lighten the sky and I breathed in the crisp, refreshing air, a smile crossing my face. It was my favorite time of day. When the world was slow and peaceful.
Kiran had liked the mornings as well, I remembered. It was when we’d always gone on our runs together.
Taking in a deep breath, I shook my head, darting down the stairs of our home, the soft soles of my hide boots hitting the stone. The buildings of the saruk towered over me as I made my way down the main road of the outpost. Windows were dark, though curls of grey smoke rose from venting holes.
I snuck out of the west gate, nearest the pyroki enclosures, passing my hand over a few curious pyrokis’ sharp snouts when they came to greet me. Then, before me, all I saw was the open beauty of the south lands with Drukkar’s Sea winding to my left, as far as I could see.
The forest of Isida lay to the northeast. That was my destination. My hair was a tangled dark mess, since I hadn’t brushed it in my rush this morning, and I wrapped it with a thin cord I always kept with me, keeping it pulled back from my face.
Once it was secured, I started to run, slowly at first, until my muscles warmed and my limbs loosened. My satchel bobbed at my hip. The brown hide bandeau across my breasts kept them tight against me. My boots were light, the soles striking Kakkari’s earth gently.
My heart started pumping, quicker and quicker. My smile widened and I looked up at the brightening sky, feeling lighter than air as I pushed myself faster. My feet hitting the soil of the south lands matched the throbbing of my heart. Like Dakkar’s heartbeat was matching my own.
The forest was rooted a half hour away from the saruk, but I took a longer route, winding through the dark bluffs closest to the sea before I cut inland where the cliffs jutted out further, running over grassy land, the tall stalks of the runiri tickling my bare abdomen as I passed.
My delighted laugh was carried away by a strong gust of wind that was blowing in from the west, blowing large strands of my hair out from the cord. Even inland, I could smell the saltiness of the sea, could hear the crashing of the waves, the sound of which seemed to stretch for miles, even to the Isida forest.
Perfection.
How did I ever get so lucky, to live in such a beautiful place?
The south lands were called Kakkari’s haven, after all. Because it was where Kakkari’s earth met Drukkar’s Sea.
Just as the forest of Isida came into view, with its tall black trees that seemed to form a wall across the land, I heard it.
A pained, roaring bellow funneled towards me.
And the sound of a creature I’d never heard before, like a hiss that seemed to shake the ground.
Whatever it was wiped my smile away. My stomach dropped. I froze, scanning the horizon, turning this way and that way as I tried to determine where the noises had come from.
Then, to the far east, I saw a plume of dust kicking up from the ground, dark figures in the distance, though they were too far away to see them clearly.
To my disbelief, what I did see clearly was a massive, taloned, scaly creature—a polkunu—and then I heard Dakkari male shouts and figures surrounding it.
“Nik,” I breathed, fear running hot in my veins when the polkunu let out a roaring hiss and slashed at one of the males before rearing back on its long hind legs.
I feared it was the hunting party returning early, though we hadn’t expected them for another week.
Father.
Nevir.
Though a ray of sunlight temporarily blinded me, I sprinted towards the group, trying to keep an eye on the polkunu, a creature I’d never seen before, though I recognized it by its curved talons alone. My father had always told me they were peaceful beasts, that they were hard to hunt because they spooked easily.
Why is it this far south? I wondered in panic, pushing my body harder, the group coming into view more clearly. It was so close to the saruk.
I saw the glint of a long, golden spear in the sunlight. A Dakkari male roared as he struck the polkunu with it. The creature hissed, rearing back again to escape a second jab from the spear, but this time, it began to retreat. It was easily