“I heard about what you and your mate did last night. Thank you.” Veera turned from the pile of dato she was counting to look at one of the acolytes of Meylith.

“Centille, right?” The young maiden’s feathers fluttered.

“Yes, you remember me?” Veera signaled an affirmation with her feathers. “I don’t know how you managed. I was so frightened.” The larger female stood to her full height and sighed, thinking about her mate and hoping he was doing alright on his own.

“I was too, but he was out there fighting for me, and for us. There was no way I could sit at home and allow him to put himself in danger. He’s so far away from his people…I could never leave him alone like that.” The young acolyte nodded in understanding.

“Everyone who fought last night is telling the same story about him now. You are both very brave.”

“Thank you Centille, but for now I think we should finish our task here. Gentia must be absolutely set upon by work.” At Veera’s suggestion the acolyte immediately refocused on the bags of grain she was meant to be tallying. An exact report on the state of the granary was necessary in the aftermath of the attack so that rationing could begin.

A cacophony of sounds filtered in from the main area of the temple to where Veera was working in the granary along with many of the other acolytes. There were mournful cries of family lamenting the loss of loved ones, desperate pleas of those who found themselves without a home or food in the depth of winter, resigned contemplations about the will of the gods. Veera shook her head, wondering what they were going to do. No matter how she thought about it she always reached the same conclusion, many would go hungry that winter. There would be no more crops until late summer and the remaining hunters would certainly be overwhelmed both by the amount of resources they had to replace and the manifest dangers currently wandering the forests outside the village. Her scowling thoughts were broken as the sounds in the temple changed, replaced by a din of awed whispers.

“Child, the human is here,” Gentia informed her from the doorway. Veera bowed to Centille and walked over to meet Gentia where she gave the elderly priestess a report on the stores of food she’d reviewed. By the time she was finished Winters had joined them, the eyes of most of the Cauthan in the temple resting on his bright armor. “Ah, the savior finally graces my temple. I was beginning to think you only cared for Uthos and Valta,” she ribbed with a small smile, attempting to keep spirits light. “Welcome.” Gentia bowed as much as her old body would allow. Winters returned it.

“Am I the only one who thinks poorly of what I did last night?” He asked, a degree a morbid humor in his voice. Gentia and Veera simply looked at one another, the younger of the two unsure what to do. She’d told her mate so many times that what he’d done was right and necessary. The elder spoke again.

“Your people must be quite wealthy and prosperous, human.”

“Why do you say that?” He asked. Gentia looked around at her fellow villagers sadly.

“On Mara life is precious, but it is also very cheap. To live as long as I have is unusual, though among our people it is more common than, say, among the nomadic tribes. An early snowfall could kill a year’s harvest. Blight and disease claim lives almost at random. Forays into the forest turn deadly. We fight tooth and claw for every year, working the land so that we might live in harmony with it. Those who came in the night to take from us have a different view of who should survive this world, human. To them it is the strong, and the strong alone, who survive. They thought they would find us weak. Instead they found Antoth, Ratha, the guards, Veera, and you most of all. They were found weak in the eyes of Kel, and so they died according to their way of life. Their folly has likely ensured that the survivors will also perish before long. Antoth told me of the bodies they are burning outside the village, three tribes’ worth of strong, young warriors. I will not weep or pray for them. My people need me now,” Gentia declared, earning a most approving look from Veera. Winters and Io met one another’s gaze before the human took a deep breath, working through a bit of Cauthan culture shock.

“You may be right, Gentia. Even so that doesn’t change my own past and how my own people shaped me.” He looked down at Veera, watched as her tail flicked idly behind her. He hoped she would understand. “Where I come from the taking of even a single life is considered a great crime unless it’s done in defense of self or others. I know that what I did was necessary, but it still burdens me greatly.” Veera placed a hand on his shoulder as he finished.

“Darling…”

“How bad is the situation here? Veera, is there enough food?” Winters’ mate looked over at the priestess who replied in a low tone of voice, not wanting to distress those already seeking refuge around them.

“No child, there is not. With rationing I am fairly confident I can keep everyone alive for the season…but this problem goes well beyond that,” she lamented, her old eyes dimmer than he had ever seen them. Io suited up and brandished her axe.

