"I have to go," I said, my voice steady. "Those are my people. Children are sick. No matter about the rules or boundaries or whatever punishment they'll give me."
I waited for his resistance, ready to fight my way past him if necessary.
Instead, he nodded once. "I know."
He walked to a cabinet and pulled out a backpack, then began filling it with supplies. Water bottles, food, a first aid kit.
"What are you doing?" I asked.
He looked up, his eyes meeting mine. "Getting ready. The northern trails can be dangerous at night. We should leave within the hour if we want to reach your community by morning."
"We?"
"Yes, Kalyndi." He slung the pack over his shoulder. "We. You're going to help your people, and I'm going with you."
Four
Redmon
The humans saw us coming long before we reached the walls of their terramares. I could smell their fear and suspicion on the wind as sharp and acrid, like sour fruit. Kalyndi walked beside me, her chin raised higher with each step closer to her former home. The path narrowed as we approached the wooden gates, forcing us closer together. Her arm brushed against mine, sending a jolt of heat through my body.
"They're staring," I muttered, my voice rumbling low in me.
Kalyndi's eyes flicked to the guards posted on the watchtowers. "Of course they are. They've never seen a mapinguari escorting one of their own without chains or blood."
The hostility in their eyes burned into me. One guard spat on the ground as we passed.
"These are your people?" I couldn't keep the edge from my voice.
"They were." Her answer was clipped, final.
As we drew closer to the gates, the crowd of humans thickened. They parted for Kalyndi like water around a stone, but their eyes never left me. I towered over them all, my broadshoulders and thick hide making me twice as wide as their largest man.
Kalyndi’s spine straightened, her stride lengthened. The hesitant woman I knew these past weeks transformed before my eyes into someone who commanded respect.
"Kalyndi!" A woman rushed forward, embracing her. "We heard you were… " Her eyes darted to me, words dying on her lips.
"I'm fine, Mereta." Kalyndi's voice carried authority I hadn't heard before. "Where are the sick children?"
More humans gathered, keeping a wary distance from me but greeting Kalyndi with reverence. Their voices buzzed with respect.
"The fever spread to six more last night."
"We've been waiting for your return."
"Only you know the proper remedy."
My chest swelled with unexpected pride. Among my kind, Kalyndi was merely a human female, strange and fragile. Here, she was vital, essential.
Our moment of peace shattered when we approached the inner gates of the healing quarters. Two guards crossed their spears, blocking our path.
"The monster stays outside," the larger one growled, not even looking at me but addressing Kalyndi.
My claws extended reflexively. "I am Redmon of the Eastern Territories. I have a name."
The guard's knuckles whitened around his spear. "Don't care if you're the king of the forest. No monsters inside the healing grounds."
I took a step forward, my muscles tensing. The crowd behind us quieted, watching. I could tear through their pathetic defenses in seconds, but that wasn't why we'd come.
