Her tiny head throbbed and threatened to split open. It had been two full days since the picnic trip. She was no longer mentally exhausted. Now it was just a good old-fashioned migraine. The tiny little orc sat huddled in a tent with her eyes closed. Light made the splitting headache worsen rapidly.

The things she wrote in the book were along the same lines as the potion that the alchemists were trying to make. The one to eliminate or alleviate the effects of mana sickness. The creature that had spoken to her had filled in some gaps the alchemists were missing. Trillia still had five more days before she would have to return to speak with the creature at length. She wasn't looking forward to it.

Amara hadn't come to visit her. Probably not wanting to scare her. Trillia wanted to see her mother. She missed her mother. But her brain still refused to cooperate. Just the memory of being in the same room as her Chieftain sent shivers down her spine. She wondered when that feeling of dread would go away. Amelia visited her often and brought her food. Mort and Lurog had assured Trillia's parents that the headache was normal. Someone had basically forcefully invaded her dreams and had taken her mind hostage to have a conversation with someone who had never spoken via telepathy before.

If anything, they were glad Trillia wasn't dead or brain dead. They had seen such things happen previously. They attributed it to the behemoth's control of its own mind. Otherwise, she would most certainly be dead. Trillia didn't train or read. She just sat there listening to a small fire crackle and pop, trying to concentrate super, super hard on her head, not feeling like one of her brothers was stepping on it.

Over the course of the next two days, more rest and potions later, she finally stepped out of the tent. Bright light still hurt, but at least her head wasn't throbbing. Throughout her four-day stay, she had some tent mates. A few wounded scouts. Everyone was all too happy to sit in shared misery and silence. With her newfound freedom from an achy head, Trillia made her way through the camp toward the command tent.

Standing outside of it, she took a deep breath. Steadying herself, readying her nerves. As she reached a small hand out to the furs that hung as a door, she froze. Closing her eyes, she continued to try and steel her nerves, her hand still trembling as it blindly gripped at the furs. Her teeth began to grind together as she willed her hand to pull back the furs and face her mother. Why was her brain being so stupid?!

A hand on her shoulder startled her. She let out a little yelp and spun, her hand immediately going to the rapier at her side. Turning to face her attacker, she saw Ba'Shoon's beautiful golden eyes staring down at her. A warm smile on the woman's face.

"Will it make it easier, if I hold your hand when you enter?"

Trillia relaxed immediately, her hand slipping from the rapier's hilt. Looking at the command tent, then back to Ba'Shoon, she gave a weak little nod. The woman took her hand with a little squeeze before opening the flap to the tent. The two entered together. Amara stood at the head of the table, eyes on the entrance. Cordaos, Varga, and Tormash stood around the table, a map between them. Several hides lay sprawled out on top of the map.

Trillia recognized them as the item that scouts or war bands used to send messages back and forth. Many scout parties and war bands had large, somewhat scaled birds called Raptors. The things were only three or four feet tall and perhaps five feet long. They had weak wings but could fly using wind magic. They were mostly used because the things had massive talons that could shred most other low-flying creatures in the Shattered Plains. So they were effective messengers since nothing really wanted to fight them. The raptors were not known to be delicate, so the orcs used tough hides that were enchanted with messages to ensure whatever the raptors carried wasn't shredded.

Trillia's mental distraction helped her. She hadn't run in fear from her mother's visage. The silence in the tent was only interrupted by the muffled sounds of the camp outside. Trillia was squeezing Ba'Shoon's hand as if her life depended on it. Somehow Ba'Shoon was her anchor to reality. Their interlocked hands were the only thing keeping Trillia from falling into the void of fear. She closed her eyes once more, whispering softly to herself.

"You're a Demonsbane. You are a fully-fledged warrior. You can face any challenge or threat to the tribe."

She repeated it twice more. Her eyes remained closed so she didn't see the smirk on Tormash and Varga's faces at her words. Slowly, she let go of her anchor, taking a few steps forward before her eyes opened. She bowed her head slightly.

"Hello, Chieftain. I was told you wished to speak with me when I was feeling well again and before my return trip to the ravine."

Amara offered her a warm smile. The visage of the megapede didn't appear behind her this time. Amara returned the bow.

"I did thank you for taking the time, Trillia. As you may have heard, the things that creature had you write down have helped us make giant strides toward making a potion to alleviate or eliminate the mana sickness that comes from the ravine. Tormash has traveled back out to the ravine itself to speak with the creature further. It is willing to try and teach us how to form the same bridge it does. In exchange, it wants to evaluate your mana manipulation, as well as study how mana flows through you. I believe it may also wish for a small sample of your blood."

Trillia took that information in, mulling it over in her head. One of the big problems facing the tribe, and the minotaurs, was their inability to safely cross the ravine. The orcs didn't have mines, and now that God's Watch had fallen, neither did the minotaurs. So they would need to purchase their metal from Kincairne. Without a reliable way to cross the ravine, they were unable to keep up repairs on much of their equipment.

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That was to say, nothing of the need to see how the rest of Alirast was handling the cataclysm. Trillia knew their blind, dumb luck of a picnic had perhaps saved them a lot of trial, error, and death. Her mother continued.

"I cannot force you to put your own life at risk for something that has no payoff. The united tribes of the Shattered Plains try not to take the choice or freedom from its proven tribe members. Still, I'd ask that you work with this creature. If it can help us cross the ravine. We may be able to move the tribe closer to Kincairne and rally with allies."

