Callie and Josie had been fortunate, although they landed hard on the ground in this new world, they had landed in the middle of some mahogany-type shrubs. They couldn’t see out but she assumed because they couldn’t see out that no one could see in. The problem was that they had landed with just her and Josie and Alex. Zeus wasn’t with them.

  “Mom, where is dad?” Josie whispered next to her, fear in her small voice.

  ”I don’t know,” Callie said quietly back as she looked around. There was a small gap in the shrubs just to her front right. Callie moved slowly towards the gap.

  ”My Lady,” Alex sighed next to her.

  ”I need to go look,” Callie replied quietly patting the creature on the head, “Stay with Josie.”

  Alex nodded as he let go of her leg.

  ”Mom, I’m scared,” Josie said.

  ”I know,” Callie said, then decided to add, “I am too. I need to see where we are though. Can you stay here with Alex?”

  Josie nodded and Callie crouched next to the small opening. She looked through it, all she could see were more shrubs, so she decided to peek her head out and look around. As Callie did she heard a small cry from behind her. Callie took a look and saw Josie crying quietly, Alex was looking at her and rubbing her arm. Callie stuck her head out of the gap and looked around. It looked like another layer of shrubs, so she stepped through. She stopped and looked around now that she had a full view of this second layer. She saw a gap in the shrubs to her left, but she couldn’t see what it opened up to, and to her right it looked like a trail through the shrubs that went around a corner.

  Callie stuck her head back through the gap to Josie and Alex and motioned, “Come, follow me.”

  Josie got up and followed, holding Alex’s hand as she went. Alex had a slight limp on his left side, the landing must have been really hard on him too. When both of them were through the opening and into the second layer with Callie, she took Josie’s other hand and gently led her to the opening to the left. Callie looked back at Josie, trying to give her a reassuring smile before she looked through the gap.

  It opened into a forest with limbed up trees and very little shrub growth outside of the stand they were in. Callie tried to look around a little bit without peeking her head out of the entrance. She still held Josie’s hand, Josie was lightly squeezing and releasing Callie’s hand in a rhythm as they stood there.

  Callie was about to retreat back into the shrubs when she saw the branches move on the small shrubs a little ways in front of the opening. Callie prepared herself to grab Josie and run back into the center of the shrubs. But then Zeus came leaping out of the shrub with Josie’s stuffed cat in his mouth. After landing he looked around sniffing the air, Callie relaxed. As she did Zeus saw her peeking through the opening.

  “MOM!” Zeus yelled though muffled by the stuffed animal in his mouth. He came sprinting full pace through the opening at Callie.

  Josie, seeing her stuffed animal in Zeus' mouth, stopped her streaming tears and cheerfully screamed, “FLUFFBUTT!”

  Callie reached over to calm her daughter, but the damage was done. Between Zeus and Josie, both screaming Callie heard voices yelling in the distance. Callie took a look behind her now at what she was presuming was a game trail of some sort. That would mean the small cleared space was probably a resting or sleeping position for some sort of creature. Not wanting to expose them to whatever was yelling in the distance, she grabbed one of Josie’s hands and started heading for where the trail disappeared.

  “Mom! I need Fluffbutt from Zeus!” Josie cried.

  “Josie, quiet please. Zeus, release,” Callie said quietly as she stopped just long enough for Zeus to give Josie the animal, “Good Zeus, follow.”

  And she was off leading her daughter down an unknown trail deeper into a shrub stand in a world she didn’t know. Callie thought of how absurd the whole thing was as she got to where the path turned. Thankfully it turned but was still surrounded by shrubs. There were some thinner spots where she could vaguely see the forest on the other side, but not enough that she didn’t feel okay walking her daughter along the trail.

  A few steps after the first turn, the path turned again, this time she could see there was a small gap in the shrubs. Just big enough to see the forest clearly through it though. The path continued past the gap but it turned again, almost like it was making a big circle around the center clearing. Callie could just barely see someone dressed in military-style garb walking through the trees. It didn’t look like he was walking towards them though. He did have a rifle and was scanning the area. Callie recognized that look from what Kane had done the few times they went hunting together. Or maybe a better description would be, when Kane couldn’t find a friend to go with him so he recruited Callie to go.

  As Callie debated what to do next she saw a second soldier appear from behind some trees following the first. This one didn’t have his rifle up but was still scanning like the other. Callie had to make a decision.

  She turned around and whispered to Josie, “Okay, I need you to go stand over there when I tell you too,” Callie pointed to a spot on the other side of the gap, “Can you do that?”

  Josie nodded her head, but hugged her stuffed cat close to her face and chest.

  “Okay, Alex, I want you to go with her,” Callie continued in her whispered tone.

  “Yes, My Lady,” Alex whispered back.

  “Zeus, you come with me,” Callie sternly whispered to the dog.

  Zeus made no reply but just sat there panting with his tongue long and drooping. Callie nodded and then turned to look through the gap. She was waiting for neither of the soldiers to be looking their way. When she saw them both turn, something catching their attention to their left, Callie patted Josie’s hand.

  Josie moved quickly to the spot Callie had directed her to. Alex quickly limped behind her. Zeus gave out a small whine at not being able to follow. Unfortunately that caught the attention of the first soldier who quickly brought up his rifle and started scanning the area that he thought the noise had come from.

