My left foreleg still ached as I walked after her, and the extra weight didn’t help at all. But I bore it. This was important, wasn’t it?


    fine. I’d let her have her secretes.


    hurt, but I guessed it might balance whatever soothing the slower stride did for my legs. We walked back into the dust and smoke and heat of the Berwem, and I groaned.


    now you think to give it to me before we walk into the lake’s death clouds.” I was joking, but it feel like that didn’t come out in my tone.


    Pray don’t tell.


    knew it wasn''t convincing. But I didn''t want it to be. I was done lying, and the new Kinri was painfully, stutteringly transparent. I could lie, I just didn''t want to.


    was more intense. Night had fallen long outside of the lake.


    What! You said they would eat me!”


    worse!”


    boring this was. I should have brought a kazoo or something. Hinte would hate it. Or maybe a flute! Did I still have that flute I would sneak away to play when I was a fledgling? I hoped I packed it in one of the bags I hadn’t opened yet. I’d only brought a few things with me when I left.


    twisted the knife stuck in Hinte’s tail, and dragged it. Hinte screamed and released her hold.


    Go.”


    went, waving my tongue in the air, and smelling the sweat and blood of the fleeing ape.


    * * *