As Tiki Gwana entered the Elder's hut he instinctively tasted the air as he and his Brood-felt Sku Gwana prostrated themselves before the long tooth's. At this point he tasted something he had not expected to find, in amongst the raised adrenaline and testosterone you'd expect from a gathering of male adults, there was a hint of fear. Around them in a tight circle of yellow light sat the elders of the tribe of the Rebt Nation, resplendent in their ceremonial robes, their old scaly skins especially polished with sacred oil. At their head sat Chief Orasgh himself, his cold eyes betraying nothing as he regarded the two young warriors for a moment. "Arise Tiki and Sku- we will speak with thee, step into the circle of light," the old squamata gestured to a place just a yard or two before him. The Elder's hut was a vast circular wattle and dub structure with a sloping roof. There was large fire pit at the centre of the hut that burned below the apex of the roof where an opening into the sky allowed smoke to escape into the night. Orasgh drew in a deep breath and again Tiki could smell the fear behind the impassive gaze. "There are fearful signs in the heavens my brethren. The sky gods are angry and go to war over the Taboo Lands." "Go to war?" asked Sku- his Brood-felt was hushed at by one of the other Elders- Varseech- Chief Dream-sayer. "The Stars have been bleeding, dropping fire on the ground. There is sulphur in the air and the imminence of something fearful!" Tiki now felt that same terror he had tasted on entering the hut- he turned to Orasgh: "What would the Tribal Elders have us do?" he asked. "You and your Brood-felt are our greatest hunters Tiki!" Orasgh breathed. "You must both journey into the Taboo Lands and report back to us what you find there." "But the Taboo lands are...taboo", said Tiki uncertainly. Varseech stepped forwards, in each hand he carried a set of hinged bones. "We have prepared special Leef-jaw helmets for you," said the Dream-sayer. "They should keep you safe in your journey to the hills!" Tiki and Sku took the jaw-bones and set them firmly into place under their headsets Tiki's lungs strained to keep up in the thin air. Thankfully his energy demands were lower than those a warm-blooded creature would need. But Tiki Gwana and his Co-hatchling Sku Gwana were reptiles in the very truest sense of the word, cold-blooded, scaly skinned, low metabolic needs. Fortunately the equatorial position of the tribe lands ensured there was a constant ambient temperature, which the thick atmosphere of the planet Aroidax maintained through the night hours. But the Taboo Lands were another consideration altogether, being the foothills that bordered on the Rolphen Mountains- the terminus of the squamati world. For the last six nights the skies above these forested hills had been alive with signs and portents. "How much longer?" asked Sku, "How much more of this foul place will we have to endure!" "Silence!" Tiki snarled at his Brood-felt. "I can hear something!" "What?" asked Sku fearfully. Tiki gestured to Sku with his hands and the two lizard men ducked behind the ancient walls of a ruined temple. Through the thinning canopy of leaves they could see a shape emerge, a bulky creature on thick grey legs came crashing through the forest towards them both. Story (C) 2016 Andrew Panero