  “Shh!” Callie quietly said to the dog, feeling her heart rate skyrocket.

  Zeus laid down next to her, his ears still alert. Callie could barely breathe as she watched the soldier scan at least three more times before lowering his rifle slowly and continuing in the direction he had been going. Callie exhaled and waited for the other soldier to be looking away before she too crossed the gap with Zeus.

  Callie hugged Josie lightly and then grabbed her hand and continued the two paces to the next curve in the trail. They heard rifles firing ahead of them, but the shrubs and the forest were throwing the noises oddly. At some points it sounded like the gun shots were all around them, then other shots sounded distant. Callie couldn’t tell how close or how far the shots were. Callie stopped seeing the thin spots in the outer shrub layer. She also saw there was a thin spot leading further into the shrubs, and that the area between the layers of shrubs widened.

  “Mom,” Josie let out a small whine.

  Callie turned and knelt down next to her daughter hugging her.

  “I need to go potty,” Josie whispered in her moms ear. Callie could almost bust out laughing at the notion. A firefight was going on somewhere close by and Josie had to pee.

  “Why don’t you go through that small gap and see if there is a spot,” Callie leaned back a little and whispered while pointing to the thin spot in the inner shrub layer. Josie nodded her head and then slowly moved towards the spot.

  Thankfully Josie didn’t make much noise as she moved through the branches. Alex went right up to the spot she went through but Callie tapped him on the shoulder and shook her head. Josie didn’t need to be watched by Alex during this moment.

  Josie poked her head back through the branches and quietly said, “I found a spot.”

  “Okay, go ahead, I’ll wait here,” Callie whispered back with a small smile on her face.

  Callie could still hear the gunfire in the distance but at least from the angle they were at it didn’t sound too close. A breath later Callie heard the sound of Josie relieving herself and smiled. The small act felt normal in the chaos.

  Then Callie heard the voices. The soldiers sounded like they were just on the other side of the branches from them. Callie held her breath hoping they didn’t hear her daughter and didn’t come looking.

  No such luck, one of the voices was definitely getting closer. Callie looked down to see the concerned look on Alex’s face. Callie nodded her head towards where Josie was and thankfully Alex read her mind and went through the shrubs to Josie.

  “Hey!” Callie heard Josie quietly say.

  “Shit!” was all Callie could think as she heard the gunfire in the distance had stopped at the moment Josie spoke. The voices on the other side of the shrubs stopped. Callie held her breath for what felt like forever before she heard movement through the branches. Then she saw the muzzle of a rifle three quarters of the way to where the path disappeared again. Callie exhaled lightly so she wouldn’t pass out and took another slow breath just praying Josie wouldn’t make a noise. What probably was only a few seconds felt like minutes as Callie waited for more than just the muzzle to come through the shrubs. Then she heard more voices.

  It sounded like the closest soldier was directing the other soldier to do something. Callie couldn’t tell what they were saying with how quiet they were being, but she could tell whatever was said the second soldier didn’t agree with.

  Their voices raised just enough for Callie to hear, “You do as I tell you.”

  Followed by, “You aren’t my sergeant.”

  The muzzle disappeared and Callie heard a *thunk* followed by a small whelp.

  “Fucking fine,” was all she heard before the muzzle returned and was followed by the rest of the rifle and a soldier.

  Zeus started to growl as he saw the hands appear and Callie instinctively knelt down and grabbed his collar. Upon hearing the growl the soldier stopped just enough that Callie could see he was a young man. Zeus stopped his growl but his hackles were fully up and his ears were plastered back with his teeth fully showing. The soldier wasn’t into the shrub clearing enough to be able to see Callie and Zeus. After a moment the soldier walked all the way through into the open area.

  Callie couldn’t hold Zeus back. Zeus sprinted and launched himself at the soldier's arm that was holding the rifle. The scream of the soldier caused the other to come crashing through the shrubs. He crashed through between Zeus and Callie, not seeing Callie at all. Callie thanked her stars for that, but now she was separated from Zeus. Callie froze not knowing what to do.

  What happened next was a whirlwind of Zeus growling and biting. The two soldiers trying to get Zeus off of the one he was attached to. Then Kane came busting through the shrubs taking out both soldiers before Callie could even fully comprehend what happened. Callie finally felt her breath return as she stood up.

  “Kane!!!” Callie screamed in relief but before the name was fully out of her mouth Kane had dropped to his knees. Callie didn’t even have a moment to step forward as she caught Kane’s eyes as they glazed over and he pitched forward onto the ground.

  “NO! KANE!” Callie ran over to her husband, “No, no, no, please, please! I need you!”

  “Mom!” Josie quietly cried with fear in her voice as Callie heard the rustling of the leaves of the shrubs behind her.

  Callie ignored her as she knelt next to Kane and turned him gently over. She started frantically searching for a pulse but Kane was covered in sweat and was so cold to the touch. Callie saw the water droplets on Kane’s clothes not realizing she was crying until she saw those drops hit. Callie let out a scream that shook up birds in the distance, she heard them squawking and leaves moving. She hadn’t heard the birds before that moment, were they just that quiet or had she just not been paying attention.

