The setting sun cried with us. Instead of casting painful rays of light, it turned into a soft pink, glowing through the western sky behind us. It began to drizzle, soothing the earth and the mourning coyotes on it.

I felt sick to my core. Everything hurt. Sego walked with me, but she was quiet. She cried with me, but I don't think she understood. She knew I cared about Sarah, but she hadn't known her. No one had . . . no one besides me her flock.

I worried about her family for a split second, then I remembered. Her brother had left her. They didn't care about Sarah.

We finally reached the camp. I hoped that a feeling of relief would flow over me when I saw the camp, but I didn't. It didn't feel like the home I was waiting for.

"Finally home," Bat breathed, leaning against her mate. "And just in time."

Negrita looked at her, excitement and worry plastered across his face. "Is it time? Are they coming? Are you okay, can you walk?" He rambled.

Bat winced. "Just get me to a cave . . . I think they are."

"Oh, quickly dears! Let's go!" Hare yipped, sliding into the hollow as quick as she could. Negrita gently put Bat on his shoulders, then followed Hare.

"Guerro, if you'd like to stay for the night, we'd be delighted to have you. It's a long way back to Noo Meksiko." Horizon said as he slid down into the hollow.

"Actually, we live in Kolorato now. And if you don't mind, that would be delightful, um . . ." Mountain replied.

"Horizon."

"Yes, thank you, Horizon. And we can help catch a meal in the morning."

"Sounds good." Horizon replied.

We settled down almost immediately, feeling exhausted from the days. We offered to let the Guerro stay in the dens, but they wouldn't allow it. We didn't want to sleep by ourselves either, so everyone just found a spot to lie down on the sand next to the river.

I laid with Sego. Being so close to her would have made me tingle with excitement a few days ago, but all I could feel was sadness for the loss of Sarah and Verde. I was glad to be with her though, finally safe. At least for now.

"I'm glad that Shifter's gone." Sego said wearily. "He was horrible."

"He is horrible." I growled. "But he isn't gone. He'll be back for his revenge."

She nodded. I could tell she was upset and angry, but she hid it.

"Sego?" I said.

"Yes?" She looked up at me. Her dandelion eyes were tired, but still beautiful . . .

"I . . . I promise that I'll stop him. Forever. And any other monster that tries to hurt us again." I said resolutely.

She smiled sadly. "Astor, you can't do that. It's impossible."

"No." I said. "I'll learn how to stop them. Then I'll find the Shifter's name, and kill him, once and for all. I promise."

She nuzzled into my chest, then sniffled. "Alright. I believe you."

I rested my head on her, listening to the rise and fall of her chest, not sure if she really believed me.

<——-•••——->

Morning came. We weren't awaken by the sun, but by Negrita's yips of excitement.

He bounded into the camp, running around and yelling "IM A FATHER IM A FATHER IM A FATHER!"

I lifted my head from Sego, surprised by his outburst. It was kind of funny to see him so excited. Negrita was usually pretty relaxed and didn't talk much, so this was very out of the ordinary, but it was good to see someone happy.

He jumped in everyone's faces, his tail whipping around like a jackrabbit. "There's three of them and they're so beautiful and I have two sons and a gorgeous little girl and . . ." He rambled on, then began imploring everyone to come see his little bundles of joy.

"No, Negrita! No one's allowed in here, including you! Not until you calm down!" Hare bellowed from the cave.

Sego chuckled and I smiled.

The others talked for a while as the sun rose through a drizzly sky, congratulating Negrita for his good luck. Sego and I watched them off to the side.

"Are you gonna be like that?" Sego asked.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"When you have your pups." She said.

"I'm not having pups. I'm a boy." I replied.

She elbowed me, and I smiled at her reaction.

"I mean when your mate has pups." She said.

"Are you implying anything?" I asked, cocking my eyebrow at her.

"Ummm . . ." She mumbled, unsure of what to say. "I mean . . ."

"I'm kidding, don't worry." I said, licking her ears.

I remembered the vision of Hawk again. I want to be her mate, but not now. Maybe in the future. I promised to myself. I wasn't ready for that yet.

Hare came out, then announced that Bat had three pups, but they were small and sick. We could come visit, but one at a time, and no touching Bat or the pups.

Sego and I visited them after everyone else. They were cute, but skinny. I was worried about them.

"Will they be okay?" I asked Hare.

Bat gently licked their bellies. Hare stroked her niece's fur. "I think so. You looked much worse than that." She said.

I smiled. "Hey, um . . . I found my real mom. I mean my biological mom. Sorry."

Hare looked up at me, surprised. "What?"

"Um, yeah, Mirage. She's here. You should talk to her." I said.

She nodded, looking shaken. "Do you mind, Bat? I've been meaning to give this female a piece of my mind, if I ever found her."

Bat chuckled. "Go ahead."

I smiled, watching Hare trot out. "Congratulations, Bat. They look more like Negrita though."

"Oh, shut up. They don't get their colors for a few months." She said between licks.

"Okay." I said, smiling.

I left the den and met up with Sego. We walked to the top of the ridge and watched the sun rise.

"It's beautiful." She said. "The desert, the sky. Everything."

"Just like you." I said.

She elbowed me and smiled, sitting down. I sat down with her, then looked over the desert. The coyotes in the hollow were talking softly, organizing a hunting party for everyone who wasn't injured enough to go. Hare was listening to Mirage, more politely than I thought she would.

