The bodaki slid from Sosa`s blade and crumbled to smoke. The remainder of the pack who were closed around Sosa`s empty circle of light erupted into a frenzy of panic and scattered as if not even sure where to run.

　　Sosa had to find Talon and her mother. Where had they led him? The only place they could have been separated was way back in the village. They could have led him anywhere.

　　How could she find him? What if he needed her help?

　　Her hip tingled where Gris` pendant lay tucked inside her skirt. She`d felt her own pieces of armour respond to its hum. What if the other pieces did? They had all been together once, if they had indeed belonged to Gris. What if they still responded to the pendant?

　　Slipping her fingers around it, Sosa listened to the ethereal chimes only she could hear, and the response from each piece of armour she wore. One at a time she worked through until she recognised the sound of each calling back.

　　Okay. The next part will be harder.

　　She had felt the spear`s light many times, but never heard its chime. She closed her eyes, and listened, not with her ears but somewhere inside her very ki. Something behind called out, just faintly, something close.

　　It was not the spear, not her parents. It must be something else in Gris` home, but it did mean one thing.

　　She could do it.

　　Trying again, she shut out the vibration of her own armour and listened.

　　The village. Was her father back?

　　No. She realised with both frustration and hopeful surprise. She was seeing Dorrel and Grammawe, both who wore pieces of the armour. Excited, she tried once more.

　　There. Two pieces hummed from somewhere out in the forest. One must be Talon`s spear, the other his armour. There were other feint scattered hums, perhaps undiscovered or pieces buried through shame of fadi over many years. They didn`t matter now.

　　No bodaki dared follow as she ran, though she began to pick up fresh ones who had yet to learn.

　　They had led her father deep into the trees, far from the village, away from the ruins. The bodaki feared them enough to lure them well apart. Now she would give them something to fear.

　　Her fatigue ebbing, and pain all but forgotten, Sosa moved through the forest and closed on the spear. Talon!`

　　There was no answer, only the excited grunting of agitated bodaki. She stopped running when she found it.

　　The spear lay on the ground, discarded in the undergrowth. Sosa snatched it up, feeling panic open a cavity in her stomach. No! Talon!` she tried again, louder this time. Her shout stirred the creatures who paced and paraded behind the dark wall that circled her. She listened for the other piece and its less familiar chime.

　　Sosa.` The voice was so weak and quiet. It also did not belong to her father. She dashed forwards and felt her foot slip over an edge. She tried to fall backwards, but had to grab a handful of scrub to keep from falling in.

　　Slithering backwards she searched around, sending out the light, and found the great pit hewn by claws. She could not see the bottom.

　　Mmawe?` Sosa whispered into the dark hole.

　　Sosa!` Kala sounded tired.

　　How far down are you? I can`t see you? Are you alone?`

　　I can see you.` Kala`s words were slow, like her tongue was dry and they were sticking to it. You`re glowing.`

　　Sosa crept forwards, lying down. Where claws had mashed up the undergrowth and soil, it was slippery and curved rapidly downwards. The tipping point was hard to judge.

　　Mmawe, you need to tell me how deep this is.`

　　Nearly two people deep.`

　　Sosa imagined a pack of furious bodaki channeling all their fury and hatred to dig such a thing.

　　Can you climb up?`

　　No. Your father is here. He isn`t awake.`

　　Sosa felt that cavity open again. Are you okay.`

　　There was a long moment that fed the growing emptiness.

　　I&` but Kala said nothing more. Sosa felt tears of frustration. She`d found them, but how was she going to get them out?

　　Restless bodaki circled, growling, snapping at her, threatening at a safe distance from her blade.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

　　Try and wake up Talon if you can. I`m going to&` but what was she going to do?

　　Kala sounded too weak to walk let alone climb from a pit.

　　The village was very far to go back for rope, but she could. Vines were not common, but if she could find a few they might be enough. She didn`t have to look far and found enough to twine together into a crude rope. She tied a loop at the end and lowered it into the pit until something, she hoped it was Kala, grabbed the other end. Can you put the loop under your shoulders and try to climb? I can lift you.`

　　I& I`ll try. But& your father.`

　　I know, I know I won`t leave him.`

　　Sosa pulled hard, but nothing moved.

　　Are you climbing?` she tried to keep the weariness from her voice lest it turn to frustration.

　　I, I can`t, I& Sosa I`m sorry, I&` Her mother sounded exhausted, breathless and so very, very quiet. It made Sosa want to cry.

　　Don`t try, Mmawe, please don`t hurt yourself.`

　　Sosa, I&` the quiet voice began. you need to go. There`s nothing& you need to go.`

　　This time Sosa did feel hot tears well up and splash down her cheek. No. I am not leaving you. Wait there.` She spoke sternly as if to a naughty child. The rope was long enough to wrap around a thick branch and tie in a loop around herself. She could climb down and&

　　& and the bodaki could sever it and leave the three of them trapped to starve.

　　Sosa slid off one of her pieces of leg armour and tied it to the hanging vine, hoping it`s light would still be able to repel the creatures.

　　Showers of dirt fell from Sosa`s foot holds onto her parent`s below. She slipped on the slick soil and the shredded remains of roots. While not sharp they were hard and slammed against her thighs and shins when she slipped.

