Where the Flame Burns Brighter

The next morning, the Tulag goblins did as they usually did, only with a heavy and dense look in their eyes. The sun had clearly risen, but a strange darkness had filled the hearts of all.

Mesui’s heart ached as she entered the dimly lit tent where her father lay. Chief Tulag, once a formidable and proud leader, now lay in bed, his body wracked with pain. His eyes were glassy and unfocused, and his lips moved incessantly, uttering the name of the dark being that haunted their people’s nightmares.

“Cycloth,” Tulag whispered, his voice a twisted form of trance. “Cycloth…”

“The rest of the rescued goblins are the same,” The squire said, now standing beside Mesui, looking at her with a grave expression. he rubbed his brow, exhausted, as if he had been awake the entire night. “Crazed and entranced by whatever that black beast showed them.”

Mesui felt a surge of anger and helplessness. “What can we do?” she asked, her voice trembling.

The squire sighed, "I wish I knew that myself, this curse does not lift no matter what the healer attempts to break it, it all ends in violence."

Mesui shuddered. They both watched as the camp’s healer applied some pungent herbs to Tulag, trying to force him into sleep.

Tulag lashed out, his voice rising to a frantic pitch. “Cycloth! Cycloth!” he screamed, struggling against the goblin guards who restrained him and forced him back onto the bed.

"Winds, I wish I knew what to do, I wish I could help them in any way..."

The squire looked at her. Mesui seemed to weep a little at the state of Chief Tulag, yet her eyes desperately sought for a solution. This was a different princess, one that did not seek to escape problems—at least not this one. 

“Your mother has ordered me to keep you in the camp," he said with a sigh, "She’s negotiating your hand in marriage to the Koltan clan in the North. I think I told you that when we last met here.”

Mesui turned to him with pure anger in her eyes. How could this goblin, this squire, be so stubborn after all they had been through, even witnessing horrors such as those in the rodentmen's territory?" 

Before Mesui could protest, however, the squire raised his hand to silence her. “I admit this whole ordeal goes beyond normal conventions, it is clear something truly evil has befallen this world, and it afflicts our people.” 

"Most certainly..." Mesui agreed, unsure on what to expect.

The squire turned to Mesui, his expression softening. “Your recent... works with Arsec and the stoat girl are worthy of investigation..." 

"Eh?" Mesui exclaimed, puzzled.

"It was then that I remembered the time to send tribute to the Kenet Kanate was on the horizon. I must've been so distracted by all these developments that I forgot. Surely, your father the chief would've waited until you were engaged to the Koltans to announce the marriage, but things have changed."

"What are you talking about?" Mesui asked, nervous.

"So I’ve readied a caravan bearing gifts to the Khan, a routine tribute, nothing important... Except for you, princess." 

"Me? I'm not following," she said, shaking her head.

"You, your friends, and Arsec will join this caravan and go to the city of Makeb."

Mesui analyzed each of the words in that sentence, not wanting to look surprised. As the weight of what the squire said settled in, she looked at him again.

"You would let us go beyond your reach?" she asked, wary.

"Last time I was there, the Khan boasted about how his family had acquired hundreds of scrolls from the ogre kingdom of Kalad. I did not pay attention to the details, but I suspect we might find some answers in those archives. Bring those gifts to the Khan, and request for access to that knowledge. Maybe you can find something about this Cycloth and its goals, before anything worse happens to the chief, or our people.”

Mesui’s eyes widened in shock. “You support me?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

The squire nodded, showing a shimmer of annoyance, “My head still hurts a bit in the back, and my pride hurts even more. However, this transcends personal ambitions. We need answers, and despite what we might think of you or what you have done in the past, it is clear the Twin Sisters chose you, princess. For this, you have my respect." 

Before Mesui could say anything, the squire knelt and bowed his head to Mesui.

"Please, princess, help your people, I beg you,” he pleaded.

Mesui took a deep breath, feeling a mixture of gratitude and sorrow. She glanced at her father one last time, his face contorted in anguish. “I will,” she promised, her voice steady.

With a heavy heart, she exited the chief’s tent and saw her three companions, the revived cubs, playfully teasing the goblin guards at the entrance. The squire stood up and looked at the chief again before showing a nervous grin.

"Blessed winds, spare chief Tulag, but spare me too... lady Tulag is going to have me executed for this."

