Thus, I cursed myself. And though it was blasphemous, I cursed the Lavrika, too. For making me so beautifully, painfully vulnerable.

If she dies, there will be no salvation from my rage.

Finally, we approached the tents of my people, when the sky and sand were both drenched black with night. There were about fifty of us in the tribe now: thirty men, ten women, and ten cubs, and the collection of dakrival hide tents was illuminated by the evening fire. Our tribe was currently settled against an outcropping of large boulders, with valok plants and peet grass growing between them. Our irkdu were well trained, and were not restrained when not in use. They moved slowly through the boulders, munching on grass, their duties done for the day.

Most of the tribe would be around the evening fire, now, in the centre of our tiny village of tents. I could only pray that our most experienced healer, an elder woman named Rika, would be there and I wouldn’t have to tear the tents apart looking for her.

As I cried for my irkdu to move forward towards our destination, a tall warrior caught my eye, raising his spear in greeting. Galok, my closest friend, was jogging over the sand towards me.

“Buroudei! I was about to cross the sands in search of you. Come, feast with us. The hunters have killed three dakrival today and the best meat has been saved for you.”

I clutched Zeezee to my chest – Zeezee, whose skin was mightily cold – and launched off of my irkdu while it was in midmotion, crouching as I landed and springing right back up. Galok’s grin faded as he saw us, and he crossed the remaining distance to us with quick steps.

“Buroudei, my friend, what is... what is this?”

He peered down at the still bundle in my arms, the sight stars of his eyes pulsing with curious confusion. I had had days to get used to the idea of this creature after seeing her in the Lavrika Pools. But I had told no one what I’d seen, so this female was taking Galok completely by surprise. I would have to save my explanations for another time. Zeezee’s blood was all I could smell. The air was choked with it.

“There’s no time. I need Rika. Now.”

Good Galok, the best of men, understood immediately the seriousness of the situation and nodded stoically, saving his questions.

“Go ahead to the healers’ tent. I will find Rika. Go, go!”

I started to run. So too, did Galok, toward the large fire where most of our people were enjoying a meal.

The healers’ tent was the largest tent, even larger than my own. No one slept there at night, but during the day the healers, of which we had three, (Rika, Balia, and Balia’s cub Zofra, who was training) worked there, preparing salves, making bandages, and treating our people’s various ailments. When I reached it, I whipped the tent’s flap open so hard I almost tore the tough hide before stepping quickly into the tent’s darkness.

Along one side of the tent, shelves built from dakrival bones housed various bits of fabric, herbs, and bowls for pounding and grinding. Beneath the shelves, buried in the sand and out of sight, were jars of Lavrika’s blood. There were three dakrival hide beds at the back, and I quickly laid Zeezee in the closest one. Her lips didn’t look pink the way they had earlier. They looked greyish, although maybe that was due to the lack of light. I glanced around, finding a candle made from dried valok gel, as well as two pieces of fire rock. I quickly banged them against each other, lighting the valok candle with a spark, and held it near Zeezee’s face. The firelight flickered, illuminating each delicate feature – her smooth brow, her high nose. My jaw clenched. I longed to touch her, but was worried any move I made could make things worse. I’d never felt this sickening sense of helplessness before.

At that moment, I heard a rustle behind me, and Rika, closely followed by Galok, entered the tent.

Rika was our oldest female, tall and regal and imposing. She could easily have been a Lavrikala – she was strong enough, even at her advanced age, to serve as a sacred guard. But the Lavrika had not called her to such a post. And our tribe was lucky for it – she was enormously skilled as a healer.

She raised her tail in front of her eyes quickly to greet me respectfully, but I growled, slashing my hand through the air, gesturing that she should stop.

“Do not waste time with formalities, Rika. Look to my female.”

Her sight stars, grown silver with age, contracted sharply in her large eyes, and she looked down at Zeezee with a sudden intake of breath. She tossed her long white braid over her shoulder and knelt, sniffing the air, and starting to examine Zeezee’s head and face with gentle but firm fingers.

“What is this creature, Gahn Buroudei? Where does she hail from?” Rika asked quietly.

Galok had stepped forward, standing beside me, staring down with a disturbed sort of fascination.

“I do not know. She, and others like her, emerged from some sort of fallen flying beast, out past the Cliffs of Uruzai. They were attacked by zeelk, of which I felled two. I took this woman just as Gahn Fallo’s men arrived. They killed the other zeelk and took the rest of the females.”

I could feel Galok’s questioning stare from beside me, but I ignored him. My attention was completely absorbed by my small, still mate.

“She is bleeding. Her legs, Rika, look there first. Get the Lavrika’s blood, she needs quick healing.”

But Rika shook her head, her hands continuing to explore with maddening slowness.

“She is like no creature of the Sea Sands. I have never seen one like her. I do not know if our healing methods will work. I must examine her further.”

Impatient panic exploded in my chest, and I growled, prowling back and forth in the tent as Rika looked at the fabric of Zeezee’s strange clothing.

“She is breathing, and she has a heartbeat like ours. Though it is very fast.”

My heart sank.

“That is bad?”

Rika glanced at me, then back down.

“I do not know, my Gahn. It may be, it may not be. She is not like us.”

Rika was worrying at Zeezee’s clothing, her fingers finding a tiny little piece near the top that, when pulled, ran down the length of her cloak, peeling it away with an odd zrrrrp sound. She pulled the stiff fabric away, then reared back with a small gasp. My own eyes widened, and I hissed.

“Gahn, is this woman with child?”

Zeezee had breasts, clearly visible through the thin fabric of the grey clothing she wore beneath her cloak. Women of the Sea Sands only developed breasts during pregnancy, the flesh swelling to feed their cubs, before flattening back into hardened muscle when the cub was weaned.

“I do not know,” I said truthfully, choosing my words carefully. “But I do not think so.” It was unheard of that the Lavrika would choose a mate already with child for a warrior. I took a breath. “This woman is named Zeezee. She is my mate. I saw her face in the Lavrika Pools, more than fourteen days ago.”

The air in the tent grew hushed. Rika was staring up at me, her gaze narrowed, the sight stars pulled to tiny bright points as she regarded me. Galok was gaping, first at me, then down at my mate. I did not like the hopeful sort of hunger I saw in his eyes when his gaze swept over her form, settling on her plump breasts. I snarled, my tail thrashing a warning at him, and he snapped to attention, his head jerking up.

“Both of you must go, now. I need to concentrate. Gahn Buroudei, is there any other information you think will help me?”

My mouth opened and shut, the sense of helplessness returning.

“No. None.”

“Then go.”

Galok headed out of the tent first, stealing one more glance backward as he did so. I began to leave, too, when I suddenly turned back, unable to take that final step out of the tent. I knelt next to Rika, grasping one of Zeezee’s hands and pressing her tiny knuckles to my forehead. After a moment, I lowered her hand back down, carefully, so carefully, before turning my attention to Rika.