Chapter Forty-Three
NIELLI AND HNARSE
Hnarse Stargazer moved its trunk absently over a clump of small red flowers. In a landscape of scent, theirs was reminiscent of busy wasps. When its nose-end grazed too close, the blooms released a cloud of little stinging barbs – another kinship to wasps. Hnarse sneezed. Nielli bumped its side, its coat fluffed in amusement.
When the sneezing stopped, Hnarse returned its attention to the observation of the stars. Directly above, the blue star would soon eclipse the red. In three days, a shower of sparks would herald the season of fires. The herd must be through the trial of black pits and far from the forest before that happened. Also, the path of the blue star mirrored the most favorable path through the pits, and it was up to Hnarse, the Eldest S