Outside Tulag's room, the cubs, sensing Mesui's presence, bounded over to her, rubbing their faces against her legs affectionately.

Mesui smiled faintly and knelt to stroke their soft fur. “Come on, little ones,” she said gently. “Lead me to Arsec.”

The cubs barked happily and scampered ahead, guiding Mesui through the camp. She followed, her mind racing with the task ahead. The vision of her father’s suffering and the squire’s unexpected support gave her a renewed sense of purpose. 

It was all erased when she saw Arsec in his now signature red cowl, wrestling Stoat as both their bodies' veins tensed up. 

Mesui let out a sigh and stepped forward.

******

Moments earlier, Arsec's closed eyes violently darted here and there as he rested on a mat somewhere in the camp. His body was inert as his mind escaped elsewhere.

He found himself standing at the entrance of the grand library once more. The scene had shifted from the endless rows of books to a serene, round plaza surrounded by pristine white walls. The plaza was a haven of tranquility, with beautifully manicured gardens filled with vibrant flowers and neatly trimmed hedges. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of tall, ancient trees that framed the area, their branches swaying gracefully in the soft light.

In the center of the plaza, near a serene fountain whose water sparkled like liquid diamonds, sat the yellow-skinned girl. She was cross-legged on the polished stone, her head bowed in what appeared to be a state of deep prayer or meditation. The purple shawl she wore shrouded her face in mystery, though her piercing purple eyes remained visible, radiating an otherworldly glow even in her contemplative state.

Arsec felt an inexplicable pull towards her. He took a tentative step forward, his heart pounding with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. As he approached, he noticed the intricate patterns on her cloak, which seemed to shimmer and shift, hinting at a deeper meaning or perhaps a hidden message.

The girl’s presence was both calming and unsettling, a juxtaposition that kept Arsec rooted in place for a moment. Gathering his resolve, he cleared his throat softly, attempting to announce his presence without startling her.

The girl’s eyes slowly opened, her gaze lifting to meet Arsec's. The intensity in her eyes was even more striking up close, and he felt as though she could see right through him, to his very soul. Despite the initial jolt of fear, there was also a sense of recognition, as if he had known her all his life.

Before he could speak, she raised a hand, the same intricate tattoos on her fingers shimmering faintly in the light. “You’ve come,” she said, her voice soft but resonant, echoing in the stillness of the plaza.

Arsec nodded, words failing him in the moment. The girl’s presence, the serene surroundings, and the significance of the vision all weighed heavily on him.

“You seek the library,” she continued, her tone calm and knowing. “But what you truly seek lies beyond the knowledge contained within these walls.”

He furrowed his brow, trying to grasp the meaning behind her words. “Who are you?” he managed to ask, his voice barely above a whisper.

The girl’s eyes softened, and she gave a small, enigmatic smile.

The surrounding gardens seemed to shimmer, the flowers’ colors intensifying and the air itself vibrating with a strange energy. Arsec felt a surge of determination mixed with a sense of foreboding. He knew that whatever lay ahead would test him in ways he could not yet imagine.

Before he could ask more, the vision began to blur, the plaza and the girl fading into a hazy, indistinct swirl of colors and sounds. Arsec’s consciousness was pulled back, and he felt himself slipping away from the dream.

Arsec's eyes fluttered open to the dim light filtering through the fabric of a large tent. His body ached, and the scent of herbs and smoke filled his nostrils. He groaned softly, trying to piece together his last memories over his vision of the library—the desperate struggle, the fiery onslaught, and their escape.

His vision cleared, revealing the spacious interior of the tent. Various items lined the walls: vials of strange liquids, herbs, and powder that would choke any man's throat. This was a healer's tent. The air was clear with a sense of calm as Arsec felt the winds of the steppe he had known for years blow gently against the tent's walls. As he tried to sit up, a shadow loomed over him.

"You're finally awake, Stinky," a familiar voice said.

Arsec's gaze snapped to his side, finding Stoat sitting beside him. Her intense, unwavering gaze remained behind her mask. She looked just as weary, dark circles under her eyes, but there was a fierceness in her expression that hadn't dimmed.

"Stoat," he croaked, his voice rough from exhaustion. "Just to clear my doubts... where are we?"

"Safe, for now," she replied, her voice steady but tinged with something deeper—relief, perhaps, or lingering fear. "A healer's tent. Southern goblins. They're the goblin girl's kin. We've been recovering here for a day, well I recovered in less time, but stayed here."