‘Then we have no choice sir, let’s do this.’ He cocked a brow at her, wondering at her many unique subroutines, many of which probably were intentionally designed to mirror his own emotions.

“I seem to recall a certain VI admonishing me about ‘redemption quests’ a while back?” He teased, his voice restricted to his helmet. Io looked down for a moment as she was caught flat footed, but soon met his gaze again with determination in her eyes.

‘Don’t lie to me sir, I know you feel it too. Doesn’t every HEL Jumper want to be a hero? Don’t you?’

“I do,” he confirmed, turning his speakers back on. “Then that settles it.” Veera whipped her head around, her eyes boring directly into his helmet. The sudden steel in his voice put her immediately on edge.

“Russell, I don’t like that tone of voice at all,” she admonished him, her own voice full of fear. In the last day she’d become exponentially closer to her human both physically and emotionally, their bonds forged and strengthened in the flames of combat and the aftermath. The idea of him doing anything dangerous ever again opened a chasm in her stomach that threatened to swallow her heart. Her human squared his shoulders, adopting an imposing stance.

“Then you’re going to like this even less Veera…I’m sorry. Something needs to be done, and I think I can do it. Io and I are going to hunt that ursae down and kill it.” Gentia’s cane clattered to the floor. A flood of panic swept through Veera as her world ground to a halt. She couldn’t hear anything. Her tongue felt too large for her mouth. Her feathers felt like they’d frozen solid. She screamed to break through it all.

“YOU CAN’T!” The temple fell utterly silent as every pair of eyes looked at them. Veera felt her own eyes watering with tears as visions of her past came unbidden to the fore of her mind. Her father’s parting words, the sight of his cloak disappearing into the trees, their empty house, the shrine. She fell against his chest, not strong enough to hide her emotions from her fellow townsfolk. “You can’t leave me Russell, not now, not like this!” Winters felt like his feet had turned to lead, the blades of duty twisting cold and hard into his lungs. It wasn’t much of a stretch to say that he physically felt the pain his mate was experiencing.

“I have to,” he whispered, hands resting gently on her hips. “I’m the only one who can.” She hated the truth of his logic.

“Haven’t you done enough?!” She protested. “And you don’t know that! You could be killed!”

“I know…but if I don’t do this people will surely die, many people. I can keep them warm and fed until they can recover…until we can help them recover.” Veera’s claws audibly scraped against his armor.

“I’ll fight you!” She declared through her tears, shaking her head and pressing against his chest plate. “If I can hit you, you can’t go! You have to stay with me! You have to!” Io was looking at her operator with the look of a tortured soul; the extent of Veera’s painful past weighing heavily on them both. Neither wanted to deny her the locus of happiness in her new life for even a second, but they were both soldiers. It wasn’t about what they wanted. Io was about to ask Winters what to do when the human reached for his pistol and held it out to Veera. He watched intently as she recoiled from it, memories of brutal, instant death stilling her hand.

“It’s an awesome and awful power, isn’t it?” He asked softly, knowing what was going through her mind as she looked between him and his weapon. “The power to take a life in an instant.”

“Yes…it is,” Veera agreed solemnly, Gentia looked at the young one’s face with awe as the young girl she’d watched over for years vanished, replaced by the visage of one who had known death.

“I’ve heard it from every corner of your village today. You told me yourself last night. I did what had to be done. I killed so that others would live, including the woman I love. But I still killed, Veera. I still killed and even after all of that people might still die. There are no furs. There’s no meat. Vegetables don’t put fat on your bones. Cloth won’t cut the bitter winds. Even the fabric I made for you wouldn’t save you from a blizzard. You know all this better than I do; you’ve lived it. After all that’s happened I want to use my power, all of my power, to save them one more time. If I do that…I think I can truly be at peace with what happened here.” Veera balled her hands into fists and sobbed impotently, feeling the weight of his words slowly crushing her.

“You promised,” she whispered. “You promised I could have you for Christmas.”

‘Oh gods…I don’t want to do this,’ Io gasped, her new heart aching for Winters’ lover. ‘So this is what it’s like to be a soldier?’ Winters nodded solemnly.