  Callie collapsed onto Kane’s chest as she heard more bodies come through the shrubs. Callie realized she should probably look up, but if Kane wasn’t alive she didn’t care, if they were more soldiers, let them take them. As Callie felt herself let go, letting the fear and devastation take her she felt a long-fingered but steady head grab her shoulder.

  “Come, let us look at him,” she heard Jonah say as he lightly tugged on her shoulder, “Let seniores take a look.”

  Callie brought her head up a little. What she saw made her scramble backwards out of fear. There was a giant lizard head sticking through the newly formed opening in the shrubs. Callie let out a scream as she backed into Jonah’s half kneeling body. Eliza was standing next to the lizard's head looking down at her dad’s body with an expression of fear and devastation.

  “Seniores will look,” Jonah said again.

  The lizard was now through the shrub layer enough that Callie could see it looked like a komodo dragon, but the colors were more vibrant than the dull greens and browns of the komodo back on their Earth. As the lizard stuck its tongue out towards Kane, Callie scrambled back to Kane’s motionless body trying to cover him before the lizard touched him.

  Callie wasn’t fast enough the tongue from the lizard lashed out and licked along the side of Kane’s arm and up to his face before retracting back. The lizard dropped his head closer to the ground as Callie put herself over Kane, she was careful not to put her full weight on him.

  As Callie glared at the bowing form of the lizard she heard the whimpering of Zeus next to her. Callie heard Josie start crying behind her. That was enough to shake her from her need to protect Kane and she turned to look at Zeus and Josie.

  Josie was kneeling next to a bloody and panting Zeus.

  “Mom, help, please,” Josie cried softly looking up at her mom.

  Callie hesitated and looked back down at Kane, his face pale. Callie started crying but moved away from Kane and shuffled over to Josie and Zeus.

  As she shuffled Callie thought about the notification she had gotten saying that she had used all of her first level spells. She was wondering if she had any other spells available when words came into her vision.

  “Okay, that only kind of helps me,” Callie thought as tilted her head so she could get to her spell menu.

  Callie saw the CURE WOUNDS spell and reached out to touch Zeus. She closed her menu and cast the spell. Zeus’ panting slowed and she could see some of the wounds starting to close up. He was still bleeding but it at least looked like he wouldn’t die.

  “Lay still Zeus,” Callie said gently to the dog as she lifted her hands, “He will be okay Josie.”

  Josie nodded at her mom, tears still coming down her face, “And dad?” she asked.

  Callie looked back over at Kane’s body, “I . . . I don’t know.” It hurt Callie so badly in her heart to say that to her child, to their child, but she really didn’t know. She couldn’t find a pulse, and she couldn’t see breathing under his armor plates. She couldn’t bring herself to say he was dead, and she really didn’t know. The lizard had lifted its head by this point and was looking at Callie.

  It was at that moment that Callie realized that the lizard had human-like eyes. It didn’t have the black orbs or slitted eyes of the lizards she was used to. The eyes were green-blue and they had pupils. Lizards didn’t have pupils.

  “He won’t live long without healing. You need to cast RESTORE or he will not make it to the coetus . . . the gathers. He needs more than one,” the lizard said to her but Callie had no idea how its mouth didn’t move as the words came to her ears.

  Callie was frozen until she felt the small hand on her arm, “Mom, help dad,” Josie said as she gently squeezed and released Callie’s arm a couple of times.

  Callie shook her head and then went back to Kane’s body. She looked down at him and then up at the lizard. She saw Eliza just to the lizards left with her head drooping to her chest clutching her stuffed bear tightly.

  Callie put her hands on Kane’s exposed arm and choked out, “RESTORE.”

  Callie saw the gentle glow coming from her hands and spread through Kane’s body until it was fully immersed in a gentle green light. Callie saw a health bar appear above Kane’s head, it was flashing in the red, but it was there. There was just a sliver of red as it blinked a few more times and then disappeared. The glow receded back to Callie’s hands as well. Callie took her hands away and waited for the epic breath to come like it did in the movies. But nothing happened. Callie looked back up at the lizard whose tongue was gently going in and out of its mouth. The lizard was slightly nodding to itself.

  “It may be enough,” it said.

  “What?! What is enough, is he alive or not!?” Callie screamed angrily.

  “Yes, but barely. It may be enough to get him to the coetus,” the lizard said just as they heard movement just outside the shrubs. The lizard turned its head in the direction of the noise but it didn’t move other than the tongue going in and out.

  Callie started looking around for Kane’s rifle. She saw it on the other side of his body, she started reaching for it.

  “No,” the lizard said.

  Callie ignored the lizard and grabbed the rifle anyway. As she was pulling it to her Gemlin came through the shrubs a little ways away from Eliza. Callie dropped the rifle to her side, collapsing back onto her heels in the kneeling position.

  Gemlin looked around the group, tear streaks coming down her face.

  “Where is Samwell?” Jonah asked, standing up and walking towards Gemlin.

  Gemlin collapsed onto her knees at the sound of the name.

  “Mortuus, cum maioribus suis est,” she said and then she bowed forward her hands and face in the dirt.

  Jonah knelt down next to her and said just barely loud enough for Callie to hear, “Maiores, fiat ille integer vobiscum. Ancester, let him be whole.”

