My view cleared, although the hunters hadn't moved far in my brief absence. The airship sat motionlessly in the air, with Citrine still in the doorway.

Cruz lightly kicked the torso of the croc that hadn't been loaded into the cart. "Let's see if we can drag this closer to the crystal. The butchers can wrestle with it later."

I stepped away from the crystal, and the hunters went to see if they could move the valuable chunk of meat. Scratching my head, I scanned the sandbar to ensure no crocs were creeping up on us. When I looked back at the airship, I blinked. Why did it seem closer?

My eyes quickly compared the distances between it and some nearby trees. It was getting closer, even though it was still facing sideways. I hadn't known that airships could fly sideways.

Citrine tilted her head slightly, and I took a few more steps away from the crystal to reassure her that I wasn't about to bounce again. The airship moved a bit faster, but still slower than a quick walk. The seven hunters glanced at it more and more frequently, struggling to roll the gator chest over on the loose sand.

"Watch those two crocs," a hunter murmured. "I don't like how they're edging closer."

I turned around to check. "They weren't that close a few minutes ago."

"The airship isn't that far away either."

Working as one, the hunters finally managed to roll the croc torso from its back onto its front. It was a couple of paces closer to the crystal, but it had been near the end of the cart, so it was still over ten paces away.

"Assuming the Saursunes don't take too much energy, we can always link hands and port it when we leave," I told them. It was similar to how we had ported the heavy log, although porting with three or four linked people would probably make me regret it almost as much.

"We can take a break and try later," Liam said. "It isn't like we have anything else to do, and I'm not about to pull out a knife with those guys that close." He nodded at the airship which was inching toward the tip of the sandbar.

The hunters stood and stretched, keeping an eye on our guests as the airship set down on the sand fifty paces away. The faint humming faded as Citrine delicately stepped onto the sand and wandered over with a friendly hum. When she reached me, she rubbed her head briefly against my shoulder.

I pet her neck while murmuring, "Hello."

She looked around and examined the sandbar, the hunters, and the crocs along the shore. Some of the hunters, like Liam, regarded the brown Saursune cautiously while others who had been around them more, like Cruz, didn't seem concerned by her presence.

Jasper appeared in the airship doorway with a small bag looped around his neck. The door remained open as he trotted over. A few hunters edged away from the quickly moving Saursune, who glanced at them before refocusing on me.

The green Saursune stopped in front of me and pulled the bag off his neck. Sitting on his haunches, he up-ended the bag and let various tiles fall onto the packed sand. He arranged the charcoal tiles first, showing a porter's hands on a ship crystal, then a porter sitting on a cushion. He put four braided circles beside them, three by the first tile, one by the other one. Round pictures depicting trade goods were spread in a line in front.

I thought quickly. It looked like a straightforward trade that didn't require a map or me flying anywhere. I didn't mind sharing my energy with the crystal—although if it made any kind of creaking sound, I'd be pulling my hands away as fast as possible—but I didn't want to rest inside the airship with witnesses. Was there a way to change that part?

Crouching down, I examined the layout. With a glance at Jasper, who was watching me, and a glance at the hunters, who were craning their necks to see what we were doing, I tentatively reached out a hand and slid the sitting tile and accompanying braid back to him. It was almost painful to turn away the food, but there was always tomorrow, and we had enough for today.

With a nod, his claws scooped up the cushion tile and accompanying empty braid and dropped them back in the bag. He waited for my next move without seeming to take any offense to the change. I breathed a sigh of relief as I examined the trade goods—there were at least fifty to choose from. It was probably best if we avoided anything weapon-like this time.

With a glance at the hunters, I asked them, "Any preference on trade goods?"

"With all this meat, it would be best to pick dry goods or things we can dry," Cruz suggested. "I can't see what those pictures are from here."

I nodded and focused on the pictures. A big sack of carrots was my first selection. The five hunting knives were tempting after watching the hunters struggle, but I chose a sack of corn instead. For the third item, I was about to pick the big bag of grain, but a brainwave hit, and I chose the huge box of bananas instead.