“I did promise you that. It looks like I might have to break that promise, Veera. I won’t promise to come back either. I know you’d hate me for it.” She shook her head violently, the selfish part of her fighting a losing battle against the part of her that knew she fell in love with him because of his selflessness.

“If you come back I’ll love you forever…but please, Russell!” At her desperate words Winters reached up and slowly removed his helmet, showing her that he’d been crying freely during their conversation, tracks of tears spilling down his cheeks before dripping onto his chest plate. She was making their parting so very difficult, but he didn’t blame her for a second.

“Remember when I told you about the mountains?” He asked softly. She nodded as she tried to keep herself together. That was made all the more challenging as she looked into his shimmering, blue eyes.

“Yes.”

“Someday, either on Mara or on Earth, I want to see them with you. I want you to see a sky that goes on past the curve of the planet. I want you to see tiny flowers made all the more beautiful by the fact that they somehow bloomed atop a towering spire of rock. I want to curl up with you in front of a fire as snow falls outside and silences the world.” Veera began shaking her head back and forth, unwilling to think of something so perfect while contemplating the task that her mate had set for himself. “A group of Cauthan might be one thing, but I don’t care what this thing is. It will fall to me and I will come back to you. I have no reason to hold anything back.”

“I want to believe you…more than anything,” she told him, wiping tears from her eyes. Her tone made it clear that he was wearing her down. “Why do you have to do this Russell?”

“I already told you my love, because I’m the only one who can. This isn’t about glory. It’s about meat. It’s about pelts. It’s about eliminating the largest threat currently facing the hunters. Look around us. We still have something that…many of them lost last night. I would be a truly terrible soldier, a terrible human, if I condemned them to suffer further.”

“I’m scared Russell. I’m so scared.” Veera looked ready to collapse, prompting Gentia to break her silence and move to her side. She had not understood the human over the last few minutes with his helmet removed, but the raw emotion on both of their faces was more than enough.

“My child, we are all scared. We all fear for our lives and our home. You and your mate have proven to be special. Many here were subjected to the cruel whims of fate and the gods last night. You, and your human especially, possess the will and the ability to fight back, to take your life into your own hands. To waste such potential would be a truly great folly. I will not lie and say that I am not interested in his success. I am. We all are. If he can achieve what he has set his mind to he will likely become the most important individual in this village’s history. It is not much, but you will be welcome here every moment that he is gone. None will deny you shelter in the light of the Mother.” She took a moment to look out over the assembled Cauthan who had hung on every word, crowding as near as they could without blatantly appearing to do so. “I will pray for him. We will all pray for him. And we will pray for you. Sometimes to remain is just as difficult as to go.” As the priestess of Meylith bowed to Veera, so too did quite a few of those around them. Veera brought her hands to her mouth as she cried, burying her face into the crook of Winters’ neck as he held her to him. Never in her wildest dreams had she been treated in such a manner by her fellows. Never would she have ever wanted to be shown respect for something like this. It was far too much.

“Take me away from here, please,” she pleaded. Winters replaced his helmet and silently took her under his arm. With a nod of thanks to Gentia he walked Veera slowly through the main hall, navigating around areas where survivors had set down their few remaining possessions. He didn’t want to intrude or disrupt. Veera continued to use him as a shield but he scanned the room, meeting the eyes of the frightened and hopeful. It seemed clear to him that Gentia’s promise had not been a hollow one. Io mimicked him, the awestruck look never leaving her face until they were out the door and onto the street.

‘Of all the times to have developed complex emotional subroutines,’ she mused, shaking her head in disbelief at how very colorful the world of the living had become.

-----

Winters and Veera soon found themselves in front of the barracks again. He’d offered to walk her home first but Veera had insisted that she would remain at his side until his departure, even if it meant talking strategy with Antoth or Ratha. The line of Cauthan from that morning had vanished, allowing them to walk in directly.

“Antoth, are you here?” Veera called out as they entered, waking the captain who had fallen asleep at his desk. He looked at her with no small amount of shame in his eyes.

“My apologies you two, it’s been a very long day.” Io leapt at the opportunity to rib him.

