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The Huntress

He was a little cooler when he woke back up. Still very warm, tending toward hot, but comfortable. The blankets over him were thick and fluffy, and the familiar softness against his back and under his hand was comforting. He forgot for a minute where he was and how he got there, thought nothing of where his clothes had gone, and gave the soft swell under his hand an appreciative squeeze.

"Ouch," she protested very softly, shifting her back against him. Oro's hand seemed to understand his mistake, immediately putting air between it and the warm flesh it had been holding, before his brain even registered that as Sarahi's voice rather than Nayeli's. The Sha'khari carefully rolled over, keeping the piled coats on top of them and her lower half curled inside the tent, trying not to disturb the twins at Oro's back. "So that's what she wakes up to every morning? Nayeli has the patience of a saint," Sarahi chuckled, cupping her hand against his forehead, "Feeling better?"

"Yeah. What happened?" Oro asked simply.

Sarahi shrugged, laying her cheek down almost nose-to-nose with him, reassured he wasn't suffering a fever or delusions. "I don't know. You took off your coat to maximize your movement, so maybe you got too cold. You haven't eaten for most of today, so maybe your bloodsugar bottomed-out . You looked a monster in the teeth and mouthed off to it, so maybe your adrenaline crashed. I'm just gonna go with 'you worked too hard'...and thank you," she kissed his forehead. "How do you feel now?"

"...Warm," he answered after a moment of self-assessment, "Tired. Still hungry."

"I figured that would be your answer," she nodded, reaching above their heads to drag a little cloth-wrapped bundle down to him. Untying the cloth revealed a roll, hard to the point of being crunchy, and a large chunk of cheese. Oro peeked an eye open, grabbed the roll, and immediately stuffed it in his mouth without complaint. Sarahi chuckled softly. "After you've had your snack...want to have some sex?" she asked with quiet hopefulness, "I haven't been able to sleep a wink. I think it would help me wind down."

Much to her surprise, Oro shook his head, crushing the roll in his teeth and swallowing hard. "Nayeli's not here to give her blessing," he observed, "You said you wouldn't let me do anything without her approval."

Sarahi winced at the pang of guilt. "I'm sorry," she sighed, "I guess I'm just--"

"Don't apologize," the Rabbit interrupted around a mouthful of cheese, "You asked politely, and didn't argue the answer. Nothing wrong with that." He circled a finger at the canvas above them. "You guys got it up. How long was I out?"

The Sha'khari sighed gratefully. "Yeah. When you fainted, we stuffed you in one of the bedrolls, then Kylan got a fire going while Diya and I put the tent up. He's made good use of that book already, though it only gave him a small sample of runes. Luckily, 'project' and 'heat' are two of them, which came in handy making the fire. He might draw them directly on the tent once he gets better at controlling the output," she suggested, "Then we pulled you inside and all got under the coats to share body-heat with you. That was...maybe a couple of hours ago?"

Oro nodded. "Thanks. Sorry about checking out on you."

"Don't be," she answered, "You did your part. We did ours. Teamwork, remember?"

"You two are sweet," Diya's whisper broke in on their conversation, "But some of us are actually trying to sleep in here."

"Whoops! Sorry," Sarahi whispered back. Oro just rolled his eyes and yawned, then closed both his mouth and his eyes. They all settled back in, and the night passed in comfort and quiet, though warmth existed only inside the tent.

When daylight began to peek through the flap, they reluctantly and awkwardly dressed again in the cramped space, then Oro went out to gather firewood before Kylan demonstrated how he used the runes to light the fire the previous night. Using the cookware in the commandeered packs, they melted and boiled snow for water, using it to soften the food a little and as a drink to warm their insides. At least breakfast this morning was hot.

The morning was spent in much the same way as the previous day: lots of walking and little talking, wrapped in their coats against the cold. A little before noon they broke the tree-line, with nothing but wide, empty plains between them and the pass between the mountains. "Well there's a comforting sight," Oro remarked, leading the group out of the trees, "We can finally see where we're going."

"There is?" asked an unfamiliar voice from their right. Oro pivoted like a whip-crack, Gorgorond in hand. Leaning against one of the last trees at the edge of the forest, a string of smoke rising idly from the long, thin pipe in her teeth, a Wolf gazed off into the distance in the same direction they had been looking. "No more firewood, game be smaller and scarcer, and still naukt but snow as far as zee eye can see. Survival becomes very more difficult from here." Her sharp, green eyes shifted to Oro like a blade. "But maybe survival, at least in zee long-term, is no your hope in ziis place."

"You...seem alive," Oro grunted, still holding his bat warily at the ready, with Sarahi and her spear at his elbow, "You the boss of this level?"

"'Boss'?" the Wolf answered, as if the word was unfamiliar, "Unlikely. But I am alive, and you seem to be zee same for now. By zee way you speak, I guezz zat you also arrived here through a gate. No?"

Oro didn't bother answering her. He was too busy sizing her up. The Wolf was calm and relaxed, despite being outnumbered by a group that had already drawn weapons on her. She carried a bow, currently strung across her shoulder, along with plenty of arrows and a sword on her hip. Warm, weathered clothes and a small, efficiently stuffed pack hanging from the stub of a branch beside her suggested she had lots of experience traveling through wilderness.

And she was not alone. Behind the tree she leaned against, holding uncommonly still and utterly silent, stood a towering suit of steel not quite twice her height. The armor was as smooth and polished as a mirror's surface, humble in its decoration but proud in its construction. Oro thought there was no way in Hell she could move that thing even if she did crawl inside, but the lack of snow piled on it told him it hadn't been standing there any longer than she had.

The Wolf seemed to be giving them a similar appraisal, noting in particular the lightness of Sarahi's pants behind the coat and the poor fit of the coats on the twins, who struck her eyes as mere children wholly unfit for this place. "No zat it's my business, but what drove you into Zee Gauntlet so ill-prepared?" she asked despite the lack of answer to her previous question.

"Before we answer that," Sarahi spoke up, still keeping her own spear on the level, "Were you, by any chance, part of the camp we found yesterday?"

The Wolf arched a brow, idly blowing out a lungful of smoke, and shook her head slowly. "I came to ziis place wit my siister alone, and have encountered no signs of inhabitants besides zee beasts and birds until now. Were zey hostile?"

Sarahi shook her head in return. "They were dead. I just wanted to apologize, if some of this stuff belonged to you...but we were kind of desperate." The Wolf's eyes softened with pity for a second, as she put together why their equipment was so poorly fit and the extent to which they had been unprepared. It didn't last long...especially when Oro spoke the next question.

"Are you a Champion?" the Rabbit asked bluntly. Sarahi, at this point, had lowered her spear to a more neutral position, aimed non-threateningly at the ground. She had begun to think this person was not a threat to them...at least not for the moment. Oro was still highly suspicious.

