Chapter 14: Snick-Snack Promises

The sun began its descent behind the canopy, painting the jungle in amber hues. Ssyn raised her hand, signaling the group to halt. She gestured toward a small clearing near a bubbling stream—their camp for the night.

Crystal slid carefully from Tharn's back, her muscles stiff from the day's journey. The swampgator rumbled appreciatively as Ssyn patted his scaly flank and directed him toward the water.

"Looks like a good spot," Crystal said, stretching her arms overhead. Spohr nodded in agreement, his cap glowing faintly in the dimming light.

While Kaji and Spohr gathered kindling, Ssyn and Nyzekka set about establishing the perimeter. Crystal watched in fascination as Ssyn methodically placed small bone totems at cardinal points around their camp, each carved with intricate Crocan glyphs.

"Boundary markers," Nyzekka explained, noticing Crystal's interest. "They alert Ssyn if anything crosses the line."

Within an hour, a small fire crackled at the center of their camp. Cottonmoss flitted about, sprinkling glowing spores that drifted upward like fireflies. The tiny familiar had taken to decorating their campsites, creating a homey atmosphere that Crystal found oddly comforting.

Ssyn returned from hunting with several plump fish. Crystal's stomach growled audibly as the scent of roasting meat filled the air. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until now.

"Actual protein," Crystal sighed as Nyzekka handed her a portion wrapped in a large leaf. "I haven't had anything like this in….way too long."

Kaji grinned, already tearing into his portion. "I'll have to take you back hoome sometime. My mother makes the best roasted fruity-fruit. She does this thing where she—"

He stopped, looking puzzled as Ssyn settled cross-legged with her meal, her expression serene but utterly silent. The Crocan began eating with deliberate, focused movements, acknowledging no one.

"Eloo, scale-face," Kaji called, waving a hand. "Your fooo'dle is goody-good!"

Ssyn didn't respond, continuing to eat methodically.

"What's wrong with her?" Crystal whispered to Nyzekka.

The Krenka smiled, her whiskers twitching. "Nothing's wrong. Crocans observe silence during meals—it's a sacred tradition. They believe eating is communion with the Radix, taking its energy into oneself."

"So she won't talk at all while eating?" Crystal asked.

"Not a word," Nyzekka confirmed. "It's considered disrespectful to the food, the hunt, and the cycle of life."

Kaji snorted. "Sounds like a jiggle-talk to me."

[Approximate Translation: Just sounds like a stupid excuse to me.]

The meal was indeed the best Crystal had eaten since arriving in Muragu. The fish was flavorful and perfectly cooked, seasoned with herbs she couldn't identify but found delicious. She ate slowly, savoring each bite, suddenly aware of how poorly she'd been eating before.

As they finished their meal, Ssyn finally broke her silence with a deep, satisfied exhalation. She nodded once to Crystal—acknowledgment of appreciation for the food.

"Now that fooo'dle feast is over," Kaji announced, bouncing to his feet, "it's story time!"

"Story time?" Nyzekka asked.

"It's tradition a Simari tradition," Crystal explained. "Everyone goes around telling a story from their history or ancestors."

Kaji cleared his throat dramatically. "I'll start with the tale of Linkali and Zoop—the greatest puzzle-solvers in Simari history!"

He launched into an animated story about a clever Simari couple who outwitted a series of increasingly ridiculous traps set by a jealous rival. Kaji bounded around the fire, mimicking voices and acting out scenes with exaggerated gestures. Crystal found herself laughing at his antics, especially when he impersonated the frustrated villain.

"And that's how they turned the trickster's own maze against him!" Kaji concluded with a flourish. "Linkali and Zoop—proving that two clever minds are better than one grumpy one!"

When Spohr's turn came, he released a gentle cloud of luminescent spores. As they drifted over the group, Crystal felt rather than heard his story—impressions of ancient Myconari traveling underground rivers, communicating through root systems spanning continents. The emotional resonance was profound, leaving Crystal with a sense of vast, patient wisdom.

Ssyn and Nyzekka shared their tale together—Nyzekka translating Ssyn's deep, rhythmic Crocan speech. They told of Grash-Korr, a legendary warrior, and his Krenka companion Thisla, who together defended a sacred river junction against corrupted spirits. Crystal noticed how their storytelling styles complemented each other—Ssyn's movements broad and powerful, Nyzekka's details precise and evocative.

Even Cottonmoss contributed, fluttering above the fire and using her tiny body to cast shadow puppets while emitting musical trills. Her story seemed to involve a journey through darkness to find light—simple but moving.