A prong horn and her fawn grazed in the distance, beyond the bend of the silver river, and an owl hooted from his perch on a joshua tree. The fifth claw was glazed with yellow light, standing up to face the sun. A hawk flew across the sky, hunting for a lonesome mouse.

How could I leave this place? It was the closest thing I had to home. I would miss this valley, the river, the Piedra. I'd even miss the sagebrush that I tripped on when I went for nightly runs.

"Sego." I said. She looked at me.

"I'm going to leave today."

"What are you talking about?" She asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just . . . I just don't feel like this is my home. I need to find my place in this world." I said.

She swallowed, looking nervous. "What do you mean? The Piedra is our home. It's always been home."

I shook my head. "Maybe for you, but . . . I've never felt comfortable here. And I'm not talking about Horizon teasing me because of my eyes. I've always felt like there was something more, even before this whole mess went down. But now I know what it is."

I took a deep breath and exhaled, pushing out the shakiness in my voice. I looked at her, waiting for a reply. She just stared at me with a little smirk.

"What?" I asked. "Are you going to yell at me? Tell me I'm stupid?"

She shook her head, then looked out at the desert again. "No." She said calmly. "But promise me I'll see you again. And the rest of us."

I licked her face. "I promise."

She embraced me, and I rested my head on her. Great Spirits, I was going to miss her.

"But you have to say goodbye to everyone." She said.

I lifted my head up and rolled my eyes. "No—"

"Um, yes." She said.

I sighed, and smiled at her. "Fine."

We went down into the hollow. Sky had come back with a helping of lizards and desert mice. Mirage and Hare were still talking, and Negrita was gazing at his puppies from outside the den, wagging his tail periodically.

"Want something to eat, Astor?" Sky asked. "We should have a prayer, but I don't think the Spirits would mind a bite. Everyone else is still out."

I shook my head. "No thank you. I don't want to upset the Spirits." I said a little sarcastically.

"Alright." She said.

"Sky?" I asked, and she looked at me.

"Thank you for helping me."

She nodded and smiled. "It was our pleasure, Astor. Your tribe is special."

"I guess so." I said, smiling.

I thought of saying goodbye to Hare, then I panicked. How could I say goodbye to her? She was the best mother I had ever had. How could I leave her again?

"Um, you can get some food, Sego. I've got someone to talk to." I said.

"Good luck." She said, licking my face.

I took a deep breath, then went over to them. I tapped Hare on the shoulder as she was talking.

She stopped mid sentence and turned around. Her golden eyes softened when she looked at me. "What's wrong, Astor?"

"Nothing . . . nothing . . . but, um, I've made a decision, and, um, I've decided that this isn't my home, despite—or in spite of—no, despite all that you've done for me, and the love you've shown, even though I wasn't your own, and, um . . . I'm leaving, to go find my destiny—"

She embraced me, stopping my awkward words. "I understand."

I smiled, and squeezed her tight. She was warm and cozy as always.

After a long hug, she stepped back to look at me. "I think you've grown taller."

I shrugged.

"My dear Astor. I'll miss you so much. Please be safe. You'll always have a place here, and you're always welcome." Hare said, smile wrinkles against her eyes. "I hope that it becomes home one day. But if not, make sure to visit."

"I will, thank you." I said, then addressed Mirage. "And, um . . . goodbye. Travel safe."

She smiled at me, a little crookedly. "Remember what I've taught you. Learn from your mistakes, don't be too afraid to make new ones."

I nodded. "Right."

I said goodbye to everyone when the others got back from hunting. They wanted me to take a rabbit for good luck. I refused but they made me eat it anyways.

It was hard to leave the camp. When I got to the ledge, they waved their tails and shouted one last goodbye. Delta yelled at me to not do anything stupid, and to come home soon. I sniffled as I waved back.

Sego walked me to the western edge of the Piedra territory.

"I doubt we'll have much trouble with the Fuego now that we've saved their butts," Sego said, "but I'd still veer away from their camp."

"I'll do that." I said.

"Where will you go?" She asked, looking out to the west.

"Probably walk alongside Eyeseffendee." I joked.

She elbowed me. "Don't go there, it's a death trap. If the monsters don't get you, those giant beasts will."

"You believe in it?" I asked her. "It's a superstition for pups."

"Yeah." She breathed. "Why not? If shifters, spirits, skinwalkers and wendigos are real, why not a big road?"

"Sounds fake to me." I said sarcastically. She nipped me in reply.

"Promise me you won't go after the Shifter. Not until you know how to kill him. And I mean really know and have a decent, well-thought-out plan." She said, looking up at me.

I licked her ears one last time, then touched her nose to mine. "Promise."

I crossed the border, then looked back at her one last time.

I would come back. One day.

I let out a yappy howl, then she laughed, tears slipping from her eyes, and joined in.

Then I ran through the desert, towards Eyeseffendee.

I would miss her, and the rest of my tribe, but I've always been a loner. I've always felt free and alive whenever I'm by myself. I was scared about facing monsters, especially the Shifter, but that didn't matter. What mattered was keeping Sego, the Piedra, and the rest of the desert safe. I wouldn't have to loose anyone else.

And besides,

The feeling of isolation is enough to keep me company.

<——-•••——->

The End

Stay tuned for Eyefifteen, coming out July of 2019