"What the hell do you mean, he vanished?"

Jay held her ground, ignoring the fiery rage that had blossomed in Norac Benz' ice-blue eyes. "He disappeared into the jungle. It happened in seconds; it wasn't like I could stop him."

Norac took a threatening step toward her. "And you waited until now to tell us? For all we know, that could have been a scout preparing an attack force to—"

Vhonte Tervho's fist flashed out and hit him in the chest, holding him back. The red-armored woman was standing at his shoulder, a curious frown pulling at her features. Once she was sure the Clanmaster wouldn't cause trouble, she moved her fist away and absently rubbed at her chin.

"You said the Kar'ta Epar made no threatening moves?"

"Right."

"It wasn't counting our forces?"

"Right."

"It wasn't doing anything?"

"Not really. When I spotted it, it was just sitting and watching the funeral service. It seemed… I don't know. Curious."

Hish'ka Che'daje scoffed behind her heavy turban, yellow eyes flashing in the dim light of dawn. "Never heard of these beasts being curious before. They've always only been about killing Rangers and vanishing without a trace."

"That shows how important this event is," her sister said. The Ranger Commander had listened to Jay's tale without a word, taking in the whole story with an intense and attentive stare. Even as the others began to argue among themselves about the Heart-Eater's presence in camp and the implications of such an infiltration, she had remained silent. Now she stepped forward and folded her forearms across her camo-patterned chest plate.

"Mandalore Shysa has ordered us to make contact with the Heart-Eaters and establish diplomatic relations if possible," she said. "And the fact that this scout didn't attack means that there is at least one Kar'ta Epar who doesn't want to kill us on sight. What if the ones that have been attacking have just been a single tribe? Or an isolated pocket of warriors?"

"Unlikely." Benz snorted. "If one group knows about your people in the jungle, chances are the rest do to. If they're so friendly, why haven't any of them tried to contact you?"

"He raises a good point," Captain Tervho said. "You've had Rangers in the jungle for almost three centuries. And the only contact you've ever had with these creatures has been hostile. I think this scout was an exception to their usual behavior."

"Still," Jay felt compelled to point out, "if we can get even one of these Heart-Eaters on our side, it could lead to possibilities further down the road. Even if we only manage to map out their territory, it could save lives."

Hish'ka sighed and shook her head, but grudgingly looked to her sister for guidance. "What do you think? Should we risk it?"

Akh'shi nodded, her blue eyes narrowed as she turned back to Jay. "Which direction did the scout go?"

Jay pointed to the northwest, across the river. "He made a beeline for the other bank. If these things have a camp, chances are it's in that direction."

"Or," Benz said, "more likely it's where he and his buddies have set a trap for our little expedition."

"Either way," Ranger-Commander Che'daje said, "our quarry is on the other bank. Tell the men to pack up and get ready to ford the river. We leave in twenty."

Benz looked furious at the order, his eyes wide and his lips drawn into a thin line. But Tervho drew his attention by thumping his chest with her fist again and jerking her head toward camp. She set off to regroup with the Berserkers. Benz glared at Jay one last time before stalking after her.

Jay was about to head off to secure her own gear when Akh'shi Che'daje's voice called her back.

"Moqena. A moment, please."

Jay slowly turned back to the Ranger-Commander. "What's wrong?"

The Cathar warrior nodded her head to the tight cluster of Berserker troops gathering to greet their clanmaster. "They're what's wrong. The destabilizing effect the mountain men have on this group is worse than I thought. I don't like having my authority questioned."

Jay followed Akh'shi's gaze. "I'm sure Captain Tervho can keep them in line. Norac Benz trusts her."

"Which is what worries me," Che'daje said. "Benz looks like he ready to single-handedly start a war, and if things get violent which side will Tervho favor? The strange jungle-dwelling Rangers or her tried and true Berserker allies?"

"I think you're overestimating Tervho's attachment to those men," Jay said. "She's a bounty hunter. Her loyalty is to the contract, not to the people."

Hish'ka's yellow eyes narrowed, though it looked more like a smile than a snarl now. "Spoken like a true beroya."

Jay shrugged. "It's one of the first things I learned. Call it our code of honor."

