I stare up at the cavern ceiling, watching as the early morning light slowly starts to seep in. I thought perhaps moving to a separate cavern from Fallon would help. Escaping the sight of her, her ever maddening scent. The feelings she invokes without even trying.

But it did not help me much. I was restless all night even alone in this cavern. My body hard and aching with thoughts of Fallon. My thoughts about her refusing to settle down so I could sleep.

My hearts are bereft, set adrift in the wilderness she cast me into after our drunken mating. Does she not understand the import of that night? Does she feel nothing that she could cast me aside so easily the next morning and mean it? Have I been living in a dream believing that I can win her heart in return?

Perhaps she really does feel nothing for me. I feel a sharp stab of pain at that thought but force myself to examine it anyway, rather than burying it as I have the urge to. If she feels nothing and refuses to allow me to attempt to win her...

What can I do?

What recourse do I have?

I smell her scent even now, as though my mind cannot let go of her even when we are physically separated. It is unfair that I am forever plagued with thoughts of her while she seems not to care—

There! The scrape of a foot against stone.

I sit up and turn to the entrance of the small cavern I traveled to in the night. My pulse immediately starts to increase as I see the focus of my thoughts, her pretty, bright hair backlit by the sunlight, creating a halo to frame her face. The face that never leaves my thoughts no matter how much I try to cast it out.

She stops as I turn my attention to her, looking at me somewhat hesitantly before taking another step inside. Another step closer.

"Good morning," she begins, clearing her throat. Is she nervous? "Would you like some water?" she asks, extending her canteen.

My hands clench at my sides as I resist the urge to reach for her rather than the water she offers.

Yes, she is warmer towards me since the vtak attack. After I protected her. But that does not mean that she desires more from me than that protection. Perhaps this is simply a show of gratitude.

"Thank you," I murmur, reaching out to take the vessel from her. It is not what I want to do, but it is all I allow myself. I take a few sips, not needing nearly as much water to survive here on Tajss as the humans need, wasting it as they do through their skin when they overheat.

"We're setting off in an hour," she informs me. "Errol is asking for your help in packaging some of the meat. We can't take all of it, so we will have to leave the rest for the beasts. He's also suggesting we ask Rosalind for scrap metal, so we can attach a wagon to the rover, too. It would make transporting things like this a lot easier."

I hand her the water as I rise to my feet.

"Not a bad idea," I acknowledge, leaning down to quickly roll up my pallet.

I don’t want to continue our conversation only to be hurt again when she does not return my affection, so I nod at her and leave the cavern, my things neatly packed. Surprise crosses her face at my abrupt exit, but it does not stop me.

I would be lying to myself if I denied the fact that even this small overture from her has left me with a warm glow inside.

Being woken by the woman who seems able to reach into my soul, to make a home for herself there with a mere glance...it is something I did not even know I craved until now. But I do not trust it. Perhaps if it had happened earlier. How can I trust any gesture now, when she ran from me after so much more? When she was able to shut me out after what we shared that night?

I sigh. No, it is better to maintain a distance. No matter how painful it is to do so. How wrong it feels. I walk out of the cavern and use my wings to help travel the short distance from the cavern to the kill site, my feet barely touching down on the sand between long leaps.

We already did the majority of the work the day before, but there is still more that needs to be done before we can leave. Kate and Errol are already hard at work, Kate carefully wrapping the meat for transport and Errol continuing to cut and collect it.

"Arawn, could you help me with packaging the meat and stacking it in the rover?" Kate asks when she sees me.

"Of course," I agree immediately.

So I make my way over to her and take the bigger cuts of meat, wrapping them in the durable guster skin we keep on hand whenever possible. I know the rover contains many such skins for exactly this reason. Wasting meat is simply not done.

When Fallon arrives, she walks over to Errol, helping him cut and collect. I do not look directly at her, but my awareness of her seems like it will never diminish. When she is in the vicinity, a part of me focuses on her and only her. I look up as she arrives with another cut of meat, taking it from her with a nod but not acknowledging her otherwise.

When she walks away once more, Kate makes a small sound.

I look over at her.

"Is something amiss?" I ask, frowning.

She sighs, continuing to wrap the meat she has in front of her.

"I just...I think you need to know a little more about Fallon's background to understand her. Understand why she is the way she is."

"Her background?" I ask, curious. "What about her past do you believe I should know?"

Kate looks over at Fallon. Gauging how far away the other female is?

"Fallon's childhood...it wasn't exactly idyllic," she starts, not looking at me as she continues to work. "Her father wasn't an easy man. He expected a lot from her from a very young age and didn't give a lot back in return."

"What did he expect from her?" I ask, feeling a stirring of anger. I do not like thinking of Fallon being harmed when she was young and vulnerable. Open to hurt.

