Shaa spent the majority of his life alone. He had friends in Koma and her adoptive father Zidark for a portion, and a crush on Koma but they went their separate ways when Koma chose someone else.
Shaa made his home in a cabin in the wilds of Warrenfall away from most civilization. He hunted alone and made money by doing jobs for the thieves and assassins guilds.
He still kept in contact on occasion with his old friends, who pressured him to find a companion.
Eventually went into town for a convention to find riders, not expecting to find anyone. Met Lissana, the drow elf, and took pity on her.
Took Lissana home where he grew used to her presence and they learned to work together. (Training)
Developed a bond after introducing Lissana to the work he does. (Bonding)
Met some idiot travelers, Blake and Green Goblin, that somehow made themselves his friends. They often spend time with him when they're in the area.
Blake and Goblin nearly butcher one of his jobs. (Thief ICQ)
Traveled with Juniper and Pumpkin across the country, convinced he's the reason they survived the trip and a hurricane that drifted inland. (Purity Trials)
Shaa's magic that has been manifesting in tiny bits in the past finally develops fully when Blake has an uncomfortable confrontation with Lissana and having to face his bad past with humanoids. (Mentalist Sparked)
Somehow the story of his magic spreads and he becomes known as someone you can come to as a last resort to spark magic with his skill. Ends up training Ember and Locke. (Mentalist Magi)
Has to repair the the cabin as Locke destroyed it. Blake and Goblin and their new girls swing by and they work together while Shaa pushes the limits of his magic. (Mentalist Spellmaster) (In Progress)
Shaa and friends visit the World Faire where he makes plenty of new friends and even pulls off a heist with his old friends.
Lissana finds an abandoned puppy and adopts it, taking it on their trip to Thedale as Shaa follows a job, naming it Caballin. (Spy HCQ)
Traveling to another continent to complete a job he was tasked to do, he ran across a very familiar face from when he was younger, but Koma has no memory of her past, and now goes by Rowan. Shaa is extremely conflicted.
Shaa snorted in frustration as he shook a paw that he had stubbed yet again. Profanities were barely held back as he glared at the offending floorboard, one of many that had seemingly come loose overnight. Blast it.
He watched his step throughout the cabin, tail twitching in annoyance as he tried to go about hid daily routine. Glare at the neighbors? Check. Brood in the corner? Check. Midday coffee black as night? No. He blinked, remembering that was what he had been heading to do when he had tripped. Turning towards the kitchen, Shaa picked up his feet to avoid yet another stubbed paw, his glowing eyes softly lighting the way.
It was when he opened the cupboards, however, to grab the coffee grounds, when he noticed the most sacrilegious things possible. The canister was turned on its side, grounds tossed about. Blast and tarnation! Fur ruffled as eyes squinted, searching for the culprit. Tiny hoof and paw marks scuffled through the grounds, and he had half a mind to track the creature by following the scent of coffee. He considered trying to salvage what little there was so he could enjoy one cup before the hunt, but gave up, knowing he would rest better when the coffee ruiner was under control.
Now that he was looking, the smell of coffee was everywhere, making it difficult to pin point down an exact location by scent. Thankfully coffee grounds were messy, and left him a delightful trail to follow to some extent. Which as he got further into the house, discovered lead everywhere. A small pile sat next to a nail, expertly pulled from the flooring to make yet another plank loose. He had to hand it to the critter, whatever it was happened to be rather crafty.
He stepped around the plank, only to hear a crash from the direction of the living room. He bounded over, discovering his potted plants pulled from their pots, which were then tossed to the floor, shattered into pieces. He took a good look over the plants, thankful that they were okay. His collection of carnivorous plants though will live, if only with a bit of care to repot them.
Water running caught his attention, and he left his plants to dash from the room again. The sound came from outside, and he found the well pump running, flowing over the ground. Damn it all. He put his paws on the lever to push it back off, now even more frustrated with the events of the day.
He heard some other commotion inside the cabin, and decided to leave it be for now. He needed another plan of attack. Based on the side of the marks in the original coffee grounds, the creature must not have been very large. He considered setting out mousetraps, ending his problem once and for all, but he figured if this thing was as intelligent as it seemed, with being careful not to damage the living plants, it probably would be smart enough to avoid a simple mousetrap.
The answer then became that he had to outsmart it. Perhaps trick it somehow. Since it had gotten into his coffee supply, he figured that might be a good way to lure it. Unfortunately, he enjoyed his cabin mostly away from the bustle of society, living among the trees where a trip to the nearest town and back took nearly a day. If he took a trip to the market now, well who knows what else he would come back to.
Thankfully the runner knew where he stored some extra beans in the cabin, and hopefully the creature had yet to find it. As he padded back in, he heard noise from the other room, which Shaa chose to ignore for now, he had a mission. Digging into the back of a supply closet, he found unground beans, which he carefully took with him while gathering what else he needed.
Whatever it was seemed curious in what he was doing. It went from making extra misfortune happen to various parts of the cabin, to total silence, during which he got the feeling he was being watched. A sweep of his glowing eyes however never discovered what he was attempting to track. He did try to use the bulk of his body to hide what he was doing from sight, wishing he was less lithe and more buff, if only for a few moments. Too bad Zidark wasn’t around.
Finally, he revealed the contraption he had managed to scavenge together from household pieces. It was little more than a simple box trap, with a blanket tossed over it, making it look more like a tent, with an opened jar of coffee beans placed in the center. He held a cackle, tying the end of a string to his tail, and laying in plain view, leaving his paws empty in a clear invitation. The string he had picked was dark, and a quick glance at his tail told him it barely was visible. On top of it, the Vayron’s Lisse fur was silky smooth; there was no telltale sign of the string pinching his fur down. He even gave it a few experimental twitches, trying to look as natural as possible.
He figured the creature wouldn’t come out while he watched him, especially after several long moments passed without any sign of it beyond silence. He placed his head down on his front paws, intending to close his eyes only most of the way to watch, but the thought occurred to him that the glow from his eyes would give him away, so he let the lids fall completely, doing his best to breathe in deeply, and perk his ears while keeping a relaxed posture.
Whatever it was, was fast. It made barely any sound beyond a soft giggle, and Shaa almost missed his opportunity. Still, he relied on what his senses were telling him, and he swung his tail wide, swiftly getting up to leap on top of the box. An angry squeal told him he had succeeded. He grinned, giving a small growl of success, before he realized his predicament. The creature was trapped beneath the box, but if he got up for any reason, it could escape. Well shit. With that, the nightshaded colored Vayron sighed, settling down into the most comfortable he could get laying atop a box, to wait out his misfortune and perhaps a better answer will come to him.
Shaa didn’t want a rider. He didn’t need a rider. He was just fine on his own. If he needed anything, one of his few friends could help him out, and that was if he even accepted their assistance in the first place. Still, he kept getting notices of people who had applied for the companion program, a government funding program that helps humanoids find Reosans to potentially bond with.
Normally people didn’t have to go through the program to find a bond, but sometimes it was easier. Unbonded Reosans would get notices whenever there were new applicants, in case someone catches their eyes. Normally, Reosans who signed up looking for riders would get the notices, and Shaa suspected his friends up him up to this.
Still, Shaa knew his friends would never give up. Koma especially made him go at least once a year to see if anyone caught his eyes. She wouldn’t be satisfied until he picked someone, saying he needed someone even as a friend to help look out for him, or someone to help melt his cold exterior. Plenty of other Reosans did just fine without riders, this vayron didn’t need any companion.
Still, he appeased her, going to one of the monthly open houses yearly, if only to say I told you so and be done with it.
Which was how he found himself here. In the middle of a crowded banquet hall, people of all different shapes and sizes were mingling with Roseans alike. There were vendors selling accessories and outfits, people taking measurements for custom tack for bonded pairs, food carts catering to all palates, and there was even a few arenas set up for test rides. All in all it made him sick.
He had walked for nearly a full day to reach the capital, for while smaller events happened throughout Warrenfall, the biggest diversity happened in the capital. It was here too that there would be more applicants, more people. It was argued that if he was going to find anyone, it would be at the largest event.
He walked down the main aisle, making sure people saw him; he learned the hard way that if no one noticed him at one of these events, someone made sure to drag him back to them again, and he wasn’t intending on repeating that.
After a bit, he found a secluded corner to brood silently, glaring at anyone who got too close, making sure they stayed away. He detected movement at the corner of his eyes, and he wheeled on his paws, narrowing his eyes at the creature that had happened to be standing behind him. There was a reason he didn’t catch her beforehand, for it was a her; she wore dark clothing, and a hooded cloak covered the light hair he saw barely poking out from underneath. What skin he could see was also dark, one might call it ebony even. Inspecting further, he noticed that beneath her clothes poked hints of armor, someone who was clearly prepared for anything.
He scoffed at her, and side stepped, putting some distance between the two of them. His tail twitched in annoyance, bothered that he had failed to notice her the first time. He kept shooting her glances out of the corners of his eyes, doing his best to not let the glow give away that he was watching her. Who was she anyway? People who were here had signed up to be here, so shouldn’t she be meandering? Perhaps she was a guard, he didn’t seem them here usually, but perhaps someone felt threatened surrounded by large dangerous creatures. It would make sense, and explain the armor she kept hidden.
Still, she didn’t seem to be keeping an eye on anyone in particular, her hood was down and her head tilted towards the floor. She just unnerved him, making him keen to get out. Perhaps outside would be a better environment, and he padded his way towards an exit, he had stayed long enough anyway.
Outside he parted his jaws, scenting the air and breathing deep the smells of spring. While he usually didn’t like the outdoors during the day, the sun often warmed his dark fur a little too much for his liking, he couldn’t deny that the outdoors often lifted his mood. Budding flowers, a nice aroma of green and new, there were small guilty pleasures that he didn’t let anyone else know of.
He decided to head towards his favorite cafe. It has become another thing he found enjoyment in when he had to come to the city. It was small and cozy, a small secluded place in the bustle of the city. Quiet, but with enough of a patio that he could still enjoy the fresh scents of the outdoors as they mingled with the food they served. They were often friendly and didn’t ask questions, he had never received any remarks on his so called ‘demonic’ appearance here. They also employed both humanoids and Reosans, often in bonded pairs, making ordering simple and easy. Standing in line, he placed an order for a tender cut of meat, just this side of raw, and sat to await his meal.
His eyes caught sight of who entered the café behind him. Damn it all there was that woman again! Was she following him? He hadn’t even heard her behind him, clearly she was light on her feet. Out here in the open, she seemed more nervous, and when she was asked to take off her hood for her order, Shaa finally caught a good glimpse of her face. In sharp contrast to ebony skin, her hair was while as spider silk, pointed elven ears adored her delicate features, with red eyes that almost seemed to glow just as his. Fascinating.
She ordered, and sat down at a table further away from anyone else, including him, pulling her hood back up and secluding herself from everyone she could. Not that he cared. He huffed and dug into his lunch when it came, making sure to keep his eyes on his own meal, eager to finish it as fast as possible.
That was when the real trouble began. He had seen fair skinned elves before, but none like her. And as a gaggle of elven women stepped in for their lunch, he saw the first hints of why the dark skinned ones weren’t common. As soon as their spied the ebony beauty, he heard the first comment. “Eww, who let a drow in here.” The spoken words opened the floodgates of verbal harassment, and he watched her sink further and further into his seat.
He had been there before, ostracized for nothing more than his appearance, and he felt his lips curling upwards into a snarl. His meal finished, he tossed his coins on the table, and padded over to the women, blood from eating fresh on his fangs. Ladies, let’s take this discussion elsewhere. I’d be happy to show you what us dark children are capable of. While they didn’t know that’s what his words were saying, he conveyed the meaning pretty easy. His snarl turned into a grin as he watched the blood drain from their already pale faces, as they scampered away, leaving the establishment. Good riddance.
He didn’t have to say anything else, but sat down next to the dark elf, offering his protection wordlessly. He caught a glimpse of a dagger under the table that she deftly put away, and he struggled to keep the snort of laughter to himself.
He almost missed it when she spoke, a soft whisper after her food came. She poked at the greens of her salad, and he pricked his ears to catch her words when she murmured them again.
“Thanks.”
He grunted, leaving it at that.
There were a few more moments of silence before she spoke again after a mouthful of food. “I’m Lissana.”
He pulled out the tag he used to sign in at the event hall, clearly displaying his name, before tucking it away.. Short and to the point, that was him. He caught the corner of her mouth start to turn upwards into a grin, and he wondered just what his friends were going to think of this as he rolled his eyes.
When she finished eating, she paid, and stood nervously. He squinted at her, wondering just what she was going to do next. She grimaced and look at him curiously, and he sighed. Fuck, she didn’t have anywhere to go did she? As if mirroring her thoughts, she bit her lip, and mumbled a little until he growled, not liking her hesitation.
“I uhh, I’m kinda new in town. I’ve been chased out of so many places, I didn’t know where to go. I was hoping, that uhh, I could find someone to you know…” She trailed off and his face sunk into a palm. Of course. The discrimination against her kind likely wasn’t just here in an isolated incident.
He went back up to the counter, asking one of the bonded vayrons working if they could help translate for him.
“Do you have anywhere to stay?”
She shook her head.
“Do you have any other possessions?”
Another shake.
Damn. He sighed again.
“You can come with me, but you’re walking.” He’d be damned if he was going to let a stranger even think about riding him.
Her eyes seemed to light up. “Thank you.”
He grunted at her again, and gestured with his head to follow him. He wasn’t going to slow down for her, he knew a little about elves and knew she should be able to keep up easily.
He was suddenly eternally grateful the route back home was long and mostly through the woods, off the main roads. It would save him the embarrassment of being caught in public with a humanoid. He already had no clue how he was going to explain this to his friends.
While they weren’t best friends at first sight, it looked to be the start of an interesting companionship, and Shaa, for once, was no longer entirely pissed at the idea of a rider, even if it still irked him.
Shaa hated the saddle. When he wore it, there always seemed to be a constant itch on his skin that he could no longer reach. And it was heavy. Sure it was only leather and nothing terribly heavy, but he was still used to the weight of nothing on his back.
Lissana cinched the belts tight, and he let out the breath he had been holding instinctively, allowing her to tighten it further. He had been picky, only letting her just put the saddle on him while he got used to the feel. It pinched in places, left him chafed in others, but the kinks were slowly being worked out, a blanket here, a different sized strap there. All in all it was slowly coming together.
They had set up a small arena behind Shaa’s cabin in the woods. Warrenfall was a perfect place for this, as they gathered logs from fallen trees to set up obstacles for him to jump over, climb on, and scurry under. It allowed him to get a decent amount of exercise in as well, and gave Lissana a good glimpse at what he could do.
She would alternate between standing at the end of their makeshift arena, or trying to follow him, her eyes watching his movements as his lithe body went through the motion. A small part of him felt a sense of self appreciation, he enjoyed showing off for her.
Their beginnings were rough. She kept to herself in a small room in his cabin, and he went about his daily routine. Thankfully she proved to be far from useless. Her hands were more than valuable, as she did her best to fix things up around the abode. She was also a skilled hunter in her own right, and the two of them easily kept themselves fed between meat and also whatever plants she scavenged in the woods. Warrenfall’s forests were full of rich, lush wildlife, and she had a knowledge of herbs and plants that seasoned their meals fantastically. It was clear she had spent a majority of her life alone, living off the lands, and she explained once she traded things she hunted for goods, which was the only reason she had been able to arm herself.
It infuriated him, the way she had been treated, which came at a shock at first. He hadn’t realized when he had started to care for the drow elf, but now, if anyone so much as looked at her wrong, he was liable to rip their skin off. She had been prejudiced against, forming a bit of kinship with the vayron, something unexpected but not unpleasant.
Still, he wasn’t entirely comfortable with the idea of being ridden. He wasn’t used to intimacy of any kind, and the first time she had a nightmare and found herself cuddled against his side in the night, he hadn’t been able to sleep, laying stiff as a board until the morning light came. He had always been very self-sufficient, and admitting he needed someone around had been a hell of a shot to his ego.
He was only making excuses though, and he suspected Lissana knew the same. She was a smart cookie, and while he didn’t know her actual age, he knew elves lived longer, and she often betrayed an older age with the way she acted and spoke.
Such as now, as she mumbled under her breath, fully comparing his movements to that of other animals, comparing how his weight distributed, how the saddle shifted, all to that of a wolf of a horse. The way she spoke of horses made him think she had rode before, but he wasn’t going to question her lack of a mount now. It was possible she had out lived it in some way, shape or form. They all kept their secrets, hers were no doubt as harmful as his own.
While she was an experienced rider though, he was an inexperienced mount. He was far smarter than your average pack animal, so communication would be easier, he should know what to do once she got into the saddle. Still, he would be used to verbal commands. He didn’t know what the kicks and motions meant, and he wondered if he could stall for more time with that as another excuse.
Their lack of being able to properly communicate though was starting to wear on him, making him as irritable as that perpetual itch was. The idea of bonding was terrifying, and a long way off; they had quite a few walls between them stuff before that happened. He would rather take his inability to talk to her over bonding any day.
She had only suggested this riding nonsense when she pointed out they could travel easier, and take down larger prey working together. It was a solid idea, he didn’t have to like it though. She had taken some odd jobs at the closest town, mostly selling furs and meat, herbal concoctions at times as well. Turns out she had been saving the currency she was gaining, and offered to buy him a saddle. Perhaps that was one of the defining moments in their relationship. The homeless dark elf he had taken in was saving up money to spend on things for him. He felt a little touched if he was being honest.
She bought him a simple one, nothing too flashy, in beautiful leather that went beautifully with his purplish fur. She promised to get him a nicer one someday, with red accents for his eyes. It was amazing how much she thought about him, and it made him want to get himself a job too, so she didn’t have to be the only one working to care for them.
His thoughts were only distracting him from the goal at hand, and as he leaped over the last makeshift hurdle, he strode up to her with nerves. He needed to stop stalling, but he was so afraid of hurting her, she had become such a cemented part in his life already. He stopped a few feet short of her, bowing his head and turning sideways, presenting the saddle to her. Of course she would misinterpret it. She reached to fiddle with the straps to remove them, and he jumped out of reach, growling low in his throat. Understanding seemed to light up in her eyes, and she reached out tentatively.
“You sure?”
He nodded and returned to a place by her side. She grabbed a handful of his hair, and hoisted herself over in one swift movement. She settled into the saddle lightly, and he let go of the breath he had been holding as he expected a heavier thump into the saddle. Of course he should have expected better. She had experience.
“Alright. I’m just going to hold on. We haven’t gone over signals or anything, and I don’t expect to you to learn them just now. All I ask is please don’t throw me.”
He turned his head to look back at her, a malicious grin on his face, a glint in his eyes. She gulped and he barked out a laugh. He wouldn’t do that to her, but it was fun to mess around.
He started slow, a gentle walk while he felt her adjusting her weight to how he moved, threading her hands into his mane. She held on tightly with her legs, keeping her balance as he started doing turns and pivots. It made him smile, and she absolutely was right, this would make things much easier. She kept up with him easier enough, but if speed was ever an issue, she could never keep up. And hunting together without having to set up an ambush would be excellent.
He was too busy thinking about it, and wasn’t paying attention to where he was going. He made a sharp turn to avoid one of their setups, and panicked, stopping and looking back to make sure she was still there. Lissana smiled back at him, and brushed some hair out of her face. He grinned lopsided. They were gonna be just fine.
The drow elf's whooping laugh urged further energy into Shaa’s limbs, calling forth new bursts of speed. There was no need to be quiet anymore, they had already flushed out their prey, now it was down to the chase. The thundering hooves of the herd ahead only emboldened him, pulling him close to a prey he would never have thought to hunt before. Bison. Great hulking beasts of great strength and size, much larger than the vayron, and dangerous with their horns and hooves. One wrong step and he could have been injured; two wrong steps and he could have been dead.
It had taken a bit of work to get to where they were now, but not nearly as much as he might have thought. He was stubborn and egotistical at times, but Lissana's gentle guidance cut through shaper than her blades. She was a natural, making him wonder how often she had rode creatures before. Her legs gripped his sides tightly, feet deep in the stirrups, leaving her hands free. It had made him nervous whenever she let go at first, and it took him some time to convey that he wished her to tether her legs. She stated her leg strength was more than adequate, proving it on some practice runs, and pointed out that if they were tethered, she wouldn't be able to get off if something happened. It didn't make him happy but she did have a point.
Now she used those free hands to grab an arrow from her quiver. After learning she was better with a bow than with blades, he had insisted that their next big purchase would be the ranged weapon, and he hadn't regretted it. Lissana was a damn good shot, rarely missing, and reminding him of legends and stories, as she would bury arrows in the shafts of others.
Ahead of them, the herd of buffalo ran free, stampeding ahead as Shaa raced behind. He howled out another cry, his eyes searching just as fast as Lissana's for the weakest link. One that might be the slowest, the oldest, or maybe the most injured. There were so many factors, and the predatory sounds he made only stirred them further into a frenzy, and he half hoped they would trample one another, leaving them a clear target.
"There!" The elf pointed with an arrow, but she need not have bothered. He saw the buffalo clear as day, who sported a fresh gash in its side, likely from the horns of one of its fellows in their scramble away from them. Shaa turned ever so slightly, changing trajectory to head for that one, his paws kicking up grass and leaves from underfoot.
Lissana let an arrow fly, sinking into the exposed injury of their target; it bellowed, faltering, but desperately continuing its run. She was a damn good shot, proving it as a second arrow buried itself right into a hamstring. Now that was enough to finally slow it down, and she strapped her bow to her back, arming herself with a pair of daggers instead.
Shaa knew the next part was up to him, and he lowered his head as he pushed himself to run as fast as he possibly could. He ran up as close to its side as he dared, letting the elf jump off to land on its back. That was another reason she had argued against the leg straps; it would take too long to get them off. Once she was safely on, she sunk in her daggers to hold on while Shaa leaped himself, his maw wide to sink teeth into a leg of their prey. It jerked and kicked to dislodge them, but his jaw held strong and her daggers dug deep. He got a good hold and twisted, hearing a satisfying snap. Stumbling, the bison tried to keep going, but the elf on its back gave it no choice; as she climbed along, pulling herself to its head by the horns, she reached down to bury a dagger into an eye, barely holding on as it thrashed its head violently. Thankfully she stayed on top, and Shaa breathed a sigh through the meat in his jaws. He couldn’t imagine if she had been tossed, she was quick and light on her feet, but he always worried she would get herself hurt one day with her acrobatics and stunts.
Shaa let go of the leg he was on to run to the front, going for a second limb. As thick as bison were, it was hard to take them down, the shear amount of fat protecting a large majority of the body made some other tactics worthless. He would never be able to tear out its throat with all that fur in the way, and its thick skull made it near impossible for Lissana to pierce to the brain.
Hunting buffalo was a challenge neither of them really wanted to pass up. As their skills improved, it would be a great opportunity to test out their teamwork. As the second leg collapsed from his jaws, dropping the bison to the ground, Shaa was feeling pretty confident that they were passing that test with flying colors.
While he was content to watch the thing bleed out and suffer, Lissana was more concerned with getting her blades through the thick hide to end it quick. He saved her the trouble, threading his jaws through the creature's fur to find the windpipe, crushing it. He panted heavily as the creature drew its last breath, the dark elf coming aside him to rest a hand on his shoulder.