"Don't tell me you worried about me," Arsec asked, grabbing a mug of water by his side, "let me guess, you filled this for me? How nice of you," he said, drinking.

Stoat growled, "As if, I stayed here because the goblin girl said I made her kin anxious! Did you know she was a princess?"

"Yes, I did, and I totally get her, of course. Some of them saw you tear rodents with your bare hands, or were they paws? Yeah definitely paws," Arsec nodded slowly, the memories of their ordeal flooding back, joined by a headache. "So...The shrine… Voidmaw…?"

"It's over, for the moment," Stoat interrupted, her tone sharpening. "We did it, the goblin got that monster for good with the blade. But don’t think this means I trust you people completely now."

Arsec managed a weak smile. "Wouldn’t dream of it."

There was a brief, charged silence between them. Then Stoat's expression softened, if only for a heartbeat. "So, what now? Where are you headed, now that Voidmaw is dead?"

Arsec's gaze drifted to the tent's entrance as he got up and began to dress his bare chest with a beige tunic similar to the one he had.

 "I had a vision—a foggy one," he said, "Of a mysterious library hidden in some mountain valley. I need to find it."

Stoat tilted her head in confusion and mild amusement, "Heh, a vision you say? You’re chasing dreams now? Sounds like a wild goose chase to me."

"Maybe," Arsec admitted. "But it’s the best lead I have... Not like you're coming or something like that, so why do you care? Blasted winds, why am I even telling you these things?"

Stoat leaned back, crossing her arms. "Well, I don’t have anywhere else to go. Now that I’m free..."

"Well good for you, you can have your life back now," Arsec said, "you won't have to deal with stinky little me again..."

"Yeah, I might... that sounds very nice indeed!" Stoat said, agreeing and nodding her head. She then crossed her arms again and her eyes frowned, "but no."

Arsec stopped reaching out for his cowl and stared at her, a bit puzzled by that answer, but then as he stared at the girl's eyes beneath the mask, he became increasingly worried.

"You're not seriously thinking..."

"I might as well tag along," she said, "Someone’s got to keep an eye on you, Stinky."

"What is that supposed to mean? Keep an eye on me?" Arsec asked, "I thought the idea was to get away from me."

"As yes, that was the idea, but then you did something nasty, unforgivable, even," she said bluntly, "You saved me from my master's reclamation. I should've been sent back to sleep out there. And yet, here I am." 

"Uh?" Arsec uttered, "Wasn't that something good?"

"Totally."

"Then?"

"Listen, Stinky, I owe you, you got that?" She said, eyes piercing Arsec.

"You don't owe me," Arsec said.

"Yes I do."

"No, you don't."

"Oh yes... Besides, if I found you disgusting, other people will, for sure." She said bluntly, "My gut tells me I need to keep you safe."

"Why are you assuming I'll let you?" Arsec said, slightly panicked.

"Why are you assuming you can stop me?"

"Because...!"

Arsec was inarticulate at first, but then he frowned, hesitating. "Why would you want to join me if you dislike me so much?"

Stoat's expression hardened, her voice fierce. "Don't get any weird ideas. You freed me from the bondage of my cruel master. I owe you. My first act as a free soul will be to accompany you and help you in a meaningful way to pay that debt."

"Is that so?"

"That's how it is."

Arsec sat down, a headache suddenly invading his thoughts. How would he travel with a person he barely knew? He wondered about the nights, the conversations. The headache intensified by just thinking about the numerous arguments to be had.

"I don’t know, Stoat," he tried once more, "It’s going to be dangerous, and I’m not sure if—"

Suddenly, Stoat got closer, her mask inches away from his face. Arsec tensed up, blushing a bit because of her proximity.

"You need me," she cut him off, her tone firm, "You don’t know the ways of the wild as I do, I'm certain. You’d get lost in the steppes before you even reach anything resembling a mountain valley."

Stoat stepped back, turning towards the tent's entrance and checking her mask, seemingly affected from getting close to him as if it burned her.

Arsec considered her words as he let out a sigh of relief, the sincerity in them, as well as a bit of worry on the masked girl. 

"How free are you, really?" he asked, his voice softer. "I mean, can't you take off the mask already?"

