I honestly feel so bad for Rollan. Smth funny about this problem is that I didn't cut it out. I could've, as they do have the Bamboo Panda with them, but we're just going to say they were panicking so much they forgot.

I am proud to announce that as of two days ago, I am officially done writing Fire and Ice. It's sitting at 15 chapters and will be 22,300 words.

-owl

Abeke felt overly groggy for just having woken up. Her mouth was drier than it had been since the drought in Okaihee. Then she remembered what had happened. Being surrounded before being pelted with poisoned darts. Her eyes were crusty, and she had to force them open. They were all in a different clearing than when they had been knocked out.

She was laying on the ground, Rollan on her left. A little ways to her right were Lishay and Conor. All three of them were also tied up, just like Abeke. Wrists together and ankles together. While Lishay and Conor had maneuvered themselves into a sitting position, and were talking quietly, Rollan was entirely still. He was on his back and barely seemed to be breathing.

"What's up with Rollan?" Abeke asked worriedly.

"He's still breathing, though it's gotten worse since we woke up. He also seems to have a fever. And, do you guys remember? Rollan had started to look sick while we were walking." Lishay responded.

"How long do you think we've been here?" Abeke asked.

"We're guessing two days so far," Conor said. "I've been getting glimpses of two consecutive sunsets in my dreams, in addition to the Devourer."

"Are you still wearing the Silver Wolf? Did they not take our stuff?"

"They wouldn't do that," Lishay shook her head, "The Rhino Riders are an honorable people. They may be holding us captive until they decide what to do with us, but you've noticed, I hope, that they've done nothing else to harm us?"

Their quiet conversation was interrupted by a loud voice from behind Abeke. "Bring the prisoners!" The next thing she knew, she was lifted from the ground, along with the others, and hauled to yet another clearing. This one had a large rock, carved into the likeness of a rhino, in a place of prominence at one end of the clearing.

A tall, commanding man stood atop the large rock. "I am Jodoboda, leader of the Tergesh, who you call the Rhino Riders. Speak your name and hear your doom!"

Abeke couldn't help but think wryly to herself that this interaction could not get much worse.

Lishay spoke first. "I am Lishay, of the Green—"

"Only your names! After that, only one of you will speak for the group. I chose... You." Jodoboda pointed at Conor.

And there it was, this had officially gotten worse.

"I am Abeke, of Okaihee."

"I am Lishay, of Zhong."

"I am Conor, of nowhere in particular. This is Rollan, of Concorba. We are all part of a group from the Greencloaks, tasked to find Dinesh."

"Did you not know whose lands on which you walk?"

Conor nodded hastily. "You are the Rhino Riders. And, er, we had hoped... to sneak past?" The end of his statement sounded more like a question that it should have. They needed to project a strong, unbothered front, not make it seem like they didn't know what they were doing.

Jodoboda didn't look impressed. Abeke wished she could stop Conor and speak for him. He was a great friend, a great person. However, one thing Conor was truly abysmal at doing happened to be this exact thing; being the spokesperson for the group in any capacity. And it only got worse if they were in a spot of trouble.

"We are kinda in a hurry, you see," Conor went on, "there are Conquerors that also want to find Dinesh. We know there are hordes of them in Xin Kao Dai."

"We know that. It is a small point in your favor that you are not Conquerors."

"So... if it's alright with you, we'd like to continue on our way to find Dinesh, if you could help, that would be great. And could you maybe help our friend? He really does seem to be sick."

"Why should we help your friend?" Jodoboda asked.

"You will help us because a child is dying and the Tergesh are honorable people, not monsters!"

The voice came from the crowd of Rhino Riders. Abeke turned to see who had spoken, and was delighted to see Tarik emerging from the horde of people, pulling a turban off his head. Conor laughed with joy, and even Lishay grinned.

Jodoboda looked livid. "What's this?" he cried in outrage.

"Even if you won't help us find Dinesh, help our friend and you won't be hurt!"

"You are surrounded," Jodoboda laughed. "How are you going to hurt me?"

"He never said he was going to be the one to hurt you." Meilin stepped out from the shadows, a dagger in her hand now being held up against Jodoboda's throat.

"You speak of honor," he said after a long moment of silence. "But you dishonor our traditions by standing on the Rock of the People."

Meilin hastily climbed down. Abeke was surprised to see her, but happy that they were all together again.

"What happened to Rollan?" Meilin's voice betrayed worry that would never show on her face. "Did they do this?"

Jodoboda shook his head. "No. We are not the cause of the boy's sickness. He has gotten the Sunset Death. If he doesn't get the cure by nightfall tomorrow, he will die. Your quest, to save him, and to get the chance to be brought to Dinesh, will be one and the same. You will need to bring us back four banana gourds."

As soon as he was done talking, he jumped from the rock onto his rhino and led the others from the clearing. Within a minute, only the Greencloaks were left. Meilin was quick to use her dagger to unbind the four that had been captured.

"How are you here?" Abeke asked Meilin.

"I was in the Great Bamboo Maze and met a woman named Xue. With her help I found my father. He sent me back to you."

Tarik and Lishay looked impressed.

"Xue? She was a Greencloak a long time ago," Tarik finally said.

"We can talk about Xue later," Lishay broke in before Tarik could continue. "For now, let's decide who's going to go get banana gourds and who's going to stay with Rollan?"

"Jhi and I can stay. Maybe she can help him," Meilin offered.

Tarik nodded. "Then the rest of us will go get the gourds."

"Do you think he'll mind?" Abeke asked, suddenly getting a brilliant thought and leaning over Rollan's pack and grabbing the Copper Falcon from it.

Lishay shrugged. "It'll be more use to us right now."