Now that they had downed the creature, Shaa sighed, knowing the majority of the next part was up to him. Lisssana gave him a scratch behind his ears and he trudged away. Back before they had started the hunt, they have left a skid of boards and straps, not wanting to weigh them down while the chase was afoot. He was not a puller, but they figured he could manage. After all, they weren’t on a time crunch, but he was already a bit winded by their sprint. He would catch his breath in time, this was what he was born and bred to do after all.
He spent his time enjoying the wildlife. Even after the stampede of the buffalo, life had already started to return to normal. Fronds of grass were popping back up, while surprisingly few clods had been torn from the ground. Bird sung, and he caught glimpses of movement at the edge of the valley they had run through as creatures returned.
When he returned a little over an hour later, chuckling softly at how fast the distance was covered at a sprint, he found the drow putting down the finishing touch on ties, having brought some rope of her own in her pack. She had tied the bison best as she could, folding legs before they stiffened, and wrapping the horns so they wouldn’t catch on anything.
He brought the skid to her, and they worked together to get the bison rolled onto the planks and strapped down tightly, and hooked onto a harness they had brought for him. Fuck why did these things have to be so large?! Lissana insisted on walking beside him, which annoyed him but he understood she didn’t want to put any extra stress on him.
“Hey, you did good.” Lissana spoke, a smile on her face and in her words. It wasn’t often she was unguarded like this, and clearly the elation of the hunt affected her as well.
Shaa looked over at his ebony companion, humming softly. He leaned over to butt his head against her hand, both asking for another scratch and to assure her that he didn’t do it alone. They were a team, as much as his past self would have loathed to admit it. Now though, he couldn’t imagine life without the elf, silly as it may seem. He had always been a bit of a loner, only socializing to the few that had melted his icy exterior, but he would never have been able to do that on his own. He couldn’t wait to do this again, even if the strain of dragging a bison back home was tedious. Maybe next time he’d invite Zidark and Koma along, Lissana hadn’t met them yet, and it might be nice to introduce her, as embarrassing as the idea also was.
Shaa never liked humanoids. Well, he never liked anyone for that matter. The fact that his cabin smelled like someone else left his fur standing on end on the daily. It took him weeks to get used to the smell, and the feeling of an intruder in the heart of the land he claimed as his territory.
He felt bad for the dark elf, and only intended for her to stick around for a short while. Enough to get some gear, maybe make some krones, and work it out on her own. Now they hunted together and she even had a saddle custom made for him. She had integrated herself into his life, and there was no getting rid of her now.
Shaa always figured himself to be a loner. How he found that having a rider was useful. A companion that assisted him in various activities; anything from taking down larger prey to having thumbs to do things around the cabin. Shaa was used to doing things limited to the range of actions his paws could manage, and whatever he could grab with his teeth, but Lissana made things easier. Smaller, more precise tools found a place in his home, and he didn’t have to go to town to have things done like skinning their prey for the leather.
Shaa didn’t realize when Lissana had gone from a companion to something more. He had always felt a bit of pity towards her, defending her from others that judged her based on the color of her skin; as he had on their first meeting when he snarled at the ‘normal’ elves. Now he could see that there was something between them that went deeper than just rider and reosean.
He had a hard time understanding it himself. He learned bits and pieces of her language, and he managed some charade like signs to get his point across, but it never enough to communicate fully. Somehow though, he just knew some things without them being said. He could guess at her emotions without a second thought just by her body language he supposed. He could tell when she was happy or upset. He could barely tell that about anyone he knew, so it struck him as odd that they would have this sort of connection.
The first night that she had opened the door to his room with tears in her eyes, he knew though that he would do anything to make that stop. When she started climbing into his bedding and curled herself up against his stomach to sleep, he felt how vulnerable she was. He wished he knew what had hurt her, so he could hurt them back.
When he found her bathing in the river, and saw the pale scars that laced her ebony skin, he felt murder in his heart. None of those scars belonged to any of his kind; he could tell the weapon marks were something other humanoids had used, and it flared a temper in him that nothing could calm for days.
There were times when he would bathe himself, or go on a longer trip, that he realized how much he missed her scent, how it had become part of his life. It angered him at first that he seemed to be dependent on it. Then it calmed him when he realized how comforting it would be to be back home.
The first time he found her rearranging in the house, he truly felt smug. She had changed the location of something, and he couldn’t even remember what it was because it really wasn't that important. She seemed ashamed to have touched things in his cabin and rushed to fix it, but his paw on her arm stopped her. He was willing to make little sacrifices for her comfort.
He looked back on his life before her, how he was a loner and would be teased for it. Koma and Zidark always poked fun at him, and those in the village always seemed wary and distant. Now he was still a grump, but he found himself more at ease, and perhaps didn’t scare people as much as he used to.
Did he love her? She was an entirely different race, one that many of his kind didn’t care for. But he cared for her. He cared for her a lot. He loved her in his own fashion; not as a mate but as family. He would do anything to protect her, no matter the cost. He would do anything to make her happy, for no one else would he move the stars.
Did she feel the same way about him?
He knew she viewed him as a sort of protector. He gave her comfort when she was sad. She worked alongside him and tried to involve him in everything she did, even if he didn’t understand what she was asking or why. She had never seen him threatened, and so he had never seen her in a position where she might do the unthinkable.
Would he mind if she didn’t?
Once upon a time, he thought he might have loved Koma. But she moved on and never came back. She was torn between two vays, and made up her mind; yet he held no ill will to her.
No, he wouldn’t care if she didn’t feel the same about him. And that was alright.
***
Lissana wasn’t sure how her life got turned around. She had spent most of her life fighting against the cruelty of her kind, and the next she found herself running away from everything she had known. Life on the surface was hard, and the cruelty others showed her because of who and what she was only made her wish for an end to it all.
She didn’t know why she chose to follow the glowing eyed vayron that day. He just felt familiar to her. Perhaps it was his coloring with his red eyes, a small bit of home. His snarls and temper towards others confirmed that, and she felt it might just be better to leave him alone. Against her better judgement, she followed him into the cafe that day, and he defended her, and let her follow him home.
It was better than anything she could have hoped for.
Shaa was like her, a social outcast, although she couldn’t tell if it was by his own choosing or not. She found his cabin to be homely, and his company relaxing. She always thought she would be alone, and now anytime he left she dreaded the idea he might not be back.
He looked over her and cared for hers in ways she never expected to find, and slowly found herself feeling more and more safe. She didn’t think she’d ever be alone again.
Vayrons never lived as long as elves though, and she didn’t want to think about the day she outlived him. She was already far older than him, weighing in at over 200 years of age, and she was still young. She already was struggling to think of a life without him. He was a silent beast that kept to himself, but he pulled his own weight and made sure she had everything she needed, almost as if he was the elder caring for one of his young.
She wished she could learn more about him. The language barrier was frustrating, but she was learning more everyday. His favorite meat seemed to be elk for example, and he loved it when she spiced things up with the roots and mushrooms akin to those in her homeland. He enjoyed when she sang, even when he didn’t know the lyrics, so she made up tunes and words for her own amusement, while he dozed off.
She knew about bonding. Reoseans had a special trait that allowed them to do that. She knew it could be possible to do with their riders. She had always wondered if that was something Shaa would like, he was at the little meetup to do so, but he also had seemed to be uninterested, only doing it to say he did. She didn’t want to push him for it, and at the same time she was scared. She already didn’t want to be alone when he died. If they were bonded, it would be so much worse.
And so she stayed quiet, glad for the barrier in their communication. Instead she moved her sleeping arrangements into the room he called his, and she would sleep with peace with him an arm’s reach away; finally feeling safe and secure for the first time in her life.
Shaa wasn’t a morning person. Lissana was. Usually he would wake early in the afternoon and stay up late, but ever since she came into his life, he found himself waking earlier and earlier. It wasn’t like she woke him, he just found himself noticing her presence missing in his sleep, and he would slowly awaken to find her.
Today was no different.
He noticed the light of the sun hadn’t even touched their little corner of the world, and yawned, wondering what might have woken her so early. He knew she had been having bad dreams lately; the way she tossed and turned in her sleep spoke of the nightmares that plagued her.
Stretching, he got to his paws, shaking the last bit of restfulness from his limbs. He was bound to find her and drag her back to bed, curled up against his side like a pup. It helped keep the nightmares at bay.
She wasn’t in the house from what he could tell as he poked around and followed her scent. It led outside so that was where he went, confused why she might have left the cabin so early. Her weapons were still where she kept them, so it wasn’t to go hunt.
He found himself among the trees. He had good night vision, and the glow from his eyes only aided that. He found his paws growing damp with early dew; the sun must not be far now.
Usually if the drow wandered from home, she didn’t go far. Today was a bit of an exception, and it worried him. He picked up the pace, following at a jog. He didn’t scent any fear, so he doubted she was in trouble, but he still had to check.
Just as he thought she was going to stay out of reach the entire time, he spotted her. She was sitting cross legged on a hill that rose above the trees, and he slowed his pace to approach her at a slower speed closer to a walk, but he couldn’t fully remove a bit of speed in his steps.
She didn’t acknowledge she heard him, but he knew she would have. He stopped right behind her, and brought his muzzle down to her neck, breathing softly. The warm puff of air clouded up and caused strands of her hair to move, and she gently reached back to rest a hand on his snout.
Satisfied she was okay, physically at least, he sighed, and curled up in the grass beside her, resting his head on his paws.
She spoke a few words then, softly and mostly to herself. It very well might have been just to herself. Shaa didn’t understand most of it, and just kept quiet as her fingers found a spot to scratch behind his ears. She sounded sad, and he wished he knew how to fix it.
They sat in silence for a while then, and Shaa realized why she came to this spot. The sun was rising, and this vantage point was the perfect place to watch it. Nestled within a corpse of trees, the hill was just right as to not really be seen from elsewhere, but at the right angle as to look over the trees to the east. It was beautiful, and not a sight seen often by the male. What entranced him though was Lissana. Her hair blazed with brilliant golden hues as the white was tinted by the sun. Her dark skin took on a bronzy complexion, and she smiled softly even as her eyes squinted to see the sight.
He didn’t know much about her kind. What he did know is the dark elves kept to the shadows, some living in the deepest parts of forests, others in caves and underground. Legends and stories would state that the light of day often hurt them, or took away their powers. If Lissana had any special abilities, he didn’t know of them, but she looked like she enjoyed the light, not harmed by it, so the stories might not be true. Perhaps she had been out in it for long enough that it didn’t bother her.
They sat there for a long time. The sun rose into the sky and the dew dried around them. Shaa dozed off a little, and woke up to find her curled up against his side. He smiled and laid his head back down. He wouldn’t disturb her for anything, and he’d let her be the judge of when they got to go.
When she finally stirred, he nudged her up onto his back as they headed back to the cabin. She fussed a little, but eventually settled in, laying on him as she struggled to wake up. And he thought he was the worst in the mornings.
Arriving back home, she slid off his back and walked inside. She spoke again and this time he knew some of the words. Hunt. Deer. Saddle. Ready.
He knew enough to piece it together. She wanted to go hunting for deer today. Give her some time to get ready by grabbing the saddle. He couldn’t strap it on completely without her, but it would save some time while he dug it out and got it adjusted. He grabbed her bow and quiver in his maw as well and took them outside to where she would tighten the straps.
They didn’t always hunt, but they did often enough. As such, they had a nice stockpile of meat for when winter came. The rest they sold, and they were proficient enough in their endeavors that plenty of those in the next town over also would be well fed when winter came. Neither of them were much of the crafting sort, but they had plenty of supplies should either of them feel the desire to pick up a blacksmith’s hammer or any other tool.
Hunting was one of the few tasks neither of them needed to speak to understand. They could communicate through body language, and Shaa understood the few commands Lissana might give him. Mostly though, they worked together on a hunt as if they had been training together their entire lives.
In hindsight, Shaa figured they never had any real reason to trust each other, besides the fact that he had in a sense rescued her in their first meeting. Even then, he could have just done it to take her to his cabin in the woods away from everyone just to kill her himself. The fact she did trust him enough to come out to his lonely cabin was a feat in and of itself. And after seeing her skill with a bow and her daggers, well Shaa was very glad she wasn’t his enemy.
When they returned with their prey, Lissana got to work skinning the beast while Shaa gathered wood for the fireplace. Their days were usually like that, taking turns with chores, each of them doing what hands or paws allowed them, and doing things together like hunting or training. It had taken him a while to understand that she wanted to practice fighting against him, but they made do with what they could.
It was a peaceful companionship, one that Shaa would never trade for anything. The only thing he would change would be that he understood her language - if only to understand the soft song she sung while she worked, and the soft words she spoke each night.
He never thought he would feel at ease with someone else, a humanoid no less, and yet, it was like the pair were made for each other. Even his daily routine had altered just to include her, and there were no hitches, no problems as they went about it. When they ate their dinner at the end of the night, a hearty venison stew just this side of raw, he imagined his life before she came into it. A quiet meal was the same, but there was no need for a fire, the cookpot would be empty, and he would just tear into his meat with no one to bother him. Looking back, it was quite lonely, and even if Lissana walked out on him right now, he didn’t think he could go back to it. Nor was he sure he could find someone whose company he enjoyed as much.
He tried to smile, a toothy expression that humanoids had a hard time placing on a vayron, and sme smiled back. She probably didn’t know the smile was for his gratitude for her presence and not for the food, but he supposed that didn’t matter. Someday he would find the means to show her how he felt. Until that day, he would just have to show her by doing what he could. After that morning as they laid watching the sun rise, he suspected she knew, but there was always that uncertainty, like the changes of the weather.
There was no use dwelling on uncertainty however, and he would continue to enjoy her company for however long she chose to grace him with it.
Shaa had never thought that Lissana would be the one to bring up bonding. It had taken a while to get the point across, and she finally came home with a bolt of ribbon for him to finally understand what she was trying to ask of him.
They weren’t magic yet of course, but seeing it both made him excited and dread the idea. If she wasn’t a great tracker herself, she might not have found him after he ran from the cabin in fear.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to bond, a part of him did. It was just that she might leave him, break the bond and never look back, if she learned of all the things in his head.
Shaa wasn’t a good reosean. He had hidden as much of his misdeeds from her the best he could. The thieving, the contracts, the blood he shed and the unclean money he brought home. He didn’t want to see the fear on her face if she found he was a murderer, he didn’t want to see the disappointment when she learned he was scum.
What hurt him more though was the look on her face when she found him after he ran. The rejection. He couldn’t stand to see that and it tied his stomach up in knots. He couldn’t eat that night, nor could he sleep; all night he tossed and turned. When he finally resolved to tell her, he found her and most of her belongings gone.
With a panic, he chased after her, only remembering to grab the ribbon at the last second. He found her scent leading through the woods, sticking off the paths but following them towards the capital. He had work to do there, he could find her, he could fix this.
Shaa knew how it felt to be unwanted, cast aside and seen as something he wasn’t. He got used to the comments calling him a freak, the stares, the judgement. He was so used to being alone that he had forgotten he wasn’t the only one that mattered anymore.
He heard her up ahead, and he sped up, only to find her scent had vanished. He circled, knowing he couldn’t have missed her. He knew her tricks though, and it wasn’t long before he looked up, and met her gaze as she looked down from the leafy canopy above.
She had been crying.
The pang in his heart only grew as he realized he had done that. He wasn’t letting her leave, not again, and he sat at the base of the tree, his glowing eyes trained on her. He was a patient hunter, and so was she. So they played the waiting game.
Eventually, she came down, and he pinned her to the ground, snarling in her face, insisting she didn’t leave. In response she drew a dagger, holding it to his chest. Neither of them were good with sweet actions but the threats were empty. They both retreated, standing there awkwardly, before Shaa knelt, indicating she should get on. She had rode bareback often enough that they didn’t need the saddle every time, and she got on. She was confused though when he didn’t head back towards home, trying to turn him around. He would not be swayed.
It was still dark when they arrived at the capital. Warrenfall was still busy even this late, but Shaa knew how to clear a crowd. How glowing eyes alone often paved the way as he took his rider down a back alley, then another, and once he made sure they weren’t being followed, ducked into a seemingly abandoned building.
He heard her heart rate spike, felt it through her hands, but she didn’t outwardly reveal any of her emotions. Smart. Again confirming they were alone, he walked to the basement, and scratched at a certain floorboard in a particular pattern.
“Password?” Two voices spoke, one in the language of reoseans, and one in a language common to most humanoids. Shaa could practically feel Lissana’s curiosity.
“Ivory Unicorns.” His response was clear, and the doorway slid open, moved by magic. He slipped in, and nodded to the watchers in the dark, taking the tunnel deeper into the earth.
He didn’t know what Lissana expected, but the cave systems that housed all sorts of nefarious activity didn’t seem to be any of it judging by the expression on her face. He couldn’t quite read it, but it didn’t seem too bad.
The place he took her to was a den of thieves, smugglers, and assassins, among more. There was no hiding down here what was going on, as they passed a small setup designed for counterfeiting documents, a board full of bounties, someone selling less savory things such as poisons, lockpicks and smoke bombs. Of course that wasn’t nearly the extent of anything, fences, a few training rooms, merchants and more.
It wasn’t long before Shaa found someone who could help, a small chaser that aided her bonded companion. He had considered just finding a mentalist, someone to just translate. But perhaps a bonded pair would better be able to explain.
“Sweet thing, can you be a doll and have your girl explain exactly what it is I do here and how I -” he paused, unable to bring himself to say anything further. He couldn’t say that he was scared, he couldn’t say that he didn’t want her to know. He was getting some looks, and it was making him uncomfortable. Fortunately, the chaser barked out a laugh and summoned over her rider, and they gestured to head back outside.
Shaa let them leave to talk outside, gesturing the Lissana should go with them. He had a few things to do down here first.
He had some money to collect, coins that had been sitting with his name on it after a successful assassination that he had yet to come in from. He considered grabbing a few more contracts, but he decided that if his elf rider wanted to go through with this, she would have a say from then on. He wasn’t going to leave her in the dark again.
That being said, he took his hard earned coins, and headed back out to find the girls. He set down the ribbon on the ground in front of him, waiting for them to finish. The little chaser trotted over to him and gave him a nudge.
“I like her.”
He hoped that meant good things. He needed it to mean good things for them.
It wasn’t much longer before the pair left, and the dark elf approached him. He wished they had said something, anything about their conversation, but he was left in the dark.
She stared him down, and picked up the ribbon. Shaa only noticed then that it was red to match their eyes, and trimmed in gold like his jewelry. She pocketed it, and turned away, and he practically wilted, tail flat on the ground, ears and head drooped.
She called out something then, and he perked back up, and she gestured for him to follow.
The sun was starting to rise, and she led the way through town again. They stopped at a market stall, where she attempted to pay for some breakfast, and he shoved her hand aside, dropping his pouch he still carried awkwardly on the counter. She grabbed their food and his coins, tossing them in her bag. He hoped it was for ease of carrying, but if she wanted his money, he was happy to give it to her. It was the least he could do if she insisted on leaving again.
They ate in silence in a nearby park. She had a baked potato, and he munched on some lamb. Silence was their bread and butter, but today it made him anxious. What was she going to do next? How was she processing the darker things he did?
The lamb settled in his stomach uneasily. She took her time eating, and Shaa almost growled in frustration. He wanted something, anything, and got nothing.
Bells were chiming about nine in the morning. He wasn’t even tired. He had too much restless energy and just wanted to go, go, go.
She finally stood, and he practically leapt to his paws to follow as she made her way back into the bustle of the city. This was unlike her, she usually went out later, and did her business in smaller towns. Perhaps it was just because they were here then?
He didn’t recognize the shop he walked in, having never paid it notice before. It wasn’t hard to guess it’s purpose, signs displayed things in multiple languages. This was the place people signed up for the bonding ritual.
He held his breath. She could still just be here to return the ribbon. He saw bolts of some and catalogues of more arranged on one side of the room, opposite the side that had posters and books on things to expect during bonding.
Lissana hauled out the ribbon and put it on the counter. She spoke some words and the ribbon was taken away.
His heart sank. He couldn’t bear it any longer. He turned, intending to leave, when he heard the elf call his name. She gave him that look, one that spoke about how he fucked something up, and he squinted. She rolled his eyes and went back to talking with the person behind the counter, and he sat waiting.
The man came out with a tape measure, and wrapped it around Shaa’s neck. Now he got it. The man was prepping their ribbon collars. That meant…
She wanted to do the bonding after all!
He was elated but also overwhelmed. How could she still make that decision after finding out hours earlier he was a criminal?
The humanoids exchanged a few more words and Lissana lead the way out. He was right on her heels and followed her around town as they made a day of it, grabbing lunch at the cafe they met, and window shopping as they looked at new weapons for her, some jewelry for him, and armor for the pair of them. She even pointed out a cute little cat in a cage at a stall, and he just couldn’t wait to know what she was thinking. They would finally be able to understand each other!
Bonding wasn’t just for communication though, and he sat anxiously as twilight fell. It was perhaps lucky that the full moon was that night, otherwise he might have backed out with all the nerves he was having if he had to wait longer. The shop they went in before took all the pairs to be bonded outside of the city, taking them into the woods to sit in a grove. It was peaceful here. Perhaps it was location and perhaps it was magic, or maybe a bit of both, but the sounds of the city were out of earshot.
He definitely felt the magic as it flowed through the grove and into the ground. Each of their ribbons had been enchanted before the ritual, and they were given them back here. They each were to loop the makeshift collars, or necklaces, over their partner and sit while the magic settled.
Shaa liked the way the red ribbon stretched between them. There were other humans and reoseans in the glade, but his world ended outside of the reach of that ribbon, the gold edging sparkling in the moonlight.
He hadn’t really researched what the bonding process was like, so when the magic snapped into place like a rubber band, he recoiled as if struck. Likewise he pulled Lissana with him, and she tumbled on top of him, laughing the entire time.
It was overwhelming.
He knew bonded pairs after time and practice could essentially see through each other, but right now his nerves were on fire. He was seeing double, both from her vision and his, he felt what she felt, his fur under her hands, and felt the greenery under his own paws. Her laughter rang in both sets of ears and it had to work to drown it all out.
He felt memories thoughts, every little thing, the brush of the breeze on both of them, seeing other drow through the eyes of a child, the stretch of a bowstring on finger tips, the weight of a blade in hand. Hands! Oh what a feeling it was to be able to properly grab things and use tools! He felt as if his paws had turned to hands and could pluck the grass out from under him yet at the same time he felt his claws poke into the dirt. Aches from old scars blazed across his skin where there was none, and he felt the cut of the weapons that made them. It was starting to get overwhelming, he had no clue where he ended and she started.
She noticed his discomfort immediately, how could she not when she felt the things he did.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay.”
She spoke the words, but he understood them. In her head he heard them and matched the words to their meanings. He knew what she said.
Overwhelmed was an understatement, and he knew from his connection with her that she didn’t feel it as strong as he did. But he was concerning her, and she didn’t know what to do. She gestured over one of the mages that had worked the ritual, and he came to see what was up.
“I think he got more than he should have. Is something wrong?”
He could listen to her voice for hours before and now that he understood her, he could listen endlessly. Her voice was in his ears and in his head. He barely noticed the other man, who frowned and asked questions, to which she answered the best she could.
He heard everything twice and he clamped his paws over his ears, closing his eyes and hoped that whatever this was it would end soon. He was so disoriented and he could tell through her that no one else was experiencing anything that even resembled an overload like he was.
