The terrain changed drastically when she entered the Terra expanse. Malta wasn't sure if she welcomed the hard stone under her feet after the soft desert sand, but she certainly welcomed the mountains. They broke the horizon up, hiding it in a way that was comforting to the Ysali, so used to the close quarters of the woods.
She did not like them so much now.

Boulders twice as big as she was tumbled down the slopes of the mountain, crashing where she had stood moments before with an earth-shaking rumble.

“Disgusting infiltrator!” shrieked a voice, and Malta cowered beneath it's imperious wrath. Siksyl'gra stared at the dust cloud, growling softly, almost praying, as the dragon – a Gaili – stomped through the haze. “You enter my mountain, and you trod upon it as if it is your own!” it bared its huge teeth, it's earthy, sculpted body bulging with scaly formations and muscle. “You shall die for your insolence!”

She yipped, dodging another huge stone as it cracked the path, bouncing from its own crater to crash onto a ledge further down. “I'm sorry!” she cried, terrified, “I would have asked you, but I didn't know it was yours, I swear!” she babbled desperately, “I'm just passing through...” she shrieked, dodging it's terrible claws, which glittered like crystal in the sunlight. “I'm sorry...” she wailed.

“Your misunderstanding does not make your sin any less inexcusable!” growled the dragon, stalking forward, “Forgiveness, though, I will offer. At the price of your life, vermin!” It charged at her, and Malta ran, crying.

~~~

Suluksati had agreed to take young Kekeovonnai out into the deeper mountains. He knew it better than she did, but he was Samael's son and she did not want to risk his life in the dangerous place. There were monsters that lurked in the mountains, monsters that Suluksati did not want to let Kekeovonnai face unattended. Of course, she knew he snuck out alone, but she doubted he travelled as deeply as he would with her, now.

“Thank you for coming with me!” the young Gaili chirped at the alikhehorian. Unlike his sister, he didn't hate the big strange Aedaun. Honestly, he was indifferent – what his father did was none of his business – but he was grateful, honestly, for coming with him. It would have been a pain to try to sneak out again, after all, and he was only going to leave with an escort – his father's orders. “I want to explore the crystal caverns, but papa won't let me.

“Oh?” Suluksati wondered if agreeing was the right thing to do. Would Samael have a problem? Hopefully not. She didn't want him to be upset with her – not her especially. However, she doubted it: she was with Keke, and Samael knew that Suluksati would not allow anything ill to befall his son... Even if it killed her.

“Oh yes. It's dangerous, you see.” he chirped happily, giving her a sweet smile, “But you're with me, so it should be all right.”

Yes, as she thought. She had been manipulated, but being manipulated by a young khehora was not the worst thing that had ever happened to her. In fact, she was willing to be so manipulated, by such an entity.

Let us face it. I am a pushover for young things. she admitted to herself. Even twolegger young, she could not help it: she wanted to protect him and help them. “It should be all right. However, we should bring back something for him, a gift, to make sure.”

“Ooo!” Kekeovonnai liked that idea, “Yes, we will find papa a gift, something nice.” something that a Gaili would appreciate. “Maybe a crystal from the cave?”

“I'm sure he would like one.” Suluksati said, “Though I think, for him, he would prefer a creature of some sort.”

“Ooo...” said Kekeovonnai, more thoughtful now, “I think you're right, yes indeed!”

Suluksati smiled at his enthusiasm. “We'll see what we find.” she said neutrally, looking around her surroundings alertly. This was not a place to let ones guard down. She was so focused on her surroundings that she didn't notice her young companion stiffen beside her, tilting his head as if listening.

“Suluksati?”

“Hmm?” she said, distractedly.

“I think someone's in trouble.” he said, thoughtfully, “Over there.”

“What do you mean?”

He was quiet for a moment more, turning towards a valley he knew and squinting, as if he couldn't quite see it. “Theres someone there, being chased... I can...” he frowned, “Yes, footsteps and...” he shuddered, “Something very big.”

Suluksati looked at him intently. “How do you know this?”

“I can feel it, in the ground. Theres magic too... Oh!” He leapt up excitedly, “Sulu, Sulu, I bet its a dragon! Can we go see!”

Suluksati frowned. Feeling things in the ground made sense for Gaili magic, of course, and she believed the youngster's claim. But a dragon... If they were pursuing someone, they likely had brought it upon themselves, by hunting them or by disturbing them. It was best to leave such things alone...

“Please? Please, please?” he pleaded, looking up at her with his heart-meltingly innocent green eyes.

Yes. Very much a pushover. thought Suluksati as her expression softened. “Fine.” she said, stretching her feathered wings. Her khehora form offered more protection than her twoleg form, and she would need every bit of it. “But you will run if I tell you to, and no unnecessary risks.”

“Yes! Yes!” he said happily, and he raced down the path.

Suluksati, amused, followed him on the wing, keeping up with him with ease.

~~~

Malta ran for all she was worth, happy – for a change – for the intensive training she had undergone. Her feet pounded the ground as she raced by stones and boulders, hurtling through the air as if thrown. She knew that soon, her lungs would begin to burn and her feet would ache, but she had to keep running. She could hear the dragon charging at her, rocks sliding from the walls of the mountain and crashing in it's wake. One rock struck her tail and she tripped and fell, screaming, as the bones in her tail were crushed to powder, and screamed again as the bones began to re-form. She struggled to her feet to run again, only to realize that the dragon was upon her.

She looked up at it, terrified but oddly peaceful.

