Who?

By Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Rough sand slid between her toes, pushing up between them as she walked, some sticking to the delicate fur on the top of each foot. She had come here, to the large flat island across from Main Island Village to think. A native girl, she found herself in a quandary. Three separate, very eligible and very desirable young males had asked her to tailfast to them. It had all happened two nights ago, here at the yearly Hopa-Jolipi Festival marking the last tourist ships final departure. In fact, it had all happened less than a hundred steps from her present position.

Yet what to do? She had spoken to her mother, and her father (at least he was the right species to be her father, and she had long ago accepted him as such.) Neither had an answer. It wasn’t unusual for two males to approach the same female, even with the large number of females to males on Spontoon. Yet it was almost unheard of for three to approach the same female, and never within an hours time of each other.

Now she wondered what to do while she walked half in, half out of the salty waves that washed across her feet. Karl Longbow was an excellent fisher, no matter his surname and skunk heritage. He was handsome, strong and well liked. Pula Ponpon was an excellent actor, and had proven himself more than competent as a farmer. Plus his eyes simply made her heart melt at the sight of them. So golden brown, so liquid. Then Pula was an otter after all, which meant that they probably could never have children by each other. Again this was in no way a problem. Something that wasn’t even worth considering, for there were always males available who would gladly grant a women children when her husband could not.

Then there was Shellhunter Green. Unlike the other two, his occupation was as a Guide. He would eventually become one of Spontoons unofficial military forces. Thus his future was fully planned and he was an excellent tracker. Why only that third year Songmark class had ever outwitted him, and then, by their own admission, just barely. That he was feline meant that they could have children as well. Gods knew he had gifted more that two pawfull’s of tourists with children already. Much to their embarrassment. Why, he had nearly a dozen marriage certificates in his scrapbook, all with a certificate of death attached to them. And he was fun too.

Yet which to choose? All three would be delightful, and though it was common for a single male to have many wives, it was rare for a wife to have two husbands. No one would accept her taking all three, not even the most open minded Priestess would allow that. Still thinking she walked deeper into the island. Around her a few dozen furs worked, cleaning up the remains of the celebration, and in the cleared center were still the now cooling ashes of that giant tourist she had watched burn.

Who to choose she wondered, as absently she walked across those ashes.