Closing her eyes, the Wolf seemed to consider the question seriously for a moment. "I zink I would use a different word," she answered at last, "But is true zat I am here for zee sake of another, and working on her behalf. So I suppose I might qualify." She opened her eyes again, giving a sharp look to Oro and his brandished weapon. "Where I come from, when two people not at war declare zee intent to fight, it is customary for zem to share a meal before zee duel. If you mean to fight me, will you at least respect my traditions first?"

Sarahi quirked a brow at the Rabbit beside her. "Do we mean to fight her?" she asked quietly.

Oro's teeth were grinding at the back of his jaw. "I don't know," he answered honestly, also whispering, "I've got a bad feeling. The Gauntlet's a fucking sick thing," he muttered, but finally lowered his bat. "It's a pretty strange custom, if you ask me," he answered the Wolf, "But sure. Will a sandwich do?"

The Wolf nodded, tapping the cinders out of her pipe and pulling her pack off its perch. "Any food will suffice. But given zee setting, I zink a hot, meaty stew would be more satisfying...if you trust what I prepare?"

"Gods forgotten, that sounds good," Diya admitted quietly behind them.

Oro shrugged. "Keep it to meat and vegetables I can recognize and I won't refuse," he compromised, to which the Wolf nodded and approached them confidently. The twins jumped a little when the giant suit of armor began to move behind her, apparently having missed its presence completely. "Not gonna lie," the Rabbit growled, thumping Gorgorond uncomfortably in his scarlet palm, "That thing's intimidating as fuck. What is it?"

"My siister," the Wolf answered, as if that explanation were thorough. She set her pack down at the Rabbit's feet, looking down her nose at him impatiently, though not unkindly. "Zee purpose of ziis tradition is to provide an opportunity for zee duelists to talk over zeir differences. At zee very least, if zee duel is still on when zee meal is finished, both will go to zee ring with zee reminder zat zeir enemy is still a person, like zemselves. Zee hope is to prevent pettiness on zee part of zee loser."

"Or vengeful ghosts," Oro grunted, still eying the suit of armor warily, "I get it. Still strange to me." The Runepaws gathered up some firewood quickly, and Oro and Sarahi offered the rolls from their packs as their contribution to the meal, which would soak up the broth wonderfully, no doubt.

Their visitor and chef was careful to let them see each ingredient as she removed it from her pack and cut it up with a knife from her belt before adding it to the pot. She included no herbs or spices, just meat and a couple of large vegetables. After two days of walking in the cold and eating only bread and cheese, it still looked and smelled delicious to the group. "Is my understanding zat no one comes to Zee Gauntlet except by purpose," the Wolf prompted while she stirred the pot, "You never answered when I asked what drove you here. It must be a pretty desperate need to merit zee bringing of children into such a place."

"Actually," Diya started to explain, "We're not--"

"Supposed to be here," Oro interrupted, glaring at her like he was daring her to contradict him, "We kind of got stuck with them last-second. All my previous runs were through something like a cave or arena. I didn't expect a fucking freezing forest," he growled.

"Mm," the Wolf hummed thoughtfully as if that made perfect sense, ladling the first bowl of stew out and handing it to Diya, "Zee Gauntlet can present a variety of environments. Is important to be flexible, and prepared for any extreme."

"So I fucking noticed," Oro nodded, passing the next bowl to Kylan, "You sound like you've made more than a few runs, yourself."

At that the Wolf just nodded. "Enough to know zee place is treacherous. Zee rewards may be great, but zey can sometimes be double-edged as well," she cautioned, reaching out to gently pat the steel shin of her sister.

Kylan blinked, looking up at the massive suit. "Is she trapped in there or something? She hasn't said a word since we met."

The Wolf nodded again, more slowly. "In very, very many ways...she is dead," the female explained, "She has lost nearly all reason. Her hunger is both taboo and insatiable. Her strengkt has grown so hideous zat zis cage barely slows her down anymore. But her life refuses to be fully extinguished, and zee last semblance of thoukt zat she possesses seems to be a willingness to follow me." She met Oro's eyes as she handed him the next bowl. "I am here in search of a cure for her curse."

He didn't flinch, or even blink, as he passed that bowl on to Sarahi. "Sounds familiar. I brought a treasure out of here that would supposedly protect my mother-in-law's children. What it's actually done is...weird. More like a curse. I also came here looking for something to break it."

"Zen our goal is zee same," the Wolf sighed, handing him a bowl for himself, "I had hoped zat would not be true."

"Uh-huh," the Rabbit nodded, sitting down with his bowl and dipping the bread, "You're getting the same feeling I am, then."

She nodded quietly, sipping her own soup. Sarahi tapped an impatient paw on the ground. "It would be nice for one of you to share, then," she prompted, "The only feeling I'm getting is that Oro doesn't like you, but that's kind of natural for him. What's the problem?"

Oro considered her for a moment, like he didn't really want to explain it. But he did, in his usual blunt way: "I think we are the bosses of this floor. One of us has to kill the other." The Wolf nodded again. Sarahi and the twins were dumbstruck.

"It makes sense," the Wolf agreed, "Our goal is zee same. I doubt Zee Gauntlet will provide two such valuable rewards. Zee 'boss', as you put it, always seems to be a former 'champion' or adventurer. Someone who passed through Zee Gauntlet previously."

"We both match that criteria, too, though you're the first I've met that's still breathing," Oro grunted.

"Likewise," she replied.

Sarahi's spirit sank. "Oh...," she sighed despondently, "That's...I wasn't expecting that. I kind of hoped we could work together. You seem dependa--"

"Start breaking your attachments now," the Wolf suggested, swallowing more of her broth, "Zee last meal has served its purpose. I bear you no ill will, and respect your goals...but I can no lose."

"Likewise," Oro returned the word to her with a hard look, "...That said, I'm a fucking unreasonable man, so I'm going to ask you for a favor." She arched a surprised brow, inviting him to continue. "You and me. One-on-one. Leave the rest out of--!"

A still-steaming bowl of stew smacked the side of his head. Sarahi's empty hands trembled with outrage. "Fuck no!" she hissed, "Not again! We fight together! Not that I'm ungrateful," she admitted through clenched teeth, "But I won't let it go like last time. I won't just let you take all the risk on yourself again."

Their guest seemed more surprised than Oro...who was more concerned with the hot broth now swiftly cooling on his cheek than his furious companion. "Even assuming I trust your friend no to get involved," she noted with a wary look at Sarahi, clearly dubious, "I can no reason with my siister so. Zee moment we clash, she will come to my aid."

Shaking the last of the stew off his sleeve in annoyance, Oro ground his teeth. "Fine. At least take the kids, then," he compromised, "Two-on-two, and they absolutely will not get involved," he looked meaningfully at the twins, telling them with his eyes to keep their mouths shut.

"Oro...what are you doing?" Kylan dared to ask anyway, sounding honestly hurt but willing to hear their unreasonable leader out.

"From what I can tell, the 'champions' are the crux in this place," Oro growled, "The rest of the party...I'm not so sure about. Maybe that's more flexible. Don't get me wrong," he warned the Wolf, "You've got about a snowball's chance in Hell against us," he nodded to Sarahi, mollifying her somewhat, "...But this place is only about one step removed from Hell. So if you manage to put us down...let the kids join your party. Just long enough to get out of here."

