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The two Vulpkin and their reluctant Saurkin companion made their way south, a pure blue and cloudless sky was revealing itself through the now parting forest canopy. Ferne could see far off into the distant landscape again, where the countryside declined into flat clearings, the forest scattered and dispersed into expanses of golden grass and slow flowing rivers. Further away, the edges of far reaching vineyards and orchards could be seen on the faces of rolling hills, basking in the warmth of the early summer sun. Off in the distance, the saw toothed peaks of the Imatasus mountains could be seen, only a slightly deeper shade of blue to contrast the sky.

The confrontation with Onyeka and his band of criminals was only a bitter memory now, since then the three had covered a great distance since the cross roads. Escaping the choking grasp of the dense forest, the Vulpkin siblings walked along side the quiet Saurkin, with Darwyn walking closest to him asking several questions. Ferne only observed, smiling at her younger brother's blunt curiosity.

"Why do the Saurkin isolate themselves away from everyone else in the world?" Darwyn asked in that young, innocent way. He gave Qoin, who was still clinging to his shoulders a gentle scratch under his chin.

"We do not trust the other races." Deinoch answered, his dull white hood covered all but the tip of his black scaled snout.

"How come?"

The Saurkin craned his neck to look down on the little gray and black Vulpkin walking close beside him. "They are not like us..." He turned his head back up, looking down the road, "They are impure."

Darwyn frowned and looked up at Deinoch. "What do you mean by that? Is it because we don't have... er... scales?"

"No." The Saurkin grunted, "They are impure in their integrity, there is no warrior's honor among the other races, only selfish desires. They care for nothing other than wealth."

"Not all of us are like that though."

Deinoch sniffed in the air with a deep breath, "Most of you are."

"Are not!" Darwyn protested, he squinted his eyes at the tall figure next to him, "Are most Saurkin as mean as you are?"

A low rumble came from the Saurkin's throat, "You call me mean when I state a fact?"

"But it's not a fact, you just don't like us, you don't care to learn about us." Darwyn pointed stiffly in the opposite direction of where they were heading. "Just like when you helped us with those creeps back at the cross roads, you wouldn't even talk, you just kept ignoring us."

"That was because you are only little children."

"We aren't little! And Ferne's sixteen, she'll be seventeen soon!" "How old are you huh?"

"Forty."

"Saurkin can live for two hundred years right? That means you're relatively closer to our age in Saurkin years." Deinoch only responded in an annoyed growl, no longer interested in carrying the conversation. "You just don't like being proven wrong." Darwyn finished in a proud and derisive voice. He then eyed the sheathed blade attached to Deinoch's belt, the sheath itself was made of a glossy black wood, etched with images of a hotly burning sun running down to the tip. "Can I look at your sword?" Darwyn asked.

"No." The Saurkin answered bluntly.

"I'll give it back, I swear." The Vulpkin whined.

"No!"

"Aw why not?"

Deinoch exhaled loudly, the irritation in his voice quite clear. "A Saurkin warrior does not part with his Katana, especially for a little Vulpkin urchin to play with."

Darwyn shouted, objecting the Raptor's words, "Quit calling me that you jerk! I have a name!"

The Saurkin turned to look down on Darwyn, the tip of his scaled snout poking out of his white hood with ivory colored teeth bare. A slight growl came from Deinoch's throat, "Then stop asking me pointless questions, I prefer not to speak."

The young Vulpkin only glared at the Saurkin walking beside him. "Why?"

"It is what I was taught."

"How come?"

Deinoch dropped the handles of his cart to the ground, growling very loudly. He massaged his head with his clawed hands through his hood. Ferne couldn't help but be amused by the Saurkin's torment, but she decided to take pity on him. "Okay Darwyn, I think you've asked Deinoch enough questions for now."

Darwyn conceded with a shrug and a bored expression on his face, "Alright." He then turned his attention back to the Lightfoot on his shoulder who simply looked around at the scenery with his bulging yellow eyes, taking in all the details near and far. The Raptor next to him sighed loudly and shook his head.