‘There’s no need Antoth, you were on night shift and I doubt Ratha gave you much time to actually sleep last night.’ Antoth chuckled at her, taking the accusation in stride.

“While I’m sure you’re all curious about my night with Ratha, if that’s the only reason you’re here I must insist you depart. I need to make my rounds again. The gods only know how many more problems have popped up since this morning. I never thought I’d be so thankful to have had Thantis teach me how to write. Keeping this all in my head would be a disaster.”

“That’s not why we’re here, quite the opposite in fact,” Winters reassured him. “If anything I’d wager your relationship with Ratha will change her much more than it will you. I’m here because you should know that I’m leaving the village.” Antoth froze at his declaration, raking his eyes over the armored human.

“I’m waiting.”

“I’m going after the ursae.” The captain was silent for a moment. If he was shocked by Winters’ declaration he didn’t show it. Instead his feathers slowly began to shake as he nodded, baring his teeth in a snarl.

“That would solve quite a few problems, I won’t lie. How will you alert us if you down the beast?” Winters and Io both felt their spirits rise at Antoth’s confidence in them. By his reckoning the ursae was dead the moment Winters had targeted it. Io spoke up.

‘Straight to the point, eh? This is why we like dealing with you Antoth, even if your choice of mate is…questionable.’ Antoth frowned back at her.

“We haven’t mated, spirit Io. And don’t think I don’t question it sometimes too. That doesn’t mean it didn’t help me get through what’s happened. You haven’t answered my question though. Even if you are successful at slaying an ursae you’ll need a lot of help if they’re anywhere large enough to sustain us. I would be forced to leave the village even more vulnerable than it is now.” Winters allowed Io to present their plan, giving her some extra time to interact with others. She began straightway in a professional tone, having changed into her officer’s uniform for the ‘briefing’.

‘We possess an item known as a flare gun. It will fire a bright light into the sky that will remain above our position for a period of approximately five days. We have three flares, assuming none were damaged during our descent to this planet. The flare will look like this.’ Io used the B-MASS to model a bright light rising above the trees around the forest. ‘When you see this, come immediately with as many villagers as your feel comfortable sparing. You will either find an ursae in need of immediate processing or…’ Veera’s face fell at Winters’ side. ‘We will do as much damage as possible, leaving you to make the killing blow.’

“She’s alright with this?” Antoth asked skeptically, tilting his head at Veera.

“Of course I’m not!” She replied hotly, crossing her hands over her chest and furrowing her brow.

“And yet you’re doing it anyway?” Antoth glanced over at Winters.

“Yes,” the human confirmed. Antoth shook his head with a sad smile.

“And you were calling me the crazy one for…what is it you call that mouth thing? Kissing Ratha? I’d say risking the wrath of a mate who loves you is far worse, Winters.” The human chuckled darkly in agreement.

“You’re not wrong. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to her if I get back,” he promised, looking down at a very angry Veera.

“When you get back, I think you mean?” Antoth did his best to reassure her, knowing that if Ratha had suggested an ursae hunt he’d feel most uneasy about the whole ordeal.

“Veera, if you’d seen what I saw last night you’d be more worried for the ursae. Winters, Veera, Spirit Io, I must be going. In the absence of our leader, rightly or wrongly, command seems to have fallen to me until a new priest of Seil can be selected. I will ensure that we remain ready to respond to your signal as soon as it reaches us. When do you leave?”

“Tonight. I plan to sleep during the daylight hours and hunt at night. My armor can easily save me from hyrven if necessary.” Winters was pleased to find that his proposal for countering the ursae’s nocturnal nature seemed to calm Veera a bit. She nodded and took his hand in hers, annoyed by the coarse material of his gloves that blocked her from his warmth.

“Then we’ll be on our way Antoth. Thank you for your time and good luck. Selah.”

“And to you both. I will pray for your success,” the Guardian replied, turning away from them to collect his armor and helmet as his guests showed themselves the way out.

-----

“I’m sorry Veera, we came and told you the minute we decided,” Winters explained, adding a log to the cooking fire that Veera had just built. She’d insisted that he eat heartily for the rest of the day and was fussing about their home, gathering everything preserved she could find and stuffing it into his survival bag. Winters allowed her free reign and Io made no protest as she moved back and forth constantly. She paused to look back at him. He’d changed into his normal clothing so they could be closer for a few hours.

