Meadowlark Prairie Vita brevis

At first, she thought she was seeing things. A splotch of red-orange on the horizon. . . It couldn't be. Not her, come back from wherever she'd gone. Not close to here, not again. The Redhawk girl.

Her worry disappeared—no, it changed, when she came closer and saw instead a shivering boy. An injured boy. Maegi gasped in alarm and hobbled quickly toward him, going down to her belly to draw herself near. So cold. . . She remembered Sobek and shuddered, encircling the still, ruddy form and hoping to give him as much of her heat as possible.

She drew her tongue along the crown of his head, like a mother warming a squalling newborn. She murmured wordless things, prayers to Jaes in some tongue she'd never understand again. She considered crying for help, but only when the boy could stand again would that do any good.

All the while, she scanned his body for injury, wondering what in hell to do next.