"However," Ferne said getting closer to Deinoch, "I would like to ask a question."

Deinoch resumed pulling his cart, the Saurkin gave Ferne a brief glance, then turned his head away quickly back towards the road, "Make it quick, my head is starting to throb." he said tiredly.

Ferne looked up, trying to peer underneath the Saurkin's hood, hoping to see any kind of expression. Being five years older and much taller than Darwyn for Vulpkin standards, the Raptor still towered over Ferne like a giant. "Why are you so far from your homeland?" Ferne could only get a slight glimpse of the muscles on Deinoch's face loosening. He slowed his pace, as if adrift in a deep ocean of thought. She obviously asked the right question, for it took a few moments before he said anything.

A somber voice answered Ferne's question, "It is... very complicated."

The black and white Vulpkin could hear the pain in the Saurkin's voice and she tried putting a paw on his arm. She asked cautiously with a soft tone, "Would you care to talk about it?"

Deinoch's arm tensed beneath his ragged robe when the Vulpkin touched him, so she pulled her paw back. He answered her query roughly, "No... Perhaps later, when we set up camp tonight."

Ferne did not want him to close up, so she pressed on still with a soft and curious voice. "Can you tell us about your people? Books are one thing, but now that we met you, I'd like to hear what Reliloess is like from your point of view."

The Saurkin looked at the ground and snapped his jaws twice. He then told the Vulpkin the ways of his people, "We Saurkin of the Raptor lineage are all proud warriors, just as you said before. Not one of us does not know how to fight to protect our clan, our family, and above all, our honor. However, we are not all so individualistic, divided we are lost and without purpose, but when given a cause, we fight for it together with all our might. That is why, after thousands of years of uncertain diplomacy and bloody warfare, there are now the six clans of Reliloess. Large tracts of land that do not belong to the Tyrants are all claimed, and oft disputed by the six clans, clan Veloc, clan Achillo, clan Vari, clan Dromae, clan Pyror and my clan, Deinon. Saurkin who live inside the borders of each clan, swear loyalty to that clan and its leader who holds the ceremonial tanto."

Ferne's ears perked up. This was all fascinating to hear about since nothing she and her little brother read had ever explained this much about the Saurkin culture. It was all the more making her, and no doubt her little brother, more thrilled to be making the journey they were on now. She felt compelled to ask, "What is a tanto? And why are they considered ceremonial?"

The black and white Vulpkin received yet another quick glance, "A tanto is a blade, much like the katana at my side here, though much smaller. They are adorned with the emblem of its respective clan, like the burning sun of Deinon, or the foot-claw of clan Veloc."

"Foot claw?" Ferne said a bit puzzled. The Raptor clicked the long sickle claws on his feet to the cut stones that served as the road they were traveling. "Oh." the Vulpkin blushed.

"These blades were forged by the founders of their respective clan, passed down from one generation to the next, signifying the worthiness of the leader..." Those last words made Deinoch silent, save for a drawn out sigh, one that conveyed a deep sense of longing.

Ferne looked at Qoin resting on Darwyn's shoulders and thought of her next question for the Raptor walking beside her. "What about the Lightfoot lineage? What's their history like?"

"Since early times, the Lightfoot have always relied on us Raptors for protection. They were too small to bother eating," Qoin chirped loudly at Deinoch, "so we protected them, gave them food and over time we began to understand one another. Eventually the Lightfoot proved to be good companions. They also demonstrated great proficiency at working menial tasks such as preparing food, cleaning, lighting fires and torches among other things."

Darwyn jumped in, quickly asking yet another question enthusiastically. "Tell us about the Tyrants Deinoch! Can you ride their backs? Can we meet one when we get to Reliloess?"

To the surprise of both Vulpkin, Deinoch let out a hoarse cackle, "Tyrants are the third lineage of Saurkin, more feral than either the Lightfoot or the Raptor, driven by hunger and the urge to hunt. Most stalk their territories within the vast conifer forests of Reliloess, but very few come to our cities and engage in politics."