“I know you did,” she replied sadly, looking over at Io’s Christmas tree display. She didn’t think he’d be home in three days no matter the eventual outcome of the hunt. It hurt, deeply.

“Hey, come here?” He requested, dumping a diced dato into their pot before gesturing to his lap. Veera padded over and sat over his knees, bringing her arms around his neck and nuzzling him softly. “I saw how they looked at you today, how they’ve treated you since the raid. I want that for you,” he offered. She bit down on his neck. He bore the pain without complaint

“You know I don’t give a damn about them, not if it means losing you.”

“It doesn’t mean that. I’m one of humanity’s most lethal soldiers,” he asserted, biting her back on the ear. She growled low and smooth when he released her.

“Just come back to me. I want to see the mountains with you,” she whispered, licking and tenderly kissing his neck as she spoke. She paused for a moment, considering what he was about to do. It had been bubbling in her mind since he’d told her his plan. “You would hate yourself if you didn’t go, wouldn’t you?” He stilled in her arms but eventually nodded.

“The whole winter I wouldn’t be able to stop wondering how many more would die because I refused to act. Every pyre would feel like it was my fault.” Veera moved up to nip his ear and ran her claws through his hair, wanting to remember every scent and texture of his body.

“I understand. It’s going to kill me inside every day I have to wake up without you next to me, knowing that you’re sleeping out there in the snows. But I understand. I understand what it means to not want to compromise who you are because it’s safe or will keep you alive for another week or two.” Winters held her close, breathing her scent into his lungs and knowing that she knew far better than he did.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” She smiled sadly against his skin.

“You saved me.”

-----

As Seil set in the east and the town fell silent, Veera and Winters departed their home. The human was wearing his full accompaniment of armor and weapons, including his arrows, bow, and spear. The bow was secured by its string over the shoulder opposite his sword while the spear rested between the straps of his survival bag, hanging from his shoulders like a backpack. Its spot taken, his shield was held in his off-hand, keeping his right hand free to reach for his pistol in the event of a split second attack. The guard they met along the way hailed them with a friendly call, their actions of the prior night evidently having earned them honorary induction into the force. They were greeted similarly at the west gate, all but confirming the phenomenon. Antoth had ordered all gates closed as a matter of course, so they had to wait a few moments before being able to leave.

“Please wait a few moment, I’ll be back inside once I see him off,” Veera requested, earning a salute from the guard.

“Of course Veera. Antoth told us of the prey he hunts. May the gods watch over you both.” With that the guard returned to the inside of the gatehouse, allowing them a moment of privacy. Winters pulled back Veera’s cloak hood and kissed her gently, his helmet hanging from his right hand.

“Please visit Xan, Zolta, and Asha. Tell them I’m sorry I couldn’t see them again before leaving. Same with Thantis actually. I owe him for taking care of Xan and the other wounded.”

“Of course Russell. I’m sure I’ll be seeking out the comfort of others when you’re gone,” Veera admitted sheepishly. He dropped his shield to the snow and caressed her cheek.

“There’s nothing wrong with leaning on friends Veera. I’m glad you have them.”

“They’re your friends too Russell,” she assured him, leaning into his hand and closing her eyes.

“I…yeah. Thanks Veera. Io, any parting words?” The VI took a moment, accessing Veera’s files to hopefully reassure her as effectively as possible.

‘I know you will worry for us Veera, but do not despair. Humans have proven time and again to be notoriously difficult to kill. Perhaps we can have a history lesson or two on that subject. I will do everything to ensure he comes back to you.’

“Don’t you dare die out there either, Io,” Veera hissed into the darkness. “You have to live first!”

“Those are wise words, Io,” Winters agreed. “We’re in this together and we’ll come home together. Come here darling,” he requested, smiling as Veera easily pressed herself against him For some reason his armor felt much more comforting than it had back in the temple of Meylith.

“Your canteen is full?” She asked, looking down at his waist.

“Yes love.”

“And you have your knife?”

“Yes love.”

“I packed you enough kina for you to have two each day for a week. If you hit five days take it down to one.”