“I think one or the both of you might have some sort of inherent magic that might be affecting this. Have either of you experienced any sort of mental magic?”
That stood out to him, but he spoke at the same time as she.
“No.”
“Not to my knowledge.”
The man looked around, frowning. “I doubt anyone here is playing with your bond but we’ll keep an eye on it. Do you have a place to stay nearby?”
Lissana shook her head, and she too was worried about outside interference.
“We can get you a room at an inn by the shop that way if it gets worse we can address it. Hopefully it will settle to a more manageable level soon.”
The man sounded truly puzzled and Lissana nodded thanking him. “And what do we do if it doesn’t get better?”
Shaa didn’t want to hear the answer to that. “We can dissolve the bond.”
“NO!” The vayron roared and leapt to his feet, snarling at the man who dare suggest they remove the bond they forged. He swayed, suddenly seeing things from two different perspectives, and watched himself fall as he felt his paws give out from under him.
“Rest will be hard, but it might be for the best.” Shaa could see that the man had paled at his advance, but he wasn’t in focus anymore, the elf was looking at him. It was strange seeing himself not in a mirror. She was scared for him, and stroked his face, her hands coming to rest behind his ear to scratch.
“I will be back to check on you after we see to everyone else. Call me if something happens.”
Shaa didn’t want to see himself, he wanted to see her, and he opened his eyes to look into her red ones.
Her thoughts were a rush of frenzy and emotions. Strongest of all was blame. She blamed herself for so many things. She blamed herself for asking for the bond, for doing this to him. She knew there weren’t many drow known to the world and she could very well be the first to make a bond, what if it wasn’t supposed to happen? What if what she was was the problem? She blamed herself for not having better control, it must be her fault he felt so much.
He reached up with a paw to gently bat at her nose.
“Stop that. It’s not your fault. I could be the freak of nature here.”
She sniffled, holding back tears and he knew he had to do better than that. What good was being within her entire sense of being if he couldn’t do better than that.
“So you like the color purple? Was that before or after you met me? You can’t sneak up to paint my claws anymore. Hmm, I wonder what it feels like to ride in a saddle.”
That was better. She started to quirk up a smile, although tears had started to finally fall. He would ignore the painful things he picked up for now. He had to. Her tears brought up memories of times when she had cried in the past, when she had been tortured, when crying only caused more pain, when her blade sunk into the chest of someone she trusted.
“So you wish I would grow out my mane so you can braid it huh? My voice isn’t nearly as glamorous as you thought it would be, is it? Do you really think my earring is cute? Come on, it was supposed to be macho.”
She stifled a giggle, and he knew he was on the right track. Just keep ignoring the little things. Focus on her and her face and the things he said. He was starting to block out bits by focusing just what was in their vicinity, back to the area with their ribbon, because right now, the world was nothing more than him and her. He could even ignore the grass if he tried hard enough.
“I weigh a ton. You’re tiny. What happens when I can’t get out of here? Do you think you’ll get to carry me? I’m sorry to report that I’ve seen you drag a deer, you ain’t that strong. I mean look at this fat belly. You keep feeding me the things I like and woman, I ain't gonna be able to help you hunt no more. Nuh un, I provide the house, you’re on your own.”
She laughed at last. There were still tears, but he got her laughing. She leaned forward to hug him, wrapping her arms around his neck. The physical contact was confusing, who was feeling what and all, but he was confident he would figure it out. He didn’t want her to let go.
“You know, we should buy some more nail polish. Let’s try neon green this time. I’m sure that will go just dashing with your skin tone and might complement my fur too.”
He could tell she was picturing the neon green against his purple fur and her ebony skin and knew he was right but that didn’t stop her from laughing some more at it.
“See, if I can focus on making you laugh during all this, we’re going to be okay. I’m not going anywhere.”
He felt her smile in his mind, and she nuzzled up into his neck. He wouldn’t trade anything for what they had now. He didn’t care how overwhelmed it made him, or how he seemed to be welcome to pick up anything in her mind. As long as he had her, his world was complete.
Shaa sent his affirmation through their bond and continued on his way. He was restless, and had decided to get rid of some of that energy with a hunt. He originally was just going to go for a run, but he suspected he’d be more satisfied if he brought home some more meat, their stores were running low after all. They could process it after their meal and all should be good.
He was starting to track a small herd of deer when a foreign noise caught his attention. It startled his prey, causing them to scatter, and his anger grew when he recognized it. Laughter.
The lands around his cottage weren’t really his, but he still considered them his territory. He lived out in the middle of nowhere, and you had to go far off the road to find it. Not many made their ways out that far, and he left scent markings where he could, trying to deter others while also leaving them spread out enough so that the prey wouldn’t be bothered.
There was a road nearby when Shaa took a moment to orient himself, and figured the sound must have been from there. Still, it bothered him, and he decided to investigate who dare scare off his prey.
His paws led him not to the road, but off the beaten trail. He watched from the shadows, his glowing eyes bound to give him away, as he observed two males. They were pullers, one was mostly yellow with brownish barred markings, large ears, and a reptilian tail. The louder of the two was his companion, green and black and white, a tobiano with a horse like tail and somehow even larger ears than his companion, he made for a goofy image. He and his striped mane and tail looked like they belonged in a circus, and Shaa could understand how fools like this managed to scare off his prey. The green one laughed again at something the yellow one had said, and the noise caused Shaa to wince.
He should just leave them, but when he looked at the direction their paws were taking them, and considered the direction back to his cabin, he groaned. They seemed to be making a beeline right for his little cottage. He’d have to make them turn away now.
He considered his advantages. He could pose as a feral vay, try to scare them away. On the other hand, they were both much larger than him, and almost guaranteed stronger with the fact they were pullers. And while they might look dumb, he knew looks could be decieving, and if they picked up at all the faint scent of his elf companion on him, they’d know he was bluffing.
He didn’t have any further time to think on it as his glowing eyes gave him away and the green one stopped, staring straight at him.
“Blake, since when do bushes have glowing eyes?”
***
He had smelled them before he saw them. Goblin knew there was another vayron around them; it was just a matter of finding them. He didn't say anything to Blake just yet but continued to listen to the yellow pullers story. He wanted to be sure that there was in fact someone out there with them before he told Blake. Since his companion can be quite defensive around unknown vayrons.
The green tobiano puller searched the area as they walked for any signs of the mysterious other vayron when he finally saw it. The pair of bright red glowing eyes staring at them from the bushes. Any other time the red glowing eyes might be intimidating but as he looked closer he saw the tail flicking back and forth on the other side of the bush. Whoever they were, they didn't know how to hide very well. He decided it was finally time to tell Blake of their watcher.
"Blake, since when do bushes have glowing eyes? " he asked with a smirk as he looked directly at the newcomer.
"Alright whoever you are, why dontcha come on out here and we can show you how to actually hide from the people you're stalking."
Goblin said as he walked directly to the bush and peered down at the smaller male. He was a nightshade colored runner with mist like markings towards his rump, some piercings in his ears and had gold rings on his cat-like tail. Goblin let out a loud laugh at the look on his face.
"So bush boy, what's your name and what're you watchin’ us for eh? "
He asked as said bush boy finally emerged from his terrible hiding spot.
***
Honestly...
Blake rolled his eyes at Goblin, once again unimpressed with the dork and his apparent need to give everyone and anything the dumbest nicknames. Hell, this one was just straight up unoriginal as Blake observed their newest discovery.
Granted, he could probably just be the nickname maker from now on. I didn’t even see him, and he even has glowing eyes.
Blake could insult his friend’s nickname making ability all he wanted, but there was no doubt that the big green oaf could spot hidden threats far faster than he could. Guess it came with the territory of living on the streets your whole life. Blake on the other hand... not so much.
Goblin easily dwarfed the new male as Blake peered around his gigantic friend. Though if you thought about it, Goblin towered over everyone, Blake included. Nothing like an imposingly tall vayron with sharp eyes that catch others unaware.
He didn’t bother to speak though, Goblin had it covered. Plus, if this guy decided to bolt, Blake was the backup. Maybe. Depends on how angry Mr. Glowing Eyeballs was…
***
Twitching his tail in annoyance, Shaa emerged from the bushes. His eyes have given him away before, but usually to those more keen on their attentions. For looking and sounding like an oaf, the big green puller might be smarter than he seemed.
“Well, well, congrats on seeing my freaky eyes.” The misty runner scoffed. He looked at both pullers, and the yellow one looked ready to take on the world if need be, so he snorted and sat down, trying to look non threatening. There was no way he could win against them if it came down to a fight, the runner just was too outmatched.
“The name’s Shaa. I live around here.”
“There aren’t no town around here to live in. And what sort of name is that? Short for something, like Shatelle?” The tobiano’s words caused his barred friend to smirk, and Shaa rolled his eyes again. Those glowing orbs were good for something, no pupils made it hard to notice.
“I don’t live in town, nearest one is that way about two and a half days away. And no, it’s not short for anything.” Not anymore. He pointed with his tail, and the yellow one glanced in that direction, clearly taking note of where to go. Perhaps they were lost.
“Yeah well, we’re here now. I’m Goblin, and this is Blake, and since you live sooo much closer, you’re going to take us home with you!”
Okay, maybe they were as stupid as they looked. He could see his companion now welcoming new friends for him, but he would rather they kept to themselves.
“That’s not gonna happen.”
The one called Goblin grinned, lolling his tongue while Blake smirked. “Yeah, well, I guess we’ll just follow you.”
Bloody hell. Two could play that game. Shaa continued to sit, knowing if he went nowhere, they couldn’t follow him.
The two pullers exchanged a glance and sat down with him, preparing for a long wait. It’s amazing at all the trio ever became friends, but stubbornness will do that to a person.
The two idiots that Shaa liked to mentally call dumb and dumber were living up to his nicknames for them and he barely knew them. After their first meeting, the pair of wise cracking pullers had hung around the area for a while, figuring out that Shaa lived nearby, and would not leave him in peace. They were like leeches, keeping a hold on him and painful to remove. They also came up with the dumbest nicknames for him.
When he told Lissana about them, she only laughed at him and pushed him back out the door after filling his belly with a hot meal. It was good to make friends she had said, but she must not have understood the sheer magnitude of idiocy they were. Still, he went back out to appease her, if only because she promised to cook up some of the crocodile just the way he liked it.
Now he found himself smooshed between the two pullers as they rambled on through the woods. He didn’t even know what they were doing out here, only that he’ll know it when he sees it.
And he did know it.
He hadn’t known Goblin and Blake for long but when he saw the rickety old log that looked and smelled like it might be beginning to rot, perched over a small ravine, he just knew these two morons would want to have something to do with it.
“Blake and I found it! Looks fun right?! Shammy, you’re gonna love it.” Goblin wore the largest grin on his face and Shaa had to roll his eyes. Fun? They thought it was fun? Well, what might be fun would be watching the two get themselves out of this.
“Alright then, why don’t you go first and show me what you have in mind? I’m an old fart, sometimes the things others get up to go right over my head.” He gestured with a paw, hoping they’d play into the dig over his age. And it wasn’t too untrue, he was old enough to be like a parent to these dorks, which could be why he had a sense of responsibility for them.
****
“Okay I will then old man! I bet you're just afraid to climb up here and cross this log bridge!” Goblin said with a cocky smirk. He would show just how brave he was to the smaller older vayron.
Goblin hauled himself up onto the log and slowly began to walk forward across the log. It gave several loud creaks and groans as his heavy body went further onto it. “Maybe I should lay off the sweets some.” He mumbled to himself with a grimace, he was starting to lose some of that confidence he started off with in the beginning.
‘Just don't look down Goblin just a little bit further and we will be passed and that cocky smirk on Shaamboni’s face will be wiped clean off when he sees how coordinated and courageous you are and realize you are cooler than he is’
It was about half way on the log when Goblin realized he might not make it across when the log shifted underneath him and gave a loud groan. ’Oh boy’
SNAP……..SPLASH!
Goblin landed in the water beneath the log with a groan. He mumbled curse words to himself as he hauled himself out of the water. He could hear Blake cackling and making fun of him from the shore as he sulked through the water back to the other two. Peeking through his wet hair he saw Shaamalamadingdog smirking at his misfortunes. He walked right up next to them and shook his body in an effort to get rid of the water on his body and also tried to splash them a bit too at the same time.
“I bet I got way further than either of you two ding dongs could have, you just don't want to admit it” he said with a scoff attempting to soften the blow on his wounded ego.
***
Blake couldn’t help the laughter that burst out of him when Goblin quite literally belly flopped into the river, then crawled out looking like one huge giant drowned water buffalo. Hell, his hair even was plastered to his face like a screen of nasty kelp.
“Yeah, I would have definitely gotten farther than you. Hell, I can still get farther than you!” Blake stated, deftly dodging the giant’s attempt to spray water all over the golden barred male.
Goblin scoffed at the shorter male, though that didn’t stop Blake from prancing up to the edge of the river. The remains of the log resiliently resisted the pull of the water, literally sent to the bottom by the weight of the previous vayron that tried to use it as a bridge.
Blake ignored it, instead opting to just jump across like a regular vayron. Granted, it might have been... a tad wider than he thought it was but that didn’t matter now. All he needed to do was jump across!
With a quick movement, he leaped, graceful as a puller could that is. Or at least, that’s what he thought he did. Instead, the slick wet mud of the bank betrayed him and his back feet slipped, causing him to land quite literally like a fish in the middle of the river. Right exactly where Goblin did his own flop.
Great...
***
Shaa could never be more embarrassed by these two. Making sure they were watching, he copied Blake, deftly leaping from each part of the broken log to the other to cross the river in short time.
“If you two really want to be doing stunts like that, you need to get better. Some day, that drop will be a lot deeper and deadlier. So, let’s go again. I bet we can find another log.” He nodded up the ravine, ignoring the spluttering behind him. He could never say he was totally heartless, and his age was starting to show through as the ‘grumpy old man’ went and ‘mentored his kids’. Ugh. He made a gagging sound and just snarled for the two to get a move on.
With the pullers behind him, Blake repeating Goblin’s motion of shaking to get the mud and water all over the other. Shaa didn’t even bother with groaning, knowing it would encourage the two more.
“First off, use your noses and find one that doesn’t smell like rot.” He couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he lead the way ahead. He didn’t find another log across the ravine, but he did find a tree struck by lightning, and kicked it hard, gesturing for the other two to continue the job. Goblin got the idea and used his much taller frame to keep pushing it over.
“Lighter on your toes like you’re hunting.” The older male dashed ahead, dancing along the log like he did this every day.
“Yo Shamwow, you’re taking the fun outta it!” Blake called, only to be met with narrow eyes that only seemed to accent their glow.
“Just once. I want to see you two do this just once.” He sighed and then pulled on some deep reserves to bite the bullet and ignore his pride. “Besides, just think of how cool it’ll look when you can do it right! The ladies will be swooning, you can get away with more loot, it’ll just be the good life for you.”
Somehow, his baiting and little bits of honeyed words seemed to do the trick as Goblin was the first to leap up on the log to show him how it’s done.
Satisfied that the two brutes might be able to take care of themselves once they managed to each stay on the log at least once (and he ignored the times they fell yet again), Shaa let them show off some more on the log before taking his leave of them, tired of their tomfoolery for the day.
“Guuuuyyyssss, I’m hungggrrryyyyy.” Goblin drew out the words and Shaa had to shake his head to get the ringing out of his ears.
“The woods here are full of plenty to eat, what would you like to hunt? I can probably point you in the direction of the nearest den of whatever you’re in the mood for.” Shaa tried to offer, but the boys that were his new companions, dare he even say friends, were giving him looks with glints in their eyes.
“Well, I wouldn’t say I’m in the mood for hunting. Blake and I have this thing we do.” Goblin glanced over at the barred puller, who looked back at him in turn, sharing an expression that made Shaa uneasy.
“Yeah, unless you’re too pussy.” The yellow puller goaded, and Shaa rolled his eyes.
“Alright fine, please explain.”
“It’ll be easier to show you.” Blake’s grin grew and Goblin cackled. Somehow, Shaa knew this was going to end in tragedy.
The pair set off, leaving Shaa to follow behind. Shaa had a feeling from the way they talked that he knew what they were getting at. What surprised him though was when he realized the direction they set off led directly to his little cottage. He reached through his bond to send a warning to Lissana, when the place came into view.
“We found this place the other day, and the shed out back is packed full of preserved meat. They ain’t gonna know what hit ‘em!” Goblin looked so proud of himself.
“Yeah, and they have some filthy human too, so they can’t be the greatest, they won’t miss it.” Blake added in with a sneer.
Shaa tried to look surprised, he really did, and he did his best not to laugh. Alright, fine, let them have their fun. If they stole from people on the regular, maybe they weren’t so different from him. Besides, they weren’t wrong, the shed was full, and he wouldn’t miss it if some went missing. Let them have their glory. Maybe they’d learn to use their noses eventually too. He was a little irked at the comment about his elf friend, but he had gleaned that Blake wasn’t too fond of humanoids, so he’d let it slide for now.
“Alright then boys, show me how it’s done.”
****
Goblin crouched down next to the window of the cottage that just so happened to be open and sniffed the air around them. Not finding any recent smells from the human, he was satisfied with his findings. “I don't think the human is here, guys. We should be good to go without worrying about her finding us.”
“Sweet lets go Goblin,” Blake said cockily.
Goblin took the lead to the back of the cottage where the shed lay while Blake kept a look out and Shaa watched how they did things. It had a decent padlock on it to keep out unwanted company. ‘Not for long though’ he crouched down and studied the lock for a moment before pulling his pick kit out of his satchel. Gently and quietly he listened to the lock as he manipulated the pins inside the lock after a few moments the lock gently clicked open. Swinging the door open with a big grin he nudged Shaa and beckoned Blake over.
“Ha gotcha! See that Shaaniqua? They really need a stronger lock system for this door if they intend to keep other reoseans or humans out of their meat. Maybe I'll leave a note so they know how easy it was to get into here” He spoke with a small smirk on his face.
Grabbing one of the bags from Blake he grabbed a few different meats from the shelves as shaa was oddly quiet. Shrugging to himself he turned to Blake “Look bro they've even got Crocodile! I haven't had crocodile in sooo long, let's take some of this!” He exclaimed excitedly to his partner in crime.
“So Shaamwow what did ya think of how we get things done eh? He asked the smaller runner as they were all walking back to the spot theyd been hanging out the last couple of days.
***
Blake wrinkled his nose at the supposedly Crocodile meat, not in the least interested in it. “Yeah, you have all of that you want. I’m not a fan of the scaly fish monsters.”
The pair looked at him oddly at the comment but he just rolled his eyes as Goblin got to work snatching bits of dried meat from every direction and shoving them into his bag. Literally, it was Blake’s bag, not Goblin’s. But it was fine, it’s not like it was originally Blake’s to begin with.
Blake ignored the pair, debating over what to take and instead turned his attention to keeping watch. Most important lesson of thieving, always have a lookout. The male glanced out the door before perusing the array of stuff littered on a table next to the doorway.
There was the typical curing materials, chunks of charcoal and prepped tinder, knives and saws galore of course. Though there was an odd container, open, with an off-white powder.
The hell is that?
Blake was by far not an expert of smoking or preserving meat, but he had the inkling that it was smoked salt. But I mean, there was only one way to find out, right?
The male side-eyed the door once more, then his companions, still occupied with their thieving. Shaa was surprisingly laid back about the whole thing but well, he was always an oddball. Maybe that’s what happened when you got old. Nothing surprised you anymore.
Blake sniffed the suspicious material, confused when he didn’t catch anything of note. And then another sniff, stronger this time. And that was absolutely a mistake.
The powder shot up his nose and the male snorted loudly. Which was also another mistake.
The powder exploded everywhere and Blake backed up in surprise. Something brushed against his rump and he snarled in surprise, then there was clattering, and all hell broke loose.
Fuck this shit! Crocodile meat ain’t worth getting shot with an arrow!
Blake bolted out the door, leaving whatever was making the craptons of noise and his companions back in the shed. No way was he getting tangled up with a human again. Those idiots can fend for themselves!
***
Oh dear gods these two. Shaa had no clue how they managed to get anything done with the train wreck they were riding on. Goblin was just grabbing without a care in the world and Blake was making rookie mistakes. And the clattering. He heard the laughter in his mind as Lissana continued to hide herself.
What the heck is going on out there?
They’re idiots, I told you.
Goblin, after hearing the clatter that Blake caused, ended up tearing out of the shed like a bat out of hell, dragging a rope of sausages through the dirt as he ran.
Shaa took his time catching up to them, finding the pullers panting not far into the treeline and where they could still see the cottage. If there really was a pursuit, the two would have been caught easily. Shaa shook his head, they had a lot to learn.
“How about you sniff that meat a little closer there Goblin.” The tobiano perked up at his name, squinting at the runner before doing as Shaa suggested. Clearly not noticing anything wrong, he shrugged, and Shaa just sighed as they nailed in the fact exactly how much they need to learn.
“Alright, whatever, you two go ahead and take your haul, I’m going home.” They both paid attention to him after that, as he had yet to let them follow him home. He just walked out of the trees as Blake hissed at him to be careful, and wandered straight up to the cabin door. He spared a glance over his shoulder, seeing the two pullers openly gaping at the edge of the trees, as he walked in. Perhaps they’ll get the hint now.
Shaa was regretting accepting help from these idiots. When they showed up in town, proclaiming to be travelers, and looking for a third reosan to hunt with them, he felt like luck was shining down on him. With Lissana injured, he was trying to make sure to feed them both. An extra body or two should make that easier, right?
Wrong. The two of them wouldn't shut up and the prey was bound to be scared away for miles around.
Shaa was in stark contrast to the two reos before him. Blake was as bright yellow as they come, with orange bars in his coat. He was loud, bullheaded, and a ridiculous flirt. Shaa was already tired of the jokes and banter, and for fucks sake, he seemed to be trying to rile his companions up.
Goblin on the other hand, had greens and blacks that helped him fit in with foliage, although his white splotches probably work better in the mountains. He seemed a bit more of a sneaky kind of reo, just the type Shaa wanted on this trip. That is, until he stubbed a paw and whined about it for over an hour. You'd think he was dying. Blake of course had to poke at that bear even more, antagonizing him further, and there went all stealth out the window as the two of 'em traded insults. At this rate he was better off alone.
***
Blake's whip-like tail lashed out behind him. He was having more fun than he expected. Goblin was easy to rile up, but the new guy … yeah that was a fun challenge. With every comment tossed his way, he would see the dark vayron twitch in aggravation, but so far he hadn't responded verbally to anything he had said. Disappointing really, but Blake wasn't one to give up.
"Hey sourpuss, I bet your scowl brings home all the ladies. And if Gobby's injury here is so life threatening, I know a lady friend who might love some company."
While it didn't do more than cause the purple reosan to falter in his step, the jab attacked Goblin a bit further.
"I ain't even bleeding yet! Look, I'm just fine.. As if she would like either of you more than me." He scoffed, and suddenly his limp had disappeared. Blake knew he had been faking it a few miles ago.
"I don't know what she sees in you honestly. Can't even catch prey, your whines have them scattered to the ends of the earth!"
***
Goblin found the newcomer boring in every sense of the word. There just wasn't fun in taking everything seriously. As he and Blake settled into their normal routine, it was easy to forget he was there. A mistake he wasn't bound to make twice.