"I'm well aware of bounty hunter codes," Ranger-Commander Che'daje said. "And if memory serves, doesn't the first rule state something about self-preservation coming before money?"

Jay couldn't argue there. Rule One: credits are no good if you're dead. She hesitated and said, "You… have a point. But Tervho doesn't seem much like the mutineer."

"They never do until it's too late," Akh'shi murmured. "And this deep in the jungle, such shortsightedness will get a good scout killed."

Jay frowned at the feline Ranger. "Why are you telling me this?"

Akh'shi's blue eyes were unfocused, as if her mind was far away. "When we find the Kar'ta Epar'e, people will die. There is no avoiding that. And when the bodies start falling, loyalties can change within the blink of an eye. I've seen it happen time and time again.

"Captain Tervho may be loyal to the contract, but those men listen only to Norac Benz. And if he isn't loyal to this mission, we are going to have eleven heavily-armed, heavily-armored liabilities standing between us and our way home."

"Twelve," Hish'ka corrected. "You forgot Benz himself."

Jay felt her stomach knot up with worry. She couldn't exactly deny the truth of the Ranger-Commander's words; if pressed, Norac Benz would always – always – do what he thought was best for himself and his men. It was an admirable trait, provided his ambitions were aligned with those of his allies.

And right now, they were not.

Benz wanted a fight, a bloody spectacle as repayment for his lost soldiers. To him, the hunt for the Kar'ta Epar'e was sport, an opportunity for him and his followers to prove themselves in combat that couldn't be found anywhere else on the planet. They didn't care if they were outnumbered or outmatched. They didn't care if Shysa had explicitly ordered them to try for peaceful contact with the Heart-Eaters. As usual, they only wanted blood. If the time came, could Tervho hold the Berserkers back from such bloodlust? And if things grew as bad as Ranger-Commander Akh'shi claimed, would their expedition survive division from within?

Akh'shi looked just as worried as Jay felt. She folded her arms and said, "The sooner we find the Kar'ta Epar'e, the sooner we can all go home. But do me a favor?"

"What?"

"If you see any more Heart-Eaters prowling about, make sure to just keep it between us."

Vhetin and Tamai wandered aimlessly through the camp as the others bustled about in preparation for the river crossing. Vhetin liked to keep all his gear in close range for a speedy prep-time; a trait Tamai apparently shared.

"So…" Tamai eventually said. She didn't make any move to say more.

He glanced at her. "So…"

A long, awkward pause ensued. Tamai eventually cleared her throat. "So how… how are things in Keldabe?"

"Good, I guess. Harvest will be coming in soon. Busy time for everyone, beroyas included."

"Right… right…"

He cocked his head. "Tamai, you never fumble for topics like this unless you have something on your mind that you don't want to talk about."

She laughed nervously, though the blush crawling up her cheeks told him he'd hit close to the mark. She stared down at her boots and said, "You think you know me so well, huh?"

"No," he replied, still staring expectantly, "but I know basic patterns of behavior. You're displaying all the biggest signs of a person who's either lying, cheating at cards, or trying not to say something important."

"Remind me never to play you at cards, then."

"Tamai…"

She sighed and clasped her hands in front of her. "Right. Sorry. I'll get to the point, I guess."

She stared off to one side, refusing to meet his helmeted gaze. She took in a deep breath, then blurted out, "Brianna. How serious was it?"

He didn't say anything. His silence was due mostly to surprise, but also because of the tight feeling in his stomach whenever the topic was brought up. He eventually cleared his throat awkwardly and echoed, "How… how serious was it?"

"Yeah. I mean, what… what were your plans? Marriage? Children? What?"

"That's pretty personal, Tamai."

She blushed even deeper, turning a bright red framed by pale locks of blond hair. "I-I know. And I know I'm the last person who should be prying into your personal life, but… but I need to know. Did she treat you well? Did you treat her well?"

"You're asking if we were happy." It was not a question.

Tamai nodded quickly, still staring at her boots. "I-I just… for so long I thought she was the worst thing that ever happened to you. I thought that… well…"

She sighed and finally looked up to meet his gaze. "Did she make you happy?"

