President Mwai Ruku sat in his office. It was all fine carved Arikan wood, it only made sense for the President for Kirinyaa to sit in an office that had all domestic furniture. Another san from Doschia had e, Karaina had finally imposed their first one. A ban on air travel, most likely they had finally worked out Kassandora and Arascus had her men stationed in there.

  Mwai did not care o. He looked over at the television. Kirinyaan politics were a fairly b affair for him, they were a poor try, the gover was seen as useless, they didn’t even bother to tax anyone past the tral mountain ranges where the nomadic peoples lived that had been pushed east by the ing of the Ju was a try that was surviving on borrowed time, iments rarely came into a nd which people were sure would be swallowed by the Jungle eventually. A depressing try, where the gover wasn’t even spat upon because no ohered to spit.

  Not anymore.

  In one day, with one news presentation, the future of the nation had turned around. In one moment, Kirinyaa turned from fading campfire to Arika’s shining bea of hope.

  The Jungle would be stopped. Let the Epahe, let the White Pahrow around their warnings and embargos and sans. He would go down in history: ‘The man who oversaw the beginning of the Recmation War.’

  Fer y on her bed, legs kig up in the air, and browsed her phone, her ears quivered as the Binturongs started firing again. She ted. Fifteen shots. This was the sed time one had broken down. She supposed she should go ahe men repair it. She wasn’t any good at the meical parts and even if she knew what to do, her fingers were far too big to deal with the tiny screws that held the maery together, but she could hold up the barrel for them, tracks, or some other activity.

  Fer put her phone her down. Helenna had sent her one, and then another, and a third. They were fun little toys. Kassandora had told her not to i with people on there, not to talk about politiot to talk about the war, not about anything which could be sidered secret. Fer rolled her eyes, she wasn’t stupid, she only used it to read about things she didn’t know. There was a website where people talked, but it ain to deal with, and she had to solve puzzles every siime she wao post something, and making the at was an ordeal in itself. Username: ‘Fer’ is too short it had said. Then it told her someone had already cimed RealFer. Likewise Real_Fer. Eventually she had to settle on Very_Real_Fer. Today, she had posted a picture of a wild lion she saw yesterday when on a walk, that was that. Kassandora had nothing to pin about.

  Fer left her tent and smelled the air. Gunpowder, fuel, napalm, sweat, food, alcohol, water, people, newers from the East, they still smelled of the seaside. She closed her eyes. Rubber, steel, light rust, paint, crete being poured, dust, ash, napalm, and the Jungle smell. There wasn’t a real way she could describe the Jungle smell, it was cold, sweet and sour at the same time, and it left a bad taste in her mouth. Same things with the shouting, it was an overwhelming orchestral cacophony of people talking, of vehicles w, of helicopters cirg the camp, of pnes and cars, broken up every few seds by the roar of Binturong firing.

  Fer saw Helenna and Neneria sitting on the hill and quietly having a versatioall golden ears turned and twisted and she honed in on their versation. Neneria hated when people listened in on her, Fer grio herself. Neneria could not stop her now though, could she? Helenna was asking the question, in that sweet quiet voice of hers she always used when talking with Neneria. “What would Kass like?”

  “Anything useful.”

  “I ’t think of anything she’d hough.”

  “Then a drink.” Neneria replied as Fer started walking away from them. B. She had expected some gossip or something, not a discussion on what Kassandora would like, besides, there were plenty of things Helenna could do. Training dummies, coats, Kassie liked clothes too, although she’d never admit it. Armour, swords, no one ever gave her that apart from Fer, everyone always thought that because she had Joyeuse, she never used anything else.

  Fer moved through the camp, people bowed and smiled and moved out of her way. Journalists had been banned from access to Kassandora’s se, that was good. Kassandora hated journalists whereas Fer thought nothing of them. They were simply doing a job, if she was a journalist, she would have snu already. Gifts were a good idea though, she should give Kavaa something for the assistan the Jungle. Usually she was good ohings but it had slipped her mind with celebration, then Kassandora and Helenna had gone off and work had begun almost immediately when the strus crews came around.