"They can... talk?" Ferne said astonished that such allegedly terrifying titans could hold a conversation. "Have... have you talked to one?"

Deinoch nodded, "Indeed, nevertheless they only bother to converse with you if they find you worthy. Its very uncomfortable speaking to them though, they take pleasure in staring down at you and referring to you as prey."

Darwyn's bushy tail was wagging excitedly, "Tell us what they look like Deinoch!"

"The Tyrants are colossal, little Vulpkin, bigger than anything in your homeland. They stand on two legs, wide as young trees and just as tall, that cause the ground to shake at their approach. With jaws filled entirely of villainous teeth, they could close shut and swallow even me whole." To Ferne, it looked like the Saurkin enjoyed talking about the Tyrants just as much as Darwyn enjoyed hearing about them. Or was it just speaking that gave him joy? She then started wondering, just how long had it been since the Raptor conversed with anyone for as long as he was now.

Deinoch tapped his chest with a clawed digit and continued, "But one thing you will never forget about the Tyrants, is their call, a roar that paralyzes you in utter fear. It takes a great warrior of many years to be able to face a Tyrant without buckling from the great bellow that a Tyrant can compose. But even then, there is no assurance that the warrior will survive the encounter."

Ferne could see Darwyn's gray furred face beaming as he spoke, "Now I _really_want to see a Tyrant!"

Deinoch guffawed, turning his head and looking down at Darwyn again. "You think yourself to be very brave." He pointed out.

"Yeah, I do!" Darwyn looked up at Deinoch with a defiant smile, "I bet I could face a Tyrant and not be scared, I bet I could even ride it's back."

Ferne saw what looked to be a grin on the Saurkin's snout, "We shall see about that little one. You are going to need to be brave when we reach Reliloess." He then looked up at the sky. The warm sun was now falling towards the western horizon, bathing all beneath it in a light of burnt orange and casting long black shadows. Deinoch turned his head towards Ferne and said "I believe now would be a good time to set up camp."

"Sounds good to me." Ferne said cheerfully, her ears then twitched. "It sounds like there's a river in that direction." She pointed off to the right side of the road, where the trees spread further away from each other and short grasses grew between them. Both Darwyn and Deinoch nodded in approval and the three made their way off the road towards the sound of the river.

The group found themselves a nice patch of packed dirt, circumscribed by old timber, with a view of a curving river nearby. A gentle and cooling breeze caused the branches of the trees around them to sway in a rich harmony with the chord of the river's rushing water. The sun peered at them between the tree trunks, causing all the greenery to glow warmly outside the faint shadows. Deinoch parked his cart on the far side of the dirt patch, away from the river and handed the two Vulpkin their packs while also procuring a few rods made of large bones and some strange looking folded leather. Ferne and Darwyn laid out their bedrolls and sat down on them as they observed the Saurkin methodically constructing a very spacious looking dome shaped tent out of the leather and bones.

Darwyn tilted his head at the Saurkin and his shelter, "What's that stuff?" he asked.

Deinoch answered while tightening a few leather straps to the bones which provided the structure for the leather to lay on top of. "Platehide bones and leather. Creatures we raise much like the cattle in the other provinces of Terrarexia."

The Saurkin then stood up and began to walk deeper into the forest, following the southern and western flow of the river. Ferne called out after him, "Where are you going?"

"Food." he responded.

Qoin jumped from Darwyn's shoulders and started gathering sticks and dead, dry grass in a pile at the center of the dirt patch they were in. Though the little lightfoot could not carry much, he moved fast. Ferne called out to Deinoch again, "But we have cans of... food..." She trailed off, the Saurkin was clearly ignoring her. Turning her head, she acknowledged Darwyn's slight frown.

"He's rude." Darwyn pointed out.

"He's different." Ferne agreed, she turned her head to watch Qoin scurrying about the area, adding more to the wood pile. "But he also misses his homeland. I wonder how long he's been away from Reliloess." The black and white Vulpkin then stood up and walked over to her little gray furred brother, she reached out an open paw, "Here, I'll refill our canteens." Darwyn handed her his canteen and she made her way to the river. The river flowed gently across the rocks on its bank, its water was cool and refreshing to the touch.

