Five hunters showed up at the crystal early, each from a different group. Grant was also present, although the sun had barely risen. I yawned. It was far too early to be up, but considering how early the crystals were being claimed, it was a necessity.

"Try to avoid spots near farms," Grant said. "I'm hoping we're early enough to get some places near fields."

"Why avoid the farms?" I asked, puzzled. He was the one who had asked me to go there yesterday, and we had come back with so much that people had even been allowed a second bowl of soup. It had been years since we'd had such a rare event, and that had been when a pride of lions killed a giraffe near a crystal.

The sheep farmer had proven to be friendly, as had the Saursune that showed up by the other farm crystal. Janette had been given a huge basket of grain. Sure, I knew most of our porters still tried to avoid the Saursunes to the best of their abilities. But Roxanne, Janette, and myself didn't mind being "found".

Grant shook his head. "At least avoid the places that might have livestock or electrified fences. The last thing we want are the farmers or ranchers wondering if they can lock up porters for an easier energy harvest. The sheep owner was already herding your group like you were part of his flock, and I really don't need him getting any ideas."

I guess he had a point, although judging by his annoyed frown, this decision had been pushed on him by frantic villagers. Or possibly one of the patriarchs, although they seemed to be avoiding Grant and me lately.

With a shrug, Grant said, "Try the fields first. I'm certain Saursunes will show up regardless of where we go, but at least there won't be a fence nearby. The patriarchs had a long debate about how much food might be found near farms and the resulting risks to the groups' safety, and they decided safety was more important. Fields should still be safe enough."

I smirked. Yep. This change wasn't his idea, and his earlier words were mostly for the few villagers watching. Grant knew that at least a third of fields had fences, and if he had been truly worried about that, he would have told me to avoid all fenced locations.

The sheep fence had only been waist-high interwoven sticks that we could have climbed over. If we were chased inside one of the electrified fences, we weren't getting out until they let us out.

Still...it was another aspect to consider. And it was, unfortunately, a possibility since it would be far less work for the Saursunes than tracking us down all over the countryside.

I nodded thoughtfully. "Mind making me a list of places to avoid? Particularly spots like Giant Anteater Hill?" That spot had an electrified fence, likely to keep the herds of peccaries out.

"I'll write it up this afternoon. You and Merryl can go to Orange Flower today. If possible, please find five unclaimed crystals. We'll have to double up porters again, but it's our only option right now."

Five hunters followed me to the crystal as I absently ported to a location that had been claimed by the strange raider group yesterday. Luckily, we were the first ones here, and I could see a few untouched plants that they must not have known were edible.

Leaving a hunter there to claim it, I continued on. The next two places were also empty, although overpicked. I still left a hunter at each location.

Alas, that was the end of my luck. Sixteen ports later, I was out of breath, my chest ached, my legs quivered, the hunters looked a bit green around the lips, and I hadn't found another unclaimed crystal. I was far too aware that I was pushing my limits, but at this rate, I was going to need a stronger porting ability.

The people at this spot—all fourteen of whom were strangers—ignored me as I rested against the crystal and wracked my brain for another potential location. I'd only be able to manage a few more ports with two passengers. Considering how many farm crystals had been claimed yesterday, it didn't surprise me that the spots by fields were already filling up.

I narrowed my eyes as one particular exception occurred to me. It hadn't even crossed my mind since we always avoided fields close to harvest, but that was back when Saursunes had hunted us without reservation. We'd have to send Janette there. Her arms made her easily recognizable, and if anyone would be safe, it was someone the Saursunes had put effort into saving.

I questioned my own thoughts, but I was also beginning to accept the Saursune's new behavior as the norm. My worries about the farm yesterday had been proven so wrong that it opened my mind to new possibilities. Were other groups also avoiding those spots out of habit? There was only one way to find out.

I directed my mind to a remote corn field even as I wondered if Grant would reluctantly agree to such a thing or if I was about to get a lecture on safety. Our sight hazed over as the dark green shifted to a lighter green, then cleared.

The crystal was right on the edge of the forest, with a mixed field of corn, beans, and squash a mere stone's throw away. I could see the big bean pods and colorful gourds from here. There was no fence.

"Do you think Janette is brave enough to try this spot?" I asked her hunter. "Same rules as before: don't go near the field."

He exhaled slowly. "Possibly? She's nervous around them, but she did ask Grant to give her spots where they'd find her. They seem to leave us alone if she's around."

"I'm about tapped out, but I'll take you back with me and let her decide now that we know this spot is unclaimed."

His shoulders relaxed. "Thanks. It's one thing to be out here with a porter, but I don't fancy being found this close to a field alone."

"Leaving you wouldn't be right, not in this spot," I quietly said. "Home."

