For a second, Asteri stood still, indecisive. The black cat had spoken of hunting down the last of the hive, and itching in his gut Asteri felt the urge to burn it all down. That's what he did best: the burning. And every drone destroyed, incinerated would mean one less to threaten the caves.

He didn't trust the advice the mother had given them. He doubted the hive was there for chaos alone. The hive was an opportunist, a vulture: it took everything it could, wherever it could get it. And any creature that was willing to kill its own just like that, like it was easy made his gut twist.

But at the same time... there were children here. He needed to protect them, too. Keep them safe.

He made up his mind when he saw the dark owl-dog talk to the little coyote, guiding the pup to safety with soft words. There would be other Gembound to take care of the children. If he didn't go to stamp out the hive where it tried to grow... where would they be?

Asteri's magic lights, and his blood runs cold. Far past their little scrapped-together sanctuary, stretching out through the whole cave, sickly, he sees it: order.

It is white and crystalline and silent, silent as a dead bird, silent as a rock face. There is no life there. There is nothing recognizable, nothing good. His heart spins in his chest, over and over and over again, and he knows what he has to do.

To Raoshar, if he was still there: "Go home. Go somewhere safe. If you don't have anyone—look, the big black dog with the feathers? He's nice. He'll help you. Just, please... take care of yourself."

His heart aches. He should be there for the children. He remembers when he was a kid and dad was taking care of him, those warm, lazy hours spent at home. He wants that for everyone. Everyone deserves peace, and love, and safety.

But he can't be everywhere at once, and he has to make a tough choice.

Mind made up, he goes sprinting off in the direction he saw the cat go.