From the ruined city outskirts, Jenny followed Huntar and his companions into a desert wasteland. The sun was blazing hot like a giant heating lamp.

Jenny was never used to hiking in a desert. One time her friends brought her to the Grand Canyon, and she barely moved around. She was more of a city girl than an adventurer.

"Do we have to walk through here?" Jenny complained.

Huntar padded her back. "Don't worry. The desert is a one-day walk.

"But that is worse!"

Zena growled at Jenny. "You are supposed to listen to us! Remember?"

Jenny sighed. "Yesssssss."

She followed the beast warriors down an empty road across the dune. Sweat dribbled down Jenny's face, but she kept walking.

Soon, they approached a canyon between two tall flat mountains. The canyon was very wide, about two roads between the mountain walls. But it also seemed to go miles and miles through the mountain.

While walking, Jenny looked around at the tall steep canyon walls while a chill drizzled up her back. She got a strange feeling they shouldn’t be moving through the canyon trail. They could easily get ambushed in the canyon without warning. But they were already halfway through. Everything was quiet, and Jenny didn't like it.

“How much longer?” Jenny wiped the sweat off her forehead. “I feel like we were walking for days...”

“Maybe a day or two,” said Huntar.

“Are you sure we are going the right way?”

Huntar turned to her and smiled. “We traveled through here before. We know the way."

“Okay…..” Jenny still doubted Huntar’s words, although she had no other choice. Her new friends knew a lot about the new environment. If she doesn’t trust them, she probably won’t make it.

Jenny looked back at Zena and approached her. “So how long were you with my father?”

“For a while,” said Zena. “We've known him since we were young.”

“What was he like?”

Zena smiled. “He is a unique human. Once you meet him, you will get to know him more.”

“Torag!” the rhino man shouted.

Jenny glanced at the rhino man as he strolled behind the group. For a while, Torag only spoke his name a hundred times since she first met him. “How come Torag can only say his name?”

“Torag was raised as a gladiator since he was a calf,” said Zena. “His master only taught how to fight and speak his name. Those methods were meant to keep him obedient.”

Torag grimaced at the ground. “Torag…..”

The poor rhino must have a tough life when he was young. Jenny could imagine crime and slavery rising after civilization fell. Small groups of communities could take advantage of anyone without authorities stopping them. Perhaps species with similar human qualities could evolve as cruel as humans.

“So where did your kind come from?” Jenny asked.

Zena stared at Jenny with confusion on her face. “My kind?”

“The Beastmen. How did you exist after humans lost their civilization?”

Zena shrugged. “Well, legend said two gods created us. One is light, the other is dark. They were born from a seed, dropped onto the Earth when there was nothing. The seed grew into a tree and spawned the two gods. The light goddess is Mira, and the dark god is Adarr. Mira created life on the Earth while Adarr created darkness. He grew jealous of his sister for what she can do while he can’t do it. To feel better about himself, he destroyed the humans’ civilization. Mira then created the Beastmen race to replace humans. Her brother grew more jealous, but this time he made the Beastmen turn on each other. When Mira found out it was her brother’s doing, she imprisoned him in the underworld. But he still has his influence over those who he corrupted. That is the origin of our race.”

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“Oh….. Who told you the story?"

"My mother did before she passed away. Her tribe believed in Mira. We worshipped her for her light. The power of her light gave us the strength to protect our clan. I will never forget that tale."

"I'm sorry about your mother. You are from a different tribe?"

Zena nodded. “I was before I met your father. My tribe is the Sun Heart Clan. A female warrior clan who protect our own way of life."

“You mean you are all women?"

"Yes."

"Kind of like the Amazons?"

Zena beamed her eyes at Jenny. "Who are they?"

"Nevermind. Why is your tribe only females?"

"Our ancestors were once slaves to another tribe who disrespected us. They escaped and formed the Sun Heart Clan in the savannah. We never trusted males."

"Why did you leave your tribe?"

Zena glared. "I won't talk about that. I am now a proud warrior for your father. That is all that matters to me."

Jenny stared at Huntar. "Where did Huntar come from?"

"He was part of the Pridelight Clan before he met us," said Zena. "His tribe raised him to hunt food for his family. But bandits killed his clan and sold him into slavery."

"How awful."

"It is how our world is. Some tribes rise, and others-"

“Quiet!” Huntar whispered with his left hand up. “I hear something!”

Jenny and the others stopped as they looked around. Everything was still quiet. “I don’t see any-”

“Torag!” The rhino man pushed Jenny forward, and she hit the ground. When she turned around, an enormous boulder landed on the spot where she was at.

Her eyes widened, and her heart jumped. “Oh, my goodness! Is this canyon unstable?”

After Huntar helped her up, they heard loud howling sounds shrilling above them. They looked up, spotting ten shadow figures were climbing down the canyon walls while howling. One of them dropped.

The first one landed near the group, wearing a purple thawb and hood over his long green scaly snort. Yellow eyes glowed beneath his hood as he held up two sickle-swords.

Another one landed near him, wearing the same garment. Then another and another, until all reptiles surrounded the group.

Huntar and Zena pulled out their weapons as they stood close to Jenny. Even Torag watched their backs with his fists up.

“How did they find us?” Zena asked with her teeth gritting. "They weren't here before!"

“Who are they?” Jenny asked.

“Lizard men!” Huntar shouted. “Bandits, most likely!"

“Torag!” the rhino man shouted.

One lizard man charged, holding up his sickle-swords. Huntar blocked the lizard’s first attack and stabbed him.

Zena jumped and kicked one lizard down. She landed on top of him and knocked him out by her battle staff.

Two lizard men ran toward Torag. He bent down and charged toward them while his horn aimed at them.

He knocked the other lizard away as he rammed the second lizard into the wall.

Jenny watched the beast warriors fight around her. No way she could fight with her friends against the vicious reptiles. Although she knew how to defend herself, fighting against other Beastmen was different.

A lizard bandit landed behind her and bellowed at her. Jenny stared at him and screamed.

The lizard raised his blade over her, but a sword flew into his face, pushing him to the ground, dead.

Jenny breathed hard, staring at the corpse. Her life would have ended if Huntar didn’t threw his sword.

He approached the corpse and pulled his sword out. “Get to higher ground! We will slay these foul creatures!"

“But what about you?” Jenny asked.

Huntar smiled. “We are fine. Fighting is our way of life "

He turned around and tackled two lizards. Zena and Torag were punching, swinging, and kicking the others.

Jenny turned toward the tall canyon wall. She gulped, feeling a frog fall down her throat.

The wall was tall, but the top was her only hope. “Thank goodness I took a climbing class.”

She approached the wall and climbed it up. Halfway up, she stopped and looked down.

The bottom looked far down from her position. She shivered until she continued to climb up. She remembered if she looked down, she would lose focus.

She climbed and climbed until her hand reached the top of the canyon wall. She pulled herself over the edge and rested on the ground.

Jenny stood up and glanced down the canyon. Her friends were still fighting the lizard bandits. How long could they last down there?

Suddenly, something sharp pricked the back of Jenny’s neck. The entire world spun around her, until she fell to the ground, blacking out.