  The lizard also bowed his head dropping down to its front knees so that its head was nearly resting on the ground, “Integrum fieri,” it said once it was bowed down.

  Unsure what to do, Callie just sat there watching the three humanura. Alex broke the silence finally.

  “My Lady, what are we going to do now?” Alex had asked quietly, but it was enough to break the hold the silence had.

  “I . . . I don’t know. Where is this coetus?” Callie asked.

  The lizard finally stood back up and looked at her, “Far. But need to deal with magus before.”

  “Magus? The mage? Why?” Callie asked, anger teaming in her voice.

  “To close the Rift,” Josie said from behind her.

  “We need to save your dad, to hell with the Rift! If we close it we can’t get back,” Callie said not realizing until the words left her mouth how harsh they sounded.

  “The Rift must close,” Jonah said standing up patting Gemlin on the shoulder as he went.

  “No, we need to save Kane!” Callie yelled as she got to her feet.

  “We will do what we can, but magus must be absolutus. . . stopped,” the lizard said.

  “Not at the expense of Kane!”

  “Yes, can not help until stop my friend,” the lizard said and then crawled its way back out of the opening in the shrubs.

  “Wait!” Callie yelled, reaching for the lizard, almost losing her balance in the process.

  “I will take Kane. Please follow seniores,” Jonah said as he reached down and gently picked up the body of Kane.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Grandfather knows what to do,” Gemlin said through choked tears.

  “That is your grandfather!” Callie exclaimed.

  “In form, yes, he is wise, must follow,” Gemlin said, going through the gap left by the lizard.

  Callie watched as Jonah put Kane’s backpack on his back and picked up Kane hoisting him over his left shoulder. He then started walking after the lizard and Gemlin, followed by Eliza, Josie and a limping Zeus. They all went through the gap. Callie looked behind her at the open area in the shrubs, then down at Alex who was starting to go to the opening himself. Callie reached down and grabbed Kane’s rifle and put the sling over her shoulder as she followed not knowing what else to do.

  On the other side of the shrubs, Callie could see the forest stretched further than she could see. She saw the trail of bodies leading to her right, blood pooling. Callie felt the tears welling up in her eyes, it took everything in her to look around and see where her family had gone. Finally seeing them heading off to her left, she turned and left the protection of the shrubs behind.

  They walked for probably 30 minutes before the lizard stopped and put its head in the air. Almost like it was sniffing, but unlike a lizard, it didn’t use its tongue to lick the air. It looked back at Gemlin, nodded and then changed direction, turning to its right and continuing its march. Callie saw Jonah look at both of the girls before he followed, still carrying Kane.

  They changed directions a few more times and the forest’s trees became shorter and the number and size of the shrubs on the ground started increasing the further they went. As they were dredging through chest and shoulder height shrubs, Callie suddenly saw Jonah duck down out of sight. She continued walking towards where she had last seen him. Finally she saw his crouched form in the shrubs ahead of her, then she heard voices talking gently.

  Callie knelt down on Jonah’s left side next to Eliza. Jonah looked down at her and nodded to his right. She looked over and saw Josie standing there and just beside her was the lizard. As she watched it lowered itself to the ground.

  The lizard started transforming into a humanura before her eyes. This humanura had more green to his skin than Jonah and Samwell had. He had long white hair that was tied into a braid down his back. His shirt was a dull brown and had flowing sleeves that stopped just below his elbows. The shirt was probably almost to his knees if he had been standing up. Grandfather had a rope belt tied around his waist and black-blue leggings that peeked under his shirt that went just below his knees. He appeared to be barefoot, but Callie couldn’t really tell from her angle.

  His outfit seemed more rugged than Jonah’s but in better shape than Gemlin’s. Callie looked back to Jonah who was also watching the transformation. When Callie looked at Josie she was just staring straight ahead in her own world. Callie recognized this look, Josie wasn’t just zoning out, she was struggling to regulate herself. Callie looked at Eliza who had her mouth open but her look was of surprise, not fear as she watched the transformation. She assessed that Eliza was okay at the moment, but Josie was not.

  Callie, crouching, worked her way past Eliza and Jonah to kneel next to Josie. Callie watched her daughter for a moment, Josie made no acknowledgment of Callie. Zeus came up next to Callie and nuzzled her arm a little then took a step over to Josie. Josie instinctively started rubbing the dog's head, she was still staring into the bushes in front of her. Gradually, Josie’s eyes started to come into focus as she continued to pet Zeus. Callie looked back at Eliza and Jonah, who had put Kane down. Jonah nodded to Callie and then reached over and touched Eliza’s shoulder gently. Eliza looked up at Jonah but put her hand down on her dads hair.

  Jonah bent down and said something to her, Callie couldn’t hear what, but Eliza closed her eyes and nodded but didn’t remove her hand.

  ”My friend is there, we must get him,” Grandfather said, making Callie jump not realizing he had come over.

  ”What must we do?” Jonah said moving closer to Callie so they could talk quietly to each other.

  Grandfather closed his eyes and slightly bowed his head as he sat on his knees with his hands gently resting on his legs. It was probably only a second, but the silence seemed to drag on for Callie. Josie broke the silence by sitting down in-between Grandfather and Callie.

  ”The curse, it needs to go away,” Josie said just above a whisper.

  ”Yes,” Grandfather whispered while nodding his head slowly.

