As the suns set fully beyond the treeline, I listened to the swarm begin to complain themselves to wakefulness around me. As the darkness became more and more complete, a part of me wanted to switch over to my thermal vision, but it didn’t take me long to convince myself to continue in my attempt to upgrade the [Skill]. After all, I was merely two days from that evolution, and I wouldn’t allow a guided tour through the forest to be another stumbling block for me. Sybil stepped next to me and leaned into my shoulder.

“Did you sleep?” I asked.

“Some. I am not fully rested, but I believe that recovery will be a mere matter of time. And how were the sands?”

I chuckled. “Good. Not enough, but good. Once we make our new home, I’ll make sure we create extensive sand baths. All heated, and as deep as you could want.”

“That would be nice.” We stood in companionable silence before Sybil shot into a straight posture. “I apologize, I forgot. Come with me.”

“What’s the matter?” I asked as I followed her away.

“The Bloodprieshtessh,” the title came out slowly, yet still chewed and mangled in Sybil’s unaccustomed mouth, “Was asking for you, and none of us can understand her language enough to communicate. I thought that it would be best for us to follow your lead, since you speak the language.”

I chuckled, and without thought pulled her hands down and towards me. She stood firm, and I reluctantly stood as I nuzzled into her neck sleepily. Sybil initially stiffened then relaxed into me, nipping gently at my neck while her tail lightly tapped on my leg before pulling away. My inner khatif demanded that I sate my hunger for her much louder than I’d ever felt before, but I was thankfully able to quickly tamp down that desire. Sybil laughed quietly at my brief, heavy breath and resumed walking away. I followed, my steps lengthening until we walked side by side.

“How is the swarm doing?”

“There were no casualties on our side, though it did get close for Joral. Vefir has exhausted himself ensuring that our casualty count remains at zero. All wounds sustained have been patched up enough to no longer present any real danger. Of the five deaths on their side, all seemed to be of broken spines. We suspect the cause of death was our charge. The rest of the swarm has been awoken, with the exception of Vefir. He is still resting, and will be the last one to be woken.”

“Good to hear… And morale?”

“Better than expected. Eating our fill and finally resting, even if not for as long as we need, has driven away the worst of the hopelessness. Only the strongest survived, and we are made stronger through our survival. Even with our victory, though, the Bloodpriestess has the swarm nervous.”

“Makes sense.” I mused aloud. “We couldn’t do anything to her even with our greatest fighters. I bet Wisterl could hold her… could have held her own against Ana, though. Especially with Rulac at her side.” We’d nearly reached where the Bloodpriestess stood, awaiting my arrival. I stepped forward to end my conversation with Sybil and begin a new one with Ana, but Sybil stepped forward and in front of me before demanding I make eye contact with her.

“They might have been able to. Perhaps not.” Sybil paused for a moment, ensuring that I maintained eye contact as she continued, “But they are dead. Our enemies and nature itself took no prisoners, and they are casualties of our survival. We both know that both relished the chance to give their lives for our continued survival. Perhaps they could have made a difference, but instead, you did. You are our Alpha. You ever will be. I believe in you, I follow your every word and will continue to do so evermore.” Sybil’s voice dropped at the end, reverently, and I saw the trust there.

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Trust had finally begun to supersede, or maybe just cohabitate with, Sybil’s analytical rationale. Here I saw an emotion begin to shape her viewpoint. I gently bunted my head against hers as we stepped before the Bloodpriestess Ana.

“Did you have a good rest, fahvalo?”

“I did. Thank you for allowing it to me.”

“I have only done what is honorable, there is no need to thank me.” Bloodpriestess Ana shook her head and smiled at me. “If I were a guest relying upon your hospitality, I would expect the same respect and honor to be returned to me.”

I nodded, maybe understanding what an “honorable foe” was as I asked, “What should I call you? Fahvalo Ana? Bloodpriestess Ana?”

“In an informal setting such as this, Ana will do. In front of our peoples, Bloodpriestess Ana, and in a formal setting, Fahvalo Bloodpriestess Ana. I don’t think you will ever need to go quite so far, but you might someday.” Ana’s face settled into an easy grin as she spoke, the sharp canines at the front of her snout a shocking white contrasting her black face and hair. “It has been a long while since I have had to begin to push myself in a battle like today. It is refreshing to loosen the body against opponents such as yourself. I imagine that once you mature fully we will be more evenly matched. Thank you for the experience.” The smile Ana gave was genuine, and for a moment her eyes regained that mystical, enamoring quality from that afternoon. It didn’t hold me quite so forcefully as before, and after a mere moment, the silvery sheen of her gaze faded.

“You have a strong mind for one untrained. The sooth-sight is unclear on you, but I suspect you have experienced more than your body’s youth would suggest… A god has touched you.” Respect colored her tone as her eyes flashed a golden color.

I startled and tried to hide my involuntary reaction. Obviously, I was unsuccessful as Ana suppressed a tittering giggle and I quickly decided against continuing to try to hide it. “Simply said, yes. How do you know? What is this ‘sooth-sight’?”

Ana spread her hands before me, immensely long fingers curling disturbingly as she moved them one by one from the thumb to her fifth finger as she spoke. “Narsha’at’s phrases are six, one for each finger, ever escalating in importance from thumb to fifth finger, Narsha’at’s blade. As a Moonchild grows in power, they can truly Speak the next Phrase instead of merely saying it and thus receive Narsha’at’s blessing. Each finger in turn is changed to a divine form, as you see here, but there are six Phrases. The sixth is to Open your eyes to See. I have spoken the Sixth phrase and received the third baptism, and I See more than most.”

“... And what do you See?”

“What others seek to hide.” Ana’s voice and face could have been carved from stone with all the information they were giving me.

“I won’t get much more than that out of you, will I?”

“I do cherish your directness. No, you won’t.”

I sighed. “So, why have you called me here?”

“It is night and the Moon smiles down on us. You need passage to a safe border, and I intend to begin our journey this night. You and your kin are nearly as well developed as our own when it comes to nighttime activity, so we intend to travel during the nights and allow you the privilege of the hunt just before dawn each day. I swear to permit you as much succor as you need, so long as you conduct yourselves with honor.”

I felt the rhythm of solemnity settle over Ana as she spoke, and felt the need to reply more formally, “I swear that me and mine will conduct ourselves as fahvalo, every one of us, so long as we remain in your lands.”

An approving nod. “It should be ten days to Dunbach, where we will rest for a day and have you escorted to the other border by a different group from there. Is that acceptable to you?”

“Yes, Bloodpriestess Ana.”

“You honor your title with your words. Now do so with your actions.”

“I fully intend to. Now, I have a question–would you happen to know where I could find a nest of my fellow, less intelligent counterparts? My swarm could use a bolstering of numbers.”