Trillia didn't like so much weight being put on her shoulders. But! The thought came to her she was certainly useful to the tribe now. Trillia gritted her teeth and gave a nod. Taking a deep breath before she spoke.

"It is the honor of any orc to give its life to the betterment of the tribe, Chieftain. I am no different."

It was something Trillia had heard many scouts say before they were sent off on extremely dangerous solo missions. Tormash swelled with pride, offering her a solemn nod. Trillia looked to him, then to Ba'Shoon.

"May I request that Scout Master Tormash and Ba'Shoon join me? I fear I am not capable of making the journey on my own."

Amara chuckled. Offering a nod.

"Of course. You are still young and classless. I would not put you in harm's way without protection nearby. Tormash, Ba'Shoon, and Princess Amelia will be your entourage during your travels to the behemoth. It sent word back with Tormash, who returned early this morning. It has caught the serpent and killed it. You can leave whenever you are ready. The behemoth expects you in three days but won't be angry at you for showing up early."

Trillia smiled and nodded. Now that formality was out of the way. Trillia ran up and hugged her mother, squeezing one of the woman's legs. Amara ran a hand through her hair before reaching down to scoop the girl up, nearly crushing her into a hug. The mighty Chieftain had tears in her eyes, and Trillia was bawling. The others offered the scene their own smiles before giving the two their privacy.

Amara sat on a stump that doubled as a chair. Trillia, sitting on her knee. With no one else in the room, Trillia still felt on edge. But it wasn't the same fear and dread. Trillia was the first to break the silence.

"I'm sorry. I got so scared after everything. I asked Tormash before what sort of skill you had that made you so sure. But he never got a chance to explain it to me."

Amara held up a hand. Trillia could feel the flow of mana swirl around them. Skill information popped into her head.

Divine Skill: [Spare The Dying] Level 10 [Max]

Spare the Dying allows the user to target a living entity. It reserves 80% (-4% Per Level of this skill) of the user's resources (Health, Stamina, and Mana) In exchange, the target of this skill, cannot die under any circumstances except a stronger divine presence. Even dismemberment will not lower the target's resources to below 1. If the target is already at 0 or lower resources, its resources are immediately raised to 1. This may cause the target to be afflicted with the Healing Sickness, Mana Sickness, and Stamina Sickness debuffs.

Trillia read through the skill. No wonder her mother hadn't been worried. This was an extremely potent skill.

"Does this mean that when you saved Amelia and I, your resources were eighty percent less than normal?"

Amara nodded.

"Using the skill on two separate targets is very risky in the field. Since I'm only fighting at twenty percent capability. It's also why we don't engage most things on the return trip."

The two sat in silence for a moment, Trillia deep in thought. Amara's voice was soft, barely a whisper.

"I'm sorry, Trillia. I don't want to put you through it. I hated putting Mash and Rook through it. I just..."

The woman had tears in her eyes again, trying to find the right words. Trying to find the words to express her own fear and terror. Trillia hugged her.

"It's ok. You don't want to be alone. You don't want to lose us, and that means making sure we can fight and survive."

Her mother returned the hug and broke down in sobs of her own. Trillia wished she had been braver in the past couple of months. Wish she hadn't tormented her mother for so long with silence. Wished her little brain didn't refuse to listen. At least she had only wasted a few months of their time together.

After an hour of sitting together in silence and coming to terms with their grief and fears, Trillia spoke up once more.

"Tormash said he doesn't want me to train more than a couple of skills at once. He thinks I'm trying to do too much at once."

Amara smiled at that.

"Listen to your brother. I sometimes forget just how old and experienced I am. Tormash is growing very rapidly. I'm glad he has found someone like Ba'Shoon to walk through life with. The two will make glorious leaders one day if that is the path they wish to walk."

Trillia pulled away, looking at her mother now.

"You know about them?"

Amara just laughed at that, a deep, hearty laugh. It took a few minutes for the woman to calm down.

"Not only am I that boy's mother, but I am also his Chieftain. I know Ba'Shoon worries that I won't like her because she favors non-combat classes. But she is a damn good woman, the most skilled enchanter our tribe and the minotaurs has. Maybe I could stand to learn a little from the two of them. That book Tormash has, his [Naturalist] bestiary he calls it."

Trillia nodded excitedly. She really liked that book.

"It's an invaluable tool. Even the other Scout Masters have said as much. Knowing so much about so many different creatures instead of relying on memory is life-saving. I'm not so old and stuck in my ways to deny that. I just... as you said, Trillia. I'm afraid of losing people. Especially my kids."

Trillia leaned in and gave her another hug.

"You should tell Ba'Shoon that. She's very nervous. She thinks she isn't good enough, for Tormash, for you. I think she even feels out of place in the tribe. Which is silly since she's so tall and strong."

Amara squeezed her in another hug before sliding Trillia off her knee and standing.

"I think you're right that I should. For now, it will have to wait. I want our tribe to be across that damn ravine and safe near Kincairne. Do you think you're ready to speak to the behemoth again?"

Trillia nodded once more, standing at attention.

"I am ready, Chieftain. I shall speak with Tormash and the others so that we may get ready for the trip."

Amara smiled and nodded to her.

"Very well, Trillia. I look forward to your successful return."

The two hugged once more. Trillia lingered in her mother's arms, embracing the warmth and safety she now felt. Finally, she pulled away, turning and running off out of the tent to find her brother. She didn't see it, but her mother collapsed back onto the stump in tears, relief flooding her body.