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"Dead qrixith." I gestured toward a carcass half-hidden in the tall grass. The large, lizard-like creature lay picked clean, its leathery hide stretched over prominent bones. "They're usually scavengers. If they're dying..."

"The food chain is collapsing," she finished. "Hammond has no idea what he's doing."

"Or he doesn't care."

We fell silent as we struggled up the ridge. Each step required all my concentration, my world narrowing to the placement of my feet and the burning pain in my shoulder. I focused on Rivera's presence beside me, her unwavering strength the only thing keeping me upright.

At the crest, a small stream trickled through the rocks. Rivera eased me down before kneeling at the water's edge.

"Is it safe?" I asked.

She held her hand over the surface, her markings brightening. "It's contaminated, but I can filter it." From her pocket, she produced a small device salvaged from the ruins. "This should work."

I watched her methodical movements as she filled a container and attached the filter. My vision blurred, and I blinked hard to clear it. The admission came before I could stop it. "I've never been this helpless."

Rivera glanced up, her expression softening. "You're not helpless. You're injured. There's a difference."

"Not to a warrior." The words came out harsher than intended.

"Well, to an engineer, there's a very clear distinction." She handed me the filtered water. "Drink."

I obeyed, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat. Through our bond, I could feel her steady determination, her focus on immediate problems rather than dwelling on the impossible scale of our task.

"The scanner shows elevated radiation to the south," she said, studying the cracked display. "We'll need to circle around."

I drank the last of the water, gathering my strength. "How far to the next shelter?"

"There's a rock outcropping about a kilometer ahead. We can rest there properly."

One kilometer. An insignificant distance under normal circumstances. Now it might as well have been a hundred.

"Let's go," I said, struggling to my feet.

Rivera rose with me, her arm once again around my waist. The contact sent a different kind of heat through me, one that wasn't caused by my fever. Our bond thrummed between us, a constant reminder of our unprecedented connection.

"Lean on me," she instructed. "I'm stronger than I look."

"I've noticed."

The landscape grew more treacherous as we continued. Fissures split the earth, some releasing noxious gases that made my eyes water. Vegetation had withered, leaving behind skeletal remains of once-lush plants. In the distance, a herd of grazing herbivores moved steadily away from the western ruins, their instincts driving them from the danger.

"Animals always know," I murmured.

"What?"

"When to flee. They sense the danger before we do."

A sudden gust of wind carried the acrid scent of dying flora, making us both cough. The sun emerged from behind clouds, beating down with unnatural intensity after the brief rain. My damp clothing steamed in the heat, but the fever made me shiver nonetheless.

We stopped frequently, each rest shorter than I needed but longer than we could afford. The pain in my shoulder had become a constant companion, occasionally flaring into white-hot agony when I moved wrong. Through it all, Rivera remained steady, her presence both physical support and mental anchor.

"Tell me about the western compound," she said during one rest, clearly trying to keep me alert.

I focused on the question, fighting through the fog in my mind. "It's newer than the main settlement. Built after we discovered the ancient outpost."

"But you never went inside?"

"No. The Elders forbade it." I paused, struck by the irony. "Until they sent me after you."