The village was quiet, and rumors of Suwa's exile were spreading around the tribe. Most had already known that he had been spending time with the outsiders recently, and some even claimed that they knew it was only a matter of time before such a thing happened. Not everyone was so heartless, though, and there were a few who showed compassion to Suwa’s family. The most obvious of whom was Rena.

“Deia, Feris, are you here?” Rena called out as she entered the family's home. “I just heard about Suwa. I'm so sorry.”

“Mom’s not here,” Feris muttered, curled up in the corner.

“Feris … are you okay?” Rena’s tone lowered as she approached the girl.

“Of course not. He wasn't supposed to go. He promised. Ever since dad …” she hesitated. “He promised.”

“I’m sorry Feris. I know he was a troublemaker, but I don't think anyone expected them to make such an extreme decision.”

“That's not what everyone else is saying. They're saying that he deserved it. That he would have destroyed us all if he were allowed to stay. That he was just like our father.” Feris curled up even tighter.

Rena but her lip and clenched her fists. She thought that, after all this time, everyone in this village would have understood loss. For them to push their own doubts onto someone else like that was unforgivable. That's when Rena saw the flower Suwa had given Feris cast onto the ground.

“Your flower is here Feris. Did you lose it?”

“No. I don't need something like that. I don't need anything from the wild. It will just take more from me in exchange.”

“Feris, you—” Rena didn't know what words to say and went silent.

“Rena? You're not going to leave me, are you?”

“Of course not, Feris. I'll be right here. Don't worry.”

While Rena was comforting Feris, Deia was confronting the elders. Normally, they couldn't be approached whenever someone wanted, but Deia used her position as a council member to force a meeting.

“How could you, Denda? Had he committed such an offense that there was no other option than to send him away? Do you really believe that?”

“Calm down, Deia,” one of the other elders tried to speak. “We are already deliberating on Denda's decision. It's true that he made that choice without consulting the rest of us, but—”

“And what will be done? Going behind the backs of the elders surely can't be simply forgiven, can it?”

“Enough, Deia. Don't forget that Denda is also an elder. He may not have consulted with us, but his reasoning was sound. Rashendala is already angry about the outsiders that you permitted to stay here—pushing him further could have resulted in him destroying all of us.”

“Are you trying to say that allowing my son to continue living in his own home was a threat to our existence? Do you hear yourselves?”

“He was learning the apostle's teachings, Deia.” Hearing these words, Deia stopped with her mouth agape. Her eyes shifted about as if she were looking for the right words in her surroundings as well as her mind. “You understand, don't you?”

“But, still …”

“When Suwa's father was exiled for the same thing, you did not argue his case nearly as strongly. You even convinced everyone that he chose to leave on his own. Why can't you see that this is the same?”

“Because it's not! When Meiza was exiled, I accepted it to keep the rest of my family safe. That decision was meaningless if you are going to take them away from me as well. How am I supposed to stay quiet?”

“Enough, Deia. You will leave now. Return to Feris. She is surely seeking your comfort.”

“But, I … but, I …” Deia was running out of arguments and dropped her head. There was nothing she could do for her son anymore, whether she wanted to accept it or not.

When Deia returned home, she found Rena curled up with Feris while she slept. Rena noticed Deia enter and started to get up, but Deia shook her head and gestured for Rena to stay where she was.

“Thank you for staying with her, Rena. I know she could use some company after … after hearing about what happened.”

“We could all use some company, Deia.”

“You're right. Those of us who have been left behind should stick together. Will you stay with us? I'm sorry I haven't asked you until now. I know it must have been hard for you, too.”

“It has, and I will. Thank you.”

Rena had always been a welcomed part of the family, so even if she hadn't been given an invitation to stay with them until now, it was easy for everyone to accept. There was nothing for her in the small home she had made herself, anyway, and like Deia said: Those who had been left behind should stick together. So that's what they did. However, it was only a few days before more bad news would arrive at the village.

