It had now been over a week since Max's arrival. The sun was setting, and it was getting dark. Laika's walkie started to beep. It was Unae. "Laika something feels wrong can you get here?"

Laika answered. 'I'll see let me get things ready I'll be there tonight."

As she walked through the village everyone was getting ready for bed while Jakob and Gunda were getting ready for their nightshift. The lights were turned off. All the places were quiet save for one. Max's workshop. The lights were still on, and the sound of grinding was heard. She went in and saw Max on his knees with a sander focusing on removing the caked dirt and grime from the Interceptor along with rust. "Max, can I ask you a favor?"

Max stopped sanding, got up, and pulled the cloth off his face. "What is it?"

Laika spoke. "I need you to watch over Puppy tonight I got a call from Unae at Where Our Ancestors Rest. Before you ask, your car can't make it up there, the paths are too narrow and the only way to reach some places is by riding on tree limbs."

Max stroked his beard. "All right I'll do my best rest assured, if someone even looks at Puppy wrong they'll have a slug between the eyes."

Laika replied. "I appreciate it also there are leftovers in the fridge I'll be back at midnight."

She put on her helmet and her bike roared out of sight.

She took the narrow path up to Where Our Ancestors Rest after a few jumps and some turns she met Unae. She took off her helmet and dismounted.

Unae asked. "Oh, Laika tell me you can't feel it."

Laika paused...

Unae continued. "This place. Like its less alive than usual."

Laika asked. "Less alive" than all our dead rest there?"

Unae answered. "It's the trees above. Something's wrong with them."

Laika replied. "Of course, I'll go see."

She got her helmet back on and went to find the problem. Her bike rode across the resting grounds. She came upon some birds dispatching them with her revolver. Further up there were more birds she tore her way through them killing the last by drifting at the right second deflecting the bullet right back at the bird who shot it. She used the large tree limbs as ramps to get to higher ground till she stumbled upon a tree with a massive hole burrowed into its trunk. Her bike puttered through. More trees had massive holes in them, some ready to collapse. Two massive trees beside her formed two connected ramps.

She heard a shrill shriek as it leaped out of the trees. It was massive and long covered in tattered feathers. Seven Bird soldiers hung from its body firing at her. Laika ramped on her bike flipping it upside down to block the shots. One by one she shot the soldiers down. Blocking shots and back-flipping to reload her revolver. She shot the last soldier. This Enraged the Woodcrawler almost as if it cared for its crew. It attacked Laika from a hollow stump opening its maw. Laika fired one bullet which pierced the thin roof of its mouth and into its brain. She saw a flash in her mind a vision of Maya's death. She shook her head, grabbed her walkie, and contacted The Elder.

"Birds got to Where Our Ancestors Rest Elder. "

The Elder was shocked. "Blast we gotta be quick then."

Laika replied. "They had this other giant monster much like the one Max killed it was artificially grown."

She rode back to Unae. "You were right. Birds were chopping trees down."

Unae was grateful. "Thank the spirits you got there on time."

Laika told her. "Come back to Where We Live. You're not safe here."

Unae refused. "This is Where I Live."

Laika knew it was no use and headed home. It was night when she got back. She entered Where We Dream. There Puppy was sleeping on Max's chest, his left arm was wrapped around her gently yet firmly. In his right hand was his quad barrel gripped tightly. He smiled at Laika. "So how did it go?"

Laika hung her head. "The Birds have desecrated Where Our Ancestors Rest."

Max got up carefully setting Puppy down into the recliner. Laika saw he rested with all his gear on much like she did difference was she never wore armor never needed to, but Max was coated in layers.

Her sorrow turned to confusion. "How do you sleep in all that?"

Max answered. "I never slept while you were away. I did rest though I don't feel as sore."

He stretched. "I need to go for a drive clear my head a bit."

Puppy yawned and woke up. Laika knelt. "Everything go well?"

Puppy nodded. "Yeah, but I did notice something strange. Max told me some stories of his youth they were some of them were funny, but he would freeze up."

Laika grew concerned. "What do you mean?"

Puppy continued. "Mommy he would stare as if there was something in the distance, I even waved my paw in front of him, and his eyes remained still. After a bit, he snapped out of it scared and startled."

Laika's ears lowered. "Puppy. Max is very hurt. I know like me he's a Road Warrior but being alone for a long time can really hurt you."

Puppy answered. "Well, what if moves in with us that way he won't be alone ever again?"

Laika showed a sad smile. "It doesn't work that way pain like that doesn't heal overnight. Anything else I should know?"

Puppy pondered. "Well, he seems always on guard his head would turn from time to time he even jumped a little when the house creaked. As if something was coming for us."

This only confirmed Laika's suspicions. "Wait here Puppy I'll talk to him."

Puppy tugged her mother's cape. "Mommy please help Max I'm scared for him."

Laika hugged her tightly. "I promise. Both you and me we'll help him anyway we can."