"Zat would likely mean zey return to where I come from, you realize," she noted, "Perhaps very, very far from your lands."

"Oh, you have no fucking idea," he smirked, but nodded, "All the same...better that they live a long, healthy life there than die in this place. You can't tell me you think they'd fight you after you beat me. It'd just be a fucking execution at that point."

She considered him hard, for a long minute. Sarahi seemed to be searching for something more to say, and the twins as well, but the Wolf made her decision first. "For such a vulgar man," she answered slowly, "I can no help but respect zis. Very well." Taking the bow from her shoulder, she held it out suspended across her spread fingers in what seemed to be a ceremonial gesture. "I swear on zee bow of my birth-tree: zey will leave zis place unharmed so long as zey do not fight."

Oro observed the gesture with an arched brow. "...Right," he acknowledged, and she put her weapon away again. "Thanks. Anything I can promise in return?"

The Wolf chuckled. "I already explained my siister can no be reasoned wit zis way. We will fight together. We will die together. Zere is no other way forward."

"Alright," the Rabbit nodded, getting to his feet, "Then I'm grateful. And you have my sympathy. But no way in Hell am I letting you make good on that promise. And you'd better not make it boring for me, either."

"No chance," she grinned in return, also getting to her feet and quickly repacking the things that were hers. When she was done, she set her pack beside theirs. "In zee wilds," she remarked to no one in particular, though her eyes cut over to be sure Sarahi was listening, "Anyzing found zat can be used for food or shelter should be taken for food or shelter. An old tent, or lost pack, is what we call a 'lucky find'. Don't be troubled by it." With that, she pulled a minimally stylized mask of glass-smooth ivory from a pouch under her cloak, sliding it into place on her nose. It looked like she was wearing a section of someone else's skull over her eyes.

As if by silent agreement, Oro and Sarahi started walking away from their little lunch-site in one direction, and the Wolf and her sister started off in another, spreading a good bit of distance between them. The Sha'khari gave them a wary look, making sure they were out of easy hearing before she began speaking to Oro. "Do you think you can handle the big one while I deal with her? Training or not, you are still leagues stronger than I am. I'm not so confident I can pierce that armor."

"No," Oro answered almost without thinking. "Archers are a problem for us," he reminded her, staring meaningfully at the bow their opponent now had in-hand, "And I owe her a favor, so we're going to make this fucking fast and painless." Sarahi was shocked both by the sincerity of his promise and how concerned he seemed to be about the fate of his enemy for once. "Just keep the big one busy. Stay out of its reach, if you can. I'll back you up as soon as I take her head."

"Feel free to strike whenever you are prepared," the Wolf called out to them from across the distance they'd put between them, knocking an arrow to her bow, "Sonova zee Wild is ready!"

Sarahi turned in her direction, spear at the ready. "Also...remind me why we gave her such an advantage?!" she asked, eying the fifty yards or so of open space between them.

"Heh...sportsmanship," Oro smirked, stooping down to scoop up a rough, fist-sized rock from the ground. Giving it a little toss to get a feel for the weight, he shouted back, "Oro the Ravenous accepts your challenge!" then threw the rock. At this distance, while his aim admittedly deserved some praise, his opponent had nearly two full seconds to step out of the way...which she did, noting that it probably would have hit her in the leg.

Close enough. Perceiving an attack on her sister, the massive suit of armor released an unearthly scream and came charging at the pair on all fours in a feral, unnatural stride. Even Oro looked a little bothered by it. "The fuck is up with you?" he growled, not really expecting an answer, before leading the return charge. His first goal had been achieved. Making a straight, thoughtless line towards them, the armor interfered with Sonova's chance at any opening shots.

"Don't worry about it," Sarahi answered, hot on his heels, "I've got this one. Take out the bow." As usual, she wished she could feel as confident as she sounded. But she was confident that she was better prepared today than she had been for anything last time around, and the spear in her hands was radiating eagerness. If it liked their odds, that was encouraging to her.

Rushing at them on all fours, the steel monster lunged at Oro, reaching out to drive the sharpened points of its gauntlets through him like five short arrows. The wily Rabbit bounced over the attack at the last second, kicking hard off the back of the helmet as he got behind it, and increasing the pace as he zeroed in on Sonova. As the creature's face dug into the cold, packed earth, Sarahi drove her spear hard into the gap between the helmet and the pauldrons, slicing through neck and shoulder to bury deep in the body inside. Any natural body...frankly, should have died. This one, instead, threw its head back and stood up on its feet, roaring with fury...and maybe pain? It was hard to tell from that unnatural noise. And as it rose up, it carried Sarahi with it despite her weight, as she refused to let go her grip on her weapon.

Instead of fighting a superior strength, she went with it, pouncing up and over the suit and dropping her weight on the other side as heavily as she could, wrenching down on her spear as she fell. The torque was enough to pull the giant down behind her, leaving them both on their backs in the snow. Sarahi wrenched her spear free and rolled to her feet as her enemy did the same...

The first arrow bit snow. The next sailed uselessly wide. Sonova whistled her respect as Oro vanished out from in front of her shots, varying the direction and distance of what looked to her like a short-range teleport. At least, that's what Oro thought the low, long whistle was for. As he side-stepped her next shot, though, he nearly ran head-first into the teeth of a monster.

It was like someone dumped water on a fire. A cloud of cold, white smoke burst into the air beside him, coalescing into the head of a giant wolf with golden eyes and teeth bared. Oro swore his customary curse, and managed to pull back enough to put Gorgorond in its teeth instead of his arm. The Rabbit was suddenly having flashbacks to his very first venture into The Gauntlet...

"Fucking animal!" Oro snarled, wrenching his weapon over in a circle to turn the beast's head upside down. His strength surprised the creature as he drove the top of its head down to the ground, forcing it to choose between sacrificing its balance or its grip on his weapon. It chose to fall, keeping Gorgorond trapped and halting Oro's charge...and likewise forcing him to choose between recovering the weapon or his mobility.

His ears caught the snap of the bowstring. Letting go with just one hand, Oro swung as far to the side as his change of grip would allow, and the arrow whistled by his neck close enough to yank the cloth of his tee-shirt. Reclaiming a two-handed grip on the bat, Oro shot a glare at Sonova, then growled, "Gorgorond, show this fucker who has the bigger teeth." The wolf yelped, shaking its head from side to side and losing its grip as its teeth disappeared, claimed by the ruddy wood.

That surprised the huntress. This Rabbit was hard to pin down, and hard to predict. She had to resort to something a little more under-handed, to make sure he would be in line for her shot. So her next draw was aimed well wide of Oro...at the back of the Sha'khari working her spear hard to keep the armored giant at bay.

"Fu-SARAHI, JUMP!" the Rabbit shouted as Sonova loosed her arrow.

