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The Seventh Realm: Volume Three

By Mantrid Brizon

Episode 30: Obsidian Edge

Zikata climbs out of bed and stretches his muscles, air rushing into his gaping maw as he yawns. Two weeks have passed since the burning of the protesters, and thirteen days since Katero had left to live with the Sa’kesh, leaving Muzalfur to act as the war-guide in his place. As he had hoped, the newcomers have made a concerted effort to assimilate with the Kelanethaka. They strive to learn English, have ceased asking for sacrifices and many have abandoned their old god altogether. The fact that they were not struck down by the deity for their defection has only made it easier to convince the holdouts to do the same.

Surprisingly, they have also almost entirely abandoned their former sexual practices. Though the occasional pair of adults slip off to clandestinely mate, most now live as the Kelanethaka do. A slew of pledges were made, with forty new pairs of mates now needing to perform the ceremony. For the last week they have held mass pledges, trying to prevent the culturally significant ceremony from interfering with their daily lives or the construction of much needed new homes. Though it has made life at their village rather hectic and interesting, it is also decidedly more peaceful. The tension between the original Kelanethaka and the newcomers has dissipated considerably.

Even Fekolza’s group has lost many members, however, Fekolza himself maintains a small, cult-like following. Zikata doubts that even Katero would consider him a threat at this point, as few bother to hear him out anymore. Life has finally begun to smoothen for Zikata and his tribe. After eating a simple breakfast of seasoned genashin meat and a boiled ethakona egg, he leaves his home and greets the guards that stand outside. With four soldiers to guard him, he heads for a building that he had designated as something of a town hall. It is at this building that he conducts tribal business and speaks with his advisors, such as the priestess, Linusa, and his new war-guide, Muzalfur.

As he walks along the recently laid brick streets that weave like snakes around the buildings, which were not uniformly placed, he looks to the sky and breathes in the warm air. It is another beautiful day in the village, and it will eventually become a beautiful night.

“Keka!” A guard yells, reverting to Ketlanic under duress.

Zikata looks for the danger called out by his men. They form a line to fight another group of men, all loyal to Fekolza. Watching the struggle and with his back undefended, Fekolza charges in and grabs Zikata by the throat, his arm around his neck. He jams a black stone knife into his back, and prepares for another strike, but Muzalfur and his men swiftly approach. Muzalfur had a gut feeling that something might occur and decided to meet Zikata half-way. Startled and unable to finish, Fekolza drops Zikata to the ground and darts off, while his few remaining men fight to the death, which does not take long.

All of Fekolza’s men were merely citizens, facing the trained warriors, some of whom have combat experience. The skirmish lasted on a minute or two longer than it took for Fekolza to strike. Muzalfur kneels beside Zikata as his men attempt to give chase. He calls out to a guard and orders him to fetch Linusa, who will have a thorough understanding of herbal medicine in her capacity as the village priestess. He then demands that another run as fast as he can to the Sa’kesh. Cy, Zakera and Katero need to be made aware of the attack. He holds tightly to his back to maintain pressure, trying to control the bleeding. Others soon arrive and help him move their leader to safety.

“Be strong! Do not die, Zikata! We need you!” He pleads with him.

Cy and Katero stand outside, throwing their knives at a wooden target and enjoying a friendly competition. Zakera and Gabriella watch the pair from a short distance behind them as they sit atop a carved wooden bench that Michael had made, trading small talk. Cy throws his knife and it lands a half-inch from the blue painted bullseye. After retrieving the blade, Cy stands beside Katero, who looks over his knife as though he hasn’t a care in the world, humming an old tribal song.

“Think you can beat that?” Cy asks.

“Perhaps.”

He holds out the knife by the point, takes careful aim, pulls back his arm and then throws. It spins through the air before landing dead-center. Katero turns his eyes and smirks.

“Was that better? I cannot tell from so far away.”

“Show off.” Cy chuckles.