"He expected her to work hard always. To be perfect in school, to never be in trouble. To do everything without complaint. Even when she was a small child, and she fell or sustained all the other small wounds children often do, he never gave her a hug or told her he loved her. Like she was a robot who didn't have feelings. One that was only created to work efficiently." Kate's lips compress into a thin line, obviously as disturbed by that line of thought as I am hearing it. "Some people simply aren't meant to be parents." She glances over at me. "Anyway. I just thought you should know."

It is apparently quite clear there is something between Fallon and me, if Kate has decided to tell me this important bit of information. And since I obviously need help, I can only be grateful that Kate has decided to intervene in this small way.

"My thanks," I murmur, wrestling with the emotions the concise story has drawn from me.

I look over at Fallon, her face flushed with the heat as she continues to work quickly alongside Errol.

From Kate's own observations, Fallon's father was a hard man with little empathy. I do not doubt her assessment. Kate is not someone prone to exaggeration, not like this. If what she said is the case, Fallon had a difficult parent, indeed. I try to imagine her as a small child, try to imagine how she must have felt being raised so coldly. Children need discipline, yes. But they also need room to make mistakes, need softness and love to grow into strong, resilient adults.

Now that I know what her childhood must have been like, I can see the scars of it in her now. The hard shell that she shows the world. Her resistance to connect past a certain point. She is protecting herself. Protecting a heart that was bruised too much when she was too young to defend herself properly.

This changes things. Kate was right to tell me this.

My approach was not the right one for someone carrying emotional wounds such as this. But perhaps I could attempt a different approach now. A different manner in which to share my own now slightly hesitant self. I might be hurt again.

The question is, is Fallon worth the risk? Despite the wounds she's dealt me, the answer is quick and sure.

Yes. She is more than worth the risk. I simply need to show her that I am not her father. That I will only treat her with care, that I value all of her. That I care how she feels, what she thinks. That I see her as a full person.

I ruminate on my new approach as I move my hands automatically. We do not talk much more as we finish packing the meat quickly and efficiently, not wanting to waste daylight any more than necessary.

But after we clean off and sit inside the rover, I look over at Fallon next to me.

It is my turn to make an overture. She extended her hand already, whether it was in gratitude or something more.

"Did you sleep well last night, Fallon?" I ask, beginning with something neutral and easy.

She glances over at me, clearly startled at the question. I have been punishing her with distance. But was that wise when that punishment was also hurting me?

"Oh, well, yes," she stumbles through. "How about you? Why did you move to a different cavern?"

Is there a hint of pain in her voice? Or am I simply hoping it is there, that she missed my presence as I missed hers?

"I was restless and did not want to wake any of you." Only partially true. "I did not sleep well. But that was simply because I had other matters on my mind."

"I understand that," she murmurs.

Perhaps she does.

"What were those poles you and Kate used when we were attacked?" I ask, wanting to keep our conversation going.

Fallon flashes a grin at me, her green-blue eyes sparkling. I feel that look jolt through my body, and I know I would do many things to see it again. To see her joyful. Happy.

"Oh, we had those made after reading Penelope's survival book. We've been just prey here on Tajss for too long and wanted a way to fight back." She shrugs. "We're obviously not as strong or as good in a fight as you guys, but at least we aren't just waiting to be saved or killed."

I nod, impressed at the ingenuity. The poles give them reach and would be useful against many kinds of creatures. They chose their weapons well.

"I understand. And both you and Kate were a help in the fight." It is true. I was surprised by how effective the two of them were.

"That's generous of you to say," she responds with a chuckle. "But I know you had to keep an eye on me the entire time."

I nod, remembering the terror inside me as I saw Fallon in harm's way more than once. It is not something I particularly want to repeat.

"Even still," I murmur. "You were not easy prey. And you and Kate were able to kill one of the vtaks on your own. Impressive by any standard."

"It was, wasn't it?" she says, a hint of excitement in her voice. "We're going to have to tell the girls when we get back—they'll be beyond excited to hear the poles actually work!"

I laugh at her enthusiasm as we continue to speak. The conversation actually starts to flow easily now that we are both trying. The rest of the ride to the mining settlement passes much more smoothly than the time in the rover so far this trip. The air between Fallon and me is infinitely less tense, though I can also feel how careful both of us are being with the other. That is fine. This is a start and I am more than happy with that. We have time to learn to be more comfortable in each other's company.

"There is the New Village," Errol announces after some time.

"And there's the welcoming party," Kate adds wryly. "Don't look all that welcoming, do they?"

