"We're almost there," Kate says next to me, the trepidation plain in her voice. A deep vertical line shows between her brows as she looks out. I sympathize with her worry, though my reason is different. My stomach clenches tight with anxiety as I realize the reprieve of the actual journey is over. Now I must face my past, face one of the memories that has plagued me so in the flesh. I do not know how so much joy and anticipation can coincide with such deep apprehension. But they both swirl inside me at the thought of seeing my father.

How will he receive me after so much time? What if he does not want to see me at all? Is not willing to listen to me still, even after everything that has occurred? What if he rejects me completely?

Kate may have an optimistic view of this meeting, but he could very well refuse to engage with me. That possibility haunts me the closer we get to our destination. If he does refuse to speak with me, I cannot force him to. I cannot force him to accept me. Oh, how much I want my father back in my life! I want that steady, loving presence that I remember before my choices tore us apart.

"Uh...Errol?"

I am so worried about the approaching reunion that I do not notice the danger until Kate's words alert me, bring me back to reality, back to the present.

On the other side of the rover’s windshield, a massive head with a short muzzle lowers in front of us, framed by a thick white mane. Slit-pupil eyes peer through the glass. The suns shine against the tough, leathery gray skin, picking out its craggy texture. A mouth opens to reveal razor-sharp teeth, and a deep red tongue flicks out to taste the air.

It is a chatteron. An odd clicking sound from its throat immediately raises my hackles. They make that sound when alerting others of danger. Or prey.

"What do I..."

Kate's question trails off as another creature appears from behind a large rock formation, clearly responding to the clicking alert. Its eyes immediately lock on us as well. I do not need to tell Kate that this is not good.

The second one starts to move towards us, it's loping gait almost lazy as its bird-like paws hit with ground-trembling force. The one in front of us lets out a low rumble, perhaps to encourage the other. It’s not in any kind of hurry. They are too close.

Even if Kate pushes the rover, they will catch us at this distance. They are too large for the rover to run over one, let alone two of them. I calculate all this quickly, my mind running through the facts and arriving at the inevitable conclusion.

Kate. Kate must get away.

I reach back and grab my lochaber as I bark out orders.

"Reverse! Accelerate as hard as you can!" I open the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" she demands frantically, reaching over clasp her hand over my forearm in a surprisingly strong grip.

"I will distract them while you escape," I say grimly, squeezing her hand briefly before peeling it off firmly. "There is no time to argue. Go!"

I step out of the rover and shut the door over Kate's protest. There is no more time to spend on talking if she is to survive—and she will survive. I will see to it.

I swing the lochaber in a circle, adjusting my grip so I can hold it in both hands. This is not a fight I can win. But sometimes winning is not the prize, is it?

Taking a bracing breath, I launch myself toward the chatterons, using my wings to help me leap faster. I push my body hard, the base of my wings burning, my thighs coiling hard as I land only to jump once more. The faster I close the distance, the farther away they will be from the rover and Kate when I head them off, giving Kate the best chance of escape. The thought of her adds that extra bit of speed that I can never achieve otherwise.

I reach the first one. It does not bother to slow its stride at my appearance. In fact, it is going significantly faster.

I grip the lochaber tightly, angling my body to slide down low, barely avoiding its snapping teeth. I slice at one of its legs with my blade as I push through the front ones. It roars at the cut but swings around easily as I come out behind it, traversing the entire length of its body.

The cut was not deep enough to impede its movement, but I have successfully diverted its attention from the rover, which was my main goal, so I count it a success.

Run, Kate!

It snaps at me again, but I am not there, I am running towards the second one. It slows, glancing between me and the rover, as if it is now uncertain which to choose. I need to help it make up its mind.

It turns its head back towards the rover. No. I increase my speed, the other chatteron on my heels. That one has no trouble deciding which of us to target. Now that I have wounded it, it will not cease until it has me between its jaws. I can feel its hot, moist breath as it nears, gaining ground with its much longer stride.

I leap, flaring out my wings to help give me lift. I land on the second one's back and run up its spine to its head. With a grunt of effort, I swing the lochaber up and slam the butt of it down on the back of its thick skull.

A resounding crack and the reverberation that travels through the staff of the weapon and into my arms signals a direct, forceful hit. The beast shudders under me, feeling the impact keenly as it comes to a halt. It rears back its head and I lose my balance, falling onto my back and cracking my head. Stars dance across my vision as I scrabble to stay on top, but I find no purchase.

