THEY SET UP camp at the edge of the beach. Tapirs crush a lot of vegetation when they circle to make their beds, and they’ve generated enough flattened greenery to make a soft surface for all the shadowwalkers to sleep in. The friends huddle down in the center of a ring of softly dozing herbivores. Mez and Gogi are on the grass, Lima dozing on top of Banu’s butt while Rumi lounges in a freshwater puddle. Sky usually takes up a position on the edge of camp, but this time he’s right in the middle of everyone, looking mighty grateful indeed for his friends.

“Sleeping in the middle of a ring of tapirs is the way to do it,” Gogi says, lying back with his hands behind his head. “This is the best rest I’ve had in a long time.”

“I’m glad too,” Mez says. “Sky, especially, needs a safe place to recover.”

“He saved my life,” Rumi says. He’s been used to being in control of his feelings, but now they feel like they’re gushing around him, like mud under a foot. “I would have been squished flat by that surge of water. Sky didn’t even think twice about taking me into his mouth, even though it was nearly the death of him. I’m lucky to have him as my best friend.”

“To think he used to be enemy number one,” Mez says.

“Well, I’d say Auriel was enemy number one in those days,” Lima corrects, “even if we didn’t totally know it yet. Sky was enemy number two.”

“And yet Auriel made good,” Rumi says. “He learned after his betrayal by the Ant Queen. It’s almost like his desire to redeem himself was what was animating him after death, and now he’s finally been released from his duty.”

“That’s a cheerful way . . . of looking at it,” Banu says, shrugging. It’s a sloth shrug, so it takes a while.

“Maybe no one’s a forever enemy,” Rumi postulates, wriggling into the cool nighttime sand. This salt-free water is doing wonders at getting the sting out of his layers of skin. That, and a quick once-over with Lima saliva. “Maybe it’s all about context.”

“Except in the case of Mist,” Mez says darkly.

Lima nods. “Except Mist. We gave him about five chances too many.”

“I’m sorry, Mez,” Rumi says. “It must have been so hard to witness what he’s done to the rest of your family. Then to have to fight him as well!”

“I’m not going to let him hurt me or my family anymore,” Mez says. “I’m sealing him off in my mind. I’m never going to think about him again.”

“You can do that?” Lima asks, amazed.

A self-mocking smile curls Mez’s lip away from her teeth. “No. But that doesn’t mean I can’t try.”

“It’s not so easy, keeping your mind off the ones who’ve hurt you,” Sky says.

Rumi startles and looks at his friend. He’d thought Sky was asleep. The macaw is still too weak to fly, but at least his breathing is deep and regular. Rumi picks his way out of the freshwater puddle and climbs onto Sky’s back. “Maybe we can help you heal that way, too.”

Sky’s feathers bristle and then relax. “Maybe you can. I had a rough start, but my feelings about being abandoned by my parents get more distant with every day. Thanks to you all.”

“Sort of like the volcano,” Rumi says, sitting up and looking toward the center of the rainforest. “It seems to have quieted down now that it’s found the right release.”

“I’m most definitely glad about that,” Mez says, a yawn exposing her long, sharp teeth to the night air.

“Yes, I think we’d all rather not have our rainforest go up in smoke,” Gogi says.

“Once we’re sure we don’t need the escape craft, I’m going to head back to my home jungle,” Mez says. “There’s a lot of work to do to restore the natural order there, and I don’t want Chumba to have to go it alone.”

“I’ll come with you,” Lima says. “I love hanging out with panthers.”

“And the rest of you?” Mez asks. “Will you join us?”

“I’ve been thinking about Auriel’s sacrifice,” Rumi says. “For every enemy that makes good, there will be new ones that crop up. I’m thinking we should create an order that keeps an eye on the whole rainforest, investigating trouble as it comes up. The Protectors of Caldera, we could call it.”

“Ooh. I like the ring of that,” Gogi says, nodding.

“We all exist in solitude,” Sky says. “I think it would be smart for the animals to be in better communication. I can use my magical abilities to help connect everyone. To stop other animals from having to struggle alone, like we all once did.”

“The Protectors of Caldera,” Lima says, weighing the words. “Ooh, what else could we call ourselves? Rainforest Squad. No, no . . . Shadowwalker Force. No, no, I got it! The Watchers of Caldera.”

“Nice, Lima,” Gogi says, giving her a high five. Or a high “one,” since Lima’s fingertips are spread along her wing.

“Who’s in?” Rumi asks.

Banu extends a claw. “Count me in.”

Two wings, a paw, and two hands join. “It starts now!” Gogi says.

“Ooh,” Lima says, wriggling. “That moment just gave me the shivers.”

“We can use the panther forest as a home base,” Mez says excitedly. “And we can recruit other animals from around the rainforest to join our ranks.”

“It depends,” Gogi says. “Is Chumba going to be a nice queen?”

“The very best,” Mez says.

“I figured as much,” Gogi says. “Maybe we can pick up Alzo on the way. I miss that guy.”

“Travel to the panther rainforest will take us near the ziggurat ruins, where the lava was threatening to erupt,” Rumi says. “We can confirm once and for all that this danger is past us.”

Sky nods—or tries to nod. In his weakened state it’s more like a heavy wink followed by a beak clack. “That’s wise.”

Banu yawns. “You all go ahead . . . I’m going to rest around here . . . for a while . . . I’ll catch up . . . I know where . . . the panther forest is.”

Rumi nods. “Your help was invaluable. We’d all be dead without you.”

“I’m very glad . . . that you’re . . . not all dead.”

Gogi ruffles Banu’s hair. “Aww, that’s sweet, buddy.”

“I’m glad about that too!” Lima squeaks. She gets to work smoothing her wings over Banu’s head. “Banu looks much better with his hair parted the other way. Well, he looks super handsome either way, to be honest.”

Banu peers up at his two stylists, eyes wide. “I’ve never really thought . . . about my hairstyle . . . thank you.”

Mez stares at them incredulously, as if wondering how Caldera could have ever possibly been saved by the likes of them. She lets out a low whistle. “Oookay. Should we get started?”

“Yep, first thing after the Veil rises,” Gogi says, stretching out his long, furry body.

“No. Now,” Mez says, looking up at the dark new-moon sky. “I want to start back toward Chumba now.”

Gogi cracks his knuckles. “I should have known you were going to say something like that.”

“It’s wise to travel by night, and there’s nothing keeping us on this beach anymore,” Rumi says, nodding.

“Night flying is the best. But I don’t think Sky can even stand right now,” Lima points out.

Sky scrunches his eyes shut, flutters his wings once, twice, then rises into the air. He soars up to a branch and lands there, unsteady at first, but then poised and unmoving. “I’m good, don’t worry about me,” he caws.

“Wow,” Gogi says. “Just a moment ago, you were totally stricken. How do you do that?”

“Willpower, my friend,” Sky says, winking.

“Yep. That was never a strong suit of mine.”

“Okay, everyone,” Mez says. “Let’s go.”