The Territories of Halla: After Pendragon

Shaki had vanished.

Alder swore softly. "Where did he go?"

Kara, who was carrying Shaki on her back, continued to sprint through the trees.

Alder ran into the forest, taking one of his many short cuts to the flume and hoped to get there before Kara. She had no idea that if she went through with her plan, it would have disastrous consequences.

How did Shaki get with Kara? I though he was standing with Alder when she left?

Kara skidded to a halt somewhere in the forest.


He was standing next to Kara.

He ran softly on, but noticed Kara standing maybe a hundred feet to his left. He dropped quietly to the ground and ran around her so he'd be blocking her way.

Kara leaned against a tree, coughing.

Alder pressed against a tree facing Kara."

Kara's ears twitched and her head shot up, she snarled at Alder.

Alder stepped from behind the tree. "You have no idea what you're doing Kara! If you do what you're going to do, you'll undo all the work my fellow Travelers and I did! I know from experience that messing with a territory in the wrong way will topple all plans!"

Alder's not in a tree. He's pressed against one.

Kara kept snarling.

"Are you even listening to anything I say?!"

Kara kept snarled. "I don't care!"

"You will when Eelong disappears!"

Kara laughed. "I don't really care!"

"Whatever you have in mind will kill yor brother too soon!"

Kara froze.

"And I'm not lying," he added.

Shaki suddenly leaped to the ground and ran to hide behind a tree. Kara began to make a muted howling noise in her throat.

Alder stood there unwavering, his eyes hardened.

Kara staggered forward, snarling.

Alder drew his Bedouin sword to defend himself. "You have no choice, Kara! You must help or each one of these territories will be gone!"

Kara shook her head, still howling.

"You must!"

Kara suddenly collapsed.