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Imrra’s eyes opened to the semi-darkness that came before dawn. He was wondering what could have woken him up. After getting up and stretching to get the blood flowing into his muscles again, he stepped out and looked to the sky. He looked at one of Rith’s moons and saw that it had nearly reached the horizon. Now he was even more curious as to what could have awoken him before dawn. On a sudden impulse, he began to walk to Selka’s hut. When he arrived, he searched for his younger brother, but could not find him. Where is he? He thought, his slitted eyes narrowing. He knew Selka always woke up after dawn. Exiting Selka’s hut, Imrra flicked out his tongue several times and quickly caught Selka’s scent. He decided to follow the trail and find where his brother had gone. He eventually reached the fringe of the jungle where the scent continued on into the trees and shrubbery. He must have left the village! He probably went to find that bitch of his! If he comes back, he will be punished so damn severely that he will never disobey me again! Both he and the Nigrum Mortifer tribe will suffer greatly! I must finish up my plan before Selka begins plotting against me. Imrra left the forest’s edge and headed back to his hut in order to finish his plans.

*****

Meanwhile as dawn arrived, Nick had awoken and was readying himself for the day. After bathing in an iron tub filled with cold water from the well in the village, he dressed in a clean pare uniform he had in his pack. Then he walked into the room that Beth was in. He kneeled by where she lay and looked closely at her. Her breath was ragged and her face looked much thinner than it had been before. “She was awake a little earlier.” Startled by the sudden voice, Nick quickly stood up and turned towards the doorway. He watched as Zila walked into the room and replaced the damp towel that lay on Beth’s head with a warm one. “When did you get here?” Nick asked. “About an hour ago,” she answered, now changing the dressing on Beth’s wound. “I came here to check on Beth. She woke up a few minutes after I got here.” “Did she say anything?” “She did, but I couldn’t catch most of what she said. Her voice was pretty weak and muted. I did here her when she asked me where she was. She talked about someone that she wanted to see, but I didn’t catch their name.” “It’s a good thing that she’s talking isn’t it?” Nick asked a little anxiously. Zila sighed. “Normally it would be, but she isn’t getting any better physically. There is still a big chance that she won’t make it.” Finished re-dressing Beth’s wound, Zila stood up and turned to Nick. “To be honest, I don’t think she can hang on for much longer,” she said with a sorrowful expression. “How are we going to tell this to Selka?” Nick asked, his voice filled with sadness. “I think that it would be best if I were the one to tell him,” Zila said. “I believe it would also be for the best that if I were the only one here when he arrives.” “Why?” “If we were all here to comfort him when he sees Beth, he could feel overwhelmed by everything. I want to make this as easy as possible for him.” Nick thought about Zila had just said. Selka did seem kind, and it would be a bit unfair to crowd him. “Okay,” he said. “But what will the rest of us do?” “I’ve already sent Erin away. She needs to find a member of our tribe to live with while she’s here. Most of the villagers are awake by now, so I suggested that she starts asking around.” Zila paused and grinned slightly, a mischievous light twinkling in her eyes. “As for you and Zassira, you two can go and get some breakfast together.” Nick was becoming familiar with that look of hers and wondered what she was inferring, though he could guess. “What are you up to Zila?” he asked warily. “Oh come on Nick,” Zila said, her grin becoming a smile. “Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed how Zassira looks at you.” Nick frowned slightly as he thought. “Well, I have caught her glancing at me a couple times, but I don’t think it means anything.” “I can tell that she’s fond of you, even though she won’t admit it to herself. She’s never been like this with anybody. It’s a little harder to tell than with Zassira, but I can tell that you feel the same way about her.”