He opened his maw to retort, when a snarl from up ahead caught his attention. He found himself muzzle to muzzle with a very pissed off vayron, whose glowing eyes narrowed dangerously.
"I've had it with you two!" A dark paw lifted threateningly, and Goblin flinched, not expecting their companion to turn on them. "Absolute morons! I don't know how either of you can pull your heads out of your asses long enough to breathe!" His gaze swung to Blake and Goblin let go of the breath he was holding. "You idiots and your damn bickering is what scared away the prey! I should slice you head to toes where you stand!" The glowing eyed creature stamped his paw into the dirt, a frustrated growl on his lips.
Just when Goblin thought he might yell again, something caught his eye. Running right towards them was a rabbit, a fox close on its heels. Dinner!
***
Perhaps luck smiled on Shaa now as something finally seemed to be going right. He turned tail to chase after the creatures, who scattered upon seeing the larger predators. His paws thudded against the ground, putting on speed as he dodged through the trees. He didn't hear anything behind him, which was just as well. He could easily take prey for himself.
The flash of red fur ahead marked the fox's path. While it had better agility than him due to its smaller size, he had strength on his side, and some things the fox had to dodge around, go under or over, he just barreled through, injuries be damned. He wasn't going to pass this up!
And just like that, the red vanished. Damn it all! He parted his jaws, following the musky scent, until he found a partially concealed burrow entrance. Perfect. Collapsing the tunnel, he sat down to wait, listening carefully for the fox, and potentially any others that inhabited the burrow, to attempt to use another entrance.
***
Blake had been just as shocked as Goblin when the other vayron had resorted to threats. He gulped, praying to make it out of this alive. Thankfully it seemed something had heard his silent plea, as their quarry they had been searching for ran right into their laps. He and Goblin lept at the same time, their heads knocking into each other with an almost comical thunk.
"Hey princess, you should let the winners go first!" He snapped at Gobby, who shook his head and snarled right back.
"Oh yeah? Lavish isn't quite my style Blake, you can do better than that!"
He swiped at the green and white head, and the two ended up in a tussle, rolling head over heels in the grass. It was only when Goblin held his yellow tail tail tightly in his jaws did Blake realize what had happened.
"Shit! Gobby, that asshole is gonna get all the prey!"
***
Goblin almost didn't let go, convinced it was a ploy to make him drop his guard. But Blake was right, and they had squandered their opportunity. He didn't want the dark vayron to show them up, it was practically saying he was right about the things he said.
"Fuck!" He put his nose to the ground, Blake's tail all but forgotten as the two of them tried to pick up the trail. "This way!"
He ran like hell, hoping to catch up to the rabbit, or at least run across something else. Blake was close on his heels, and when the scent trail disappeared, they both doubled back looking for wherever it disappeared.
"Blake, it's a warren!"
***
Shaa was feeling quite satisfied with his hunt, he had managed to snag the fox and its mate, which he slung over his back and he made his way to where he had left the idiots. He heard them further to his right so he changed course. He didn't want to see them, but at the same time he wanted to brag, even just a tiny bit.
What he was met with made his good mood evaporate. Somehow the two morons had managed to collect near a dozen rabbits between them, at least! The pile only grew as they dropped a few more onto the pile, having clearly found a colony of the things and making good work of it.
Not that he'd call it good work. Never in a million years would he compliment those two, who sat there grinning as they saw him approach.
"Hey! Want some rabbits?" Shaa wanted to slap the shit eating grin off the green one's face, but he resisted, instead helping them load up the rabbits between the three of them. Perhaps they were worth putting up with. He'd have to try again to see.
How Shaa found himself with idiots one and two, as he now liked to call them, yet again, was proving to be beyond his comprehension. They flanked him, yellow on the left, green and white on the right, not letting him get away as they kept pace. And the incessant babble! He was going to go nuts if he heard one more word about how they had shown him up on the last hunt. Not only were they annoying, but they were embarrassing.
"Come on grumpy gills, you gotta admit last time worked out great!" That was idiot two, his horse like tail fluttering in the breeze.
"Don't call me that." At least out loud he snarled their names, only internally did he call them idiots.
"Then what is your name princess?" That was idiot one. And Shaa admitted he might be better off just telling them.
"Shaa."
The two looked at each other, and back at him with shit eating grins.
"Shaa huh? Is that a nickname? What do you think Gobby?" The yellow one had a tone to his voice, and Shaa was getting the sinking feeling he was going to regret saying anything.
"Nah I think there's more to it Blake." Yep, when the green and white kid responded, Shaa knew he was going to regret this.
"Shannon?"
"Sharon?"
"Shazam?"
"Sharizard?"
"Shantilly?"
"Shamwow?"
Fuck. He created monsters. "It's not short for anything! It's just Shaa!" He snarled. There was a longer name, but only his closest friends knew it.
"Nah, I don't believe that. What do you think of Shantiqua?"
"Hmm, I don't know. Shambrocious sounds more up his alley."
Shaa bit back the string of expletives. They were only getting more ridiculous. "Look, are you going to hunt or are you going to make yourselves out to be even bigger idiots?"
The two again shared glances and knowing smiles which caused Shaa to roll his eyes when they spoke in unison. "Both!"
Assholes. The both of them. "Alright well then quit jabbering so loud and start looking! We did a damn good job last time, so maybe we should stick to foxes and rabbits again.
"Whatever you say Shamalamadingdong." Shaa had no clue how these fucks haven't been murdered by now.
***
It was clear he was trying to ignore them again, and Blake just grinned lopsided. "You heard Shamshambambam! Noses down! There's a hunt afoot!”
It didn't take him long to pick up the scent of prey as it criss crossed through the trees. He gestured with his tail for Goblin to join him, and the two moved unspoken through the foliage.
The barred male picked up his head, looking back where they left Shaa. "Hey Shaneetiema, there's prey this way!" He and Goblin shared a snicker, cuffing each other over the head with their paws before they followed the prey scent again.
Blake swore he heard movement behind him, and looked back. Nothing caught his eye so he continued forward, interrupted only by Goblin sprinting off after a rabbit. Blake gave chase, and the two of them zigged and zagged after the furry brown creature.
"Ten krones says I get it first!" His tongue lolling around his head. His friend barked out some sort of retort, which he took to say 'You're on!'
Blake was closing in on that fluffy tail when a dark streak came bolting out of nowhere, snapping up the rabbit. As it slowed to a walk, Blake realized it was Shaa, who smugly dropped the rabbit to grin at them. "Well boys. Do I get anything out of that bet?"
"No way! Shaaflammation has some skills!"
Goblin whistled with admiration and Blake frowned at him.
"Shut up Gobby! Shalalalala is showing us up! We can't let that happen!" He snapped his jaws at the green male who dodged out of the way with a chuckle.
"Gotta be faster than that Blake!" The splotched vayron taunted, but before he could lunge at Goblin a second time, Shaa stepped between them.
"Gentlemen. If you want to prove who’s faster, how about some more prey hunting? I caught some foxes last time. Your turn. I'll even give you a head start."
***
Goblin was flabbergasted. "Damn. Shachacha has a bit cocky now ain't he?" He huffed and stuck out his chest. "I'm fast. Faster even than Blake. Ain't that right?"
His friend growled at him. "That ain't true and you know it!" His whip-like tail lashed in aggravation behind him.
"Then let's show Shamboni how to hunt foxes!" With that he turned and ran, using the tiny bit of advantage Shaa had given him by standing between the two. His jaws parted and he breathed in deep, searching for any trace of the musky scent.
He took a while to pick up a trail, probably because he was so concerned about going fast. It wasn't until he practically tripped over one that he found it.
As the red fur bolted, having been lying low to avoid detection, Goblin took off after it, jaws snapping shut just inches from that fluffy tail.
"Damn it! Get back here!" He raced after the critter, nearly stumbling head over paw as he did his best to prioritize speed.
He won out in the end though, fangs closing around a bushy mess of fur. It yipped, and he pulled it close, paws holding it in place while it struggled to free itself. He didn't give it a chance as he knocked it senseless and ended the chase.
Fox in muzzle, he practically pranced back to where he had left the other two, meeting up with Blake along the way who had a fox of his own. They grinned at each other through mouthfuls of fur before catching up to Shaa, who kept himself busy by adding some more rabbits to the pile.
"Hey Shaaaaaaannoosee! We found your smelly foxes!" Goblin announced, proudly carrying back his prey.
Blake gave him a look. "Okay even that one is a stretch."
"Was not!"
"Is too!"
***
Blast and damnation! These two could argue over anything! Shaa shook his head with a sigh, loading up their prey. For all their downsides, they weren't terrible to hunt with, he def could do worse.
"We'll see you later Shargento!" He winced at yet another stupid name. Yes he could do worse, but just barely.
Blake was pacing, bored out of his mind. He and Goblin had been waiting for Shaa for quite some time. It wasn’t like him to be late. They were supposed to be hunting! Screw it, they could go without him.
“Come on Gobby. I’m sure Shaa will catch up eventually.” He almost gave the glowing eyed male another nickname, but it wasn’t nearly as fun without him around to prick him with it. Goblin’s mane and tail fluttered as he dashed to catch up to the barred male, who had decided that Shaa would be able to follow their scent trails.
“So, whacha in the mood for today? More rabbit? Maybe something different? A badger? How about a bear?!” The green and white colored vayron was excited, hunting in Warrenfall had been different after all, a nice change of pace, and Blake had to agree it was quite enjoyable.
“I’m thinking moose.” Blake grinned, a mischievous look in his eyes. “We don’t have those back home. Warrenfall tends to be useful for different critters.”
Goblin let out a whoop of delight, and jumped around a bit. “Yeah, sounds like loads of fun! We’re gonna be the best hunters there are!”
“Sorry I’m late!” The voice of their third companion didn’t sound very sorry, but it put a spring into Blake’s step. A third vayron was just was they needed for larger prey.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t Shamu come to join us.” The mirth died in his voice as he turned back to look at the dark furred male, his eyes landing on the saddle on his back.
***
Shit. Goblin looked back and forth between the two, knowing Blake’s hatred of humanoids. Not that there was a humanoid here, just an empty saddle, but he knew it was enough to trigger Blake’s rage. He quickly stepped in, because knowing what little he did about Shaa’s temper, this was going to turn from a hunt to a fight real fast.
“Shamrock! Good of you to join us. Let’s just take this thing off and we can get going.” He approached the darker male, who was hesitant, glancing between them, but allowed Goblin to assist in removing the saddle.
“Shamrock is new. Fits your green ass better than mine.” Thankfully he seemed to not question Blake’s sudden bristling, and dragged the saddle to the side where they could grab it later.
“Ha, fine then, you win that one, Shangri-la. Come on! Blake decided we’re gonna hunt moose! Tell us all about them! And Blake, your anger, take it out on the big deer, sourpuss!”
“Ah well moose are fun. Bigger than you’d expect. Don’t get gored by their antlers, and the closest smell you might know would be horses, deer, or cows? If they’re rutting, it smells closer to cat urine when they spray everything and roll in it.” Goblin’s excitement turned to one of disgust as Shaa kept talking.
“You sure you wanna go for one of those smelly things Blake? Oh wait, makes sense that the piss for brains wants that job!”
“Piss for brains? That’s rich coming from the shithead who can’t tell he needs a bath.”
***
Shaa watched the two banter, noticing a little bit of the tension fade away. He had a few ideas as to what Blake’s problem was, but he found it surprising coming from the easy going vay.
Since neither of them had a clue what they were really looking for except visually, Shaa took the lead, heading towards an area where he knew a few bulls frequented. He was pretty sure it wasn’t mating season yet, which was fortunate for them. If there was one thing worse than hunting a moose, it was hunting some cows that a bull was protecting while they’re in heat. No fun at all.
The moose tended to live among the trees, and Shaa found that from experience they tended to live closer to the pines. He took the boys on a longer route to get to his chosen location, enjoying as the scent in the air got the sharp tang of pine, a subtle acidic smell.
Once he caught on to the scent, he pointed it out to the boys, letting them get their fill of it for a better idea of what they were tracking. It wasn’t much further that he found some tracks in the soft earth, placing a paw next to them in comparison, and trying not to laugh at the bug eyed look Goblin gave him.
“Shit Sharnhorst, you weren’t kidding about the size.” The green and white vayron looked excited though, and Shaa had to wonder just how stupid these guys were.
He snorted. “Just wait ‘til you see ‘em!”
And it wasn’t long at all before he saw on in the distance. Grinning, he crouched down lower in the grass, pointing ahead with his tail.
***
Goblin saw the thing in the distance, and while it looked small from here, Shaa was right. With the distance between them and it, that moose must be huge! He pictured it would be closer to a regular deer or elk in size, but nope! And those horns! They got hit with one of those, and that was going to hurt.
This was gonna be fun.
He glanced over at Blake. This was going to be a team effort, and they knew how to hunt together. He knew the yellow male was thinking the same thing.
They both bolted, leaving the dark male behind them. He heard faint protesting, and heard a snarl. A glance behind showed Shaa circling around, dashing off to the side to get in front of the thing. Good. He picked up on things quick.
Getting closer, he could smell the thing. It wasn’t nearly as bad as Shaa described, but perhaps that was just due to it not being mating season.
As they sped towards the creature, it brayed, a low sound that carried far, and rocked to the core. As it started to run, it headed towards where Shaa was approaching. He barked at the cervine, causing it to change course, only to find itself in Blake’s way. They had it surrounded!
Goblin, being the impatient one of the lot, leapt first, and got a hoof to the side. “Shit!” He exclaimed, knowing he was going to bruise from that. He was always the first one to get hurt in these sorts of things.
As he fell back, the moose saw an opening, and took it, leaping over his head and bounding off further into the trees where it would be easier to slow the hunters down.
“After it!” Blake yelled, and Goblin got back to his paws as fast as possible to resume the chase.
***
Blake internally started cussing when he heard Goblin swear. That hit did not look fun at all. Trust Gobby to get hurt, and cost them their prey.
As they ran, he noticed Goblin trying to hide his limp, clearly hurting. Fuck. “Damn it Gobby! Screwing us up! We’re never gonna get it at this rate!”
“This ain’t my fault Blake, did you see the size of that thing?!”
“You should have been smarter!”
“You ran in too!”
“BOYS! More running less chatter!” Shaa was racing ahead, trying to make up the loss of ground.
Blake scoffed. “Who died and made you leader?”
“Who lives here and knows how to hunt this shit?”
Goblin snickered. “We can talk and run but he’s got a point Blake.”
Blake was about to bark out another retort when something caught his eyes. Multiple somethings. They looked like giant dog rats with stripes. Clearly whatever they were, they were taking advantage of the moose as well.
“Shanghai, what the hell are these weird ass things?” He was perplexed, almost getting distracted from the main entrée.
“They’re ugly like you.” Shaa retorted, and Goblin’s jaw dropped, before he burst into laughter, that turned into wheezing as the injury to his side clearly complicated the action.
“Shut up Gobby!” The yellow male was pissed; trust their newer companion to be a dick.
“Karma. They’re thylacines, still good eating. Let ‘em help with the moose and we can take ‘em out too!”
Sounded like a plan to Blake, and he rushed ahead, fulling intending to take out the hooved animal that hurt his friend.
***
Shaa sped across the ground, glad for the help of the thylacines with Goblin injured. As he and Blake closed in on the moose, they took to either side, and when they were near level with the thing’s shoulders, he yelled. “Jump!”
Paws extended, he leaped for the massive animal, leaping to take it down. His claws snagged in its fur and his teeth yanked into its scruff. Glancing across, he saw Blake doing much the same, while a few of the thylacines jumped towards the rear, expertly dodging those kicks that nailed Goblin.
When the great cervine fell to the ground, he made quick work of breaking legs, so they could get some of the thylacines. Blake and Goblin were doing much the same, although the yellow male seemed to be having the most problem, less agile than the other two and instead being circled by the marsupials almost playfully.
Shaa sat back to watch them, laughing out loud as one of the creatures leaped on Blake and dashed off. Karma. Gotta love it.
***
Goblin took a moment to breathe when the moose was down, slowing his pace and only half seriously running for the thylacines. He might have broken something, but he was hoping not. He still managed to grab a few before they scattered, and Blake was having all the troubles over there.
He stopped to watch the yellow male chase after them, jaws snapping on thin air as the thin tails bounded just out of reach. Shaa kept jumping around, snatching up the creatures that Blake couldn’t seem to catch, causing Goblin to double over in a fit of giggles as Shaa paraded past with marsupial after marsupial in his mouth. He even took one and stood on top of the moose that had stopped struggling.
Blake instead leapt after Shaa, trying to get the blasted striped creature from him, the darker vayron tossing it behind him, only to snatch up another, stopping to use a claw to pull down an eyelid at the yellow male. Despite their differences, they were a good team. Goblin settled down to munch on one of the Tasmanian tigers, admitting they were indeed good eating.
A triumphant call sounded as Blake finally caught one of his own, tossing the creature down in front of the glowing eyed male, puffing his chest out with pride. Goblin’s giggles turned into a full on guffaws, drawing the attention of the other two, who suddenly felt like Goblin should judge which of them hunted the bigger prey. Goblin wished days like this would never end.
As soon as Blake (with his wounded pride) and Rainsilver got back to the old man, he had a lovely tip for her work. However, it was what came with this tip that intrigued Blake the most.
Apparently, there was a cave where smugglers tend to keep their gear and goods, close to town but just far enough away that the local authorities wouldn’t think to look there. The cave used to be an old gem mine, where they found lots of diamonds and emeralds and rumor had it that there were quite a few of the sparkly rocks that were still there, just waiting to be claimed.
So Blake was in, for the money, while Rainsilver was in to try and catch them smugglers that apparently murdered that poor feller a few nights back in the square. Blake wasn’t sure about Rainsilver, but he sure was ready to earn some of his malehood back. Plus, a little bit of extra cash was always worth getting.
As soon as they made it to the cave however, that’s when everything went downhill. His ‘favorite’ reosan with his penchant for hanging around humans was waiting for him, an irritated look on his face.
Gods, he always stinks of their filth, Blake thought, wrinkling his nose as he got closer to the glowing-eyed nightshade male. He breathed out quickly, trying to push the scent out of his nose, though to little avail. It was ingrained in Shaa’s fur and no number of baths with intense scrubbing could rid himself of it. Not that the grumpy bastard would do that anyways, he didn’t seem to notice the smell.
“The hell are you doing here?” Blake said, eyeing up the male.
Shaa’s irritated growl that responded back confirmed that this meeting was unplanned. Unfortunately for Shaa, now he just had to join them. That’s what frenemies did, right?
“Oh wait! Let me guess! Yes yes, you are here for the treasure too?” Blake said, bounding up to the dark red male.
Shaa hadn’t said a word yet, though he was probably composing a good insult to throw at the barred male, if Blake had to reckon. Too bad for him, words didn’t hurt him at all. His head was too thick for them.
“Unfortunately, yes. Though I’m debating on turning around, considering your loud voice would probably cause a cave in.”
“Ha! The only cave-in that could be caused would be from your endlessly growling! Is it your stomach or your throat that makes those noises? I can never tell, you do it all the time.”
Rainsilver didn’t bother to wait for the boys, instead marching straight in but not before throwing Blake an irritated look. “You are both too loud. You can’t catch smugglers by acting like baboons.”
Shaa wrinkled his nose at the female, though he also managed to shoot a glare at Blake as well before he followed her into the cave. Blake on the other hand, had the biggest grin on his face. At least he knew someone here! New grumps were always boring, but old grumps were always fun!
And Shaa was the perfect old grump for this little adventure! The trio entered the cave, Blake’s eyes immediately scanning for any kind of shiny object. He was skeptical about finding something this soon after entering but who knew, maybe Shaa’s special shiny eyes would be their good luck charm or something.
“Sooooo, how’ve you been?” Blake blurted out, padding alongside Rainsilver as she crept through the dark shadows. Out of all of the vays here, she was the easiest to see with her lighter colored coat. Blake’s own coat wasn’t particularly dark but he’d always noticed it was harder to see when he stopped moving. It’s like he blended in because of the bars on his back, like when leaves casted shadows in moonlight, it was like his own personal camo.
Shaa had no hope of hiding however. His bright torch-like eyes were like a beacon in the dark. Though the color sent a small shiver up Blake’s back. Seeing creepy red eyes in a dank cave was almost nightmare fuel. Best not let the uptight snarly male know about that little detail. It’d come back to bite his behind, literally.
“I was good... until I saw you.”
“Ugh, way to be a downer! Admit it, your life is so much more interesting when I’m around!”
“Can’t argue with that.” Rainsilver piped up, earning an annoyed trademark look from Shaa. Man, it’s like he practices that look in the mirror every day! I wouldn’t be surprised either!
“Told you!”
“Shut up, you talk too much. Go look for some sparkly treasure over there or something.”
“But I can’t. You’re the torch.”
The priceless expression that Shaa gave him was almost worth not finding anything valuable as Blake whipped around to examine behind him before Shaa looked away.
“Nope, nothing shiny in this direction. Can you look over there by the crevice, torch? I have a feeling there will be something there!”
“Hell no! Go screw around somewhere else!”
“Shush! I hear something coming!” Rainsilver said, easily almost ten feet farther into the cave past the bickering pair of males.
Instantly the two fell silent, listening. The sound of water dripping, a faint whooshing from wind, and then mumbling. Mumbling that came paired with a growing faint light that created a halo around Rainsilver. She was standing stock still, turned away from the males for a second, before galloping back to Blake and Shaa.
“Two humans, dead ahead, coming in this direction.”
“Oh great. Guess there were smugglers in here after all.” Blake growled out, his good mood instantly gone.
So he hadn’t been imagining the growing scent of humans, there were more in here. He just couldn’t tell because of his smelly companion. Blake looked to Shaa, though he wasn’t sure if the male could see his almost borderline disgusted expression.
“I have an idea.” Shaa said, completely ignoring the pair. “Get out of sight, they should be popping their heads out any moment now.”
Blake internally snarled, not pleased with Shaa’s now increasing boldness, and his orders. But he still listened, he’s rather not tangle with the stupid bipeds, they tended to be more trouble than it was worth. Especially when armed.
Rainsilver squeezed herself into the crevice that Blake had been itching to explore, though there wasn’t any room for him to follow her. Instead he just stood in front of it, blocking the light from reaching her brighter coat that could be a beacon compared to the darker stone of the cave.
It was barely a second before the humans and their bright lantern poked around the bend of the cave, lighting up the area much more than what Shaa’s dinky firefly eyes could. But they stopped as soon as they saw him, standing there, looking absolutely terrifying.
Glowing eyes, a sharp growl, a whip of his tail and they were literally running back the way they came, screaming. Rainsilver let out a sharp barking laugh and Blake just about leaped out of his skin in surprise.
“The hell was that for, you grump?!” Blake exclaimed, letting the female come out of the crack.
“I found that treasure you were talking about. Here you go.” she said, plopping a chunk of rock on the ground in front of the male.
Shaa padded over, silent as a ghost with glowing red eyes. The rock flickered with the dull shine of a gem and Blake’s heart lit up like festival lights.
Shaa was never the kindest reosan. Nor was he the goodest. In fact, he was damn lucky that he hadn’t found himself locked up by now. Assault and battery was just one of the things he could be jailed for. Sure he had changed a little, mellowed out with a bit of age, grew a bit kinder after meeting his companion, but it didn’t change who he was completely.
Shaa liked to be a criminal.
