Dinner that night felt like the meals they used to have when they first landed, when everyone clustered around a campfire on a nightly basis. Back then, it had been out of shock and a sense of needing the comfort of a community. Now, the atmosphere was more relaxed, even playful.

Apparently, there was a kind of hops that grew a few meadows away. A guy named Chad had figured out how to brew beer out of it. Or, he called it beer. It tasted like yeasty water, and not in a good way. Morgan had occasionally stolen a taste from her dad’s beer cans and knew the difference, but the boys all treated Chad’s brew as if it were liquid from the gods.

It also didn’t get them as outrageously drunk as Donut’s hard alcohol.

The quality of the soup had improved dramatically since she’d left, too. Someone had taken apart an old cement mixer, buried it in the ground and surrounded it with hot coals to make a giant communal pot.

Zeke, who had taken over the role as group chef, had added some of the venison to tonight’s soup pot. It went in with wild onions, garlic, some root vegetables, and other spices that people had found growing wild. The result was thick and satisfying.

Al remained dubious of stewed venison, but Morgan did see him take a bite of roasted potato that Zeke had baked near the coals. He didn’t make a face, so she considered it a win.

People laughed and carried conversations freely across the warm fire. Some of the guys swore they were getting a buzz from the “beer” but were not focused on getting blitzed out of their minds. The stars twinkled overhead in a friendly sort of way.

Morgan didn’t talk much. She sat between Timberly and Al with a full belly and a sense of peace and belonging.

Colton stood. Slowly, the conversation eased as attention was given to him. Sensing the change, others wandered in from their own fires to stand nearby and listen.

The firelight played across Colton’s face. It made him look older, like a grown man who stood in front of a crowd instead of a teenager trying to be a leader.

“Thanks,” he said when the last conversations died away. “We’ve already welcomed Morgan back earlier, but let’s raise a toast to her tonight, for going further than any of us have before, and returning.”

People all around—all but the group sitting right next to Neveah—lifted their cups in the air and cheered.

Al, who always seemed happy to take part in a group effort, added an odd coughing call, too. Embarrassed but oddly pleased, Morgan managed a wry grin.

Colton waited until the cheering died down. "I know most of you want to know what Morgan found out there, and I appreciate you all not coming in at her right and left with questions. She's told me some of it—” Actually, she had told him all of it,"—and I think it's important you all hear, too. There's a lot to take in, and I’m going to ask you to keep your questions down until she’s finished. Okay?"

There were murmurs of agreement and then all eyes fell on her.

Morgan had been half-expecting this, but now that the moment had come she couldn't meet anyone's gaze. Should she stand? No, that would make her feel more awkward. She remained seated.

"Well, I..." Her mouth was dry, but her throat felt clogged. She cleared it and when she tried again her voice came out louder, if not steadier. "Um, the first thing you should know is we aren't alone on this planet. You've met Al, but there are more species out there. A lot more." She went on to describe, briefly, that this planet was sectored into separate territories, or ranges. How each was a specialized habitat tailored for its inhabitants with separate weather systems, plants, and animal life.

As she spoke, she could practically feel the burn of Neveah's challenging gaze where she sat next to Colton. Not curious or excited, but hateful. Morgan didn't rise to the bait, didn't allow herself to glance Neveah's way.

"What do the other ranges look like?" Max asked abruptly.

Before Morgan could reply, a girl near to Neveah called out, “How do you understand the dinosaur?"

Colton held up his hands. Instantly, people fell quiet again. So much for waiting to ask questions.

"He's not a dinosaur," Morgan said, addressing the second question first. She had to get people out of the habit of thinking of him as an animal from Jurassic Park, and as a person. "There are devices at the border of every range. I think they’re meant to allow communication between different peoples. You can exchange languages there—that's how Al understand's English, and I know Yellow Crest.”

She turned to Max. “As for the ranges… They're all different." She waved a hand around. "The Earth grass and trees and everything just stops and there's a whole other landscape—like stepping onto another planet. The range to the south of us hasn't been built yet for people. It's just blank desert.”

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Colton nodded and even though he told people not to interrupt her, he couldn't seem to help himself. "The thing is, people and aliens can cross in and out of these ranges with no problem. There’s no wall or anything to stop them.“

That drew quizzical looks from some who didn't get it, and alarmed glances from those who did.

"Morgan, tell them about the Blood Wolves," Al said, abruptly.

"What did he say?" Timberly asked.

Morgan took in a deep breath to center herself. This was going to be the hard part. "There's another alien race out there who aren’t friendly. They’re called Blood Wolves, and they killed Al’s people. That's why Al is here."

A boy named Nicholas spoke up. “What do they look like? Werewolves?"

“No, sort of like centaurs, except no hooves and with dog heads." She shook her head. “I know it’s a bad description, but trust me, you’ll know one if you see it.”

"So, they're running around killing other species? Races?" Timberly looked around for the correct phrasing but was met with shrugs. “Why?”

"I don't care why,” Chad said. "How do we keep them away from us?"

