It took them two days of hard traveling to get back to the Kharlin’s village. Once again Dawn had reason to be grateful for Ankou. She wouldn’t have been able to find the way on her own. Neither map reading nor orientation in the wilderness had ever been part of her education. Not that she was in possession of a map of the region anyway. But the lynx led her through the wilderness with sure instinct.

They hadn’t taken the time to hunt on their way, as Dawn was in a tearing hurry to get back to Kharma and find out if he was alright and if the Kharlins had managed to get most of their villagers away from the demons safely. They subsisted on stale oatcakes and jerky. Ankou might have hunted a rabbit or two on the way as well. Fortunately they had not been bothered by any beasts on the way. Dawn was looking forward to a proper meal and a safe place to sleep as soon as they arrived at the Kharlin village.

When they approached the village, she thought it best to let the Kharlins know early on someone was approaching. So she hollered for Kharma from quite a distance away. The first reaction turned out quite different than she had expected. An arrow struck the ground directly in front of her feet. Dawn yelped and backed away. “Hey! What in all the gods names are you doing? Stop it this minute! Kharma!” She yelled.

Furry faces appeared on the rocks above and looked down at her, bows at the ready. “Dawn?” Kharma shot out of the entrance to the village and looked at her as if he had seen a ghost. A minute later she had an arm full of furry Kharlin. Kharma squeezed the breath out of her. “I thought you dead! We saw demons take you away.”

Dawn hugged him back. “Yes, the demon queen almost killed me. At the last moment she was distracted by a very timely commotion in the main cave. I guess I have your friends to thank for that.”

Kharma stared at her, snout gaping. “Demon queen? What queen? Yes, we made explosions. Got rest of our villagers out. But that was day after demons had taken you. We thought you long dead. But come in, come in! You and Ankou must be exhausted and hungry. Others want to hear how got out of there, too.”

Dawn let him lead her to the hidden entrance. “What’s with the strange reception? Someone almost shot me just now.” She squinted, outraged in retrospect. “Sorry. They all nervous after demons.” Kharma replied apologetically, flattening his ears.

“You can hardly mistake me for one of that over-sized spiders!” Dawn sputtered, entering the village after him. The Kharlins had gathered in the common area in front of the fire. When they saw Dawn come in together with Kharma and Ankou they stared and murmured. Suddenly Dawn was a bit self-conscious, with all the attention centered on her. She looked into a lot of unfamiliar faces. “Where is Lutha?” she asked Kharma under her breath. Kharma drooped. “Not here. Did not rescue all villagers. Her husband still gone. She wanted to be alone.” Dawn swallowed. “I saw the demon queen killing some Kharlins after they took me.” She said hoarsely. “It was awful.” Kharma looked at her shocked. He said gravely : “More than half villagers taken by demons have disappeared. Demons must have killed them.”

“More than half! That is horrible. I’m so sorry Kharma.” Dawn didn’t know what to say. A moment later she remembered. “What about your sister? Did you get her out?” she asked tentatively. Kharma brightened a bit. “Yes, I lucky. Nirim survived. Is with Lutha now.”

They had arrived at the common area. Silence had fallen among the Kharlin. Dawn felt awkward and out of place. Finally a big black Kharlin with spots of grey in his pelt stood up and greeted her: “You are Dawn, I suppose. My name is Halvar. I am the speaker for this village.”

“Pleased to meet you, Halvar.” Dawn replied solemnly. “Though I would have wished we could meet under better circumstances.”

“Too true.” Halvar looked at her coolly. “Our village has been struck hard by the loss of so many of our friends. We got out all we could find in the caves. But many have vanished and we believed them dead. Though we thought you dead, too. So, maybe there is a chance some of them are alive.”

Dawn grimaced and shook her head slowly. “I wish I could tell you that was true, but I fear it is a forlorn hope. After I was taken by the demons, I woke up in a side cave with the demon queen.” She hesitated for a moment, then clenched her fists and continued. “I saw her kill several Kharlins. She was in the process of killing me when there was a big commotion in the main cave and what sounded like some explosions. The queen was distracted by that and left me. Ankou found me there and helped me to get out.”

