Page 15 of Shifter King

"As you should. But yes, if you get free, know that generally their living tunnels slant steadily downward so move up as long as it doesn't smell worse. When they put you down, you should put both legs together and both arms together and keep as much space between them as possible so that you can break or wriggle free."

"This place is so strange." She sighed.

AaQar nodded. "Here and farther north, goliath tunnelers sometimes even live in the same caverns as dolmaths. One good thing though is that if you see a goliath tunneler about, it's less likely other more dangerous predators are near. It's not always the case, but generally speaking, other than centipedes and grim worms, other predators prefer to avoid goliath tunnelers."

What a world indeed.

Proteus lowed and moaned a few times even after they left the thicker forest, but he did not object to her scratching his ears or riding him now. The pungent grim worm scent had mostly faded though she still caught hints of it when her hair blew in her face.

Winged serpents and raptors attempted to draw close but veered away. One particularly bold raptor with silver claws and bright green eyes watched them from the clearing, not hungry but curious.

Amelia watched him until they left the clearing and entered the forest again. She didn't pick up anything from the winged serpents or the mantises. But some of these animals seemed so much clearer. What did that mean?

As they neared the camp and wove through the trees, Amelia glimpsed a large striped creature with shaggy fur. It moved in and out, rubbing its long snout against the bark. Was it another bavril?

Proteus's ears pricked up, but he kept walking.

The creature disappeared into the darkness.

Strange.

Upon returning to the camp, the first thing WroOth did was reapply the rels to the perimeter while AaQar started the fire. Though AaQar gave her a stern look and cautioned her, she insisted on chopping the herbs and preparing some of the tubers for the evening meal. "I can at least do something," she said. "There's never going to be a shortage of tasks here. And I have to build up my strength."

"That may mean that you just sleep so that you can build your strength up," AaQar countered. "But there is a fair amount to be done if we are going to move camps and prepare for the Grey Season."

Yes. That was an understatement.

WroOth returned after a bit, bringing more large fish from the river. He hung them on the chiron oak's spiked branches.

"There's a cachi gourd tree on the eastern perimeter." AaQar peeled the bark off the logs and then split each one in half. "If you could gather some, we could dry them and use them to warn off intruders regardless of their scent."

WroOth agreed.

After he left, Amelia finished gathering up the chopped greens and placed them in the pot along with the sliced roots. While the pale copapa roots gave the stew a thicker creamier texture, the pungent rosemary, salty sousa blossoms, fragrant chives, and other herbs made it smell mouthwateringly good.

"Will the gourds need to dry by the fire or are you going to use that tanning salt?" she asked as she poured more water.

"We've got enough of the salt left to start a preliminary warning system," AaQar said, continuing to peel and split the logs. "Those gourds grow in abundance here, but don't eat them. They're very bitter. And they might make you vomit."

"Vomiting is something I could do without for today." She sighed as she set the knife down. "I'll go see if WroOth has brought down enough to bring back."

"Don't over exert yourself or I will be cross with you."

Everyone was so worried. It wasn't that she didn't understand, but she wished there was a way to make that stop.

The rels extended to almost thirty feet beyond the camp itself. Even so, it wasn't hard to figure out where WroOth was. The gourds dropped out of the broad-branched tree. Already almost a dozen lay on the ground, their dull grey-brown or dark-green skins speckled with dirt and leaves.

"How many more are you cutting down?" she called up as she reached the base.

WroOth stood approximately twenty feet above, his boots braced against one of the deep-grooved branches. He cut a gourd free with almost careless ease. "As many as are needed. Go back and help AaQar."

The tree itself had rough bark with deep horizontal grooves. She tested one grip and then found another. Carefully, she pulled herself into the crook of the branch and peered up at him. "Are you still angry with me?"

He chuckled darkly. "I am not angry with you for nearly dying. I am wise enough to know that that is actually not a helpful thing to do."

"You said you wouldn’t forgive me if I died."

"Clearly I was joking." He rested his chin on his hand as he gave her a cool smile, then pushed off one of the green long-necked gourds. "You know me. Always joking."