Idrus awoke with something clenched in his grip. He couldn’t say for sure what it was. His bulky body, whole once more, was a comfort as he never felt truly at ease without body-armor.

Cloudy memories came back to him, and he let out a screech. “Nala!”

“I’m here, Mana,” a muffled voice called back with a wince.

Idrus rolled over, gathering Nala up. A strong stench forced him to recoil. That’s when he noticed that they weren’t alone.

Surrounded by Leveler’s as far as the eye could see, Idrus turned until he almost lay on his back.

Each sharp intake of breath from Nala made him curious. The robe still in his grip, Idrus tried to sit up. He couldn’t move. Something held him at the waist.

He twisted his hips, and Nala cried out, “No. Please do not move. The spikes reach into my very flesh. Do not move. I beg.”

Flesh...? Though it caused Nala pain somehow, Idrus eased away. They were still connected at the hip.

Idrus had never awoken still attached. In fact, he feared it because a female’s body donned a secretion in her spikes to ward off predators when with child.

He’d seen a body reject him a time or two. Nala hadn’t changed back to the first stage. That must have been why they were still connected. But Idrus was whole once more. He must have spent his entire seed to return to the first stage so easily. That explained the stench; he’d released every drop of his essence here.

It’d be best to move quickly in separating, however.

Idrus knew of one sure way to facilitate it and they were fortunate that it was still dawn.

“Solvent. Bring us solvent now,” he screeched.

“There is no clean water here,” a Leveler informed him.

“Best to risk sickness than to allow my skeleton to solidify when the sun dries it! Bring us solvent!”

His bellow was answered with a series of clicks which chorused, “Yes, Jaga.”

Gourd after gourd of water pelted them. With each douse, Idrus shifted his hips. He paused a time or two when it became too much for Nala.

Idrus cursed Nala for not simply falling to her first stage so that her body would widen.

In the distance, the suns threatened to rise. Letting out a sigh, Idrus resolved to do things the hard way. It might cause injury but injuries could heal.

“Nala, you must move with me. On the next batch of water,” Idrus said.

The fear that greeted him was understandable but he himself was equally terrified.

“You must.”

“No,” Nala said. “No, you cannot—”

Before she could finish her protest, Idrus called for the next gourd of water. His body didn’t shrink down as well as he’d liked, but it was something. Holding onto Nala’s waist, Idrus shoved her off. A guttural cry came with it.

Turned onto her belly, Nala shivered.

Idrus tossed the robe aside as he fell to his knees and waited. He rubbed Nala’s back, crooning.

“Let the change come. It will heal you. Let the change come. Let it come.”

But Nala didn’t change. A series of gasps and pauses reminded Idrus all too well that Nala’s bare back, and her sheared tail was up for public view. Still, he waited for the transformation to come.

When the whispering clicks of chatter became too much, Idrus brought the robe over Nala’s back, a portion of it soaked up the purple blood.

The wound wouldn’t heal well in this vulnerable state. Gathering up as much saliva as he could, Idrus resolved to brush the robe aside and spit on Nala’s sore crease.

It helped a little but not for long.

Knowledge that he was the source of Nala’s injury plagued Idrus with woe.

The face plate had formed but he broke it with a squeeze of his hand; he could reform it later on.

Lips to Nala’s slit, Idrus circled it with his tongues.

“Mana?” Nala groaned. “What is your intention?”

Idrus didn’t answer. He was too angry. Being forced to care for the wound in such a manner—and publicly—he was beyond angry.

It helped Nala though. Each brush of his tongue found the area smoother. Once the bruise was nearly gone, Idrus sat back, a growl in the back of his throat.

“Now change!”

Nala took some time to kneel. Taking the robe in hand, she didn’t afford Idrus even a glance as she stood and lumbered through the sea of spectating stage-one Levelers. Now with the mating spells gone, those Levelers would become restless.

Idrus waited for Nala to acknowledge him. The rude Summoner paid him no such courtesy as she walked on without looking back.

