Only half awake, Lara stretched and felt her entire body contract. Lara froze in mid-stretch with a wince. “Ow.” She opened her eyes and blinked, afraid to move another inch. Chion gnawed on something that looked like some animal’s leg bone. She gave a small shudder; she wasn’t going to ask. Sitting up with a loud groan, she asked instead, “How long was I out?”

Turning his head toward her, he licked his whiskers before answering her. Nigh a full day. It is evening again.

She gaped at him, then stammered, “Wha—? A full day? Oh God, what is happening to me?” She ran both hands through her hair. “I should’ve woken up by now. I’ve never slept through the day. I have to go to my classes. I’ve already missed too much.”

What is the significance of classes?

“I pay money to take these classes and I miss information that will be on the tests, but that’s not the point. When I was running and fighting the rakir, several hours had gone by, but only about forty-five minutes had passed on my world. What if that is what is happening now? What if only an hour or two has gone by while a full day goes by here? What does it mean? What is happening to me?”

She looked at him, panic-stricken. She whispered, “What does it mean?”

I do not have the answer, My Lady. What I can tell you is that you will be safe as long as you are here in the tunnels.

Lara was afraid her world was changing faster than she could adapt. She stared into his eyes in search of reassurance. What she saw in their depths was the same as the promise that he had voiced. Her nerves once again settled.

Seeing her calming, he said, I need to continue my route. Are your feet in a condition in which you can keep pace?

She nodded determinedly. “I won’t be able to keep a fast pace, but I can walk.”

Good. On the way to our next stop, I will explain to you my plan.

Turning away, he snatched something in between his jaws and jogged over to drop it next to her on the blankets. Curious, she picked it up, ignoring her stiff muscles.

It is a plant that human Kurites eat. You have not eaten for some time. It will provide you with sustenance for the walk ahead.”

The reminder of hunger had her stomach rumbling. She tossed Chion a sheepish smile and turned the plant over in her hands. Lara examined it carefully before she stripped off a piece of the root with her fingernails with a small shrug. Sniffing it, she thought it smelled like a potato, but it looked like a multi-colored ginger root. She took a small, experimental bite and was satisfied that, though chewy, it was edible. It tasted better than any raw vegetable she’d ever eaten. With a groan, Lara clambered to her feet by leaning against the wall for balance and checked her bandages were secure.

Staring at the door with resignation, Lara warned Chion, “It is going to be slow going. You were right. Even without my feet like they are, I can barely move.” Giving another heartfelt groan at her first step forward, she limped to the door. “I’ll eat on the way. I’m only putting off the inevitable by staying here.”

He gave a subdued roar at her words and walked past her, taking a left outside the door. As she followed him down the corridor, she ate the plant. Curious, she asked, “What is it called? I have never tasted anything quite like this.”

It is a Yarroh root.

She gave the new word a try, fumbling on the double r. “Yarroh root. It’s pretty good. Thank you for remembering food.”

He turned his head to look at her. We are not in any danger of being found, but when we come closer to our destination, you must no longer speak aloud.

Taking his warning to heart, and deciding caution was warranted after last night, she tentatively sent her thoughts to the paka. I don’t have a problem with talking this way to you now. I just forget I can.

They walked in companionable silence for over an hour, only taking breaks when she could walk no further. In the silence of the tunnels with only her footsteps making noise, a sound reached her. At first, it was a dull roar but as they closed the distance, she realized what it was.

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It’s a waterfall, she exclaimed.

Chion stopped and waited for her to catch up. Yes, there are underground rivers all through these tunnels. I am surprised you have not seen one sooner. This is the location where I found the Yarroh root. You can dig up some more if you want.

With more bounce in her step, she was almost skipping, despite her injuries, by the time they reached the waterfall. Stepping into the concave room, Lara saw that it was small and naturally formed compared to others she’d entered. The cave-like room had sparkling water splashing down onto glistening rocks. The waterfall spouted from a hole in the uneven ceiling. Around the edge of the small pond, purple leaves sprouted from the loose soil. Looking over at Chion, who was taking a dainty drink from the pond, she asked, “Are those purple leaves the yarroh?”

