The flames from the pyre seemed to burn brighter tonight. The shadows made by the dying light danced across the animal skin tents and celebrating crowd. Dark creatures with twisted smiles that we accept as a part of our daily life. Even now as she sat on the log, watching the ferocious flame, her shadow merrily played on the ground while she sat as still as the log itself.

She felt around her neck for the sensation of her blue pendant. She could feel her companion's spirit resting inside, a soft heartbeat pulsing from within. She enjoyed this feeling, his energy so close to her heart.

"Ello, Ello, Ello," Nita turned to the joyful British greeting. "This seat taken?" Rosa pointed to the free space on the log. Nita patted the seat letting her join the warrior. They sat down for a while just enjoying the calm given their proximity away from the other villagers. The crackles and pops of burning wood put them in a meditative trance.

Nita took the silence to do something she didn't do often. Observe. She took a good look at Rosa. The woman's skin was dark like hers, but their words sounded so different. It was astonishing how Rosa looked so natural in their village though she was born within the city. Her knowledge of plant life was a large part of the farming system that Ardacia used today. If she wanted to, she could be an Ardacian herself.

Nita also found her looks interesting. She was a towering figure in her eyes, standing just as high as Chieftain Bo. Her giant ball of hair was filled with small leaves and flowers from rummaging through the forest. Even with the dirty look of her hair Nita found her looks stunning. She was the spitting image of what she dreamed to be; tall, strong, and beautiful.

Nita smiled at the thought, she already had one of those traits covered. The other would take practice to achieve but she didn't like the idea of doing her hair every morning. When she looked back up, she laughed at the amount of time it would take to reach her incredible height.

"There's that smile..." Nita flinched at the statement. Rosa's eyes were still softly closed as she breathed in the smoke. She looked down at Nita, her eyes soft and loving like a mother's. "You looked so sad before, figured you could use a little company." Nita turned away from the botanist. Rosa decided it best to not let her brood by herself, "What's wrong?"

Nita fidgeted in her seat, "Do you mind... if I complain to you."

Rosa smiled at the comment, "Nothing would make me happier luv."

Nita twirled her fingers. She wasn't used to this, talking about her feelings. Most of her childhood she had her brother to lean on for advice. Ever since he left, she had tried to keep her emotions to herself. She thought it would be best to keep a smile on her face for the village, but recently it had gotten hard to keep smiling. She looked back to Rosa; she was still smiling softly at her. Something about her face just made her feel safe.

"Is it wrong, to be mad at someone for following their dreams?"

Rosa thought about the question before answering. "Following their dreams? Do you mean your brother?"

"How do you-"

"Bo told me."

Nita bit her thumb making a mental note to get him back for telling people her business. It was too late to be mad at Rosa though, "Yeah."

"Are you sure that you're mad he followed his dream?" Nita looked up at the question, "I think you're mad he left you here."

Nita curled in on herself, "I just miss him so much."

Rosa patted the mini monster's pelt covered head, "There's nothing wrong with missing your brother, but... how would Bo put it." She scratched her head, raking a rosebud from her bush. "Take this rose. It needs food, water, and sunlight to grow but too much of any of these will stump its growth."

"So, he's the rosebud?"

"And Ardacia provided him with too many nutrients. Your brother saw that he needed to work for his food if he wanted to get stronger."

"But he's out there... all alone. What if he gets hurt? Who's gonna help him?"

"Your brother's tough. Something tells me he'll be fine." Rosa felt the air get strangely heavy. Nita was pulling away from her. She needed to lighten the mood, "Enough about him, let's talk about you. What's up with that pretty new necklace?" Nita brightened up a bit as she decided to tell Rosa the story of her newfound powers.

Between two tents just fifteen feet away, hidden in the shadows of the night, Bo stood with a smile on his face. His eyes shielded by the eagle headdress he wore on special occasions. 'She's growing.'

"Bo!" a hushed voice called from behind. He saw an elderly woman beckoning for him to follow her.

Back at the pyre, Nita was showing Rosa her leg, small indents visible along her calf muscle. "Woah! And that was a month ago?" Nita confirmed her question. "That must have hurt like hell."