  ”How?” Callie asked, looking between Josie and Grandfather.

  ”Can incantatio curse?” Gemlin asked quietly, appearing next to Grandfather's right side.

  ”Can what?” Callie asked.

  Grandfather looked confused for a second and then looked like he was searching for the word, “Magic? Spell? Remove curse?”

  It suddenly dawned on Callie and she opened her spell menu again. There it was REMOVE CURSE, she had gotten it for if the mages cast something to hurt them, but maybe, just maybe it could work.

  ”I . . . I have REMOVE CURSE as a spell,” Callie said sheepishly.

  All eyes were on her now. Callie began to feel incredibly self-conscious like she had said something wrong. A big smile appeared on Grandfather's face, that smile had so many wrinkles and smile lines attached to it that he almost looked like a pug smiling. A gentle rumble of laughter came from his chest.

  ”Yes, we can use,” Grandfather said with his big smile, but as quick as it appeared it disappeared, “Must get close for full use.”

  ”How do we do that? Do you know where he is?” Callie asked.

  ”He will be with many Hunters, close to Rift,” Gemlin answered.

  ”Okay . . . Where will that be?” Callie asked, getting more and more nervous thinking of how Kane and Stern and Phillip would have made plans. A pain hitting her chest at the thought of her husband and their friends.

  “We must see,” Grandfather said thoughtfully.

  ”I . . . I can send out Silver,” Eliza whispered as she sat down next to Zeus who was now centered between Josie and her.

  ”Si-silver?” Grandfather questioned.

  ”My hawk?” Eliza said.

  ”Ah, a friend,” Grandfather sighed with recognition at what she meant, “Yes, try Silver.”

  Eliza gave Zeus a pet, probably not just for comfort but also to calm her nerves. She then closed her eyes and stuck out her arm. A grey and white hawk appeared on her arm.

  ”Okay Silver, can you find someone for us?” Eliza asked the hawk, opening her eyes.

  A squawk came out the hawk and then Eliza looked over at Grandfather, “Okay, who is he looking for?”

  In very broken English, Grandfather described a humanura that was more blue than green, long white hair that was either in a bun or was laying loose. He would be wearing blue pants and a white long sleeved shirt. The humanura would have a red glow around him and there would be lightning coming not just from his open hands but also his body in various directions.

  ”He will have many Hunters, men, around,” Grandfather said finishing.

  ”What the fuck! Did you just say he would be shooting lightning?! How am I supposed to get close to someone who is shooting lightning!?” Callie asked, trying to keep her voice down but was scared out of her mind.

  ”It not burn like light strips from sky. It sting but leave,” Grandfather said a quick reply to Callie then turned back to Eliza and the hawk that was still resting on her arm, “Ready?”

  Eliza looked at the hawk who was starting to ruffle his feathers and making stretch-like motions in anticipation of taking off, “Ready,” Eliza said confidently and the hawk took off shooting almost straight up like it was a rocket.

  ”I can see over the shrubs,” Eliza said as her eyes glazed over and had almost a black haze over them.

  Grandfather nodded, “Yes, and?”

  Eliza sat there for a moment just looking with those dark hooded eyes, “I see the tents.”

  “Many?” Gemlin asked.

  Eliza’s lips started moving as though she were counting, “I think five? There is a big one. Silver, go towards that light.”

  Callie looked at Jonah, she knew Eliza was directing the hawk but it was unnerving watching her daughter like this. When Callie looked back over at Eliza, she saw that Josie had reached over Zeus and was holding her sister's hand.

  ”Oh wow! It is so bright! It’s a rainbow!” Eliza was saying excitedly, “NO! SILVER!”

  As she shouted her eyes became clear again and she collapsed onto Zeus crying, “No, they shot it! They shot Silver!”

  Josie was now patting her sisters back and looking up at her mom.

  “Oh, no, I’m so sorry Eliza,” Callie said crying herself at the pain her daughter was feeling.

  ”Hawk not dead. Hawk return to child,” Grandfather said, lifting his hand off his knee for the first time to put it on Eliza’s head.

  ”Wh-what?” Eliza said, lifting her head off of Zeus, who proceeded to stand up between Eliza and Josie.

  ”Hawk not dead. He . . . . He no longer spell, so he back with child. Can incantatio again,” Grandfather tried to explain, not knowing the right English words to use.

  ”Silver isn’t dead? I can cast him again?” Eliza asked.

  ”Yes, but must rest before come again,” Grandfather said as he nodded.

  Eliza leaped forward suddenly and hugged Grandfather, nearly throwing the old humanura off his knees. Grandfather looked at Callie and then gently wrapped one arm around the girl. Callie saw her daughter's shoulders shaking with the tears that were inevitably falling onto Grandfather's shoulder.

  “Now, we go?” Gemlin asked awkwardly.

  ”No,” Grandfather said as Eliza finally released her hold, “Must stay safe, need way to Walynic.”

  ”Walynic? Who is Walynic?” Callie asked.

  ”He is powerful seniores, elder, he help many humanura be free,” Jonah said, dropping his head.

  ”How do you know that is him?” Callie asked.

  ”Rainbow, only he cast many lights,” Grandfather said, also bowing his head, “Was hoping he free and they take other humanura.”

