The meal was over, and Danid was still motionless by the cooling embers of the fire.

Rynere got to her feet -slowly, because she was still sore.

"I want to take a walk."

Kace assented. Kyndran inevitably disagreed.

"Do you remember anything from yesterday? The archer, the kekali or whatever -why would you want to -"

"There's no harm in it," Kace grinned. "Kekailas are nocturnal, never about during the day. And have no fear, that archer is long gone."

"'Gone' meaning what?" Kyndran asked suspiciously.

"Departed. He won't be bothering you for a while."

"For 'a while'? He'll be back, then?"

"Yes, but not before she finishes a walk. Go on," he nodded towards Rynere. "Just don't get lost."

"That's it?" Kyndran snapped. "'Don't get lost'? That's it? You're not concerned about anything she might have to face out there?"

Kace smiled, a bit condescendingly, and got to his feet.

"After what she faced yesterday ...I think she can handle it."

"Handle what?"

"A walk. Feel free to go, Miss Rynere. You won't be harmed."

Rynere, for her part, didn't really care what would happen and she just wanted to clear her head. She made for the door. The last thing she heard from inside was Kyndran.

"How can you promise her something like that?"

The sun was shining through the trees, but the air wasn't quite warm yet. Nor was it chilly. A light mist hung over the forest, and the only thing Rynere could hear was the sound of birds' song.

She wandered on for quite some time. The stiffness of the day before gradually wore off. Soon, the sun burned the mist away, and Rynere discovered that she had no idea where she was.

This had happened often enough back at the village, but there she knew that if she wasn't back within a certain hour, someone would be sent to find her. Here -no one knew how long she was supposed to be gone. Kace had seemed quite at ease with her solitary ramblings -Kyndran would be the only one to look for her, and he didn't know his way through the woods.

Rynere stopped, glancing around for any landmark that might show her where she was.

A long, low mound of dirt caught her eye. It looked ...like a freshly made grave. Then she heard a footstep -

Rynere instantly whirled around.

Kirea gave a small smile.

"I see you found it."

"Tass?" was the only word Rynere was able to get out. Kirea nodded.

"What's going to happen to me?"

"That's not for you to know."

"Why not?"

Kirea paused, then turned and disappeared into the trees. Rynere tried to follow -but to no avail. All she did was become more lost. Giving up, she sat down underneath a large tree near the edge of a clearing and buried her head in her arms.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she next looked up -the sun wasn't too much higher in the sky, and -wait. Rynere froze as she saw the clearing in front of her.

Several large cats of a golden-brown color were in it -in the trees above it, on the leaves beneath. A few smaller ones were frolicking near the other side. It was their home.

Rynere stifled a scream. If she even moved, one of them would notice the intruder, raise the alarm -who knew what would happen? Why hadn't they noticed her when she first sat down?

Most of the animals were lethargic, probably satiated from the morning's hunt. But a few were still alert -keeping the watch -making it impossible for Rynere to go anywhere.

A crackle overhead made Rynere start slightly, and very slowly she glanced up. And blinked.

Tace was lying on a branch about two yards up, breaking a twig into several smaller pieces -pieces that dropped into her hair -while watching the activities of the cats.

He looked down at her with a half-smile, then continued with the dismemberment of the twig.

"Is there something you want?" he said quite normally. The watch-cats immediately turned towards them.

"Get me out of here!"

"That's not my job," Tace turned onto his back, plucked a leaf from the branch, and started to examine it. By this time the cats were only a few feet away from Rynere, investigating her.

"What do you mean it's not your job -you're my bodyguard!"

"Oh, you won't get hurt," Tace tossed the leaf into the air. It floated down into Rynere's hair.

"What are you talking about? They're looking at me like I'm food!"

"Of course they are. That's what they do. Don't worry, they're not hungry yet. You won't have to worry until then."

"Why aren't they looking at you?"

" 'Cause I don't taste good," Tace swung up to a sitting position and gave Rynere an innocent smile.

"How do they know that?"

"They tried me once and didn't like it."

Rynere didn't answer for several seconds as one of the cats started to sniff around her face.

"How do you know that?" she finally whispered as it backed off.

"Oh, one took my foot off a while back. They didn't come back for more."

"Your foot?"

"Had to replace it. Why are you asking? I thought you were worried about getting out."

"I am!"

"Oh." Tace paused. "Alright. Tell you what. Those cats -the ones that haven't eaten yet -are starting to come over. They've decided you're edible. Scream at the top of your lungs."

"Are you crazy?"

"Of course I am. Do it. Or you'll be their next meal. You can pick."