Callie immediately spotted the carry net in my hands and ran over. "Is that our breakfast?"

"It is. Do you need help splitting it?"

"I can do it!" she said, skidding to a stop in front of me.

I passed her the carry net, and she promptly sat down and began making piles. I caught another flash of brown, closer now.

Merryl came over. "An airship flew past a few minutes ago, just like yesterday."

I nodded in the direction of the dark brown Saursune, who was bounding through the shrubs with something strapped to her back. "Our regular visitor is back. I don't see the green one, but we already know they're after my energy. They'd be smarter to wait a couple of hours while I recharge, although when they come this early, it gives me the rest of the day to recover."

Our guest slowed to a walk and came over to us. She stopped beside where Callie was splitting the handful of greens into piles and nuzzled the child's shoulder with a hum.

As I examined the bags on her back, I realized they were attached to a belt almost the exact color of her scales. It was the first time I'd seen her wearing a belt, although I wouldn't have spotted it at a distance if she'd worn it in the past simply due to how well it blended in.

Only three bags were attached to her belt. One was a thin rectangle just the right size for a map, the lumpy one likely held the grass-woven figures, and another round pouch swung as if it was heavy.

Sitting on her haunches, she pulled the heavier pouch off her belt and turned it upside down in front of the child. Apples, pomegranates, carrots, a few bundles of greens, and various other vegetables rolled out. The Saursune used her nose to push most of them into Callie's lap.

The child blinked in surprise and gave the Saursune a delighted smile. "Thank you!"

The Saursune hummed and nuzzled her shoulder again. Picking up an orange between her teeth, she held it out to Merryl. My sister stared at the sharp teeth, unable or unwilling to put her hand that close. As if realizing it, the Saursune set it on the ground and nudged it so it rolled against her feet.

She picked up another orange and held it out to me. I lifted my hand, but I couldn't bring myself to bring my fingers that close. Instead, I cupped my hand just below, and she let it drop into my palm.

I bowed my head. "Thank you."

With a hum, the brown female backed up a few steps and pulled the map out of the square bag.

As she set up the odd foldable stand, Arthur commented, "Those fruits and vegetables don't all grow in the same climate. It might be wise to check them for 'seeds'."

Merryl gingerly sat down beside Callie and inspected the skin of an apple before giving it to her daughter. "This would be a good breakfast. Just chew carefully and don't swallow any seeds or anything else hard."

"Okay! Can I have an orange next?"

She hesitated but quickly realized our group would probably eat most of what the Saursune brought since there was nothing to be picked. "I don't see why not. Just eat slowly and spit out all the seeds."

Unaware of the byplay, the Saursune set the map on the stand. I peeled the orange and slowly ate the first piece, savoring the sweet juices and pulp while watching our guest.

She put one hunter, two gatherers, and three porter figures on the map. Considering Arthur didn't have his bow today, the Saursunes must have realized individuals held actual roles instead of just carrying certain objects.

The airship was put on the same spot as last time, and I ruefully regarded the crystal spire inside the hollow structure. The clues had been there all along.

The Saursune tilted her head as she inspected the setup and gazed at me. I tucked the remaining half of my orange in a small belt pouch and stepped closer for a better look as she moved some figures. Like last time, most of the humans remained by the crystal while one porter and a brown Saursune went to the airship.

A tile with a charcoal drawing was set down, showing a porter with both hands on the crystal. Beside it, she put a picture showing three big sacks with rice, grain, and what looked like potatoes or yams.

She placed another tile; this one with a Saursune and a porter sitting on a big fur cushion. Next to it, she placed a wooden carving of a braided circle and five round pictures. I leaned forward to peer at the new additions.

The braid was just a bit bigger than the pictures, and each picture was mounted on a thinner tile. Each picture showed one type of item—a basket of apples, a sack of roots, a sheep, ten chickens, and the last picture had three shovels, two wooden watering cans, and a bunch of small pouches with various small piles of seeds in front.

The Saursune put the hollow braid on top of the cushion tile, then picked up one of the round pictures and set it in the middle. The braid formed a perfect border around the picture. She took the picture out and did the same with each of the other round pictures in turn.

Leaving the hollow braided circle on top of the cushion tile, she lined up the pictures below it. She moved the Saursune and porter figures back to the crystal with the other human figures. She tilted her head at me.

I glanced at the others. "It looks like what I did yesterday. Sharing energy with the crystal in exchange for three big sacks. For the fourth item, I think I get to choose which item we get. Do we want apples, tubers, a sheep, ten chickens, or a bunch of gardening supplies like shovels and seeds?"