Bananas didn't always dry nicely, and they made the soup taste really weird, so people would eat them fresh. This would ensure that everyone would get fresh fruit, even if they had to share. The patriarchs would have a hard time telling people I'd done something wrong when my actions gave them a rare treat. Villagers were very food motivated, particularly when rationing was so common.

Jasper nodded and scooped all the circles into the pouch. Citrine took a step toward the airship, pausing with her shoulders level beside mine, waiting for me. The hunters also watched me. Why did having an audience make this feel so much more awkward?

To the hunters, I said, "I'll be back in a minute. The crystal is just inside the door."

"Just" felt like far too minor of a word when it meant I was going inside the airship. It was insanity. It might be a trap. It was...not overly scary anymore, at least not for me. Not when it was the same airship I'd ridden in before.

I'd barely taken three steps before a loud splash made me whirl around. Jasper turned into a green blur that darted to intercept the croc charging the hunters. They scattered out of the watery predator's way as the Saursune jumped over it, swatting its tail while he was midair.

The croc aborted its charge and swung its head around to protect its rear end, but the Saursune was already well out of range. With a low hiss, Jasper kept darting in to swipe at the croc with his front claws. The swift, light strikes weren't doing any noticeable damage, although I could hear the scrabbling as his claws raked over the croc's tough, bumpy hide.

Crocs weren't exactly intimidated by anything, but the relentless assault soon had it retreating to the water. Jasper shook himself briskly and looked around, his gaze lingering on me.

I bowed my head and told him, "Thank you."

The croc had been too far away to catch one of my hunters by surprise, but Jasper probably didn't know how quickly my current group could move. He eyed up the other crocs and trotted to the closest one, likewise annoying it until it decided the river was a preferable location.

Leaving the green Saursune to guard my hunters, I walked to the airship with Citrine. I paused in the doorway and peered inside. Part of it was for my observers, to prove I was being cautious, and part of it was because I was still uneasy and wanted to make sure nothing had changed.

The inside was the same as it had been every other time. The cover had been removed from the crystal, and all the hides and fur cushions were in the same spots. I could practically feel the hunters watching me. With a sigh, I stepped inside. Citrine was a steady, calm presence at my side.

I examined the airship crystal as I walked over, but it glowed from the bottom like it always did. The refractions and glittering in the huge crystal were nowhere to be seen. I gingerly set my hands on the spire and was relieved when I couldn't sense anything. If I ever sensed that deepness again, I'd have to be careful.

As I pushed some energy into my palms, the glow from the base of the crystal intensified. To my relief, there was no trickling down effect from my hands. It was a struggle to keep the flow steady, although seeing it reflected in the glow was helping. I still had no idea how much energy I had left. It was just...there. Kind of like finding a clay deposit in the dirt, but not knowing how much there was until it was all dug out.

Mindful of the large group and cart I still had to take home, I removed my hands when my legs started feeling slightly tired. My hand rested on Citrine's shoulder as the expected disorientation made its appearance. It wasn't as bad as usual, possibly because I had stopped at the first signs.

Citrine ambled beside me to the door, humming a faintly comforting tone. Or I assumed it was supposed to be comforting. She could have been speaking for all I knew.

As I stepped out of the airship, my eyes skimmed the muddy waters mere paces away. I had never gone this close to the shore in case any lurking crocs decided to lunge out. My reflexes weren't as quick as a hunter's.

I retreated to the crystal and warily sat on a patch of dry sand. Citrine curled up around me, close enough that my back rested against her side.

While watching Jasper chase crocs into the water, Cruz stood near me. "What's it like in there?"

I shrugged. "Quite bare, actually. Brown floor, lighter brown walls. The crystal is somehow attached to the wall. The controls are hidden behind another door. Otherwise, there's just some furs and cushions."

Liam came to stand by Cruz, which had Citrine turning her head to examine him. Her gaze shifted to a few of the other hunters, and it took me a few seconds to realize she was focusing on the ones who hadn't been part of my past groups. I'd left some of my group with other porters many times, so me "adopting" new ones shouldn't seem too unusual.