After a few brief moments of waiting for the canteens to take in their fill, she returned to the campsite to find Darwyn rummaging through the supplies in the Saurkin's cart. "Darwyn! You shouldn't be going through Deinoch's belongings!"

Darwyn didn't even bother to look at Ferne and just said "Common Ferne. If we're going to be traveling with him we should know what he has. Oh wow!" He pulled up one of two long wooden swords that looked like the katana that Deinoch kept at his side. Darwyn then began to swing the wooden sword around, struggling with the unfamiliar weight and shape.

Ferne, irritated at this unfamiliar behavior Darwyn was starting to show, started scolding him. "No Darwyn, put that back down! We will respect his privacy as long as we are traveling with him, now get out of his cart now! Go help Qoin get some wood for the fire."

Darwyn glared at Ferne, then groaned "Fine." and got out of the cart and followed Qoin around to find some firewood, only after giving his older sister a sour look.

In no time at all, Qoin and Darwyn collected enough wood for a fire and plenty in reserve to keep it burning all through the fast approaching evening. The sun to the west was now kissing the horizon, and to the east the skies were shifting to a darker color, the brightest of stars now revealing themselves to the cooling world underneath. Ferne watched while sitting on her bedroll, as Qoin dropped the last of the kindling he retrieved onto the pile of wood and tried rubbing two sticks together to make a spark. She giggled, the small Saurkin looked adorable as he moved his tiny arms rapidly, he gave Ferne a curious look with those large bulbous yellow eyes, blinking. "Let me help you there Qoin." Ferne aimed a paw towards the wood pile and concentrated. She barely had to commune with the Augury before the fire spat forth from her digits, making her thoughts return briefly to the ominous warning from the Adroital hieroglyphs and the surging of the Augury. Qoin hopped up and down in approval of the fire, and as a way to thank Ferne for her help. Ferne smiled at the little Saurkin, "Your welcome."

Only the very tip of the sun shown over the horizon when Deinoch returned, he carried with him four dead feral chickens by the legs. The Saurkin threw the chickens on the ground for Qoin to pluck and ready for roasting over the fire while Deinoch derived spits from sharpening four sticks. With the chickens cooking over the fire, Deinoch placed his katana inside his tent and sat cross legged at it's entrance with his fists resting on his knees and his hood pulled back. He looked akin to a statue staring stone faced into the fire. His red and yellow eyes matched the color of the flames which danced lazily in the center of the camp. Everyone seemed to be entranced by the fire, sitting in silence and listening to the snapping and popping of the burning wood while the last few moments of the sun's presence in the world weened away into an amber twilight.

Ferne looked up at Deinoch's stoic form, remembering his words from earlier. "Deinoch... are you comfortable telling us why you're so far away from home?"

For a moment, the Saurkin did nothing but stare at the flames, then he looked at Ferne and blinked, then looked at his lightfoot companion. "Qoin." The little Saurkin cocked his head and chirped in response, "Tea." Qoin moved quickly, getting a small kettle from the cart and running towards the river with the vessel on his back.

Deinoch then looked at both Ferne and Darwyn hard, next he took a deep breath while sitting up straight. "I am Deinoch Carnus, sole heir and successor to clan Deinon, the greatest clan of Saurkin to hold power in Reliloess. I am the only son to my father Deineous Carnus, who has lead clan Deinon for over a hundred and sixty years. I was born out of necessity, to continue the Carnus name, to strictly follow our clan's traditions and to lead when my father deemed it time. The female that gave birth to me died before I hatched from my egg and I received no affection from my father, only the discipline in the way of a Saurkin warrior." Deinoch's eyes returned to the fire. Qoin had returned from the river and was placing the now full kettle near the fire.

Ferne and Darwyn's ears both fell down. They quickly met eyes, thinking of their own family life and how they too had little affection from their father. Ferne turned back towards Deinoch and said in a voice full of melancholy, "Our mother died giving birth to Darwyn when I was only five years of age. Our father Penn became abusive after that, constantly hurting me and my brother."