  What would Kavaa like? Not alcohol, everyone always gave that, not swords, Kavaa got them out of her own armoury anyway. A ost likely, something for the cool evenings and nights in Arika, everyone always gave light clothes for the heat here and ighat the night got close to freezing. That was a good idea, Fer smiled to herself, she always had good ideas.

  She walked quickly through the narrow rows of Kassandora’s camp as news crews took pictures from afar, aered the Binturong enclosure. Supposedly this was firing field three, but Binturong enclosure rolled off the tongue. A line of Clerics were safeguarding it, a man was giving an interview and waving towards the ons. Fer had been right, one of the vehicles had indeed broken down. A crew of engineers had unscrewed the base of the on and were w on it. She approached and asked cheerfully. “Lifting needed?”

  “Fer!” That was good, Fer didn’t like being called a Goddess. The newers from the East still did, and most of the soldiers in the camp, but she had helped the engineers and builders enough for them to sider her one of theirs.

  “Barrel broken?”

  “It’s this part.” The main man who greeted her, a Cleric assigo engineering by the name of Jeffrey tapped the back of the carriage.

  Anineer, oil all over his clothes, hands and face, appeared from underh the vehicle and spoke in the usual mahat they did. “Fug overdesigned piece of fug shit. You tell some fug brat made these.” He said before seeihen blushed. “Ahh… ‘Scuse the nguage Fer.”

  Fer ughed and waved the man away. “So what’s broken this time?”

  “Underside.” The lead eook out a cigarette and lit it. The other members of the team khat meant it was time for a break. “ you lift it, the whole thing I mean?” Fer looked at the artillery. She probably could, they were heavy, but not exceptionally, not long or steady enough for them to work on it though.

  “I roll it over.” Fer said and the man shook his head.

  “You fug roll over this piece of crap and it will explode or some shit. Probably shoot itself or just give up.” He kicked the treads of the Binturong in frustration. The Binturong answered by leaking oil onto the red dirt.

  “So what, lift from behind?” Fer asked, the eurned and started shouting the Cleric loaders who were awkwardly staring at them, pretending not to hear how he eaking to a Divine.

  “Get a move on! Bring the ramp you useless fucks!” He turned back to Fer. “If you just lift the bato a ramp, it’ll be easier to work on.” He shook his head in frustration. “Fug terrible vehicle, that’s what it is. This oes us especially, fifth time today the oil started leaking on this garbage.” He went and sat down on a steel stool to finish his cigarette. Fer k down close by to listen to Jeffrey and the rest of the team vent their frustrations about the vehicle.

  The team of loaders came back. Two teams of men, six each, carrying twe beams of steel that had been made the engineers. They were simple ines, not tall, but enough for a man to be on his knees as he worked on the undercarriage. “Do you want to see a picture?” Jeffrey showed off his phoo Fer. It was the bottom of the vehicle, a paaken off to reveal a jumble of twisting tubes and gears and pipes and wires all dang together. “That’s what we’re w on.”

  “’t help with that.” Frankly, Fer hoped she would never learn how to fix that because then Kassie would call oo be an engineer. As long as she didn’t know, she was safe from being assigo the engineering team permaly.

  “Oh no, don’t worry.” Jeffrey tinued as anineer passed out bottles of water around. Fer took ooo. “You already do more than these zy fucks.” Fer burst out in ughter as they watched the Clerics set up the ramps behind the vehicle. Fer heard her name be said in the crowds, her ears turned and she listened in. It was only some journalist asking the guards for an interview with her. He was met with a swift denial.

  The loader Clerics finished and excused themselves. “Yeah run away, daddy’s w here!” Jeffrey shouted after them. “Remember not to open the door when you hear your mother screaming! She loves it!”

