Bailin steps into the dining room with Katerina's washing. "Thank you, dear," Katerina says. She reaches for the pile of freshly washed and folded clothes, then draws back as Bailin's eyes suddenly glow a dull green. "What is it?" Bailin: "Someone's coming." Skayne and Esmin look up, their eyes also glowing. Skayne: "Ripocks." Bailin: "A lot of them." "Ripocks?" Emma asks. "A Shinkae tribe," Katerina explains in a whisper. "They're warmongers. They're not welcome here." Emma nods, not liking the look of fear growing in Katerina's eyes. "How many?" Katerina asks. Esmin: "About twenty. They're armed." Skayne: "They're not coming here, though. They're headed southwest." Katerina relaxes her shoulders. Ripocks, she wonders. I wonder why they're hunting this far south? Bailin: "No, wait...they've sensed us." Skayne: "They're changing course." Esmin: "They're headed straight for us!" Terror rips through the room. Emma sprints upstairs to fetch her crossbow. Katerina leaps into action. "Emma, cover the door. Girls, grab some weapons - knives, pots, pans, whatever you can get your hands on. Keep probing their minds - try to find out what it is they want. Simone, get away from the window, dear." Bailin: "There's someone with them. They're carrying someone." Skayne: "It's a Shink. Not a Ripock, though. She's a...a Belan, I think." Bailin: "She's injured." A shadow falls over the tower. Esmin: "She's pregnant." Credits: Hair by Koz Clothes by BATLAB Posed in Poser 6 Upper panel rendered in Carrara 5 Lower panel rendered in Vue 5 Infinite