---- Lyra fastened the loosened ties and put her clothes back on.


    She nced at Veraks body, debating whether to dump him in the woods, but hed just be dead weight.


    Suddenly, they heard the guards footsteps.


    Lets go, lets go.


    They signaled each other, lifted the leather p of the tent, and snuck out the back, crouching through the shadows, searching for shelter.


    But they were still inside pack territory, and it wouldnt be long before someone reported Veraks death.


    Hiding behind some sacks, Lyra was wondering what to do when the guards, just about to enter the tent, suddenly froze.


    They say the salt storage is on fire! Come on, move! They started running in one direction, the whole pack stirred up, and Lyra knew her primal girls hadnt failed her.


    They were putting the escape n into action. kK And thats exactly what had happened.


    ---- The men stood backsome even frightened at the malicious grins on the women of Valle Fértil as they ran around like pyromaniacs, setting everything on fire.


    With Lyra, they''d prepared small pouches full of toxic flowers.


    They already knew the antidotes secret.


    What was the most important area in this pack? Their storehouse of goods and salt sacks.


    From the treeline, they threw the pouches full of Cassiéps that burst near the guards.


    Before they could react, the spores and pollen filled the air like a beautiful but deadly scene.


    They started sneezing and whining immediately.


    That was just the beginningthen came the itching, and then pustules, which were no joke.


    Finally, in just seconds, came the suffocation, and they had to abandon their posts to save their own lives. Now, now! The males came to the back, hidden by the night, lit the torches they carried and tossed them into the storage house.


    Wait! Go inside and grab more salt sacks,e on! ---- They didnt just poison them...


    they burned their supplies and stole from them.


    It still didnt feel like enough.


    The strong group of men carried the sacks on their backs, hearing the uproar in the distance while the mes lit the sky blood red.


    In the chaos and smoke, the avengers of Valle Fértil had imed their revengeand gave Lyra and Drakkar a chance to escape.


    They threw the sacks over the remote palisade, helped the women climb over, and then followed, taking off at full speed.


    What happened to Lyra and Drakkar?! We have to look for them, woman! NO, Lorenzo! his mate shouted at him in the middle of the wild jungle sprint.


    Lyra said not to go after them. If there was trouble and they werent back, we should wait for them at theke! The males didnt know where the women got that kind of confidence frombut one thing was clear: Lyra had changed their way of thinking forever.


    What those females did today proved that brute force isnt everything.


    Cunning and secret plots are deadly weapons.


    ---- We left behind Verak and Nana! They can take care of themselves! Now runI feel a predator nearby! But in truth...


    neither of them could take care of themselves.


    Veraky dead and torn apart in a pool of blood.


    And Nana...


    well, she was slowly dying...


    which wasnt much better.