Quozl by Foster Alan Dean

Author:Foster, Alan Dean [Foster, Alan Dean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Humour, Adult
ISBN: 9781497674707
Goodreads: 23247546
Publisher: Open Road Media Sci-Fi Fantasy
Published: 1989-05-01T07:00:00+00:00

XI.

THE MEETINGS BECAME more than a ritual. Time reduced them to the ordinary. Until the year Runs-red-Talking appeared clad in a type of bodysuit Chad had never seen before. Instead of the familiar dull operator’s brown and yellow, the Quozl blazed brightly in garb of emerald green sewn with patches of black and pink. Scarves and earrings matched perfectly, as they always did. As camouflage it was an utter failure, but as an alien fashion statement it was dazzling.

Nor were the only changes in his attire. New whorls and lines had been shaved into his face and upper arms. An entirely different pattern had been scalloped from his thighs. Even the knuckles of his toes had been carefully worked over by an artist’s razors.

“Got a hot date?” Chad inquired the first time he set eyes on the new Runs. “You look impressive.”

Runs extended his right hand to conclude the by-now-familiar human gesture as he greeted his old friend. Then Chad relaxed as the Quozl extended all seven fingers and placed his palm directly over the human’s face, gripping lightly for a moment with the fingertips.

They ambled over to the campsite where Chad’s tent offered protection from sun and rain.

“What have you brought for me to learn this time?” As usual, Runs could hardly contain his excitement at these first meetings of each new summer. To Chad he displayed nothing in the way of emotion.

“Have a look around. See what you can find.” He didn’t smile. While his Quozl friend understood the human smile, the toothy displays still made him uncomfortable. So Chad did his best to dampen his instinctive reactions.

Runs found the plastic bags, used his long fingers to swiftly unseal them. Small brown objects tumbled from the first into his waiting palm.

“What are these?” He lifted the handful to his face. “They smell strongly of other woods.”

“Mixed nuts. None of them grow around here. You’ve had the peanuts before but the rest will be new to you.”

The Quozl examined each nut in detail before popping it into his mouth and chewing experimentally. “They’re all delicious,” he said when he’d consumed the entire packet. “But then; everything you have brought me has been delicious. We had hoped to find edible foods on Shiraz. We did not expect to find cuisine.” He expelled air in the form of a high-pitched whistle, which Chad had come to know as a sigh.

“It’s hard for me to enjoy these delights knowing I can share none of them with my friends.”

“Hey, you’re not alone. I’ve enjoyed everything you brought for me from the Burrow gardens, but I can’t go spreading the stuff around either. It’s a damn shame. We could do a lot for each other’s agriculture. Not to mention what you guys could do for tree farming. I’ve seen you around trees. It’s weird.”

“The Quozl have always had a deep spiritual relationship with trees. It was gratifying to learn that those which grow here are no different in that respect from those of home.” He held up a large curved nut.

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