“Yes Veera,” he chuckled as his heart swelled with that heat she so easily conjured inside him.

“I’m serious about this Russell!” She insisted, lightly hitting his chest with a fist. He leaned into her again.

“I know Veera, and I’ve never loved you more than I do right now. I’ll think about you every day.”

“And I will too,” she replied, feeling like her chest would burst as it overflowed with emotion. As their hug continued Io began to play a song

for them. Winters groaned with exasperation.

“Io, this isn’t some sort of storybook tale. Don’t you think this is over the top?” The VI glared at him through shimmering green eyes, her arms rigid at her side and her hands balled into small fists.

‘No! If anything it’s not sappy enough, sir! How do you biological organisms deal with all of these emotions? My heart is racing and I’m breathing heavily and I just want to cry all the time because she’s so adorable and you’d better come home alive mister! Now let me have my song!’ Io concluded her rant by putting her foot down, literally. Unwilling to fight his hunting partner, Winters just sighed and dropped his helmet to the snow, freeing both hands to hold Veera to him. The tune played and they listened, shedding silent tears at the promised return from over the hills and far away. When it was over she looked up at him, the light of the waxing crescent moons illuminating her amber orbs like guiding lights. I will see these again, Winters promised himself. Veera spoke to him in a resigned but brave voice.

“Remember your comrades and your promises to them. Remember that I’ll be waiting for you,” she said simply, standing proudly before him in that moment and holding any further tears at bay. He picked up his helmet, brought his heels together, and placed it over his head.

“I will. Selah, my love.”

“Selah, my human.” With that Veera turned away from him, retreating back inside the village walls. She couldn’t stand to watch another man she cared about walk away in to the forest. Winters watched her the whole way until the wooden gate closed, silently promising more mornings together. As he turned away from the gate a sarcastic voice hailed him.

“Now I know why you stayed hidden,” he whispered to Io, turning to find Ratha stalking out of the shadows at him. “What do you want Huntress?”

“Running away, human? After such a heart-touching display?” She inquired pointedly.

“I’m sure Antoth’s told you by now,” he shot back, enjoying the momentary uncertainty on her face at the mention of the captain. “I’m going to bring down that ursae.”

“So it is true then? They weren’t all just full of false hope and shen shit? Your bloodlust hasn’t fully subsided?”

“Something like that,” he admitted. “It’s also the optimal solution.”

“Whatever you want to tell yourself, human. The hunt will show who you really are one way or another. I came to warn you. I will hold my hunters back from longer hunts for five days and only five. We are desperate, much as it galls me to admit such a thing. If you can achieve your goal, their talents will be better spent aiding you than hunting on their own. But I cannot afford to wait any longer than that for our own sake. That’s all.”

“Understood. Don’t get too bored while I’m gone now.” Ratha laughed at him.

“I’m sure I can find something…or someone…to occupy my time while we wait for the alien to deliver us all from starvation. By the way, that kissing thing? You’re doing it wrong. Needs much more teeth,” she declared, licking her lips.

“You’re a crazy bitch Ratha, you know that?” Winters barked, willing to laugh at the sheer absurdity of her comment.

“With any luck your precious friend Antoth will tell me the same thing tonight. Selah, human.” That one caught him flat footed. Io’s mouth dropped open.

‘What the hell just happened?’ Winters eventually composed himself enough to reply.

“Take care of him, yeah?” Ratha’s eyes narrowed, her respect for the human’s acknowledgment of his own need to kill wearing thin. She crossed her arms and glared openly at him, her pale gray eyes glinting in the night.

“I know him better than you ever will. Don’t you dare question my motives you insufferable alien.”

“Ah, that’s the Ratha I know and love. Now that all’s well in the world, I’m off. Clear some space on your wall for me would you?” He requested jovially as he turned away, raising his shield in a parting gesture. Ratha spat after him.

“There’s nothing left in my temple but space, human.” The Huntress watched as Winters' form disappeared into the darkened forest, hidden from her gaze by shadow and night. She looked up to the sky, contemplating the indifferent stars and moons. “Watch over him Valta. May he be as skilled as he is foolish. I don’t fancy dying just yet.”