It was a testament both to her reflexes and her trust in her companion that she bounded straight up as high as her four legs could lift her the instant his words hit her ears. The arrow passed beneath her ribs (barely) and rang out against the armor of Sonova's sister. The moment of distraction offered the giant a chance to land a solid blow against her side, though, knocking her flat on the ground. Sarahi used the momentum to roll right back onto her paws on the other side, preventing her enemy from getting a grip on her at least, but winced at the sharp pain in her side that followed her every move now.

"Dirty--," she snarled, glancing at the archer over her shoulder. The Wolf had already drawn her next shot, smiling confidently as Oro darted to intercept, clearly prepared to throw himself in the way. She was counting on it. With a hissed word neither of them could understand, the arrow split in two as it left the string. Gorgorond caught the one streaking for Sarahi, as expected...and the other, falling lower to impale Oro, was intercepted only by the back of his free hand. That was enough to keep it out of his heart, though. Sonova whistled again, genuinely impressed.

"Oh, fist of Heaven," Sarahi's voice echoed strangely. She had trotted around to put Sonova to her side while appearing to make a critical tactical error in her desperation: she turned her spear sideways and rushed forward to ram it against the giant's chest, trying to knock it down. As the creature seized her weapon in both hands to push back, though, the Sha'khari only grinned triumphantly, struggling just enough to keep the spear-point aimed at Sonova. "Punish the sinful earth!" she finished the incantation.

The spear yanked the giant off its feet. To the creature's credit, it held its grip firm, perhaps realizing its sister was the target. The enchanted weapon, glowing like a beam of sunlight, drug the massive suit of armor swiftly behind it, only slowed a little by the extra weight. As they passed Oro, the Rabbit instinctively took a swipe at the suit of armor. There was a sound like grinding metal as the demonic weapon chewed through the silver, wrecking its polished finish, and left everything below the hips laying in the snow at the Rabbit's feet.

Sonova, despite her shock, managed to dodge the spear but caught her sister in her arms, as if trying to cushion her fall. The severed torso let go of the weapon once it passed its target. The instant the blade touched the ground, it bit the earth explosively, tossing Wolf and giant viciously through the air to land hard in a tangle. Sarahi and Oro both rushed to the spot.

The thing inside the armor lay still. Sonova was working hard for each inhale, half buried under her sister, and a red stain was slowly creeping through the snow beside her. Oro raised his bat above his head, clearly intending to put a swift end to her suffering, but Sonova raised her hand in a plea for him to stop. "It will be quick," the Rabbit promised, "I don't want--"

But the Wolf nodded, fully understanding, and took the mask off her face. "Old friend," she said weakly, holding out the mask to him...though she couldn't keep her hand above the snow as she offered it, "Dear friend...don't leave in...ziis lonely place," she begged, forcing out each word like she was working a bellows inside her chest. Sarahi covered her mouth and looked away, trying not to break down at the pitiful sight. Oro simply nodded, kneeling to take the mask from her hand. "Give to...zee girlz," Sonova suggested, her voice gone but for a whisper now, "Will keep...zem..."

There was no more need to end her suffering.

"Gods forgotten," Sarahi sighed quietly, "I didn't...I mean...no, I did, but..."

"Take a breath," Oro suggested as he closed the Wolf's eyes and stood up, "That was the whole point of that ritual. No hard feelings. It's just what had to happen."

The Sha'khari scrunched her eyes shut and grit her teeth, trying to tell herself he was right but still hurt and angry about it. "Did it, though? We still don't know--"

Oro snapped his fingers, making her open her eyes again, and pointed off to the left. She followed the direction of his finger to find...a door. A large, heavy door in an ornate frame standing open in the middle of the field, with suggestions of a cave on the other side. Diya and Kylan were approaching them, having abandoned the packs with the food and camping gear since it seemed they'd found the exit. Oro tossed the ivory mask in his hand to Diya. "She said you should have it," the Rabbit explained, never lifting his frown from the body at his feet.

The little Feline nodded, thinking now was not the time for questions, and slipped it into her pocket for the moment. Taking a deep breath, she gently told both of her larger friends, "We should go. There's no guarantee that door will stay open forever."

With a sigh, Sarahi nodded, and trotted over to retrieve her spear. Oro never budged, but his knuckles popped with the tightness of his grip on the bat. He didn't move until Kylan tugged his sleeve. "Thinking of burying them?" the little Feline asked, clearly not thinking it a bad idea, but also preparing to remind him they were probably on a clock.

"No time," Oro grunted, reassuring them that he was well aware of circumstances. Then he continued in a growl, "But...Hell if I'm going to leave someone like that in a place like this. Gorgorond..." Kylan jumped as the bat cracked and split down the middle. He skittered back to where his sister was standing as the wood began to warp and move, then both of the small Felines took shelter behind Sarahi...who was watching slack-jawed with her spear leveled.

The crack ran from the tip of the bat almost all the way to the handle. The weapon grew longer and thicker as the split opened, trailing splinters between the two halves like rows of thin, jagged teeth. As Oro held the weapon out toward the bodies on the ground, Gorgorond took on the clear semblance of a massive set of jaws, opening wide enough to scoop up even the armored giant in one gulp and leaving a gouge in the ground where they had been. It then reverted to its usual size and shape with an alarming speed. The handprint-shaped stains had been lost in a fresh, scarlet finish over the whole body.

"Oro!" Sarahi gasped, eying the Rabbit warily as he turned toward them. He looked stunned, himself, staring down at his hands. The arrow piercing his left hand had fallen out, headless. The crimson that had been clinging to his palms had run up his arms almost to the elbows. He couldn't even see the band that had stretched across his face like a bandit's mask, or the upper half of his ears. Even his feet and shins, hidden under his pants, had turned red all the way to the knees. "What just happened?!"

"...I ate them," the Rabbit grunted, pulling himself together, "They had souls...and I ate them."

The Sha'khari shook her head. "That thing ate them," she pointed insistently at his weapon, "Gorgorond. Even you said it's a demon."

"Yeah," he sighed, "But this demon moves at my direction. I didn't want to leave them. I'm hungry. What do you think went through my head? It just did what it was told." He didn't sound proud. If anything, for the first time that she could recall, Oro sounded...defeated. Or at least openly guilty. "Let's get out of here. We'll talk about it in our own world."

None of them wanted to argue against that. Swallowing their worry, all three of them followed the Rabbit through the door, closing it firmly behind them against the cold. This small antechamber was lit by a pair of torches beside the gate that had led them into The Gauntlet. On the table by the door was a pair of small boxes. On the floor beside the table was a large chest that looked like it belonged in a tale of pirates and sunken treasure. Oro and Sarahi approached the table, while the twins took a curious peek into the chest.

The box Sarahi opened contained a small, round hand-mirror, roughly the size of a large magnifying glass. It left a faint trail of light in its wake as she lifted it out of the box, much like the glowing blade of her spear, though no light was otherwise emitting from the small silver thing. She was about to read the inscription inside the lid when Oro startled her by flinging his box against the wall behind the table.