He was actually afraid of getting too close to the dark elf. If she ever found out what he did in his spare time … well he just hoped it would never come to that. She seemed kind, but he wasn’t going to push her away if she found out how much he liked doing larceny and intimidation, assault and being the bully.
Sometimes he just loved to watch blood drip.
In fact, that was exactly why he hadn’t brought Lissana along today. And he had managed to ditch the idiots as well. They both said they were capable thieves, but Shaa couldn’t believe a word of it. They were morons that fucked up a simple hunt, how could they pull off a theft without ruining everything?
Shaa regretted his glowing eyes, they sucked for stealth even if they were good for intimidation. For now, he wore a sash he could still see through, that also muted his glow. Today he was looking for blackmail, and he heard there was some incriminating evidence in a journal he was to find.
He would get paid well for the job too. He imagined Blake and Goblin just took what they liked, no real skill to it. He was more of a finesse specialist. They could never dream to hold a candle to him.
Which is why when they rounded the corner, everything went to hell.
***
“I know I smelled him come into town, we can’t have passed him!” Goblin complained, like usual, and sighed. The pair had been going in circles for the past hour, looking for their friend. They didn’t have any plans for the day, and assumed maybe they could get him in on one of their shenanigans.
“I don’t know man, it’s getting dark maybe we should just go.” Blake was tired, and uneasy being in town around the humanoids, he would much rather just go back out to the little house they were renting in the woods not too close to the city, and be away from it all.
“Nah man, his eyes glow. We can’t miss him after dark!” As per his track record, Goblin didn’t catch the hint, causing Blake to sigh and his tail drag in the dust as they turned down yet another street. This one was more of an alley, as Goblin swore by his so-called short cuts.
As it just so happened, they saw a familiar mist marked rump finish leaping into an open window, even if he wasn’t wearing his normal gold bracelets on his feline tail or red nail polish.
“Hey Shahadah!” Goblin cried out as he dashed down the street after him. When he stood under the open window, he glanced over at the yellow barred male who only shrugged back.
“Man, I didn’t know he was into breaking and entering! We should help him!”
“Hell yeah!”
It didn’t occur to either of the idiots that perhaps they should keep their voices down before they gathered attention, and they swiftly clamored into the window behind the dark purple vayron. The look of surprise on his face made the two of them grin like fools.
“What are you doing here?” He hissed at them, but they took no offense. He was usually grumpy with them so this was nothing new.
“Coming to help you of course!” Goblin interjected when Blake spoke at the same time. “Showing you how a real burglar does it!”
Okay maybe Shaa’s glare was a little bit stronger than usual, but they had been behind his wrath before. And there was a sash protecting them from his eyes. They’d be fine.
***
“Then get down and be quiet! I’m looking for a blue leather bound journal.” There was no use arguing with the fools, it would only create more commotion and with them already drawing attention to him, he needed to get this done with fast.
He swiftly left the room they were in for the two bozos to search while he headed for the next. He could hear movement outside and just cursed his luck. Why the hell did they have to find him?
He whipped off the sash and let the glow of his eyes assist in his search. He had to make it fast, if he fucked up here, he was never gonna get another chance again. Shit, shit, shit. He usually made no trace of his passing, but he had to work fast, and he could hear the other two making a mess of the other room. He poked his head into the doorway just to see them turning out drawers and leaving stuff all over the floors. Gods they were hopeless.
“Shacklebones, what do you need this book for?”
“Yeah bro, never took you for the thieving kind.”
Those two were good at talking over one another, and sometimes even Shaa had issues telling who said what. But the principal was the same.
“Blackmail idiots. The damn journal supposedly has evidence of some nefarious things.” He grumbled and wondered why he even responded to them. They were just going to blab their mouths anyway. And there they went, babbling about how they didn’t expect this of him, why didn’t he invite them, and so forth. He did his best to ignore them until the glow of his eyes landed on the book he was looking for under a bed. Bingo.
He swapped the scarf across his eyes and tossed the book in a bag. “Come on let’s go!”
***
Blake heard him snarl as he leapt back out the window. The barred male gestured to the front door, making sure the equine tailed vayron followed. “While they’re distracted with him, we’ll slip out this way.” He flipped the lock.
“Hell yeah, smart idea!”
They opened the door to end up face to face with more of the guards Shaa was running from.
“Uhh Blake, maybe this wasn’t the best idea.”
“Oh you think Gobby?”
The two males ran in opposite directions, knowing there was no way they could catch both of them. “Catch you later bro!” Blake yelled over his shoulder, while he caught Goblin’s cackle.
“These fools won’t know what hit ‘em!”
He caught Shaa running off out of town with more of the guards on his tail.
“Dude, you should have called us from the start!”
The snarl made him laugh. “You two morons would have fucked shit up from the start! Don’t get in my way again!”
Blake figured he wasn’t really that upset. Both he and Goblin knew that he couldn’t stay mad at them for long. Besides, next time was gonna be even funner!
He dodged out of the way of yet another guard who had run into his path. Blake knew one thing, there was no way that life could ever be boring for the dark purple vay with both him and Goblin around.
"We need to take shelter!" Pumpkin's voice was barely heard over the rain and wind, even though he was clearly yelling at the top of his voice.
Juniper snarled. "We can't afford to stop! We're going to run out of supplies!"
The two vayrons had made Shaa's trip miserable. Juniper had a nasty habit of arguing anything. Why? He didn't know. Pumpkin on the other hand was timid, and preferred to err on the side of caution. This had led to far too many arguments over if they should stop, if they should hunt, if this if that.
To make matters worse, while they weren't on the coast, one of Warrenfall's seasonal hurricanes had swept inward, and while they were still on the edge of the storm, it only made matters worse.
Lissana held on tight to his saddle, her clothing as drenched as his fur. He thanked their lucky stars she could not understand the other vayrons, he did his best to cut that part out of their bond, but her cussing mirrored his muttered ones.
He was concerned for her. They were running low on supplies, and were still a day or two from Fullcaster, where they could stock up. His cabin wasn't much further past then, perhaps he could get her to stay for the rest of the journey. That would be difficult though, because she loathed to be separated from him as much as he hated it himself. She was the one that talked him into helping the other two in the first place. The others had their own reasons to go on this journey to Azrester, one had a missive, while the other had goods to trade. A third body had been welcome, and Shaa wasn't entirely willing to go as far as they needed, he had only come to Bullmar because he was a sucker for fresh fish. Warrenfall had imports from the other cities, but nothing beat a day or two fresh outta the ocean fish. They talked him into the journey, somehow. He would never admit out loud that he fell for their compliments.
"Alright ladies. Arguing is not going to help anyone. We will need to figure out a way to conserve supplies but until then yes, we need to take shelter. This storm is only getting worse!"
*** Juniper had to admit the male was right. Pushing themselves was not going to get them anywhere, and thankfully he agreed with her. They weren't going to last the entire trip with the supplies they had. They'd have to hunt, maybe barter with anyone else they ran across on the trip.
The one good part about this trip was that they wouldn't lack for water; they were far enough inland that the storm wouldn't bring sea water, so no worries about dehydration from the salt.
The problem with taking shelter though, was that they were in a long stretch as far as the eye could see. There was no shelter to speak of, no caves in the mountains, no trees to cover them. So finding shelter was the stupidest thing they could do as it was physically impossible!
"Oh and I suppose you know where we can find shelter? I saw we should keep going!” If she wasn’t cold and miserable from the rain, she probably would have been smiling as she said it. The tabby loved to argue just for the sake of arguing, even if she agreed with the other person. Right now it was one of the only things lifting her mood at all.
The only thing she didn’t like about arguing in their situation was Shaa’s rider. Oh sure, she had tried to argue with the ebony skinned elf, but her words fell on deaf ears. While the reo could understand half of the words that came out of the lady’s mouth, Lissana didn’t understand a word she said at all, and while it was clear that she was bonded to Shaa, the purple reosean clearly wasn't translating. It was pathetic really, at least in her opinion. The bonds were supposed to be magical things to help understand and all that, and yet theirs didn't seem to be working, or perhaps one of them was interfering. She had the sudden suspicion the dark one was blocking the translation in their bond on purpose, and she squinted at him.
The cinnamon colored vayron spoke up, his voice half carried away by the wind. “I’m sure we can figure out something!”
Juniper wheeled on him. “We’re a day away from the trees, we should make for them to shelter us! If we stop, we’ll never make it!”
Maybe she just liked arguing with them because they were males. That made sense. Perhaps if there was another female in the group, she’d be more inclined to agree. After a moment’s thought she chuckled to herself. Nah, she liked arguing.
***
Pumpkin could tell Shaa was getting fed up with them yet again. He had snapped at them a few times on the journey, and he suspected if his rider wasn’t there to calm him down with soothing words or actions, one of both of the strangers to him would have been shredded.
Listening to the amour vayron wasn’t installing any confidence in their survival. “But the wind, and the trees…” He was getting flustered, and was starting to shut down, he was terribly shy in social situations and getting yelled at was not making anything better. The other reosan might not be yelling if the wind wasn’t so loud, but then again, he didn’t know either way.
“What was that? Yes, the trees will block the wind! What’s the problem with that?”
Shaa growled and stepped between them. “Enough!”
Pumpkin flinched, cowering down a little, and he felt a touch on his head. A glance up showed him that the dark elf was leaning as far out of the saddle as she could, to scratch a bit of comfort to the masked reosan. It helped him smile a little.
“Pumpkin has a point. The winds if they get any stronger could topple the trees, plus there’s debris in the forest. It would be more dangerous for us to take cover there!”
He had a point, even though it wasn’t what Pumpkin would have thought of. He was just concerned about everyone being safe, and travelling in this weather was dangerous. If they had listened to him in the first place, they might have stayed in town an extra day or two and avoided this completely. Sure they were running low on supplies, but they would hit the trees soon, if they had to hunt on their own, well it shouldn’t be too terrible. They didn’t have anything to wrap or preserve whatever they hunted if it was something large, and he hated the idea of waste, but he’d rather deal with that than go hungry.
The hand on his head stopped scratching, and he looked up. The drow seemed to be lost in thought, and was mumbling to herself. Pumpkin strained his ears to catch the words she said, but alas, the wind gobbled them up.
“So what do you want us to do then? You don’t want us to travel and we have no forms of shelter! How about we just die, would that make you happy?”
Wow, that pink vayron was something else. Dramatic much? Pumpkin rolled his eyes but otherwise didn’t say anything else. Shaa was clearly irritated, his tail lashing to and fro as he looked like he was about to leap.
**
The dark purple vayron was about to attack the mouthy bitch when a calming hand rested on his neck. Lissana's presence always calmed him.
“You need a trench. Not too deep that it won’t flood, but deep enough to get us out of the wind. That’s the most dangerous part, and it works for tornados at least. Paws will get wet, but it’s warm enough there shouldn’t be any risk of hypothermia.” Lissana spoke, her speech smooth and calculated.
Shaa’s ears perked up as he listened to his rider speak. She had a point, and perhaps was the smartest idea in this whole group. Her voice wasn’t loud, so it was unlikely either of the other two heard her, nor was he entirely sure the pink one could even understand much of the humanoid’s language, so he repeated her words in their own language. He finally gave up on blocking out her in their bond, and let her understand everything they said.
“And if you want to argue, you can go on your own.” He added to Juniper, who snorted and looked away.
“Fine, but if we’re getting our paws dirty, you better be helping too.”
He snarled at her but neither made any further protest as the three of them dug into the dirt. Lissana dismounted, pulling a portable shovel from her pack. While the vayrons would use the great outdoors as their bathroom, Lissana was slightly more sophisticated, hiding her waste and burying it. He suspected it was a habit from the days she spent hiding, less of a trail leading to her maybe? He had thought the shovel pointless to bring on trips, if she really wanted to bury something, he could use his paws for her, but now he valued even the little help the humanoid could bring to the table. She winked before getting to work.
As they dug the trench, he was grateful for the rain. The earth was flat out mud in some places, which was a mess, but nice and soft in others, and some parts even had small dry pockets, which told him that if they needed to dig the trench, to avoid say those tornados his rider mentioned, it would have been a lot harder, as the earth was packed and dry. At times, the wind would knock dirt back into their faces, and Shaa kept shaking his head and blinking his eyes to clear them. He could only imagine how much would be stuck in his longer furred companions.
With the trench dug, they huddled down in it, Juniper and Shaa sandwiching Lissana and the much smaller reo between them. As Pumpkin shook, clearly scared, Shaa sighed and tossed a leg over him, shooting a sharp look over his head at the pink vayron to do the same. She rolled her eyes but did so, their actions enough of a comfort to stop the smaller male’s trembles. Even Lissana reached up to give him comforting scratches.
***
The wind and the rain didn’t allow them rest, as the roar in their ears and plastered fur were more than a little uncomfortable. Still, it could have been worse. As they had hoped, the majority of the wind went right over the top of the trench, and while the water filled up to their bellies, they could keep their muzzles held high and above the trench until the water drizzled away or the beating air knocked some out.
Juniper hated admitting that this worked. The more she thought about it, the more dangerous the woods sounded. As the storm started to abate, and she got up to leave, only for Shaa to growl and cause her to hunker back down.
“What now? The storm’s done!” She snarled back, but the sharp look from the glowing eyes hushed her if only for a bit.
“It’s not done. We’re only in the eye. You could tell by the way the winds never changed direction. Leave if you need to relieve yourself, but we’ll be safer here attempting to get some rest. If we decide to move, we’ll just have to repeat if we can’t outrun it, or we might be walking back into it again.”
Pumpkin nodded at his assessment, and Juniper snarled even more. “But we can move with it!”
“You’re going to get too tired.” The masked reosan stated, looking down at the ground and yawning.
Juniper tossed her head and rolled her eyes for the countless time during this trip. “But if we wait we’ll run out of supplies!”
Shaa sighed, and she looked at him curiously. “I have a cabin not too far away. It’s about a half a day north from Fullcaster. We can rest there, no cost for housing, and we can stock up there and in Fullcaster, there’s more than enough meat stored at home that’s salted and ready.”
“Why didn’t you say so! You could have saved us a lot of trouble!” She grumbled and turned away from him. A small giggle sounded behind her, but when she looked, the other three were silent and straight faced. Squinting, she glared at the other two, but went back to hunkering down, intending to get a bit of rest before the storm hit again.
***
“Thank you.” The shy vayron gave the darker furred one a small headbutt, showing his thanks in as much a visual way as a vocal one.
He looked down at him, and while most people might find the larger male’s glowing eyes and overall appearance quite scary, he could tell the purple hued vayron did care for his companions, even if it was just a little. He felt safe with Shaa, he and his rider had done nothing but keep an eye out on their travelling companions, even for the short time they knew each other.
Pumpkin felt grateful that he and Juniper had found the nightshade male to go with them. He couldn’t imagine braving this storm without her new friends. And they were friends. Even though he hadn’t known them long, he knew they all had good intentions in their heart. They had to. Otherwise he’d probably have been washed away by the storm.
He finally laid down his head, settling in. The scratching from the humanoid hand caused him to sigh in content, and he relaxed further than he thought he could have hunkered down in a trench partially filled with water.
He had been so worried about the entire trip, but maybe with their new companions, there wasn’t much to worry about. They had good heads on their shoulders, and even if Juniper was a bit hasty, and Shaa had some temper issues, decisions had been made fairly, and made sense, leaving the small vayron comfortable.
“Don’t worry honey. We’ll be somewhere safe soon. Rest your paws.” He understood enough of the elf’s words, and wrapped one of his own paws around the tiny frame, pulling her into a cuddle. Lissana yelped, but quickly relaxed, and leaned into the cuddle, leaving Shaa to chuckle softly, and Juniper to sulk into her own sleep.
“I’m so sick of rain!” Juniper was bitching. Again. Shaa rolled his eyes. There was no point in arguing with her, the female seemed to get even more excited when someone fought back. It just made Shaa more silent and moody than normal, and Pumpkin already was timid enough to not provoke her further.
“Why can’t it stop being the rainy season?”
Even Pumpkin seemed to be getting tired of it; his tail dragged and he just stared ahead trying to ignore her.
The rain was starting to come down harder. It wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been when they were caught during the hurricane, but it was pretty annoying. Mud coated their paws, and there seemed to be more puddles than grass.
“How much longer?” Shaa was about to snap at her when Lissana’s calming thoughts washed over him. Just a few more days and we can head home. They would have to hunt a lot, as when their little party stopped for some supplies, they were eaten out of heart and home. Juniper had a stomach as big as her mouth and it was annoying as hell.
Thunder rumbled in the distance and Juniper voiced what they were all thinking. “Aww fuck!”
“Maybe we should find some shelter?” Pumpkin’s voice was soft, and caused Juniper’s attention to turn on him.
“Oh and I suppose you’ll suggest digging a trench again and getting even more soaked? Thank you but no.”
Pumpkin cringed, shying away from the female, and Shaa finally had it.
“That is enough! It saved you didn’t it?” Lissana rubbed her hand softly on his shoulder, but she glared as well at the pink female, and Shaa could feel she was just as irritated as he was.
“And what does our de facto leader suggest we do? If you can’t tell, we’re getting drenched in the middle of a thunderstorm, and about to be under a bunch of trees that could get struck at any moment!” The scorn in her voice made him want to dig his claws into her hide, but he restrained himself.
Breathing deep, he closed his eyes to think for a moment. When he opened them, He saw Juniper had turned away from him, while Pumpkin looked at him with hope in his eyes.
It was Lissana that spoke next, and he translated her words for everyone to understand.
“Look, it might be best to build a sort of shelter. Keep us safe from the rain, and maybe keep some sort of barrier between us and the trees. Maybe a lean-to, with a bit of a trench to keep the rain and lightning at bay.”
“Not another trench!” The pink vayron snarled and tossed back her head as she let loose a strangled cry.
“Then you can build the lean-to.” Pumpkin’s stubborn voice caused everyone to turn and look at him funny. He wasn’t one to snap back. Clearly he was getting a little fed up too. He smiled sheepishly and blushed, and put his head down and he trotted off. “Going to find some wood!”
Lissana shrugged and dismounted, grabbing her trusty shovel again to start marking a good spot. That left Shaa and Juniper. Juniper snarled and mumbled something about moss. With Juniper looking for moss or leaves or something to cover a roof in, and Pumpkin looking for sticks, he decided he would help his rider and settle in to dig with his paws.
He didn’t doubt that the other two would end up with paws as muddy as his, and when everyone returned, he was about right. Pumpkin and Juniper each returned a few times as they dragged stocks and logs and moss and leaves. A few rocks too. Shaa questioned the rocks until Juniper proved she wasn’t as much of an idiot as she made herself out to be.
As they put the sticks upright to create the sides of their lean-to, Juniper rolled the larger rocks up against those sticks for support. The sticks met together at the top, creating a conical structure. It wasn’t big enough for all of them, so they set back out for longer sticks to add more length and width to their little shelter.
It took a lot of finagling to get it to the right size. It helped that two of them were runners, and that Lissana was tiny in comparison. It would have been a hell of a difficult job if they were all pullers like Juniper, or had any strange mutations like wings.
Shaa would lend a paw when they needed it, but otherwise he stuck to the trench. He wished he had elemental magic pertaining to earth and he could just whisk it away. Instead he dug with his paws, doing more work than Lissana with the shovel, causing the elf to get up and help with the shelter. She was nimble and agile enough to get to the top, where she used vines to tie the bundle together.
With the thunder rumbling closer, they rushed to get the leaves and moss over the top to keep out the majority of the rain. By most, it was all but Juniper who hurried. The pink vay claimed not to see a reason to hurry, just as she had seen no reason to make shelter. Shaa had enough of her attitude, and extended his magic.
The mentalist magic of his was finicky, but it served its purpose. He instilled in her a sense of urgency, and smiled when he saw her paws pick up the pack a little faster. He also made sure she felt the need to keep her mouth shut. He was tired of listening to her. Why he didn’t think of it earlier wasn’t apparent, but he knew he couldn’t keep it up constantly. No one needed him to be even moodier when he had to keep his concentration.
Still, he kept that sense of urgency in her brain until they could take it no more. The lightning was close, he saw the flashes in the dark and the thunder rolled only a few moments behind. While his magic was still at work, he pushed Juniper into wanting to get inside right now, where she huddled against the wall. He waited for Pumpkin and Lissana to make it in before he filled in the rear, dragging some moss over the entrance.
If they were struck by the lightning, it would be disastrous, but he suspected with the taller trees, they should be safe. Their little shelter had much of the earth in its construction, and with any luck, would just be regarded by the laws of nature as a small hill. The water filled up around them in the trench, keeping the ground relatively unflooded.
With the storm directly above them, timed by the space between the light flashing through the gaps, and the roll of thunder, Shaa instructed them to stand on their toes, letting the least amount of them touch the ground. If the ground was struck nearby, it didn’t need their full body as a conductor. He made Juniper follow directions with a final push of his magic.
He was exhausted, and when the storm finally passed, he laid down on the ground with a yawn. Pumpkin flopped down on top of him, and Juniper grumbled before she too joined the cuddle pile. They were still wet but their body heat would do just fine to keep them warm and to dry faster. Lissana found a place between Shaa’s front paws, and he held her close.
Come morning, the storm had passed, and birdsong could be heard. Shaa was the last one up, and he found everyone else hard at work. Juniper had gone hunting, and was tearing into her breakfast as Lissana cooked some meat for herself over a small fire. Pumpkin had decided to air out some of their belongings, hanging out the worst of it to dry, and make sure the goods and missiaves they were transporting weren’t ruined. Lssana told him all this through their bond, so it really came as no surprise.
Shaa yawned and stretched, finally stepping out of their little shelter. It had been a bit more waterproof than he expected, which was surprising, but his belly was still wet from sleeping on the bottom, although his top half was dry from the other two laying on him.
He decided to wait for Juniper to finish and see what she left him to eat, and started to tear down their shelter. Sure they could leave it for someone else to use, but he and Lissana were always good at leaving things back as they found them. He used the sticks and what dirt didn’t wash away to fill in the trench, laying the moss back over it with hopes it would grow. The logs they used were stacked nicely to the side - there wasn’t much more he could do with those.
When he was done, it was hard to tell they had anything there overnight, as he did his best to smooth out the dirt and put things back as they were. He figured the local wildlife would thank him if they could for not confusing them further.
Seeing him get around, Pumpkin started packing up the driest of their belongings, while Juniper strode away to the other end of their makeshift camp, allowing Shaa to eat the last few bites of the deer she had brought down. He hoped they didn’t have to make another shelter, they journey was almost at its end, but he was glad to know they had the teamwork needed to do it if they needed.
The group of vayrons were close to their destination. It would be another day before they finally arrived.
“Let’s just push through the night. I'm tired of this!”
“And we’re tired of your shit, go on alone if you must.” Shaa was clearly showing his grump side this late in the journey. He also wasn’t as young as he used to be. He was older than these two by a fair few years, as much as he was loathe to show it.
Juniper turned around to snap a retort at him, but clearly, something in his eyes made her stop.
“Alright.” She mumbled, and everyone else shared a look. It wasn’t like her to give up without a fight; clearly she was just as tired as the rest of them.
“Maybe we should find a place to make camp?” Pumpkin’s suggestion was met with grunts of approval all around.
The group kept their eyes out for anything that would resemble some sort of shelter. They were too tired to make something like they had a few nights prior.