Nita couldn't help but snicker sadistically, "You should see the wolf that scratch me... or what's left of him." The two laughed merrily as they reveled in her abilities. They would have sat there all night, enjoying each other's company, but the sound of partying around them was dying out. They saw a large group of people congregating on the outskirts of the village. Chattering and basking in whatever had them so deeply enamored. "I guess we shall continue this story later?"

Nita grinned, "Promise."

When they made it to the bulk of the pack, they were so tightly condensed that they couldn't see the desert. Rosa stepped up pushing the crowd around as they walked through. She was the first to see their point of interest, perplexed by their presence.

Nita walked past her and ogled at the sight. Before them were two strange humans. Their skin as pale as seafoam and their hair shaded with strange hues. She could tell they were both males, one much older than the other by his larger frame. The younger boy looked roughly the same height as her and possibly the same age with a lack of impurities in his skin.

The larger male stepped up to the crowd, his words slow and lengthy, "Hello there. We..." he signaled between the two men. "Come... in peace." He made a praying motion with his hands, bowing his head to show submission.

The villagers were murmuring to themselves. They were amazed by the way the pale men were talking. In their mind's city dwellers seemed to talk in such a strange way.

Bo understood the complication deciding to end their embarrassment, "Hello city dwellers, we are the Ardacians. I am Chieftain Bo, leader of this wonderful village."

The two males froze. The larger male coughing in his arm before continuing, "See... I told you they would understand us."

"WHAT! No, you-"

"My name is Sheriff Colton Domire, but you may call me Colt. My companion is Deputy Tyler Florence, but you may call him Tyler."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you both. Might I ask why you have come to our village... and what you plan to do with those weapons?"

Colt peaked at his holstered revolvers, "Like I said... we come in peace." He put his hands up. Almost on cue, a girl came running up behind them, her red pigtails bouncing with her steps. The villagers were amazed by the strange hair color of these people and star-struck when they saw what she brought with her. "Please tell me she didn't bring her pet?" he whispered in Tyler's ear.

In her hand, running behind her was a sentient cactus. The crowd of Ardacians started to screech. Some ran away from the monster; others went closer wanting to observe the oddity personally. Bo observed the beast trying to comprehend the situation. "So the stories are true?"

"Eh-he-he! I told you! All of you!" from the crowd burst an elderly man. His cane cracked and beard white as snow. He was dancing and laughing as he taunted the crowd, "I told you the plants were coming to life. We ate too many greens and now they're getting mean. Eh-he-he."

A young woman stepped up beside him, "Yes Dad, you were right all along. Now let's get you ready to sleep."

"I told 'em. All of 'em. They haven't been eating enough meat!" The crowd simmered down after the elder's outburst and exit, though the air was still thick with anticipation.

Rosa was amazed, she heard stories around the village about a living cactus within the dunes. Never did she think she would get to see it. It completely distracted her from the question of who these city folks were. Nita wasn't having such intense thoughts. Rather she just wanted to touch it.

"Everyone calm down, please calm down," Bo riled in the villagers. "Colt, you and your allies have come just in time. Would you care to join us in our feast?"

Colt looked around the crowd, they were waiting on baited breaths for a response. He looked to Jessie and Tyler for advice, both nodding in agreement. "We would be honored, Chieftain Bo."

The crowd cheered and danced as they swarmed the city dwellers. Rosa powered through the crowd with Nita following close behind. When they got within range of the visitors, they couldn't help but laugh at their predicament. Several older male villagers were inspecting the builds of Colt and Tyler, poking and prodding to test the tension of their muscles. A group of children had gotten close enough to the new arrivals to begin harassing them. One child currently pulling on Tyler's tight jeans, another hopping on his back.

Rosa decided to aim for the girl and her cactus companion, "Ello luv." Jessie looked up at the dark-skinned lady. Her insane height startling her until she saw her sweet smile and messy hair. "That's a mighty fine friend you have there," she pointed to Pac. He was currently trying to interact with the children around him, but most were running away from his thorns. Rosa reached into her blooming hair pulling out two green gloves with tiny white spikes on her knuckles. "Mind if I take a look. I'll be careful."

