Chapter Fifteen

The natives awoke to a very weird heat in the atmosphere. It was hotter than any unusual heat they had ever felt. Everyone became uncomfortable. The guards had to monitor the behavior of the spiders, although that side of the mountain was higher and colder, even when the village was hot. Atohmma woke up perspiring. She wondered what was happening. She pulled her robe, opened her door, and peered outside. With her eyes squinting, she scanned the area seeing some villagers, with only their pants on, and the women wiping their faces. She looked up to see the weather condition. It seemed rather bright. There was a clearing in the amount of fog. She quickly took a shower, had something for breakfast, and headed out in shorts and a pixie top. Off she went to get herself to a place where she could identify the exact weather forecast. She went to the lakeside. She wanted to feel the temperature of the water there. She knew if that water was hot, then the monsoon was forming and causing the fluctuations. So she took her shoes off and entered the lake to feel the water with her feet. It was not hot, it seemed normal. It was quite cool. She knew there was nothing much to worry about and nothing for her to take note of.

Putting on her shoes, she heard a voice behind her, saying, "gotcha!" It was Nucamma. Unknown to Atohmma, she was followed. He followed her from the village as he was on his way to see her, when he noticed that she stormed out of her cave, while on his way to see her. She was startled but happy to see him. "You followed me?" Atohmma asked him playfully. "I was on my way to you when I saw you storm out of your cave. So I followed you, yes!" "It's quite hot, isn't it.? Is it this hot over at your village?" she asked Nucamma. "No, it isn't. At least not when I woke up this morning to come to find you. I noticed some fog on my way and then the heat with little to no fog, then upon entering your village, it was the same heat." he told her. Hearing that, Atohmma deduced, that the weather fluctuations seemed to be affecting different parts of their world, differently. She was concerned now, knowing that the pasturelands must be affected somehow as well. She looked up at the sky from where she was and across to the pasturelands, she noticed a heavier cloud in that direction, so she assumed safely, that the weather was normal there. She thought, "if anything was wrong, the unicorns would have fled their home to another suitable place. They were wise enough to handle such times." "What's the matter?" asked Nucamma. "Nothing much," she replied. "Let's sit here a while. Tell me, how was your day yesterday?" asked Nucamma.

Atohmma told him about their plans for the well and the progress they've made. She mentioned visiting the lake yesterday with Venomma and Orgamma. She also mentioned finding the blanket. On that note, she paused. She decided to tell Nucamma about the story surrounding the blanket. He listened and didn't understand why she thought she was the reason it was at the lake in the first place, although she wished it. Nucamma was not the type to sensationalize a matter. He gave it the benefit of the doubt. "Don't be too hard on yourself over that Atohmma, sometimes things happen coincidentally. Nothing to it," he assured her. In the secure environment of changing the topic, Nucamma managed to get her mind off the issue and talk about his day. Atohmma listened to him carry on about how much work he had to do and that he had some practice. It was all the cool benefits of being a boy. She seemed to lighten up a bit, being there and having him distract her from the heavy load of her usual concerns.

Back at the village, the oracle Cobra visited. They were searching for Atohmma. She was not at home, and no one knew where she was. The Diamond-Back oracle had a message for them all. One of the natives decided to go get Venomma, as she would also be suitable to receive the message and then pass it on to Atohmma. When Venomma was found, she greeted the Cobra and listened carefully to what he had to say. He came to warn them about the monsoon. He said that it was affecting the seas already, and that he noticed the changes in their weather, but it was not as bad as he expected just yet. He advised that they take the necessary precautions. There was not much they could do to preserve life as the effect was uncertain for their world. Venomma assured him that she will get the message to Atohmma. She informed the oracle that they have already begun planning for the first phase of the project, and that work was scheduled to start soon on the excavations and digging. He advised that they should wait a while until the atmospheric pressure regulates and is normal once again. With that, he left and Venomma asked others for Atohmma. When she realized no one knew, she decided to wait until later on when she returns home. In the meantime, she spread the word to the villagers and the guards.

Over at the lake, Atohmma and Nucamma were noticing the water becoming choppy. Atohmma checked the temperature of the water again with her feet to see if that too was changing. She noticed it was somehow colder than before. Nucamma also saw the changes to the current. Although the lake was not the sea, the natives treated it like one and to them, all water bodies were connected. The lake, usually still, was now becoming active by some changes that could mean, according to Atohmma's conclusion, that the monsoon was forming. "We better get back to the village," said Atohmma. "We should." agreed Nucamma and they both headed back.