Sliding off the side, I slam to the ground, knocking the wind out of myself. The ground trembles and I know the other one is rushing after me. I hear the huff of its breath and climb unsteadily to my feet, knowing I will likely be too late, but satisfied that Kate will escape with her life.

That is my only goal at this point.

I watch as it opens its mouth wide, displaying its glistening teeth. Its neck is already pulled back in preparation for the strike.

I bring my lochaber up horizontally, my only defense, and a meager one at that. My hearts are pounding, my grip slipping slightly from my own sweat. But I refuse to simply give up. The chatteron will have to work for its meal today, because I will not be soft food.

I brace myself, knowing this is likely the end, but determined to inflict damage, to keep the attention on me as long as possible. I am ready, fully committed to what is about to happen as the stink of its rotting previous meal wafts over me.

Just as it lurches to the side.

I blink at the unexpected reprieve, my body moving before I know what’s happened. I leap off the back of the chatteron, flaring my wings to slow my descent.

I land in a crouch, my eyes meeting Kate's determined ones through the rover's windshield.

The back of the rover is still up against the chatteron's leg, a slight dent in the body where she hit it. And probably saved my life.

What is that that vehicle made of?

I shake my head at her, panic bursting in my chest. She should already be a safe distance away!

"Move!" I yell at her, waving my arms. "Go!"

The beast could step on her, swipe the vehicle and send it rolling, rendering it useless. Kate wastes no time following my order, the vehicle scooting away quickly as the irritated beast turns to her. It is favoring the leg she hit. Perhaps it is not simply irritated but wounded. Good.

Unfortunately, the distraction takes my attention away from the danger of the second chatteron. A heavy weight crashes into my side, throwing me a good distance away.

Have I learned nothing about a battle? The first rule we learn as children is to never let down our guard, never allow ourselves to be distracted from our opponents. But that rule didn't take Kate into account.

I struggle to breathe as I land hard on the sand, calling myself all sorts of names as I turn just in time to avoid damage to my wings. The landing still hurts, though. I feel as though I need help to fully re-inflate my smashed lungs. But I do not have time to catch my breath, not with a chatteron coming straight at me. I struggle to my feet. I am slow. I am feeling the blow I took. I can barely breathe. Waiting until the last second, more out of necessity than real planning, I dive out of the way, the large creature sweeping just past me. It passes so close that the wind it makes ruffles my hair.

I use the moment it needs to regroup to rush past it, straight to the one still chasing Kate. It does not take long for the one who just missed to turn and follow me again, its lumbering footsteps loud and much too familiar at this point.

I watch, horrified, as the other chatteron nears the rover, its long stride eating up the distance even though Kate is obviously pushing her vehicle as hard as she can.

I am not going to make it in time. That is clear. Still, I refuse to give up.

Legs and lungs burning, I try to squeeze every last ounce of speed out of my body, but it is as though I am not moving at all.

I calculate the distance between the chatteron and the rover. It diminishes rapidly even as I watch. Two more strides. Two more strides and it will be able to topple the thing with a push from its head or a kick from its meaty leg. With Kate inside.

I blink as something suddenly shades my eyes from the glaring light of the suns. Then I see a shadow gliding above me, wings spread. What...?

I look up but cannot see well when the sunlight is no longer obstructed by the form. I shift my attention when the dark shape lands on the back of the chatteron chasing Kate. It is a fellow Zmaj warrior. Hope flares inside me.

He rises from his crouch and stabs down at the thick skull with the blade of his weapon, the sun finally shining directly on his face.

A painfully familiar face.

I stumble, but quickly right myself again. My eyes widen as I watch my father run down the creature's back, his weapon coated in blood, his body as agile as I remember.

It’s as if no time at all has passed. The decades apart dissolve as I watch him, my mind almost separating from my body as it continues to move of its own accord.

Then my eye falls on the rover again, and I am firmly back in my body. I cannot be anywhere else until Kate has made it to safety, despite her apparent efforts to avoid just that outcome.

Father has wounded the creature, badly, but it is not done fighting yet, and the one following me is still in perfect health.

Leaving the other to Father, I whirl around and run right back at the other beast, freed from having to worry about them both at once. The beast does not expect the abrupt change in direction. It is unable to stop its forward momentum as I run under its head and stab upwards, as hard and deep as I can from that angle.

