Lilau woke to eye-watering pain. A full night’s rest had allowed the stress of the previous day to fade, and with it, its pain-killing properties. She was acutely aware of every cut, bruise, and especially the arrow wound in her shoulder.

Makotae remained curled up around her. For a terrible moment, she imagined his stillness to mean he’d succumbed to his injuries in the night. The steady rise and fall of his chest put her fear to rest.

The fear returned in force when her eyes settled on the Fokla standing at the shelter’s entrance. She froze.

Dull black eyes wandered in different directions on a thin, brown face. At first glance, Lilau could have mistaken it for the same type of deer Alakna rode, if Alakna’s mount had six extra eyes, had lost its antlers, and hadn’t eaten in weeks. Tendrils hung from its gaunt muzzle, gray and twitching.

Lilau held her breath, silently wishing the monstrous Fokla away. It emanated the stench of rot, both plant and animal. Even with her breath held, the lingering scent coated her nostrils and mouth in a thick, cloying layer. Her stomach twisted.

The Fokla stuck its head farther into the shelter. A long, black tongue snaked through the air so close to Lilau’s face she could feel the heat coming off of it. Footsteps approached. The Fokla’s tongue recoiled, its eyes snapping back at multiple angles. In a flash, it was gone.

Lilau lunged forward, hissing at the renewed wave of pain, and scrambled out of the shelter.

Alakna raised an eyebrow. She stared at Lilau over the rising steam of the porridge in her hands. Lilau scanned the forest, turning a small circle in front of a bemused Alakna. Nothing remained of the Fokla except a fetid stench.

“Did you see that?” Lilau asked.

Alakna frowned and shook her head.

Lilau frowned back. She’d spoken in Wolf Tongue. While she’d picked up a few words of Alakna’s language, it wasn’t enough. Still, if Alakna had seen the same thing, she didn’t seem worried. Lilau shook her head and pointed to the food.

“Food. Eat.” Lilau mimed the action, hoping to get Alakna to say it back in her own language.

Alakna nodded and came closer. “Food. For you, Lilau.” She stuck out the bowl of porridge, then a bowl of meat. “For the other one.”

“Other one?” Lilau blinked. As her mind translated each clipped word, the rest of her thoughts struggled to catch up. “Oh.” She pointed at Makotae’s still sleeping form. “Makotae.”

Alakna mumbled his name, then shrugged. She placed the food down and turned to go.

“Wait.”

Alakna answered in a torrent of unknown words before walking away. She didn’t seem angry, yet Lilau felt admonished. It seemed she’d either broken another rule of hospitality, or Alakna was still upset by her actions in front of the elders.

Lilau sighed and sat down to her meal. In perfect health and circumstances, she’d be just fine ignoring the new tribe on her way through. Her wounds, and especially Makotae’s, would take a while to heal enough to leave, which meant she needed to understand these new lands. Alakna remained her best chance at learning. If she refused, Lilau would have to try another villager. She shuddered at the thought. Perhaps she’d take her chances with the decaying Fokla.

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Makotae hobbled to her side and stuck his head in the bowl of meat as she took a bite of porridge. The porridge tasted of grains flavored with more berries. Lilau sighed, eyeing Makotae’s meal as the last strip vanished into his mouth. The thought of meat, even as bloody and raw as what he’d had, sounded far better than bland porridge. She wondered if such was the norm for the morning meal in the village. Then again, she hadn’t seen a carcass or hunters bringing in kills. Perhaps they had little meat to begin with.

If so, I appreciate them giving it to me. Makotae licked his lips. His eyes gleamed, some of the haze from the previous day gone. Even if it means they’re probably putting us into debt.

Lilau smiled. As long as it means you getting better, I’ll gladly pay the price.

She scratched under his neck. Makotae leaned into it, his tongue lolling out, long and pink. The image of the gaunt deer Fokla reasserted itself in her mind. She stopped.

Makotae looked at her, head cocked. Why’d you stop?

Lilau pushed the image to him.

Ugh. Thanks for waiting until after I’d eaten for that. Where’d you see it?

Lilau replayed her strange encounter with the creature. Makotae’s hackles stood on end. He growled. Will it come back?

I don’t know. I hope not. Not until I can fight properly again, anyway.

She ran her hand across the belt of her new tunic, hesitating over the feel of her dagger in the sheath. It wobbled at her touch. The new sheath had been built for something larger and more curved, more dangerous. She needed to know if Fokla bled. If she was going to attack one, she wanted to do it with as deadly a weapon as possible. Since Alakna had let her keep her knife, she might have been willing to give the weapon that matched the sheath. Which would require actual conversation.

Lilau grimaced.

Her life had been a long line of trials set up by others, designed to make her fail. So why did she always end up needing someone else’s help? Perhaps the Fokla were laughing at her. Especially the fox. Alakna’s footsteps interrupted Lilau’s growing annoyance at her current helplessness.

Alakna footfalls came down hard. Too hard. She was being noisy on purpose to alert Lilau and Makotae of her approach. Or alert something else. Lilau’s eyes darted around. Nothing else moved or made a sound. In fact, the entire area was eerily quiet.

“Sleep well?”

Alakna’s greeting echoed through the forest, sending a chill down Lilau’s spine. She looked at Alakna, her eyes slowing over the bundles of wraps in Alakna’s hands. “Yes.”

Alakna frowned and went quiet.

Makotae huffed beside Lilau. Why greet us only to get upset when we answer? She’s the one who helped us. Not like we asked.

But Tirijuki must have asked. I’m right to distrust the fox Fokla, looking at her reactions to it.

Makotae snorted loudly as Alakna reached them. She glanced at him as she placed her supplies down, a blank calm descending over her face.

You are right to distrust. Makotae leaned over and sniffed at the pile, gaining a light swat from Alakna. Both the Fokla and this woman. She keeps so many secrets; she fears emotions will reveal them.

She’s not wrong.

Lilau turned, allowing Alakna better access to her shoulder. Alakna’s hands flew with intimate familiarity as she stripped, cleaned, and re-dressed the arrow wound. Each slight movement brought a fresh wave of pain crashing across Lilau.

Her breath grew raspy. The aching of her clenched teeth barely registered under the assault. She didn’t realize Alakna had finished until the medic shoved an acrid bolus of medicine under Lilau’s nose. Lilau grabbed at it on reflex, but stopped short of picking it up. She needed to stay clearheaded in case the gaunt deer Fokla returned. With a tight-lipped Alakna, she did not know how the medicine would affect her. Lilau shook her head. Alakna withdrew the bolus without a word.

Makotae heaved a deep sigh as Alakna moved over to him. I guess I shouldn’t take any medicine, either. Wouldn’t want to leave you to face whatever that thing was on your own.

No. You take it, if she offers. You deserve some rest. Don’t worry, I don’t plan on going anywhere just yet.

Well, I suppose I can’t help fight what I can’t see, but what about—

Makotae yelped as Alakna repositioned his splint. She mumbled something and continued to work.

Never mind. Makotae whined. I’ll take the medicine. Not like I’m going to be much use.

I’m just being cautious, Makotae. If this place was dangerous, I don’t think the villagers would have been so curious. Rest, heal. Lilau projected a sense of assuredness she didn’t feel as the quiet of the forest dug into her mind.