"Fucking bastard cheat!!" he roared at the ceiling, absolutely certain The Gauntlet could hear him. Quirking a brow, Sarahi reached down to retrieve the box from where it had landed. The velvet-lined base had five long, narrow cut-outs that looked like they were meant to hold something like dental tools. All of them were empty. The inscription in the lid read, "A spell for releasing the bound."

"...I don't understand," Sarahi admitted, tilting her head as she looked at Oro. The Rabbit, trembling with rage as he leaned on the table, forced his fist to open and drop a little crumpled paper onto the table. Sarahi straightened it out to read a message that appeared to be hastily scratched: "Next Floor."

Her heart sank in sympathy. This run had been a new kind of ordeal for all of them. And after all that, the one thing he had come to retrieve was--

The table swung over her head, smashing against the wall behind them. Sarahi winced at the impact, but was now used to Oro's tantrums enough to hold her ground without worry. "Feel better?"

"No!" he snarled, punching the stone wall with a resonant thud before leaning against it, "Fucking...I'm tired, I'm hungry, I'm still cold, and now I'm fucking cheated!" A violent shudder ran from the tips of his ears all the way down to his feet...and suddenly he slumped against the rock. "Fuck, Sarahi...I need to go home," he sighed.

The Sha'khari nodded, closing the box and sliding it into her backpack before fetching her spear. "Yeah. I think we all do. What do you say, you two?" she asked the twins.

"Well," Kylan began slowly, warily, as he and his sister examined the contents of the chest, "It may not be much of a consolation prize, but...I don't think we'll have any more trouble with money, at least. Like, ever." Befitting of its appearance, the central chamber of the chest was stuffed full of gems, jewelry, disks of gold, and other material valuables. But two smaller chambers had been sectioned off on either side, and each of these was stacked up to the rim with cash in the form of large bills. Very large bills. "Funny," the little Feline noted as they closed the chest again and prepared to haul it out. There wasn't enough room in all four of their backpacks for the contents. "I always thought I'd be more excited to become rich. Now I'm just...kind of scared."

"Nothing about these last two days feels real," Diya agreed, "Let's go home. Maybe when I wake up tomorrow in a warm bed and have a hot breakfast, I can be more elated." Sarahi nodded, collecting the last of their rewards and leading them through the door back to their own world. It was Oro who followed for once, trailing disappointment and exhaustion. As the twins began (with considerable effort) dragging the heavy chest behind them, though, he shrugged off his backpack and slung the chest onto his shoulders instead, leaving the lighter bag for Kylan to manage.

"Wow...rough run, huh?" the little ghost asked from the top of her hut as they emerged. She almost sounded sympathetic. Anything else she might have added was cut off by a glare from Oro, however...the kind that said he'd answer the next word with his bat. The phantasmal Fennec rolled her eyes with a slight frown, and didn't press the matter. For now, her champion was still a force she could not afford to trifle with. And though he would be loathe to hear it, she was generally quite pleased with his service to her, if not his attitude. The boy had been more productive than he realized...

And, not having realized it, Oro couldn't care less. None of them could. Sarahi took a deep breath of the autumn air, cool but nowhere near the cold they had endured for the last two days. "Is it just me, or does home smell really good?" she sighed. The scent of familiar trees, the shadow of the mountain behind them, the scenic curves of the valley below and the little town nestled within...all of it promised comfort and consolation to the returning adventurers. No more looking over their shoulders for threats among the trees. The temperature was tolerable enough for them to drop the thick coats and put back on the jackets they'd worn to the entrance the previous day. And they would be in their own home, with hot food and warm, safe beds, well before dark. Diya and Kylan each took a deep breath and smiled in agreement. Oro just grunted. He wouldn't be happy again until he had a full belly and Nayeli in his arms.

The walk home felt shorter than it was, so lifted were their spirits at merely returning. "We're home!" Sarahi called cheerfully as she pushed the door open, leaning her spear in its now-customary place between the coat-hooks. She hadn't even had time to reach for the zipper of her jacket when there was the crash of breaking glass in the kitchen, giving them all a shock.

Oro dropped the chest without a thought (almost directly onto poor Kylan's toes), and got two strides toward the kichen when Nayeli burst around the corner in a sprint of her own. "You're alive!!" the Lioness practically screamed, throwing herself head-long into Oro's chest, very nearly knocking the Rabbit down.

"Easy, easy," he grunted as she clung to his neck and seemed to be fighting the urge to literally climb up him with all four limbs, "Yeah, we're fine. Sorry about worrying you. We didn't mean to be gone all night, but this time was--"

"All night?!" Nayeli shouted again, pulling back to look at him like she was checking for sanity in his eyes, "Oro! You've been gone for a week! Mom and I...oh, gods forgotten, Mom..."

The returning crew were now staring at her just as wide-eyed as she was staring at them...all except Oro, whose face fell into a grim frown as Nayeli swore. That was rare for her. It was serious for her. "What happened?" he growled bluntly, not even questioning the disparity of time for the moment...though Sarahi had already fetched her phone from her pack to confirm that they were, in fact, a week on from the day they'd left.

Nayeli shook her head a couple of times, as if trying to decide where to start. "She went into labor," the Lioness began slowly, and felt the Rabbit clutch her arms with sudden anxiety. Nayeli was quick to reassure him, "No, she's okay! She's fine. We called a doctor here, instead of going to the hospital. But..."

Oro scowled. He didn't want to ask this question. He could already guess the answer. Despite the size of her belly, Tuli hadn't been much more than three months pregnant. It was entirely too soon. "The baby didn't make it...did it?"

"Oh no!" Diya whispered, covering her mouth even as she gasped the words. Sarahi stood stunned, torn between the desire to pull Nayeli into her arms and letting her stay in Oro's supportive embrace.

Nayeli grit her teeth, as though it was hard to force out the next words. "We...don't know," she surprised them, "The contractions started, and the doctor told her to push, and then...she just deflated. There was nothing inside." She shook her head slowly, gradually getting over her own shock at their return and regaining her usual composure. "But that's not everything. Oro, she needs you right now. I don't think you realized it, but you left at a really bad time."

The Rabbit tilted his head, his ears going practically limp. He'd still been trying to wrap his head around the first shock when she dropped that little bomb on him, and he wasn't entirely sure he understood what she was saying. Behind him, Sarahi caught on quicker. "Oh crap, Oro! She was already struggling with the curse when we left! I mean, one more day probably wouldn't have mattered, but a week?! She's gotta be desperate..."

Nayeli nodded, and Oro cursed and slammed his fist into the wall...then took her hand and started for the stairs up to the bedrooms. "Fine. Come on. We'll solve the most immediate problem first," he sighed, ascending the stairs with his very surprised wife in tow.

"...Well," Kylan sighed into the quiet that followed, "That was...a lot to come home to," he remarked, quietly pitying Oro at the moment. The poor Rabbit couldn't catch a break today, even well clear of The Gauntlet.

