The woman seemed confused by the conversation. I’m sure it’s the first time a man had addressed her with such informality andck of fear.


    “Ciara,” Rhane said to me, “press here… a little harder… good now hold that pressure until I tell you.”This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Rhane backed away and came to stand on Kana’s good side. “I need to help my Brother with your Sister’s injuries,” he said. “Rest here and let Ciara hold the pressure. I’ll be back.”


    The Healer left quickly to go assist his Brother and I was left with a very confused looking woman. I shifted slightly and my belly caught her gaze.


    “Are you continuing the task Nu-reeh set for you? I see you are carrying another child for them, ve,” she addressed me.


    I didn’t have time to answer as a beaded woman on a b just next to us growled a response.


    “There are no ves in this camp, cousin. We saved you, so respect our ways. That is a free creature that chose to help you,” she said harshly.


    The new woman, Kana, seemed taken aback for a moment before rephrasing the question.


    “You are carrying a child, human. Do they force you to breed as well?”


    The woman behind me grunted, but I spoke quickly.


    “I love my men, Kana,” I said politely. “It is a pleasure me for to carry their offspring. None of us here is forced to breed, we all do so because we choose it.”


    Kana looked quizzically at me with her good eye as Rhane reappeared. The Healer removed the cloth I was using for pressure and examined his work. He wrapped her head and facial wounds before addressing her.


    “Lay still, Kana,” hemanded sternly. “If you sit up or walk the stitching will not hold. Stay here until the sun rises, your wounds should be better by then. I judge you will be well enough to go out and fight in two or three day cycles. I am cing a cloth over your eyes. I wish you to keep them closed as much as you can. Not moving your eyes will assist in the healing.”


    Kana bristled visibly at what was certainly amand, but she didn’t speak. The Healer tied a band around her head. I saw two patches set in the fabric, those were fitted over her eyes. She would be blind with this on, but again, she did notin.


    “Your Sisters will also live,” Rhanemented. “They will take longer to heal. You all will fight for us again, just let us make you stronger first.”


    Rhane left abruptly as more women were brought into the hall. I gathered up what had been left around Kana and tided up her b a bit.


    “Would you like a drink of water?” I asked her suddenly.


    She paused a moment before answering. “Yes, that would be good.”


    I got the jug and brought it to her. She opened her mouth and I poured in a good portion. Kana swallowed and we repeated several times. Once she was done, she requested water for her Sisters.


    It was a strange and taxing day. I worked as hard as I could, just like my family was doing. Our jobs were markedly different though.


    Damien and his Brothers were not fighting like they had the day before. Much of the battle was happening far above them. They seemed to only be doing the cleanup work on the aliens the women shot out of the sky. It gave the men from the camps a chance to check the vige and thepound.


    My connection to my men faded in and out. Through Evan, I still felt Jonathan, he was alive, but I didn’t know anything else. It was frustrating, but I just focused on praying for my son in the few moments I had to myself.


    Hannah and Kennedy sent brief messages to me. They were staying near where my men were stationed. Everyone was working hard to keep the men in the Barnaspound safe.


    Through the rest of the day and the next night we were very busy. Rose and I were sent to our rooms to sleep at the dawn of the next day. We were both so tired, I barely remembered the strange dreams I had of my men. They were soaring in a tight space with little light, but I felt no fear, only a strong concern. It was a strange dream and I could not ce its significance.


    Rose and I woke to a bigmotion. I had no conception of time, but Rose did. She guessed it about midday and said we should get back to work.


    We ran out and toward the healing area. Only half of the torches were lit and the skylight above was long ago closed. The passageway inside the mountain was dark and foreboding, much more so than it had been. Iid a hand on my gun and removed it from it’s holster. Something felt wrong.


    The yelling started and Rose and I froze. Several gun sts echoed in the passageway. They seemed to being from the main entrance. My senses sharpened and I saw the world as my family did.


    Rose turned and faced away from me, so we were back to back. We wanted to move closer to the wall, but before we could a creature rose from it’s hiding ce behind one of the fire pits.


    A tongue flicked out past the wicked teeth in the creature’s snout and I met the yellow stare of the strangest thing I’d ever seen. It dwarfed me significantly, but it was not very wide. Long arms with sharp tips on the end slid out of it’s skin and rose into the air like weapons. The creature seemed to move even when standing still. Whatever it was almost vibrated with some half contained energy.


    Rose and I stood our ground as it suddenly appeared to the right of where it had been. Now I could see all of it. The thick snake like body of it’s lower half slithered with amazing speed. It shifted and swayed before rapidly moving left and forward.


    It wasing for us and quickly. The thing knew it was no longer hidden, but it seemed to smirk at the knowledge. I couldn’t speak itsnguage, but the soundsing from it sounded as though it knew it had won already.


    The weapon in my hands went off and I just missed the creature as it slid right and then forward. My st hit the wall behind the thing. It moved so fast, I’d never be able to hit it where it stood.


    Try to hit where it is going to be, I suddenly realized.


    My next st was a sess. The thing moved left, as I thought it would, beforeing forward. The gun I carried tore off a huge chunk of its side. The thing screamed and made a desperate attempt to dart into a room off the main hall.


    A woman dropped from above quite suddenly. Shended between me and the aggressor. Her talons made short work of the damaged creature.