Aghet made sure her back was straight and that she showed no sign of pain as she exited the hut. Helgit had put her in a long sleeved shirt so that her traveler's mark was hidden from view, but Aghet knew it would probably be discovered before long.

Everyone in the village had gathered, as she had said. Even the children, huddled close to their mothers. Qrev stood at the front of them all, looking to be finished talking down the warriors at the front. Veret stood at his side, and Aghet could see a long streak of blood seeping through the bandage on her arm. If a healing mark hadn't been able to close it up, it must have been pretty bad.

"We still don't know what happened, and-"

"That's why I'm here." Aghet interrupted her, and Veret bowed her head, backing away from the two as Qrev turned, not exactly angry but Aghet could tell he was hiding most of what he was feeling for the villager's benefit. Most had looks of horror on their faces, some relief for seeing Aghet alive, but some others furious.

"Why were you out by yourself, Aghet? What would you have done if it hadn't been for Bek and his patrol?" Someone called out, getting straight to the point, and Aghet saw that it was Jos, a recently widowed mother after her wife had died in childbirth to bear their daughter, Hest, who she clutched close to her as if the girl would crumble to dust in seconds.

Aghet paused to think, and in her silence there was only the stares of hundreds. Aging rixit that were scared, part of generations past that had no trouble reproducing at all. And now that one of the only markbearer females, their leader, had almost died, they were scared. Aghet understood their concern. She understood that many were rethinking their choice to appoint her.

"Don't lie to us." Jos continued in her silence, and Aghet glowered at her with an expression so fierce that Jos took a step backward, unnerved.

"I found a turbak child the night before our bonding ceremony." Aghet told them, thinking it was wise to reveal the truth. Especially now that the child was gone. 

"A child? So far from the border?" 

"It was lost, its mother was dead." Aghet continued, cutting over the murmurs that spread. She could almost feel Qrev's anger radiating from him as he stood at her side, completely silent. Listening. 

"You did not think to keep it as a hostage?" Someone called out, and Aghet shook her head.

"We are a strong village, but we aren't due for more warriors for at least another week. What would we have done if they had come looking?"

"We would fight!" Jos replied, to cries of agreement, and Aghet shook her head.

"No, we would have been slaughtered."

"That turbak knew who you were, they don't take common prisoners." Ruka spoke up, part of the patrol that had found her. 

"It was different. He had no idea who I was. It was probably because he saw I was a birth mother." Aghet replied, though she knew her words to be false. From what she could remember, Aghet hadn't revealed her bondmark at all. 

"It was a stupid move, one that I regret doing. I was, however, thinking only of the well being of my village."

"Veret, once you have recovered, we will speak with you about patrols." Qrev spoke up before anyone else could, glancing toward the sky, which had turned shades of violet and red. It was getting dark. 

"We will continue any discussion when morning comes." He finished, and most filtered away to their homes as they saw the look on his face really begin to take form. Aghet had trouble remembering any other time he had such a look of pure rage.

"Let's go." Aghet told him, heading toward their hut, and once inside, turned to see that he was just behind her. So close she had to crane her neck to see his face. Qrev's eyes were slits of anger, every muscle tensed, and Aghet refused to back away. Waiting.

"Why would you hide such a thing from me?" He finally asked, and Aghet scoffed, almost laughing as she threw up her hands and went over to the bed, sitting on the edge and responding.

"Why would I hide it from you? Let's see, maybe because you would have killed it as soon as you saw it."

"I would have. It's a turbak. One down meant another one of our people live." Qrev told her, hanging his cloak next to the doorway and continuing his tirade.

"And you put our child in danger to take it back. You lost a mark, they gained another warrior. Do you even understand how important you are to this tribe's survival right now, Aghet?" 

"Of course I do." Aghet spat at him, furious he would even doubt her for a second. Though her anger was half because she knew he was right in some ways. She could have lost the life they had started, and shuddered to think about what would have happened if the chain had wrapped itself around her bondmark instead.

"I'm not leaving you alone for the next few weeks. For your safety and for the village we lead. Understand?" Qrev asked, and Aghet glared at him, clenching both hands together so tightly that she could feel her nails puncture her palm.

"I'd expect nothing less." She responded, the mockery in her voice apparent even to her. Turning her head away, she sighed, slipping out of the billowy shirt Helgit had put her in. It was probably Rin's, seeing how it smelled of earth and leaves. As the cold night air hit her bare skin, she shivered, feeling her muscles ache from the strain and the bed sink in as Qrev sat beside her, laying a finger on the mauled remains of her traveler's mark.

"I heard of the chain from Rin. Do you know the name of the turbak who carried was bonded to it?" He asked, voice considerably softer but still tense from their argument.

"No." Aghet replied, shooing his hand away as an intense feeling of dread filtered through her. She hadn't wanted to look at it, and felt as if she wouldn't feel comfortable in her own skin ever again. 

"The moon is at its highest, we're running out of time." She cut in as he began to say something, leaning over and bringing him down into the sheets with her.

______________________

Heart pounding wildly, Nomi hurried around his room, finding another blanket and throwing it over the Fori, tucking it around it's body like a cocoon. It was dying, and very quickly. Without it's monarch, the tracks on it's skin would turn white in a day. 

"Shit." 

Nomi swore under his breath as he peeked at the Fori's arms and saw that they were indeed beginning to go white. It was a sickening contrast to it's dark blue skin, and Nomi decided it would be best to take it along with him. Throwing off the thicker blanket that would hinder the process, Nomi struggled to strap a sling around it's tiny form, cursing his missing arm as he used his teeth to tighten the buckles. 

The slings were usually used by medicine carriers to carry the injured, so it would work well. 

Bending backward in order to slip into the sling, Nomi winced as the weight of the Fori pulled at his back. Two thick straps laced over his chest, and he made sure the Fori was hidden by the thinner blanket he had tucked over it before heading out, lacing Verut through the straps of his belt as he went.