After a quick glance over to where she pointed, Chion dipped his head and twitched his whiskers in agreement. She clumsily fell to her knees, thankful the small shoreline consisted of soft dirt, and began pulling the plants out of the ground. Lara washed the dirt off the three roots she’d harvested in the stream and placed them on a large, flat rock to dry. Cupping her hands, she drank her fill of the cool water, amazed at the clean taste. She splashed her face and used a corner of her shirt to dry off.

She couldn’t help but ask, Are we going on, or are we stopping here?

If you are ready, we must continue.

All right. Let me check my bandages first. Although walking was cumbersome and still painful, her feet weren’t bleeding. That, in itself, was a bonus. Feeling a need for conversation, Lara said, Earlier, you said something about a plan.

Yes. I intend to finish out my route. It will take weeks to complete. During this time, there is a high probability that you will have come and gone several times. I cannot stop and wait for your return, though. I would like to take you to Malkese to meet the high elders. I have hopes they can answer the puzzle of your travels.

She had known she was being taken to one of the cities by Chion, but betrayal wound its way through her at his words. Their tentative friendship would only last until they reached the city. And once you’ve dropped me off, you’ll finally be rid of me.

Halting at her words, he bristled. You have much to learn, but this you must take to heart. I give my solemn oath on the Goddess that if you are ever in need of me and I am not near, call and I will come. Taking a step closer, he looked up at her with an intense look in his gold-flecked eyes. You will remember this?

Chion’s entire body was primed for her slow-coming reply. For a moment, so focused on his stance, she couldn’t think, couldn’t reply. He was majestic as he gave her his vow of protection.

Lara tried to make sense of the significance of the paka’s oath. It came down to whether or not she trusted Chion. Did she trust him enough with her life? Recalling the rakir’s attack, she realized she already did. Staring at him with wide eyes, her thoughts running amok, she jerked her head up and down.

She wanted to ask Chion why he would continue to befriend her once he dumped her in someone else’s lap. But she didn’t know how to ask without sounding ungrateful. Did he truly see her as a friend, like she saw him? It was another question she feared the answer. And that was the crux of the problem. He mattered to her after so short a time. Lara knew almost nothing about this creature, and yet, she felt protected and safe with him.

Do you really believe someone will be able to help me?

Giving her a final, searching look, he appeared satisfied. With a flick of his tail, he began walking again. If they are unable to assist you, they will at least teach you the skills necessary for survival. We are at war with a kingdom called Pyran. Because of this, there is a chance you will encounter these people. You must understand the politics, machinations of our enemies, and both of our histories if you are to stand a chance against these people. Pausing, he asked, If you are able to find a way to stop coming to this world, what do you plan to do?

Although he asked in a neutral tone, she caught a sense of sadness in him at the tail-end of his question. The question caught her off guard. She hadn’t thought of such a possibility. Granted, she’d only just learned her dreams weren’t dreams at all. So, what would she do? Debating the pros and cons, Lara trailed after Chion, walking through another set of tunnels. At last, she heaved a sigh.

I don’t know. This world is all incredibly new and strange to me. Since I’ve been transported here, I’ve been in more life and death situations than in my entire life. But…I don’t know. At the same time, I have never felt as alive as I do now. It has been exciting—deadly and terrifying, but exciting all the same. Besides, I don’t know whether I can stop coming here, so I don’t have to make a decision right now. If she hadn’t been closely observing him, she would have missed it.

His shoulders relaxed and his head lifted a hairsbreadth. Thank you for your honesty. I hope you will stay in our world if you have a choice. I believe you have more to offer than either of us realize.

She wasn’t going near that last statement. What in the world could she do on a different planet? Her knowledge and skills didn’t easily transfer, and her fighting and survival skills left much to be desired. She grimaced. That was putting it nicely.

Hoping to change the subject, she asked, Will you tell me about your life? I mean, when you were younger?

In a voice that sounded pleased at the same time as shocked, he asked, You would be interested in my early years as a kitten?

Of course. Why wouldn’t I be? I told you about my memories of mountains and told you about where I’m from. You know more about me than I know about you.