Kriff, Tamai, he thought, is now really the time for this?

But the intense look he saw in her green eyes made him pause. This obviously affected her more than he realized, and she desperately needed an answer. So he hooked his thumbs into his belt with a weary sigh and stared down at his boots – much like she had done before.

"I think…" he licked his suddenly-dry lips. "I think we were happy. I… I loved her."

Tamai's expression didn't change, but he couldn't miss the steely look that came into her eyes. It was a look he knew well; a mask put up so that one's face couldn't betray an unwanted emotion or expression. Though his own helmet faceplate often did the job for him, he had still mastered the practice of what Janada called "having a good poker face."

"As time went on, though…" he continued, "Brianna just kept pushing for more and more. More time spent going out, more focus on life outside of bounty hunting, more progress in the relationship. She wanted it to move further, develop faster, and all I wanted was to enjoy what we had. And… I don't know, I kind of shut off. I couldn't give her what she was looking for. I wasn't what she was looking for."

Tamai nodded slowly. "I understand."

He frowned, staring absently past the flashing lights and readouts of his helmet's HUD. "And then, after I dropped out of contact on Mon Calamari… when I was living out the worst days of my entire life… I found out later she was already moving on and shacking up with the next big-shot merc that swaggered her way."

He shook his head and finally looked up to Tamai. "How can someone do that? I… I wasn't the best boyfriend, I know, but I tried. And I actually did care about her. But three months' away and she just cut me out of her life?"

Tamai sighed and put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I know how much that can hurt, Cin. I'm… I'm sorry you had to go through that."

He turned away, shaking his head again. His chest was tightening uncomfortably, his hands feeling too shaky to let loose from their clenched fists. He hated the feeling, and did his best to quash it down to more manageable levels. "I still have nightmares every night from those days with the Empire. Every time I so much as think about it, my stomach twists itself up into a cold knot in my gut. Every time I close my eyes, I can still see those kriffing doctors with their kriffing needles. And the one person whose memory pulled me through it all… who was my one guiding light…"

He stared at the ground and let out a shaky breath. His heart was swelling with equal parts rage and… something else. Something weaker. Something more pathetic. He couldn't afford to feel this wretched self-loathing, especially not now. So he brushed the sensation away, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

He felt Tamai's hand on his shoulder, urging him to turn back around. When he did, he found himself enveloped in a tight hug. It was an uncomfortable gesture, all hard metal plating and sharp edges, but there was no mistaking the softness and sincerity of the motion. He hesitated, then wrapped his arms around Tamai's waist and hugged her back.

"I'm sorry for what they did to you," Tamai murmured against his chest plates, making no motion to release him. "Brianna, the Empire, and all the others… you always deserved better than that."

"I, um…" he cleared his throat awkwardly. "I wouldn't go that far. You do remember you wanted to shoot me yourself just yesterday?"

Thankfully, she said nothing. Shut up, you idiot, he told himself. Shut up before you ruin this. Just… enjoy it while it lasts.

Tamai finally drew away, her face hardening back into its familiar no-nonsense expression. She stepped back to arm's length and cleared her throat, reaching up to tie her hair into a functional, helmet-ready bun.

"Well," she said, all softness now gone from her tone. "You deserved that at the very least. It's good to have you back, Stripes."

He nodded, still a little confused by the sudden shift in tone and behavior. "It's good to have you back, too."

She nodded, then secured her helmet over her head. When she spoke again, her voice crackled through the menacing tones of her helmet's vocoder. "We should get ready. The group will be ready to cross the river soon. Don't want to keep the Che'daje sisters waiting."

"I'll catch up with you. I have to find Jay before we set out."

She nodded and turned on her heel, heading straight for the riverbank where a small cluster of warriors were waiting to cross. She didn't look back, though Vhetin got the distinct feeling she was watching him through the 360-degree vision of her helmet's HUD.

What had gotten into her? Only yesterday she had punched him in the throat and put her boot on his neck like she wanted nothing more than to kill him and move on. But now she was asking about Brianna and giving him awkward, too-long hugs?

He'd have to ask Venku about this when he got back to Keldabe. The Mando might be a little too cheery for his tastes, but there was no denying he had a knack for gauging behavior – especially when it came to women.