Qoin rotated the spits the chickens were roasting on and Deinoch pinched the sharp sickle claws on his black scaled feet. He snorted, "My father was not abusive. He hit me yes, when I would misbehave, but..." The muscles in his face tensed, the ridges above his eyes furrowed as he stared deep into the fire. "He was cold. No compassion, no sentiment or care. Those... feelings were weaknesses in his eyes. I grew without the affection of others, learning my lessons of writing, history, counting, law and governing from my mentors in Sun city." He looked at the Vulpkin, "That is the capital of Reliloess. Ten years ago I turned thirty, and was no longer considered a child among my kind, it was time for me to begin my training in combat and warfare. The greatest teacher of those lessons was Zaizos Unrai, whom lived within the lands belonging to clan Pyror, near Moon city. It was there when I began my training with Zaizos, I met the only friend I ever had."

Qoin chirped loudly at Deinoch, "You know what I mean." The Raptor growled. "Though he was a year older than I, we both trained together under Zaizos. His name was Druadroch, he was the heir to the clan Pyror as I am heir to clan Deinon. Druadroch's father, mother and older siblings all died foolishly in a pointless engagement with the clan Dromae, leaving him alone to inherit the governance of the his clan."

"That's... terrible." Ferne noted, ears still low.

Deinoch shook his head, "He would often tell me that the death of his family was the highlight of his life, like me, he had no love for his family, especially his older brothers. With them gone, it gave him freedom, and much later, power over his clan. Druadroch always wanted control over those around him he did not regard as friends... A trait that often gave me great discomfort."

The Saurkin turned to Qoin, who was holding out a wide silver gray leaf that he had retrieved from the cart. Deinoch took the leaf and began ripping it apart, spreading and breaking the fibers with the claws on each of his digits. He then opened the lid of the tea kettle, dropped the leaf matter into the steaming water and closed it. His attention turned to the roasting chickens that were now done, he picked two spits from the fire and offered them to his Vupkin audience. "Eat." he commanded, "You two are unduly skinny. If you plan on going to Reliloess, you're going to need to have more meat on your bones."

Ferne thought of her slim physique for a moment. The thought never occurred to her that she was_too_ thin. She would have disapproved of the Saurkin's comment, but she decided not to argue while he explained his past. Both she and her brother took the chickens and continued watching and listening to Deinoch. He took his own roast and promptly tore into it with his teeth, savagely ripping the meat from the breast. Ferne noticed Darwyn doing the same, she then tore into her food as well. Tender and juicy, the chicken could have certainly benefited from some salt and spices.

The Raptor continued his story, "As I was saying, for one year, Druadroch and I trained, learning how to fight with a katana and to lead other Saurkin into battle. When Zaizos found us worthy enough, he sent us off on our right of passage, where we would find ourselves traveling to each of the six clan's cities to give a prayer to the great warriors of the past. The journey was not easy, we would have to fight for our honor from those who would challenge us and we would also help those in need of our strength."

Deinoch finished his first roasted chicken and handed the scraps to Qoin. He then took the other chicken and tore into it looking at Darwyn, "We were even chased by Tyrants, little one." The Saurkin said between consuming large chunks of his roast. He then turned his gaze back to the fire, eating slower now. "In our year long right of passage, Druadroch and I grew very close, we came to rely on each other's strengths, and confess and learn from each other's weaknesses. As our travels and trials were nearing their end, we were becoming bold and idealistic, we came to deny the traditions of our ancestors, believing that it was time for our generation to change all of Reliloess, to lead it to new era where all Saurkin would be loyal to each other and serve under one banner. Druadroch and I knew it would take a great deal of leadership and a show of power to unify all of Reliloess. My friend had his clan to return to and to lead already, but I had to do what had not been done in a long time in my people's history... I had to challenge my father for the tanto of leadership in a fight to the death.