The blade jerks forward with my own forward momentum, cutting a deep slice, blood spilling out onto the sand in a hot rush. I jerk my weapon out, tasting iron as I scramble to get out from under the beast while its great body shudders above me. Now that I can focus on one alone, I have an actual chance to succeed. With that in mind, I focus, cutting out all other distractions.

Moving quickly, I slice at the back of the chatteron’s legs to hinder movement, stab at its vulnerable underbelly as it slows from blood loss. Eventually, all the wounds add up, big and small, until even a beast that large cannot continue on.

The chatteron slowly falls to the ground, its eyes still focused on me even as the light inside them fades. I do not wait to see more. As soon as that threat is gone, I search for the rover.

There. It's positioned some distance away, seemingly whole and relatively undamaged.

The remaining chatteron falls even as I turn to search for it next. Father stands silhouetted on top, riding the creature down to the ground, his lochaber buried deep. He pulls it out with a hard jerk once it lands.

The rover's door opens and Kate steps out, her eyes scanning me before going to Father. I walk over to her, still feeling the rage of the battle pumping through my veins.

"Are you hurt?" I ask when I reach her, my eyes searching her body for any sign of new wounds.

"No," she says, hugging me back when I wrap my arms around her. "Not a scratch, thanks to you and Gomul. What about you?" she asks, pulling back. "Are you hurt?"

"Nothing more than bruises," I reassure her. Which is a miracle in and of itself. If my father had not arrived when he did-- I turn as I hear his footsteps nearing, almost as if I've summoned him. His face is reserved, his eyes focused on me. Is he happy to see me? Simply surprised? Or something more negative? There is no way to tell what he is thinking.

"Thank you, Gomul," Kate offers as he nears. "I don't know what we would have done without you. How did you know we needed help?"

"I was keeping watch on the chatterons, making certain they did not become a danger to us in the tunnels," he explains, turning his attention briefly to her. "I am glad that I was."

That statement could be directed at Kate alone. This is not the reunion I would have hoped for, even apart from the fight for our lives, which I suppose would be reason enough. Perhaps I need to put myself forward first. Letting go of my hold on Kate, I take a step towards him.

"Thank you, Father," I say, when he meets my eyes again. "I...it is good to see you."

I take another step forward, wondering if he will reject me, if I came all this way simply to find I should not have bothered after all. That fear is a pit in my stomach.

But, to my amazement he does not rebuff me. Taking a step to meet me in the middle, he silently pulls me into a tight hug, holding me close.

"Likewise, Son."

I shut my eyes tight at the acknowledgment, overcome. He lets me go after a long moment, turning away.

"Come. I do not want to remain here in the open if there are more in their group I have not yet seen. Let us take shelter inside."

"Why don't we just take the rover in?" Kate says. "I need to get it to shelter too."

He looks over at the vehicle. "Very well," he agrees easily.

We all get into the rover, the strangeness of having my father so close not dissipating as we drive the short distance remaining. Is this how we will be around each other now? Slightly formal, somewhat tense? Is this all that is left for us?

"Here we are," Kate says next to me.

The nerves again replace the relief of survival in her voice as she guides the rover into a shaded entryway that leads down. She stops it not far down the steep path.

"Don't want to freak anyone out by going in too far," she says, giving me a strained smile before opening the door and stepping out.

Fair enough. I open my own door and step out with her, my eyes adjusting to the relative dimness.

Just then, a group of females arrive, brandishing an array of weapons.

"Stay back!" the one in front warns, her eyes focused on me. "We will use lethal force!"

Ah. This must be Annabel. Her hair is a bright, sunlight color, her face showing the same pale thinness that Kate's did when I first met her. She is clearly stiff with fright, but she has donned a brave face and is nevertheless at the front of the group, a quality I can appreciate—despite what other characteristics she lacks.

One would be intelligence, clearly. I arrived with Kate and Gomul, both of whom she must know. Is this only posturing?

When I glance at the other human females, they appear equally weak and unhealthy. It truly is a testament to them they have managed to survive so long without epis. Likely staying down here out of the sun is the reason why it was even possible.

I do not have time to marvel at that now. How am I going to defuse this situation? They have reason to be frightened of a strange Zmaj appearing, I suppose. I could crush all of them quite easily, and they do not know I have no intention of hurting any of them.

However, I soon realize I do not have to find a way to appear harmless—which is good. I do not think I could have accomplished such a feat.

Kate steps in front of me, her spine straight, her eyes meeting Annabel's unflinchingly. My own personal heroine. I keep my smile inside, not wanting to belittle her stand even as pride suffuses me. Brave, intelligent, caring. My mate's list of attributes is long indeed.