While Oro was bringing the curse to bay for Tuli again, the other three adventurers began sorting out their things, eager for baths and beds. Feeling a sharp lump in her coat pocket, Diya pulled out the stylized mask she'd almost forgotten Oro handed to her. Her face fell a little sadly at the sight of it. "I kind of don't want to keep this," she admitted aloud, looking the mask over, "That's a memory I'd rather let go, to be honest."

Sarahi nodded, stripping off her pants with no small amount of relief. "I don't blame you," she agreed softly, "But it seemed important to her. She called it an old friend, and wanted 'the girls' to have it. Heh...yeah, you had her completely fooled, Kylan," she smiled at the little Feline, who usually took it as a compliment to fool someone about his real sex. "I think maybe it was a good luck charm to her, or something. She started to say something else about it, but...couldn't." With a sigh, the Sha'khari gently took it from Diya's hands and placed it carefully on her face, then gave her an appraising look. "Well, I'd say it looks good on you, but in the same way a Harvest Eve costume would. Not something I'd recommend wearing to the grocery store."

Diya chuckled with a nod, and was about to pull the mask back off when she spotted something behind the Sha'khari that gave her pause: a large, white wolf nosing somberly about the house, as if trying to sniff out a scent it had lost. It was easily twice as big as Sarahi, but didn't seem to be bothered by the closeness of the walls or ceiling. It concerned itself with them in the same way a driver was concerned with the lines in the road, and they were about as effective at containing it. The ears and tail, especially, kept clipping through like a badly designed video game. Flakes of something like snow kept disappearing into the fur of its head and back, only to be shed again around its feet and belly.

Diya carefully lifted the mask, and it disappeared from her sight until she put the polished ivory back over her eyes. "Ah...I see," she sighed, earning curious looks from Sarahi and Kylan. Stepping past the Sha'khari, she whistled softly to get the wolf's attention. It turned toward her, ears drooped but attentive, and she held out a hand toward it. The beast lumbered over to her, lowering its head to press its nose into her palm, inhaling her scent even as she began gently petting its muzzle. Sarahi and Kylan jumped back with a gasp as the touch seemed to bring the beast into tangible existence in front of them. "It's okay," Diya was quick to reassure them...though she wasn't entirely certain how she was so sure of that, herself. Through the eyes of the mask, she seemed to notice more than just the beast's presence. She could read its body-language like she'd lived with it for years, and there was nothing hostile in its posture or conduct. It was mostly broadcasting sorrow, over a mild curiosity. "You miss her, huh?" It actually nodded against her palm.

"That's the wolf Sonova called on Oro, isn't it?" Sarahi noted, "It wasn't just a spell, then. She really meant it was an old friend."

"Looks that way," Diya nodded, hugging the bowed head of the beast, "I'm sorry for what I said. I will definitely keep you. We'll remember her together."

"Wow...that's going to need a lot of dog food," Kylan chuckled, working up the nerve to reach out and pat its cheek. The wolf didn't seem bothered by their touch, and even Sarahi couldn't resist running her fingers through the fluffy fur on top of its head, above where Diya stood. It was a beautiful beast...when it wasn't trying to eat them alive.

Giving the muzzle a last, gentle squeeze, she let go of the wolf and pulled the mask off her face. "Yeah...you're a little too big for our house," she observed when it didn't immediately disappear, "The living-room might be fine, but you're going to knock stuff over if you go anywhere else. Can you wait in the other place? We'll play tomorrow, I promise."

It disappeared right out from under Kylan and Sarahi's hands. "That's a relief. I thought he might be stubborn about it. Erg...I've had enough adventure for one weekend," Diya sighed, rubbing her head, "I don't know about you two, but I'm off for a shower and bed." They all nodded agreement, and padded up the stairs.

Sarahi spent the night with the twins, figuring Oro and Nayeli both would appreciate a night to themselves exclusively. She awoke before either of the Runepaws as well, quietly pulling her shirt back over her head and heading downstairs to get breakfast started. She was surprised to find Nayeli already up and in the kitchen...cleaning up the remains of her mug and the cocoa she'd dropped when they came through the door. "Oh! Good morning," the Lioness smiled when she noticed the Sha'khari, "You're up early. Want some breakfast?"

"Dying for it," Sarahi nodded, waiting for the other girl to dump the dustpan before grabbing her up in a tight hug, "I didn't get to greet you properly when we got in," she whispered into the surprised Lioness' ear.

Nayeli smiled, kissing her cheek gently and returning the embrace strongly. "Yeah. I'm sorry about that. I was relieved and shocked all at the same time. I'm glad all of you are back, even if it was Oro I pounced on."

Sarahi shook her head quietly. "I know it. I probably would have done the same," she admitted before letting go of her friend, "I'm surprised he slept through you getting up, actually."

"Actually, I was surprised to see you up so soon," Nayeli countered, opening the pantry, "Maybe it's just because of what he had to do with Mom, but he was exhausted by the time we laid down. I figured you'd all sleep until noon, at least. Will oatmeal be okay?"

"Oh, that sounds absolutely delicious right now," Sarahi sighed happily. The pair prepared a breakfast of oatmeal with cinnamon and brown sugar and plenty of bacon. Sarahi filled Nayeli in on what had happened during their latest adventure, since Oro had apparently passed out before he could give her any details.

"So time is weird in that place, and doesn't necessarily sync up with here," Nayeli surmised, obviously bothered by that but trying not to dwell on it, "And...we have a dog now?" She ignored the part about Sarahi (and, arguably, Oro) having killed someone. Telling that part had clearly bothered the Sha'khari, and Nayeli didn't want to make her revisit it.

Sarahi nodded, "A big one. To be honest, I don't even know what our other rewards were, aside from the cash. The thing we really wanted seemed to be promised on the next floor, which pissed Oro off so much I didn't have a chance to read the inscription for that mirror. We'll figure it out later," the Sha'khari sighed, taking two large spoonfuls of the hot oatmeal and savoring them thoughtfully for a moment. "Also...I owe you an apology," she admitted softly, "I tried to break a promise. I swear it wasn't deliberate....just thoughtless, but that's not much better." Nayeli tilted her head, trying to remember what promise remained between them that she could possibly have broken in that place. "I said I wanted to respect your marriage, and wouldn't let Oro do anything without your approval first. But when we were spending the night in the tent...I wanted help winding down. So I asked him, but he refused, and had to remind me of what I'd said."

Nayeli blinked at her blankly, then blushed, then smiled. "You two can be really sweet at the strangest times," she sighed, shaking her head, "And I appreciated the promise, but it's not one I'd hold you to with any kind of gravity. You're his other wife, after all, and my other husband," she reminded the Sha'khari, who blushed at the terms. Nayeli added more seriously, "If there is ever anything you can do to bring each other comfort or reprieve in that terrible place, please do it. You have my full blessing on that anytime. I'll tell Oro as much when he wakes up."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Sarahi sighed happily, pushing her bowl aside and coming around the table to give Nayeli a grateful kiss. Sitting down beside her, the Sha'khari idly crunched a strip of bacon. "So...what happened with your mom? While we were gone, I mean."