This news would come from Rashendala’s beasts who once again entered the village as they pleased. And this time, they came to do more than deliver Rashendala's message; they came to carry out his will.

“Gather the gehm here,” snarled the beasts' leader—a large gray-maned cat accompanied by Askret. “And bring their so-called leaders.”

The beasts who came into the village scattered to collect any gehm who might be trying to hide and brought them before their leader. The Endora elders were no exception, and the mood of all who were gathered ranged between fear and bewilderment. Except for Deia, who was still enraged by the situation with Suwa.

“Why did you come here?” Deia shouted. “We already did what you asked. The outsiders were forced to leave. You have no reason to be here now.”

“Deia! Are you crazy?” Rudahl grabbed his fellow council member and covered her mouth. “You're going to get us all killed.”

“Hmm … It seems that not all of you have forgotten how to speak to your betters,” the leader of the beasts stated in an irritated tone “As to why we’re here, we've come on Rashendala’s orders to collect your offering.”

As the beast spoke there were gasps and murmurs amongst the crowd of gehm. It had not been long since they had made their last offering, so there should still be time before their next. Even the elders were unsure of what the beast was claiming.

“Askret, you choose. I trust you still know the face of the problematic gehm. I have trouble telling them apart, myself.”

“Of course,” Askret snarled through a malevolent grin as he prowled toward the group of gehm. Each of the gehm present were filled with the urge to flee but were too terrified to move as the large cat drew closer. Askret circled the group as his eyes scanned each one of them until he finally stopped before a single child.

“Feris?!” Deia shouted as Askret towered over her daughter. “Move, get away from him!”

“Hello little one,” Askret spoke softly as he looked down at Feris. Unlike the terrified faces of every other gehm present, Feris was staring back into Askret’s eyes with resolve and resentment. Askret laughed at her attempt to resist. “You're not wearing your trophy today?”

Deia attempted to strike at Askret from his blind spot with a large stick, but he smacked her aside with his giant paw. He growled at her disrespect, but then recognized her as one of the members of the council and changed his anger to amusement.

“We'll take this one, too,” Askret claimed as he pawed at Deia's foot. Deia was unconscious after being knocked to the ground and Feris had rushed to her side. “These two will be the first. As for the final one—”

“Wait!” Rena interrupted. Her body was shaking, and her mind was still flashing with memories of when she was a child, and her father was taken from her the same way. “Please, leave the girl. Take me. Please.”

This time, it was all the beasts who laughed. It was rare for one to volunteer themselves as an offering, and they found it amusing. However, Askret refused.

“How interesting. This child means something to you? She's important?” he questioned. “But you cannot take her place. Or the woman's, for that matter. There was once a plant nearby which would lure unsuspecting beasts in with its brilliantly colored and sweet-smelling flowers, only to devour them. However, that plant was killed, and it was one of you who has killed it. So, you will need to be punished.”

When Rena realized which plant he was talking about, she couldn't hide the realization on her face, and Askret noticed. With a smile and soft purr, he continued his explanation.

“For such an offense, we should take one Endora member to be held responsible, this child; a leader who failed to teach their subjects properly, this woman; and one of your elders who has failed to keep order. Oh! Now that I've been given time to think, I know exactly who should take that final place.”

Askret waded through the crowd of terrified gehm until he reached the three elders. “Now then, which one of you was it who showed such disrespect to Rashendala? Oh, right, the insignificant one.” Enjoying the irony, Askret sank his teeth into the shoulder of one of the elders. As the other two elders fell back in fear, Denda cried out in pain, and Askret dragged him away.

“These three will make up the offering. Now, let us return to Rashendala before he loses his patience.”

“Wait! Wait, you can't leave,” Rena cried out, but her legs were too weak to carry her. “You can't …” even her voice had failed her as she dropped to her knees and pressed her face against the ground. The only response to her cries was the laughter of beasts, but even that quickly faded into the distance.