Shy Deer Steppes in the junkyard, it's every dog for himself.

when the queen suddenly darted up and into the stones, tamar did not try to follow.

it was a moment to slow her own pace, to breathe the good air outside the cloying fragrances of akashingo. studiously she ignored the cerise guardian and found her own path upward. 

tamar was not built for such steppes. she forced herself to stay upright but could not hide how hard the rocks had been to climb. during this journey, the queen called in her regal voice for arsenio. and when tamar arrived, he was there as well. but his eyes were for the stranger.

tamar did not wish to be given to this stranger for any purpose. she came to the queen's side but was halted by a harsh look that tied her tongue. even in the days she had served, satsu had become more powerful somehow, harder than the hours before.

arsenio and the stranger strode off along the game-trail. tamar bent herself in a bow before she followed the men, keeping back and just visible to the right of the hunters.