Sawtooth Spire all ashore

The route through the spine was heavy, but admittedly Nikai hadn't had the heart to tell Alya just how heavy it was on his remaining limbs. Even though he had learned to navigate on three, it didn't mean that his life was as easy as before. Especially his remaining hind leg and the diagonal front leg to his missing one were screaming with the extra burden they took. But however honest and forthcoming Nikai was, this was a weak spot that he didn't like to admit; a rare point of vanity and pride, perhaps, that he was loathe to admit. So he didn't.

The flat ridge was a gift sent from above to Nikai, and he was glad when Alya decided it was time for a stop there. Nikai pulled up beside Alya as she gestured to look at the stars and he smiled as he looked at them. "They are beautiful, aren't they?" he said, though he saw nothing special about them specifically tonight; he didn't realise the reason that Alya saw a different sky that night.