An'she shone brightly on the little caravan as it wound its way down the dirt packed road. There was only a single wagon being pulled by an old kodo. Another pair of the great beasts travelled alongside, heavily burdened with supplies. The route was familiar to them, for the family travelled their route yearly, so the kodos plodded along at a contented pace. One of them, the youngest beast of the three startled and roared as something tiny darted between its legs. The eldest kodo grunted, and the beast fell back into line.

"Tiponi! Don't run near the kodos!" a deep voice sounded.

The tiny thing looked up. The top of her horns barely reached the wagon floor and her pretty dress was stained with mud. She had pink ribbons in her plaited mane and gripped a dolly in one hand.

"It wasn't me! Tehya wanted to see!" the little girl retorted, holding up the hand-stitched cloth doll as proof.

"Well," said a softer voice, as a beautiful Shu'halo woman turned around in the wagon, "She needs to be punished for getting you into trouble."

The little girl's eyes widened, "No Mama! She promises not to do it again!"

The older Bessie smiled at the bull beside her, "Well, if she promises to be careful." The woman laughed as her daughter screamed with glee and raced off after the kodo. Her mate, a large bull with reddish fur smiled broadly at her as she whispered, "She takes after your mother..."

Tiponi skipped through the grass, dancing with the dolly and singing a little tune to herself. Something made her stop. She was only a child, barely more than an infant, but she felt something. "Papa?" she started to turn back and as she did something whizzed past her head. "PAPA!" she screamed.

"TIPONI!" The bull roared, he dove off the wagon and raced towards her, scooping her up in one fluid movement as arrows began to rain down upon them. His worried mate snapped at the kodos reins and the beasts roared in confusion and pain. He threw his daughter into the wagon and heaved himself aboard as dozens of centaur appeared from the rocks nearby and started cantering down towards them. The old kodo grunted and gave his all, but the beast was not agile and arrows dotted his hide.

"Run Tuketu, please." The woman pleaded with tears in her eyes. The beast roared and summed the last of his strength. The wood groaned as the wagon picked up speed. It was faster, but not fast enough. Shafts of black rained down upon them, and the old kodo groaned with his failure as his legs gave out beneath him. The beast felt to the dirt in a heap and the wagon crashed into him, toppling onto its side.

The bull wasted no time, he leapt into action, twin axes cleaving into centaur flesh. Tiponi cowered against the wagon, tears streaming down her face, but she made no sound. Horns sounded in the distance, Shu'halo horns. Tiponi poked out her head to see and a huge centaur stood above her. His four legs encircled her like a cage. She cried out in alarm and suddenly the creature was gone, bowled over by a flash of white fur. Tiponi huddled back against the wagon, almost concealed, as her mother faced the large one wielding nothing but a dagger.

"Mama!" Tiponi cried out as the beast struck, and time seemed to slow to a crawl and then stop. The scene froze, and she could see it all unfolding again. The great red bull, surrounded by centaur, the Braves of the village racing to the rescue with horns blowing, the still lumps of the kodos, the Shu'halo woman, falling to her knees. And that little girl, eyes wide, a blood-stained dolly dropping from her hands...

Tiponi woke up gasping for breath. A moment of panic filled her, when she could not recall where she was, but her breathing began to slow almost at once. She was surrounded by kin, by her new family in a small farm in the barrens. Below her hammock, Roak slept soundly on a large pile of soft furs, with Lyra curled up against his side. Tiponi eased herself out of the hammock and as softly as she could, walked outside.

The air was cool and fresh, the stars shone brightly though Mu'sha currently hid from her view. Tiponi took a deep breath and tried to calm the shakes that the familiar dream always brought. She was completely unaware that she had been joined by another, as the cat padded silently up to her and nuzzled against her leg.

Tiponi jumped a little in shock, then sighed. "I'm sorry Lyra, did I wake you?"

The beautiful red lynx merely shrugged.

"I had a bad dream."

Lyra nodded and sat beside Tiponi, leaning her head on her shoulder. They sat silently until An'she began to rise over the barren plains.