Once the animals were cared for, she rode Birjanji over to the tent, unsaddled him, and proceeded to brush him down. Exhaustion was overcoming her; it had been a long, long day. Even Birjanji was quiet, his head down low, as if he were already nodding off. The Luthanians were also settling in for the night; small glows dotted the land around them from the fires that had been started. It was a quiet night—there was no singing, no shouting, and no celebrating.

“You need sleep,” Birjanji told her as she finished brushing out his tail.

“So do you. Let me get you some food first and then I’ll rest.”

“I am hungry,” he admitted.

Kaira smiled and, patting him, led him over to where the other horses were. Runle...

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