Stoat hesitated, her fingers brushing the edge of the mask. "I don't want to," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "It's been so long... With this mask..."

Arsec tied up the red cowl, then he sighed and shook his head as if he would regret what he was about to do.

"All right, all right... All right... We'll travel together," he said gently. "We'll figure it out... I'll figure it out... What is a masked girl to three pesky goblins anyway?"

Stoat looked at him, her eyes glistening with a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty. 

"It is settled, Stinky."

He chuckled softly. "Only if I can keep calling you Stoat."

She glared at him behind her mask, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. Arsec examined his surroundings, suddenly worried as he was not finding what he wanted nearby.

The masked girl looked at the spot behind her, the only space Arsec was not looking, and saw the pitch-black spear. She seized it just as Arsec looked that way. The young man stared, uncertain, as Stoat turned back with the spear and offered it to him. 

As his hands held his weapons, the girl did not let go.

"Narwa," she said.

"Hmm?" Arsec said.

"My name is... Narwa."

Arsec noticed how she trembled as her hands rescinded. He realized the surmountable effort that little utterance took her. He sighed and nodded, letting the name sink in. "Narwa. Mine is..."

"Arsec," she said, "I remember."

"Okay then," he said, turning to the entrance, "We go out together. Ready?"

Narwa simply stepped out of the tent, annoyed but with a tad of embarrassment from saying her name. On Arsec's side, he suddenly thanked the Red Flame for softening their relationship a bit, as his previous fears of endless arguments suddenly placated.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Arsec said, following her hurriedly.

Outside the healer's tent, the sounds of the bustling goblin camp reached their ears—voices, the clatter of metal, and the rustling of the wind through the trees. As Arsec and Narwa stepped into the open, the Tulag goblins eyed them with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Their whispers were barely audible, but their glances were unmistakable.

Narwa shifted uncomfortably, her eyes scanning the camp. "They're looking at us like we're about to sprout more heads. It's making me anxious."

Arsec shrugged, his expression calm. "I've grown used to looking different. It's part of the job."

"What job?" She said.

"Slave job."

Narwa looked at him, shocked, as he calmly approached a nearby goblin who was tending to a fire, his eyes widening as they drew near. "Excuse me," Arsec said politely. "We're looking for Princess Mesui. Do you know where she is?"

The goblin looked to the right before grunting and turning his back.

Arsec sighed and smiled. Nothing had changed. 

"She should be at the chief's tent, her tent, that is," he said as he walked back to Narwa's side.

"Is reading minds part of your skills?" Narwa joked.

"Goblins won't indulge in a friendly conversation with a slave, least of all one that is not goblin," Arsec shrugged, "fortunately goblins always show a ray of naivete before concealing it with whatever they intend to say. Needless to say, Chief Tulag's communal tent is the way the kind sir here looked at."

"Hmm," Narwa reacted, a bit surprised.

They made their way through the camp, the goblins parting before them like a cautious tide. As they reached the entrance of the large, communal tent, two guards stepped forward, spears crossed to block their path. They seemed to struggle with three rodent cubs that teased them by jumping on their shoulders and climbing all across their bodies.

"We're here to see Princess Mesui," Arsec said firmly, trying not to look a the cubs.

The guards remained stoic, shaking their heads. "No entry. Slaves can only enter if summoned."

Arsec sighed, "Of course, I completely forgot... but hey these are the princess' companions, aren't they?"

"No slaves. No exceptions," one of the guards said, removing a cub from his head.

Narwa chuckled behind the mask, "The guy who went toe to toe with Voidmaw, restrained by a slave's bondage," then her eyes lit up, as if having a revelation, "Wait, Arsec, I have an idea... You saved me from my master, maybe I should do the same... What if I free you by disposing of all these—"

"Narwa!" Arsec said, nervously noticing the guards' weapons tensing anxiously, "You're such a joker, Narwa, don't you love her? She's so funny!"

"B-but Stinky, I'm serious—" she said, confused.

Arsec wrapped his arm around her and choked her before she finished the sentence, making sure she would not worsen the situation.

"Mhfhwhat thebhsfc get off mefucufh" she demanded as she tried to free herself. 

"So..." He said turning to the guards, "do you know if she's coming out anytime soo—"

Narwa had timely hit him in the face with her head. Arsec felt the sturdiness of a rock smashing against his nose and he recoiled, blood dripping down. The masked girl readied another blow but then she stopped in her tracks, thinking twice about it.

