*****

~ SASHA ~

Sasha started by explaining what she’d done in the gateway—not to find the females in the Compound, but just the part where she asked the Gateway to take her to a world where the humans could never interfere with them again.

”It was beautiful,” she said, hope warming her tone. “There were mountains—some of them had snow—and trees. Hills and grassy lands. It was easily as big as Thana, maybe larger, I don’t know. But it just looked… wild and untouched. And it smelled so fresh—just like Thana does compared to the human world.”

Yet, as she described the land and her hope for it, many of the creatures began to move away, some farewelling others, but all shifting away as if they’d heard what they needed and they weren’t going to stay.

Sasha hesitated. “Why are you leaving?”

One large form that reminded her of Minos, only the man’s face seemed to be that of a large-horned Goat similar to Dunken in his Ibex form, turned to face her. “I’m not leaving Thana—many of us do not wish to. We have stayed away from the humans for this long. The risk of leaving and finding a way to live comfortably in another world… it’s just not necessary.” Then the male turned and continued walking away.

But Sasha frowned. “You have to understand, all of you, that the humans are coming. You’ve been left mostly alone because they’re focused on the Chimera. But once we leave… they’re coming, and I believe they’ll come with weapons, and not in peace. I can’t be sure of your safety if you’re here when they come through!”

But most of the creatures continued moving away anyway. Sasha looked at Zev, worried and frustrated. Zev just shrugged. “They don’t want to go through, this is their home now. You’ve warned them, and now it’s up to them. They’ll take their chances fighting the humans if they show up.”

Sasha shook her head and began to think that these males were underestimating the humans. But then she realized that they’d all been to the labs—were born there. And presumably, had memories of their time in those places. They’d probably seen far more heartache and pain than she had.

”If you change your mind, get word to Skhal, or Yhet—they’ll tell you how to get through! Just make sure you’re moving within the next few days. We need to have the Gateway clear five nights from now—the human that came with me will be returning to report. Don’t let them see you!”

There were a few grunts of acknowledgment, but mostly the creatures just kept walking. Sasha sighed but turned back to the gathering that had stayed.

A much smaller group, easier to digest. Before she could address them, one of them spoke up.

”If you already know how to be free of this place, why haven’t you left? Why are you here with us?”

Sasha blinked. “I was able to get a group of females out from the human world, but there are still many of them left there. I’m waiting to get them back, to take them with me before I leave.”

”But will they give you the whole females?”

Sasha turned. A large shadow, almost as tall as Zev, moved to her right, but a nearby torch cast the shape into darkness, until the others parted to let it through, then Sasha’s heart plummeted to her toes.

He looked like a human, well over six feet tall, but his head and shoulders seemed to be all one, massive…hump. His eyes were massive, his nostrils great, gaping caves at the front of his strange face. And his ears made large, twisted holes at the sides of his head, but cupped by almost-pointed ears like a lower, rounder version of a fox or cat.

He was horrific. Sasha’s heart pounded, and Zev put a hand to her back to steady her. But she didn’t drop her gaze from the thing that stared at her with his huge eyes that, on second inspection, were… kind.

”Wh-what’s your name?” she asked quietly.

”Norm.”

Sasha coughed to cover a hysterical laugh. “Norm, what did you say?” she asked breathlessly.

Norm glanced at Zev, who nodded. Then he shrugged with his entire head. “The humans… they only gave you the broken females this time. Do you really think they’ll give you the whole ones?”

Sasha blinked and tried to wave a hand casually. “The females are having some trouble adjusting back to Thana, but they’ll get there. I mean, we’re all a little bit broken right?”

But Norm just stared. “There’s no good to the Chimera only having females that can’t breed.”

Sasha stared at the male and he just stared back.

”I’m sorry… what did you say?”

Norm looked back and forth between her and Zev. “The females they’ve sent back, none of them can breed. That means the humans will never let them breed on their own. I thought you knew this?”

Heart pounding again for entirely different reasons, Sasha looked at Zev in shock, then back to the creature. “How do you know that?”

”Their scents are dead. Like Kyelle’s. There is a life in the blood of a female when she can bear young. Like you, Sasha-don.”

”I’m… thank you, but… are you certain?”

”Yes.”

”All the females? When were you close to them?”

Zev cleared his throat. “Of all of us, Norm has the sharpest sense of smell and sight—he sees things we can’t see as well. If he says it, I believe him,” he said sadly.

Sasha stared at her mate, needing something from him and not sure what it was. This was… just awful. And it left a dead pit in her stomach—as well as a flaming fire of fury.

No wonder they’d all been so weird about coming back here.

No wonder they were so upset.

Her mind began to spin with all the implications, but she knew she couldn’t let herself focus on that yet. She had to get the creatures sorted out first. But then…

Then she was going to figure this ** out.