He shook his head as he turned to search for his partner. To his surprise, he found her standing only a few paces away, hands on her hips and a knowing smile on her face. He paused, regarding her warily.

"Um… what's with the smirk?"

The smile broke into a full-fledged grin as she stepped toward him and nudged him in the ribs. "I think you know, you sly kath hound."

He flinched away and said, "Explain please."

"You seem to be patching things up with Tamai pretty quick. Twenty-four hours and you've gone from trading blows to trading hugs? That's got to be record progress."

"Are trying to insinuate something?"

Jay sighed in exasperation and gestured after the blue-armored woman. "Are you so blind, Cin? She's interested!"

"Interested," he replied, deadpan. "As in, interested in me?"

His partner rolled her eyes. "No, interested in the brand of paint you use on your armor. Of course interested in you!"

He glanced after Tamai again, then turned away with a shake of his head. "No. No, you're reading it all wrong. She's just glad to see me again. It's been almost four years since we last met. It's just… friendly banter."

Jay quickly hopped in front of him. "Don't you run away! If she's so glad to see you, why do you think she asked you about Brianna?"

"The two are mortal enemies, Jay. Or as near as dammit, anyway. I'm not surprised they would keep tabs on each other."

"Cin, please stop thinking tactically for a moment and try and see things from her perspective. She wants to know if you're available! She's not even being that subtle about it."

"Maybe not to you," he said. "Jay, you don't know Tamai like I do."

"True. But as a member of the fairer sex, I think I know a little bit more about how women test the water to see if someone's open. Wouldn't you say?"

He had to give her that one, however reluctantly. He folded his arms and said, "All right. Maybe you have a point. You really think… you really think she wants to get back together? With me?"

Jay shrugged. "Would it really hurt to find out?"

"It might. You do remember that your first interaction with her involved getting punch in the nose?"

Jay shrugged. "That's just Mando women. I've gotten used to that by now. But you need to get your act together and respond to some of these advances before she gets cold feet."

"Jay, how do you even know I want these advances?"

She fixed him with a skeptical glare. "Okay, Cin. Let's run through the checklist."

He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Not the checklist again…"

She began counting off on her fingers. "You two get along well. Correct?"

"We seem to be, I guess."

"Check. You like each other, correct?"

"Of course. We've been friends for years."

"Check. And you think she's attractive?"

He felt his cheeks warming and thanked te Manda he still had his helmet in place. "Well…"

She smirked at him. "Check. And finally: do you think you'd be happy with her?"

"Jay, I don't—"

"Humor me. Think of it solely as a hypothetical exercise."

He didn't answer, didn't want to answer. The implications of what Jay was saying warranted further thought. So he just glared at her through the T-bar visor of his helmet and said, "I'll… mull over what you're saying. For now, we have more important things to focus on."

She raised her hands in reluctant surrender. "Fine. Whatever you say. But don't forget this conversation, or you'll regret it later."

She jerked her head, motioning for him to follow. "Come on. Everyone's getting ready for the river crossing. We don't want to be the last ones to the party."

He hurried after her, determined to keep his word and think over what the conversation. If what Jay said was true – if Tamai was truly still interested in him, after all this time – then he doubted dear Ranger Vasser would let him forget.

Tamai kept her eyes fixed on the murky water surrounding her, constantly checking her heads-up display for hostile contacts. Thick particles of mud and dirt swirled lazily around her arms and legs, kicked up into the hazy brown water by her heavy footfalls.

Crossing the river was always going to be dangerous; echo snakes and razorfin sharks infested these waters. But thankfully, Mandalorian armor was far too heavy to float. So the Rangers were trudging across the bed of the sluggish river in their environment-sealed suits while the Berserkers – with their rag-tag armor, equal parts plate and leather – swam across the river above their heads. Visibility was low, but they would still be able to see predators from a good distance away.

Tamai triggered her helmet light, which did little to cut through the murk. The waterways of the Werda Kurs were almost all filth-clogged and full of muck. Her boots sank up to the knee in silt as she walked, slowing her progress.