"Any idea how long they're going to hang around?" Liam asked, watching a rather tenacious croc charge at Jasper, who easily dodged it. His speed dredged up old fears, reminding me of the days I'd run from the swift aliens. I squashed the feelings, firmly reminding myself that he was currently protecting me and my group, not hunting us.

"I'm not sure," I replied. "Probably until I leave, but I'd prefer to rest at least fifteen or twenty minutes before we go to the Guard Station." I hadn't tried porting soon after sharing with a ship crystal, but it seemed like an unwise venture.

Liam nodded absently, his eyes still on the green Saursune. "I don't think there's any rush."

After a quick surveillance check, he sat on the sand as well. Cruz followed suit, and a few others gathered around, likewise sitting, but facing different directions.

Having vanquished all the crocs on the sandbar, Jasper trotted back. He investigated the cart tracks and gave the croc remains a cursory check. Pausing, he ran his claws through the loose sand piled around the hunters' footprints from when they attempted to roll the crocodile torso.

He jumped lightly over the mostly-intact crocodile chest ten paces from us. Grabbing onto the rib cage with his teeth, he began tugging. His feet churned up the sand as he struggled to drag the heavy object closer to the crystal.

"I wonder if he'll let us help," Cruz murmured, getting to his feet.

Several others got to their feet and circled wide around to the back side. Jasper stopped and lifted his head as five hunters gathered on the other side of the croc.

Cruz knelt by the croc, inclined his head at the green Saursune, and pushed lightly to show he was trying to help. The other four replicated his actions.

Jasper grabbed onto the edge of the rib cage as he pulled again. At the same time, the hunters strained to push it. Both Saursune and human feet sank into the sand, but the chest section was moving.

Sitting straighter, I scanned the area to make sure no crocs were edging out of the water before watching the interesting group effort. Rolling would have been faster, but after more than a bit of effort, the croc's torso was beside the crystal. The sand behind them was so churned that it looked like they had tried to dig a garden.

I bowed my head and told Jasper and the hunters, "Thank you."

Breathing hard, the hunters inclined their heads to the Saursune, who mirrored the action. The hunters sat in their previous spot, taking a break since there wasn't anything else to be done.

Shaking himself off, Jasper went to harry a smaller croc, which left as soon as it saw him coming. He trotted a circle around us and slowed to a walk. Nostrils flaring, he turned his head to the hunters, who watched him warily. With relaxed muscles and over-exaggerated friendly body language, he wandered over and walked among them, pausing to sniff Liam's hands.

"He must smell the salve," I murmured.

Jasper glanced at me, and after giving each hunter a cursory sniff, he wandered back to the airship. He opened the hidden storage area on the side and pulled out two large sacks. He brought them over to the crystal, then went back and wrestled a large box of yellow fruit out. Did they carry all of the trade items in the airship? What would they have done with the bananas if I hadn't chosen them?

When Jasper got the box out, he lifted the closest end and put a long roller under it, then went behind it, lifted that end, and simply pushed the box. The front roller acted like a giant wheel that didn't seem to be bothered by the sand. I wondered why he hadn't tried using it with the croc torso. Maybe he didn't want blood or oils on it.

Once all the trade goods were deposited by the crystal, Jasper put the roller back in the airship and promptly went to chase another croc. It was like watching one of those terriers that simply couldn't sit still. I was getting tired just watching him.

Citrine didn't rest her head on her hands like she usually did; instead, she kept an eye on the waterline. She apparently didn't trust the crocodiles either.

Eventually, the flies buzzing around the croc torso and the increasingly hot sun convinced me it was time to leave. After stretching, I stood up. Citrine also got up; with a hum, she nuzzled my shoulder and then stepped away, sitting and watching from a polite distance.

The hunters swiftly gathered around me, linked hands, and grabbed onto the croc and other trade goods without any words being exchanged.

Since it felt strange to just leave, I told Citrine, "Thank you. Have a good day."

Even as she replied with a hurr, I directed my mind to the Guard Station. I was sure there'd be some sort of repercussions as word of what I did got out, but at the moment, I was content with the size of our haul. Between the hunters' efforts and mine, we'd secured enough to feed the entire village, and it wasn't even noon yet.