Alexander led them to the communal tent—a large canvas structure held up by wooden poles, open on two sides to let air flow through. Inside, rough-hewn tables and benches were arranged in rows, and a cooking area was set up at the far end with several fire pits and preparation surfaces.
A few mimics were already there, preparing vegetables for the evening meal. They looked up when Marron's group entered, their forms flickering slightly with what she recognized as nervous excitement.
"Keeper is in the back," Alexander said, gesturing to a curtained-off section at the rear of the tent. "He doesn't come out much during the day—says the sunlight bothers him after so long underground. But he's been waiting to meet you."
Marron felt a flutter of nervousness. "What should I expect?"
"Keeper is... different from the rest of us." Alexander's voice was careful. "He's old. Very old. Underground for nearly a century, he said. And he's not like other mimics. You'll see."
