Philia, Eros, Storge, Agápe, Pragma
Novella 21,036 words Recommended by 4 award/anthology sources
"Brother-Adita paused at the top of the ridge and rotated one eye to take in the shells climbing the path behind them. They gestured beyond them with a limb, a habit picked up from their young, excitable sibling. “Quarter-march, west-north-west,” came their voice through the Kinnec. “Acknowledged,” the other two shells replied."
Content warnings 3
deathslaveryviolence
Quasar links out; the story lives on Clarkesworld, where the author gets the click.