“Retrieve her,” Idrus screeched. “She’s still unwell and that solvent was unclean. Whatever offspring she brings will need care.” He meant to step forward to go after Nala himself, but his legs lost power. “Curse this Summoner. Bring her here!”

Nala’s temperament was the worst as two stage-one Levelers flanked her. Idrus hadn’t intended for his Levelers to show the spikes of their armor but the act of aggression got Nala’s attention.

The way Nala walked looked strange, stranger still because she appeared to have the intention of running.

It would be days before Idrus’s energy would return. He feared for what would become of Nala in that time.

“We must take her with us. That wound is not yet fully healed. She will bear young on her own. It is unwise.” Idrus ambled to stand. He was faced with the problem of the how.

Short of tying Nala’s hands and forcing her to walk, it seemed an impossible task to carry her with the bulky spikes of his current body.

The suns’ shine stiffened their armor quickly. One shriek came, then another and another still.

When the news reached Idrus, he couldn’t bring himself to shriek back. Their expected batch was less than the usual travels to the cave; that was the message. The previous night’s memories came in dull waves, and he couldn’t remember why he hadn’t spent the last of his seed with the fit females he’d intended.

Nala took up his attention again. The foolish Summoner struggled into the fancy robe and tried to leave. Four more Levelers blocked her path.

As they surrounded her, Idrus regretted his brash orders. One Leveler was enough to render a gentle Summoner, of any size, limb from limb. Now five surrounded Nala’s weak stage-three body.

Idrus decided to force his body to change. As Idsel he could carry Nala comfortably with few spikes. No sooner had he allowed his scales to fall, the clutch of Levelers to see him took to panic.

“What has happened? Should we all change?”

“But the suns dull!”

“We’ve never forced a change since the Earthers left. Is there one here now?”

Idrus shrieked back, “No. Do not change. I will make the change. Keep yourselves dry. It appears we’ll have some rain.”

Finally as Idsel, he pushed past the Levelers surrounding Nala and picked the bitter Summoner up into his arms. It was hard balancing at first, but in time he steadied.

“My lord, is it wise to force the change so soon?” someone asked. “It is undone. If we must bring her, put her with the other females.”

Putting the king’s favored with common Levelers? As rude as that suggestion was—even the females walked—Idsel ignored it.

One drop of rain led to two, and the air dampened. That was regrettable because Idsel could have done with more sun to dry himself.

“What are you for, Mana?” Nala asked, resting her head on his shoulder. “Bring me to my farm.”

A shiver ran through her and Idsel hid his fear as he walked on. After a day, the fit females would require help. Nala.... So would Nala. Idsel considered putting Nala with them, but the spikes of a female with child were deadly. No. Carrying her was best. He would take Nala home with them and see to treating her injury, and maybe find a way to force her back to her first stage where she was safest at a time like this. In all the cycles where Idsel had sired countless Levelers, he was never this excited. He’d keep Nala’s brood, every single offspring. It was common for females to raise the young away from the males but Idsel preened at the idea of watching Nala care for their children together. There was no telling how many would arrive at one time. Considering just how much of Idsel’s seed the Summoner allowed, it could be countless. Hearts swelling with pride with each step, Idsel decided to separate Nala from other pregnant Levelers. He was eager to gaze upon a face mixed with both their shared expressions.

Idsel looked up at the graying skies and lamented their poor luck. This was the driest season, the best for mating because of the harsh suns. He couldn’t recall ever finding rain so soon after mating.

“It is misfortune to bring that Summoner.”

“It hasn’t a tail. Did you see?” someone else whispered.

“And now it brings the rain. What if we cannot dry?”

It was all nonsense. The rain would stop. Nala would heal...and Nala would bear young. Nala...would return home.

If the Levelers’ numbers weren’t as high this season, no matter, they had a good clutch the cycle before. Next cycle would be even better. Idsel was sure of it. He resolved to keep Nala’s batch close to the roost. They could be scholars. But none for battle. He didn’t want to lose even one.

As soon as the thought left him, he slowed. The envoy obeyed his movements, confused.