Katero and Cy walk toward the target, both to retrieve his blade and adjust the distance. As Katero is within feet of his knife, a silver bolt flies past him and smacks against the handle, driving the blade even deeper into the wood. Cy’s chain whip lands onto the ground and rattles as he coils the links and folds the bars together.

“Oops… I wanted to pull it out.” Cy comments.

“You are a terrible liar.” Katero laughs.

Shrugging his shoulders, Cy and Katero spend the next several minutes trying to pry his knife from the target. Freeing the blade, Katero stumbles back, only to stop and turn at a familiar sound. Zakera joins him, rising from the bench. The guards at the gate, a mixture of human and Zelkona, do not have the enhanced hearing that the Ketlan do, standing at attention only when Cy orders them too. He has come to trust his mate and close friend’s senses and never ignores any warnings that the give, however subtle. A single Kelanethaka runner dashes from around the bend, gasping for breath after a mile-long sprint.

“What is going on?” Katero asks the runner.

“Is everything alright?” Cy adds.

“Zikata… Attacked…” He says through labored breaths.

“What?!” Zakera approaches the gate. “What happened to my father?!”

“Zikata… Was attacked by… Fekolza and his group… Stabbed… Badly hurt…

“Oh no!” Zakera whimpers, her eyes welling with tears.

“Guards, find Lara at the clinic and send her back here, then collect a captain and a team of militia to join us!” Cy orders.

“Yes, my Lord!” The chirp.

Cy grumbles at the honorary title, but has since tired of constantly telling people to stop using it. He turns to Zakera and comforts his mate while Katero slumps back, falling to the ground and landing on his buttocks. Cy pets and shushes Zakera as she begins to cry, her body trembling in fear, while Katero stares into space. Gabriella sits beside him and takes his hand. He grips her hand tightly and his breathing shivers as he too struggles with tears, but of guilt and not sorrow.

“I should not have left. If I had stayed I could have protected him. This is my fault.” He says to himself.

“You didn’t know this was going to happen, Katero.” Gabriella says softly as she strokes his hands.

“Don’t blame yourself.” Cy says.

“But it is my fault!”

“No, it fucking isn’t!” Cy growls. “It’s Fekolza’s fault, and he’s going to pay for it.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” Gabriella adds before hugging him.

“Oh Cy, what if he does not survive? What if he is already dead?!” Zakera cries.

“Don’t think that. Zikata is too strong to let a bitch like Fekolza kill him.” Cy assures her.

“I need to see him, Cy. In case he-”

“Shh… I know.” Cy holds her tightly. “We’ll see him together. You’ll be safe with me.”

Zakera grips his clothing tightly, the fur of her cheeks and around her snout damp from her tears. By now, several of the others have exited the fortress, which was nearly fully occupied for once. Yasmin, Jack, and Johnny are eager to join them, while the others elect to wait for their return. In only a matter of minutes, two of the gate guards bring Lara back. Having already apprised her of the situation, she heads for her old office to collect her belongings; her medical pack, Browning Hi-Power and a medical field journal accompany her outside. By the time Lara exits the fortress, a team of militia arrive. They number twenty-one in total, with eight of them being Zelkona.

Led by Kanafa, a young-adult female around five feet and nine inches tall with a white chest and belly, dark blue body and dark purple swirls upon her back, the team of warriors stand at attention and await Cy’s instructions. Frighteningly swift learners, many of the Zelkona are already capable of conversational English. Quite a few are eager to serve in the militia, and some have even begun tattooing the word ‘Sa’kesh’ in Ketlanic or branding themselves with their symbol, a tree canopy with three entwined trunks. Bearing simple, round wooden shields, a pair of javelins, falcata swords as sidearms and recurve knives identical to Cy’s, they are ready for whatever orders their leader could possibly give them.

