The trees were solid as they walked, and Marguerite had long ago become dead weight. Roxton looked down at her limp form worriedly, "We have to hurry!"

As he spoke they entered the clearing. Under any other circumstances Roxton and Veronica would have considered the scene quite beautiful.  A small stone cottage with soft green moss growing along the stones and a thatch roof sat against a backdrop of tall trees. In the front was a massive tree that grew low to the ground, but the trunk was a big around as the house, indicating that it was ancient. To the side, in the distance, a large pool of water stood quietly, a waterfall tumbling from the cliff overhead and splashing into it, causing the only ripples on the glassy surface. Wild animals sat about leisurely, undisturbed by the humans as they rushed by. None of this was noticed as Roxton and Veronica prayed to whoever was listening for Marguerite's life.

They were ushered on the small house by the reluctant host. "Place her on the table," the woman directed. She then went outside and Roxton and Veronica watched through an open window as she plucked several leaves off of the tree outside.

"What is she doing?" Roxton said, upset that she wasn't helping Marguerite.

"Shhhh, let her work," Veronica scolded.

The stranger returned and immediately began crushing leaves the size of Roxton's head in a clay bowl, creating a poultice. She then smeared the green concoction on two more leaves. With these prepared she turned to her patient and gently tapped Marguerite's cheek. "Child, I need you to wake up," she called. Marguerite's lashes fluttered and she looked up to see the eyes that had been an icy blue the day before peering down at her warmly. "I need to remove the arrow, and I need you awake to do it."

Marguerite nodded weakly. This woman seemed to have a strange calming effect over her. Before anyone could stop her she reached up and snapped the shaft of the arrow with a sure hand. "Bite down on this," she commanded as she placed the broken stick between Marguerite's teeth.

Veronica climbed up on the table behind Marguerite and supported her shoulder. The mysterious woman grabbed the shaft of the arrow and braced herself. With strength no one expected, she forced the arrow the rest of the way through.

Marguerite screamed in pain, and Roxton grabbed her hand for support. He thought she had broken his fingers. Veronica snatched a nearby cloth and pressed it to both sides of the wound, trying to lessen the flow of blood as it gushed anew.

"Step back."  Kinari held the leaves in her hand. "This is going to hurt," she warned.

"It couldn't be any worse than it already is," Marguerite panted.

"Bite down on the stick again."

Veronica moved out of the way, lifting the rags away from the wounds. Roxton still held firm to Marguerite's hand and Veronica reached her arm around Marguerite's waist to keep her still. Kinari placed the leaves against the wound and Marguerite bucked away unexpectedly, trying to wiggle away. Fire shot through her body, and she screamed a bloodcurdling scream, the likes of which they had never heard before. Sweat droplets formed on her brow as she continued to struggle, but Kinari was relentless, not allowing her to escape her grasp.

Finally and mercifully Marguerite slumped over, unconscious. Her breathing became regular and her body relaxed. After she had passed out Kinari removed the leaves. The wound had healed closed, but remained raw, no longer life threatening, but it was going to hurt like the devil.

"She will be fit for travel tomorrow." Kinari effortlessly lifted Marguerite and laid her on a nearby cot. "There is more poultice in the bowl. Spread some on more leaves and bind them to her shoulder with bandages. You will find fresh clothes in that chest. I have to leave you for a time. Please do not leave the cottage while I'm gone." She turned to leave, but almost as an afterthought she turned back to them, "Be careful not to get any of the poultice on open cuts. It will heal them, but it burns so badly that it is better to let them heal on their own of they are not serious."

Veronica nodded from her position preparing the wrap. Roxton didn't seem to hear her, all of his attention focused on the sleeping beauty.

Kinari stepped out the door and surveyed her clearing. She needed to get the Children of Seth out of the Valley before the battle, until then she wasn't sure it they were guests or prisoners. Either way, they were her responsibility, and she had more than enough of that to go around.

A T-Rex roared in the distance. Kinari grabbed her bow and quiver and ran to investigate.

***

At least twenty Lizardmen had engaged the T-Rex and saber-tooth tiger in battle, surrounded by an assortment of other animals, including two Raptors, three dogs, and some small scavenging dinosaurs that were wreaking havoc on the lizardmen's ankles. By the time she arrived five Lizardmen and three animals already lay dead.

Kinari fired three arrows in quick succession, all hitting their mark. Then she charged into the fray wielding her bow as a quarterstaff.

Four Lizardmen immediately fell upon her, but the T-Rex scooped one up between his teeth and flung him unto a tree.

This was the scene that greeted Challenger and Malone as they looked for their friends. They were dumbfounded. They had seen strange things on the Plateau, but this took the cake. They also felt compelled to help, but weren't quite sure which side they were on.

"Challenger, what's going on?" Ned asked nervously. Challenger didn't say anything; he just shrugged, unable to take his eyes away from the scene.

The battle was soon over, and they watched what was left of the Lizardmen flee into the jungle. Suddenly, a small dog was hanging on the cuff of Malone's pant, snarling and jerking the fabric. He tried to shake the mutt off, but it persisted until a battered, bruised, and bloody Kinari yelled, "Enough!"

The pooch backed away slowly, never taking his eyes off of the offenders.

"Who are you?" she questioned in a foreign tongue that they were able to understand. Challenger, who was staring at the T-Rex, looked at her surprised by his own apparent talent for linguistics and the arrow poised to enter his chest if he answered incorrectly.

"We're looking for our friends, we think they were attacked by Lizardmen on that ridge up there. A man and two women," Challenger answered.

Kinari lowered her weapon and sighed. Five people in her tiny house. "Follow me."