Paws and Planets

By Candy Rae

Planet Wolf: The Prequels. Three species. How did the non-natives arrive on Planet Wolf? Why? Dragons gold, green, red, blue and black. Dying planets; eons apart. Origins of human dragonlore. Courage, conflict and perseverance. Talking wolves. Spaceship convoys. Storm in space. Death of a spaceship. Children of the Wolves. Spoiler Alert: this book should be read after Valour and Victory.

DIAGLON - EARTH - LANDING - SENTIENCE - FIRST LESSON - LEAVE-TAKING - KOLYEI - NEWCOMERS ON TWO LEGS - TRUMPET - TRUMPET’S CALL - STORM - SEARCH - PRISON SHIP - FORT - MOONS AND WATER - DEATH IN SPACE - CHILDREN OF THE WOLVES

PLANET WOLF
(1) Wolves and War - (2) Conflict and Courage - (3) Homage and Honour - (4) Dragons and Destiny - (5) Valour and Victory - (6) Ambition and Alavidha - (7) Paws and Planets - (8) Tales and Tails

DRAGON WULF
(1) Journey and Jeopardy - (2) Gossamer and Grass - (3) Flames and Freedom

FLYING COLOURS
(1) Rascals and Renegades - (2) Outlaws and Overlords - (3) Sparkles and Sphinxes (forthcoming)

T’QUEL MAGIC
(1) Ephemeral Boundary - (2) Enduring Barrier - (3) Eternal Bulwark

MULTIVERSE MUDDLE (forthcoming)
(1) Vampyre Crypt - (2) Faie Castle - (3) Shadow Cave - (4) Demon Citadel

SAMMY THE CAT
(1) Cat in Charge - (2) Cat at Christmas - (3) Dog not in Charge

KILL BY CURE

• Language: English
• Publisher: Candy Rae
• Release date: Nov 28, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452371689

Candy Rae

Candy Rae has been an avid reader since childhood, with fantasy and science fiction appearing on her bookshelf in her first year of university when a friend introduced her to talking dragons. All her life, she has wanted to write, but it wasn’t until Christmas Day in 2003 that she sat down and started planning the book that, after many revisions, became the first book in the Planet Wolf series: Wolves and War.As a former accountant, Candy was notorious among her family for elongating her commute home by parking in a safe space and starting to write, having got into the habit of carrying a notebook with her wherever she went, a habit she continues to this day. When she’s not writing, her hobbies include knitting, tapestry, and trying to figure out ‘whodunnit’ in murder mysteries.Candy lives in Ayrshire, Scotland, with her large black cat, Sammy, and her Labrador-Corgi cross, Alex. She writes her books in British English with a Scottish flavour.

Book preview

PAWS AND PLANETS

Candy Rae

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * * *

Paws and Planets

Second Edition

Copyright © 2017 Candy Rae

All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead; is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author.

* * * * *

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

* * * * *

Paws and Planets is dedicated to my illustrator Jen. She is the most wonderful artist imaginable and her illustrations are absolutely perfect in every way.

* * * * *

BOOKS BY CANDY RAE

PLANET WOLF - Wolves and War - Conflict and Courage - Homage and Honour - Dragons and Destiny - Valour and Victory - Paws and Planets - Tales and Tales - Ambition and Alavidha

DRAGON WULF - Journey and Jeopardy - Gossamer and Grass - Flames and Freedom

T’QUEL MAGIC - Ephemeral Boundary - Enduring Barrier - Eternal Bulwark

Kill by Cure

INSURGENCY (2017)

* * * * *

Artwork Copyright © 2010 Jennifer Johnson

* * * * *

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 - THE LAI - THEIR PREQUEL

Episode 1 - Diaglon

Episode 2 - Outer Space

Episode 3 - Earth

Episode 4 - Landing

Episode 5 - Sentience

Episode 6 - First Lesson

Episode 7 - Leaving

CHAPTER 2 - THE LIND - THEIR PREQUEL

Episode 1 - Kolyei

Episode 2 - Newcomers on Two Legs

CHAPTER 3 - THE HUMANS - THEIR PREQUEL

Episode 1 - Trumpet

Poem 1 - Trumpet’s Call

Episode 2 - Storm

Episode 3 - Search

Episode 4 - Prison Ship

Episode 5 - Fort

Episode 6 - Moons and Water

Poem 2 - Children of the Wolves

Episode 7 - Death in Space (Part One)

Episode 8 - Death in Space (Part Two)

Appendix

Characters

Glossary

* * * * *

CHAPTER 1

THE LAI - THEIR PREQUEL

Haru, Taraya and Niaill, a Lai, a Lind and a Human, are principal characters in the fourth and fifth books of the Planet Wolf Series; ‘Dragons and Destiny’ and ‘Valour and Victory’. The Lai are creatures similar to dragons and the Lind resemble wolves although they are much bigger and can be ridden by humans.

