Lost trust . . .

      Dweller could not get close to Mal-Nai because of the zatmeid.  He had to find a way to get it out of the cottage.  Dweller opened all the doors and windows in hopes that it would leave.  It zigged and zagged its way out of the door.  Dweller quickly closed all of the doors and windows, but the zatmeid stayed outside of the door bouncing back and forth standing guard.
      Dweller ran to care for Mal-Nai, but feared he may be too late.  He saw that her left arm was nearly severed.  There was a large gash that began in the middle of her forehead across her right eye down her check  to her jaw.  She had lost a lot of blood.  He was alone and he was not sure how he could do this without any help.
     He thought of the pebble, but he was not sure how it worked.  Dweller began bandaging Mal-Nai’s wounds.  He placed the pebble in her right hand, but nothing happened.  So, he tried it in her left hand.  The pebble began to glow.  He noticed there was another pebble in her pocket.  Dweller took it out and placed it in her left hand.  As both pebbles began to glow, Mal-Nai’s wounds stopped bleeding.  Soon the pebbles faded and the glow disappeared.  He investigated and found that her heart was missing . . .
      Dweller knelt beside her praying and crying.  “How could this happened?  You were supposed to be protected.  I knew I should not have left you alone.”
     “OK, Klon, let me in,” came the voice from outside.  “What has been going on?  You were supposed to protect her.”
      Klon answered rapidly, “I tried, I did, she trapped me and then, he came, he got to her, I tried, honest, I tried . . .”
      Dweller opened the door to see Poppie holding one hand over the struggling Klon’s mouth while trying to keep her still in the other.  “Yes, yes, I know. You tried your hardest.  It is time for you to sit.  I know you did your best.”
       “The Janimgly got her!  I tried to stop him,” yelled Klon.  “I could not catch him.  What are we going to do?”
       “I thought I told you to sit,” said Poppie.  “Dweller, take me to her.”
       “She is not good, Poppie.  I have never seen her like this.  I tried, but I cannot do anything.  Her heart is missing.”  Dweller paced as he spoke.
      “The Janimgly took it,” yelled Klon.
      Poppie glared back at her as he knelt beside Mal-Nai and kissed her left hand and then her right that held the pebbles making them glow momentarily.  She opened her eyes briefly and whispered in his ear, “I cannot give you my heart.  I need your heart,” as a single tear streamed down her check.  “I need your love,” she whispered again.  Poppie reached into his own chest and retrieved a portion of his heart placing it carefully inside Mal-Nai.
      Dweller took the lifeless body as Poppie motioned for him.  This time he would have no report for wee-one or nom-mee.  How will she survive?  Dweller cried for he knew his journey back would be long and sad.  How does she trust him?