In the Cave City, the day began as most others. Women, busy going about their work. Dana, before her busy day ahead of cave leadership for the Ponu women, looks over at the book she just finished the night before, "Clan of the Cave Bear", happy that it turned out to be as good as she expected. Marcela, frustrated, trying to get Lana to take a day off so they can enjoy the cave lake together. Finally, Lana says yes. The Ponu suits can be left behind; today will be just for the two to enjoy in the water, together. Francesca, working with Cassandra doing inventory, trying to put up with her constant trivial complaints, but very much looking forward to their time together that night. Unlike Lana and Marcela, neither Francesca nor Cassandra thinks their union will be permanent, but for right now, it's so good for both of them. Brandi, busy going over food reports with a Dowath, hoping things settle down in the cave. Just a usual day, none of them knowing how close they came to a disaster, a massacre this day. A slaughter led by the Geeryo Guards, averted.

  At the camp, Kragon, watching the defeated Kallian being helped up by his men, can only feel dread. He suspects it could have been JaKaelath who did this, but he is not sure. No one is 100% sure, which means Kallian's wraith will fall on him. His anger for JaKaelath builds, but in a way, he admires what she did. It was brilliant to pull off. He smiles briefly before catching himself, still angry, but a part of him is proud of her.

  Kallian hurts from the blows of the machine as his men help him up.

  He looks over at Kragon, his rage boiling. What he has lost this day, in respect, he is not sure he will ever be able to get back. Perhaps some of his people will be swayed by the message of mercy, but he knows one thing above all else: he wants to get back at her, at the Ponu. Someone will pay.

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  He will not kill Kragon, let that be the mercy I give, he thinks. The engineer will be needed; he can't punish Kragon too much. The Ponu are technologically advanced, and he needs any and all tech-savvy scavengers to help him defeat them. Still, he will send people out to search for her, to bring her to his justice. Then, he thinks, it will be her begging for mercy. He smiles before passing out.

  That same morning, far away. JaKaelath, in her scavenger clothes, is miles away, on Whisper. She comes to a canyon and takes a second to enjoy the beauty. She looks at a piece of paper in her hand with "27180" scribbled on it and folds it back into her pocket. She takes a deep breath.

  Kragon was right about one thing, she has to admit. She is a scavenger in her head and heart. She says to herself that no one, not the Ponu, not Kallian, nor any other, can tell her who she is.

  Kragon saw that, she thinks, but he was also so consumed by hate that he could condone the killing of the innocent along with the guilty. People whose only crime was being who they were.

  He'll be safe, she closes her eyes and assures herself. Kragon's intelligence makes him too valuable to Kallian; he might make things uncomfortable for him for a while, but he would never dare kill his genius scavenger. Kragon can do brilliant things Dukota would never be able to think of, let alone accomplish.

  She looks down at her bag, slightly opened, and sees the Ponu suit inside.

  She doesn't know where she will go, maybe to the Ponu Cave eventually, maybe north to the great woods where there is rumored safety. Perhaps she can go to another scavenger village, or maybe to "Vulture town" for a while at least, or maybe back to her own camp one day, once Kallian leaves. All she knows is that she has the freedom to do any or none of those options if she chooses. Suddenly, unexpectedly, a smile comes across JaKaelath's face, and she loves it. "Come on, Whisper, let's go see what this world has for us".

  The End.