Cy often wears his original steel and brass handled falcata sword, considering it a symbolic accessory rather than a true weapon, though it always was battle ready and sharpened. Drawing the sword, which he wears in a traditional manner, slung underneath his weak arm, he holds it high and waves it in a small circle to draw the militia closer. At his command, they begin a swift march toward the Kelanethaka to aid Zikata both medically and politically. Keeping Zakera near the center of the formation, Cy walks with Yasmin, Katero and Kanafa. He glances over to the Zelkona female, who stares straight ahead.

“You must be one of the first Zelkona captains.” He begins.

“I am the first.” Kanafa replies.

“She showed a lot of promise. I promoted her myself!” Yasmin chirps.

“Thank you.” Kanafa bows her head.

“Well, I hope you are ready for whatever we might be walking into.” Cy remarks.

“I am, as are the rest of us. We are Sa’kesh now, and we live to serve and honor our tribe, kavay.”

“Your English is excellent! You learn so fast!” Cy can’t help but comment.

“Thank you, kavay!” Kanafa sounds flattered. “It is the language of our tribe; we work to master all aspects, in order to better serve the greater good.”

After a brisk march, they arrive at the Kelanethaka to a cacophony of voices. Citizens wonder what happened while warriors try to keep the peace and hold them back from Zikata’s house. With his only child a female and her having pledged to Cy, that means that without a spoken heir to take over, they will be leaderless and have no reason to stay. Typically, when chieftains die without leaving someone in charge, the tribe either evaporates into the forest or spirals into chaos as several others try to claim control. The panicking villagers, uncertain of their future in what is the most stable and technologically advanced tribe that any of them have ever seen, demand answers from the warriors.

The runner leads them through the growing crowd. Many recognize the Sa’kesh and begin to cheer, parting to allow them entry. They clearly believe that they have some special knowledge that will save Zikata, though unfortunately this is not the case. Ushering them into the house, the runner introduces Cy and the leaders to Muzalfur, not realizing that they already know who he is; were it not for Cy’s suggestion, Muzalfur wouldn’t even be the war-guide at the moment. Looking around the room, they find Zikata lying atop an elevated wooden platform with six legs, a bed of red grass sheaves spread over the top of the wooden beams. He is face-down.

His cyan and white striped fur is stained with crimson at his lower back and a considerable pool of blood sits below the platform. Cy immediately worries that Fekolza struck a kidney or similarly placec vital organ, but is relieved to see that the color of his blood is too light. At the foot of Zikata’s bed and tending to his wounds is an older female that Cy had only seen several times before in all of his visits. Linusa, the village priestess and healer, presses a powder of herbs into Zikata’s wound before pouring water over it.

“What are you doing?!” Lara demands.

“Easing his pain. The powder will soon dissolve and prevent him from suffering.” Linusa explains.

“I need your flashlights.” Lara turns to Yasmin and Cy.

They hand them over without hesitation and Lara darts over to the bed.

“Try not to get blood on mine.” Yasmin smirks.

“Shut up.” Lara swiftly and casually replies.

Standing in Zikata’s blood, she looms over him and peers into the wound. She grumbles to herself and she takes many tools from her bag, setting them aside as she prepares for field surgery. The green furred priestess with white tabby stripes and jade green eyes cocks her head as she watches Lara curiously.

“What are you doing?” Linusa asks.

“I need to look inside and make sure that none of his vital organs were cut” Lara answers.

“Why would you do that?!” Linusa asks in horror.

“If they are cut, I need to fix them first.”

“But-”

“Do you want him to die?!” Lara snarls.

“No…” Linusa murmurs.

“Neither do I. Now shut up and help me, or get out.” Lara growls.

“Damn… I like her.” Yasmin smirks.

“That goes for all of you, actually. Zakera can stay and help too, but everyone else needs to leave. And be quiet outside! I need to concentrate!” Lara orders.

“Wait…” Zikata chokes out.

Lifting a hand, he weakly motions for everyone to approach. Zakera takes hold of his hand and comforts her wounded father.