Jessie was still hesitant. These villagers seemed rather hyperactive. Even the elderly were jumping at the chance to inspect the group. She could tell that the woman's presence seemed to be repelling the crowd, but she was still unsure of her intentions. Rosa figured she should sweeten the deal, "If you let me join you, I can get you and your friends to the table before the food gets cold." Rosa put on a warm smile in hopes of calming the girl's nerves. Jessie didn't see a reason not to trust her from her gaze. Jessie passed Pac's thorny palm into Rosa's gloved grip. She crouched down to his eye level, "Hello little..."

"His name is Pac."

"Pac, that's an interesting name. My name's Rosa, can you say Rosa?" Pac was silent as he gazed at her grasp. The difference in this grip versus the feeling of Jessie's clothed hand. It was a firmer, tender touch. He could feel each finger caressing the thorns around his green palm. Then he looked up at her face, those soft eyes that made him feel so safe. He couldn't understand the color he saw within her gaze, a color that felt like a mixture of power, passion, love. He was addicted to her touch and drunk on her smile.

"I don't think he can talk," Jessie chimed in.

"Fascinating," she put a finger to the cactus' mouth. "Though you've gained sentient thought and a humanoid body you lack the vocal cords necessary for speech. What other strange oddities will I find with you?" Rosa stood tall as she began to cut through the crowd, "Come on. We need to go grab those boys before they eat 'em alive." As she cut through the crowd like water she perked up and made one final comment, "Also don't mind Nita."

"Who's Nita?" she could feel something touching her pigtails. The sensation of soft breathes against the back of her neck chilling her to the bone. She whipped around to scold the culprit but was surprised to see a small girl, her head covered in what looked like the stuffed head of a maroon bear. The child's eyes were covered by her pelt. They were like two white dots piercing through the shadows. The small girl ducked behind her sniffing at her hair again. "Ummm... Hello?"

"Your hair's the same color as my bear," the girl's voice was high pitched. The excitement in her statements gave Jessie the idea that she was younger than her.

"Yes... it is..."

"Are you part bear?"

"What? No."

"Then why's your hair red?" Jessie couldn't understand how to answer the question. She took a second to think about how to explain DNA and genetics to the girl, but she was being tugged along faster than she could think. "Come on we're gonna lose Rosa."

Jessie could feel the child's grip. Like the deathlock of a boa constrictor choking out its prey. Though she was so young and small she could see the definition in her muscles. She felt the power behind her pull like a tow truck had winched onto her arm. She had to keep up with the girl unless she wanted her arm ripped from its socket.

As the child pulled her ahead some other villagers reached out to grab at them. Jessie tried to push some of the grasping hands away but their numbers were too large. When one person gripped at her backpack, she could feel herself about to be pulled to the ground. The small girl moved behind her growling at the offender. The crowd backed away from the duo as the girl bared her fangs. Jessie could see the child had sharp teeth with large canines like a wild animal. The beast of a girl was repelling the crowd for her as they shifted through the mayhem.

When they successfully caught up to Rosa she was standing beside Colt and Tyler shooing the villagers away from the boys. She motioned at the girls instructing them to follow her as they made their way towards a large wooden table sitting by the giant pyre.

Chieftain Bo pushed through the mass huffing lightly, she could see a bit of long black hair sticking out from the back of his eagle cap. "How did you get the crowd off them?" he directed the inquiry at Rosa.

"I think they were more scared of her," she pointed to the girl Jessie had been walking with.

"Of course. Authority can control the people, but only power can quell mayhem." The man walked up to the girl petting her head, "Well done Nita." The girl giggled under his compliments. Jessie assumed this child was the Nita that Rosa mentioned but she was still surprised by her power. Bo stood tall as he guided them forward, "Come, the feast shall begin shortly."

When they made it to the large table, their mouths couldn't help but water at the sight. There was smoked vegetables sitting around the edges, a mountain of freshly baked potatoes sprinkled with an assortment of herbs and spices. In the middle, there was an array of different metal and wooden jugs, a variety of colorful liquids inside each.

The centerpiece was a giant roasted boar, its mouth stuffed with a bright red apple. Tyler heard his stomach grumbling as he restrained his urges. Nita however, jumped into the air diving for the giant roast. Rosa narrowly catching her by her shirttail.

Bo invited them to sit beside him, Colt and Tyler sitting to his left while Jessie and Pac were positioned on his right. Nita found a seat beside Jessie, the tinkering tike confused by the girl's attachment to her but currently more worried about the mass of youths surrounding her. Since they accepted the invitation the crowd had been like a pack of ravenous wolves.

