Before Bette couldn’t take another step, she felt herself being tackled to the ground. Tina pressed her body against Bette’s firmly, their lips mere inches apart and Bette looked up at her in confusion.

“Shh,” Tina said pressing her body down onto her, her thigh pressing deliciously against Bette in a way that took the brunette’s breath away.

“What…”

“Shh!” Tina whimpered covering Bette’s mouth with her hand and leaning into Bette, her lips touching Bette’s ear softly, “Gar.”

Bette’s brow furrowed and she lifted her head up and saw two giant feet through the bush. She heard Tina’s shuddered breathing and she moved her eyes upward, fully looking at the giant monster.

He was dark shade of brown and his eyes were so red they looked like lasers. He had giant wings protruding from his back and he was standing completely still waiting for any sudden movement. There were flies surrounding him and they were moving from bush to bush. They hovered over Bette and Tina and Tina looked so nervous Bette couldn’t help but be scared as well.

Then the flies moved to another bush and the gar moved away from them and toward that bush. “What the fuck is that?” Bette whispered into Tina’s ear.

“It’s called a Gar,” Tina said, “they are vicious carnivores. They’re blind, so those flies are their eyes. They move to wherever they sense movement, then the gar attacks.”

“I’ve never seen that thing before,” Bette whispered trembling not only in fear but also from the vibrations of Tina’s voice in her ear.

“It’s a Midland creature,” Tina whispered, “I don’t know how it got here or how many there are, but we need to get out of here now.”

“Alice told us to go to Shane’s house,” Bette whispered, “she lives a little along the way.”

“Move slowly,” Tina whispered slowly getting off of Bette. Bette sighed at the absence of her body, longing for more, but she crawled slowly away from the gar and Tina followed behind.

When they were far away from the gar, they broke out into a run toward Shane’s cabin which was hidden between the trees and overlooking the boundary. Shane was a border patrol soldier. Her job was to make sure no Westlanders crossed the border, but she normally made an exception for Bette.

Bette knocked on the door and Shane opened the door almost instantly. “Bette?” she said looking at Bette in surprise then to Tina. Shane’s eyes widened when she saw Tina and immediately bowed her head and said, “mother confessor.”

Bette looked at Tina in surprise and Tina sighed and said, “you don’t owe me homage here.”

“How did she know?” Bette asked as Shane motioned for them to come inside.

“My dress,” Tina said, “only a mother confessor can wear a white dress and have long hair.”

Bette heard Shane gasping and she turned to see Shane staring at the sword at Bette’s hip. “Y-you’re the Seeker of Truth?”

Bette cocked an eyebrow at Shane’s surprise and said, “are you a Midlander?”

“Actually no, but I’ve been back and forth between the two for the past seven years,” Shane said, “Alice told me she would send the Seeker to me one day, but I had no idea it would be you.”

“And what exactly were you supposed to do with the Seeker once she got here?” Tina asked standing in front of Bette protectively.

“Shane is one of the good guys,” Bette said tapping Tina’s arm.

“No one can be trusted,” Tina said.

“She’s right,” Shane agreed, “if the Seeker has arisen, then trouble is brewing, and in those situation you can’t even trust yourself.”

“So how do we know we can trust you?” Tina said firmly.

“I’m the only one who knows where the bridge to Midland is,” Shane said, “I can take you.”