Caught in the throes of its own climax, the Plains Lizard did not notice Illiana squirm out of its grip.  It did not notice her manage to free her sword arm.  It also appeared not to notice when it died.  Impaled on Illiana's blade, its body stiffened noiselessly and everything seemed to freeze for a moment as the life faded from its eyes.  Pushing it away, the monster's body slumped to the ground beside her, causing its massive member to slip from the defender's battered womb only a second before a dozen tiny translucent eggs spurt forth from the head of the shaft and spilled uselessly on the grass beside its huge corpse.<br/><br/>The night wind was cold against Illiana's naked and blood-soaked skin.  As her nerves calmed and she began to come down from the adrenaline high, she once again became aware of the sirens in the village.  By now, everyone was huddled in the shelter, nervously awaiting her return.  She found herself wondering if Tarion had to be restrained again to keep him from rushing into battle.  He was a skilled warrior -- the best she'd ever seen -- but age had dulled his reflexes and the he'd been terribly injured the last time.  His pride and his fondness for Illiana, however, made him too eager to help her and the men of the village often had to keep him from going out and getting himself killed.<br/><br/>As Illiana gathered her senses once again, she became aware of something odd lying in the grass not far from her.  It seemed to be half buried in the ground right where the Plains Lizard had tackled and attempted to mount that strange girl.  At a closer inspection, it seemed to be a pendant of some sort, though she was unfamiliar with what the serpentine symbol might represent.