“Try not to speak. Save your strength.” Lara softly instructs her patient.

“No… This is important… You are a good man, Cyrus, and a wise, strong leader. If I should die, I want witnesses to hear me…” Zikata coughs.

“We hear you.” Muzalfur replies.

“Maray, kavay.” Linusa adds.

“If I should die, my pledge-son will rule the Kelanethaka as well as his own tribe. They should become one, as he and my daughter have. That is my wish…”

“Please do not say such things.” Zakera whimpers.

“You aren’t going to die, father.” A tearful Cy remarks.

“I have said my peace…” Zikata groans.

“Alright, enough. He’s done talking and we have work to do, so get out.” Lara sternly demands.

They follow her instructions and leave the house, except for Linusa and Zakera, who stay behind to aid her in the operation. Heading outside to meet the crowd, Cy looks to the now silent masses. He opens his mouth and takes a breath, about to speak, but a random female villager beats him to it.

“Zuj banila. Tathazay Zikata kelane.”

Sometimes even he forgets how well the Ketlan’s hearing is. Cy nods and the crowd disperses, knowing that Lara and Linusa will do all that they can for their leader. Katero pulls Muzalfur to the side, and the young, inexperienced war-guide is quickly encircled by Cy, Yasmin and Jack.

“How are we going to handle this situation, war-guide?” Katero asks Muzalfur.

“Fekolza’s men were already slain in the battle, though Fekolza escaped. I would have pursued him, but we thought it wise to focus on Zikata first.” Muzalfur replies.

“And what about the others?” Jack asks.

“What others?” Muzalfur raises a brow.

“This kind of assassination had more involved. I doubt that Fekolza is the only one still alive who was a part of it.” Cy begins.

“He must have had scouts watching, to signal when to attack.” Yasmin continues.

“At least as many people who fought you will be involved.” Jack finishes.

“You have much to teach us.” Muzalfur somewhat shamefully admits. “Is that why you have been staying with them for so long?” He asks Katero.

“… Yes.”

“We can search for more conspirators.” Jack says.

“After this, I don’t think many will hide them.” Cy adds.

“We might even learn where that little fucker ran off to!” Yasmin grins.

“Then let us begin right away.”

Muzalfur organizes search teams while Kanafa and the Sa’kesh militia guard Zikata’s house for the Kelanethaka warriors. Johnny sits with them, the only one bearing a firearm. Yasmin, Cy, Jack, Katero, Muzalfur, and a few of Muzalfur’s most trusted warriors lead the teams as they wrap around the village. Half of them start at the outskirts, while the other half start at the center. The outer teams move clockwise and the inner teams move counter clockwise. After over an hour of questioning villagers, the teams meet in the middle, each holding more conspirators captive. With eight more having been discovered, they march them through the streets, passing Zikata’s house.

Johnny looks on in horror as Gomona and a boy that he doesn’t recognize are pushed forward, their hands tied at the wrists and behind their back. He takes a few steps forward before Kanafa asks him to halt. He turns back and then bolts, disregarding the order. Kanafa drops her shield and javelin before racing after the boy. Cy turns back at the commotion. Kanafa leaps at him from a distance of nearly six feet away, landing upon his back and forcing him down to the ground. He cries out and squirms. Cy can’t help but be impressed, having never seen his Zelkona warriors in action before.

“Kavay ordered you stay… Do not disobey.” Kanafa growls in his ear.

“But I know her! Get off!” Johnny yelps.

“Kuzem!” Cy exclaims, gaining their attention. “Chitho.”

Kanafa stands to her feet and grabs Johnny by the shoulders, rather violently yanking him up from the ground. Their eyes grow wide at the sight; had she pulled any harder, she would have thrown the young man clear over her shoulder.

“Both of you come with us. The others stay and guard the house.” Cy instructs.