She entered Max's workshop. Inside it was rather dark, the lights flickered, and wind whistled through the broken windows, and the old metal creaked and groaned. It reeked of mechanical fluids. It was rather unnerving and depressing. She then found a new smell rot...she tracked it and under a tarp was Max's Maggot Farm. She backed away and found Max working on the Interceptor. He smiled.

"Just changing the fuel filter. Need anything?"

Laika nodded. "I do Puppy told me about what happened."

Max was puzzled. "What do you mean did I do anything?"

Laika rubbed the back of her neck. "Nothing wrong but you gave her a bit of spook."

Max sighed and got in the Interceptor. "Sorry about that just need to clear my head I'll be back soon."

The Interceptor spluttered to life. He drove off the roaring and knocking of the V8 drowned out the voices in his head. He savored the moment of peace. "I need to find Griffa."

The interceptor roared its headlights cutting through the night. He came across a nice quiet spot. He heard footsteps. "There you are, Max. I take it things have not been ideal?"

Max shook his head. "I gave Puppy a scare."

Griffa comforted him. "You're doing your best that's all you can do. I'm proud of you for confronting your phantoms instead of running away. I'll be here when you need me until then I need you to go back don't want them to cause them more worry."

Max got in his Interceptor. Laika kept hidden beneath a collapsed piece of highway keeping an eye on Max with her binoculars. She retraced his tracks. She sniffed the air, there was no smell of birds or anything, just a desolate piece of wasteland. She took a hidden route back to Where We Live.

Max rolled the Interceptor back into the workshop. He relaxed, he listened to the V8's crackling as it cooled. He just stayed there for a bit letting the noise drown the whispers in his head.

He started up the air compressor blowing any loose sand in his Interceptor or shop. Just busy work to keep some noise going. Puppy and Poochie hid around the corner. They could hear Max mumble to himself.

Poochie was uncertain. "Are you sure we should go through with this?"

Puppy answered. "He saved you and Uncle Jakob we must do something for him. Max is in pain and if we don't try to help, he'll get worse."

Poochie's uncertainty was gone. "You're right but how can we help him?"

Puppy's ears perked up. "We can get some things for him maybe some of our favorite story books some food and some blankets."

The full moon rose and with Laika and Jakob both in a deep sleep Puppy and Poochie snuck out of bed.

They crept up to the old workshop careful to make sure their packs didn't make a sound. Poochie boosted Puppy through one of the broken windows then Puppy pulled him in. They stepped slowly toward the Interceptor. As they peered inside, they saw Max sleeping on its cold metal floor with a cutup burlap sack as a blanket. He was mumbling struggling.

In Max's nightmare...

Max walked into Deep Friah's Temple the flames flickered and he saw Toecutter laughing. There Jessie was strung up crucified, her blood pouring on the floor. Max looked down Strog dead in his arms blood oozing out of his mouth and ears.

The flames went out this time it was Hope and Glory in their place. With Scrotus and Stankgum laughing. The flames went out and came back a final time. Strung up by the neck was Laika and in his arms was Puppy both horribly mutilated their guts hanging and eyes tore out. He looked up and saw a monstrous two-headed bird cackling at him.

Puppy tugged at his collar. "Max Max where are you? It's so dark. Max Max."

Max awoke with a raging scream. "I KILL THAT DAMN BIRD!"

Puppy and Poochie panicked opening the driver's door to get away. Max snapped out of his rage now worried for them. "Both of you stop before you hurt yourselves."

His sprinting made them panic more. Poochie got out and attempted to pull Puppy out. She lost grip and cut her left paw on the broken window. Puppy yelped in pain. Max picked her up holding her gently in his arms. "It's ok I'm not mad I'm not mad."

Poochie climbed back in while Max turned the lights back on. He pulled out a bottle of rubbing alcohol. He gave her one of the few clean rags. "Bite on this its going to sting."

He poured the alcohol onto her paw. She bit the rag hard. Max then grabbed his canteen, pouring water to wash away the blood before wrapping it in gauze. The two then told Max what they were doing. They waited for him to yell but he didn't.

Puppy was confused. "Why aren't you mad we trespassed."

Max answered. "Because you had no ill intent you simply wanted to help."

The two doors rolled away letting the moonlight pour in. Laika stood, her revolver drawn. She immediately lowered it when she connected the dots on what happened.

Laika carried Puppy back to bed while Jakob dragged Poochie by the ear. "You are in big trouble young man sneaking onto someone while they were sleeping."

Max pulled Jakob by the shoulder. "Hey, leave the kid be. He meant no harm by besides I already was waking up."

Jakob looked confused. "You call that waking up? You woke everyone up. What happened in there?"

Max shrugged his shoulders. "Just some bad dreams that is all."

Jakob relented and apologized to Poochie. "Sorry son I was just worried for you, but you need to know sneaking into someone's home who has a quad barrel shotgun is a good way to end up dead."

Everyone tried to get back to sleep. Max instead began packing up the sleeping kit and put the Interceptor's battery on the charger. He lay slumped against its scarred body. He was feeling tired again now that the adrenaline was gone. He touched the side of his head realizing he hit it while struggling.