A few fallen trees and that was good enough for everyone. It was a clear night so they weren’t in danger of being rained on, so just a bit of protection from the wind and maybe block the pink pelt of Juniper from predators who want to attack.
The trees made a small tiny hollow. It was open on both ends, but it would do. Juniper flopped down immediately, taking over the majority of the area, while Pumpkin slid in next to her.
“You coming?” The other male questioned Shaa, and tried to scoot over to make room. The glowing eyed male shook his head, causing a look of concern to cross the masked vay’s face, but he put his head down to rest.
Lissana dismounted, and took her time to undo the straps of the saddle.
Stop, what if we need to go?
Hush, you need a break. You’re chafing.
The drow elf’s words caused him to grimace, he was hoping to hide that from her. Being bonded though, it made things difficult to keep a secret.
He let out a breath of air when she finally slipped the saddle from his back. She set it near the where the others rested. Juniper huffed, wrinkling her nose at the smell of the humanoid, and the elf just stuck her tongue out in response. Even without a common language, the two had quickly picked up a form of telling each other how much they could care less.
Pumpkin rolled over on his side, and let the elf know she could curl up with him. She scratched the male behind the ears as a thank you for the invitation, and went over to sit next to Shaa.
The glowing eyed male glanced out into the night, taking it upon him to take on the night watch.
You know, we can probably rest. Lissana’s voice echoed in his head and he spared a glance for her.
You can rest without me.
You could let the young ones take a shift or two.
Shaa scoffed, looking back at the two that were dozing off.
It’s only one more night. He retorted.
You’re being fatherly, it’s cute.
Shaa rolled his eyes and put his back to her, but she knew he wasn’t really upset with her.
What happens when Goblin finally gives that girl of his pups? Oh man you’ll be the babysitter.
Shaa actually laughed out loud at that one, and quickly shut his maw, looking back at his companions to make sure he didn’t disturb their sleep.
He was somewhat fatherly to them. The older vayron was very protective at times. Many found him sharp and hard to approach, but once he cared about someone, good luck getting him to leave you be.
Juniper had been troublesome for him, he had to admit. She clashed with his personality. She argued for the sake of arguing, she fought him on everything. But deep down, he suspected she was insecure, and alone in the world since she pushed people away. He could be wrong, but she seemed to need someone she couldn’t push too far.
Pumpkin reminded him of Lissana. The other male was soft and sweet, and outwardly insecure. He spooked easy, and he made it very easy to want to take care of him. He was quiet, and fell in line, easily following orders. Shaa wondered how he would be on his own, the poor male needed to grow a spine or the world would walk all over him.
Unfortunately, Shaa wasn’t going to stay around once they reached their destination. They both lived in other areas of Warrenfall, and Shaa lived in his cabin in the woods.
What if we made the cabin bigger for guests?
Hmm, what an idea indeed. Shaa usually preferred his solitary time with his dark elf companion, but he didn’t mind if his friends dropped in from time to time. It might make the place more lively, and the elf might enjoy it as well.
A loud snore cut through his thoughts, and he recognized it as belonging to Juniper. The female was just as loud in her sleep as she was during the day. It made him chuckle, as Pumpkin shifted slightly in his sleep, disturbed, but not enough to wake.
What would it be like if he invited them into his home? Juniper probably would be too stubborn to take him up on it, but Pumpkin, he could see the younger vay never wanting to leave.
He turned and watched them sleep for a while, content they were sleeping well. Lissana sat against his side, alert as much as he was as they kept an eye on the forest.
Do you think they’ll make it home safe?
Shaa had never thought of that. He had just assumed they might find someone else to escort them when they were done with whatever they were doing. He had never even thought of the fact they might not find an extra set of paws. It made him groan. He didn’t want to leave them stranded.
It was settled, he would make sure they had the means to make it back home before heading to his own. Help them find someone else to go with them, or secure passage on a boat. Worst case scenario he could travel with them, even though he was looking forward to spending the time back in his own bed.
His cabin wasn’t terribly far from a village where they could stock up. He could at least offer to escort the two back. Or not offer. Juniper would fight it, so he would just have to go with it.
A snap of branches in the woods caught his attention, and his head turned to glance in the direction. His glowing eyes didn’t give off a lot of light, but he was sure his appearance would be fearsome to many who dared try to sneak up on his companions.
It was just a deer, the creature bolting at the sight of him. He sighed, his guard up for nothing. They had spent so many nights just sleeping together without anyone on watch, it felt silly to do so now.
Still…
The older vay arguably could use more rest than the others, but looking over at Juniper and Pumpkin sleeping, he would gladly sacrifice his sleep for them. Perhaps he was paranoid since they were at the end of their journey. They had survived thunderstorms and hurricanes and threats of flood. What more could come for them?
Yet he would kick himself if the other two came to harm. This close to the end, he had to be vigilance and could’t afford to let his guard down. That would mean he let them down.
He didn’t know when they moved from companions to those he felt the need to protect. Juniper he never thought in a million years that would happen with. Pumpkin made more sense. But watching them sleep, he could lose track of time.
You big baby.
Oh shut up.
When daybreak finally came, the light of the sun stretching to reach through the leaves, Juniper was the first to awaken. She rose and came to join Shaa, taking his spot when he went to fetch the saddle. They spoke no words, but she nodded once, showing her gratitude in the simplest of ways.
While Lissana tightened the straps back around him, Pumpkin stretched and awoke with a yawn. The male dug in his bags, finding a jar of some cream, and handing it to Lissana. She opened it and sniffed the contents, discovering a cooling balm. She undid the straps to rub some into Shaa’s pelt, and he felt the relief almost instantaneously.
They each showed their thanks in their own way, and that was more than enough for Shaa. Following behind them when they set out to town, he was happy he stayed on guard over the night. He could catch up on his sleep while they did what they needed to in town.
You’re still old. Lissana’s voice poked at him with humor.
You’re older.
With that, he smiled, content. He would make sure these two made it safe.
Shaa didn’t usually mind being out in the rain, but as the rolls of thunder carried to his ears, he groaned. The flash of lightning across the sky told him that the storm would be upon them soon, and he did not want to be out if the bolts of light struck. The trees were tall enough to take the blows, but he had seen it affect the ground, and didn’t want to be anywhere near them. Likewise, he didn’t want to be caught up in open land, and the smartest choice would be to find shelter.
He wasn’t sure if his two idiot companions would agree with him or not, as he glanced over at Goblin and Blake. They had been out hunting again, it was decent catching things with those two. They weren’t useless all the time. But even the prey would be hiding with the storm rolling in. They’d have better luck coming back out once it had passed.
He looked back at the two. They had been arguing back and forth about something else yet again. The dark vayron had learned it was easier just to ignore them when they got like that. Still, he had to get their attention somehow.
He whistled sharply, making a keening sound that was sure to get their attention. “Alright boys. We don’t want to be caught out in the storm! My cabin isn’t terribly far, we can take shelter there until it has passed!”
He hadn’t waited for their responses, they would either come or they wouldn’t. He closed his glowing eyes to focus on his bond link. Lissana, we might have some guests from the storm. He sent an image of the two reoseans, giving names to the yellow barred and green, black and white males, before opening his eyes again and padding forward.
He got her response swifty. See you soon, stay safe! Shaa had always found it curious why their bond was so strong. They could communicate as easily as those who had spent years developing their bond, and it came to them naturally. While he didn’t usually believe in such things, Lissana had suggested once it was destiny. He couldn’t entirely refute it.
***
“Ugh, I hate the rain...” Blake grumbled out, eyeing up the darkening sky.
“Why’s that?” Goblin said, meandering down the path with no real goal in mind besides that of following their glowing-eyed companion.
“Well, it’s fucking cold.... And wet...it’s just gross okay?”
“Someone isn’t taking advantage of their fire magic.” Goblin gave the burnt yellow barred male a knowing look, a small smirk on his face.
“Rain beats fire, dumbass.”
“Not if it’s hot enough.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Then why does lava not harden immediately when it rains back home?”
“Because it’s lava! Not fire!”
“No, but it’s still hot!”
Blake huffed, clearly not interested in continuing the stupid conversation. Lava was not fire. Ergo, lava can survive rainfall, while fire cannot. You couldn’t build a campfire in a storm, it just wasn’t possible.
“Whatever, that’s just stupid.”
“You’re stupid.”
“Well, if I’m stupid, that makes you stupider.” Blake said, raising his voice. He didn’t usually get pissed off at his friend, but man, when you throw it with a nasty incoming storm, and then a nasty anniversary of something he’d rather wish he didn’t remember, along with a lovely companion who always reeked of humans, you’d probably be in a bad mood too.
Well, it’s not like it’s Goblin’s fault though, Blake thought, sighing in irritation. Still, it didn’t make him feel any better as Goblin gave him the stink eye for the insult.
***
“You’re both stupid.” Shaa snorted his reply before ducking under the trees. It wasn’t much further now. At least under the foliage they would get a little less wet. He considered shaking the water off, but decided to wait until he was closer.
He could smell cooking meat before he could see the cabin, and he suspected that the drow elf had decided to heat up some of their stores of meat to warm up him and their guests. She was always so kind like that. He hastened his step to get there sooner and stood with pride for a moment when it came into sight.
Shaa liked his privacy. He had the cabin built out in the middle of nowhere. Koma had insisted he had extra rooms in case he ever had any extra activities he wanted to do, or guests he wanted over. She knew he wanted her there, but her heart was torn between two. He assumed she picked the other as she never did spend the night at his place. Still, he had a few extra guest rooms. One was for his rider, although she spent most of her nights curled up next to him. He guessed she must have felt safer by his side.
Still, that meant that there was more than enough room to house the other two vayrons through the storm. They had stocked up plenty of meat, between the three of them, and Lissana and him as a team, there was more than enough to eat. He supposed he could have been a better host in other ways, but the little log cabin was more than accommodating for now.
He could see the smoke rising from the chimney, and he led the way to the front door. There was an awning, where he shook himself off under, and then he pushed his way through the front door.
I’m home! He called to his rider, and he could feel her excitement through their bond. She had been so thrilled to hear he was making friends, and kept begging to introduce them. He just hadn’t gotten around to it was all. He could hear her in the other room, grabbing towels to help dry off their guests, he had made sure she grabbed extras with the fact that his companions were both larger puller sizes, and knew she would be out shortly.
***
The rain was pouring now, soaking into his short fur, drenching him in little droplets of ice cold water. But he couldn’t feel any of it. Not a single drop.
Not since he caught a tendril of the scent wafting out of Shaa’s cabin, an oily deceptive stench that made him want to curl his teeth back, whip his tail back and forth, to snarl and rage and run away.
Shaa had already entered the cabin, prancing along like some dog being called back to its owner. Which, in reality, was what he was.
A pet. Trained and controlled by the disgusting creature that always clung to his fur like tar. Thunder rumbled through the sky, deep and foreboding as it rolled it’s way through his chest. Or maybe that was him. He wasn’t quite sure, because he wasn’t exactly here anymore.
He was in another place, with groomed grass and trimmed trees, whips and blood and pain, a collar itching and ripping across his throat. A cruel smile with blunted teeth, a deceiving face for a monster underneath.
No... no no, not now, I don’t want to go back, please don’t make me go back I don’t want to--
“Blake?” a voice pulled him from the memory, the memory of pain kissing his skin where rain now rolled down and soothed. It wasn’t cold anymore. In fact, it was practically steaming.
“I’ll stay out here, Goblin.”
His friend’s eyes widened, then he whipped his head to the cabin, then back to Blake. “You’ll--you’ll catch a cold out here! I--I know there is a human in there, but I mean, it shouldn’t be too bad, right? As long as she doesn’t get near you, you’ve always been fine!”
His face was a mask but Blake could see the concern behind his eyes, the pity. “You know this is different. I can’t go in there. You know why.”
Blake wanted to cry. No, he didn’t want to be here. Maybe he should just...go. Go before he hurt someone. He knew that not all humans were bad. He knew that sometimes they could be nice, they could be caring. He’d seen it, once or twice. Never directed at him, no.
But it still didn’t change the fact that he really... he really wanted to hurt any human who thought they could ride a reosan. We are not their slaves. No matter what others may think.
***
Shaa didn’t quite catch what was going on outside with the larger reoseans, and he frowned at the doorway. It was that movement that distracted him from the fluffy towel that was tossed over his head and the giggle as he shook it off in surprise. Still, he let her fluff up the towel around his face, giving it a dry before he called to the door.
“Come on guys! It’s cold out there! We got towels!” He snatched the extras from her arms, gripping them in his jaws and he padded towards the door. She playfully lept after them, and he turned his head away at her laughter, enjoying this little game of keep away.
Goblin stood in the doorway, and Shaa dropped the blankets on his back. He squinted at the two of them. Blake was … he was weird. There was an expression on his face Shaa couldn’t read.
“Well come on, tell your friends to come in. I have buffalo meat on the fire from our hunt the other day! They’re gonna get sick out there.” Her voice was pouty, and he smiled at what a long way they had come since he met her. She had really opened up! Still, the scars of her past still haunted them, some hidden, and others visible. She was wearing a set of comfortable clothes, mostly just an oversized shirt and undergarments, as the vayrons won’t mind if she was indecent. It covered the worst of her scars, the whip marks across her back, but he saw hints of them at the edges, some along her arms and legs as well.
To his companions, he translated her words. “Hey, Lissana put on buffalo meat for us! You guys can stay out there all night all you want but I’m going to eat. Oh god, she noticed my nails were chipped. She’s going for the file! Brat thinks I can’t take care of myself.” He mumbled the last part, but there was a smile in his voice as he continued to look at the two other males curiously.
***
Blake was just about to take a step, to walk away, when he saw her. Peeking out from behind Shaa, a curious look on her face. And that’s all that it took.
Flames erupted from his body as Blake let out an ear splitting snarl. The once dormant simmering flames that always cropped up from time to time were now a raging wildfire, untamed and ready to protect or attack at a moment's notice.
They blasted everywhere around him, pushing away the rain in hisses of steam, puffy clouds rolling around him before dissipating as they vaporized on contact with the golden flames. Then they transitioned from a ball that was surrounding him into a protective armor, warm and safe.
Flames covered his legs in angry tendrils of golden fury, and an inferno licked it’s way up his back, protecting him from behind. It was slowly growing but gaining strength, his memories fueling them as they clawed their way from his mind into the world, screeching for revenge. All he could see was red. And fire. And death.
All he knew.
Was that he needed to hurt, or be hurt.
There was nothing else that mattered now.
***
Fear settled into the bond between Shaa and Lissana. A terrified feeling that rocked him back on his paws. He had always been good at reading emotion but today he was overwhelmed with both her fear and both terror and anger in Blake.
Caught between the firey blast Bake was creating, and Shaa in the doorway, Goblin made a mad dash for safety, pushing past the dark furred vayron to find a hiding place. He had never seen Blake this angry before, and it worried him. It was like he was blind to what was happening. If Goblin hadn't moved, he would have been singed along with the side of the cabin!
Fear, anger, concern, the emotions welled in his head and he couldn’t hold it in anymore. The strongest of them all, the fear, spilled out of him, crashing like a wave throughout the minds of all present. Goblin cowered even further under the towels he had dragged along, and Lissana's fear turned to pure terror and tears. He couldn't see what was going on with Blake behind his flaming shield, but he wheeled on the yellow vayron. He knew he had issues with humanoids but not to this extent.
Goblin was a coward but even he wouldn't let his friend get hurt. As Shaa got into a stance to attack the being he now say as an intruder, he tried to stop him, but the fear that rolled off Shaa was too powerful, crippling his mind until that was his only thought. All he managed to do was squeak out a tiny "Stop" but it paled in comparison to the magic Shaa was using. And it was magic. Goblin didn't even know his new friend had any, had no inkling of it before now.
It was Lissana that came to Blake's defense. She couldn't move as fast as Shaa who was unaffected by his own power, but she still managed to get to him, and she collapsed on the floor, hugging one of his back legs tightly.
"Stop. Don't hurt him." Her words were as pathetic as Goblin’s, but combined with her actions, he relaxed to look at her.
"Hurt him? He wants to hurt you." Shaa's words were as vocal as they were mental, but combined with the emotions he felt himself pouring out, he didn't know what go through their bond.
The red eyed, dark skinned elf gulped a few times through her tears, as she tried to talk more but nothing would come out. She was like a child and he had barely the patience for it. But she managed to lift a hand to her neck, grabbing at it and gesturing at the flaming reosean outside.
"Someone hurt him first." He wasn't sure if the words were in his head or vocal, but suddenly it made sense. He had seen where a collar had rubbed away the fur on Blake's neck, but knowing what he knew, he had just assumed the vayron had chosen to wear it because it was badass or some other stupid reason. Now the realization settled in and it shaded every interaction he had with Blake up until that point. The wrinkling of his nose at Shaa's scent, the anger he felt seeing the saddle, his reaction now.
Shit.
Still, he was in no way helping anything, and he did his best to shut down the fear he was emanating. Goblin shuddered from his position and Shaa assumed he did something right. Now all he had to do was wait on Blake for his temper to calm down, for him to lash out further, or for him to leave; Shaa only hoped he didn't bring the cabin down with him.
***
Fear.
That’s all he felt now.
Not anger.
Not sadness.
Just.
Fear.
Was he still standing? Blake didn’t know. His legs were shaking so much he wasn't sure if he was just convulsing on the ground or actually still on his own four paws.
He was practically choking on the fear. Though, somehow, he could tell it wasn’t all his. No, this was a different kind of fear. It was the fear of losing someone, fear that could make you question your very existence.
And right now, Blake didn’t know what to do. So he just did what he was trained to do. Even if he hated it, that training was his one steady rock. Something familiar. Something he could rely on, because it never changed.
Blake pushed past the fear, tapping into his anger. Anger that he had to go back to the past. Angry that his life was reduced to ashes and that he had to keep coming back to what he hated.
Angry that he couldn’t fix it.
The flames on his body stretched and expanded, then compressed, becoming smaller, melding into a little ball of flame in front of him. He wasn’t really controlling the flames, they were just doing whatever it could right now.
It’s fine though. This will help....
It has to help.
At the thought, Blake expanded out the small ball, making a thin wall of flames, just barely large enough to block the view of those around him.
And then he ran.
The only thing left behind was a disappearing wall of golden flickering embers and pawprints burned into the wet grass, already starting to melt away in the rain and reduced to muddy patches.
***
The wall of flame was too much for anyone to look at for too long, but by the time it disappeared, Blake was gone with it. The stench of fear was still strong in the air, and Shaa was finally realizing just what he did.
He had his magic.
Suddenly everything made sense, the fact that he could sense the emotions of others easily, how his bond with Lissana was strong from the get go. He had powers over the mind and it was incredible.
His joy was very short lived though as he came to the reality of what just happened. He didn’t make friends easy, and while he considered Goblin and Blake idiots, he also was beginning to realize they were his friends too. He turned to look at the other reosean, who gaped at the doorway.
Goblin had never seen such a display of firepower from Blake. It scared him, but mostly because he was worried about his friend. He knew though, with how close he had come to being caught up in the blast, that if he got too close, Blake might turn on him again.
It was raining, but Goblin had an idea of where he might go. Blake was in a strange place, far from home. He suspected the yellow barred male might head back to someplace that was comfortable to him.
He poked his head out and slowly stood up. “If it’s not too much trouble, I might ask for a bite to eat, and then I better go after him. Give him just enough space to not do anything stupid if I catch up.”
It was the most reasonable thing Shaa had ever heard from him, and he flustered him momentarily before he could speak. “Of course. Did you know he was like this?” The darker male gestured towards the door but the multi colored vayron shook his head.
“Nah, I knew he didn’t like humanoids but this… I don’t know what was different.”
Both males glanced towards the door before Goblin found himself with the elf giving him a hug now too. He looked awkwardly between her and Shaa who only laughed.
“Take care of him please. Someone hurt him bad. No one deserves that.” Shaa translated her words for Goblin, who only squinted at the female.
“She uhh, she seems nice?” Shaa barked out another laugh as the other male was at a loss for words.
“Yeah she does that. She’s been hurt too. Gets a little too clingy sometimes. She’s like Blake I think, most other humanoids aren’t nice to her and she doesn’t like to give them a chance to. If he wasn’t a reosean, I suspect you would have seen her weapons.”
As he talked, Goblin headed towards where he smelled the meat, the ebony elf bounding ahead to carve him a chunk. While he ate, she packaged up another hunk.
“He probably won’t eat it after I touched it but please tell him I’m sorry.” Goblin was beginning to understand how Shaa had a rider. Who could be grumpy with such a sweetheart?
He took the package and headed for the door. “Don’t worry, I’ll find him.”
Shaa and Lissana were alone again, and with a potentially butchered friendship, and newfound dangerous magic, neither of them knew what was coming for them next.
Locke stared down the two vays in front of him. Well, he couldn’t really call one of them a vayron, really. She was so damn short, she might as well be some weird overgrown fox or dog with glowing eyes. Hell, even the other one had glowing eyes.
He was laying in the trimmed grass around a cabin in the woods, the smell of a single human covering the area like a blanket and annoying him to no end. He didn’t really mind humans, but the majority of them seemed pretty damn useless in his opinion and he never really interacted with them for that exact reason.
His pink eyes watched the two vayrons talk a few feet away, enjoying his shade tree and resting his head on his paws. Supposedly he was here to train his magic or something, at least from what Kee said, but this was so stupid. Sitting here and talking to each other and not actually doing something didn’t unlock your magic.
Even a pup knew that.
Locke growled to himself, thinking that the huge waste of time spent lollygagging around here, while his brother was probably already making a name for himself with his own unlocked magic (or well, probably already unlocked. But most likely, the bastard was good at everything he tried like a goddamn magician of luck), he couldn’t help but feel impatient.
Though that wasn’t saying much. Locke was always impatient.
***
Shaa wasn’t the best teacher in the world. What he was good with was pissing people off, and they were good at pissing him off, which seemed to be just what these two needed. Both the small chaser in front of him and the larger puller were struggling to get their magic, so someone had directed them his way.
Rogue reminded him a lot of two the idiots that liked to hang around him. She even had an idiot name. I mean who called themselves Rogue? Like it was just asking for trouble, accusations and whatnot. The other was Locke, an armored vayron with as much of an attitude as Shaa himself seemed to hold.
Lissana was poking around through the woods. She was good at hiding and Shaa left the elf to do just that. The plan was they might spook some of these idiots into their magic if nothing else. Most reoseans didn’t like the random appearance of humanoids, so it was a good ace in the hole.
Both Rogue and Locke seemed bored out of their minds. Rogue was a little chatty, which again reminded Shaa of his other companions. For once he would love a quiet companion.
“Alright, mine came when I was under stress. Have either of you tried getting into a stressful situation?” Shaa decided one last question before his next plan.
Rogue bounced on her paws. “Well duh, that’s how a lot of vays get theirs. I even tried studying but it was hard to keep patient and well reading bored me and there’s so many different kinds of magic and how am I supposed to figure out which one is me anyway?”
Locke just rolled his eyes. “Don’t you think we already tried that?”
The annoyance in his voice caused Shaa to twitch a little. Lissana’s voice rang in his head.
Stay calm, you don’t need to send them running with fear just yet.
That yet caused him to smile softly, and he quickly glanced around to get the dark elf’s position in mind, yet didn’t disclose it. The others thought she was still in the cabin, and not in the woods beyond.
Alright then. Let’s poke some buttons then.
