The Gilded Ones

After going on increasingly harder raids, the Death Strikers head to a deathshriek nest in a marsh. Here, the combat style of the deathshrieks changes; they start throwing rocks with slingshots. Deathshrieks also utilize metal circlets around their head: cochleans that dampen Deka’s commanding voice (like the technology used by alaki and human soldiers to dampen the sound of the deathshrieks). Deka, surprised by the premeditated use of rocks and tools, is mortally injured and swept up into a tree by Ixa in a winged form.

Once resurrected, Deka is confused by being stuck in the tree, and Captain Kelechi is angry about Ixa. When he questions Deka, she replies that Ixa is her pet. Ixa transforms into a cat form in front of the raiding party after letting Deka down from the tree. Belcalis intervenes and says they found Ixa by the Warthu Bera lake. Britta and Adwapa back up this cover story. Captain Kelechi says he will ask White Hands about Ixa.

Deka’s friends lead her aside, telling her that her skin became leathered like the deathshrieks when she was trying to control them without the use of her voice or hands (which were broken by rocks in the fight).