In the time Peiter took to calm down and get up, Sabine had already lifted Janius and Newt partway up the height of the tree. The nature of the crank meant that Sabine did not have to put too much strength into turning the wheel. She just had to turn it fast if she wanted to get the platform up in any fast measure of time. The speed made up the effort lost by the weight, so Sabine's already ragged hair was dripping and clinging to her shoulders with the sweat.

"Okay, we can do a sword lesson. Could you please help me with the platform?" Sabine didn't talk for a short while, instead focussing on breathing and turning the wheel on the lift. After Janius and Newt were almost at the top, she spoke again, pausing for breath often, "The only way...to help heat...like this...water...a pond or creek...a beach...swimming..." She swallowed and the wheel suddenly refused to turn any further. A catch had reached the crank that stopped the platform just as it reached the top.

Janius carefully stepped off the platform with Newt onto the stable surface. "Thank you, Sabine," Janius remarked.

Down below, Gallus raised his brow and nodded to Irenya. With how slowly the platform operated, it would be a short while before all others were up in the outpost.

By this time, one of the more practised members of Ra'maranja's pack had climbed up to where Peiter and Sabine were and offered to take over operating the lift. Sabine took a moment to catch her breath again and admire the views offered by the treetop outpost before heading down with Peiter again to start the lesson.

[hr]
Once everyone had either climbed up the ropes or taken a ride on the lift, Irenya and Gallus made quick work of the baggage and Gallus took Irenya slightly out of the way to speak with her privately. They didn't go far, just out of earshot of Peiter and Sabine's lesson.

Gallus took a few moments to pace around as he usually did, crunching old leaves below his feet. Once he had formulated the words properly, he regarded Irenya with a serious look. "I apologise for pulling rank here, Irenya, I prefer to keep things friendly, as you know," Gallus spoke with sincerity, but also with confidence in his position, "Unfortunately, there are times where I have to bring the objective to the priority. We're here for a reason, all of us. From this standpoint, that little scuffle you had with Ahnasha brings up a risk. We don't know what we're heading into, which means you two might have to trust each other at some point. I won't insult you by asking you to simply drop whatever problem you and her have, but it is my responsibility to make sure that it is not a problem for the rest of us, and to do that, I need to know what it is." Gallus clasped his hands behind his back, now frowning. The game player who was juggling two romances at once had been replaced by a genuine alpha. "So, let's hear it."