  Finally that got the better of one of the loaders. He turned, raised a rude gesture into the air and shouted back. “Shut the fuck up Jeff!” That made the team of engineers burst out in ughter along with Fer. Everyone exged high fives with Jeffrey fetting a rea. Fer cpped the man on his back, he felt especially proud of himself after that and the to work.

  The Binturong was heavier than expected, good thing Fer had not agreed to lift it. She eventually settled on simply going around to the front. She felt her muscles, her legs dig into the dirt, she growled, her hands made dent ieel, but the Binturong moved. It slid backwards, onwards and up onto the ramp. Fer had to stop herself from rolling it off the edge o built up speed. She finally let go, made sure it was steady and flexed her fingers. All the meics looked on in awe, she was sure that this would on the er on. “Fug Hell.” Jeffrey said. “That was fast.” He stood up, put his cigarette out in the dirt and cpped his hands. “Break’s over ds, back to work.”

  He was met with a chorus of sighs and half-hearted agreements. “Do you need help with anything else?” Fer asked, she hoped they did, she liked hanging around with these people, they were some of the few who treated her withard for the fact she was a Divine.

  “Not now.” Jeffrey said. “You’re wele to watch though but there’s not much to do, it’s only the filter on this crap that’s throwowel in.” Two of the meics disappeared underh the vehicle and started cursing to themselves about the tragidition of the oil pumps. “Thanks though, you’re a lifesaver.” He walked around the artillery and stopped at the front. “Fug Hell Fer.”

  “What?” Fer’s ears jumped up to attention.

  “You fug dehe fug front.”

  “It was soft!”

  “Soft my ass!” Jeffrey shouted back. “This is ten millimetres of steel.”

  “So twice as big as you are then.” Fer said ftly and the eeam burst out in ughter.

  “Not true, they built the on on the ba my image.” Jeffrey said, mhs as some meical maation of a part was thrown out onto the red dirt by the pair of engineers underh. Jeffrey leaned down and tapped the metal with his knuckle, then turo Fer. “ you uhis?” Fer crossed her arms and looked down at the man.

  “Do you think I ?”

  “No.”

  “Exactly.” Fer said as Jeffrey sighed.

  “This part doesn’t have wires or anything.” He scratched his head. “Alright, we’ll think of something. Thanks for the help.” He turned and gave Fer his hand to shake. Fer always liked shaking hands, not many people had the bravery to do it with a Divine. She made sure to only use a little bit of strength, careful not to break Jeffrey’s fingers. The two men from underh got out.

  “Fug thing needs a new filter and a new pump.”

  “Where’s the fug assistants then?” Jeffrey asked. He turo look at the loaders pretending to assist with the nearby Binturong, they weren’t doing anything in particur. “Oi! You’re not paid to i each other’s asses! e here!” The loaders all gave each other terrible looks and shakes off their heads, then slowly started to meander over.

  “If you need help with anything else, just call.” Fer said, she heard her name multiple times from the crowd. People were looking for her, from the voices, she could tell it was Arusei and Kimani.

  “We do. Bme this lot for not delivering.” Jeffrey said zily waved a hand over to the loaders approag them and Fer looked quizzically at him.

  “I’m the old one here, I shouldn’t be teag you about phones.” Fer said and the engineer blinked.

  “You have a phone?” He asked in disbelief.

  “Of course I have a phone!” Fer said. “I’m not yrandma!”

  “Fug Hell.” Jeffrey shook his head and pulled his own out of his back pocket. “We were just talking earlier how it’d be easier if we had your number.” He held the phoo Fer with his phone dispyed. “My hands are dirty so…”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Fer added him into her tacts and rang to firm. “See, who’s a now?” She cooed over him. The rest of the team were added too. Fer looked at her tacts book. Nine people now! Wonderful! She’d show this off to Kassandora and Neneria ter.

  “We’ve hit the big leagues now.” Jeffrey said as he looked into his phone. “Fug Hell, phone o a Goddess.”

  Fer tapped the side of the Binturong. “If you hand it out, I’m going to pull a tread off.” The whole team went pale with fear.

