Dark Sun (part 2)

T'kah landed on the dune with a small sound and a sudden puff of sandy dust. His mandibles scraped and skittered as he surveyed the canyon below. At the end of the canyon was Cailium, in a secluded spot protected from the harsh times of the Glassing, when the twin suns scorched the sands of the Wastes, and turned the worst areas into vast, deadly plains of shimmering glass. They were beautiful, but impossible to survive, even for the Desert Children.

Kaiden crested the dune alongside T'kah and looked out over the canyon.
"Well," he spoke as he adjusted his robes, "at least its in the shade now."

T'kah glanced in his direction and nodded. "Indeed. But there are other dangers in the Maw Of The Earth."

"Of course. The Sand Fish." Kaiden said, the image appearing in his mind of a large and plated animal the size of a man with massive bladed scoops for front paws and a mouth big enough to eat you whole without chewing. The only warning was a thin sliver of plating coming out of the sand. But by then it was almost too late.

The Second Sun was low on the horizon. Only about 12 hours left until the period of the Dark Sun, or No Sun. When the Darksun reigned in the skies, black and shining.

Kaiden shook himself and began to walk again, his slim Chatka staff-blade digging into the sand. Being a human, Kaiden could only carry one. But T'kah, with his four arms, could carry two at a time. They were crossed over his back at the moment.

T'kah's antannae twiched and prodded the air for smells. "The Sand Fish have made a kill. We should be safe for the next few hours while they eat."

"What was it?" Kaiden asked, purely out of curiosity.

"T'kammahn." T'kah said.

"Great Tortoise." Kaiden echoed. Massive beasts, with large boulders growing from their shelled backs. The Sand Fish were the only creatures that could bring one down and eat it. Houses were sometimes made from the cleaned-out shells of the beasts.

They walked on.

Several hours passed in the Maw, called so because of the massive drooping overhangs that loomed like teeth. Occasionally a trickle of precious water would be heard, leading to a breif stop to partake of the drippings of the Maw.

It was darker in the Maw, but not difficult to see. The Shade and walls brought repreive from the harsh heat and constant sand and wind. Kaiden removed his shawl and visor, and gazed out at the walls with emerald eyes. T'kah had no need for a shawl. He nibbled lazily at one of his claws, scraping for bits of edibles that might have gotten stuck.

Kaiden shook some sand out of his black hair and slung his shawl over his shoulder.

They walked on.

Kaiden could see the Ivory walls of Cailium ahead.

He was about to run to them when T'kah stopped and held up a claw.
"Sand Fish." he said quietly.

A thin sliver of plating rose from the sand between them and Cailium.

Darkness was slipping over the Canyon. Within a few minutes it would be nearly impossible to see, and time would be up.

They had no choice.

Kaiden ran as fast as he could towards the fin, and threw himself to the side when a giant mouth crashed out of the sand with a cloud of sandy grit. He heard a startled grunt and a breif screech as the Sand Fish found itself with a mouth full of Chatka blade. T'kah hissed at the beast and commanded Kaiden to run.

"No, I can't!"

"I will slay the beast, and meet you in the city. Go!"

Kaiden ran as fast as he could. The sounds of pitched battle between two feirce hunters fell upon his ears almost as loudly as his struggled breathing.

T'kah dug his clawed feet deep into the belly of the Sand Fish as it screeched at him in pain and rage. His Chatka fell upon it with life-ending accuracy. He looked up to see the doors begin to close. This would be a close one. He offered a small prayer for the lost hunter, and leapt.

As Kaiden crossed into the safety of Cailium, he stumbled and fell.
He coughed for several moments before he looked up into a familiar, if bloodied, face.

"Good running." T'kah said as he lifted Kaiden with one pair of arms and put his Chatka away with the other. "Your test is passed...now then....I want some water."