Shaa reached out with his magic. He wasn’t entirely a pro at it, and he could only pick up on other’s surface thoughts. Locke was thinking about his brother, Kee. A grounding force, an opposite to his temper. Rogue’s thoughts were more fleeting, dancing around like butterflies. Both of them had a familiar feeling to them that he compared to Blake, and wondered if both of them held magic similar to his old friend.
He thought on Blake, and frowned. He hadn’t seen him in a while, and was worried. Goblin had been sending him messages, in the worst handwriting ever he might add, keeping him updated on how their friend was doing. Shaa worried for him, and it bothered him that he had grown close to the idiots.
Focus on the task at hand. Locke seems easiest, start there. If you provoke him, he might blaze up and trigger something in Rogue.
His bond with Lissana went deeper than the bond most other’s shared. His mentalist magic made their bond even stronger, and they often were so deep in each other’s heads, it was hard to tell them apart. He didn’t have to actively think on things for her to pick up on them, and she often reminded him of that. He thanked her through their bond, and turned to the task at hand.
“I bet Kee is so proud of you right now. He already has his magic and you can’t even produce the smallest amount. Such a pity and a disappointment.” His voice held antagonizing tones, a grin plastered on his face.
Rogue looked surprised, Shaa had never disclosed his mentalist powers, and it wondered how long it would be before anyone picked up on it. The smaller chaser may have the attention span of a child, but she seemed to hold more intelligence. She would likely figure it out first. For now though, he focused on Locke. If his suspicions were correct, and if Lissana was right, this might be the best way to poke at them both.
***
“What did you say.” It wasn’t a question that Locke ground out, his voice deep and low. His pink eyes locked onto Shaa’s glowing red ones, disregarding the confused Rogue who whipped her head back and forth between the two males.
A growl crawled out his throat, one of his more menacing ones at that, and most definitely directed at the glowing eyed male who stood in front of him.
“You heard me.” Shaa said, his voice and face impassive.
You think I don’t know what’s going on here. Locke thought, purposefully making his intentions clear in his head, laced with disgust. Mentalists are the most annoying magic users.
As soon as he sent that thought out, he threw up his mental barriers. The only upside to having multiple magic teachers, well, you tended to pick things up. His mental walls were a flaming inferno, roaring and raging, writhing with intent to burn any that tried to pass it.
If a decent mentalist took a crack at his defenses, they would be able to crack through, with some effort. But half-baked drug addled bastards couldn’t even scratch his walls of flame.
Locke plastered a smug smirk on his face, thoroughly impressed with his antics. So childish, but he honestly didn’t care. Showing up people was much too entertaining, and considering how boring this trip to the boonies has been so far, he might as well have some fun.
***
Rogue seemed to be the sort to run from a fight, not get into one, and she hid behind Shaa with a squeak. Shaa wasn’t nearly as big as Locke, and he wasn’t going to get into a fight with him if he could avoid it.
Still, Locke showed evidence of magic training as he put up his mental barriers. The flame of emotions burned at the edges of Shaa’s mind.
Yes, you got him now.
Lissana’s encouragement only caused Shaa to smile as he sat where he was.
Shaa had been using his magic every day since it sparked. He was in near constant practice with it, and he wasn’t a novice. He was able to see past the other male’s barriers, and caught that last comment. Half-baked drug-addled bastard eh?
“Hey Rogue. Did you know that Locke has a thing for being bored? He thinks you and I are boring? I guess it might be jealousy, us glowing eyed freaks have to look out for one another right?”
Rogue giggled a little. He was sure the little female had gotten her fair share of insults from her eyes, from her appearance, from her size. There weren’t a lot of chasers out there, and he was sure she had been mistaken for a fox or two.
“Maybe I should pit the two of you against each other.” He smelled her fear, and he poured his magic into her. Enhance that fear, shape it. It would be his weapon to trigger her magic.
He also thinks I’m drug-addled. I don’t know about you but I sure don’t have anything in my system. Or maybe I do. Lured you both out to the middle of the nowhere just to fuck with you. Maybe I’m here to kill you. I’ll just -” He paused for a second as he picked up a random thought past Locke’s barrier and smiled wider. “Choke you out with spicy food. I’ll put enough spices in it to tranquilize a horse and no one will know the difference. Our friend over here likes it doesn’t he?”
Be careful. I have my bow trained on him if he attacks suddenly.
Thank you.
That wasn’t quite enough. He needed more. His eyes landed on the beads at his bracelet, and he made the gesture more pronounced, making sure the fool saw where he was looking. There it was, the thought he was looking for.
“Not to worry. We’re just wasting our time here. I doubt this idiot even has a spark of magic in him. He’s just a liar. Sure he probably could kill someone, no compunctions, but he likes to say those beads there represent his kills. The guy hasn’t murdered a day in his life.”
Rogue was feeling the effects of his magic, he could tell, as she cowered behind him. Shaa deliberately had moved to put himself between the twoo, and backed up close to the trees. If Locke came at him, he would jump up, and Locke would come for Rogue.
Dangerous game.
You can stop him, can’t you?
Honey, I’ve been using my bow for over 200 years, I’m no novice.
And then he let the final nail settle into place as he spoke again.
“He’s just a coward hiding behind his brother.”
***
“You say that, but why are you the one creeping through others minds, not actually connecting with anyone besides what you can steal away from their own heads?” Locke spat out, now just straight up annoyed. Seems the hack had some potential after all. Woopdee-fucking-doo, great for him!
“How attached are you to that piece of shit you call a cabin?” Locke snarled, glaring at the male.
Shaa still had his stupidly impassive expression, now nonchalantly relaxed while that little red pipsqueak cowered behind him. Locke snorted at the female and her ridiculous antics. If she actually tried, even just a little, he might take her seriously.
Locke stomped his way towards the cabin, his armor moving fluidly with his body like a second skin. He sneered at the cabin door, and with one swift movement, cut the hinges off with a few swipes of his metal claws.
A quick tug and the flimsy door flopped down with a thud. Locke bared his teeth at the reeking smell of human that wafted from the cabin, letting out a low growl before leaping straight into his task.
Everything was slated for destruction, and literally nothing was spared, at least in the main room. He didn’t really bother to attack the bedrooms, the smell in the main living area was already too rancid for his tastes, so no need to continue the destruction unless it was necessary.
Locke attacked everything. The table, the chairs, the cabinets and walls and floor. Large scratch marks, both with his metal claws and regular natural claws were scored over every surface he could reach. Cloth was shredded, fresh flowers on the table in a vase, smashed and strewn across the already destroyed floor.
And for good measure...
Just as he was about to add the finishing touch, a big old helping of his own smell to blanket everything and destroy that human smell, along with the annoying stuck up male who reeked of confidence, a small little flame sparked into existence right in front of his eyes.
“What.”
It wasn’t a question, but could definitely be taken as so, as Locke watched the single little ball of flame waver in the slight breeze from the destroyed doorway.
He squinted, not quite sure what was going on as the little flame sparked and sputtered only inches from his nose. The male snorted, his breath causing the warm air coming off the orb to waver even more, almost blowing it out but it resisted.
“The hell is this?” Locke said, not quite sure what to make of the flame. It definitely wasn’t his. No, it couldn’t be. He didn’t feel any different, nothing felt like it changed, or no well of something that he’d never felt before rose in him. He felt no connection to the flame besides confusion.
Which left the other two vayrons who were peering into the cabin to see what had stopped his rampage. Definitely not the asshat, so...
“Are you fucking kidding me? It’s the goddamn fox’s magic?” Locke snarled out, glaring at the little female. “Oh this is just rich, now ain’t it?”
The look of amazement on her face immediately changed to that of terror as she beheld Locke’s enraged face, lit only by the light of her own flames, like that of a candle sputtering in a storm. Except Locke was the storm and he wasn’t happy in the slightest.
***
Shaa watched as the little chaser stood up the Locke. She stood determined in front of the dark purple vay and concentrated real hard. That determination was all she needed. A little ball of flame popped into existence in front of the pullers face. While he sneered and the flame wavered, Shaa noticed what the other hadn't.
Rogue possessed magic that was rarer to his knowledge. The will 'o wisp creatures were just legends and lore, trickster balls of light that often led people to their demise, or at least away from somewhere. The tiny chaser had beautiful fox fire just like her coat, that flickered in ranges of reds and oranges and yellows, with hints of blue and white as well. With practice, Shaa suspected she would be able to gather multiples to her command, and change things like their color and size. He also suspected she could do a variety of other firey feats, and was smug that his initial assumption about her was correct.
Now that her own magic had sparked, she seemed scared to tackle Locke, but held it firm. That was good. This proved it was no accident and she would be able to continue to work with it with ease. This also meant that Shaa wouldn't need to put her in harms way either to spark it. That only left Locke.
His anger at Rogue's magic sparking was another point to him. Shaa was convinced he would have outburst with his magic by now, but instead he tore at the cabin. Shaa hid his displeasure, as it would only make the other male happy, which was not the ticket to unlocking his magic. If that was the case, he would have gained it ages ago with his brother.
Lissana nearly cried out but Shaa sent calming waves towards her. They would deal with it later. While Rogue tried desperately to lead the larger male away with her fire, clearly to no avail, Shaa dug deeper.
His mental barrier was elemental in nature, and the puller seemed to be calling on his magic to keep up his guard. Why no one noticed that before was beyond the misted male, and he was always awed at the stupidity of idiots. That being said, he just needed to make the magic pop out.
It was his elven companion that didn't let him think further. She finally stepped out from the trees, her bow drawn and an arrow nocked. Rogue didn't notice her at first, cowering behind Shaa and focused on her fire.
"Oi. Fuckface. What did I do to you?" Shaa didn't approve of her interference, they both had felt Locke’s displeasure of humanoids, but he translated Lissana's spoken words and pushed him into his mind. Rogue squeaked and a second ball of fire appeared, so he guessed the drow's speech had a positive effect as well.
For the love of - please just get him out of our house. It's wood. If he sparks it's gonna all come down.
Shaa half wondered if he should pick a fight with the bastard. He knew Locke had no compunctions about killing, and those metal claws looked deadly. The runner male was no fighter, although he and Lissana had their fair share of killing in their own lives. Lissana’s entire race was built upon deceit, including climbing to the top any way possible, and Shaa killed for money. Not that they let any of their companions know. They could hold their own in a fight, just not usually as much face to face. Hopefully it wouldn't come down to that.
***
Locke was dumbstruck. He literally couldn’t believe that a little upstart useless looking chaser vay had not only unlocked her magic, but was basically ignoring him outright as she attempted to manipulate the single floating flame to do...something. He didn’t really have any idea what she was trying to do, though her face was scrunched up in concentration.
Shaa’s human yelled from outside, though he didn’t really pay her much mind. Even if she threw insults at his face all day, he could easily outrun her bow and didn’t feel the need to even acknowledge her presence.
In all honesty, he was more frustrated than anything. He’d spent almost a year trying to unlock his magic, numerous teachers and guides leading him to places of natural beauty, careful meditation or running gauntlets of intense physical and mental tests to break his barriers but nothing worked.
Even his brother had been having trouble up until now, when he at last unlocked his ice magic by visiting a local volcano in their home continent of Thedale, ironically enough. Locke had been there himself but it did nothing for him other than give him blistering feet and an intense need to jump into the ocean to escape the heat.
Locke snarled in frustration as he surveyed the damage around him, not disappointed in the damage he had caused but definitely not regretting it either. Maybe he wasn’t allowed to have magic. Even if it was his dream to be an equal to his brother, the only vayron he would ever truly respect, if he couldn’t unlock his magic, then what was he other than a burden?
No, he couldn’t be a burden. Then what was the point of his existence then? He longed for it-- no, needed-- to unlock his magic, otherwise, why should he even allow himself to call himself Kee’s brother then?
Locke whipped his head away from the little wavering flame that was now slowly dancing in a circle, inadvertently locking eyes with his supposed teacher. That’s when everything went dark, like the sun was blown out like a little candle.
***
Oh he was just done with it all. Anxiety, fear, frustration, disappointment, anger. All the negative emotions were going to drive him insane.
He was just done.
Shaa had one more trick up his paws, but he hadn't spent long practicing it, and had no clue if he could pull it off differently on so many targets.
He breathed in deep, clearing his mind. Mentalist magic was one of the most powerful there was, but often overlooked. Messing with someone's emotions was trivial compared to messing with their entire perception.
He shut off everyone's senses. To them, they would see nothing but black. They would hear nothing. Smell nothing. It was as if they were weightless in a void.
He focused on Rogue first. The little chaser seemed at home among the forests. She already felt love for her little balls of fire, so he set her in a familiar spot near her home. She saw what he wanted her to see - a glade with a small creek running through it. The water babbled and laughed as it splashed over rocks. She had her little fox fires, and he made sure she felt content and didn't question things too hard.
It was harder to stretch his magic to the limits so that only she saw that little glade. Once he was satisfied she was happy, he would move on. She cheerfully chased after the little balls of flames she summoned. It was only in her head, as her real body stood still in front of him, although her little paws twitched as she pranced and the balls of fire came to her in reality.
Next was Lissana. He contemplated Locke but he could suffer in darkness for a bit longer. The drow elf was bound to start something if he didn't stop her now, so he made her feel content, and their little cabin was whole once more. She knew what he was doing, their bond gave her that knowledge, but she wouldn't fight him on this right now. Instead, the images grounded her, and she reached through their bond to use his senses so she could make her way to him. With a sigh she settled in at his paws, leaning against a leg and let his magic take over.
Then it was Locke’s turn. Locke was a curious sort. He didn't seem to have a happy place per say, but his mind kept travelling to that volcano where his brother unlocked his magic. Perhaps that at least would calm him.
Shaa was glad it wasn't entirely his image. He could almost feel the heat, he heard the lava blistering down below, he could smell the smoke.
Almost as an afterthought, he added one last little detail. A faint voice that matched that of Kee, telling his brother that he was not a burden.
Shaa sighed, and held the images in everyone's mind, focusing to let them settle down for a bit before he let them free.
***
Locke blinked, and then blinked again. It was still dark. Infinitely so. Great, I’m stuck in Shaa’s stupid mind crap.
No matter which way he turned, Locke couldn’t see anything, feel anything, smell anything. It was as if he existed only in black, though with his naturally dark coat, Locke already was a shard of darkness himself.
Suddenly, in between blinks, the world existed again. But it wasn’t the world he was in only minutes before.
Instead of a cabin with shredded walls and shattered dishes strewn across the floor, instead it was a volcano. To be exact, that volcano. The only one that really mattered. Lava flowed past the small black rocky island he stood on, the blistering heat rolling around him in waves. His long hair barely moved in the stifling breeze, and the hiss and spatter of the molten rock creeping past him was the only sound besides the far off explosions of the volcano in the distance. Ash fell from the sky around him but it deftly left no grey streaks across his armor or coat, a testament to how unreal this place was.
Locke knew this was only a vision, not a reality where he had been teleported across the world in mere seconds, but that didn’t make it any less shocking when Kee’s voice whispered in his mind.
“You aren’t a burden to me, brother...”
Locke curled his lips up at the voice, knowing full well it wasn’t his brother speaking to him, but that didn’t change the fact that the words themselves hit home. A small spark of warmth wormed its way through his chest, sputtering and sparking like flint against steel.
And with a woosh, flame erupted around Locke.
The dark male wasn’t usually surprised by anything but the sight of golden orange flames dancing around him in a circle before finally coating his paws and creating magical claws of writhing fire, large enough to rival that of his own metal claws that were embedded in his armor.
With huge sincerity, Locke was surprised, and anything, he was happy.
He still didn’t like the mentalist though. Not one bit.
***
Shaa took in deep breaths as he centered himself. It was working. He let Lissana out first, and she continued to take comfort in his presence. He was upset over the cabin, and there were some emotions he was going to have to deal with soon, but it would wait until after their guests left.
Rogue almost didn’t want to leave her little head world, holding onto the image as long as she could while he winked it out. She pouted when she was back to reality, but squealed when she noticed her little balls of fire were still there. She sat content though, looking over at Shaa and the others, jumping back to her paws when the flames sprung to life around Locke. She wasn’t really scared of them, especially being a fire user herself, just startled, and fascinated by how differently his had manifested compared to hers.
Shaa too was relieved. He could tell that Locke still didn’t like him, that much was a given, but after everything else he had tried, finally his magic unlocked. This both made Shaa proud, almost like a parent, and also terrified. Who many more young upstarts were going to be tossed his way to try to spark their magic? These two weren’t the first and he had no clue who kept spreading the news, including somehow all the way to Thedale where Locke was from.
As the fire settled around him to form flaming claws like his metal ones on his armor, and a flaming halo, Shaa fought to roll his eyes. What a drama queen. He let the other male enjoy the vision for a few moments longer before letting it drop. The exertion of his magic weighed heavily on him and he just wanted sleep.
“Normally I would say you’re free to stay…” He glanced back at the cabin with the torn door and messed up rooms. “Nevertheless, the next town isn’t far from here or you know, plenty of shelter in the trees.”
He was tired, he was grumpy, and if it wasn’t for a hand softly resting on a paw and steading him, he might have snapped a little bit more forcefully. He was glad to have helped, but maybe in the future he should start charging people.
He noticed Rogue had already left before he had finished talking. Clearly she got what she wanted out of it, and with no danger left to be had, she was on her way, little will ‘o wisp type balls of flame floating along behind her. With her glowing eyes, Shaa knew she was going to scare someone to death some day with her little witchy type looks.
That left Locke. Shaa knew he wouldn’t stay anyway, and the larger puller snorted with disdain towards the very notion of staying. Shaa knew he was pleased with his magic, but he would never utter a thanks, and turned without a word, leaving Shaa and Lissana alone to their devices.
With their so-called students gone, Shaa turned his attention to the cabin. Locke had done a number to it. The door was gone, there was no hope to reattach that shredded hunk of wood. Long gashs from both his normal and his metal claws scored into everything from the floor to the walls and the furniture. A whole mounted cabinet was in pieces on the floor.
Shaa stepped gingerly to see what further damage the other male had done. Broken glass was pushed aside with claws as he moved further in. The flowers Lissana had picked that morning were wilted on the floor, crushed into a torn carpet.
The puller had spared nothing in the main rooms. In the future, Shaa would have to just block the cabin out of any visitor’s minds to save any future damage.
The worst damage wasn’t evident to him right away, until he felt an overwhelming amount of emotions fighting to be the strongest. Whipping his head around, fighting back tears, his glowing eyes landed on his elf companion.
He had always been extra sensitive to her in their bond, and his magic explained that after it manifested. He could feel every little bit, and it took much of his concentration to block it out some days. After the work he put in today, there was no way he could stop the floodgates.
Sorrow. Fury. Terror.
He had to pick through them all to figure out what was going on. Lissana was not actively blocking him out of their bond, but he had to stretch with his magic to help see what he needed to see as her mind was in turmoil, the emotions and thoughts giving him whiplash as he examined them.
Lissana spent most of her life on the run, alone. Having a place to call home, to have belongings, was a wonderful feeling. To see them destroyed only crippled her, made her feel like she didn’t deserve happiness. Had she done the right thing by settling in with him and not continuing her life as it had been?
Anger was easy to understand. Locke had been sent here to get his magic sparked, and it worked. While he had destroyed the material things before it got sparked, the male didn’t say thanks, didn’t apologize, didn’t have any sort of gratitude. It made the drow wish to put an arrow between his eyes. She had felt happiness here in this house with Shaa, and seeing him treated this way only upset her further.
The fear that was rapidly growing stronger was harder to pinpoint. She didn’t have a chance at hiding things from Shaa, both with their bond and his magic, but she tried. Her mental barriers shattered easily though in this moment of weakness, and Shaa delved deeper.
The claw marks reminded her of old scars, both literally and figuratively. She had been tortured in her youth for not conforming to the ideals of her kind. Many of her scars were from whips, or bladed weapons, but others were from the claws of creatures that were set upon her. Creatures that very well may have been reoseans, or were twisted through time and magic to become them in her mind's eye.
Aww shit.
Shaa had no idea how the elf had ever had the guts to approach him in the first place. How she had hidden this from him for so long. They were bonded, he saw everything. He did try to respect her privacy, but today was not the day.
Today he needed to fix this.
Sleep.
The word came into their thoughts, both as a command, and a magical push. He dashed to her side, debris and sore paws be damned, to catch her as she fell. Grateful the bedrooms hadn’t been touched, he gently guided her to the one he usually slept in, curling her up in his favorite cushions. She reached for him, and he dragged over a pillow for her to cuddle, knowing if he let himself embrace her hold, he wouldn’t be able to do what needed to be done.
The nightshade vayron was exhausted, and wanted nothing more than to sleep besides the elf. He curled up next to her, getting comfortable while he sunk into his own mind, blocking out everything else besides them.
Dream.
The command pulled dreams from the depth of her mind. The dreams weren’t pleasant, just as he expected. Those bad memories were pulled to the forefront, right where he could combat them.
And combat them he did. The purple male inserted himself into every single bad memory, every dream, altering her perception of them. He was her protector, fighting back her mental demons. He couldn’t change the past, but he could make it so it didn’t hurt as much.
He had to make her remember him every time those bad memories came up. He was a grounding point in her life. Maybe next time something shitty happened, she wouldn’t be so scared because she will remember he will be there anytime he could, helping to fight away her pain.
Satisfied she was dreaming soundly with him to fight in her dreams, he pulled himself out of the magic partially to become more aware of his surroundings.
There was no way he could fix the house before she awoke, even if he forced her to sleep for days. He wouldn’t - that would be unhealthy. He could alter her perception of the cottage, make it look fixed, make her believe it was fixed, but he didn’t want to lie to her.
He heard a commotion from outside, and he panicked. He sent out his awareness again, determined to give the cottage an illusion of wholeness; he didn’t need any scavengers taking advantage of the disarray, or someone like Locke coming back to finish the job.
When his mind touched those outside, he counted four vayrons, two male, two female. The females were strangers, but the males…speak of the devil, someone like Locke with fire who already tried to attack his damn cottage was right.
Narrowing his eyes, Shaa stalked outside, his feline tail whipping agitated.
“I don’t know what you think you’re doing here but if you expect to do more damage, you have another thing coming. My magic has only gotten stronger and I will trap you in a hellish dimension within your own minds so I dare you to make me.”
“Aww hell, calm down Shama-drama-llama. We just wanted to have a lovely chat and you pull this stunt.” Green Goblin stood outside in all his tobiano garish glory, probably the friendliest face of the group. Well at least at the moment, the rest looked far more intimidated by
“Gobby, he looks busy, perhaps we should go?” The speaker was a sparkling blue and white opal lady, and if she was Gobby’s girl that Blake teased him about, well, Shaa had no clue how he managed to get someone so far out of his league. It was really impressive.
The other two were a red female, accented with white and black, and then Blake himself, the grumpy barred male already scrunching up his nose at the smell of Lissana around. Still, that didn’t stop the small look of concern in the male’s eyes, if only for a second.
“Geeze, you keep some rough friends. You sure he’s safe?”
It was the red puff tailed female that spoke, a soft whisper that Shaa shouldn’t have been able to hear, but everyone had their minds wide open - at least to him. He had noticed how much his magic only grew stronger with each passing day, surpassing some of the talents he and Lissana had read about as they tried to help him overcome the overwhelming sensation when they first bonded. He also contemplated the female, having to look at her twice to get the swirling image of someone he once loved out of his head, reminding himself they were not the same.