When all eyes turned to Crystal, she thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright. In my world, there's an ancient story about a hero named Theseus and a monster called the Minotaur."

As she recounted the Greek myth—the labyrinth, the thread, the monster—Crystal watched her companions' reactions. Kaji leaned forward, enthralled by the clever use of the thread. Ssyn nodded appreciatively at Theseus's courage. Spohr seemed troubled by the Minotaur's fate.

When she finished, a thoughtful silence fell over the group.

"Your world has good stories," Kaji declared finally. "Tricky and clever, just how I like them."

Crystal smiled, feeling a strange sense of connection as they all gazed into the flickering flames. For the first time since her mother's death, she felt something close to belonging.

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Crystal woke to the sound of frustrated muttering. She blinked sleep from her eyes to see Ssyn rifling through her gear, amber eyes narrowed in concentration. Nearby, Nyzekka was doing the same, her tiny paws moving methodically through their shared travel pack.

"Doch uslen ü kaürr zhüh?" Ssyn growled.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Nyzekka's whiskers twitched with annoyance. "No, I haven't seen your bone charm. Or my medicine pouch."

Crystal sat up, rubbing her eyes. "What's going on?"

"Some things are missing," Nyzekka explained, not looking up from her search. "Ssyn's ancestral bone charm and my herb pouch. Both were here last night."

Crystal frowned and climbed to her feet. "I'll help look."

She joined the search, checking around the perimeter of their camp. As she moved between the trees, she noticed Kaji sitting on a low branch, swinging his legs. His expression was one she recognized immediately—the barely contained glee of someone watching their prank unfold.

Crystal stopped and folded her arms. "Kaji, did you take Ssyn and Nyzekka's things?"

The Simari's eyes widened with exaggerated innocence. "Nopeeroo! Why would kreecha think that?"

[Approximate Translation: No! Why would friend think that?]

"Because you've got that look on your face," Crystal said, pointing at him. "That smug little smile. And you're the only one not helping search."

Kaji's tail flicked dismissively. "What look? This is just my face-face."

"It's the same look you had when you stole my backpack the day we met," Crystal pressed.

Kaji's facade cracked slightly. He glanced toward Ssyn, who was now overturning rocks with increasing agitation, then back to Crystal.

"That was a hoodleflick," he said, lowering his voice. "Shoosh now, these kreechas needed this snick-snack done to them."

[Approximate Translation: That was a small prank, harmless. Calm down. These prank targets need to be stolen from.]

Crystal's eyebrows shot up. "What are you talking about? What do you mean they 'needed' this?"

Kaji dropped from the branch, landing in a crouch. "They mess up chocolate quest," he whispered fiercely. "We were so close to cocoa-pods, but then Boneback gets hurt, saved by kreecha and now we go see some old seer instead? They deserve leetle lesson."

Crystal's expression hardened. "That's not okay, Kaji. You can't just steal things from people because you're upset with them—especially not people in our group."

"But Simari always—"

"No," Crystal cut him off. "I don't care what excuse you're about to give. It's not right to take other people's belongings without permission. Especially not something important to them."

Kaji's tail bristled. "You don't understand! In Simari villages, we have snick-snack traditions. It's how younglings learn quick-fingers and sharp eyes. It's respected skill!"

[Approximate Translation: In Simari villages, we have stealing traditions. It's how kids learn to be sneaky and clever.]

"If that's true," Crystal challenged, "then why did you give me back my backpack when we first met? If stealing is so accepted in your culture, why return what you took?"

Kaji's mouth opened, then closed. His ears flattened against his head.

"Because..." he began, then sighed. "Because real Simari tradition says we only take what we can return with smile. Snick-snack to teach lesson or play trick, not to hurt. When done, both sides should laugh."

Crystal gestured toward Ssyn, who was now examining the ground with intense focus, and Nyzekka, whose whiskers drooped with worry.

"Do they look like they're laughing? Is what you took something you can return to them with smiles on their faces?"

Kaji kicked at the dirt, his shoulders slumping. "No."

"Then it's not a trick or a lesson," Crystal said, her voice gentler now. "It's just stealing, and it's wrong."

For a moment, Kaji stood silently, his tail curled protectively around his legs. Then he reached into a hidden pocket in his vest and pulled out a small bone charm on a leather cord and a cloth pouch tied with twine.

"I'll give back," he muttered.