She looked to Tyler as a group of girlish giggles flooded her ears. She saw Tyler blushing as he tried to calm the crowd of females enamored by him. Several were poking at his rosy cheeks and giggling at his large front teeth.

Jessie wanted to enjoy the scene until she heard the sound of males swarming her. She could hear them trying to impress her with stories about their achievements within the village. A few of the boys even going as far as flexing in her face. She wanted to punch some of them until she saw Nita enter her field of vision. The tiny terror was baring her fangs at anybody that got too close, many boys backing away except for three larger males. Nita got right in the leader's face; this boy much larger than her but his size didn't seem to faze her. The largest of the three boys laughed at her before signaling to make their exit. The smaller of the boys blowing a kiss Jessie's way before vanishing in the crowd of villagers preparing for their meal.

Colt watched the antics of the villagers, finding the scene entertaining. They were like one giant family with how they were interacting. Women from all over scolding the random children as they passed by, the older males encouraging their disastrous actions. It was heart-warming after the cold night they had. "Chieftain Bo?"

"Please, you have given me the honor of referring to you personally. You may do the same for me."

"Well, Bo, who are you?"

Bo took a deep breath, "Such an intriguing question, I don't think I could provide an answer."

Colt figured he'd get such an answer. "Then let me ask this. What is this village?"

"We are but a simple village living off the land."

Colt got the answer he wanted. The words Bo said were irrelevant, it was the speed of the answer. Though something told him that he wasn't lying, Bo was holding back information. Looking at Bo's reactions to their arrival and the way the village was interacting with them, it didn't feel nefarious. Though something more was hidden deep within this village. For now, he would have to look past it and accept their hospitality.

"Since you asked me a question, it only seems fair to ask my own." Colt agreed with the chieftain's reasoning. "Then I shall ask again, why have you come to our village?"

Now it was Colt's turn to take a deep breath, "My sister and our friend there were trying to enjoy our night, but a few criminals endangered some civilians. We chased them through the dunes, but they were able to destroy our vehicle and stranded us in the dunes. We were lucky to find you."

Bo looked towards Pac, "And the cactus?"

"He's not with me, my little sister picked him up. Though I have to be honest, he is the reason we found you."

Bo pondered his statements, a contemplative look hidden beneath his headdress. "These criminals... what did they do?"

"Pff, recently or over the course of this year?"

"They sound like quite the problem."

"They are the biggest problem in the dunes. Tonight, I was this close to capturing them, but I let them slip through my fingers."

Bo looked towards the two kids, Jessie and Nita conversating as they awaited their meal, Tyler still trying to control the small group of girls still examining him. "Those kids, you put them in danger?"

"Don't let him fool you, Tyler is far tougher than most adults. He might be tougher than me." Colt looked to his little sister, "I never wanted to get her involved in this, but she was caught in the crossfire." Bo noticed the slight tears in her shirt. "She just keeps insisting on joining. I don't know what to do Bo."

Bo let Colt's words settle in the active air, "I can tell you are a good man Colt. How long will you be staying?"

Colt straightened up, "We can leave as soon as you need us to, we just needed to find shelter for the night."

Bo laughed merrily cutting the tension in the air, "Then you may stay as long as you need. We will help you find a way to return home. Till then make yourselves at home." Bo stood up banging his hand on the table to quiet the crowd, "My fellow brothers and sisters, we have a wonderful group of guests tonight. Please, Colt, stand with me." Colt reluctantly obliged as the attention was now focused on him, "Say hello to the Sheriff of the Sand Colton. He brings with him three intriguing allies, the Genius Jessie." Nita nudged her to stand as well. "The Deceptive Tyler," Tyler was finally given a breath of air as the girls backed away so he could stand with his friends. "And the cactus of myth brought to life," Rosa gave Pac a little push to join his friends. "As of tonight, they will be staying with us till they can find a way home. Till then, we shall treat them as if they were members of our village since birth."

Bo reached down for his cup motioning for everyone to grab a drink. The adults grabbed for the red wine housed within the silver pitchers, the wooden pitchers full of raw grape juices and water for the kids.

Bo filled his and Colt's cups as he looked out at the crowd. "To Ardacia!"

"CHEERS!"