She had to stop several times, as her exhausted little body gave out on her. At those times, she was grateful that this area was so well watered, and nuts and fruits were in season almost everywhere. She would eat a little, drink a little, and then keep running.      Not long after noon, she literally stumbled upon just what she was looking for. A sira clan.      The Elders heard her tale, listening in grave silence until she had finished, and then the matriarch summoned a pair of individuals. Sun would learn later that they were the Elder's own grandkits, one by blood and the other by marriage. She would also discover that the two of them were emissaries who cared a great deal about any species dealing with mages. The mated pair instantly understood why they had been summoned, Sun thought it was probably because they had been briefed on their way here, thanks to that siran telepathy.      The three of them left with goodwill wishes from the council of Elders, and profuse (though still somewhat out of breath) thanks from Sunwarmth.      The female sira, who told Sun to call her Riash, picked the K'd up and leapt into the air, heading back towards Grain and her litter. Her mate, who she referred to as Sshrassa, followed them into the sky, but went off in a different direction.      Sun was glad she didn't have to make the trip again, because it would take her twice as long, she knew.      It was difficult to identify her small clearing from the air, but the pair of huge evergreens was enough of a landmark, and Sun found the two now empty denns (her own and Mount's), and pointed down at them.      As soon as they landed, Sun was off, sniffing for that tuft of grass she had transplanted several hours ago. She found it untouched, and was immensely relieved as she tore it away from the entrance to the nest and dove in, leaving Riash as lookout.      Grain was asleep, and the kittens were nursing, so Sun retreated quietly, relief almost making her collapse where she stood. When she exited and found no sign of the sira, she panicked, until she looked up and caught sight of a set of gray-and-white-banded wings circling above the clearing.      Nothing would happen now, not with that pair of eyes watching out for them.      An hour or so later, Riash's mate appeared, and Sun watched as his red-banded wings joined hers in the sky. He was followed by a smaller dark shape, who circled with them for a moment, then made a wider circle, and winged off again. She thought that was strange, but who was she to guess at what the sira were up to. As long as she and her sister and the kittens were safe, she wouldn't worry too much.      A moment or two later, Sshrassa was also leaving, though he took an indirect route and circled a lot. A shiver went down Sun's spine, making her fun stand on end. He looked like a hunter, and she was prey. It was one thing to understand that he was a friend and not looking to swoop down and carry her off for dinner, and quite another to actually get over one's deep-set and life-saving instincts.      Riash sailed down some time later, careful to land some distance away so as not to startle the poor K'd. As she came closer, she spoke. "You and she and the kittens should eat before we leave. I know you have not eaten enough to restore the energy you spent trying to reach us so swiftly, and I don't suppose your sister has eaten since before you left, has she?"      Sun's eyes widened. No, Grain hadn't eaten since the previous day; no wonder she was sleeping! She must be nearly starved by now.      The sira nodded and smiled a little. "I can reach some high fruits and nuts, if you'd like some help foraging."      The two of them ended up returning less than ten minutes later, Sun with two large branches of berries and highly nutritious nuts, and Riash with her arms full of fruits.      "Grain," Sun called down the denn, her voice soft and gentle.      A moment later, her golden sister appeared, and gazed in confusion at first at the large banquet set before them, and then wonder. "Oh Sun," she said, and then her stomach grumbled loudly, and all three of the females giggled.      It was late at night when Sshrassa returned, and the two K'd had retired to their denn with the kittens, leaving Riash to keep watch. The moment her mate appeared, the female sira knew that everything would be okay. He was fairly glowing with pride.      The two of them spoke mind-to-mind, partly so they wouldn't disturb their charges, and partly because, well, that was just what they did normally.      ~I take it your search was successful?~ she asked, leaning up against him as he leaned against her. It was the traditional gesture of mutual trust shared between not only mated couples, but closest friends.      He grinned at her. ~Indeed. There is a very large group some distance from here, and they are well isolated. It must be one the safest spots on all of Lliyani. Almost as though Niaryalii herself had marked it as a sanctuary.~ He watched his mate under the starlit sky, and smiled at her interested curiosity. ~You'll see tomorrow, love. Tonight, lets just be sure these little ones remain safe.~      When her smile turned mysterious, her mate blinked. ~Yes. All of these little ones.~ If he could keep secrets, so could she.      The next morning, the pair of sira scooped up their precious cargo, the male carrying Sun, his mate scooping the kittens into her warm, secure pouch and lifting Grain. They had decided that it would be best that way, so the mother wouldn't fret about her kittens.      It took them only a few hours to reach the far-off Denn that was their destination, though they stopped every hour or so to let Grain nurse her kittens.      Sshrassa thought that his mate watched the new mother with a suspiciously mysterious smile.