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horkbajirThen, below me, I saw a sight that made me glad to be there. A strange creature like nothing Earth has ever given birth to. It was four feet tall. There were razor-sharp blades at its ankles, knees, wrists, and elbows. There were two long, forward-raked horns coming from its head. It had a tail that ended in Stegosaurus spikes.
A young Hork-Bajir.
A young, free Hork-Bajir.
It was swinging, leaping through the trees like a monkey or a squirrel. Running through the tree branches, but happy-running, not scared-running.
Hork-Bajir don't live as long as humans. So they grow up faster, too.
Ket Halpak woke up and smiled at me. Her daughter did not smile, just looked at me curiously.
<Thanks for telling me the story, Jara,> I said. <I guess ... I guess we can hope that someday there will be another great Hork-Bajir seer like Dak Hamee. Maybe he'll be luckier, huh?>
"Yes," Jara Hamee said.
"Yes," Ket Halpak agreed.
I opened my wings, ready to catch the breeze.
"Tobias," Jara said. "This daughter named Toby. Name for Tobias."
<Wow. That's an honor, Jara and Ket> I was really touched. It was a typically sweet HorkBajir thing to do <But it's kind of a strange name for a Hork-Bajir, isn't it?>
"Yes," Ket agreed. "Strange name."
"Good name," Jara said. "Toby is different."
"Yes," Ket agreed, "Toby is different."
I smiled to myself and caught the breeze beneath my wings. But then, just as I lifted off, I felt the strangest tingling sensation. I veered back and floated above the Hork-Bajir.
<When you say Toby is different. . .> Jara and Ket didn't answer. Instead, the Hork-Bajir girl herself looked up at me and smiled a very serious smile. "Yes, Tobias, friend of the Hork-Bajir. Yes, I am different."
The wind picked me up then, and I soared up and away. But with my hawk's eyes I watched them for a long time. And at some point, I started feeling really good. I felt happy because Jara Hamee was right. Stories have no end. And my namesake, Toby Hamee, the descendant of a brave Andalite girl and a Hork-Bajir seer, was going to write the next chapter.
A young Hork-Bajir.
A young, free Hork-Bajir.
It was swinging, leaping through the trees like a monkey or a squirrel. Running through the tree branches, but happy-running, not scared-running.
Hork-Bajir don't live as long as humans. So they grow up faster, too.
Ket Halpak woke up and smiled at me. Her daughter did not smile, just looked at me curiously.
<Thanks for telling me the story, Jara,> I said. <I guess ... I guess we can hope that someday there will be another great Hork-Bajir seer like Dak Hamee. Maybe he'll be luckier, huh?>
"Yes," Jara Hamee said.
"Yes," Ket Halpak agreed.
I opened my wings, ready to catch the breeze.
"Tobias," Jara said. "This daughter named Toby. Name for Tobias."
<Wow. That's an honor, Jara and Ket> I was really touched. It was a typically sweet HorkBajir thing to do <But it's kind of a strange name for a Hork-Bajir, isn't it?>
"Yes," Ket agreed. "Strange name."
"Good name," Jara said. "Toby is different."
"Yes," Ket agreed, "Toby is different."
I smiled to myself and caught the breeze beneath my wings. But then, just as I lifted off, I felt the strangest tingling sensation. I veered back and floated above the Hork-Bajir.
<When you say Toby is different. . .> Jara and Ket didn't answer. Instead, the Hork-Bajir girl herself looked up at me and smiled a very serious smile. "Yes, Tobias, friend of the Hork-Bajir. Yes, I am different."
The wind picked me up then, and I soared up and away. But with my hawk's eyes I watched them for a long time. And at some point, I started feeling really good. I felt happy because Jara Hamee was right. Stories have no end. And my namesake, Toby Hamee, the descendant of a brave Andalite girl and a Hork-Bajir seer, was going to write the next chapter.