"I suggest the gardening supplies if you decide to go," Arthur commented. "That'll feed us in the long run."

"They probably have good seeds," Sophia agreed.

None of them asked me if the trade was a good idea. Deep down, I had a sneaking suspicion she wanted me to rest on the mats inside the airship, and I tried to forget how scared I'd been in there yesterday. At least she had confirmed we'd come back here.

Was I really about to do this again? My gaze drifted to Callie, who was happily gobbling down fruit like she hadn't eaten in twelve hours, which she hadn't.

My hand reached for the gardening supplies picture—the surface felt like smooth stone—and set it in the braided circle.

The Saursune nodded—an action that made me blink—and got to her feet. My mind spun, trying to remember if I'd ever seen a Saursune nod or if they were picking up our behaviors. I was beginning to understand their hums and knew a jaw clack was disapproval or a warning, so it stood to reason that they associated a head bow with a thank-you or a nod with agreement.

Leaving the map and objects where they were, she stepped to the side and waited for me.

Merryl gazed at me in worry. "Be careful."

"I'll try my best."

Gathering my courage, I walked beside the Saursune as my friends and family watched me leave. I tried to keep my thoughts firmly on the food I'd bring back and not dwell on the fact that I was going back inside the airship.

Last night, everyone had full bowls of soup, and there had even been enough to put a quarter of each sack's contents into our reserve piles. This trade would buy us more breathing space, although I'd have to leave today's hauls with Roxanne so the patriarchs didn't get too suspicious.

I followed the Saursune along the same path as yesterday. When we reached the clearing, the airship was once again on the far side. And, alas, it hadn't shrunk any. My heart began racing—it was an airship—and my feet paused. The brown Saursune waited patiently, with no hint of being in a rush.

The green Saursune had been sitting beside the open door, and he pranced over, then back to the airship with a soft keen. I took a deep breath and forced myself to step forward. My steps were slow, but I managed to make it all the way to the airship without chickening out.

I paused at the doorway, unable to convince myself to step inside right away. I evaluated the interior as the brown Saursune waited patiently beside me. The setup was identical to what I had seen yesterday. The crystal spire was on the back wall, the cover already opened.

There were several big fur cushions and various furs and hides against the walls. Numerous windows let in plenty of light and made the open space feel less like I might be cornered.

The male retreated to the back corner and sat on a smaller cushion while watching me. The crystal was only ten paces away. Ten paces. I did it yesterday. I could do it again.

Stepping inside wasn't easy, and my eyes flickered over every surface as I slowly approached the crystal. The brown Saursune matched my pace, guiding me forward, yet remaining a supportive presence.

I finally reached the crystal, and taking a deep breath, I placed both hands on the spire. It was still strange to touch what looked like a crystal and feel no shimmer through my veins or any crystalline presence.

I cautiously pushed energy to my hands, where it disappeared. I tried to study it, but it seemed like the moment the energy reached my palms, it "vanished". The crystal was obviously absorbing it even though I wasn't pushing it past my skin. The spire's glow had increased, brightening and dimming with my struggles to control the energy flow.

My legs began to feel tired before I figured out the riddle of how something could absorb my energy without me feeling it or being able to sense it. Like last time, I pulled my hands away sooner than I would have if I were sharing energy with a Saursune or if I were closer to a crystal.

The draining aftereffects took a moment to catch up, and once again, the brown Saursune moved her shoulder near my elbow, giving me something to lean on while the disorientation passed.

When my hand left her shoulder, she hummed and circled around me once before ambling over to a big cushion. After she laid down along the back edge, she tapped the open area beside her.

I gazed wistfully at the open door. I really didn't want to stay in here, but I wanted the supplies they'd offered. My feet slowly carried me over to the Saursune, and when I hesitated near the edge of the cushion, she tapped the open spot again.

I stepped onto the cushion and cautiously sat down on the rather soft material. Most villages just used layers of furs and hides, not actual stuffed cushions. There weren't any lumps or dips in it. My fingers ran across it lightly, unable to figure out what it was made of. It looked like short fur, but it didn't quite feel like the furs back in the village.

My eyes darted over to the green Saursune as he curled up in the corner and rested his head on his hands. Even though the brown one was similarly relaxed, my muscles remained tense, and I kept glancing at the door. Thankfully, it remained open. I would have a panic attack if it closed.

How long was I supposed to sit here? Yesterday, we had sat under the tree for quite a while, so the brown female would probably remain here for some time. And why did they want me to rest inside? Why not shoo the human nuisance outside as soon as I finished with the crystal?

Just like with the first braided circle, I began to feel like I was missing something.