"You're not afraid of my mate, are you Annabel?" she asks in a clear voice, pitched to carry to all listening.

The shock on all their faces is quite clear, even without the sudden silence that descends. Ah, I understand. Down here, they have not seen such a pairing before, even though it has become a familiar sight to their counterparts in my community and the city.

"Your mate?" Annabel scoffs after she recovers, turning her attention to Kate. "Are you an animal lover now, Kate?"

I raise a brow at the insult, surprised at the ugliness of the jab, but I do not respond. I will allow Kate to steer this meeting how she desires. She knows this group best after all. People say and do things when they are frightened that they are not proud of later. That may not be the case with Annabel, but I will give her the benefit of the doubt for now.

"Is that what you would call Gomul?" Kate counters, her eyes narrowing at Annabel as she gestures to Father. She does not like how Annabel referred to me. Not one bit. It is odd to have her defending me, but it also warms me in a wonderful manner. "If so, it's because of an animal like Errol that any of us are still alive. Or do you not realize that?"

The other females shift restlessly behind Annabel as she flushes with embarrassment, her eyes bouncing from Gomul, who I am not sure she noticed before, back to the group she is supposed to be leading.

I can see from this short interaction alone that the self-proclaimed leader is not quite suited to the job she so clearly wants to hold at all costs, including the well-being of those she should be caring for.

As I watch Kate and Annabel face each other, I notice the contrast. The juxtaposition of the two females is quite striking. Kate herself is a true portrait of a heroine with strength and grace, facing the mean-spirited woman with a clear understanding of who she is and what she stands for, even when her positions are difficult.

Something else is also clear now that I see them face to face. Annabel may have had some power over Kate once to hold her here in these tunnels for so long, but no more. That power is glaring in its loss, and Annabel is not likely to regain it.

By the way Annabel's lips thin while she glares at Kate, I can also see that she realizes what she has lost. She does not relinquish that power easily, does not simply accept the loss. It hurts her ego, her feeling of self-worth. So she lashes out.

This time she alters her approach, deciding to argue about whether the Zmaj are animals is a losing battle. She is correct.

"I told you if you left that you would not be welcome back," she announces instead, her tone strident as she raises it above the mutters of her own group.

"But don't you want to hear what we found out there?" Kate counters, her eyes drifting over the entire group rather than just Annabel. Appealing to everyone. That will not go over well with Annabel, but I am beginning to see that nothing will be acceptable to her. "Why the others aren't with me?"

The humans start to murmur among themselves again, louder this time, their feet scuffing at this provocative question. I also see them scanning Kate, realizing how much healthier she looks than they do. Wondering why.

Annabel jerks her head from Kate to the other females, no doubt seeing what I am observing. She knows she is losing control by the moment, and her response is more anger. Is that the only way she knows how to respond to anything? Some problems aren't solvable through bludgeoning alone. She should have learned that by now.

"You aren't welcome—" she starts again, her voice rising even higher. At this point, she is almost screaming, her face flushing an ugly red. I wince. Luckily, I do not have to listen for long. Her shrill voice is cut off abruptly by another one, a deeper, calmer one, one that strikes at the heart of me in its familiarity.

"Errol?" I look over at the authoritative voice. Father has clearly had enough of this ridiculous standoff. "Come, my son. Let us continue to my tunnel where we may talk."

"What?" Annabel asks sharply as I turn to follow the ghost from my past who stands in front of me, actual flesh and blood. "You can't just let him in here, Gomul! It isn't safe, and it isn't very considerate of you! I don't..."

She continues her complaints, but I tune her out as Father begins to speak.

"Do not mind her," Gomul says as she continues to voice her displeasure. "She is not secure in her authority—with good reason, of course. It pushes her to lash out when it is not necessary, an empty attempt to hold on to her perceived power." He pauses, raising a brow as she continues behind us even though we are clearly no longer listening. "It can be...a bit off-putting," he adds, a hint of irritation finally entering his voice.

He does appear to sum up the situation quite well. And there is no way for Annabel to stop either Father or me. So I take his advice and ignore her tirade. There is nothing I could say that would improve matters. Not when Annabel seems to react to every statement with more anger.

However, I do worry for someone else. But when I glance back at Kate, she gives me a subtle nod, reassuring me she can handle the irate woman.

And I trust her to be able to do so.