Idsel remembered himself and walked on again. He didn’t want to lose even one. This was the reason for the mixing of the broods, to ushering equality. A king could keep one and only one offspring close to him—his replacement. But Idsel didn’t want just the one. He wanted them all. But only the ones from Nala’s batch.

With each step he found his resolve. It would go against tradition and it was undone but he’d keep each of the Summoner offspring Nala brought. He doubted anyone would challenge it.

Droplets of rain pelted them, coming faster the more resolute he became in hid decision. An old Leveler would call the rainfall a punishment from the old ways—that his contrary thinking had brought it on.

He cared not for those old stories. No matter if he had to fight, he would keep each and everyone of her offspring. And when they were big enough, they could go to the farm to help her.

And he...he would visit and watch them grow.

Nala didn’t protest further as they walked, a fact that concerned Idsel greatly. Perhaps she was ill. Each shiver Nala gave off made Idsel step faster, he needed to bring his Summoner home into the city, into a dry place.

“Move. Let us hurry,” Idsel commanded.

“My lord, the rains. They will hinder us. We can stop to rest—l”

“No. We must return today. Tell everyone not to stop even to rest. We must find a dry place. If the females move too slowly, then a male should carry one each as I do.”

He hefted Nala, held his entire head covering and yanked it off. As his long hair casted out of his armor, he examined his head covering. It resembled a helmet greatly and he held the quiet Summoner with one hand and put it on her head instead. It wouldn’t protect her entire body, but her head would be safe from illness. Idsel himself wasn’t as fortunate.

“Is that wise? You are in a poorly guarded stage, my king.”

Idsel ignored the warning. The moment Nala curled into him, wearing the red helmet against her blue skin, Idsel felt whole. Now they had to hurry.

It was night when the glowing simmer of the city flickered through the fog and mist of the downpour.

That didn’t matter. Nala still tucked close, sleeping in the helmet.

As was a consequence of fearing Earthers, a Leveler city could be entered only two ways, by climbing the mountainous wall that bordered it, or digging deep to go under it.

Wave after wave of Levelers dug, desperate to get the females out of the rain. They’d lay in days, but not well if they didn’t get dry.

A Leveler hurried to him and held out his arms for Nala but Idsel held her tighter without thinking. He didn’t want to lose track of her.

“No. I will carry her.” And he did. It was hell climbing the wall. His first attempt had him sliding down tot eh ground when he could no longer find stones to keep him moving up.

Nearly all Levelers had either scaled it or dug the females to safety by the time Idsel resolved to try one last time.

He used the last of his energy to take a running start. This time when he reached the top, he threw himself along the jagged edge. His hold on Nala was firm and he slid over, taking a slippery spill on the other side. That fall was considerably shorter but he felt every bruise.

“Jaga!” It came in a chorus of worry but Idsel was pleased.

“Get her to my roost and dry her. I will return once I’ve completed a cycle. Bring the healer to her first. The other females can wait a moment.”

Several Levelers approached with a gunny sack used to carrying food.

The sight of it displeased Idsel but it he decided he would receive no better material at a time like this. Once Nala was safely on the makeshift gurney, Idsel couldn’t stand it.

“Give her back. I will bring her.” He ignored their shock and did just that. Moments later, Nala resting on his bed of moss, Idsel lay beside her, watching the rain from his bare window. There was no glass like that of the Earther structure, but he was half tempted to perhaps search for some in hopes Nala would find it suitable. Then it would look similar to her farm and she would find no reason to go back.

Sleeping under his left arm, Nala clutched the helmet tight. Idsel stroked her face, tugging on several strands of her silver here.

Outside his door, Leveler came en masse. Some argued, most shouted at one another, but one word remained constant. Summoner.

“What is this Summoner?”

“The healer’s delayed. Why?”

“She must come here first, he’s said. This is undone.”

The chorus grew, morphing into a miserable noise that rivaled even the rain. But they could fight; Idsel did not care. He’d made up his mind.

“You will have a fine brood,” Idsel promised Nala. “And I will fight to keep them all. Every one of them. I swear it.”