Crane couldn’t seem to stay still lately. Even Indel had to take notice of it when he’d shift about during their first meal. No doubt he was eager to see to his ino. Two days now with little change in her quiet state but Crane was loyal and steadfast.

Indel had a lot planned for today. After Boon, who’d decided he was no longer on speaking terms with his brother, marched out early to ride his ino, Indel thought to go, too.

“I will make weapons today,” Indel said, finishing the last of the worms. He longed for meat but didn’t dare hunt in this stage.

He needed to train them now that they were big enough to take a hit.

“Boon needs more time to heal,” Nala said, sitting down. “Does he not?”

The training wasn’t for Boon. Rather than admit to that, Indel tried to think of a new solution. Boon would need more care but he’d do well to learn to fight with his hands; words were not his forte either.

“Crane can start first.”

Outside when they gathered to start the lesson, it was tense talking to two people who refused to talk to one another. Boon strutted his ino out for them to see before he picked up the sticks Indel gathered for them. Indel had shaped them into claws for now until their own grew in again. Boon’s fancy introduction was foolish but it did put a dent in Crane’s otherwise cold expression. Crane’s ino hadn’t done much but stare at him since he’d gotten her two days ago.

Even when they trained Crane couldn’t stay still.

Nala sat atop the stone fence watching them.

“You don’t want to be too low,” Indel said, but if you can catch your opponent under the belly, rip in a jagged motion this way until you strike one heart. Once he hunches....” He pivoted up, even though this body wasn’t suited for a fight. “And cut the throat. You want to do it shallow for a light match or to teach him a lesson. Or deeper for a fatal wound. Should you lodge that hook into his throat, he cannot repair it even on a shift. He will perish.”

Crane’s discomfort took up everyone’s attention.

Indel asked, “What is it?”

“It is nothing,” Crane said. “May I go in early? I want to check my Betty.”

His abrupt departure left Indel beside himself. “What has happened to this boy?”

Boon watched him go. “Just a little touched in the head.” He raised his arms and lumbered from side to side, mocking Crane’s large frame.

Between the fighting and the repairs to the farm, Indel was more than ready for the night to come. When he awoke to find Nala gone, he smiled.

It took some doing for him to climb from under Crane and wiggle free of Boon as he headed for the door. Growing Levelers were hard to rouse from sleep and although Indel didn’t mind the challenge of trying to leave that bed of hay should the need arise, Nala wasn’t as adventurous; she still slept apart. Indel didn’t care about the cuts from his sons’ scales. They did hurt but it was manageable. Still, only Indel and his sons followed old ways by sleeping close.

He wasn’t sure how Summoners managed if they slept apart from each other. Should one larva wriggle away or something remove an offspring from the nest, there would be no way to tell if families slept at a distance. Perhaps this was only Nala’s habit and not that of all Summoners.

As Nala had long since taken to sleeping on her own bed, her coming and going was quiet. Since the false Earther’s retreat from the area, Nala kept her urges to mate to herself, going off in the night instead. It was a strange thing, but Indel no longer questioned Nala’s strange things.

Indel was quiet when he closed the door behind him and hurried out into the brush.

Nala came into view just as she shrugged off her robe. She froze. “Mana?”

“Yes? You seem worried. Have you encountered another Summoner?”

Letting out a sigh, Nala continued to undress. “No. It’s not a stranger that I worry will see me.”

“Do you hide even from me? You’ve come a long way in,” Indel observed.

Her back still to Indel, Nala chuckled. “You’d slept. I worried you wouldn’t come, Mana, but you are always welcomed.”

Indel sauntered toward her. “Did you want me to leave?”

Smiling wide, Nala shook her head. “Never.”

Indel dropped his own robe and pressed their bodies together. “May I ask something of you?”

Nala waited. “I am fearful.”

“It’s nothing bad.” Bringing Nala’s hand between them, he whispered, “Would you coax yours and let me see? You haven’t in so long.”

The request was met with little to no enthusiasm. “I won’t do that anymore,” Nala said.

“But you did it so well,” Indel replied. “It was rather beautiful.”

In the ensuing silence, it seemed as though Nala wanted to say something. She certainly seemed bent on refusing. To Indel’s surprise, she sat down and stroked her breasts.

“Just this one last time,” Nala whispered.

That night was beauty and clouded all the things they’d had in the wild before the madness of obligations came. Indel’s body pulsed even after they were finished and they walked back to the barn hand-in-hand.

When Indel awoke the next morning early, he decided to check on the new ino as he had since its arrival. He wanted to spare Crane should the thing die.

He was quiet when he closed the door behind him and hurried around to the shaded part of the house.

