‘This is an interesting thing, is it not?’

Peter started at the burbling warbles that came from his side. He relaxed when he understood the sounds as manisaur words. ‘Kituqarup. You’ve been scarce.’

The manisaur cocked their head and their aura flashed confusion.

‘But it is interesting. This gathering of clans. Unprecedented. Though I hoped for a joining. Apart these humans can not stand against these invaders. Together they might be a force to stand up to them.’

‘It took me a long time to realize this planet was Eoth. I’ve never seen so many humans together here before.’

‘Yes. It is remarkable,’ Kituqarup said. ‘I’ve given up hope of ever sharing my knowledge, but knowledge for its own sake is worthy alone.’

‘Where did they come from? They are not nuvra are they?’

‘I do not know how so many humans came to be on Eoth. Natural increase explains much perhaps. But I do know where they came from before they settled on Qhayuhanpathi, this long land.’

‘I thought this was the only large continent.’

‘No. It is but one of many. Though much is myth because to leave Qhayuhanpathi is to face dangers beyond reckoning.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You see the mounts, the gharumal, dhomqari — moasaurs, and the rest of these large beasts. The grazing animals. They are not native to Qhayuhanpathi.’

‘Where did they come from?’

‘The otherlands beyond the sea. This land of Qhayanpa has no large beasts except those brought from the otherlands.’

‘And the quevantaqi? Where do they come from?’

‘It is not certain,’ Kituqarup said. ‘But there are few to none in the otherlands. It is much too dangerous in those lands where huge beasts rule. Only on Qhayuhanpathi, this land of Qhayanpa, can we quevantaqi thrive.’

‘But the humans came from the otherlands. Perhaps driven here is the better word. And they brought these large beasts with them.’

‘How on Earth… how did they manage that. These beasts a huge. Bigger than anything from where I come from.’

‘As eggs of course. They came over the seas and brought all these beasts, and others, as eggs. Then reared them to adulthood.’

Peter rocked back. His image of the world had suddenly expanded.

Why did I never think of the rest of the planet?

‘Of course there is a huge world out there,’ Peter said. ‘Beyond this continent there is an entire world. We have to get this skyship flying.’

‘Not many would take the risk. Few quevantaq would. You could not man such a vessel with humans alone. It is a vain hope I think.’

‘Maybe. But there’s more going on than just united the Clans.’

Kituqarup took hold of Peter’s arm, their aura flashed concern and alarm. ‘I do not understand humans as well as I might, but I know enough. Do not allow them to be divided again. Sarah is right. Van sha luthara, va’ri thuzhura — Together we stand, or fall undone.’

‘Yes. Sure. But I think we can stand together with the skyship above us. You don’t want the invaders to have it do you?’

Kituqarup remained silent as they looked around at the gathered humans, at the hubbub of conversation, the movement of people and factions, as all worked for consensus.

‘No. This is too precious a thing to lose to the invaders. I do not understand these quevantaqi.’ Their aura flashed his confusion and doubt.

‘Kituqarup,’ Peter said. ‘I’m pretty sure these invaders are not quevantaq. They are not from Eoth. Instead they are true invaders from another place altogether.’

The manisaur’s aura went dark, and then flashed a hundred questions in a confusion of color and pattern. But under it he saw how the quevantaq questioned the truth of his words.

‘You’ve been around humans a long time Kituqarup. You understand their minds better than any quevantaq I have met. But I do not lie.’

‘I believe you speak your truth. But this is momentous. Beyond belief.’

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‘Believe it.’

A trumpeting call rose from all around. A wedge of mounts moved through the crowd, and another came from the opposite direction. Smaller packs converged on a single place where Thorn, Sarah, Vale and senior River Clan had gathered. The crowd moved back to clear a space around the core leaders.

‘They’ve come to a decision,’ said Kituqarup.

‘No. I think they’re about to vote on it.’

‘They have never gathered in such numbers in moot that I know of.’

The mounts took time coming into a circle. Many people found themselves in the center. Peter and Kituqarup amongst them. The cousins saw them in the crowd as few wanted to stand too near the Snow Shaman and Peter the man only adopted into the Snow Clan.

‘They’re about to vote,’ said Tiz.

‘What’s been happening?’ Peter had been distracted by Kituqarup’s conversation.

‘The riders have been speaking to groups in the crowd. Finding out what they all think. They’ve been chosen to vote for the groups.

‘Delegates? Really?’ Peter grinned. ‘That will upset Grey no end. He’s not the sort to let people have their own way.’

‘Which way do you think they will vote?’ said Jan.

‘It’s always hard to say,’ said Peter. ‘Knowledge sways less than emotion. That has always been the downfall of democracy.’

‘Is this what this is? Democracy?’ said Tiz.

‘I don’t know. They’re trying. But that’s more than many people.’

A rider rode into the center of the circle and stood on the muzzle of their mount as it reared up on hind legs.

‘Who’s that?’ said Jan.

