“Narasten?” Macien’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I was concerned about a Fokla, yet you return to tell me my people’s Guardian, the missing, presumably dead Guardian, has returned?”

Lilau stared at the earth-colored rugs in the tent. Thankfully, her sight had dulled in the time it took to return to camp. Her head still beat like a drum, though. “That’s what the Fokla called itself.”

“What did it look like?”

Lilau furrowed her eyebrows. What did that matter? The Cat Tribe couldn’t see the Fokla, could they? “Like a Great Cat, only larger and with a crown of fire. Its hide was molten, and its eyes like cloudless skies.”

“Yet the others saw nothing?”

“Did one of them have Spirit Sight?”

“No. According to the old stories, you didn’t need Spirit Sight to see Narasten.”

Lilau’s eyes widened, her gaze flicking toward the Weapons Master’s face. Macien looked annoyed. Did she think she was lying? “I’ve never heard of a Fokla all people could see.”

“It had to do with the twin aspects. Something about Narasten’s ties to the physical plane. You’d have to ask Radai for the details.” Macien waved the idea away. “It is just a story, yet your description matches what it says. Could it have been a different Fokla, merely claiming to be Narasten? Do Fokla do such things?”

“I… I don’t know. I’ve never heard of it.” Lilau clenched her jaw. She’d been saying that a lot lately.

“No matter. You said it was tethered? What does that mean?”

“I—” Lilau stopped herself, and rephrased. “While I can’t be sure, I think it means someone, a person, has figured out how to control the Fokla’s essence. It mentioned having essence forced on it. That it had to learn to control it.”

“That’s why it offered to help you.”

“Yes. An offer I’ve accepted.”

Macien fell silent.

Lilau had figured deciding without Macien or Zayla’s input would cause a rift, but Narasten’s offer was too important, too personal, for her to care.

“You must tell Leader Zayla.”

Lilau sighed. Her limbs felt heavy. She wanted nothing more than the reprieve of rest. The night had moved into the time of second sleep, the last few hours before dawn. She didn’t care to miss it. “Leader Zayla is probably asleep, and I need rest as well. Speaking to the Fokla has… weakened my defenses against the essence.”

Macien’s quick shuffle away told Lilau her words hit their target. No matter how much Macien wanted her to share her info with Zayla, the Weapons Master wanted to avoid a potential explosion even more.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Of course,” Macien said. “Rest. I thank you for seeking this Fokla, Lilau Noka. May you hunt well.”

“May you hunt well.”

Makotae emerged from a shadowy corner where he’d been resting and followed Lilau out of the tent. Is it safe to rely on a Fokla to help you?

Of course not. But there’s no one in this camp who can, and Narasten, if that’s truly the Fokla’s name, seems ready and willing. Then again, so did Tirijuki. So maybe it’s a trap. Once the sun rises, I’ll talk to Zayla and Macien. I’ll ask if they know of a way to harm Fokla.

Is that wise? They don’t seem to know much about Fokla, and asking how to hurt what may be their Guardian reborn could be taken the wrong way.

Lilau snorted. That was quite the understatement. Still, she had seen no one from the Cat Tribe perform or practice a ritual, had heard of no Elders or Shamans, and other than Inalia’s knowledge of Spirit Poisoning, she’d heard little talk of Fokla beyond Radai’s stories. Before today, she hadn’t even seen a Fokla in the desert, although she’d become used to that in recent moons.

She’d assumed it was due to whatever plagued the other lands, but what if the Cat Tribe’s territory simply didn’t have many? You're right, she conceded. Perhaps it would be better to ask differently.

Different how?

We’ll think of something. After a bit more sleep.

*****

Zayla stared at Lilau, eyes narrowed. Her hands sat steepled in her lap. Like Macien, Zayla clearly didn’t take Lilau at her word. That was fine. She was used to it. She simply wished Zayla would hurry and dismiss her. Heat from the rising sun seeped under the tent flaps. The air kept a hint of chill, and the thick rugs which made up Zayla’s floor would stay cooler, but the outside wouldn’t. The longer Zayla kept her, the hotter it would become, and she was hoping to get some training in with Macien before the worst of the day.

“Our Guardian went missing long before any of us were born. Are you positive it was Narasten?”

“I’m not. I described what I saw to Macien, as I did for you. She said it matched the stories. But no, I have no way of knowing if what it says is true.”

“Hmm. Do you know what its arrival might mean for us?”

“No. It claimed to be containing essence flowing into it, but it did not say what would happen if it stopped, or couldn’t anymore.”

“And it can teach you how to contain your essence. I assume it would not be guaranteed for you, either.”

“I… yes, I suppose so.”

“Do you wish to learn from the Fokla?”

“Yes.”

“Then I won’t stop you, Lilau Noka. While I can be no more sure of your heritage than I can of this Narasten’s true identity, one thing is clear. You have deep connections with the Spirit World, and can do things my people can’t. As before, your presence by our side would bolster our defenses greatly, but even if you do this for yourself, it will be a great boon to you and your future.”

If I don’t end up killed by this Fokla, or Tirijuki when he shows up again. Lilau kept her doubts to herself. As much as social encounters made her skin crawl, she hadn’t lost all of her etiquette around leaders. As a bonus, Zayla wasn’t much larger than she was, and kept a respectable distance and a low voice. In short, Zayla was unlike any leader she had encountered before. Maybe I’m just getting too comfortable.

Or maybe these people aren’t that bad.

Lilau relaxed her face before her expression changed. She still wasn’t used to this new, accepting Makotae.

“Does your wolf agree with me?” Zayla asked.

Lilau grimaced as she realized how long she’d been sitting in silence. “Yes. He quite enjoys it here.”

“Good. I strive to ensure our hospitality does not fail us as it has failed our lost brothers and sisters. If any of the Silent Hunters have failed, inform me and I shall fix it.”

“Of course, Leader Zayla.”

“Now, I am sure you have important schedules to keep. I thank you for telling me about this Fokla, and I shall think about how best to proceed. May your hunt go well, Lilau Noka.”