“Vo… Err, yes, kavay.” Kanafa bows her head.

It is clear that she places great effort in speaking only English. Johnny pulls away from Kanafa and races up to Cy, while Kanafa retrieves her shield and javelin before calmly following along. Johnny stares at Gomona and the boy, who Muzalfur identifies as Linsor. Katero and Cy lead them to the same part of the village where Zikata performed the burnings, lining them up and forcing the conspirators to kneel.

“Why did you do it?” Johnny finally asks Gomona.

“Don’t speak to the victims.” Yasmin reprimands him.

“I follow my mate…” She softly answers.

“Zikata burned my mother. I want him to die.” Linsor snarls.

“Do you have any idea what you have done, boy?!” Muzalfur growls.

Cy nods to Yasmin, who promptly draws her pistol. Jack, who has long ago lost the stomach for this kind of act, turns his back and steps away. Suddenly, Johnny draws his own pistol, the compact, .32 caliber Sig-Sauer P232. Cy looks to him with shock and fear. He never wanted this life for Johnny or his sisters; they deserve better than the bloody existence he has endured.

“Well, look who’s stepping up.” Yasmin smirks.

“Johnny, we can handle this.” Cy remarks.

“I can do this, Cy.” Johnny retorts.

“I know you can but…”

“You don’t want to do this, Johnny. You will have to live with this for the rest of your life. You don’t want to see their faces when you sleep.” Jack explains heartfeltly.

“I don’t, but I need to do this.” Johnny reiterates.

“Just watch Zikata’s house with Kanafa. Please.” Cy begs.

Kanafa rests her clawed hand atop Johnny’s shoulder, awaiting Cy’s order like a good soldier.

“Revenge isn’t going to make you feel better.” Jack pleads.

“This isn’t revenge! They betrayed Zikata! They betrayed their own people! They betrayed us! They need to pay…” Johnny explains, glaring at Jack.

Yasmin rests a hand on Cy’s chest, drawing his attention. She nods and the pair share a silent conversation purely through their eyes. Cy turns back to Johnny and closes his eyes, sullenly nodding his head.

“I don’t want your help, but I won’t stop you…”

Kanafa removes her hand and stands at attention. Johnny’s fingers coil around the grip of the little pistol as he breathes deeply, preparing himself for the arduous task. Stepping before Gomona, the small handgun feels as though it weighs one hundred pounds. Yasmin takes the furthest side and aims her pistol, turning her head to Johnny and waiting for him to start. He raises the weapon, staring at her with watery eyes. He never truly loved her, as she never gave him the chance, and yet still the act of ending her life weighs heavy on his heart and mind. She turns her eyes to him and the pair stare at each other for what feels like an eternity. Not even Yasmin dares to interrupt them, waiting patiently for Johnny to make his move.

“I’m sorry, Gomona.” He murmurs.

With a subtle head nod, she closes her eyes. Johnny pulls the trigger, a slug from his pistol smashing through her skull and burrowing into her brain. She slumps forward, collapsing like a sack of bricks being dropped to the ground. A tear runs down his cheek as he turns his pistol to Linsor. Yasmin still waits for Johnny to finish, quite curious to see what he will do next.

“God damn you.” He growls.

Linsor spits on the ground at his feet and Johnny quickly executes him. He turns his weapon to another conspirator, an adult female, shooting her in the face without hesitation. Yasmin joins in, but Johnny has had enough. He steps back and spins around, tears streaming down his face as he dashes away. Kanafa turns to chase him, but Cy grabs her shoulder. Glancing back, her leader shakes his head; they allow the boy to run off to deal with his pain on his own.

“He has no idea what he’s just done…” Jack laments.

“He’s a fucking man now.” Yasmin chirps.

“Having blood on your hands doesn’t make you a man…” Jack retorts.

“I’m so sorry, Johnny.” Cy murmurs to himself.

“Hey, Cy! We should try ‘the bargain’ with these three.” Yasmin suggests, looking at the remaining conspirators.