So this was it. She was going to die. She did not close her eyes as it's nearly crystalline teeth came for her, crashing out of the sky – she was a coward, but she would meet the inevitable head on.

Except it did not come: there was no sudden pain of sharp teeth in her side, no leaking of life, nothing. Just nothing. Malta stared, aghast, at the magic dome around her, shimmering with pearly light. “Wh... what?”

“Run!” shouted a female voice, and Malta did so, turning away from the dragon.

“This way!” chirped a young voice. The Alchemist saw a black khehora grinning from the path, “Follow me!”

Stunned at not being dead, she did as he said.

She ran.

~~~

Suluksati faced the dragon, teeth bared. The dragon regarded her with interest. “I know of you.” it growled, “The little vermin that claims she protects us.” it laughed, a terrible, growling laugh. “As she hunts us, even.” it leered at her, its dark brown eyes narrowing, “You have intruded into my territory and prevented my justice. Both are punishable by death... alas...” it said, rearing to strike, “I cannot kill you twice.”

“You shall not kill me once.” said Suluksati simply, and the dragon shrieked and ducked as she suddenly became too bright for it to see. The dragon howled as it was blinded, throwing it's magic and the rocks around it in a mad attempt to destroy her.

By the time its vision cleared, however, she was gone, and there was no sign of the white feather's beast anywhere. The dragon, wrathful, smashed at the rocks and then, hungry from its chase, decided to leave to hunt. Its rightful prey had escaped, but it hadn't lived this long by being hasty. They would transgress again, and it would be ready.

~~~

Suluksati caught up to the pair easily on her powerful wings. “The dragon should be distracted. The rest of the way appears to be clear!” she called.

“I know!” Keke said, leading the green khehora down a path.

Malta's sides heaved with exertion, but she was determined to keep going until she was either safe or physically incapable of running anymore. She looked up at her other savior briefly, then returned her focus to the black khehora trotting nimbly along the uneven path. Soon, they came to an outcropping of rock, and the black khehora stopped. “Home is just ahead.” he chirped, looking up at the white khehora. “Suluksati, can I take her home? Please?”

Malta stopped gratefully, sitting and gasping painfully. “Ah... Ah...” she managed, “Thank you.”

Suluksati came to a graceful landing and looked the khehora over. They were obviously Ysali – smelling of herbs and carrying with them many plants – and they were of an odd body type, both too big and muscled, as if the fat just would not go away. “Tell me.” she said, glancing at Kekeovonnai, “Were you hunting the dragon?”

“Oh, Goodness no!” Malta said, laughing humorlessly, “I couldn't fight a dragon! I'm a n alchemist, not a warrior!”

Suluksati could see the cauldron now, and murmured. “Why did it attack you?”

“I was in its territory, I guess! I was only passing through though...” Malta looked at them. They were Aedaun by the smell, and she wondered why she was asking so many questions.

“Mmm...” Suluksati nodded approvingly, “I suppose she could be our guest.” she said to the young khehora.

Kekeovonnai squealed in delight. “Ahhh, a guest! A guest!” he danced, “And you can tell us about your travels, and...”

“Oh no!” said Malta, “I couldn't stay! I want to get home as soon as possible, and I don't want to be delayed...” the dragon encounter had only strengthened her resolve. She wanted to be in the settlement. She wanted to get there before something else happened to her, just to see it. Just to know if it was the place she wanted to be. The desert had been delay enough.

“Home?” Keke sniffed at her, “Where's home? Maybe I know it!”

“Its... the settlement. It's in the mountains, somewhere...” Malta scrunched up her muzzle, “Its a town of khehora, where we live on our own lands and live together, many clans as one...” she frowned, saddened by her lack of memory. “It's been a long time since I was there.” she admitted.

“I think I know it...” said Suluksati, “But I...” she shot Kekeovonnai a sharp look, “Nor he... can go with you.”

“Thats all right! I want to go it alone. Thank you for the dragon...” said Malta, “But... I need to go home myself, I can't... I really can't explain. It's stupid, I know.”

Sulu hummed. “I think I understand.” she said quietly. “Will you let me tell you how to get there then? That would make your journey a lot safer. And shorter.”

Malta perked up. “Oh yes. Could you?”

“Certainly.” said Suluksati. She described the route to get there, and Keke was delighted to see Malta scribe it in ink onto paper. He had never seen writing before, and certainly not from a khehora.

“Where did you learn that?!” he squeaked when Suluksati had finished, “It's amazing!”

“Mmhmm!” said Malta, “I learned it in Obsidian city. They write there, and I thought it was handy.”

“Thats the... Oblivionite city. Right? Right?!” Keke positively bounced, “Please stay! Stay and tell me about it!” He wanted to hear all about her. If she was from Soldul, that meant she had seen things! That meant she had done things! “Tell me everything?”

“When I get home and settled,” Malta promised, “I'll see if I can visit, all right?”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Well.” Suluksati said, a little regretfully, “If you wish to travel in good weather, you should set out now. You will have plenty of time before the winter storms arrive, which will be soon. You do not want to be on the road for them.”

Malta shuddered. “I don't think so.” she agreed. “Thank you!” she said, as she trotted off in the direction they indicated, “Thank you so much!”

Suluksati and Keke watched her go. “I wish she could have stayed.” said Keke, longingly.

“Mmm.” Suluksati watched the green shape disappear into the twisting mountain path, “Me too... But at least we have something for your father.”

“Oh? What?”

“Why, a story of your heroics, of course!” she said, grinning. “Come, let us tell him, and your sister.”

(2191/1500)