Over her comm, she heard Lee grunt as he too struggled through the mud that covered the riverbed. His breath was labored as he fought against both the thick layer of silt and the lazy tug of the river's current. Tamai grinned and triggered their shared comm channel.

"Hyperion," she said, "is that you breathing so hard?"

Lee cursed while Tamai watched his dark figure stumble and almost lose footing. He regained his balance and muttered, "I almost forgot how much I hate amphibious treks."

"Stop whining," she laughed, edging around a sunken tree log. "At least there aren't any echo snakes prowling about. Yet."

"Don't say that. You'll jinx it."

She shook her head. "Just focus on putting one foot in front of the other and we'll be at the other side in no time. Ranger-Commander Che'daje's probably out and sunbathing by now."

They trudged along in silence for a while – Lee still cursing quietly while Tamai looked up to note the progress of the Berserkers above them. Eventually, her friend's voice came over her helmet comm once again.

"So… what's the deal with you and the guy in black?"

Tamai's heart sank. Oh great. It's time for that conversation. "You're talking about Vhetin?"

Her comm crackled with static. "Duh. Don't think I missed you shooting googly eyes at him earlier."

She scoffed. "I don't shoot googly eyes at anyone. Besides, it's none of your business."

"Really? You're that head-over-heels?"

"I'm not going to dignify that with a response." She scowled. "Why is this so important to you, anyway? Jealous? You want me all to yourself?"

"Uh-uh, don't turn this around on me. We're talking about your childhood crush, remember?"

She sighed explosively and considered switching off the comm. She was glad that it was a private channel at the very least; she didn't like the idea of broadcasting such a conversation to the entire expedition force.

"Okay," she finally said. "I think it's nice to see him again. And now that he's finally broken up with that idiot aruetii he called a girlfriend…"

Lee's voice dropped to a mock-seductive tone. "You think it's time to… mix business with pleasure?"

She kicked up a cloud of silt in his direction, watching the hazy cloud waft through the water to envelop the steel-armored Ranger. "No, idiot. But the thought of reconnecting… isn't exactly upsetting."

Lee shook the silt from the front of his visor. "So what happened between you two, anyway?"

She sighed and focused on her boots once more. "It was difficult keep a relationship going when one person is constantly off world hunting bounties and the other is stuck on the frontier working for the Rangers. Long-distance relationship doesn't even begin to cover it."

"So that was it? It just didn't work out logistically?"

"Well, there was also the matter of the aforementioned idiot aruetii who kept trying to steal him away. When you're off on a different side of the planet while your boyfriend's at home chumming it up with the girl who's trying to steal him away from you… well, you start to assume things."

She grimaced. "Some things were said. I may have accused him of cheating on me with Brianna. He may have taken offense – no surprise – and we may have decided that our situation wasn't exactly ideal."

"And did any of those hypothetical accusations turn out to be true?"

She shook her head. "No. Cin's a lot of things, but he isn't a liar, and he isn't a cheat. It was only after we broke up that he got together with Brianna. Probably just to spite me, though it seems they got on well for a long while."

"So… why exactly did you want to shoot him when you first saw him?"

She grimaced. "It's a long story. Suffice to say it involved Cin and his sister sneaking a nexu kitten into my quarters as revenge for my accusations. The little bastard tore the place up and shredded the Wookiee doll my mother gave me when I was little. Oh, and they almost drummed me out of the Rangers when I had to present the mess for surprise inspection."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Don't get on Janada Bralor's bad side. You'll regret it, but never in the way you expect."

"And you were willing to shoot Vhetin because of a little prank?"

Tamai chewed her lip. "I liked that Wookiee doll."

"Okay. Not gonna pry any further into that debacle…"

"Please don't. I got to punch him in the throat and watch him flop around like a fish. I'm satisfied for now and let's leave it at that."

"And yet now there's the matter of this new girl. Moqena."

She glanced over to where Vhetin was helping Jay – in her helmetless, yet heavy armor – to stay above the water by supporting her on his shoulders. His progress was quicker than theirs, as he was forced to stick to what little shallow water they could find so Moqena could keep her head above the water. She smiled a little at the sight and thought, Who thinks chivalry is dead?