　　Down was easy and not as far as she imagined. Two hands reached for her. Sosa wrapped her arms around Kala and felt her squeeze weakly back, only one arm able to offer any grip. Sosa hung onto her. She`d fought so long to get her mother back, she didn`t want to let her go. It took time, but Sosa pulled on the vine while Kala climbed and finally she made it to the top. Sosa checked Talon. He was alive, but not awake.

　　I`ll need your help Mmawe.` Kala threw the loop back down and Sosa looped it around Talon`s shoulders.

　　There was something odd on the air, something like a warning. Some distant chime, a distant piece of armour had begun to change its tone. The village. Something was happening at the village.

　　Dorrel and Grammawe, Sosa could feel them through the armour they wore. They were&

　　No, she had to concentrate on this first, then get back to the village. She was not running after bodaki any longer.

　　Okay,` she shouted up the pit. I will lift him a bit, then you take the weight, then I will lift him some more.`

　　She lifted him, but he was much heavier than she could manage. The twine went taught, but all they managed to do was get her unconscious father to stand up.

　　Pull!` Sosa brought all her strength to it, but just could not lift him.

　　I`m sorry& Sosa,` came a weary voice from above.

　　It`s okay, Mmawe,` Sosa tried hard to make it sound like she wasn`t crying. She used the vine rope to haul herself back up and sat next to her mother. Kala clearly needed to cry, but was too busy trying not to pass out. Sosa eased her back so she could lean against a trunk to rest. I`m sorry, Mmawe, I should not have asked you.` There had been such a rush in finding and then trying to rescue them, that Sosa had not stopped to look at her mother.

　　The warning hum from the armour in the village grew steadily stronger. She could not leave Talon in the pit. She could not leave her mother here. She could not leave Dorrel and Grammawe to defend the villagers alone. She grit her teeth against the tears.

　　There was little light this deep in the woods, so it was probably by the invisible light of the armour that Sosa could see her mother`s face. Kala did not look well. She was covered in blood, one arm hung limply, her face was bruised and swollen, her breathing ragged. It hurt Sosa`s heart to see her so damaged.

　　Sosa was wet and covered in mud from her climb in and out of the pit, but there was something slick on her hands now covering her up to the wrists. Mmawe!` she looked startled but Kala laid her head back against a trunk and waved one hand wafting away Sosa`s concern like she might a tiresome fly.

　　Don`t worry& about me.` Her eyes were closed. Sosa felt alone. Her father was unconscious, maybe be dead, and her mother was slipping away. She was alone in the darkness surrounded by creatures whose teeth gnashed at her every movement.

　　Mmawe,` she whispered. I need you. Please stay with me.`

　　I`m& here.` Even the two words sounded an effort.

　　Tears came with a burning that caused Sosa`s face to crumple up and she had to turn her head away, not that her mother could see her. She took a breath, snarled at the dark, at the bodaki, and took up the vine, freeing the end. She drew the light back and waited, concentrating, searching the dark not just for where the creatures were, but trying to sense where parts of them were. She would only get away with this once.

　　One bodaki braved the edge of the darkness so come within swiping distance. Sosa cast the loop of vine into the dark. The creature bucked in panic and outrage as the vine wrapped around its neck. Sosa flared the light to burn it and the bodaki bolted. When Talon`s weight pulled the rope taut, it squealed and fought to escape.

　　The vine began to slide, dragging Talon up the side of the pit. Sosa tried not imagine what damage those protruding roots might be doing but at least he was moving. The bodaki dragged him over the lip and across the forest floor. Sosa slashed at the vine, but hit only soil. Talon was accelerating and she dived to cut the vine before the bodaki dragged him away for good. Talon slid to a stop by Sosa`s side.

　　Behind her, Kala was convulsing. Sosa span around.

　　Kala was laughing. You should& tell you father& that story when& he wakes up& It was& hilarious.` Exhausted by the long sentence, Kala rolled forward and reached for her husband`s hand. The sudden ride had brought him around. Talon squeezed it and Kala smiled.

　　Talon!` Sosa said, You`re okay. Are you okay?` Tears again, but this time of relief broke from her eyes.

　　He sat up looking like there was nothing that didn`t hurt, and looked around, blinking and squinted at Sosa.

　　Your mother was there, she was there and then,` his eyes shot wide open. Bodaki!`

　　Talon, it`s okay,` Sosa reached for him. Look whose hand you`re holding.`

　　Talon looked and gave something between a gasp and a sob, then pulled himself next to Kala and wrapped her in his arms. Kala did her best to reciprocate with one working arm.. Sosa gave them a moment and turned away, letting her tears dry.

　　Talon, we need to get her to the village, we need to get her home.`

　　We don`t.` Talon didn`t move, just cradled his wife`s head where it lay on his shoulder.

　　No.` Sosa pushed. I mean, there is something wrong at the village and we need to& I mean,` Sosa drew closer, Talon. Pawe, what? Mmawe? Oh, Mmawe, please, please.` Sosa stumbled to her knees and crawled the last few steps to her mother`s side. Talon eased his wife`s head from his shoulder and back against the tree. It fell limply to one side. No, no, Mmawe, Mmawe!` Sosa grasped for her, please no, you promised you`d stay, you promised,` her words dissolved into sobs.

　　Talon folded his daughter into his arms where her tears and her screams became one.