Chapter 26 City of Tharks

Hadrian even brought Tars to witness this and he wasn't happy,when he heard that Keepers had hand in Urassan almost wiping out all the Tharks.The Keepers were also the ones who helped the Warhoon in the last war too.

Nuada questioned"What does he mean by Urassan almost wiped out the Tharks ?"

Tars scowled and explained "The Tharks have long been at war with the Warhoons,so our numbers declined a lot,seeing this chance the previous Jeddak Than Kosis of Urassan made some very serious efforts to wipe the Tharks out by attacking our incubators."

Hadrian and Nuada frowned hearing this,while the Keeper Maek who was slowly regaining his bearing from the truth serum as Hadrian made sure to take him to his cell.The problem is Maek is practically a low level Keeper and his job was supposed to be look after the lower species of Eartg,Maek didn't want the Keepers to find out he gave up many of there secrets.So he killed himself,which was a huge hit for them since they wanted to know more about there enemy.

Nuada slams his fist into the table in frustration and yelled"We let a chance go right through our fingers."

Hadrian was also slightly angry,but they couldn't fault anyone after all they couldn't keep an eye on Maek all the time and said"We can't change the past,we have take counter measures against them."

Tars nodded agreeing with Hadrian asked"Has Urassan started a war with Hypos."

Hadrian was able wring out from Maek that,Keepers were involved in this new war and they were quite focused on the Princess of Hypos for some reason.The only thing he got before the idiot died was she found out something she shouldn't have,the Ninth Ray.

Tars nodded and replied "Urassan is winning,which is not a good thing.You need to come to the City of Tharks to finalize the Alliance,since some of my people are trying to revolt against my decision.But if you show your strength they will back down."

Hadrian looked at Nuada,who nodded and the very next day they used to Thoats to ride to the City of Tharks.on the Tars stopped to take the newborns,which are often left in huge incubator until they hatched.

They'd ridden into the city as a troop,with the new hatchlings on thoat along with the newborns,they soon reached the city

Which was a settlement of ruined buildings loomed into view. The troop passed along the ramparts of a seawall and in through a crumbling gate. A horde of Tharks seemed to materialize, creeping out of every portal, every building's doorway. Hundreds of them swarmed around the returning troop, welcoming their warriors home.

They were also curious about the new allies,Hadrian noticed that every Thark carried weapons, even the children. As the warriors came to an open square, the female Tharks—dozens of them— stepped forward. One giant scowling female, whom Hadrian would come to know as Sarkoja, ordered them into two lines facing each other, roughly five feet apart.

Then Tars Tarkas slashed out, cutting the baskets free from the pack thoat. The babies tumbled to the ground.

As Hadrian and Nuada watched, the babies reeled, staggered to their feet, and scampered into the gauntlet between the two lines of females. The females moved in, reaching for the babies. Some of the hatchlings squirmed and dodged away, scuttling and squirming with their four arms, while others allowed themselves to be scooped up. Several times, two females reached for the same baby and began to fight, grappling until one either fell or abandoned the struggle, turning her attention to a different child.

One female—Sola—held back and failed to catch a child. The other women shouted at her, some of them holding out their newly adopted charges to taunt her. Sarkoja strode over to Sola, shoved her backward, and slapped her. Tars Tarkas stepped forward yelled "Sarkoja,Enough!"

Sarkoja glared at Tars. The other women stood in their lines watching the drama. One of them scooped up the last stray child.

Nuada had told Hadrian about some of there practices like families seem to work in an extremely social way. After a pair of male and females mate, everyone's eggs are taken to a chamber to incubate. Upon hatching, the babies are collected and put into baskets. Those eggs that did not hatch upon the scheduled collection time are destroyed as being flawed or weak. Upon arrival in the village, the babies are all released into the village at the same time. Then they scatter like lizards and females fight for a hatchling.

Hadrian didn't judge them as he had seen many weird customs in his life.But it didn't take long for one of them to turn there attention to us.