunting companions, or “pets”, and prey as foodstuff. However, these specific herbivores were trained to do the primates’ bidding, rather than become someone’s meal.

From an objective point of view, using a large creature to haul goods and transport passengers before the invention of motorized vehicles was ingenious. I coerced Lars to cough up the name of the animal he wanted me to ride, and he offered the name horse. The images that came up were non-threatening, with peripheral eyes and a lack of natural weapons. Humans had been domesticating these particular grazers for thousands of years. The database about horses stated that they evolved to quickly escape predators, and that Terrans had found that quality useful. Apparently, ancient Earthlings used a prey animal with a strong flight response…to charge into battle?!

“Lars, what is ‘cavalry?’” I demanded.

The human shifted in his seat. “I don’t think you should be looking at that.”

“I’m only asking you because I suspect this is better than looking at images or in-depth descriptions.”

“It’s what it sounds like. Ancient soldiers fighting on horseback, for speed and height. I mean, our police still ride them in urban areas, places you can’t take cars and such. Look, it’s really hard to pick things that aren’t predatory, um…I’m trying this time? This outing has nothing to do with horse infantry.”

“It’s about endurance not being predatory. I heard you the first time, but the fact that predators weaponized said animal does negate your point.”

“It’s fun, cool, and safe. Maybe focus on that? I was gonna have you ride with me, since you’re short and I gotta make sure you don’t fall off. Also, you can’t get scared or nothing, or you’ll spook the horse.”

“I think the literal predator trying to sit on it is more likely to spook the poor prey animal.”

“Nah, they’re used to us! We feed ‘em and care for ‘em. That’s the power of love…see, humans are fucking awesome! We coulda been your best bros, Cilany.”

“I’m not sure how you take anything about love and ‘bros’ from that.”

“The world is what you make it! We tamed a wild animal, and expanded our pack around it. Nothing in nature can stop mankind. Now, we’re here, and it’s time for you to put your game face on!”

I sighed to myself; Lars could be a bit much, but his energy came off as more dorky than predatory. The enthusiasm with which he explained everything he knew about was infectious. Perhaps in another life, he would’ve made an excellent journalist, chasing down stories for their intrigue. This human was unapologetically proud of his species, unlike many others who danced around prey sensitivities. Being around him was cultivating some feelings of warmth toward predators as a whole, which I didn’t understand.

On the Ferris wheel, he said humans would love us until they were loved back. Maybe he meant it. That sounds like how horses came around, actually.

Despite the highs and lows, this escapade had been a resounding success so far; I’d learned more about humans in the span of 24 hours than I had in weeks prior. The question that lingered was whether I had made my first predator friend, or whether Lars was showing me around for a sense of novelty. Part of my reasoning for traveling out here was that I needed someone to accept me as a packmate. Maybe the Terran enjoyed my company, and truly cared about me as a person. He had taken the time to ask about my welfare and experiences. I’d thought his species would hate me, when my emotional baggage came out, but he hadn’t skipped a beat.

Lars sported a toothy grin as we exited the vehicle, and commented on how beautiful the outdoor scenery was. After everything his kind had been through, the past several months, I didn’t understand how this human could be so happy. We filled out some paperwork at a front desk area, waiving liability if anything went wrong. That being a standard practice for most Terran activities seemed ominous to me, but the predator was unfazed. It occurred to me that my safety was entirely in his hands; I searched his forward-facing eyes for any clues about our connection.

The predator blinked several times, as we marched toward the stables. “Is there something in my eye? I don’t feel an eyelash or anything…aw shit, is it turning red?”

“What? No,” I replied.

“Oh. You’re just staring at me funny.”

“Sorry. I…have no idea how to tell whether a human considers you a friend. I’m trying to read you.”

“Silly Cilany! Of course we’re friends; everybody can be my friend, if they want. I like anyone who’s fun to be around and who likes to have a good time. I told ya, I wear my heart on my sleeve. We have mutual trust between us, don’t we?”

“Yeah.”

“Then there’s no doubt we’re friends. And this is just another step of my master plan, making you see Earth as beautiful! Let’s do this!”

We reached a fenced-in corral, where a worker untied a beautiful tan horse. Muscles rippled beneath its smooth shoulders, and it tossed its long head toward us. Lars extended his arms in a slow motion, patting it on the snout. The mare snorted, unafraid of the predator making contact with it. The human doubled back, and ushered me to its side. There was no way I could get up there on my own, which meant I’d need a boost.