Crystal put a hand on his shoulder. "That's the right thing to do. And Kaji? I need you to promise not to steal from anyone in our group again."

"But what if—"

"No 'what ifs,'" Crystal insisted, her voice firm but not unkind. "Trust isn't optional for us—it's essential. We're all in this together, working toward helping each other survive, even when our priorities shift or our paths take unexpected turns. Without that foundation of trust between us, we're just strangers traveling in the same direction."

Kaji's ears perked up slightly. "What about chocolate quest? You forget?"

"I haven't forgotten," Crystal assured him. "But sometimes we have to put certain goals on hold to deal with more urgent matters. Like right now. I know Spohr told you it was important that we figure out what's going on with my magic. That is an urgent matter right now because we don't know how dangerous it is to everyone here. I still plan to make you chocolate after we figure out this magic situation."

Kaji brightened. "Soo-sure? Promise?"

[Approximate Translation: Are you really sure? Promise?]

"I promise. And I'll make you a deal—for every month you go without stealing from anyone, I'll give you a piece of chocolate when I figure out how to make it."

"Month is how many days?" Kaji asked suspiciously.

[Months are measured in 30 day increments according to the moon's cycle.]

"Thirty days," Crystal said.

Kaji considered this, then nodded. "Deal." He extended his hand to Crystal, who shook it firmly.

Together they walked back to where Ssyn and Nyzekka were still searching. Kaji cleared his throat, his tail twitching nervously.

"Eloo, kreechas," he began, shuffling his feet. "I did hoodleflick—I mean, I took your things. Was wrong. Here."

He held out the bone charm and medicine pouch. Ssyn straightened to her full height, towering over the Simari. Her amber eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Doch uzhïlgï let daï dödh?" she growled.

Nyzekka translated, her voice tight. "You took our things?"

Kaji's ears flattened. "Yes. Was upset about chocolate quest changing. Thought you deserved trick." He glanced at Crystal. "But was wrong kind of trick. Not fun-funny one. Sorry-sorry."

Ssyn stared at him for a long moment, then snatched her bone charm from his hand. She examined it carefully before slipping it back onto her bone mantle. Her expression remained stern, but she gave a single, curt nod.

Nyzekka took her medicine pouch more gently. "Thank you for returning these. My herbs are important for healing."

"I know," Kaji admitted. "That's why I didn't open pouch. Just snick-snack."

Nyzekka's whiskers twitched, almost resembling a smile. "Well, at least you showed some restraint."

Crystal stepped forward. "Kaji has promised not to steal from any of us again. Right, Kaji?"

"Right," he confirmed, though his tail swished restlessly. "No more snick-snack from group."

Spohr, who had been observing silently, released a soft puff of spores. The telepathic images and emotional impressions gave a rough impression to everyone of what Spohr was attempting to say: "Trust grows like mycelium—slowly, beneath the surface, connecting all. Breaking trust is like severing those connections. They can regrow, but it takes time."

Kaji nodded solemnly. "I understand, mushy-wise one."

As they began packing up camp to continue their journey, Crystal noticed Kaji helping Nyzekka organize her supplies—a small gesture of genuine remorse. She smiled to herself. For all his mischief and impulsiveness, there was something endearing about the young Simari's willingness to learn and adapt.

Ssyn approached Crystal, her bone charm now securely fastened to her mantle. "Doch rrüsqer shüdh zhen Kreecha uzhïzqer?" she asked.

Crystal looked to Nyzekka for translation.

"She's asking if you think the Simari can be trusted now," Nyzekka explained.

Crystal watched Kaji chattering animatedly to Cottonmoss as he rolled up a sleeping mat.

"I think so," she said. "He makes mistakes, but his heart's in the right place. He just needs guidance sometimes."

Ssyn followed Crystal's gaze, her expression thoughtful. "Zhen Kreecha rïkhö rü rhass, rü rhass rroüs. Otsa Krrystal."

"The youth need a guide or teacher," Nyzekka translated. "She's saying Kaji needs someone to look up to. Like you."

Crystal hadn't thought of herself as a teacher here—she'd been too busy just trying to survive in this strange world. But looking around at their unusual group—a mushroom man, a moss pixie, a mischievous Simari, a stoic Crocan warrior, and a wise little Krenka—she realized that somehow, she'd become someone the others had gathered around and was trying to learn from. While she liked teaching taekwondo back on Earth, she wasn't sure how she felt about this new world she had been thrown into.

"Let's get moving," she said, shouldering her backpack. "We've got a long way to go."