I look out the front of the rover and see what she is commenting on. The New Village is neither like the Tribe's cave system or like the city. It was built neat and tidy at one point, with public squares and functional buildings, but it was never the high-tech marvel of the city. And it does not have the sturdiness of the natural cave system we live in. It is more vulnerable in every way, but it is still a very large step above having to create something from nothing.

Currently, the New Villagers are waiting just outside their settlement, obviously having spotted us coming from some distance. They do not look at all welcoming, just as Kate noted. At least they have the good sense to have people looking out for threats.

Kate stops the rover with a good distance between the crowd and us. A wise precaution.

"Here we go," she murmurs as one of the human men steps towards us. "Showtime."

"Let us meet him on our feet," Errol says in a low voice.

I murmur my agreement, following him out of the rover. Kate and Fallon step out after us. I resist the urge to tell them to go back into the relative safety of the vehicle. If the group is physically threatening in any way, I know that Errol and I are more than a match for them. And I do not want to undermine either Kate or Fallon's authority in front of these strangers.

The man who stepped in front of the group gives both Errol and me a wary look. This must be Jackson. I was told he was the leader here, though I was also told he had some strong opposition against him in his own group. So a leader, but not one on completely sturdy ground. That is good information to have. An insecure leader is often more volatile and dangerous then one settled into his role.

"What brings you here?" he asks, his tone as unwelcoming as his face. He gives Errol and me another sweeping glance. "This is a human-only settlement," he adds.

How charming.

But I knew before we came that this settlement contains the remnants of Gershom's followers, those that never wanted to work with the Zmaj. Never mind the fact that we are so much better adapted to Tajss and are the reason the humans were able to survive here when they arrived.

In my experience, there is no real reasoning with people who are behaving in a manner that is not logical in the first place. That is likely why Rosalind has resorted to simply sending aid and hoping they will see the error of their ways. I understand bribery, but I also wonder if allowing these people to truly be on their own for a long period of time wouldn't expedite this process. It is difficult to hold on to hate as a group if your bellies are empty.

"We are here on Rosalind's behalf," Errol announces in a clear voice.

The words send a ripple through the crowd, setting off a lot of murmuring as the people look at each other.

"Are you?" Jackson asks, still suspicious.

I understand his wariness when it comes to safety. Leading a group means being careful. More careful than if you were only responsible for yourself. But it does not mean being hostile. Not when those arriving could be there to help, like we are. Another example of hate getting in the way of what these people actually need. I do not know how much respect I can have for a leader who does not always put the needs of his people first. It is his job to steer them in the correct direction.

"Yes," Kate says, ensuring everyone assembled hears her as well. "I have a note signed by both Rosalind and Sarah."

That sends an even larger reaction through the crowd as Kate steps forward with a missive in her hand, Errol keeping step with her. He would never leave his mate vulnerable near potentially hostile people. Jackson takes the note cautiously. The crowd watches as he unfolds it, reading the contents silently.

More than a few keep their eyes trained on Errol and me, suspicious that we are a threat. We could be a threat, so I do not take that suspicion to heart.

I watch Jackson's reaction with the rest, though he is careful not to show much through his expression.

I know everyone here knows Rosalind, but they trust Sarah more.

A dark-haired woman steps to Jackson's side, looking over his shoulder.

"What does it say?" she asks in a low voice.

Jackson looks up. "That they're here to see what progress we've made with our mine." The hostility from the crowd sharpens noticeably. "And that they've brought supplies for us as well."

The hostility shifts once more, this time to something slightly softer.

I am glad we brought food. Without the bribe, I do not feel we would have gotten much farther than this. Though it is still obviously a sensitive situation.

I hear the mutters from the crowd.

"They're just here to steal what we've worked so hard for."

"Do they think they can control us so easily?"

"Jackson can't let them in. That would be..."

It is clear Jackson hears the negative murmurs as well.

But there are also those who are looking back at the rover curiously. Perhaps because of the vehicle itself. But I am guessing also because they want to see what we have brought for them.

I know they must still have some food left—Rosalind gave them enough to last—but they must be watching the stores dwindle. And worrying.

Jackson considers us as he tucks the note into his pocket. Refusing us would be...unwise. Rosalind has a lot more at her disposal than the villagers here do, both in terms of supplies and in terms of force. Humans are simply no match to the Zmaj when it comes to physical prowess. They cannot even properly hunt their own meat here on Tajss.

I know for a fact that the villagers here only survive because Rosalind has been sending aid to them. They could not have fed themselves otherwise. What bargaining power can a group really have if they are so dependent? I know all of that. But I still wait, not knowing what he will decide.

And what will we do if he does refuse? Do we not give them the supplies? Do we go to the mines without their permission? Simply turn around and report back to Rosalind? Luckily, we do not have to make any of those difficult choices.