Then she shrugged and looked back to Lee. "Moqena claims there's nothing going on between them. I believe her."

"So are you gonna make a run for the Man in Black or not?"

She hesitated. "I… don't know."

"Aww, why not? If all you've said is true, he's cold, unsociable, foolhardy, and routinely gets his friends into trouble. He sounds perfect for you!"

She kicked another clod of silt his way, though this time he managed to avoid it. "Would you shut up already? I told you I don't know. Things didn't exactly work out last time. Why would anything be different now?"

"Uh, maybe because you two aren't idiot teenagers anymore? Because you're both older and smarter and more mature about relationships?"

"And what if I told you I was still broken up over Gracya?"

"I'd call your bluff. You broke her nose. I think you made your point pretty clear, Tamai."

She shook her head and redoubled her efforts to fight to the others die of the river. "Just… let me think on it. I would be lying if I said that the idea of starting up with Cin again wasn't… intriguing. I just don't know if I'm ready."

"Life is short, Ms. Vasser. Gotta grab it – and him – by the balls if you want to make something out of it. He's not going to stand around and wait for you to profess your undying love when you're good and ready for it. Hell, he may not even be here this time tomorrow."

"Don't talk like that."

"Talk like what? A smart soldier? The Kar'ta Epar'e are dangerous, Tamai. There's no guarantee any of us are going home. Might as well go after what little life you may have left."

"You… have a point. A morbid one, but a point nonetheless."

"That's me," he said, wading through a waist-deep patch of mud. "Ever the realist. Just think on it. I think someone new would be good for you."

She looked over to Vhetin's silhouette again. You may be more right than you know.

Then she shook her head and refocused herself on the task at hand. Talking relationship advice while wading across the bottom of a river, she thought as she approached the opposite shore. Kriff, my life is weird.

Hish'ka Che'daje was already dried off and scouting the jungle ahead when Vhetin and Jay emerged from the river. Vhetin shook a long strand of underwater creeper fern from his shoulder with a grunt of disgust and quickly moved away from the shore.

"What's the matter?" Jay asked, wringing river water from her hair.

"I'm not a big fan of deep water," her partner replied, shaking loose droplets of water from his pressurized suit. He released the seal around his neck and the compressed air hissed out in a foggy cloud, venting the built up carbon dioxide in his suit. "I've had… bad experiences."

"Ah, right. Well thanks for carrying me across. It would have been a bitch to try and swim alone."

He shook his head, draining water from one ear-mounted audio transceiver. "My pleasure."

"Vhetin! Moqena!"

They turned to find Vhonte Tervho, also sopping wet, striding from the river toward them. At her shoulder was Hyperion Lee and a Berserker Jay didn't recognize. The Captain waved them over and said, "I want you two to join Che'daje's scouting party. Make sure there are no surprises waiting for us in the jungle."

"With pleasure, Captain," was Vhetin's dutiful response.

Tervho glared up into the treeline. "I don't like the quiet. I feel like we're being watched already and we don't even know it. Hell, considering who's out here with us, we probably are."

Lee chuckled and clapped her on the shoulder as he walked past. "Hey, look on the bright side. If they are watching us, they haven't attacked yet. Good sign for your peace envoy mission!"

The captain shook her head as Lee and the Berserker jogged off to join Hish'ka in the jungle. Then she turned to Jay and said, "So? How are things in the group?"

"You're asking me?"

"I did ask you to keep an eye on relations between the Rangers and Berserkers? Or have you forgotten already?"

Jay felt a twinge of guilt at giving up the details of Akh'shi's earlier conversation, but she did feel obligated to inform Tervho of the developments. She was the only one the Berserkers trusted, and as such, she was the only one who could stop them if they got out of hand.

"The Ranger-Commander is worried," she eventually sighed. "She thinks to the Berserkers are too volatile. Benz wants to start a fight and she's not sure that he can be stopped if he really puts his mind to it. We need this peace mission to work out, but I don't think Benz cares."

Tervho nodded. "I was afraid of that. And I think you're right. Norac's got the scent of blood and there's little to stop him from chasing after it, even if it leads to trouble down the road. But don't worry; I'll keep an eye on him until that time comes. He trusts me. I can hold him back."

