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that accompanied the township was not pleasant either, with the soldiers only adding to the typical odours of a small primitive township. 
    Upon their arrival the local lionmen children came running out to greet them. They jumped around while laughing and waving. ‘Where are the dragons?’ they called, when realising that it was not the legendary Dragonriders that emerged with the exploration party, but strange Ta’Orians who had skin and hair colours they had never seen in a human before. The children’s disappointment quickly faded and was replaced with a new excitement. They welcomed Kíe with outbursts of joy for it had been over a month now since their party originally set out. One of the cubs ran straight for the scholar, he bent down and picked her up raising her high in the air, laughing at their joy. The other children gathered under him, pulling at his robes and talking over each other, but when the cubs saw Shayne and looked him in the eyes many of them became afraid and fell silent.
    The company made their way to the adult contingent at the village gate, a dog-like creature bounded forward and sniffed at Red Rocket, with her tail wagging madly while Red Rocket gave an uncertain snarl, warning the canine off. Other creatures were intermingled amongst the lionmen, but they mostly stayed out of the way, sneaking glances at the strangers, or paying no interest in them at all.
    It was here that Shayne confirmed without a doubt Kíe’s youth, the town held people of all ages and now he saw the journeyman was at the beginning of mature age; he looked incredibly young with his short mane and almost no extra fur growth on his jaw, something that the Starborn now understood was a great source of pride for the males of the species. 
    The villagers were dressed simply, their tails were free like Kíe’s and not wrapped tightly around their bodies. The lionmen did not require as much clothing due to their coat of fine fur and the mild seasons caused by Iraquis’ small axial tilt. Even the warriors waiting their return were dressed differently. The search party soldiers were heavily armoured and had thick furs and heavy boots with long spears. The ones that stayed behind in the village wore thinner fabrics and sandals, like the ancient Romans. Looking back at their entourage Shayne saw that the expedition lionmen looked uncomfortable in their winter gear. They only carried essential provisions into the forest and did not change as they descended the high lands of the forest. Kíe on the other hand was able to shed his warmer clothing, he now wore lighter garments with the academic’s half-cloak on top of a dark shirt bearing only his arms and head to the sunlight.
    The children guided the company to the gates, dancing and running around as they went. The party stopped before the crowd that waited for them. A decorated female soldier stood before them, her helmet in her hands and a red cloak that reached the ground.
    Madan’rah came forward. He knelt down to his superior, the Nida Kushnalor [6] Pan’arden and spoke briefly, ‘We have returned from the sacred forest and present to you the Hama Ta’Orians and the warrior of prophecy, the Afrada ala Hama.’ The waiting crowd gasped with shock at this revelation and a murmur rose from amongst them.  The High Captain herself looked up in surprise at the small group of humans.
    ‘And which is the one?’ asked Pan’arden. Kíe and Kushnalor Madan’rah turned, directing their gaze at Shayne, who stared back at the officer in his emotionless way, his dark eyes pierced hers. She shifted uneasily as all do when his gaze falls upon them, a subtle action that was not lost on the other soldiers and all looked upon him with fear and awe. After the moment’s hesitation Pan’arden knelt down upon one knee and lowered her head, all the soldiers and villagers followed her lead, bowing lower with their faces to the ground. Shayne remained standing, staring silently at the