  “I’d rather you break my hand.” Jeffrey said.

  “And I better be at the top of your list!” Fer said.

  “You’re not my wife!” One of the other meics said, the rest burst out in ughter.

  “You’ll get a wife whehings stop breaking down.” Fer tapped the Binturong again as the ma red and the team ughed. Jeffrey cpped him on the back.

  “That’s a long and lonely road ahead of you.” Mhter as the loaders finally got to them.

  “What do you want Jeff?” One of them asked coldly and Jeffrey cocked his head to the pair who had ied the underside of the Binturong. Fer turned away as she heard her name being said again. Arusei and Kimani were arguing with a Cleric holding the cordon around the Binturong enclosure about how they had to talk with Fer. She gave a single wave back to Jeffrey and his team, a over to them.

  “Let them in.” Fer said coldly, she fixed her posture, her gaze became sharp, her face cold. The Cleric turned in his silver armour, his green cape whipping around to look at Fer, then at the two Arikans, then at Fer again.

  “But Goddess Kassa-“

  “Let them in.” Fer growled and the man allowed the two Arikans through, immediately, Fer lightened her mood. The fact two were allowed through immediately brought more begging and shouts from the reporters here. These people would never see her as her own, but they didn’t treat her with the b sanctity Epans did. It was better, but it wasn’t the engineers. “What is it?”

  “Lioness.” That’s what they always called her. Fer didn’t particurly mind it, it was a good title and she did have a mane of gold and a tail now. From their expressions and tohough, it was urgent. Had the Ju back? Maybe someone else was taken, but then one of Divines would have rang her. “There is something urgent.” The two Arikaall and dark, muscled, scarred, Arusei was missing his ear. “Somewhere more private.” Fer lead towards the middle of the Binturongs.

  “We talk here, no one will overhear us.” Even the voices from the crowd had been dulled here as she turo face them. They both were looking up at her nervously, and both reeked of fear as if they had bathed in it.

  “You ehe Jungle and you retrieved Iniri and your sister from the Jungle’s stomach?” They khat much, it had been impossible to hide Baalka, but no one had given the name of who it was away. Kassandora said it was better that way, since even if news got out, aag them would have to pn for several Goddesses instead of just hyper-fog how to cel out Baalka’s diseases.

  “We did.”

  “Where?” Fer tilted her head and looked at them.

  “I don’t know where.” Kassandora was the one who would be able to pnt a position on the map based off nothing but the stars. “Deep. Why?”

  “We talked with Kavaa, she said that Kassandora said you ehe Jungle’s stomach.” Arusei said. Fer shrugged to them. If they talked with Kavaa, she would have given a ical expnation of everything she saw. She supposed she should give them something that wasn’t that.

  “It was a hole in the ground, teeth came out and trapped us in. Acid starting filling the hole, Kassandora made a pn which worked and broke us out.” The two nodded.

  “Kavaa said the same thing. There is no way you could get us to talk to Kassandora?”

  “She’s always busy.” Kassie had told Fer to simply deny requests with everyone, she eveiohese men by name. “Why?” Colder this time. The message was simple, either answer or stop wastiime.

  “Iniri we’ve not been able to talk to yet, and Kavaa said she didn’t see anything, but we asked her what she saw. She said she heard Kassandora shout for you to ignore something on the way out.” Fer nodded. She remembered that. She hadn’t thought much of it, Kassie said to ig, so she ig. Worse had been faced in the past anyway, when Tartarus brought Archdemons onto Arda or when Titans walked the ground.

  “There was a big creature.” Fer began drawing in the dirt with her boot. “Like this, it had the smell that the Jungle did, but also it smelled like a lion, a vulture, a crocodile and a snake ed together. It was huge, I saw it in the distance growing out of the ground whe to the stomach but we didn’t stay long enough to take a good look.” Fer looked up from the ground at the two men. “Hello?”

  “I thought it was a myth.” Kimani whispered to himself and Arusei finished.

  “Kassandora has to be told.”