"Well. Then I suppose we shall allow you to stay here as our guests." He smiles, though there is no true humor or welcome in it. "Temporarily, of course."

"Of course," Kate agrees politely, her voice just as warm as his. Which means not at all. "Thank you for your hospitality."

The edge in the air means I do not relax my guard even though Jackson has agreed to allow us in. I do not trust the control he has over his people, even if I had not heard of the power struggles occurring within the settlement. I make sure to stay near Fallon.

Errol gestures to the rover.

"Perhaps your people would like to help unload the supplies? We have meat that has been smoked and prepared to weather the seasons, as well as fresh vtak meat that should be eaten first."

"Vtak?" Jackson asks.

"We were attacked by those giant birds on the way here," Kate explains. "So now they're food."

People exchange glances, clearly impressed. They must have encountered the birds at some point.

Jackson nods, turning to give out orders to a small group of people who immediately make their way over to the rover. Kate leads them to the back and directs them as to what to take.

I can see the people eyeing the rover itself as well. I understand. The vehicle is arguably more valuable than the food, especially for miners like them. I can only guess they are thinking of how much easier transporting ores would be with a vehicle such as this. But stealing it would be difficult, unless they manage to take the key and the code from Kate, which I sincerely doubt she will give up unless under extreme pressure.

"My people will make use of the meat," Jackson says after we close up the rover. "Come. We are about to have our communal meal. I suppose you are hungry as well after your trip."

"We are. Our thanks," Errol answers for us.

I would rather not eat with people so hostile, but I also know separating ourselves immediately will not endear them to us. So we follow Jackson through the crowd and into the small village.

It looks somewhat worse for the wear. From the dents and damage, I can only surmise the abandoned town was hurt even further by the meteorite showers we have been having recently.

We are led over to a square where food is being prepared. It is obviously from the last shipment that Rosalind sent over to them, but those preparing it still hand us plates begrudgingly. Even though we also just brought them several more months’ worth of food to live on.

I do not understand this level of ungratefulness, but we are not here to understand these people. We are here to lend a helping hand and see what progress they have made in the mines. So our mission is not completely altruistic. Though I doubt they would be more welcoming even if it was.

Errol and I stay near Kate and Fallon the entire time we eat, watching everyone while we do so.

If it would not have been rude, I would not have eaten the food they gave us for fear it was poisoned. The fact that it all came from one communal pot, all made for everyone, is the only thing that does not have me refusing for us anyway.

As soon as we are finished with the meal—which we ate in near silence, Jackson watching us but not bothering with even small talk—we are led over to our rooms.

Or our shared rooms.

There are two small buildings side by side that they have allocated for us, both of them basically having one usable room.

"We have two rooms for you," the man who Jackson assigned to us informs us. "You can decide to bunk how you want," he adds, casting a judgmental stare at both Kate and Fallon, as if they are beneath him for consorting with Zmaj.

I wonder if he understands either Errol or I could break him in half without any strain. Perhaps he would be less openly hateful if he did know.

But we are here to build open lines of communication, not alienate these people further.

Unfortunately.

"Thank you for your help," Kate says coolly. Dismissively.

The man hesitates, but then nods and turns to leave.

By silent agreement, we remain quiet until he is out of range.

"What an asshole," Fallon murmurs, shaking her head.

"We're probably going to have to deal with a lot of that while we're here," Kate points out, her tone resigned. "It's like they can't help themselves. Even though they know they need us, need the help Rosalind provides."

"Idiocy is not something that can be easily remedied," Errol agrees, looking around the room we find ourselves in.

The accommodations leave much to be desired.

There is one thin pallet on the ground and the windows are broken.

If the room was cleaned since the New Villagers first moved here, I do not see much indication of that.

"Do you guys want this room or the other equally unimpressive one we saw before?" Kate asks as she glances around. "Aren't we spoiled for choice?"

Fallon glances over at me and then away again.

"Either is fine," she murmurs, not arguing about how we are dividing up our group.

It only makes sense that Errol would be with his mate.

Errol nods.

"Why do you not remain here? Kate and I will go to the room he showed us first."

I nod as Fallon murmurs her agreement.

"It's decided then. We'll see you in the morning," Kate says, hugging Fallon before stepping away hand in hand with Errol. "I'm beat. At least we're under a roof. Shout if you need us—I'm sure we'll be able to hear you. We have a matching broken window," she observes with humor.

Fallon chuckles.

"All right. Same goes for you guys."

They nod, and with one final wave, leave us, closing the door gently behind themselves.

Closing us into the relative quiet.

Alone.

In our shared space.

I feel nerves and hope rise inside me.

Perhaps this is just the chance I need with Fallon.