The drummings and constant clicks and sounds of the Ni S'pri keep Tetonbaum awake next to Kasumi, as they lay in a cabin bed too small for him to fit comfortably with her. He nudges her and she wakes, and rolling slightly on top of her so she "humphs", he kisses her shoulder to her cheek, "…I must get up, Little Meile." He sits up and Kasumi does the same…Her hand falls against his neck, fingers sinking into the soft valleys of the golden tebral folds, among the stiff spines and hidden barbs of venom she only sees when he is making love to her.

"What's the rush," her eyes are somewhat large in dilation, what with the dimness of the cabin only held at bay by a small lamp rod passing along the wall at waist level, "…What's on your mind."

"I feel something is not right," he says, sapphire eyes turning down from hers, "…I should be looking for something…But I cannot tell what…"

"Your brother?" Kasumi asks, "…Maybe you're worried about him…He's not in Nualavera."

"That may be what it is," he says, taking her hand in his. Kasumi looks up at his face, "…I should go find him…He will be in the Craig."

"We can fly the Ni S'pri there, Teton," she smiles stroking the hard lines of his smooth jaw…She loves those lines, particularly when he smiles, "…No need to leave the ship until we get there." She moves forward and briefly kisses him…Tetonbaum's arm hugs round her to pull her tight like a constrictor, his desire starting to get the better of him. Kasumi whimpers against him as his hand touches her thigh and wanders teasingly close to her chalice of pleasure.

"What would I do with you," he threatens teasingly as well, "…were I without the worry in my mind." She sighs as he kisses her neck.

"Would you have to worry…right now," she murmurs as he draws away from her skin, "…Maybe put it off for a few more hours?…" Kasumi grumbles as he starts to dress, "…Always so loyal to Casnar," she mumbles. Tetonbaum turns and looks at her, a smile on his face.

"He is my brother, Little Meile…"

"Yes, I know," she straightens up from her slump, lifting her chin off her palm, "…I'll go tell the others there'll be a change in plans," and she starts to dress herself.

…With Tetonbaum's help.

Casnar leads his burrells through the streets of the Crandal towards the di'lean paddocks, where his beasts await their departure, his pha'laksh beyond and ready to head to Nualavera. The Crandal is quiet and dark with sparse illuminations from cottis and fires left out to warm the Sereptas without a home inside the city in the desert, night when it is cooler and the wind from the nearby water that borders its wall and fills its pier comes in and brings with it the smell of the ocean…Casnar knows it is in his blood to be near and of the ocean…His father grew up on an island on a distant water across the Birutise'aha and his ancestor, Cassius Sousan, was known to love sailing and fishing, much like Mu'kalien—and Mu'kalien was not of that side of the family…It amazes him that water should be so close and he not used it since, well, since his return from Suiaghana those years ago when he discovered Braith, Kasumi, and Kolyat had all been swept up in the plans set forth by Konis Traus.

The sky spreads before his thoughts, in one corner the thought of his father, another of the Craig, one more of Cartira, many others for Tetonbaum and Kasumi and those he left back at the Souir…Over all, Braith. Casnar does not notice the reunions of furtive lovers in the alleys, walking hand in hand through the plazas along the street, he does not notice the lingering and loitering watching the street performers dancing and clapping their rhythms to their small audiences, making what dragus they can in little bundled rolls of cloth before the burrells from the Crandal come by to chase them away…He does not notice the glows of the fires that emanate from the homes and shops, these latter closed up for the night…He only thinks of those he will disappoint, or those he barely can hold onto a hope they are waiting and alive. He wants to return to Nualavera, head to the Souir and learn what Thane has been able to pull off that he cannot…Head out to Rakka and collect Braith, get her out of there and bring her to Lothairaxl, or maybe even Suiaghana…He needs to get out of that city he walks in with his burrells…

"Are you afraid to go…because you will find something you would die for?…" He curls her fingers in his and kisses her side of her breast…Braith smiles and watches him open his eyes to her canted face on the pillow, gazing down at him in her apartment, "…Because you might…"

"Maybe, and maybe I'll learn just how full of bullshit you are, Soterios," she laughs that obnoxious cackle and snort as he drives his fingers into her ribs, tickling her until she squeals and bucks him off her legs, "…Casnar, stop!…"

"Or what," he crawls up close to her face, his expression suddenly serious, "…What will you do…" She breathes heavy in and out through her nose, lifts her chin to kiss him on his upper lip…His mouth coats hers and moves together with her soft lips…I love you, Braith…

He should have said it then because then he knew for certain she was the one in that kiss.

The shard made it clear there were two possible paths, and either vaguely hinted she would be alive, but in the depth of those shards of S'syalahe, he had seen what awaited him…That part of her was still there, waiting for him…How to reach her he wasn't sure, but faith drove him on. Braith was not gone…Not entirely…She only needed to be woken up by someone…Him.

Bangal'roux, he imagines, …will also have been awakened…but by her.

Deep in the Al'shrisne Cavern, that was the sight of the old factory that broke Rakka, ruined her soil, took the land and changed it…Casnar has seen it in the shards' visions it has passed him…Slow and black in death, it came alive in the paths he was shown.

Casnar passes his gloved hand over his head, "…Brouhhih," he commands his burrell, "…Fetch the beast I rode here," they are near the paddocks…The burrell jogs off, his green, gold and white silks shivering outside his armor.

Something niggles at the back of his mind…Where are the aides for the paddocks?

"Brouhhih?" Casnar looks up from his thoughts to see the burrell disappear into the rookers that are milling by the shed for the aides, waiting to take di'leans to and from the thirty acre fencing for the animals of the druce, Casnar's among them. "Ocvineth," Casnar turns to the next burrell at his flank, "…Go with Brouhhih and hurry…I've a bad feeling right now," he says and his burrells all look about suddenly as some move into a turn to check behind them. Casnar's skin starts to tingle, "…Those bastards…Those bastards!" He pulls out his saber from his sash, "…Defend!" Casnar shouts as the di'leans start to rush away from the fence line along the pale street and the burrells move around Casnar in a shielding circle.

The di'leans leaving the paddock area to their south reveal dark forms that rise up from their hiding.

"…Th'anes, Sered," Casnar hears one of his burrells warn him, "…Run—We will protect you!"

Casnar backs into a burrell, "…Move with me, we all get out of here together," he orders them and grabbing hold of the cape sleeve of the burrell to his right, gives him a push to start them stepping sideways as Casnar shouts, "…Th'anes of Merce'des…It is not my time!"

The forms turn, their faces hidden by the hoods that hide their skins from them…There are nine of them in all, watching Casnar and his burrells as they rejoin the two, Brouhhih and Ocvineth, who have Casnar's rooker leading the others with them.

One of the hoods is pushed back on the forms of darkening crimson, the evening waning over this encounter, and Casnar's eyes connect with the golden irises of a High Th'ane he knows from Tetonbaum's upbringing.

The pale mottled lips smile.

The dart passes between the necks of his burrells—Casnar deflects it with his knife—Tetonbaum's poisonous Menjaga, flicks it away to bounce off armor and land with point in the sand.

Casnar grins. "Benefits of having the best train me…He's alive, you know. He'll be very upset you tried to kill me before he can." Casnar whistles and the di'leans turn towards their riders and proceed to rush between them and the th'anes, picking up their masters in cleverly long fingers.

Casnar turns his rooker once he is on her shoulders and charges off down the street with his burrells and their di'leans behind him…The High Th'ane trills softly, (: …The others will be waiting from him in the sands. :)