The alien cry echoed through his mind, dying down to make way for a familiar voice. It was soothing, yet terrifying.

‘Are you there…?’

A murky haze washed over the limp body, carrying it away.

‘You are not as weak as you believe…’

The petitioner stood, and sank into the warmth of her realm, salt stinging their legs, but this was to be expected.

‘Let my song guide you.’

A captivating tune helped the petitioner out of the water, carrying him to safety. The beautiful song opened blind eyes, unable to see her true beauty, only what he wanted to see. She was granting him a gift.

‘Drink. There is much to be done.’

From her mouth, a stream poured down onto closed lips. It filled his throat despite no invitation. It was too much, he began to drown.
Light filled his vision.

Fallax choked on the elixir. His wounds were repaired just enough to stop any more warmth escaping him. He still felt weak, he sat up from the wooden soggy floor. This ruined human structure was slightly familiar to him, he must be back on the hill top observatory. Zimmeri was kneeling over him, clutching an empty elixir bottle with her one remaining arm. The stump of her other arm had been bandaged up with leaves and a vine tourniquet had applied to her bicep. Boophis was curled into a ball, staring off through a collapsed wall, looking into the Eye past the storm clouds, he had a bow slung over his shoulder, and looked terribly injured. There was no longer any rain, the weather seemed fickle today.

‘U-um…’ Zimmeri started with a slight stutter, ‘you’d have thought those Great Beast toadies would’ve carried a potion or two… heh, no such luck, we found some here, you’re a tough one, Fallax.’

Fallax eyed up three Boggard corpses set up on a table in the centre of the floor. 

‘You risked braving that… thing again, to get our kills?’ Fallax asked, far too meekly.

‘Your kills you mean,’ Zimmeri laughed, ‘I barely hurt a fly, starting to get pretty hungry actually,’ her smile died down, ‘Bull… didn’t make it, and that Hunter fled.’

Fallax blinked, waiting for someone to explain why such a Fearsome Warrior would do that. Neither Boophis or Zimmeri claimed ownership over the achievement, so it was probably Zimmeri’s ingenuity that saved them.

‘Thank you, we should head back then.’ Fallax said.

Boophis finally looked over at him, albeit with a disapproving scowl, and with only one eye open, his face was battered and barely recognisable. Fallax glanced down, he only had a few turtle shells left on his body, and his axes were stowed onto his belt, they must have picked them up, he was sure he had dropped them. Fallax’s stomach grumbled, and he noticed his body had lost muscle definition, he wondered for how long he must have been out.

‘Hungry?’ Zimmeri reached into her bloodied hide skirt, ‘dumb question, of course you are, here, I saved some of Bull for you.’

Fallax accepted the leftovers of his brother's flesh, and ate it. It was a little dry and chewy. A loud stomach grumble sounded off in the distance, Boophis shook his head.

‘I think Zimmeri should not come,’ Boophis said with a raspy voice, ‘she will be killed or exiled for having no kill.’

‘Warning them is more important!’ Zimmeri stood up and whipped her head round, ‘we’ll go together, end of discussion.’

Fallax’s brother stared at him, and he knew what he was thinking. Fallax handed Zimmeri an axe so she had a weapon. They did not speak to each-other again till they brought their beaten and battered bodies back to the tribe.