"The year was over and our passage was complete. Druadroch and I shared one last loving embrace before he departed for Moon city, and I to Sun city. I found my father at court and I challenged him. For once within those cold eyes I could finally see some semblance of pride, but fear swam within them as well. That very evening, we fought each other in a long battle that lasted many hours as we were evenly matched. The fight ended with a stalemate, something that had never happened in Saurkin history, we both collapsed to the wooden floor of the court, battered and bloody. I had neither succeeded nor failed at my task, and so my father spared my life, branded me a usurper and banished me from my homeland. Given nothing but my supplies and this white robe, my father sent me off with these final words: learn your lesson of respect and you may one day return. That was eight years ago."

Ferne was at a loss of words, eight years of banishment. She and her brother had finished their food, as did Deinoch and they all continued to stare at the fire and say nothing. Ferne, after contemplating Deinoch's history, managed to think of something assuring to say to him, "We can help you with your lesson." Deinoch only gave her a brief glance before he focused his attention on the kettle near the fire. "Why don't we start now?" Ferne continued.

"...How?"

"Well..." Ferne scratched the back of her ear, "One thing I've noticed is you don't address us by name."

"Yeah, quit calling us children and urchin." Darwyn added.

Deinoch looked at the Vulpkin for a long moment and nodded slowly. Qoin brought a ceramic cup to the Raptor, which he took and filled almost to the brim with a bronze colored tea from the kettle. Ferne watched curiously as the Saurkin gently blew over the top of the brew and drank the whole cup dry in one motion. He then filled the cup again and offered it to Ferne, she took it gingerly and asked, "What kind of tea is this?"

Deinoch looked as if he came to an inner peace, his stoic demeanor changed to one that was very relaxed. He answered Ferne with an atypical and toothy grin, swaying just slightly, "Fade leaf..." he said drowsily, "An herb from my.... Homeland... Good stuff..."

Ferne gave Deinoch a concerned look, "I don't know, are you okay?"

"Absolutely..." The Saurkin looked Ferne in the eyes longer than he ever had before as he swayed side to side. The slits of his pupils were stretched wide, his voice was soft, "Trust me... Ferne..."

"Well..." The Vulpkin was unsure of the offering.

"It is tradition in my homeland... To share and drink tea of fade leaf... The night after a battle has been fought..." Deinoch tilted his head with another unexpected smile. "Though I may seem..." He let out an amused snicker, "Though I may not seem myself... I am quite enjoying myself... I can guarantee you will savor it too..."

"Okay then." Ferne said timidly, she blew on the hot tea just as Deinoch did before and drank it in. It was sweet, tasting spicy like ginger root and peppermint.

"Hey I want some." Darywn whined. As soon as Ferne finished her tea, Deinoch held out his hand for the cup which she gave back. He somehow was able to fill the cup while wavering to his left and right. handing the cup to Darwyn. The youngest of the group eagerly drank the tea, ending with a wet and violent cough, accidentally inhaling some of it. Ferne did not feel anything yet, but beyond her control, she started to laugh at Darwyn's expense and was joined by Deinoch. "Thats not fun-" Darwyn started to object, but he stopped, chuckled slightly and looked up at the starry sky, swaying just as Deinoch was.

Ferne was starting to feel it now, a sensation of pure bliss. All of her body felt euphoric and soon she felt herself wobbling from side to side like the other two. Her vision started to change, she found herself adoring and appreciating every shade of color her eyes could see, each hue a dreamy wash across her now blurring eyesight. The colors changed into complex and constantly changing shapes that whirled around her like strips of fog in a slow torrent. Looking upward, the starry blue sky was now a bright purple and orange, the twinkling of every star an explosion of light that sent ripples across the colorful expanse like a pebble being dropped into a glowing lake. Ferne's head was swimming, a single body floating in a warm bath of milk, every muscle in her body loose and tranquil. Her heart beat slightly faster, a warm pleasurable wetness could be felt between her thighs and she felt herself flushing. The last thing she could remember was her falling and lying on her back, the pleasure making its way deeper inside her. All the colors and visions ceased, turning into a black void and she drifted into a deep sleep.