I stiffened as Lars hoisted me up, placing me on the “saddle” across its back. The blond human slipped a foot into a stirrup, and slung a leg over its spine behind me. His spindly hands gripped the reins, and I winced on behalf of the poor prey animal. It was sorrowful to see the bit between its teeth, which seemed to be how predators asserted control. The Swede whispered for me to relax, before he moved my palm onto the rope as well. Feeling worried and out of place, I leaned against the primate’s chest for support.

“Gentle, Cilany. This is how we turn her…like a steering wheel. She can’t read our minds,” Lars growled.

I drew a shaky breath. “You should do this.”

“We can do it. Together. I know this is your first time riding. We’ll start off nice and slow, and see if you want to pick up the pace, huh? Giddy-up!”

I drew a shuddering breath, as the horse began to trot forward. A dirt trail was carved up a grassy knoll, and the equine adhered to our commands without hesitation. The sound of its hooves plodding along was almost soothing. We must’ve been an odd sight from the ground; a bulky predator and a Harchen straddling a prey animal much larger than us, controlling it through ropes bound around its skull. I was grateful Lars had the sense to start off at an easy speed.

This was a glimpse for me of what the world looked like, for the galaxy’s taller species. We reached a flat stretch of land, where I could see for miles. Lars sought my approval to speed up, and with uncharacteristic recklessness, I voiced my consent. The human tapped the horse’s side with an ankle, and it galloped ahead with powerful strides. We cruised through the open space, with crisp wind buffeting our faces. Traveling required little effort from either of us; the animal’s majestic legs covered ground like it was born to run.

We’re roaming free, faster than our species could with our natural limitations. It’s breathtaking. I bet for the predators, it affords them an even greater sense of control.

I felt like I was present in the moment, far from thinking about past tragedies or future stories to write. As unnatural as the practice was, it helped me feel in tune with the primal world; the horse was at my behest, and reacting to my prompts. Even as an herbivore, I couldn’t say that I didn’t feel hooked on this power and awareness. Nothing was off-limits with the humans, no matter how crazy or perilous it was. Amid this euphoria, I wondered if their predatory pursuits were all chasing after such transcendent feelings.

“Woohoo!” Lars hollered. “We’re on top of the world!”

I closed my eyes, soaking in the gliding sensation. “Is this what it feels like to be a Krakotl, Lars? No feet on the ground, and the wind beneath your arms?”

“I…I don’t wanna compare myself to those evil fuckers. But yeah. I know what you meant.”

With an expression that had suddenly turned sullen, Lars tugged at the reins. The horse slowed to a more steady pace, and the human idly traced a hand down its long neck. The liberating experience was washed away by real-world problems from the raid; I kicked myself, for choosing that particular species as a comparison. The Swede hadn’t discussed his feelings about the attack, beyond stating that I carried no blame for the Harchen’s participation. Now, I wondered if it did burden him, despite his home tribe escaping unscathed.

I turned around to face his binocular gaze. “I really enjoyed that. You were right, Lars: Earth is beautiful. The Krakotl, or anyone else who tried, could never take away the gorgeous, free home you have.”

“Earth’s not perfect, Cilany, but it’s the planet I know and love. Wouldn’t trade it for any other rock in the galaxy,” Lars responded.

“It’s exactly what you said…a divide between beauty and chaos. People deserve to know that both exist here. That both can exist together…my friend.”

“Aw, not just exist together! Sometimes, they can be the same thing. There’s a certain beauty that can only come from the unpredictable.”

“I don’t understand. Explain?”

“Uh, I have an idea of how to show you…I’m gonna get in trouble for this one. Let’s enjoy our riding, and we can tempt the UN to arrest Lars Isaksson tomorrow, okay?”

“…yeah, let’s stick to the horses for today.”

The Terran turned his head from side-to-side, absorbing the surroundings through his narrow vision. I was glad to have the same, unrestricted view as the horse, and to be able to appreciate the full picture. It was beautiful to see how man and rider became one entity, and took the world by storm. Seeing the predator-prey relationship on display, a mutual trust learned over thousands of years, I thought there was hope for a lasting partnership between Earth and its galactic counterparts.

First | Prev | Next

A/N - Part 5! Lars takes Cilany horseback riding, and teaches her about our vast uses and dynamics between us and animals. Our Harchen friend learns a bit of the darker side of uses for horses, but overall has a positive response to taking the reins. Is she starting to like Earth for good? What does Lars have in mind for beauty and chaos being combined?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!