“Sure…” He sighs.

“What is ‘the bargain’?” Kanafa asks.

“I’ll show you!” Yasmin giddily exclaims.

Yasmin aims her pistol at the next one in the line, their entire body trembling visibly from fear.

“You better start telling me what I want to hear and I might allow you to live.” She says to him.

“What do you want to know?!” He asks.

“Where did Fekolza escape to?”

“I… I do not know.” He laments.

“Wrong answer.”

Yasmin shoots him in the head and side-steps, standing before the next one. She looks to the crying female and squats down. With the hot tip of her handgun, she rests the slide beneath the woman’s chin and applies pressure, forcing her to turn her head up to Yasmin.

“You’re next… Same question.”

Johnny races through the village, heading for the outskirts where he hopes that he can be alone. He stops and looks around at the undeveloped forest before him and sits by a large torlan tree, a lime green barked tree with pink leaves and an appearance similar to an oak. Slamming his back against the tree, he slides down and sits upon the ground, tears streaming down his face. The realization that Gomona and the others will never breathe again sinks in. A tightness in his stomach feels like a fist made of molten lead. He turns and vomits, his hands pressing into the soft ground.

“Why did you have to do it, Gomona… You could have just stayed out of their bullshit.” He murmurs.

The sunlight bounces off of the silver finish of his Sig pistol, drawing his attention. He resents the inanimate object; his anger and sorrow forcing an impulsive reaction. Rising to his knees, he spins and heaves the weapon at a nearby tree. The metal clanks as the slide bounces off of the tree’s bark. Slumping back, he runs his fingers through his hair and rests his palms over his eyes as he tries to rub away the tears. A breaking branch catches his attention. He sniffles and rests his hands on the ground, expecting Cy or Yasmin to walk around a large tree trunk at any moment. Instead, a clawed hand reaches around, standing near his fallen pistol.

Leaning over, they pick up Johnny’s weapon. The white and red furred girl looks to him with her piercing red eyes. She turns them toward the handgun, which she grips from the side. Approaching him slowly and somewhat apprehensively, she presents the pistol, her arm outstretched before her. Johnny looks down at the gun and turns away, resting his back against the torlan tree.

“I don’t want it.” He says to her.

She stops, seeing the sorrow on his face. Looking down at the weapon, she lowers her arm and steps up to Johnny, slowly sitting down beside him a few feet away.

“I am sorry.” She says softly.

“For what?”

“Did you not love her?” She asks.

“I could have… I wanted too.” He murmurs.

“Why did you not?”

“She just… Wouldn’t let me.” He shrugs.

“Then why are you so sad?” The girl tilts her head.

“I didn’t love her, but I also didn’t want her to die.” He sighs.

“But she betrayed her people. She was bad.” The girl remarks.

“She wasn’t bad. She was just… Mislead.” Johnny retorts.

“She was also trying to kill our chieftain, and was a threat to our people.” The girl retorts.

“Does that make what I did alright?” He asks.

“No, but it may make it easier to accept that it had to be done.”

The girl slides closer to Johnny, looking him over. Reaching out a hand, she drops the pistol between his legs.

“I said I don’t want it.”

“You are a warrior, like your chieftain. Your weapon did not kill Gomona. You did. You acted as you should have, and you still need it.” The girl explains.

“Maybe… I just wonder if I can live with myself.” He murmurs.

“What choice do you have?”

She rests a hand on his shoulder and gives him an assuring squeeze. Johnny turns to the girl whose expression is unusually soft and inviting. He looks down at the pistol and picks it back up, brushing off a few small blades of red grass before flipping on the safety lever and slipping it into his pants pocket. He rests his head against the tree trunk and stares up at the light red sky, his eyes fixed upon the blue day moon. He closes his eyes and a tear runs down his cheek. She has never seen a male so disturbed and vulnerable before. Though some of the females that she knows would not appreciate his display, she finds herself even more curious about the human juvenile, who is clearly a passionate male.

