"Not Malakai," she whispered, seeming almost to plead that it not be true - but the collar of sister-skin upon her throat seemed to skitter, gibbering in her mind with cruel laughter at her distress, even after she turned away from the elderly human to peer toward the horizon again - spotting something there, beyond the range of human vision, that was cold comfort to her now.<br/><br/>She knew someone would come; only time would tell of when, and how successful.<br/><br/>"How can it be? The tales all say..."