“Ok, so what do I need to do to prove myself fahvalo?” The word was uncomfortable and breathy coming out of my mouth.

“In what way do you believe yourself able to serve as a whetstone for the blade that is the Moonchildren?”

“I would assume that I don’t have much in the way of direct combat that would be better than what you could offer. You are obviously individually impressive, and I don’t imagine I could match you in a fight. On top of that, I don’t know… anything about you and your people. Would you be willing to explain in what ways this saharliard could prove himself fahvalo?”

“You understand, but not much. Come, walk with me as I find a proving ground.”

It was strange to me that Bloodpriestess Ana didn’t frustrate me. If I’d had any other “teacher” talk to me as if they were superior to me like she did, I would have been boiling with anger. Additionally, my khatif blood would have been just as incensed at her obvious disdain for me, but I felt nothing more than slightly confused while still respectful. Maybe it was the absolute otherness of her, or her obvious strength and capability, or even something else entirely. Whatever it was, her blatant disrespect and dismissal of me didn’t irk or infuriate, and I welcomed the feeling even while I internally questioned it.

[The primary reason that you do not feel superior to “Bloodpriestess Ana” is because she is a more highly evolved specimen than you, and your innate bloodline recognizes that.]

I was almost surprised to receive information from the [System]. Even though I’d been told as much, I couldn’t help but wonder where it was during the stalking and hunting of our swarm. We could have… Oh, Nievtala.

The reality of what had happened finally settled into my stomach, and I stumbled to a stop as I fought to keep myself composed. I looked around at what was left of my swarm. Although I knew what the result would be, I took the time to count each keelish and every wolfstag, and I subconsciously noted that Ana waited patiently as I took in the sight of my beleaguered, devastated swarm. It would be better to call us a pack at this point, with only 47 individuals when counting the wolfstags and myself. Most of those closest to me had survived, but Rulac and Wisterl were gone. Every other keelish that had supported my ascension to becoming Swarm Alpha. Left to rot by vengeful Speakers.

“Come here, all you.” I spoke in Keelish once again, and my swarm gathered around me. “You all… have come through something unimaginable to the weak. You have waded through literal rivers of blood to come to the other side. We stand at the peak of a mountain, one that continues to grow as we pile the bodies of our foes upon it, as well as the bodies of our comrades. Where we stand now is established on the backs of the felled and fallen, and I am proud to have you with me. Let us move ever farther along this path to newer, higher, bloodier peaks. Remember your fallen friends, especially those who turned back to give us time to complete our escape… and move on. We will remember them and build upon their legacy.”

“Forged in war and tempered in blood, I follow.” Surprisingly, Vefir was the first to speak. His body trembled with inexpressible rage and pain, but his voice was steady and determined.

The swarm, in twos and threes, repeated the rallying cry of Rulac and Wisterl before their death. “Forged in war and tempered in blood, I follow.” Their tones were somber, respectful. Determined.

Looking around I saw resolute, focused faces. None simply nodded at me to go back to their own thoughts. Every khatif who had survived was stronger than any of the keelish of the moon before. Now, this small percentage of my original swarm looked at me with nearly eyes to hang on my every word. With a nod of approval, I turned back to the Nightchildren.

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“Bloodpriestess, can we go to collect our fallen? We wish to add their strengths to our own.”

Our guide stiffened, and I immediately knew that I had somehow committed an error, but wasn’t yet sure how.

“The blood and flesh of your fallen has been offered to the Bloodsoaked Mother through her vassals the Nard’ul.”

“... the fish?”

Bloodpriestess Ana sighed and began to speak even more patronizingly, as if attempting to teach a dim child. “Yes, the Nard’ul are fish. They also exemplify all that the Bloodsoaked Mother values most–savagery, fertility, and respect for the night.”

“I didn’t realize that Narsha’at was also a goddess of fertility.”

“Why else would we call her mother? From what else than blood does life come? Without blood there cannot be life, and the Bloodsoaked Mother Narsha’at reigns over that most important commodity of life–blood.”

“I wish I had time to talk religion with you. Why can’t we collect our dead?”

“Frankly speaking, there is naught more than bone remaining of your fallen. The Nard’ul have surely devoured all the flesh that remains, and to steal from the gods is inviting death, even if the Moonchildren were not present to prevent you from doing so. The offering has been made and accepted.”

“Fine. Could we collect the bones of the largest? That is neither flesh nor blood, and can serve as a totem of our survival this day.”

“The gods are not petty.” Ana grinned, almost baring her teeth. She then made a brief, quick series of those nearly avian noises and three of our escorts peeled off, heading back towards the river. “They will collect the bones in your stead and bring them to you at your earliest convenience. Is that satisfactory?”

I nodded deeply. “Thank you for your consideration.”

Ana smiled and continued walking, idly settling into an easy silence. I turned my focus inward and began to try to plan how to move forward to Nievtra. All I knew was to go east. The Moonchildren seemed to know something about the keelish that I didn’t, maybe even about Keel. Maybe they could help me? I couldn’t understand their ways, though, and I looked at the Bloodpriestess, someone I needed to prove myself as a good enemy to.

I groaned internally then turned my attention back to our path. The forest was truly not a jungle any longer, with thicker trunked trees beginning to dominate the space, with long grasses growing underfoot instead of the complete, all-encompassing greenery of the jungle that had once been our home. Even so, it was somehow wilder, more savage, more… natural. Our escorts mostly ascended the trees and swung and navigated adroitly above us, ranging all around and screeching communiques to each other in brief, contained bursts of sound. All had freakishly long fingers, just like Bloodpriestess Ana, but how many of their fingers were so different varied from one individual to the next. None had the scythe-shaped fifth finger that Ana did.

I finally forcefully pulled myself out of my thoughts to ask another, possibly stupid question. “So… why don’t those on the other side of the river qualify as fahvalo to the Moonchildren?”

Ana scoffed, scorn dripping from her tone, “Oh. The Veushten, the Veratocracy, the warlocks. They are dangerous, yes. Not honorable. Their magics a bastardization of the divine, their gods an affront to the Pantheon, their peoples a slaughter-maddened menace. Dangerous. Honorless. A carnage-crazed nanuk too dangerous to leave alive but too powerful to put down. Thus, we keep the complete people caged, and the Sunkindred and the Moonchildren make the sacrifices of our lives and devotion to protect the rest of the continent.”

“You don’t let them cross?”

“Or establish a presence on our lands, ever. Some of the Wilds are weaker and have allowed small incursions, and they are shamed for it. Yet, we of the Samutelia have never permitted any attack any measure of success.” Ana smiled, pride evident in her bearing as she turned her eyes on me once again. I refocused on the ground, making sure I didn’t stumble as she continued, “But this is not the question you should be asking. Instead, ask why I think you may yet qualify as fahvalo.”

“... Why do you think you may yet qualify as fahvalo?” I was only barely able to keep the dry, sarcastic tone out of my response.

“The answer is variety. Ponder that.” Then, Ana picked up the pace and shut down any further attempts to speak with her.