Torn between a desire to speak to him and her own self-consciousness, she merely sits there and stares. Sitting with the girl in silence, he looks to her several times; she is always watching him.

“Why are you out here?” He finally asks her.

“I… I wondered if you were alright.” She sheepishly admits, glancing down to the ground.

“And no one will be looking for you?”

“I am ketlan’ezav…” She replies.

“I know. I just thought that you might have a male somewhere.” He explains.

“No… I am not a well-known female, and I have not found a male I could spend my time with. I believe that there is more to me than just my body.” She answers.

“Good. You should believe that.”

She grins at him, finally turning her eyes away. Johnny can’t help but appreciate her self-respect, already finding an incredible resemblance in her personality to Zakera. As he looks to the girl, he realizes that he doesn’t even know her name.

“My name is Johnny.” He says.

“I know. My name is Minoma.”

“Red eyes? That’s a very clever name.” He smiles.

“My parents were very creative.” She says facetiously.

“Thank you for coming out here and talking to me, Minoma.” He adds.

“You are welcome. I was glad to do it.”

“I’m glad you did it.”

Katero and Muzalfur stack the bodies for an impromptu cremation, while Yasmin prepares her team. The last two conspirators knew much, and revealed the direction that Fekolza and a few of his men would be heading. It did not buy them their lives. Kanafa and her militia are under Cy and Yasmin’s command, and Cy had already told them to go along. Jack volunteers to leave with her, while Katero doesn’t consider it a choice. He will also be the only Ketlan in the group, and the Ketlan’s sense of smell and hearing will aid in tracking the would-be assassin. Cy, however, will remain behind to guard Zikata and await the outcome of his surgery, while also providing direction to Muzalfur in Zikata’s stead.

Once the last body is thrown into the fire and a large pile of wood is set aside to keep the flames stoked, the hunting party prepare their weapons. It has been nearly an hour since they’ve executed the conspirators and Johnny still hasn’t returned. Though Cy is rather worried, he is thankful that he hasn’t heard a gunshot in the distance. Sitting in front of the house, Zakera emerges from inside and turns her head from side to side, looking for him. She spots her mate as he rises to his feet and leaps upon him. Zakera trembles and cries, burying her snout beneath his chin and her eyes against his neck. Her hot tears fuel a growing tension within him.

As he comforts his wife, she sniffles and Lara emerges from the house, followed by Linusa. Muzalfur and Katero rush up to them, eager to hear the news.

“Well?!” Katero asks.

“He’s lucky to be alive.” Lara remarks.

“Oh, thank God.” Jack sighs.

“I have only been this afraid once before.” Zakera remarks.

“He’s going to be fine, my love. Don’t worry.” Cy says as he strokes her back and pets her head.

“We’ll make sure that nothing like this can happen again.” Yasmin assures her.

“Your medicine is strong. I admit that Zikata would most likely be dead if you had not come to help us.” Linusa adds.

By now, the Ketlan within earshot have heard their conversation and have emerged from their homes and places of work. They gather around the house for confirmation while Muzalfur stands before them.

“Zikata lives!” He shouts.

A great wave of cheering deafens them and Zakera kisses her mate more times than he can count. Every time something terrible happens, he proves again and again that he will be there for her. She only hopes that one day she can prove that she will do the same for him in a heartbeat. As the lovers embrace and the crowd begins to celebrate, Johnny emerges from the crowd, followed by a white furred female with cherry red hair, eyes and stripes.

“I take it Zikata’s alive?!” He asks over the cheering crowd.

“Yeah! Who’s your friend?!” Cy asks.

“This is Minoma!” Johnny answers.

“She is pretty!” Zakera adds.

“Thank you!” Minoma bows her head.

“So, when are we going to kill Fekolza?!” Johnny asks.