‘Turq. Who would have thought?’ said Peter.

‘Is that a good thing?’ Tiz stared at the young woman in obvious admiration.

‘Yeah. I think it is. I really do.’

‘She’s not going to sing a song is she?’ said Peter.

‘No. That’s kind of thing Sarah has a habit of doing,’ said Kituqarup.

‘What did the shaman say?’ Tiz craned to see over the thronging Clan who pressed towards the River Clan woman.

‘Shh. Something’s happening,’ said Peter.

‘Not that we can understand,’ Jan said. She stood next to the shaman. Peter knew neither understood the other but somehow they had developed a friendship.

The two clans had given authority to the riders to vote. Two hundred and eighty mounts in all. Peter wished he had brought Girl from the hold. It would have been a better view. A spectacular sight with the great beasts pawing the ground, twitching as they eyed each other as if expecting attack.

Peter felt the nervous anticipation from all of them.

Overwhelmingly the Clans chose to unite, greater strength together. But a decision to pass over the mountain or to find pastures closer at hand they deferred.

‘Makes sense. How can they make a decision when they don’t know what pastureland there might be found.’

Then Vale for the Snows stepped up and called for the vote on leadership. The division fell between Snows and River without resolution. The Snows would not accept a River, and the smaller clan did not want to be dominated.

‘They speaking of a joint leadership,’ said Peter. ‘Split leadership between a River and a Snow.’

‘You mean like a Prime Minister and a President?’ said Jan.

‘More like co-leaders. Each can veto the other,’ said Peter. ‘That would mean deadlock. They need three voices.’

‘Kituqarup,’ Peter said. ‘You need to tell them, they need to three leaders. We can’t tell them. We’re outsiders.’

‘If you could get to Sarah. You could tell her,’ said Kituqarup.

‘Better if you go. You’re Clan.’

‘I’ve never been accepted as Clan.’

‘That’s even better.’

Peter took hold of the manisaur and dragged them towards the group in the center of the circle, but stepped away as he pushed the old manisaur to step the last distance alone.

Their aura flashed surprise, but then determination.

A murmuring spread around the old manisaur as they moved through to where Thorn and Vale stood with the River Clan leaders.

‘What does this one want?’ said Turq. ‘They are not Clan.’

‘No. I am not. But let me speak,’ the manisaur bobbled their head as if agreeing with themself. ‘Divide the leadership by three. There is wisdom in this.’

‘But we are two. Where would the three come from?’

Kituqarup pulled himself tall. ‘Until we come to a decision about crossing the mountains or settling upon unknown pasturelands, you would do well to choose the master of the skyship.’

‘What? You mean Sarah?’

‘No. I mean Peter Drake. He is the outsider and can look in with clearer vision.’

Voices erupted in argument. Support for three voices grew, but the overwhelming decision emerged amongst the group to put the Snow and River leaders forward for appointment first. The third tying vote would only be taken when needed by bringing the moot together.

Peter and the others pushed towards Sarah as the voting began.

‘They will not accept Thorn and Grey,’ said Sarah. ‘They want new voices, new leaders, for a new time.’

‘Who then?’ said Jan

‘Wait.’ Sarah took to her mount and joined the voting.

Several rounds of discussion and voting took place. The mounts rose, first united as clans but over time as the choice of leadership settled more agreement saw the entire circle of mounts rearing and crying out as one. Riders stood on the heads of their mounts, waving flags to show their Clan mates their choices. Cries of support rolled across the crowd of thousands like the mounting action of a football game.

In the end the Vale and Turq rose to joint leadership. The second in leadership for both clans meant both continuity, experience, but also change. Murmurings for a tie breaking third kept rolling around though.

The two co-leaders rose up on their mounts and all fell silent.

Peter saw Thorn did not look sad or unhappy at all. He roared in support as loud as any. Grey had spoken for himself, for continuity, but had been shouted down. His bullying had consequences when all were free to speak. The mood of the crowd turned against him. He rode away and did not even vote his delegates choice.

Turq and Vale’s mounts faced one another as if poised to do battle. The mounts rose on rear legs and the two leaders stood on the muzzles of their mounts. The trust in the beasts awed Peter. One toss of the head, and jaws would take a single moment to swallow the rider whole.

All around the mounts in the circle lowered their heads, stretched out, and began to rumble. The crowd took up the sound in a droning that ebbed and flowed.

Vale and Turq stared at one another over the space of less than a meter and reached out their hands. Then the crowd roared and all the mounts reared up like a flower blooming.

‘Holy heck,’ said Peter. ‘What did we just see?’

‘The birth of the Snow River Clan,’ said Sarah. And she laughed. ‘You know those two fancy each other. This might be a different sort of union too.’

‘Really? Opposites attract then?’

‘Not always.’ Sarah smiled at him and Peter’s heart leapt. ‘But sometimes.’

‘I’m thinking that tie breaking third voice is a good idea. As long as it’s not me.’