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A low murmur went through the crowd of Kharlins. A few of them looked devastated. “I’m so sorry for your loss.” Dawn said looking down.

One of the Kharlins pushed the others aside and confronted Dawn. “Is it true that you stirred them up?” he snarled. Dawn stared at him, taken aback. “What?” She asked helplessly. “Kharma told us you rescued him and burned demon eggs. You stirred them up.” The Kharlin positioned himself in front of Dawn aggressively. He had a sandy fur and reminded Dawn uncomfortably of the one the Queen had butchered. “You humans. Always hunting and killing. No thought for anyone but yourselves.”

Dawn swallowed hard. She was taken by surprise and felt attacked unfairly. “I wanted to help. I rescued Kharma and I tried to help get the other villagers out.”

“And a fat lot of good you did them,” he growled at her. “We got them out ourselves. Humans are useless and nothing but a danger to us. You should leave. We don’t want you here.” An approving murmur ran through the crowd. Stricken, Dawn gaped at the Kharlins, at a loss for words. She had tried to help Kharma and Lutha. She had risked her own life in the caves, when she went to get the cocoons out and almost had died in the attempt. The last thing she had expected from the Kharlins was accusations.

“Should I have left Kharma to die then? Would that have been better?” She asked hoarsely, holding his eyes. “You should not have been there at all.” He hissed. “Rousing the demons, poking your nose in our business.”

Slowly, Dawn looked around. Kharma was gaping at the other villagers just as much as herself. But most of the tribe agreed with the accuser, that much was plain to see. Sentiment was running against her. She just couldn’t understand it. She had been deathly afraid to face the demons once more when they reentered the caves. She had only done it because Kharma was her friend and she couldn’t bear for him to fight the spiders alone. She hadn’t expected recognition. But this?

She turned and looked at Kharma. “I think it is better if I go now.” She told him, sad and angry. Kharma looked at her, then at the villagers and exclaimed. “Dawn helped me, helped Lutha. Got Grodim out and Laik, Yima and Reina. We could not have got you all out without her. Why this crazy talk?”

One of the villagers shook his head. “You went hunting on forbidden paths. Your own fault if demons caught you. Better if killed you. No great loss for village.” Kharma flinched, but the other villager continued relentlessly. “Demons hunting there always. Never attack village. Now she burns demon eggs and steals demon food. Is her fault they attack. Half the villagers dead now.” Kharma lowered his head, his ears pressed down and his whole demeanor miserable.

Dawn had a lump in her throat and felt like bursting into tears. She whirled around and started blindly into the direction of the exit, Ankou accompanying her. She needed to get out of here. She ran out of the cave and didn’t stop until she was a good distance away from the Kharlin village. Then she threw herself down on the ground and let the tears come. Ankou laid down beside her, purring at her, his warm weight reassuring.

A few minutes later she felt a hand on her shoulder. When she looked up through tears, Kharma was standing there looking miserable and gazing at her earnestly. “Is not right.” He stated. “You helped. Whole village would be gone without your help. Is wrong to accuse you.”

Dawn dried her eyes. “It is not your fault.” She told him throatily. Kharma sat down heavily. “Village council has decided to move. Are not sure demons are gone. Hunters looking for Kharlin too. Think it is too dangerous here. Want to go and build village somewhere else. Have to go with them. Nirim has only me. Father gone now, did not get out of demon cave. Mother dead long time already.”

“Your father was killed by the demons too? Oh, Kharma, how horrible. I’m so sorry.” He nodded solemnly. “Will pack up and leave village tomorrow. Council decided just before you came.”

“Where will you go?” Dawn exclaimed, but he just shook his head. “Not certain. Speaker says he know place, but I not sure where.”

“So this is goodbye now?” Already she was close to tears again. Kharma nodded solemnly. “Need to get back to Lirim, need to pack. Thank you for helping. Be careful.” He laid a hand on her arm and then turned and went back to the village and his sister.

She sniffed. “Seems like it’s just you and me now, Ankou,” she told the cat sadly. Slowly, she got to her feet. “Come, we need to find a place to make our camp.” Together, they wandered away from the Kharlin village in the lengthening shadows of the evening.