Answers are, as it turns out, currently in dragon-form, and barreling straight toward Jericho. Most of the village had been inside the Sacred Tree for the ceremony, but there are still those here and there in the treetop houses to drop down attacks from the leaves. Artika is getting really tired of it.

She catches sight of a head of blond hair only an instant before she's upon him, and that long snaking body begins to slide in a desperate scramble to stop. She doesn't recognize this — whoever he is. Is he someone else planning on attacking her? Her jaws part and she readies to snap out at him, if need be.