  ”Wait, were you not with him when the Rift opened? I thought you were with him?” Callie asked, suddenly very confused.

  ”No, I was with other. Walynic said he no want come. He must have followed,” Grandfather sounded sad and disheartened.

  ”So where is the one you were with?” Callie asked, trying to figure out what they were going to do and who they were going after.

  “I don’t know. We must get Walynic. He too . . . . Too,” Grandfather couldn’t seem to find the right word.

  ”Powerful?” Callie suggested.

  ”Yes, he too powerful to stay with Hunters. Humanura need him,” Grandfather said, “He holds narratio. . . . historia . . . He know much of humanura.”

  Callie nodded thinking she understood. Whoever this Walynic was, he held too much knowledge to be left in the hands of the Hunters. Kane’s response would have probably been to just take out the threat of him sharing too much with the Hunters, but Callie had a feeling that wasn’t what Grandfather or Jonah or Gemlin were about to suggest.

  ”How far?” Gemlin asked Eliza.

  Eliza looked at her mom and then bowed her head a little thinking. Her forehead scrunched together as she tried to come up with an answer.

  “Eliza, what did you see that you could relate to?” Callie asked, “Did you see any roads, did you see a shrub you recognized?”

  Eliza looked up, “Well, the tents were about the distance that we are from the front edge of the shrubs, but it clear between the front of the shrubs to the tents.”

  “Okay, that's a start,” Callie said, “How far are we into the shrubs?”

  “Well we aren’t very far,” Eliza said, her forehead still scrunched in thought, “I think we are about from our playhouses to the backdoor?”

  “Okay,” Callie said, looking around the group, seeing frustration growing in Gemlin’s face. Grandfather had sunk back into his almost meditative position. Jonah was leaning forward with encouragement on his face.

  “Okay, that is good, what else?” Callie continued trying to encourage her daughter but the idea of a big open gap between them and the tents was not very reassuring.

  “The tents are pretty close together . . . the lightning and the magic guy were on the other side of the tents. The big tent was kind of in the middle,” Eliza went on, “Silver got shot when he turned to come back.”

  Tears were glistening in Eliza’s eyes now but she watched her mom intently.

  “Good job Eliza, that helps,” Callie said, giving her daughter a small smile and reaching out to give her a hug.

  “Trees?” Gemlin suddenly remarked, “Were there trees by tents to hide?”

  “Oh,” Callie sighed as she pulled away from her daughter, “She is asking if there was a way for us to move and hide to go around the tents to the other side.”

  Eliza looked from her mom to Gemlin, “Kind of, but I didn’t look.”

  Gemlin threw up her arms in exasperation. Eliza looked defeated and the tears started returning to her eyes at the gesture.

  “It’s okay Eliza, you still got us a lot, it is okay,” Callie tried to comfort her daughter giving her another hug and glaring in the direction of Gemlin.

  “Your mom is right,” Jonah said as Callie pulled away again, “We know where to go.”

  “Yes,” was all Grandfather said and then stood up, “We must look at edge.”

  Without another word or gesture, hunched over so he wasn’t above the shrubs, he moved to his right and then disappeared through a layer of shrubs. Callie looked around not sure what to do. Jonah shrugged, went back over to Kane’s body and hoisted him back onto his shoulder before following Grandfather. Gemlin was already disappearing through the shrub as Jonah passed Callie.

  “Okay, go on girls,” Callie ushered for her girls to follow. She looked behind her to see Alex jumping-walking to follow the girls. Zeus had gone in front of the girls through the shrub layer. Callie took a final look around the area they had been occupying and followed.

  They quietly and slowly made their way through the shrub layers, moving to their right every layer. Although Eliza had said there was maybe twenty yards of shrugs there was probably closer to forty yards before Grandfather stopped them. The last layer was only as tall as Callie's chest. Jonah had pulled Kane off his shoulder and was cradling him like a toddler in front of him. Callie felt the tears in her throat as she looked at her husband. Although he had a little color to him, she still couldn’t see him breathing, and he wasn’t making a sound even though Jonah wasn’t being the gentlest in his movements.

  The girls sat down just behind Grandfather with Zeus sitting between them. Gemlin was at Grandfather's right side peering through the shrubs leaves just like Grandfather was. Jonah put Kane on the ground just to his left and knelt down next to the girls. Callie, unsure of what to do, knelt down behind the girls and just waited.

  Callie could hear men talking nearby. They were laughing and talking about food. One chimed in with a quip comparing a well endowed woman to a cheesy food item, which caused a couple others to make jokes about how the gentleman wouldn’t know what to do if he did get a woman like that. Callie caught herself smiling slightly, the way the men were talking reminded her of the banter she had heard so often between Kane, Phillip and Stern. The thought of Phillip and Stern made her almost collapse from the pain of loss. What they were about to do meant she may never see them again.

  She then remembered they hadn’t called them. So much had happened in such a short amount of time they hadn’t made their rendezvous and Kane had changed the plan. Callie took a look back at Grandfather and Gemlin who were still looking through the shrub hedge and then reached into her pocket.

  Callie grabbed out her phone and saw there were missed calls from Phillip, Stern and Carlie. There were a couple of text messages too. The ones from Phillip and Stern said the same thing, “Report?” Carlie’s was different though.