Nayeli ran her hand over her face, pushing her hair back from her brow. "Ugh...where to begin? Um...she really started struggling with the curse the night after you guys left. She ate us out of chocolate just trying to curb the want. Then on top of that...no, too many details. The important points: Mom went into labor two days ago. The doctor thought something was odd, but put it down to not having the usual monitors and medical equipment to tell him all the little details. Mom seemed to be in good shape. I don't think she screamed even once, even though there were no anesthetics available. When he told her to start pushing, I was right there, for moral support..." She paused for a minute, chewing her lip and putting her thoughts together. Sarahi reached out and patted her hand...then pulled her into a reassuring hug instead. The Lioness had been concerned about her mother...but also, the Sha'khari realized, had genuinely been looking forward to a sibling that never materialized. "There was just...nothing. Mom didn't even have to push hard. Once or twice, then her stomach shrank and...that was just it. Even the doctor started freaking out, though he tried really hard to hold himself together and come up with some kind of explanation. In the end, he just kind of confirmed that Mom was healthy and uninjured and...'the pregnancy is over'. That was the clearest thing he could say. I don't think he'll be answering any more calls from us."

"I am so sorry we weren't here," Sarahi hugged her tight. Not that any of them could have changed the outcome...but at least Nayeli and Tuli would have had one less worry and four more sources of encouragement and support around. It must have been lonely for both of them...

"It's okay," Nayel promised, patting her hand as she started to pull herself back together, "Maybe even better that Oro wasn't. I don't know how he would have taken that. The poor doctor might not have made it out alive," she tried to chuckle. "Whew...I'm sorry. This isn't the homecoming you were looking forward to, probably."

"Any homecoming is a good one," Sarahi assured her with one more hug, "And we won't be going anywhere again for a good, long while. Now that it's all over...well, maybe we won't need to go back at all. That's my hope."

"Yeah," Nayeli agreed softly, patting her arm to assure her that the Lioness had finally recomposed herself, and could be trusted not to break down in tears again. "With that said...why don't you show me your treasures? You worked hard for them. You ought to be allowed to show them off a little."

Sarahi didn't think for one minute that Nayeli was actually interested in whatever they'd brought out of The Gauntlet. She did think that the girl was looking for a change of subject, and something to be excited over, so she was happy to oblige. There wasn't as much to show for this run, though. Diya had the mask upstairs, so that really only left the gems and the mirror. Bringing the small box from the foyer into the living-room, Sarahi opened the lid to show to Nayeli.

"A spell to turn back harm," Sarahi read the inscription on the inside of the box while Nayeli turned the little mirror over and waved it back and forth, appreciating the craftsmanship and the fascinating little light-trail it left in the wake of every movement. Kind of like a glow-stick that even worked in daylight.

"Well that sounds super useful," Nayeli remarked, holding out the little mirror to Sarahi, "How do you think it works? Does it 'reflect' attacks, or does that just sound like I've played too many video games?"

Sarahi shrugged. "Good a guess as any. Too bad these things never come with instructions, and the potions have been the only straight-forward thing we've found so far." It also seemed to her that The Gauntlet liked to tease them by giving them stuff that would have been great to have before the run they'd just survived. Sarahi drew little patterns in the air with the mirror for a moment, then gasped excitedly. "Hey, look! It stayed!" she pointed to the little circle she'd managed to draw, touching the mirror to the end of its own trail before the light could fade. The instant the circle was completed, the interior filled with the same glow and centered itself on the frame of the mirror.

Nayeli poked it gently, then flicked a finger against it. "It's solid! Do you feel that?" the Lioness asked, knocking on the edge of the light like it was a door.

"Barely," Sarahi nodded, still holding the handle of the mirror, "So...it's like a tiny shield? Gods forgotten, what I wouldn't give for a shield...though a slightly bigger one would be nice," she admitted, noting that the current circle wasn't very much larger than the mirror itself. Still fidgeting with it, the instant she turned the reflective face of the mirror away from herself, the luminous circle seemed to be drawn into a beam that emmited from the mirror's face, shining on the floor like a spot-light. Turning it back to face her again returned the item to its original state, just trailing light behind the mirror. "Hey...I think I figured this out!" she grinned, making a rather larger circle with the mirror. She wasn't quite fast enough to connect the trail before it faded, so had to try again, more quickly. This time when the circle formed, it was easily large enough to cover from her elbow to her front knee. "Yes!! Now that's a shield!"

"Wow!" Nayeli clapped, "That's amazing! Good work!" Resting her chin on her hand, the Lioness smiled, "So a spear and a shield made of light? You're turning into some kind of sunshine warrior, aren't you?"

Sarahi giggled. "Yeah, kind of a running theme, isn't it? I wonder if The Gauntlet's doing that on purpose. It makes me think of the paladins from some of the games we've played."

"...Hey, Sarahi," Nayeli said softly, drawing the Sha'khari's attention away from her new toy. No sooner did she look at the Lioness, though, than Nayeli leaned in around the edge of the shield and kissed her, warm and soft and deep on the lips. "Thank you. For going in there with him. I know you wish you'd been here for me, but...it's honestly more comforting to know you were with him, and had his back in that place. I don't think I'd have the nerve to go, so that means a lot to me."

Blinking and blushing in surprise, Sarahi laid the mirror back in its box and took Nayeli in her arms, laying the other girl down on the end of the long couch and crouching over her. "Always," Sarahi promised with a smile, "I'll always have his back. We'll always come home to you. And it's always great having you to come home to," she promised, laying herself down on top of her friend to indulge in a round of affectionate kisses. "Hey...can I make a weird request?" she asked when they settled down again.

Nayeli, still underneath her upper torso, ran her fingers through the other girl's hair. "I'm hesitant to imagine what might count as 'weird' in this family anymore," she admitted, "But go on."

"Fair," Sarahi giggled, closing her eyes and enjoying the gentle touch, "I know it can't be official...like, registered, or anything...but can we get married?" Nayeli tilted her head curiously, so the Sha'khari went on to elaborate, "You know: a little ceremony, exchange vows, swap rings, all that. I never got to have that, but it's nice to think of you as my wife, and hear you call me 'husband'. Second or otherwise," she winked, "I'd like to have the trappings to go with that. With Oro, too."

Nayeli chuckled. "You know, I never got a ring, either," she mused, rubbing her forehead against Sarahi's, "I'm thankful not to be the type of girl that needs one. But I would be happy to have one from you, and take vows, and be your wife in everything but the paperwork, if it would make you happy." She pressed her lips to Sarahi's once again, this time less playfully and more passionately.

They were both a little startled by a voice coming from the doorway to the dining room. "You two are sweet enough to be a dental hazard," Diya smiled wistfully, leaning against the door frame with a cup of coffee in hand and watching them make out. Kylan was leaning against the other side of the frame, also grinning. The pair blinked at them once...then continued their kiss shamelessly.

Tuli joined them soon after that, feeling greatly relieved in more ways than one, and made a big breakfast for everyone to celebrate their home-coming. Oro missed out. The Rabbit didn't come thumping down the stairs until well after lunch, and still looked drowsy even then. But his belly had grown ravenous enough to overcome his exhaustion, so he dragged himself downstairs in search of food.

