Three-sixteen’s POV

Sweat beaded on every surface of Three-sixteen’s body. His head thundered with the noise of his own breathing and he felt keenly aware of every motion of his body, even the way his skin pulled over his bones with each movement. He was acutely aware of everything around him, of the creatures nearby and the vibrations of their steps.

He was aware of the sifters and heard every time one blinked, he was even aware of the smallest insects scurrying about in the darkness. Three-sixteen thought his skull would split trying to process so much information.

It was like an endless stream of data flooding his brain, but despite the load he had not succumbed. He didn’t know how many mouthfuls of crystal he’d swallowed—how many times more he’d eaten than what should have been lethal. He knew he had eaten too much, yet he didn’t think he was dying.

Could Five-ninety-one have been right? Were the magistrates lying just to keep the numbers in line?

Three-sixteen thought it was too soon to say. The magistrates did say it would take months before his body began to decay. He also wasn’t sure how much longer he could endure the head splitting pain which only seemed to be getting worse with each passing second.

His skin felt like ice but his blood boiled, and his body felt like it was being crushed, pressed in from every angle of every surface all at once.

He wondered if he could even move if he tried, but he knew he couldn't remain still. She was still waiting for him to come and find her. He had to believe that. Three-sixteen was pretty sure he’d eaten more crystals than her, but he wondered if Five-ninety-one had a similar experience. He couldn’t know without asking, but he thought he might have his answers soon.

The mother sifter carried him through another tunnel, this one leading up.

Her cubs followed behind her, though they seemed more anxious than Three-sixteen felt. They kept running ahead and tensing their shoulders as they growled into the darkness. He wondered what they sensed or if they were just trying to protect him.

Three-sixteen bristled at the sound of a loud screech, and he tried to move from the sifter's grasp, but he didn’t have the strength. He could feel the tremor of her muscles and the tension in her whiskers as they tightened around him.

The sifter let out a roar that echoed through the cave. Three-sixteen couldn’t see what she was looking at, but he could hear it moving. The creature hissed and growled as it moved about, and the sifter let out another roar.

Three-sixteen felt the mother sifter move again, and the pups rushed past them.

He heard them clawing against something, a rock or a wall perhaps. The sound of cracking stone filled his ears and he felt like he was losing his mind. He couldn’t think straight. He just wanted everything to be silent.

A creature with a roar like the crack of lightning, and a power like a great stone breaking over a cliff, crashed into the mother sifter. The impact sent Three-sixteen flying against the cave wall. The sifter thudded against the stone next to him before both fell to the ground.

Three-sixteen could see the creatures now, illuminated by a glowing orb of light whose origin he couldn’t identify. They had navy blue skin with luminous spots and short whiskers that curved like talons. They were smaller than adult sifters, but their muscular physiques made it clear that they were no less dangerous.

The two creatures roared and hissed as they crept closer to Three-sixteen.

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Light flashed between them, then one of the creatures shot forward like a bolt, landing with its claws pressed into Three-sixteen’s chest.

He felt the pressure and the warmth of blood trickling down his chest, but he didn't feel pain.

The creature roared in his face, and he felt its hot breath on his skin.

He knew he should move, fight, scream, or do something; he did none of those things.

Three-sixteen could guess the beast’s intent. It wanted to eat him and he was powerless to stop it. His body wasn’t responding to his will. He couldn’t move and he couldn't speak, but he could see. He could hear. He could feel, and he knew he was not ready to die.

His fingers twitched. That was a start, but it wasn’t good enough. Three-sixteen had to silence the noise in his brain if he wanted to survive.

The creature's roars clouded Three-sixteen’s thoughts as its claws dug deeper into his chest making it all the worse.

He wasn’t sure he could survive even if he could control his body.

Maybe it would be better for him to just give up.

The creature roared again, this time it leaned closer to Three-sixteen, letting its nose touch his cheek; it was sniffing him.

Its whiskers brushed against his skin, and it let out a low growl. Then its tongue flicked across his cheek, stinging him like a barb. The beast pulled away then, its eyes narrowing as it turned its head to the side and stared at him.

Three-sixteen stared back. He hoped his eyes conveyed his anger at being stepped on, that the creature understood he did not want to be dinner and that he had no intention of dying.

The beast growled and turned to face its companion.

It howled at the other creature and raised its head high.

The second beast was on all fours, creeping toward them with its eyes focused on Three-sixteen. It completely ignored the sifter pups as they lashed it repeatedly with their whiskers.

The second beast raised its head and let out a howl, but it was not a normal howl. The sound carried through the cave, bouncing off the walls and growing in volume.

The sound grew louder and louder until the walls shook with it.

Three-sixteen writhed as the noise slammed against his skull. He tried to cover his ears, but he only managed to slightly raise one arm.

The mother sifter roared as she got back to her feet. Her whiskers whipped through the dark like hidden blades, scything through the air. She cut down one of the creatures, but the other escaped her reach. It darted back and forth, moving with a speed that defied perception.

The pups joined the fight, leaping after the creature in attempts to ensnare the beast, but they only managed to catch air.

The creature was too quick, but it seemed completely disinterested in the sifters. It only had eyes for Three-sixteen.

Three-sixteen could see it, its hungry gaze focused on him as its tongue flicked in and out of its mouth. He knew he was not going to escape that hungry maw.

The sifters, though obviously outmatched, didn’t give up. Each of them was working together to try and corner the beast, but it was too fast for them. The creature was too agile.

The creature turned away from Three-sixteen then, and with a flash of light it appeared beside the mother sifter. With vicious force it slammed into her shoulder, sending her sliding into the wall again.

The creature didn’t waste any time, it was already on the move again before the mother sifter hit the ground. Its teeth were inches from Three-sixteen's face when a streak of silver shot through the air and slammed into the side of its head.

“Enough!”

The voice was clear, strong and loud, but Three-sixteen thought it couldn’t be true. He tried to move, but his body wouldn’t turn. He couldn't see what was happening, but he felt it. He knew she was there.

The creature flew through the air and landed against the wall, its eyes wide with rage. It let out a thundering roar and darted toward the voice, but something else crashed into it, Three-sixteen couldn’t see what.

“That’s enough! Go back now, or the next shot ends you.”

The creature growled as it glared at the owner of the voice.

The silver streak appeared again and slammed into the creature's side.

It screeched and disappeared with a flash of light, and a moment later the mother sifter limped away with her cubs as well.

The voice, familiar and soothing, asked, “Three-sixteen, are you okay? I can heal you.”

She was so close he could feel her breath on his skin, and her voice was like an echo in his mind.

He closed his eyes imagining her face, her smile and the care in her eyes. He wished he could feel her warmth so he would know she was real. He had to believe though. He said, “I'm glad you're not dead, Five-ninety-one”

“It’s good I got to you in time. Can you stand?”

He didn’t think he could. He wasn’t even sure he could stay awake much longer. His head was pounding and his body felt numb. Everything felt a little fuzzy, almost like a dream. A ringing hum in his ears and the warmth of her hand on his cheek made him wonder if he was really awake or if he had finally died. He felt her lift him onto her back, and he knew she was real. She was alive and he was alive, and they were together again.

Three-sixteen felt at ease and let himself rest