  “The fight didn’t last long and we are safe. We didn’t lose any animals this time. I hope you are okay. The boys are worried. Where are you?”

  Callie looked and saw somehow there was a single bar showing she still had reception. Callie wasn’t sure if that meant she had reception back to her world or if they had cell phones in this world. Either way, she took another look at the backs of Gemlin and Grandfather and then thought about what to text her friend.

  After a couple of edits and rethinking she finally settled on:

  Things didn’t go as planned. We went through the Rift. Please stay safe. We love you, hopefully see you soon.

  Callie took another look at the message. She felt a single tear roll down her face, but she clicked ‘send’ anyways. Without seeing if it would send or not she put the phone back in her pocket and looked up. Jonah was staring at her with confusion written on his face. Callie wiped away the tears and shook her head. Jonah gave her a single nod and then turned back around.

  Callie could tell the conversation had slowed down amongst the men on the other side. It actually sounded like some of the voices were farther away now that she was focusing on them. Zeus perked up though and was sitting instead of laying down like he had been. The action made Callie uneasy. Alex put his hand on her arm as she knelt there.

  Callie looked down and Alex said, “My Lady, something dark is here. I don’t like My Lady being here.”

  “None should be here,” Grandfather whispered, turning around and looking at them.

  Gemlin turned around before Grandfather continued, “We must go around. Too many, not going to risk life. Too much blood shed.”

  Callie, not knowing what else to do, nodded and shifted the sling of the rifle on her shoulder.

  “We will follow,” Jonah said, bowing his head to Grandfather.

  Grandfather bowed his head in response, “Yes, take breath. *big inhale followed by slow exhale* We go now.”

  Grandfather and Gemlin turned in unison and went further to the right into the shrubs, making little noise as they went. Zeus snarled a little but followed. Josie and Eliza looked at each other, grabbed hands and then followed.

  “Callie, you go next,” Jonah said as he turned to pick up Kane again.

  Callie nodded and followed, hearing Alex right behind her. She followed Eliza the best she could, but the small girls seemed to be maneuvering better than her. Callie was starting to wonder if they were truly following Grandfather and Gemlin. The larger humanura couldn’t be able to pass through the small areas the girls were passing through. As Callie debated stopping the girls to see what was going on they came out to a large clearing.

  Callie froze, not sure if they had meant to come out where they did or not.

  “Come,” Grandfather said and Callie relaxed enough to be able to look around. She saw that the clearing was empty except for the two humanura, the twins and Zeus. The clearing wasn’t so much of a clearing as an area where the trees and shrubs had been cut down. Callie watched as Grandfather and Gemlin kept walking. The twins had stopped and were looking at her for whether they should follow or not.

  “Let’s go,” Callie said quietly and Zeus took the lead as the three of them followed. Callie looked over her shoulder and to her relief saw Jonah, still holding Kane, was right behind her. She wasn’t sure how Jonah could pass so quietly while holding Kane’s weight. As she wondered this, Jonah swung Kane over his shoulder, freeing up a hand.

  Grandfather and Gemlin had disappeared into some trees that still had their lower branches partially hiding them as they continued walking. Zeus and Josie had also disappeared into the trees. All Callie could see was Eliza’s back when she heard shouts coming from behind her. Callie looked over her shoulder to see soldiers running up from the tents in the distance. The first couple of soldiers were dropping to their knees and bringing up their rifles.

  The world moved in slow motion, she turned to run as she saw Alex run past her. Jonah with Kane still on his shoulder was now next to her running for the trees. Callie nearly dropped her rifle as she started trying to lift her legs to run. The fear was gripping her seeing those rifles being raised. She hit the trees as she heard the guns go off behind her. Callie kept running, tree limbs were hitting her in the face as she went. She felt the needles of the pine trees she was running through hitting her legs slowing her down.

  The shouting behind her was getting louder. She kept running. Callie started looking for her family, for the humanura, for anyone or anything she recognized. When the voices stopped sounding close, Callie stopped to catch her breath. She looked around, she was in the middle of tall evergreen trees. They reminded her of the blue spruces from the Pikes Peak National Forest near her home. Some were Christmas tree like, but others had twisted and distorted branches. Some with a lot of needles on them and some looked sick and only had maybe half of their branches covered in needles.

  Callie couldn’t see through the branches. She tried to breathe to calm herself down. As she stood there trying to figure out what to do next, she heard it. Just off to her left and in front of her a little ways was the barking of a dog. Callie wasn’t sure if it was Zeus or not but at that point she had to hope it was not knowing where else to go. She started moving towards the noise of the barking.

  Thankfully the trees started thinning out and Callie was able to move a little better towards the noise. The barking stopped and Callie stopped. She listened, not hearing anything she decided to keep going in the direction she had last heard the barking. If it was Zeus, he wouldn’t leave the girls.

  Callie had almost given up hope of finding the dog when she burst through some branches and there they were. Her daughters, in the arms of soldiers. Both girls were wiggling and fighting in the men’s arms. Callie couldn’t see Zeus, but she did see a soldier, who wasn’t holding one of her girls, laughing next to his friends.

