Domonic turned to face where Zeph was sitting with Han on his lap. “Would you like to know their names?”
“Of course,” Han said.
“Zephus and Hanum,” Domonic said. “I guess they Talin-ized your name, Han.”
“Awww, that’s sweet,” Han said.
Zeph was without words. Looking around at all the smiling faces, he finally realized how humans had managed to be so resilient despite all their hardships and misfortunes. They could build a community anywhere they went.
“The ancestors have blessed me,” he whispered, hugging Han close to his chest.
The excited talking faded into the background as Han rubbed one of her hands over his aching scent gland.
“They sure did,” she agreed, her soft words full of gentle humor. “Because they brought you to me.”
“And you’re going to keep me forever?”
“Forever,” she agreed.
He needed to hear that word again because it was perfect. “Repeat,” he demanded.
“Forever and ever and ever.”
Chapter 20
Almost one year later - Christmas Day
Zephrum
“Sit,” he ordered the young jinjoos in front of him. Mitzy immediately plopped her fuzzy rump on the ground and wiggled, eager to please. Her three siblings were behind her and also obeyed the command, but a little slower.
“Very good,” he praised and tossed each a pellet. Each one flicked out a long tongue to catch the pellet, except for Ditzy who looked down to follow the path of a bug flying between his front legs and missed the pellet altogether. Mitzy was quick to grab his pellet off the ground before he even realized a treat had been tossed.
Taking pity on Ditzy, he tossed a pellet between the jinjoo’s legs so he could find it.
The sweet jinjoo flicked out his long tongue, missed the pellet entirely, and pulled a pebble into his mouth. That allowed Mitzy to steal another one.
Giving up, Zeph stepped forward and held a pellet out in the palm of his hand. Ditzy managed to get it that time.
“I hope you grow smarter as you get older,” he said, petting the jinjoo’s' soft, fluffy head. One of the main reasons for raising jinjoos was for their fur. It was cut off several times a year and sold to processors who turned it into luxury clothing. The other, less common reason, was for dexterity shows. Evolving in a mountainous environment, jinjoos had the ability to balance all six hooves on a bit of jagged rock no bigger than his thumb. The first time he’d seen a vid of it, he’d been sure it was fake.
Jinjoo competitions were a series of jumps, climbs, and balance holds. Competition was fierce, and the winners could bring home large purses.
Ditzy was never going to be a prize winner, but Mitzy was already showing promise. It was impressive how very different two siblings from the same litter could be!
These were their first jinjoos, born from the bonded pair Han had bought about half a solar ago. So far the training was slow, but he and Han were learning how to be good owners and trainers at the same time Mitzy, Ditzy, Lazy, and Tansy were learning to be good jinjoos.
Tansy, the most alert of all the siblings, focused his eye on something behind Zeph. Before he could turn, a familiar voice spoke up.
“Uncle Zeph, Mom told me to come out and help you,” Lirsum said. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Please check the water dispenser,” Zeph instructed. “After that, you can come in here and help me with the lift command.”
The six-solar-old child was quick to open the gate and rush off to the far end of the enclosure to check the water trough.
Both children had struggled after first arriving on Inneeko. The lack of strict structure had made it difficult for Lirsumand Rishmun to settle, even after being enrolled in the nearby school.
After almost an entire solar they were only now finally starting to accept that, even with a schedule, there was always some chaos.