Just at that moment, Zassira walked into the room. “Good morning Zila,” she said. “Glad to see you’re up Zass,” Zila replied, grinning. Zassira then noticed Nick and blushed ever so slightly, the memory of the previous night’s kiss still fresh in her mind. “Oh… hi Nick,” she said hesitantly. “Hi Zassira,” Nick responded, trying not to seem nervous. Seeing this, Zila decided to put her plan for them in motion. “Nick and I were talking about today,” she said to Zassira, “and I told him that it would be best if I’m the only one here to comfort Selka when he sees Beth. I don’t want him to feel crowded.” Zassira nodded. “Okay, but what should I do in the meantime?” “Nick and I talked about that too,” Zila said, doing her best look innocent. “I said that you two should go get breakfast together. It’ll give you a chance to get to know each other better.” Zassira eyed Zila suspiciously, sensing that her hatch-mate was up to something. She didn’t want to say no and seem rude or offend him, which was the last thing she wanted to do. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be around Nick, there was just this feeling that was unfamiliar to her that arose when she was around him. “That doesn’t sound like a bad idea,” Zassira said a little slowly. She looked over at Nick. “Could you give Zila and I some time to talk alone?” Zassira asked politely. Nick nodded and said, “I’ll just wait for you outside then.” “Thank you. I’ll be there in a minute Nick.” Nick nodded again and left the room.

After Nick left, Zassira turned to Zila. “Zila! What are you doing?” she hissed quietly so that Nick wouldn’t hear. “What do you mean?” Zila asked, still trying to look innocent. She couldn’t hold the innocent expression anymore, and the grin she had been holding back broke out onto her muscle. “I knew!” Zassira hissed again. “You are up to something aren’t you?” “Fine, I give up,” Zila said, now trying not to giggle. She and Zassira had gone through this countless time when they were young and even several times as the young adults that they currently were. Zila never was malicious in her jokes or pranks, so she and Zassira usually had a good laugh about it in the end. Despite the fact that she was having fun trying her paw at matchmaking, Zila’s intentions were more serious than in the past. She believed that what she was doing was for Zassira’s own good. Zila knew Zassira do it without any persuasion and she didn’t want the Black Mamba that was the closest thing to a sister she had to be alone for the rest of her life. Zassira thought hard for a moment, then she sighed. Now that Zassira was standing there and waiting for an explanation, Zila knew that she would have to tell her the reasons why she had set her up. “Zass,” she started, her grin starting to fade a bit, “I can tell you have feelings for Nick even if you won’t admit it to yourself. I’ve seen the way you look at him sometimes, and I’ve seen the way he looks at you too. I’m doing this for your own good Zass. I know he’s a fur, but please just give him a chance.” Zila gazed at her hatch-mate as she awaited her answer. “Okay, I’ll go with him today, but I don’t think it’s going to go further than just friends living together,” Zassira said. Hearing this, Zila’s grin returned. “Oh come on Zass, don’t be so negative. Everything is going to go just fine. You should get going. It wouldn’t be polite to keep him waiting much longer.” Zila’s mood was infectious and Zassira couldn’t help but smile a little herself. “Some snakes never change,” she said, chuckling at her hatch-mate. “I’ll see you later Zila. Good luck with Selka.” “I’ll do what I can Zass,” Zila said somewhat seriously. Zassira nodded and left the hut.

When Zassira had walked out into the daylight, she looked around and spotted Nick leaning against the hut with his back to the wall. “I’m sorry for taking so long,” she said apologetically. Nick looked into her eyes and smiled. “It’s okay,” he said. They stared into each other’s eyes in silence, unsure of what to do or say next. “Um, I guess we should get going,” Nick finally said. “Yeah”, Zassira simply replied. Yeah? she thought to herself. Is that the best I could come up with? Nick hesitated for a few seconds before offering her his arm, his heart beating quickly with nervousness. Zassira hesitated as well before she accepted his, her heartbeat quickening just as much as Nick’s was. Nick nervously nodded to Zassira and they started making their way to the ‘kitchen’ huts arm in arm, both thinking of how they had never felt this way about anybody else before.

*****

As Nick and Zassira left the hut, Selka and Koren had just finished preparing for the day. Koren walked up to Selka and placed a friendly paw on his shoulder. “Are you ready to go Selka?” Selka nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be my friend,” he replied. With that, they left Koren’s hut and headed towards Zassira’s hut. They walked on in silence. Selka could sense Koren’s grim mood and began to get a little worried. He began to worry that Beth was not in as good a condition as he was hoping.