"Idiot! Stupid! Imbecile!" she said, crossing her arms and turning away. 

The goblin guards looked at each other, confused at the scene unfolding before them. 

 Arsec cleared the blood before a tall goblin stepped outside the tent, puzzled at seeing him and Narwa in front. 

"Arsec!" A familiar voice exclaimed, hugging him, "Winds, were you really hurt? All those scratches are gone... And in one night!"

"I'm as surprised as you, princess," Arsec said patting her shoulder, "I guess this is the new me."

Mesui then turned to Narwa, "Stoat, thank you for not eating my friend."

"I don't eat trash," Narwa said, still turning her back on Arsec.

"Oh, she goes by Narwa n—" Arsec interrupted, but then his words were cut off by another headbutt from Narwa.

"Who told you to spread my name?" Narwa complained, growling.

"Stop hitting me with your head!" Arsec said, pushing her with one hand, 

But then again, he forgot how strong he was, and Narwa spiraled a few meters away, splatting on the ground.

"Did something happen between you two?" The goblin princess asked, with an uncomfortable smile.

Arsec looked remorseful, staring at his hand, "I-I'm not sure anymore... She was... happy a moment ago... Things are going to be a whirlwind of emotions, aren't they?"

"What?" Mesui asked.

Arsec suddenly felt tired and his shoulders gave up. Meanwhile, Narwa was up and ready to go at it again.

"Using strength to toss me like some pebble?" she said, defiant and amused, "Oooh I'll show you, I just had an epiphany! I'll settle this once and for all! I will pay my debt by ending your disgusting pestilence here and now!" Narwa declared, her mask glowing with energy and setting her arms alight, the icy blue strings of energy wrapped her hands. 

Arsec tightened his grip on the spear, "Calm down Narwa, we're friends here!"

Narwa roared and the gleaming strings condensed. There was a burst of light that blinded everyone momentarily. 

The light faded and Arsec, Mesui, the squire, and the guards stared again.

Narwa was unchanged, there was no giant stoat in sight. 

"What? What's happening?" Narwa said, shocked, "I clearly feel power cursing through me, but why won't I change?"

"Stoat—I mean, Narwa," Mesui said, pointing at her, "Your hands!"

Narwa saw that her hands had been swapped with oversized stoat paws. They were hers all right, but they now seemed like puffy yet deadly mittens. 

"Why? Why is this happening?" Narwa said, confused.

"Um, Narwa" Arsec said, trying very hard not to laugh but failing, "Need a hand—?"

Narwa instantly closed the gap and rammed one of her transformed paws into Arsec's face. The young man spiraled a few feet away, splatting on the ground. 

Narwa humphed, "Ha! Now we're even!"

Arsec stood up, his eyes clearly tired, but his body remained untouched.

"All right, all right!" Mesui said, "That's enough, you'll force my people to banish us forever if you keep this."

"Oh I was done..." Narwa said, crossing her arms.

"Yep, I was done since I woke up," Arsec said, "Why did you leave her with me?"

"She insisted!" Mesui said.

Narwa's hair spiked as if electrocuted, while Arsec looked at her confused. The masked girl turned around, embarrassed.

"Did she now?" Arsec asked, "Oi, Stoat! You seem embarrassed, why won't you hit her as well?"

"I don't want to make of these cubs orphans again," she said, nervously.

"Of course," Arsec said, annoyed, "That makes sense."

Mesui rubbed her head, "It seems you guys enjoyed some quality time back in the healer's tent."

"Hey, don't say weird stuff," Arsec begged, angry.

"Anyway, follow me you two, and you three, you cute little things! Argh I want to kiss you forever!"

"Where are we going?" Arsec asked, his interest peeked. 

"Makeb."

"W-why?"

"We are going on an errand to the great Khan!" She said, raising her finger forward.

"W-wait, Mesui, but I..."

"Hmm?" What is it?"

"I have somewhere I need to go..."

Mesui stopped, a bit worried, "Somewhere? Where?"

"This power, the Red Flame... it wants me to go to a place..." Arsec said, a bit saddened at the reality of not seeing Mesui again.

"And... where is this place?" Mesui said, her eyes growing panicked, her heart skipping beat after beat.

"Well..."

Narwa rolled her eyes, "He says he saw a library in a vision, and he wants to go there, but the man has no clue as to where it is!"

