The Red Planet (Part 2)

(Lalah POV)

The sun above me was scorching hot. I could feel the heat sink into my very bones. This type of weather brought back a glimpse of that other world. A vast light brown sand filled landscape with no clouds that blocked the sun, revealing a beautiful bright blue sky. Different from my world, where the land was red, and the sky was a lighter color red.

I was completing my lepondelo(1) training. A type of training that helped strengthen my body in preparation for more advanced training. My papa told me that if I do not train hard, I won't get as strong as him. And that if I'm weak, I'll die and get eaten.

"One-hundred…forty-five *huff* one…hundred-forty-six *huff* one-hundred…forty-sev…en…" I was on the ground pushing myself up with a basket of rocks on my back.

"Just three more, Lalah!" My brother encouraged me from the side. He stood under the dark green, almost black, colored leaves of a similar almost black colored tree. While on either side of him were trees similar to the one he was under. His light brown hair and eyes shone with concern and encouragement as he watched me. He knew that he couldn't help me. This was my choice anyway. I chose to go through with this training because I knew my brother couldn't handle it.

"One-hundred…*huff* forty-eight…*huff* one…hundred…forty…nine…*huff* *huff* one…hundred…fifty!" I collapsed on the ground. The basket full of rocks fell to the side causing a small tremor. I ignored that as I tried to calm my breathing and relax my small five seasons old body that was in pain.

"Suba!(2) Suba! You did it!" My brother ran toward me. "Suba, Lalah." He kneeled next to me with a smile as he brushed my hair to the side. I smiled weakly in return as I snuggled up against him. He always smelled good. When I was with him, the noise that I could not quite understand, seemed to fall silent when he was near. I could relax with him.

He let me snuggle against him as he ran his fingers through my messy hair. I was content with just laying there but I heard heavy footsteps approaching us. I grit my teeth and exhale reluctantly. I knew who was coming toward us. I got up slowly from the ground as I stood-up straight looking toward the direction of the footsteps.

"Lalah?" My brother was confused but he still stood up and followed what I was doing, grabbing my hand in the process. "Whose there?" He whispered.

"Jus' papa." I whispered back. Although we were twin souls, we were quite different from each other. My brother was weaker than me in strength and speed, but he was really smart. He was great at making traps and building weapons. Mama always said that if I was the greatest warrior, then Kai-El would be the greatest trapper. He was great at hunting too, but I had better senses then him.

From the entrance of the clearing, papas large frame could be seen. He was walking toward us with a stern expression on his face. His grey hair was braided and tied behind his head. He wore his grey and black speckled fur cape over one shoulder, as if to hide something. I took note of that and kept my posture calm yet ready to move at any moment. The last time papa did something like that was when he did a surprise attack and hit me with a firm leather ball in my face. He laughed and told me that a warrior has to be prepared for anything. But then he was scolded by mama, and she forced him to sleep outside as punishment.

He stood in front of us. He looked at the basket of rocks then laid sprawled on the ground. "You done?" He looked back at me. I bobbed my head in return. "Suba." With that, his arm that was hidden under his cape shot out toward Kai-El. I quickly pushed Kai-El far to the side as I jump back away from papa. The thing that papa attacked Kai-El with was a short staff made out of bone. It stabbed into the ground with enough force to create a small indent in the red soil.

"Again." Papa tossed his fur cape onto the side where Kai-El was as he pulled the bone staff from the ground and swung it diagonally at me. I dodged the blow as I pulled my arms up to guard my body. He pulled the staff back and thrust it toward me. I used my arms to block the blow as I used the force from it to jump back. Rolling backward I stood back up and shot toward papa. He grinned at me as he saw my reckless action. He held the staff under one arm as he held his other arm stretched out toward me with his palm open. He spread his legs and lowered his body so that he was balanced on his feet. I jumped up to punch him. He went to block me with his palm, but I dropped to the ground and slid under him to attack him from behind. Without moving he held the staff behind him to block my attack. He pushed the staff, making me fall to the ground, rolling in the dirt, away from him. "Mooi zo(3)." He smirked at me as he relaxed his stance with one hand on his hip and the bone staff on his shoulder. "But do better."

"Not if I had my own weapon." I grumbled as I got up off the ground. I began patting away the red dust from my clothing. Kai-El ran toward me, his small face scrunched up in concern and a little bit of anger, as he helped me dust off the red dirt from my back and my hair.

"Look! Now she all pilau(4)!" Kai-El glared at papa.

"A lil bit of dirt won't hurt 'er." He shrugged. "She fine."

Kai-El stood in front of me and crossed his arms. I knew what he was gonna say next. It was the kapu(5) word that always allowed us to win. I hid behind Kai-El as I peeked around him toward papa. I waited quietly to see his reaction. Kai-El took a deep breath in and said, "Imma tell mama."

At Kai-Els words, the smirk on papa's face fell and he began sweating. I covered my mouth to stop myself from laughing out loud. Papa quickly coughed to hide his fear. "T-tali(6)! Tali! No need to tell mama. It was just a fast fight. She fine, 'ae(7)?" Papa tried to appease Kai-El but he was too late.

"And here I was wondering where the children were." Papa froze stiff as a gentle, yet stern voice spoke from behind him. "So, you were the one that kept them busy, hmm." Papa stiffly turned to look behind him. A female with a slender but masculine build stood with her arms crossed looking at papa. Her light brown hair was braided over her shoulder as her light red eyes watched papa with hidden rage. "Do you have any last words, my muzh(8)?" Although mama was smiling it seemed as if a storm was raging behind her.

When mama got mad, nothing could stop her. She's absolutely terrifying when she's angry. Even papa knew about it.

"Z-zhena(9)." He completely lost his tough-guy attitude as he stood in front of his zhena, his life-partner, and our mama. "I-I thought you would be at home? Wh-what are you doing h-here?" He nervously asked her as he tried but fail to hide the bone staff.

Mama watched him fumble over his words. Then she turned toward us and saw me covered in dust and sweat. She turned toward papa and began smile brightly. Papa seemed dazed at mamas smile but her next words brought him back.

"Kneel."

"Huh?" Papa was stunned for a second. But when he understood how upset she was he wordlessly knelt on the ground. He placed the staff on the side of him as he preformed the ultimate form of submission. He relaxed his arms with his palms facing toward the sky. With his eyes open looking at the ground, he tilted his head to the right exposing his vulnerable neck toward his zhena. He waited patiently for what was to come.

"Now, muzh." She watched him now without a smile. "Do you know what you have done wrong?"

It was mama's lecture time.