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Madas paused when she felt L’eon tug on her long hair. The little lizard shook his head and jerked his head back the way they came. She made a face at him and silently waved her hand in dismissal. Running her hand along the tree trunk to steady herself, she knelt, keeping a wary eye on the spaceship.
Her heart was pounding, and she had to consciously keep her breathing quiet. She had heard rumors about the Sand Tearnats since the moment she could understand, every story had been a terrifying tale that was probably true.
The oldest stories told of how the whole planet was once lush and green. There was only a single clan of Tearnats then, but they fractured over the use of the resources. One group had cut all the nearby forests to advance their technology. Soon, the sun scorched the so
