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His voice seemed to be emanating from the far wall, near a pair of collapsed columns. At least that was the direction the horde of birds were looking. Slowly, she inched her way past Momma, holding her breath as they neared another enormous ostrich. It glanced at her and Tarsus for a moment, snorted and blinked, before turning its attention back to the columns. It didn’t seem bothered by her. Encouraged, she continued.

Nadzia wove between the long, scaly legs and feathery bodies, making her way to the far wall. An armor-plated neck snaked around, blocking her path, and she froze. The pair of big eyes blinked at her as the sharp beak nudged her back. It was so freaky and yet she was realizing she had nothing to be worried about. If the raptor meant her harm it could snap her in half with its overgrown beak. If anything, it seemed like the Momma was worried.

“It’s okay. We’ll be fine.”

Gently, she pushed away the massive head. The ostrich relented, letting her pass. She reached the wall and squeezed past the old broken-down columns. Sure enough, there was another passage, although it had collapsed and was now more like a shaft. Tarsus squirmed in her arms, his claws scratching her.

“Hey. Ow.” She released the eager little panther.

Tarsus darted into the opening. She followed as fast as she could but the little beast was quick. It was a steep uphill climb that narrowed until she was forced to crawl, dodging obstacles the entire way. She worried she’d lost Tarsus but then she caught a glimpse of his silhouette farther ahead.

Light.

That’s how she’d seen his shadow. This wasn’t a dead end. She crawled faster, ignoring the way the stone scraped her knees and palms.

Aculus

He paced, unable to decide what to do. He always knew what to do, except for at this moment, when it mattered the most.

“Torment!” he roared, clenching his fists, willing himself to get it together.

Digging equipment. That’s what I need.The thought popped into his head.No, a drone. I need to get a good look in that crevice first.

He jogged to the cruiser to grab the automated unit.

“Aculus, wait!” the sweetest voice in existence cried.

“Nadzia?!” He spun to see her squeezing out of the crack.

He ran toward her and nearly tripped over Tarsus as the kitten batted at his ankles.

Sorry, you’ll have to wait, Tarsus.He leapt over the feline.

Without pause, he reached Nadzia and scooped her up.

“Oh, thank God,” she declared, her voice wavering as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Relief overwhelmed him as he ran with her back to the cruiser. Tarsus followed them up the ramp and Aculus sealed the vessel. The sense of solace from finding her was tempered by her injuries. He grabbed the med kit on his way through the cruiser.

“What happened?” Panic laced his voice.

Gently he set her in a seat, knelt and anxiously looked her over. Dirt coated Nadzia from head to toe. The skin on her knees was raw and there was a bloody welt on her forehead. His heart thudded in his chest seeing smears of blood on her shirt.

“You aren’t going to believe it. Oh, hey.” The surprise in her voice didn’t register as he pulled up her shirt, revealing a line of bruises on her ribs. “Okay. Uh. Aculus, I’m all right.”

I should’ve been gentler carrying her.He stared at her injuries with mounting concern as he opened the med kit. She was so delicate. He had no clue what internal damage she had.Her ribs might be broken.

A soft caress along his cheek captured his attention and he looked up, meeting Nadzia’s gaze.

“Handsome, I promise, I am fine.” Her green eyes held such tenderness that it leveled him.

But she clearly wasn’t fine.

“No, you are not.” He reached up and brushed her hair away from the bump on her forehead. “Nadzia, you just climbed out of the ground.”

Does she understand how absurd that is?

“Okay, yes, I got my bell rung pretty good.” She reached up and prodded the bump on her head then winced.