Nayeli was at the table in the breakfast nook, looking back and forth between her textbook and notebook. She looked up when he opened the refrigerator...and giggled, putting down her pencil. "Sit down," she tapped his shoulder, "If you're too tired to put on pants, you definitely shouldn't be handling glass." He frowned like she'd insulted him, but did as he was told, laying his head on his arms while she put together some leftovers for him. "Sorry about last night...and thank you," she told him as she sat down beside him and laid down a plate piled high with bacon and eggs and biscuits and gravy and a pair of three-layer sandwiches, "You look like it was rough for you. How do you feel?"

"Hungry," he grunted, surprising her a little with the effort he had to put into reaching for one of the sandwiches and taking a large bite from it, "And...weirdly empty," he added after swallowing that first bite, "Like...I can feel my hunger in my skin, and my face...but I can't feel my stomach at all...like the organ isn't there."

She laid a hand on his bare back, rubbing him gently as he chewed his way through the first sandwich. His skin felt reassuringly warm, and his fur was still soft, if a little dirty. It was encouraging that his strength seemed to be coming back as he ate, and by the time he finished the second sandwich he was digging into the rest of the plate with his usual ravenous fervor. Nayeli leaned over to kiss his cheek. "You can go back to bed when you're done. You might be more comfortable if you have a shower first. I'll come wake you up for dinner."

"What day is it?" he asked, still trying to get his bearings after the dizzying events of their return.

"Sunday," she answered, nodding to her book on the table, "I'm trying to catch up with the classes I skipped this week, looking after Mom. I need to turn some stuff in tomorrow."

Oro nodded, pushing aside the empty plate, though he still looked far from satisfied. "...Can you lay down with me for a little while?"

The Lioness smiled and patted his back gently. "Sure. I already put Sarahi to bed, and I'm pretty sure the Runepaws have zonked back out, too. It was a rough trip."

"Fuck yeah," he sighed in agreement, "How's she handling it?"

"Well...she wants to get married," Nayeli smiled sheepishly, "To us. Just ceremonially...but I guess a brush with death kind of scared her. She wants something to reassure her that her life is stable."

He blew a long exhale. "I can imagine. This wasn't the life--"

She stopped him with a kiss on the lips, then took his hand and pulled him to his feet. "I gave you that lecture before our wedding, and you apologized then. Now this is the life we expect...at least as much as anyone can know what to expect from life. Come on. You're tired. I'll keep you warm until you nod off again, and we'll talk about the rest later."

With a grateful nod, he let her lead him back upstairs to their room. She briefly considered shoving him into the shower first, but he put his arms around her waist and practically pulled her onto the bed with him as he flopped sideways onto it. The Lioness giggled as their weight settled, and rubbed his bare arm. "Not quite so tired as you thought, huh?" she asked, fulling expecting his hands to start helping themselves to her fur.

But his eyes were closed, and he shook his head. "Very," Oro denied, "It's not even right. But I'm finally warm again, and sort of full, and have you beside me again...so maybe that's it," he yawned, putting an arm over her possessively, "Just don't leave...for a bit."

With a pitying smile, she kissed his cheek, then patted his arm once more to coax him a little further up the bed. "Don't worry. I missed you, too. I'm not going anywhere." Once his head was properly on the pillow and she'd gotten the blanket pulled over them, Nayeli got him to turn onto his back and snuggled up to his side, putting her arms around him and pillowing her head on his chest. Her Rabbit could sleep in practically any position, but she had noticed some time ago that he breathed easiest this way, and right now she figured he could use every comfort he could get.

He really was tired. It didn't seem like they'd been there even ten minutes before his breathing leveled out and the pounding of his heart slowed beneath her ear. The Lioness kissed his chest gently, testing how deep he was out before she tried to slip out quietly and finish her studies. Before she could even begin to move under the blanket, though, the door swung quietly open. In the frame of light shining in from the hall, she could clearly see Sarahi slip through and close it behind her, then pad over to the bed. Nayeli motioned her forward, letting the other girl know she was still awake, and Sarahi crawled onto the bed as gently as possible to settle on her side at Nayeli's back. "Sorry," the Sha'khari whispered, putting both her arms around Nayeli's belly.

"It's alright," the Lioness assured her, also in a whisper, "I think he's really out cold." Carefully rolling onto her own back where she could see her friend, Nayeli noticed the streaks of damp fur and tell-tale puffiness of eyes that had been rubbed a little too hard. "Then again, I thought the same of you. Are you okay?"

Sarahi nodded, but not convincingly. "Bad dream. Now that we're home, and safe, and I have room to breathe...I can't stop thinking about...what happened," she sighed, "I just want someone to hold me for a while."

Nayeli nodded, carefully pulling her arm out from under Oro so that she could roll over and embrace the Sha'khari properly. She was surprised when he arched his back to make the task easier. "Roll over," he coaxed gently before she could even apologize, patting her shoulders. With one more kiss, this time to his cheek, she turned toward Sarahi and put her arms around the other girl's shoulders. Then Oro reached across her to grab Sarahi's upper arms, pulling her in close until Nayeli was scrunched a little uncomfortably between them. The Lioness just chuckled, and didn't complain.

Surprised, relieved, and grateful, the Sha'khari took two handfuls of Nayeli's shirt and buried her face between them, trying hard not to burst into fresh tears. The Lioness rubbed her back gently while Oro simply let his hand rest lightly on her side. "I'm sorry," Sarahi repeated quietly, mostly to the Rabbit, "You wanted some comfort, too..." Nayeli shushed her softly, running fingers through her hair and letting the Sha'khari cling to her. "I just...I know it had to happen, but...I can't let go of...I killed her," Sarahi finally said it, clearly, with her own lips, "With my spear...I killed her."

"We killed her," Oro muttered against Nayeli's back, his fingers patting Sarahi again, "It's not all on you. You only reached her first because I was too slow, but I was trying my damnedest. We killed her," he repeated with a sigh. Oro took a deep breath through the nose, comforting himself with the clean, warm scent of his wife. "And I can justify it half a dozen different ways...but it doesn't help. I've talked a lot of smack over the years, and broken my fair share of bones...but this is a first for me, too. So the best I can say right now is...you're not alone," he promised quietly, his hand moving up to clasp her arm firmly, "I'm right there with you. Don't feel like you have to hold it together."

"Me, too," Nayeli promised, kissing the top of Sarahi's head, then bucked her hip against the Rabbit behind her, "And the same goes for you, Mr. Strong-But-Silent." He nodded, and kissed her between the shoulder-blades. Sarahi's composure cracked, and she let the tears flow once more, this time into Nayeli's shirt. The Lioness held her patiently, and let both her lovers cling to her, until exhaustion overcame them. Trapped between the sleeping pair with little hope of squirming out unnoticed, though, she resigned herself to a little nap as well. Homework would have to wait until after dinner...