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He seems as surprised as I, but a slow smile spreads across his face “I like the sound of that on your pretty lips,” hein closer

For a split second, I think he’s going to kissfor the contact, but the sound of a cracking branch has us both whirling

“Just a falling rock” Khrys points as some boulders loosened by the storm rattle down the hillside into a swatch of broken branches

His shoulders straighten, and he looks focused “Let’s go”

To ht where we dropped them There are no antlex around now, and the unpicked flowers are shredded to a pulp The once-full field is now a vast marshy wasteland of broken stems and crushed petals, and all of the pollen has been washed away

“Thank stars these are here” I grab the two sacks I filled as Khrys takes his own The waterproofing seeleeful with relief

There’s a strange squeak beneath my boot I scream and jump “What is it?”

I step backward, ready to attack, heart racing, but it’s only a sot blueish fur and large golden eyes It stares up at ing for food Squeak

“Khrys? What is this?” I’uard at the same time “It’s so… cute”

He bends down “I’ll be sword-sliced It’s a whihs “Master Seke’s information didn’t say those lived here”

“Is it toxic?” I ask although frouess that it’s not

“Not to Zandians or humans They’re a kind of rodent Not the s on its back “They have no sense of danger”

It immediately arches upward into his hand andnoise “Stupid I could kill it or eat it at once”

He taps it a little harder It growls at hi

“But you barely eat” I reach down, too It sniffs ain, louder, but it seems to be a happy sound “It’s adorable” The creature pushes closer and puts its paws on