Even as the haze cleared, I swayed and was promptly steadied by the two hunters I'd brought back. Other than Merryl and Ariel, every porter was waiting for me, some of them looking worse for wear, as if they'd tried to find spots of their own. Thirteen of my hunters were absent, likely taken by Merryl and Ariel to Orange Flower.

Taking a deep breath, I told my audience, "Good news, no farms. Bad news, I only found four open crystals. I'm dubious about one field that's close to harvest. I recommend sending Janette to that spot since they'll probably recognize her."

Grant frowned at those details. "Let's get you sitting down. Where are all these places?"

The hunters took that as an order to help me to a rock as I gave him the names of the open spots. "—and I tried twenty spots, so unless someone feels like trying the jungle sandbar, alpine slopes—"

"We already checked those places," Roxanne said tiredly.

I shrugged. "The only other spot that would be open is Apple Orchard, which is close to a town. But even I'm not brave enough to suggest that place."

"I can try the ripe field," Janette said, only the slightest tremble in her hands betraying her nerves.

Grant ran a hand through his hair and paced back and forth, an unusual behavior for him.

Finally, he came to a stop and said, "I don't like it, but I doubt they'd harm Janette, and it's probably less dangerous than that sheep farm. Just stay away from those fields and be ready to bounce if they look the least bit unfriendly. Feel free to leave at any time and join the others."

Janette's group, which was mostly comprised of gatherers, nodded somberly. They headed for the crystal, and I silently wished them luck. Eavesdropping villagers murmured worriedly among themselves about this latest change. We'd never gone near ripe fields before.

I examined my adoptive father as Grant paired up the other groups and sent them to find the hunters I'd left behind. The stress lines around his eyes had multiplied. The last two days had pushed him into making drastic new decisions. First, foraging near a farm with livestock, and now near a ripe field.

Whatever he had decided the day he said he was out of ideas had changed a number of unwritten rules. Two weeks ago, I'd gotten a lecture for not bouncing after spotting a Saursune while filling the water cart, but now the presence of the aliens was a given, and he was letting each porter decide how they wanted to deal with it.

Once the last group left, he came over and sat next to me. "Is it wise to port twenty times in the morning?"

I shrugged. "Probably not, but I have all day to rest. Our other option is hauling in more dirt and water to plant gardens."

We both knew there wasn't enough room in the village for even a fraction of the plants we'd need to feed so many people.

With a weary sigh, he said, "Please be careful and don't push yourself too hard. Once you've rested, do you mind taking that group"—he nodded at five hunters, which included Tib, Brielle, and some other excellent long-distance runners—"over to Blackbird Marsh? They're going to search for two crystals. If there's a group there, the truth is safe enough. Those crystals are far enough out that I can't see anyone else trying to follow them or keeping up if they tried."

I nodded. "Give me fifteen minutes."

"Take as long as you need," he said as he opened a notebook.

The sky was notably lighter by the time I finally stood up. My legs weren't shaky, and the porting strain had already faded, so that was a good sign.

With the five hunters in tow, I said, "Blackbird Marsh."

The air hazed over, then cleared. I mentally cheered when I recognized the group as being from Keywa Village.

"Morning, Natalie," Vic greeted me.

I grinned at the porter. "Good morning. I'm glad to see you here. I have a strange request."

Anyone within earshot paused their work to listen as Vic said, "Ask. We owe you after helping us evac so many."

My grin widened. "Can I kindly ask you to forget that you saw this group"—I gestured to the five around me—"heading off on an exploration mission?"

He blinked—probably having expected me to ask if we could join his group today—then he chuckled. "With dozens of porters popping by to see if the crystal is free, how am I supposed to keep track of everyone I see in a day when I'm supposed to be working?"

"Thanks, Vic!"

The five hunters were already jogging into the shrubs along the boggy area. Soon, they disappeared and wouldn't return until much later. I chatted with Vic for a while, then headed back to the village.

I ferried the rest of my group over to Orange Flower, picked a spot by Ariel, and lay back in the trampled grass with a groan.

Leaning over, Ariel poked me in the side, which got another groan out of me, as she commented, "You look like you just ran a marathon."

"It feels like it. That's way too much porting for a single morning. It might not have been so bad if they'd been solo ports, but even a couple of passengers really amplifies the porting strain."

A patter of light feet across the grass was followed by a whump as Callie plopped down and began combing out my hair with the wood-carved comb she'd gotten for her birthday. I closed my eyes and let her torment my shoulder-long hair. If she accidentally knotted the brown strands, my sister would untangle them for me.

The child was thrilled to have a stationary victim and soon had my hair splayed all around my head as she tried to make tiny braids. I was too tired to move and just let her have her fun. If nothing else, it kept her out of mischief. It was probably the easiest babysitting stint I'd ever get.