Kaylor stood on the shore of the Last Lake and watched as his sister paced incessantly. Eecee was on the verge of getting the zoomies and Kaylor was waiting to see if it would be bad enough to force him to step in and distract her. They’d been at the Neutral Territory for several rotations now, helping their friend and king organise the Gathering. That was one of the reason he couldn’t let Eecee zoom indiscriminately, almost all the other races had sent representatives and tensions were, if not high, elevated somewhat. The races never normally had much interaction with each other, so this Gathering was bound to have some hiccups, but what worried him most, as well as the truest of the team, was that they hadn’t heard from Sierra since she left.

Logically, he knew, they all knew, that Sierra could take care of herself, and had done so for many orbits, long before they had met her. But in the nearly ten moons since they’d met her, she becomes their Primary. Not just a part of their job or someone to protect, but a friend and a leader to them. Kaylor saw it in all his guards. At first, they recognised the otherness in her and were wary, but they’d wanted to impress their King and show their loyalty and ability. But it was barely a blink before Sierra had shown them exactly what she was made of and what they saw inspired in them the same loyalty that they had for their King.

So when she headed off into the Wilds alone last Quarter, the teams was left adrift and antsy. Now Sierra was overdue and Eecee, who had taken a particular shine to Sierra, was worried and when Eecee was worried, the teams was in for trouble. Hence the brief sojourn to the Lakes’ edge, out of the way of irritable, cold Representatives, to try and bleed off the tension. Speaking of which, Eecee looked liked she was about to pounce on the glittering reflections that the sun created as it reflected off the lake.

“Eecee.” Kaylor intoned, low but firm. It was accompanied by a slight quirk of the eyebrow as he stared hard at his littermate.

Eecee guiltily rose from her crouched position, straightening up as she shook off her tension and sauntered lazily over to her brother, bumping heads with him affectionately and apologetically before settling down to wait. They stared out over the Last Lake with a few of the team, not quite able to forget the odd situation around them. The Neutral Territory hadn't been used for time innumerable, at least if felt like it to Kaylor, and although they had been able to grow all the usual amenities, it just wasn’t The Capital. Still, it was nice to spend time in such a beautiful spot.

The Last Lakes obviously wasn't the last lake on the Planet, there were many lakes spread all over the landmass, not to mention the two large floating icecaps which were sometimes harvested very strictly for freshwater. However, the Last Lake was called that because it was the only freshwater source of significant size left. Almost like the stories from the ancients of inland seas, it was so large it stretched far off into the horizon. It had never been survey or mapped and wasn't used as a water source for any of the Monarch Nations or their industrial cities but it still held an important place in every race’s psyche. Almost a last refuge should the horrors of the Ancients return to plague them now. The Last Lake was the last bastion, the meeting point should everything else fall.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

It suddenly occurred to Kaylor (and the author funnily enough) that the meeting of all the races, at this location, was a sort of harbinger of what they faced. Kaylor has seen the destruction outside and within his own Capital. He’d seen and helped search for the old data. Suddenly, it seemed to Kaylor, that this was more than just a fact finding mission. This danger was suddenly all too real and too big to really understand. Perhaps that was why it had only just hit him, the truth was too vast and too horrible to really grasp so the mind just turned away…

“Have you heard anything from Kine?”

Eecees question interrupted Kaylor’s dark thoughts and he looked around at his sister next to him. She was still focused on Sierra. Well, that he could handle. He swiped through his screen, checking for any updates.

“N-” before Kaylor could answer her in the what I’ve, a message appeared from their King. Kaylor read it and let out a little sigh of relief, barely audible. “Kine just messaged. He’s coming to meet us then were going to the perimeter to intercept some movement there. They think it’s Sierra, Kine got a message that she was close, but its not confirmed yet. Guess wed better get combat ready. Call the team.” Kaylor instructed as he continued to check the data Kine had sent whilst simultaneously checking his equipment and surroundings. Finally, Sierra was back.

Eecee gave a quiet but enthusiastic whoop and started chivvying up her teammates, eager to meet her friend and charge. A smile tugged at Kaylor lips, both at his own joy of the news and at the enthusiasm of his littermate and team.

When Kine appeared with his own heavily prepared guards, Kaylor was proud that is own team of Elites was ready and waiting in operations mode. The King gave a nod, both of acknowledgement and approval before heading straight towards the perimeter of the safe zone that had been established on arrival. Kaylor’s and his team fell in behind. Once they reached the edge of the safe zone, Kaylor’s teams enclose the King and his guards, weapons raised and their paces slowed. It may not be the Wilds but they still had to be careful here in the Gentles, especially with all the change lately.

Kine had already sent Kaylor the expected direction from which Sierra was travelling so they made slow, steady progress, listening intently for their charge. She was okay, as far and anyone knew, but the fact she was late had put them all on edge. It would be good to see for himself that his Primary was safe and well and back with the team. It didn’t take long for the sounds of movement to reach them, but something was wrong. The sounds were coming to the wrong direction to be Sierra and the size of the group was certainly more than the two they expected.

The groups were moving rapidly so Kaylor tensed and leaning forward, trying to catch every detail. The moment stretched out interminably but Kaylor waited, focused, his team poised around him. A brief glanced to check that the Kings Elites were ready and the King hadn’t slipped from their protection… again. All was well behind so Kaylor turned back to the approaching unknown and crouched ready to pounce when he saw a tiny body, thrashed its way out of the vegetations. Eyes wide, Kaylor nevertheless didn't allow his surprise to slow him down. He raised a fist and commanded,

“Hold!”

“Wait!”

A familiar voice sounded at the same time. Kaylor knew that voice. He so desperately waned to turn towards it but he needed to keep his eyes on the figures emerging before him. Rather than cower or plead for help as he expected, they watched with wary, hands stares until two figures emerged between the two groups, coming between them but facing neither.

King Kine, still encircled by his serious and efficient guards, grew a little taller in his Warrior Form and grinned a little too thinly at the newcomers.

“Welcome back Sierra.”