"I hope you're right. For all our sakes."

Tervho rested a hand on her shoulder as she passed and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Keep your eyes open, you two. The Heart-Eaters are going to make their move soon. We need to be ready when that happens."

Vhetin stared after Tervho for a few moments, then glanced at Jay. "Am I the only one who's surprised the Berserkers have behaved themselves this far?"

Jay rolled her eyes as they set off toward the jungle once again. "I just want to know why everyone suddenly thinks I'm the one who needs to know everyone's secrets…"

High above the river, in an alcove of interwoven branches and leaves that was hidden from the sight of the expedition team far below, Werd'cetara watched their exit from the river with careful attention. His golden eyes glowed as he regarded the humans scurrying about below, and the thick black dreadlocks that framed his angular face were tugged by the humid jungle breeze. He let out a slow breath, nostrils flaring, as his eyes darted across the riverbank below.

There were just under twenty of them. Half of them were the Metal-Men from the treeless places, wearing smooth-pounded armor and hefting lethal looking blades and spears. He knew they didn't carry their light guns here; too far from their own home, where their supplies could be replenished. This deep in the jungle, they were forced to use blade and bow, just like Werd's people.

Yet they were dangerous, no matter what the war bands claimed. The Metal-Men knew this jungle, and they knew how to survive in it. They were a threat that could not be taken lightly.

Then there were the newcomers; men and women wearing leather and metal both. They had long hair, like his people, though most were human. The men had long, thick beards, while the women often decorated their faces with warpaint or ritual tattoos. They too hefted spears and swords, though they carried them with a clear air of violence that left a tight, uneasy feeling in the pit of Werd's stomach.

These ones were dangerous too, but for a very different reason. He had heard them talking in their guttural language, had seen the way the sky-eyed man had scowled and stomped away with his tiny human fists clenched. The newcomers were at once familiar and foreign; similar to his own people, but very obviously allied with the Metal-Men. They would fight with their allies, and they wanted nothing more than to kill his people.

But he couldn't help but think back on that night, couldn't stop remembering the burning fire that consumed the bodies of the fallen. Funeral pyres, just like his own people used. The songs they sang, so similar to the funeral dirges sung by the elders.

And that word they kept whispering to each other, like it was at once important and cursed. His lips angled and twisted, trying to form the alien word. His tongue felt sluggish as he spat it out under his breath.

"Peese… Peece."

It was obvious the Metal-Men wanted this peece, while the others clearly did not. But what was it? Some new weapon to turn against the Kar'ta Epar'e? The name of some great warrior come to kill him and his people? Whatever it was, he doubted it could be good. He had seen almost a quarter-century's worth of dawns, and he knew what a warrior looked like. Even more familiar was the sight of a warrior arming for battle. Werd knew beyond any doubt that these Metal-Men and their allies came to these lands armed for conflict.

It saddened him to know it was a conflict they would not win.

They were fascinating, the Metal-Men; their armor caught his eye, entrancing him with the shimmering way the sunlight reflected off the polished metal. He had seen the glowing light sword wielded by the warrior in midnight-colored armor; sorcery just like out of the clan's legends. He wanted to meet them, to talk with them and learn the powerful secrets they so obviously held.

The others did not share his beliefs. They saw the intruders as simply more hearts for the sacrificial altar. But in these strange, armored men and women, Werd saw something different. Something new. And the possibilities that held had piqued his curiosity.

He knew he should not be this close. He knew he would be lashed if he was caught. But he needed to know more, needed to learn more about this peece the intruders spoke of. The Metal-Men tightened their control on his people's territory more every day. If that progress could be slowed by any means, the clans would have time to regroup and counter the advance. Maybe the Blackfingers would even make progress and restore the holy serpents to life, finally turning the tide against the Metal-Men.

Until then, Werd would wait and watch and ponder over these mysterious intruders and their talk of peece.

From the distance, he heard the telltale call of his brothers searching for him. He could not be discovered this close to the outsiders. So he grabbed his spear from the branch nearby, cast one last look down at the humans far beneath his feet, then raced off into the canopy once again.

The branches shook once, then he was gone.