* * * * *

It was a warm, balmy, summer day. Niaill stretched out his long legs on the feathery turf and gazed up at the clear, blue sky with a sigh of absolute contentment. It was good to be alive. The sun felt warm on his old bones. His weather-beaten face was as brown as a nut-cherry.

: This is what retirement should be : he telepathed to his Lind Taraya who was drowsing under some thick allst trees some lindlengths distant. She was also enjoying the summer, their first since they had retired to the more westerly of the two northern continents, the traditional home of the Lai.

: Haru comes : Taraya telepathed in answer : he walks :

Niaill grunted but was pleased Haru was joining them. Haru the Lai almost never flew these days. He was, like Niaill and Taraya, getting on in years, his copper hide burnished so much with age to be almost tree-brown, his wing muscles stiffening, much like Niaill’s own joints when he came to think about it, which was often during the cold, damp winter months but almost never during the dry, sunny, summer ones.

As Haru would tell anylai, anylind or any person who would listen, he was one of the oldest Lai alive and one of the few who could remember the arrival of humankind on Rybak, or Dagan as some of the more elderly Lai continued to call the planet.

Dagan was the word for home in the ancient language of the Lai. Like Niaill and his kind, the Lai were not native to Rybak but had originated from a planet many hundreds of suns distant.

Niaill was in his seventies, Taraya some years older. She was pure white with age, the white mirroring Niaill’s own although the hair on the latter’s head hadn’t thinned as had most of his contemporaries.

Yesterday Haru had told Niaill and Taraya stories about the days when he had been a young Lai, when Niaill’s ancestors had landed, and about the events that followed. Much of it had been new to Niaill and he had listened fascinated as the old Lai talked about what wasn’t included in the history books.

Haru had promised to talk about further back in time today and tell Niaill the full story about what happened when the Lai had arrived. Niaill had once listened to a short version of the story but this time Haru had agreed to tell it in its entirety, at least all that he could remember.

Niaill heard Haru’s limping approach along the wide path that led from the undergrowth and rose to his feet with a smile of welcome. The rustling grew louder. Haru appeared, his eyes blinking rapidly as they adjusted to the bright sun, his little knobbly ears twitching as he located Niaill and Taraya.

Taraya drew herself a little closer to her life-mate and Niaill smothered a mental grin. Although she wouldn’t admit it, Taraya was just as interested in the stories as he was.

I will join you? queried Haru, coming to a lumbering halt in front of Niaill.

A thousand welcomes my friend, Niaill replied. Especially if you feel you’re up to telling us everything about how your ancestors came here. I’ve always felt it most unfair that you know our story in consummate detail but we know so little about yours. Taraya and I are aware of little more than that bare outline you gave us that day.

We had far more important things to discuss that day, replied Haru, chiding him but with mirth in his eyes. If you remember? The little matter of the imminent arrival of, and the war with, the Dglai? As you humans say, a lot of water has passed under the bridges since that day.

Indeed, laughed Niaill but with a wince. Unpleasant memories always came to mind when Haru mentioned those dangerous days when they had first met. Many friends had been killed in the battles that followed. Haru had lost friends and relations as well.

So, said Haru. Where would you like me to start? It is a long story.

At the beginning of course, declared Niaill. And don’t leave anything out.

I will try not to, replied Haru, settling down. But it all happened so long ago, more than many generations. So I cannot vouch for the absolute accuracy of my tale. Some brave deeds may well have become embellished through time and some not so brave forgotten.

Do your best, encouraged Niaill, squirming around trying to make himself comfortable.

Haru sat gazing into the distance, marshalling his thoughts and memories.

I’ll begin with my ancestor, he began at last. Maru was his name. He was one of those who took to the stars all these generations ago to search for a new home for our kind. I believe that the situation he and those who set out with him faced was very similar to what faced by your ancestors. Both of our home planets were becoming untenable, though many thousands of years separated the events that brought us both here. Yes, that is where I shall begin…

* * * * *

EPISODE 1

DAIGLON

Countdown.

Duntan – Echt – Zan – Tak – Olf – Rak – San – Lok – Vad - Dun.

The engines fired.

The great thrusters that would lift the huge spaceship out of its cradle began to shudder and roar.

Maru braced as the ship began to shake and his ears filled with the sound of take-off.

Today was not the first time his people had left the planet to explore space, but it was the first time for Maru. He was not enjoying the experience overmuch and if he was quite honest with himself; he was absolutely terrified.

