We followed the path to a small town made of human skin. The huts were made of large pieces of skin held up by wooden beams. The roofs were patches of different colored skin, woven into each other.
"I'm scared, Cogaje," I said.
The Lizsard Prince moved closer to me, keeping his eyes ahead. "Just stay close to me," he said in a low voice. "And try not to make too much noise."
Doors of wood hung loose on old hinges. Some skin huts lacked any doors or windows, just small cuts in the skin serving as entrances.
"What is this place?" I said.
"I have no idea."
Nothing moved except the wind, which carried the scent of carrion. I gagged a few times before clogging my nose.
Cogaje's face was yellow with disgust.
"It's all rot," I said. "Nothing's living in this place, even for a place of death."
"Maybe things are hiding," Cogaje said.
I glanced by a hut with a window, peering in. "Looks empty," I said. "Except for some chairs."
The chairs were also made of human skin.
"Let's hurry," the Prince said, "I don't want to spend any more time here than we have to."
I nodded, quickening my pace to nearly match my heart rate. We passed by a tree, its trunk flexible and porous.
"It's made of skin, too," I said with a scowl when I'd touched the tree.
"The branches too," Cogaje said, looking up at the tree, "And the leaves."
"Okay, let's go," I said, "I don't want to see anymore."
Cogaje hurried to keep up with me. "Slow down," he said, "You're moving too quickly."
"I don't want to vomit."
Cogaje half-smiled, but his expression was soon lost in a scowl. "What's that up ahead?" he said.
"Something's moving," I choked. I clutched my sword tighter, knowing that even if I knew how to use it well, it still probably wouldn't help me much against whatever was moving.
"I can't tell what it is," I said.
"Neither can I."
The creature walked on four, its sharp ears sticking up.
The creature growled and quickened its pace towards us.
"Get ready!" Cogaje yelled.
The creature was now in full view. It stopped running when it got to only a few feet of us.
I burst out laughing.
It was Karakulak, Uzza's desert lynx. The animal sat panting, its tongue hanging out of its mouth like thick honey flowing out of a jar.
Cogaje looked relieved, his hands visibly shaking. He bent down, stroking Karakulak's head. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
Karakulak only licked Cogaje's hand before moving over to lick mine. "At least it's not dangerous," I said, "Especially considering it's a lynx."
Cogaje bent his head to look under the caracal's belly. "It's a female by the way, in case you were wondering," he grinned.
I looked, too, and nodded. "You're right."
Karakulak licked my face until I pushed her head gently away.
"Can you lead us to the King of Gamblers?" Cogaje asked Karakulak.
She dashed off, then stopped, waiting for us to follow her. "I guess so," I panted as I ran after Uzza's pet.
"At least we have a guide now," Cogaje said.
"But if Karakulak is here, that might mean that either Uzza or Kulbiwahd is here, too."
"Maybe," Cogaje mused. "Or maybe only Karakulak is here." He shrugged, "I don't know, but I'm glad we have something helping us, even if it's a lynx."
"True," I said, "I agree."
The lynx ran ahead, taking us to the next town. This town wasn't any less gruesome than the human skin one.