Boon’s ino looked weaker than usual, its water dish dry. Indel thought to refill it but changed his mind. Boon had to do it on his own.

Crane’s ino stared up at him as he approached. She was still alive, and he calmed.

“Good. You’ll keep still.”

A door slammed and heavy footfall sounded.

“Azal! Azal” Boon cried out. “She’s killing Crane. She’s killing Crane!”

Indel gave his son a curious look as he walked toward his otherwise rushing figure.

“What are you saying?”

“Aza!”

At that, Indel broke into a run. He swung open the door in time to catch the shovel before Nala struck the boy yet again.

Crouched up on the floor, Crane guarding his head and face. The crack to his exoskeleton was extensive, far worse than that of Boon’s.

Indel looked between them, shock robbing his ability to speak. He didn’t need to take the shovel; Nala threw it down.

“You do not do such a filthy thing!”

The world had come to a stop, but Indel turned to look at Nala yet again. “What has happened?”

“I awoke,” Nala said, gasping. “I awoke...awoke to find him...to see him....”

Her heavy breaths deepened; she’d be no help.

Indel turned to Boon, his only remaining source of help.

The boy shook his head. “I do not know, Azal. She just started to hit him and I awoke. I do not know.”

Indel waited for one of these fools to tell him what was wrong. He crouched down to Crane.

“What has caused this?”

“It hurts,” Crane whispered. He reaching down to his groin but pulled his hand away, fearing Nala’s wrath. “It hurts.”

Indel looked up to Nala, and then to Boon.

“I will see to Crane. Both of you go outside.”

Nala marched out in a huff, but Boon lingered.

“Will he be all right?”

Indel let out a groan as he stood and closed the door. He rubbed his arms. All thoughts fell to that of Crane’s wounds but he was unsure what he could do. At this age, mating spells shouldn’t come at all. But Crane was always fast moving. Should he really be fit for mating, using the leaf to heal him would send him through a cycle. If he were still immature like Boon he could go back to a younger stage with less scales or none.

Crane cried out and Indel crouched down to meet him.

“I am unsure what to tell you—”

“It hurts,” Crane gasped. “It hurts. It hurts!”

Indel watched him for some time. He understood the dangers of going against the seasons and the agony that might follow. But this sounded different.

He reached down, cracking the scales guarding Crane’s groin. What he saw made him yell, “Nala!”

Madness broke out after that; Crane crying and Indel racing from the barn. He took the tools and the hooks he’d made for their training and rushed back.

“Boon! Get water! As much as you can carry!”

Nala stopped at the doorway, confusion written on her face.

“What is it? Did you talk to him?”

Indel stepped past her and tried to pick Crane up. “Blast this weak body. Help me!”

Nala stepped in. She gasped. “What is that?”

“It’s a slug,” Indel said through gritted teeth. “And it’s borrowed into his skin. Help me. We must get him into the suns.”

They lumbered outside, Crane giving little help. When Boon returned, he helped Nala hold Crane’s shoulders.

Indel rubbed the hook against a rock and let out a soft breath.

“Bring his legs up.”

Nala didn’t seem capable of helping, she just stared at them wide-eyed as she held onto Crane’s shoulders.

Boon picked up Crane’s legs, turning his face away when he caught sight of the engorgement under Crane’s sac.

Indel held the hook, glanced at Crane’s fearful eyes, and cut.

That wail rivaled even Boons.

The cut was good at least because the slug, fat with blood, slid out. Indel had to catch it and he did so with the same hook.

He picked it up and brought it further out where he was sure the suns would catch it.

“I need more gamali leaves,” Indel said without looking back. They’d used most of it on Boon but he scanned the area for another possible source.

“What is happening to him?” Boon asked.

Indel turned back in time to see Crane, his body shaking.

“Let him go,” Indel shouted, breaking into a run. “Let him go!”

Boon did as he was told. Nala was slower in moving but Boon shoved her back in time.

Countless scales jutted from Crane’s body, covering even his eyes.

Indel nearly fell as he came to a stop and crouched down. He put his hand against his son’s chest then his belly.

“His hearts beat.” Indel had to use most of his strength to push Crane’s legs up. Even his groin was covered. The bleeding had stopped, though, and although he didn’t see the condition of Crane’s member, he guessed he’d struck shallow enough. Without knowing just how deeply that slug had burrowed, he wasn’t sure what they could expect.

Indel rolled Crane over and did what all Leveler parents did when their child matured, he tucked his tail into the scales at the back and wished him well.

“He’ll sleep. But he will awaken soon.” Indel closed his eyes. “He’ll awaken soon. I am sure of it. Let’s hope this wound heals well.”