"Can we fight them?" That question came from Neveah.

Colton looked across the fire straight at Al. "How many attacked your people? How big was their army?"

Al seemed startled that someone was talking directly to him rather than going through Morgan first. “There were more Wolves than there were of us, and we were close to nine-hundred, counting males and chicks within all the nests."

"There were other nests in your range?" Morgan asked, surprised. She had the idea that ‘nest’ was the equivalent to a human village.

He bowed his head. "Yes, but we didn't meet with them often. Only the Matrons spoke with one another."

Interesting. Making a mental note to question him in detail later, she quickly translated his answer for the others and added, “That Knowledge Transfer Device I used to learn Al’s language—you can also see memories in it. I saw what happened through Al's eyes. The Wolves didn’t ask for them to surrender or, like, demand food or land or anything. They just attacked and killed.”

Colton shook his head. "We have everything we could ever want here. It makes sense that the Wolves’ territory was set up the same way for them. They must be after something else."

"Maybe they just want to go home," Morgan said.

"And that matters, why?" Neveah sneered.

Al picked up his head at the tone of her voice. His crest, however, remained flat to his skull. He seemed watchful, not alarmed.

Morgan decided to pretend like she hadn't heard the snotty tone. "Maybe by conquering other species they think they can get the Maker's attention.”

“The who?” Timberly asked.

Wincing, she realized she had gotten ahead of herself. So she went back, briefly, to describe the concept of the Makers and then the Stone Seekers, their weird cave-like city, and what had happened to them.

“Alien logic doesn't follow our own, but I can say that when the Wolves invaded the Stone Seeker city, they wanted to get to the Knowledge Transfer Device."

"Until you destroyed it," Al murmured, pleased.

"But I destroyed it, first," she confirmed.

"Great," Neveah said. "Now these Wolf-things are going to be pissed off and looking for you. Is that what you're saying?"

"No," Morgan said even though she secretly worried that the answer might be yes. She saw Neveah take a breath and she quickly spoke to cut her off. "And we made sure we weren't followed, but the Stone Seeker's range isn't that far away."

Neveah's expression darkened.

As if sensing danger, Colton spoke, “We’re going to have to prepare in case they ever do show up. For right now, I think it's smart to keep a lookout, especially at night when we're all asleep. There's not many of us, but we can take it in shifts. A couple of hours each night won't kill us. Any volunteers for tonight?" He smiled. "It's not like we have school in the morning to worry about."

A couple people volunteered, and Colton said he would take the midnight shift. That spurred a few more people to put their hands up.

Feeling the pressure to help, Morgan raised her hand.

Colton, though, shook his head at her. "You just got in. Get some sleep tonight, and we'll talk about it later this week."

Al looked pleased. Morgan elbowed him. "What?"

"You were worried about your reception, but that one is treating you as a favored subordinate.”

He wasn't the only one to notice. Neveah was openly glaring, and as soon as the crowd broke up she grabbed Colton by the arm to talk to him.

Morgan knew better than to get in the middle of that argument.

A storage container had been reserved for herself and Al. It wasn’t as good as a house, of course, and it would feel weird to sleep somewhere again instead of under the stars, but she would take it.

She was surprised when Timberly fell into step alongside her. Her friend gave a tight smile. "Mind if I bunk with you two tonight?"

"Sure...?" Morgan said, glancing at Al, but he didn't seem to have an opinion. She turned back to Timberly. "I thought you would be, you know, with Max tonight?" Last she had known, Timberly and Max were together. They certainly had a much more stable relationship than Colton and Neveah.

“He thought the same thing," Timberly said lightly and increased the length of her pace to reach the container first.

Wow, sore subject. Morgan raised her eyebrows, but let it drop.

The container was one used for sleeping. The back corner was filled with long grasses that had long since dried into straw. Not exactly comfortable, but better than camping out in the open.

Al had no problem with the bed and pushed some of the straw into his own corner, settling down like an overlarge goose and resting his head so that his feathered tail covered his nose.

The night air was cool, but not cold. With three in the container, it was warm enough that Morgan didn’t need a blanket.

She lay awake for some time, staring up at the dark ceiling and listening to the sounds of people chatting nearby and the crackle of a nearby cook-fire. It was very different from the clicks and honks of the Stone Seeker village and the soft call of night birds and animals she had gotten used to while traveling.

She was back among her people. She should have felt safe.

Maybe she would feel better if she knew Lucas was okay.

Did I do the right thing by following Max and Zeke here? she wondered. Would they have helped me if I asked directions to Donut’s village?

Will Lucas hate me for coming back with nothing?

Firmly pushing that away, she imagined herself floating upward through the ceiling to the sky, up above the atmosphere. Were the Makers of this world watching the human settlement now? If they were, what did they think of them? Were they watching the army of Blood Wolves decimate other species or heading their way? Were they considering stopping them, or were they placing bets on who would win?

She wasn't aware she had even drifted down into sleep before she heard Al's voice.

"Morgan, there are humans outside. They are trying to find their way in."