During the previous two centuries and a bit more, once it had been realised that their planet, Daiglon was dying, many ships had gone; the first to circumnavigate Daiglon, the next venturing that little bit further, the next reaching the edge of their solar system. Some had not returned.

Space travel was dangerous. Maru’s grandfather had died during an implosion on the launch pad.

It was a risk that had to be taken, to further their knowledge and expertise, to enable a chosen few to venture out far beyond the edges of their solar system, to the stars; to find a planet to where the Daiglon could relocate, a planet alive, a planet that was not dying, resources used up, atmosphere polluted beyond repair.

Maru was a Lai and one of those ‘chosen few’; one of a crew of five times five times five who were strapped in to the personnel launch receptacles aboard the Limokko. From the other four land-masses on the planet Daiglon four similar spaceships were blasting off, each crewed by another five times five times five.

They were the hope of the Daiglon.

As soon as the five spaceships exited the atmosphere Maru’s fellow Daiglon would begin to build another five ships - but time was running out.

Planet Daiglon was split into five landmasses set close together but with sea in between. Each continent was occupied by a different variant of the Daiglon genotype.

On each landmass lived an individual rtath; in the north lived the blue skins, the Rai, in the west, the black skins, the Brai, in the south the red skins, the Sbnei, in the east the golden skins, the Lai, and in the centre lived the green skins, the argumentative and warlike Dglai.

The number five was considered important and lucky. As there were five landmasses and five Lai variants, so were there five Gtrathlins, or Leaders, five times five Angtrathlins or Sub-leaders and five times five Rtaths, or Clans, within each landmass. A family group of five was considered lucky and the Daiglon reached adulthood at five times five times five xanus.

On the landmass where lived the Sbnai, deaths were already being reported, deaths caused by malnutrition. Many of those who had died were mothers who had starved themselves so their young would have enough to eat. Ecological collapse was imminent, the fauna and flora withering away to dust due to the lack of clean water. The unclean was poisoning the land. Some xanus before, when the vegetative edibles had grown less, rationing had been introduced but it had not been enough to stem the reduction in herbivore herds. Eighty percent of a Diaglon’s diet consisted of fresh meat.

As Maru knew, soon starvation would rear its ugly head amongst the population on the Lai landmass, his landmass and his home.

Even this trek into outer space to find another planet might not stop the extinction of those forced to remain on Daiglon but there was a chance they would find a planet soon enough and close enough that some might be transported there. That was Maru’s hope and the hope of the other one hundred and twenty-four aboard the Limokko and those on the other four ships.

Of the one hundred and twenty-five young Lai crew aboard the Limokko, half were female and the other half male. All were adult, strong, healthy, and of breeding age. None were blood-related, by a generational distance of four so as to spread the gene pool as much as possible. Every one of them had left grandparents, parents and siblings behind.

The Susa, or Commander of the Limokko was called Zanua. She was a highly intelligent female, at three hundred and two the oldest on board. Zanua had already completed two spaceflights, the first to the limits of the solar system and the second almost reaching the outer limits of the next. No Daiglon ship had been further out into space than this. The Limokko and her sisters were five times the size of this previous class of spaceship, designed to keep going beyond where the previous ships’ supplies and power had run out. This time there was to be no return when the warning symbols flashed informing them that the viable return point had been reached.

On the top deck was the living area was situated. On the bottom two decks were the engines and the enormous water cisterns that both cooled the said engines and provided the water for other needs, to grow the food supplies and for drinking.

The engines ran on power crystals, crystals mined deep within the landmasses of Daiglon and containing energy that would last, with careful handling, for hundreds of xanus.

This was a comparatively new technology, the means to harness this power and more importantly, to store it once it had been harnessed. The Daiglon had discovered how to convert kinetic energy into potential energy, which could then be stored in a series of separate devices they called space elevators. It was very advanced technologically speaking and without the discovery the Daiglon would have been doomed. If the Daiglon had known about this technology earlier on in their long history their future as a race would have been so very different. The energy from the crystals did not pollute, but this was after the fact, even the crystal powered oxygen purifiers now on the planet were doing little more than keeping the air breathable and they were losing the battle.

The middle decks, there were two, were divided into compartments and contained food consumables, much of which was alive and growing together with equipment. There was also a large area containing freeze dried protein rations and vegetable nutrients. The fresh cut and killed produce, placed in the cold compartments, would be eaten first. Another compartment contained plant seeds inside specially designed storage chests. Yet more contained medical supplies, hide oil (very necessary), replacement parts, the precious spare crystals, beacons, and tools. There were even helmets and oxygen cylinders if repairs had to be done outside the ship in the zero atmosphere of space.

Behind the engines were the oxygen purifiers, also crystal run. These kept the ship’s air sweet. There was also equipment that could extract