"A library?" Mesui asked, "Wait you two wanted to go together?"

"Not Exact—"

"That's right!" Narwa interrupted Arsec.

"Hold on... Hold. On." Mesui said, closing her eyes, assimilating this new information, "This... your library, my errand to Makeb, this might suit us all!

Arsec blinked, "How so?"

"My father's squire tasked me with checking ancient records that the Kenets just happen to possess in their annals, I want to see if I can find more information about this... Cycloth."

"Ancient records..." Arsec echoed, his eyes looking down as he processed that bit of information.

"Stinky, this might be the library you're looking for!"

Mesui walked towards Arsec and stretched her hand as if inviting her friend to come.

"It is true that you can't stay here, and that you've done so much for me already," she said, her eyes meeting Arsec's, "But join me on this trip, I am certain that both our goals are connected somehow, this all seems very strange, but we will figure things out, together."

Arsec sighed and shook her hand, "Seems we are going to Makeb after all."

The goblin princess laughed and walked away, hugging and kissing the cubs. Arsec and Narwa looked at each other. 

"So... what was that?" Narwa asked.

"What was what?"

"You shook hands, is that how you convince someone to do something together?"

"Em, no," Arsec answered, "It seems to be a thing between the two of us recently..."

"Huh," Narwa replied, looking at her hand.

Narwa seemed to blush behind the mask and simply went ahead to catch Mesui. Arsec sighed and stretched his shoulders and head before walking right behind them.

All around the three, many goblins tried their best not to stare, but they were all awestruck at the sight of Arsec and Narwa. Even Mesui with her new pets—it all indicated that this was a new time, a new age. 

Incidentally, the tall goblin squire exited the tent and looked at the three, his face shining with hope, and a small smile signaling his spirit uplifted. It all seemed like heroes walked among them once more.

Mesui, Arsec, and Narwa made their way to the outskirts of the camp, the sun casting long shadows on the ground as it dipped towards the horizon. The goblin warriors had gathered there, readying the caravan for departure. Mesui’s black boar stood amidst the preparations, snorting and pawing at the ground impatiently.

Mesui’s face lit up with a rare smile as she approached her mount. “Hello, my boy,” she murmured, stroking the boar’s coarse fur. The beast grunted in response, nudging her gently with its snout.

Arsec and Narwa exchanged glances. There was a mix of excitement and apprehension in the air. Mesui mounted the boar with practiced ease, her posture regal and commanding. Arsec followed suit, clambering up behind her.

"Yoink," Mesui said, jokingly.

Arsec chuckled and rolled his eyes as he secured his seat.

Narwa, however, hesitated. 

"What's wrong?" Mesui asked, "Can't you ride?"

Narwa eyed the boar warily before muttering, “It's not that I can't ride... How do I put this... Boars are dangerous on both ends and crafty in the middle.” 

Arsec was about to joke when he felt an elbow hit his stomach.

"You shut up, lest you cause another fight on top of my boy," Mesui growled.

"Okay, okay!" Arsec said, raising his hands.

Narwa looked at Arsec and despite her words, she hopped up and found a place behind Arsec.

"Y-yoink!" she exclaimed, gripping his waist for balance.

"Too tight!" Arsec complained.

"Deal with it! I-I am here because of you after all," she said, her eyes looking elsewhere.

Mesui stared at them with a soft grin, "Just what happened between the two of you?"

Arsec closed his eyes, "I have no clue... I just feel like going back to the mat to rest... Ouch!"

Narwa pressed against him again, looking at Mesui rather defiantly. Mesui shrugged and set to look onto the path ahead.

"Onward to Makeb!" she ordered, raising her hand forward

As the caravan began to move, the boar set off with a powerful stride, leading the way. Arsec glanced back at the camp, then to the fields that led to a certain creek, and his thoughts drifted towards a certain lamb that perhaps rested there. 

“Do you think Malimali will be okay?” he asked, voicing his concern.

Mesui’s gaze was fixed ahead, her eyes sharp with determination. “Oh I'm sure she’ll manage,” she replied, "She's a tough creature, I'm sure..."

The three of them settled into a steady rhythm as they rode, the landscape changing around them as they left the familiar confines of the camp and into the steppes that stretched to the horizon. 

Narwa tightened her grip slightly, “Who's Malimali?”