  Anger rose up in Callie like she hadn’t experienced before. She saw the fear in her daughter's faces and as the soldiers held their hands over their mouths. Callie brought up Kane’s rifle leveling it at the laughing soldier and took a shot. The laughing turned to wheezing followed by him doubling over and hitting the ground. Callie turned the rifle to the two still holding her girls.

  “Let them go now!” Callie shouted.

  One of the soldiers looked at his friend with a concerned look on his face. The other looked straight at Callie and started laughing.

  “Lucky shot bitch, but they are ours now,” he laughed, bringing Eliza’s body off the ground leaving Callie without a shot.

  “I said let them go,” Callie growled back, moving a few steps forward.

  “Make me,” the soldier continued to laugh.

  “I’m sorry Eliza,” Callie quietly said and then shouted, “FLAME!”

  She lowered the rifle just enough to free her hand to open fire over the head of the laughing soldier. She pushed the flame to his back and then swung it back towards her. It hit the soldier back making it look like he was engulfed in flame, he dropped Eliza as he screamed in pain. Once Eliza hit the ground she took off running towards her mom.

  As soon as Eliza was free, Callie brought the rifle back up and fired. She had been aiming for the spot between the guy's eyes, but with her adrenaline going she missed and shot off his right ear. The soldier screamed again and leaned over grabbing his ear, flames coming off of his back melting his uniform and whatever he had underneath it. Callie didn’t wait, she lined up her second shot on the guy's chest area. The minute he stood up enough to give her the shot she wanted she pulled the trigger. The anger in the soldier's eyes immediately dimmed and he dropped to the ground. She turned her rifle on the other soldier still holding Josie but he had a terrified look on his face as he stared down at the two other soldiers.

  “I said let her go,” Callie snarled.

  The soldier threw up his hands letting go of Josie. Josie ran to her sister.

  “Run away from here, I will kill you for harming my child,” Callie growled at the soldier who now she could see was maybe in his late teens at best. The soldier did one nod and then ran into the forest away from the tents. Callie collapsed onto her knees.

  “Mom, they took Zeus,” Eliza said, touching her mom’s shoulder.

  Callie bowed her head, “Okay. Where are the others?”

  “I don’t know, I thought I was following Grandfather but we couldn’t see him,” Eliza said looking around.

  “Okay, where did they take Zeus?” Callie asked. Before Eliza had a chance to answer they heard crashing of branches behind them. Callie picked up the rifle that was laying on the ground and turned towards the noise.

  Gemlin and Grandfather came crashing through the branches. Gemlin had an axe-type weapon in one hand and anger in her eyes. Grandfather stopped when he saw the three of them. A moment later Jonah quietly came out of the trees, still carrying Kane, but he had a glowing ball of blue swirling in his free hand.

  Callie lowered the rifle as the adrenaline started to wear off. She saw that the bolt was partially open. She worked to clear the jam and flipped the rifle’s safety on. Callie started to cry, she had never taken a human life before now. And she had just taken two.

  “My Lady?” Alex said, Callie didn’t realize he had followed her.

  “I will be alright,” Callie said, through her tears. She wasn’t sure at this point how she could even still be crying, she couldn’t remember when the last time she had anything to eat or drink. She took her backpack off and rummaged around for the water and granola bars she had thrown in. She handed a water bottle to each of her girls and then drank from one herself. She handed each a bar as well.

  Both girls grabbed the food and water and scarfed them down. Callie ate her granola bar and then drank her water. Those were her only three water bottles, Kane may have packed more in his bag. She hadn’t thought in the chaos of leaving the truck to grab a couple more.

  “The soldiers took Zeus,” Callie finally said slowly, trying to get to her feet. If her stats didn’t say exhausted she would be surprised.

  “We need to get Walynic first,” Grandfather said, “If get Walynic have friend.”

  Callie looked down at her daughters and then at Jonah. Jonah gave her a sad nod.

  “I don’t like this,” Callie said fully on her feet now.

  “You don’t have to,” Gemlin said with contention in her voice.

  “You need me, so yes I do,” Callie retorted back, she had just met this humanura but she had already made up her mind to drop her the minute she wasn’t needed.

  “Get dark soon, need to move,” Grandfather said looking up at the sky, “We get Zeus after Walynic.”

  “Fine,” Callie growled, “Where do we go now?”

  Grandfather took a look around and then put his nose in the air almost like he was sniffing. Then he put his hands into the air slightly above his head, it almost looked like he was putting his hands up in surrender but the look on his face said something different. When he brought his hands and head back down Callie could see his eyes had been shut. When he opened them there was a slight orange glow to them that disappeared so quickly Callie doubted she had seen it.

  “Follow,” Grandfather said, locking eyes with Callie and then turning and walking off at a fast pace.

  “Here,” Jonah said, handing Callie a rifle magazine as he went past her following Grandfather. Callie wasn’t sure where he got it from but she took it anyway.

  Gemlin huffed at her with a sour look, but then took off after the other two. Josie and Eliza looked at their mom but then turned to follow, they squeezed their stuffed animals tight to their chests as they went. Alex reached up and touched Callie’s hand.

  “My Lady, time to go.”

  Callie nodded, and took a look at Alex who had gone a few steps but had paused to make sure she was coming. Callie took a step to follow the others, but stopped to look in the direction of the tents.

  “We will get you back Zeus,” Callie whispered and then ran to catch up with the others.