“Some other fire starter like dear old Blake here decided to destroy my house because I couldn’t get his magic to spark fast enough. I’m never taking on teaching again.” He scoffed and lashed his tail, but his glowing eyes relaxed. It seemed to him that this group wasn’t here to cause him trouble, and after how he last saw Blake, that was exactly how he expected their next meeting to go.
It was the opal who seemed kindest, and Shaa poked a bit further into her head to at least catch her name. Liviera. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. Shaa usually wasn’t above asking for help, but his pride was wounded, his nerves were shot, and he was developing a killer migraine as he managed as much as he did while still influencing Lissana’s dreams.
Perhaps it made him lowly, but he placed a suggestion into her mind, and coming from her, it might work better than if he flat out asked himself. She was a kind soul, and he saw she was a medic, the kind of person to care for others. See, when he saw this group, an idea poked into his head, one that seemed to make sense to him.
“Hey guys, maybe we could see if we can help?” Coming from the opal, the question seemed natural, and he breathed a small sigh of relief that no one questioned it.
“If Shamwow doesn’t bite our heads off first.” Shaa knew Goblin was joking, even still, he stopped his tail thrashing and tried to look less intimidating, doing his best to let what short fur he had lay flat and he even squinted his eyes a bit to allow less of the glow out. Blake had yet to speak and that worried him to some extent.
Rolling his eyes, the dark purple male stepped back into the house.
“If you really want to help, you should see what you’re signing up for first.”
Lissana stirred in her sleep, and he brought down his magic once more to calm her. She didn’t need to wake up yet, not with so many others here. Not when the sight of her had made Blake go nuts in the first place.
Speaking of, while the other three cautiously ventured closer to see what was up with his cabin, Blake stood still outside. Shaa realized this might be an opportunity he had to take.
Letting the others take a look at the damage, he put up some heavy suggestions in their mind to not venture further in so that they wouldn’t bother his elf companion, and he padded back outside to approach the barred male.
He clearly had a limit, for when Shaa got too close for Blake’s comfort, the yellow male took a step back, so Shaa stopped.
“Glad to see you’re well.”
Blake ignored the statement, and nodded towards the cottage. “It still in there?” Shaa wanted to bristle at him calling Lissana an it, but after learning what little he did from Goblin about Blake’s past, Shaa could almost forgive him.
“She’s in a magically induced sleep. She won’t wake until I let her.”
Blake just made a soft sound, a scoff perhaps, but Shaa couldn’t be too sure.
“Sham-wow, You’ve got a mess on your paws. I don’t think these ladies understand the depth of the destruction. Care to share?”
Shaa turned around to see Goblin standing in the entrance, the females flanking him. Both girls looked confused at the statement, and Shaa just sighed. He closed his eyes for only a moment, and pulled up the memory of the house before, projecting the image into their minds so that when they looked around, it superimposed over the destroyed parts of the house, almost like an illusion that wasn’t fully formed.
The way they reacted, both awed and stiffening, it only instilled in them the danger he was, clearly made stronger by his magic to pull off as much as he had already. Shaa had long ago stopped being upset by the judgment of others, but seeing it from the partners of some of the only reos he considered his friends, that hurt, and he winced.
“Ladies, why don’t you go with Grumpy-Gills over there and head into town. It’s a bit away, Shaniqua likes his privacy after all, but you should be able to get nails and paint and lumber and things. I’ll see what we can salvage.” Goblin tossed a bag at Blake, who caught it. The coin contents inside rattled, and Shaa recognized the bag as one of his own, likely taken while Goblin stepped through the house. He didn’t mind much really.
“You’ll be okay by yourself?” The sparkling opal spoke, concern in her eyes.
“Of course. Shamu wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Shaa turned away, not wanting to listen anymore as the girls hustled Blake away. He wasn’t sure how to feel. Getting their help didn’t seem like such a good idea after all.
“You can leave too. I got this.”
Goblin had the audacity to look hurt, and the larger puller pushed Shaa towards the house. “Nonsense, let’s get working.
Goblin for once in his life, was not as obnoxious as Shaa remembered. Perhaps his new girlfriend had mellowed him out, or perhaps he knew how frayed the misty runner’s nerves were and was considerate of them for once. Either way, the two males worked on clearing up the house. They removed broken furniture and doors, put aside cooking supplies and trinkets into what was useable and what needed replacing, and cleaned what they could, using brooms and even Goblin’s tail at one point to clean up debris and splinters. It left the cottage feeling strangely empty, and that triggered an ache in the runner’s chest like he hadn’t fully experienced before.
“Dude, don’t humanoids need to, you know, uhh eat? Her stomach is making weird noises.”
Shaa hadn’t thought about that, but he really didn’t want to wake her. Things would be better if he just let her sleep while the cottage was fixed, but it would take longer than was reasonable - Lissana also had to eat and probably stretch and do other things too.
With a sigh, he concluded he would have to wake her. But he could do this easier. He pulled on the illusion of the cabin once more, tricking the mind into seeing it as it should be, no faint images this time. He pressed down on her mind, sending out as many calming and peaceful feelings as he could, and pulled her from her magically induced sleep.
There was still pain behind her eyes when they opened, but he seemed to be holding the worst at bay with his magic. What he had forgotten to do with his mental illusions was hide the fact that the pain in the ass puller was here, whose presence spooked Lissana when she noticed him, and Shaa had to push forward with more tranquil feelings to prevent her from going back to square one.
“You remember Goblin, he’s a friend and he came to visit.” Shaa purposely left out that Blake had been here too, if Lissana thought too hard on their last meeting, perhaps she might remember the flames at their door, and he’d had to knock her out once more as she made the connection to the other firebug that had been here and destroyed their home.
Lissana seemed to pay him no mind, squinting at the green male, and at the room they were in. She got him and left swiftly, coming to stand in their little kitchen, looking around with a displeased expression that bordered on a scowl.
“Stop lying to me.”
She spoke out loud, and while perhaps Goblin might not understand her words, Shaa could due to their bond. Not that he bothered translating for the green and white vay.
“I’m not lying.”
“There’s no way you’d have let me be unconscious long enough to fix all this. Drop the magic.”
“Lissana-”
“Don’t Lissana me, drop it.”
Shaa looked away, and the puller shrugged at him, unsure of what to do. With a sigh, Shaa pulled the image from her mind, letting her see the cottage as it was.
To be fair, it wasn’t as much of a mess as it was before; the house Goblin and Shaa had spent had cleaned it to some degree. Missing boards in the wall or cabinet doors, items that had been broken and removed, well, Shaa felt the same feeling of emptiness rise up in the drow elf. He also felt her negative emotions rise to the forefront again, and he hurried to tamper them down.
“No.”
Even Goblin stirred at that one. Clearly some words were universal.
“No?”
“Stop doing that Shaa. You aren’t helping.”
He snarled. Not helping? How was he not helping? Everything he had been doing had been to help her!
“Hiding things doesn’t make them better. Sometimes you have to feel the pain to get over it.”
Shaa felt like he had been slapped, and his jaw must have dropped because Goblin giggled a bit. His giggle turned into a full laugh when Shaa shot a look at him to shut him up.
“You’re an amazing mage. You have such control and mastery of your magic, this much I know. You could make me believe this place had never been broken. But sometimes, things need to be broken, because only then can they be made stronger.”
Be made stronger…
Shaa was stuck thinking on her words when he felt the presence of approaching vays. They were familiar, and expected, but what wasn’t expected was when he stuck his head out of the door was to see Blake pulling a cart piled much fuller than needed, an empty coin pouch hanging from a mischievous grin. Of course they would spend it all. Shaa glared at Goblin who only whistled innocently. Thankfully he and Lissana had money saved up in other places as well, and hopefully the other two thieves hadn’t found that yet.
Lissana also poked her head outside, and the barred reosean stopped. The red one stepped in front of him protectively, to which he snorted and pushed her aside. The opal groaned and jumped on the cart, hoping the extra weight would stall the pullre should he decide to charge. Clearly this little group knew him well.
After a few tense moments of silence, Blake finally spoke.
“Tell the human-thing I’m sorry about before. And I’m never apologizing again. And to stay like a good space away from me.”
Goblin laughed as Shaa relayed his words in a nicer manner. The girls seemed relieved, but curiously got the better of the glowing eyed male.
“What’s that about?”
Blake scoffed. “What. If she can put up with you, she can’t be that bad. Just don’t like ‘em and still don’t want ‘em near me.” His tail twitched in agitation, and Shaa felt the truth of it in his mind.
“Tell him he has nothing to apologize for. And that I’ll outlive him so I can be patient and abide by his rules.” Shaa grimaced but relayed the message, only causing Goblin to laugh harder.
“She’s got teeth! I like her!”
Blake rolled his eyes but finally resumed bringing the cart of supplies nearer. The red one, whom Shaa poked into her head to determine her name was Roma, stayed near to Blake, while Liviera bounded ahead to join Goblin in resuming their task of cleaning. Lissana joined the pair inside, lending her hands where she could, while Shaa remained with the more volatile male outside as the two worked on unloading the cart. Blake seemed a little more like his usual self, if not more guarded, while giving Shaa shit about his strength in comparison to the puller.
With guidance, and the partial mental illusion that Shaa put back together, the reos were able to get to work putting boards where they belonged, cutting them down to size with tools hauled from the shed, and hammering them in place. With the extra lumber, Roma had the idea to put together another addition to the house, a small room for the pair to expand seeing as the elf had more use for possessions with her hands and all, and the rooms that hadn’t been torn up were looking a bit crowded with some of the things that had acquired.
Lissana sorted through the items that had broken, making a list of things they’d need to buy next time they went to market, while directing Goblin and Livi to take the broken stuff to various piles; one for burning, one for trash, and one she might be able to craft things out of. She also dug into their meat storage to find piles of caribou jerky, and setting it to boil in the largest undamaged pot she could find, rehydrating it. She tossed in some extra seasonings as well to help give it a bit better flavor, allowing the vays to have a decent meal for their efforts.
Blake had a bit of fun turning the burn pile into a bonfire, and the elf roasted marshmallows to hand out as well for a sweet treat.
Repairing the cottage would have taken Shaa and Lissana probably a week or more on their own. With help, the group got it done in a little over a day and a half. Was it perfect? No, but it was built with friends and memories and that’s what mattered. Shaa thought back on the elve’s words, and he agreed the cottage had been made stronger after breaking.
His friends by the end were ready to leave. While Shaa couldn’t blame them, and he enjoyed his own privacy, the thought made him sad too.
“Don’t worry. We’ll be back. We can go hunting again like old times! Oh! Or we can break into somewhere!”
“Goblin!” Livi was aghast but it made Shaa chuckle.
“I won't be back so just shove it.”
“Aww Blake, I just know that means you will be.” Shaa winked at him and got an eyeroll in return.
“Shamboni is becoming fluent in Blake-Speak!” Goblin exclaimed, earning a snarl from Blake as well.
“Besides, I’m from Warrenfall as well so we’ll be around.” Roma spoke, giving Shaa a shy smile.
Shaa reached into their minds again, conjuring up another illusion for them to see. They saw fireworks that weren’t there, and some were shaped in their bursts, giving his thanks through his magic. This of course prompted Goblin to tackle him, and it was a testament to his level of concentration and control over his magic that it didn’t break the mental image.
“Don’t worry about it man. And maybe you should visit us someday too!”
“Yeah, I think I’d like that.”
Perhaps their friendships had been made better for this as well, and the idea soothed Shaa as he watched them walk away.
The summer air was warm and filled with the festive chatter of patrons as they made their way around the fair. The Reos World Fair was definitely a big hit in Warrenfall where Melaena lived, she had finally worked up the courage and made her way there. She had tried to convince her friends that she would be fine alone but she was sure she had failed. Her pointed ears flicked back and forth as she looked around to see which attraction she would try first. Some were a bit too rambunctious for her and she started to get nervous as she stepped around a rather boisterous group of vayrons that were walking down the path. Her long flowing tail swished side to side, giving away her nervous energy. A gentle cool breeze moved between her ears and around her face, almost like a caress. She sighed in relief as she saw one of her dear friends, Banafrit, looking pale, her normally pinkish lavender color almost white with how translucent she was in the bright sunlight. So she had assumed correctly when she thought she hadn't convinced them and if Banafrit was here then the other two would be nearby as well but they knew how she felt about when she was around strangers and they were most likely trying to be as invisible as possible.
She smiled at the comfort she felt knowing her dear friends were with her and walked along where the gentle caresses guided her, knowing her friends would help and steer her true to something she could enjoy. She just hoped Avallach wasn't getting into any sort of mischief.
The sun felt warm on Qinglongs's skin as he walked between different stalls, he craned his head back and forth trying to see all the strange but yet vaguely similar items. Warrenfall was so different from his home of Vitalus, with its vibrant colors and sparkling beauty, but Warrenfall had its own verdant beauty. He had never seen so many different shades of green in all the flora and its smell was more subtle but intriguing with a lingering sweetness that he had never smelled before. A sound of laughter and cheers caught his attention and his long ears perked up. He turned his head towards the noise and his body started to follow but he stopped when he felt a tug on his right ear in the opposite direction he had been headed. He turned to look around but saw no one near enough to him to have tugged his ear. *How strange,* he thought to himself before he continued to walk towards the loud revelry but once again he was stopped. This time it was a tug on his long slender tail but in the same direction his ear had been tugged.
He stopped and slowly scanned his surroundings, again there was no one near him he almost seemed to be in a pocket of space with a buffer keeping other patrons a distance from him. He was no stranger to bizarre and unusual occurrences in his home of Vitalus where magic practically breathed in the very air. Something or someone obviously wanted his attention and he saw no harm in acquiescing to their request. He shrugged as he turned and began walking in the general direction of the tugs. Shortly after felt another tug, on his ear again this time, and just shook his head as he followed the 'guidance'. Whoever they were they sure were impatient, he sighed softly but inside his interest had been piqued. Surely something interesting had to be at his destination.
***
Shaa was more than thrilled when he heard that the children were free to go do their own thing and spend time at the fair. Their parents were here, and he didn’t have to be a babysitter. In fact, he was more than happy with the idea of staying in his nice cozy cabin, away from everyone else.
Lissana though made him come. She went with his friends and their families, and sent him mental images through their link about how much she missed him and what fun she was having. When he got a series of child like drawings of him winning her a prize at a vayron only game, he sighed and not so reluctantly agreed to come with, trailing behind while everyone else did their thing.
The dark purple vayron usually avoided others, his temper and dark appearance, combined with his glowing red eyes often scared others, giving him the space he desired. The fact people just wanted to climb on him at an event like this was more than a little frustrating.
Blake and Goblin took their runts elsewhere, with Roma and Livi assisting in kid corralling. It was a perfect opportunity for both dark creatures to slip away, so Shaa could better spoil his rider.
They were in the middle of a ball toss game when he felt a tug on his tail. He whipped his head around, expecting to find Vincent or Lencaster, only for there to be nothing around him. He squinted, wondering what sort of trick this was, and went back to his game. When he felt it again, Lissana too picked up on it through their bond, and they both frowned, puzzling at the spot.
Closing his eyes, Shaa took a deep breath and spread his awareness out through his mentalist magic. It was overwhelming with so many creatures in one place, but he honed in on those he was familiar with. The other budding mentalist was right there along with his parents - halfway across the fair and nowhere near where he could be trying to prank Shaa.
Coming back into himself, the dark vayron sensed a presence in his mind that he couldn’t see otherwise. Even once he opened his eyes, there was nothing, no scent, no trace, yet he could faintly feel the energy of another being right behind him.
A tiny thing, and it approached him. This time instead of a tug on his tail, one of his bangles slipped off, clattering to the ground. Lissana bent to retrieve the golden bracket, only for it to be dragged off, leaving a tiny dust trail in the dirt through the grass that dared try to survive among all the footfalls.
***
When Melaena entered the tent she didn't realize that the artist would be children. There were teenager humans and a few younger people that were walking around helping patrons become more festive for the fair. One girl was braiding sections of her long tail and adding beads and flowers to the braids. While a young boy, but talented artist for his age, was painting bright symbols and shapes on her black coat.
She wasn't so sure how she felt about all the added accessories and decorations that would bring more attention to her but Bana was there gently rubbing against her face in comfort when she wasn't inspiring the young boy on what shapes to paint. She knew the boy didn't realize he was being influenced by the spirit he couldn't see but Melaena wasn't worried about Bana harming the child and the boy probably thought he was coming up with the shapes on his own.
Off on the opposite side of the tent a tall bright blue runner with a green face stepped inside and stopped in his tracks. *Well this certainly wasn't what I had been expecting,* he thought to himself. After all the tugs, and he could have sworn he heard laughter a few times, that had guided him here he was sure that there would have been something more to this inauspicious tent than simply getting festive and dressed up for the fair.
A young human child walked up to him and led him over to an open spock that had all sorts of accoutrements. The child held up paints and ribbons to see if he was interested at all. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled as he simply shook his head, not sure what to do. Another child walked up with a few light weight scarf options and one with a koi fish print caught his eye. He nodded to the scarf and asked for it. The child smiled and reached up to wrap it around his neck. Qinglong took this time to look around some more and saw a slender black runner with a long papillon tail being painted, he could tell she looked a little uncomfortable with the whole process but she still smiled sweetly at the children. Maybe if she had the courage to let them paint on her he might try as well, after all he was at the fair to experience new things.
***
A tent advertising face and body paints, and costume pieces seemed to be the destination. Lissana dove to try to grab the bracelet, but missed, the bangle slipping through her fingers to roll into the tent. The two red eyed creatures looked at each other and shrugged, before heading in.
It was far more colorful inside the tent than even the rest of the fair somehow. Bits of paint and accessories were everywhere, boxes and crates, tables and more were filled to the brim. A few fairgoers were inside dressing up. Some were choosing their pieces themselves, while some human children used their delicate fingers to paint shapes and patterns on others. A bright blue and green vay was closest to the entrance, and somehow he wasn’t the most colorful thing in the place, not that it surprised Shaa none, he was getting accustomed to the fair being a place of color and dazzling sights.
What did surprise him was a darker shadow that moved a bit as she fidgeted. He didn’t catch her at first, and he cursed this fair. He wouldn’t dream of going normally without his magical awareness up, so a vay as dark as night shouldn’t surprise him. What did surprise him even more was her discomfort. If it wasn’t screaming in his head, he could tell clearly from her body language. What was she doing here in the first place if it made her this uncomfortable?
The blue fishscaled male also seemed to have noticed it; there was some concern on his face, and his surface thoughts told pretty much the same.
Resigned, Shaa couldn’t walk away now when he knew he could help. The drow elf placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling as she sensed his intentions.
Seeing his tail bracelet glittering gold on the floor, he glared at it, daring it to move again as he snatched it up.
“Ah ha, that’s where you rolled off to, you little bugger.” Drawing attention to himself, and off any discomfort anyone might be causing within the tent, he focused on sending out calming waves. First, he needed to soothe the female before she got too jumpy. Secondly, he needed to make sure the kids stayed calm so they didn’t excite her or get scared of her should she not keep a level head. Just because his magic wasn’t flashy, didn’t mean it was weak, and he smiled and he sauntered over to the painting tables.
“My dear, could you please translate to these poor souls that I love red and don’t even dream of painting anything pink on me, bleh.” He exaggerated his words, giving a grin with a fake gage at the end, flashing a wink at the female that was getting painted. Lissana understood him when he spoke due to their bond, and she conveyed his words with a little twist: totally put pink on him.
While she conversed with the kids and started to play with the paint herself, he nodded his head to those in the tent.
“My name is Shaa. If you ask the dorks in the fairgrounds that know me, they’d likely give you some variation. Sham-wow has been a frequently used one. This lovely elf here is Lissana.” He shuddered a bit when a glop of paint cut through his thin fur, cold as it was straight out of the bottle. His dark elf companion only snorted under her breath and continued to pile it on thick.
***
Melaena blushed as she dipped her head down and subconsciously tried to curl her long tail around her body but was stopped by a tug and a squeak of protest. She had forgotten about the girl braiding her tail and straightened it back out with a soft smile of apology. She wasn't used to positive interactions with her own species and his friendly manner and wink caught her off guard. She felt a gentle brush against her left shoulder and glanced down to see Nos floating near her *'There you are, where..'* Her thought speech was cut off when she felt a tug on her right ear. *'Valla, what sort of mischief have you gotten into now?'* She tried to have a stern tone of voice but all she got in response was a quiet laugh from him. She didn't really expect an answer and was simply happy to have all of her friends with her again.
Her eyes popped open wide and her head jerked back to the red vayron that had introduced himself as Shaa, *and she hadn't **totally** forgotten was still in front of her*. Her embarrassment felt no bounds, she ducked her head back down as she quietly spoke her name, "M-my name is Melaena."
Qinglong gave a gentle head nudge to the girl who had given him the scarf in thanks before he walked over to join the other vayrons in the tent. It would be good to socialize with some new vayrons, it would help enrich his experiences.
He smiled as he walked up to the red vayron and his rider, he made sure not to crowd the black female runner before he introduced himself, "Greetings, I am Qinglong. It is good to meet natives to this land, perhaps you would be willing to share its wonders with me."
***
Content his job was done, Shaa was considering just leaving after that, but his mind noticed sparks of mentality around the female, Melaena. He recognized the same feeling he felt before when trying to find the tag tugger, and he realized that whatever they may be, spirits or something else conjured by magic, they led him here, perhaps knowing he could help her. He already was considering how long his influence would last, and sighed inwardly.
You’re such a softie.
His glowing eyes narrowed just lightly at Lissana, chastising her for her mental comment, but with no real heat behind it. It was true. He tried to be rough and gruff, but he was a sucker for making sure others were okay.
“Well met to you as well Melaena, Qinglong.” He smiled but flinched as the elf put a glob of paint on his face, shaping it into a bright pink heart.
“I’m sure you’ll find that Warrenfall is an excellent place. I’m also sure that the fair has plenty of new things for all of us to experience within it.”
With the paint done, Shaa noticed he probably looked the most ridiculous of them all. The children did good blending in pretty colors and patterns into the dark female’s coat, while his own purples clashed with neon colors that Lissana and the kids were not ashamed of at all. Oh well, if it made others happy, he was fine with it.
He gestured to his two new companions to follow him out of the tent. “Come on, we have a lot we can go check out. Time for some fun.”
Shaa knew he would have to find something to help keep Melaena distracted and relaxed if he didn’t want to be using his magic constantly. Oh, he would use it for sure, using bits here and there to keep her calm and collected, but if he could avoid the constant magic drain that would exhaust him throughout the day, that would be a pleasure.
Qinglong seemed content to observe the sights. In conversation, he explained he was from Vitalus. The lack of crystals and floating islands, and just less magic overall made Warrenfall seem plain in comparison, but he seemed to find it pleasant anyway.
Shaa occasionally felt a tug on his fur or a little push from the beings he would sense around them. He still wasn’t sure what they were, but it was fascinating to say in the least. And they gave him an idea when they passed a booth that advertised a scavenger hunt.
He reached out to them mentally, touching their energy with his.
Help find this.
He implanted an image in their minds of the golden coin the fairgoers were tasked to find, and when he thought they might understand him, he voiced it out loud.
“How about a little fun hmm? A shiny bauble for us to find.” He gestured with a paw towards the picture, his brightly painted nails showing the way.
Lissana for one was not going to let this slide. Her sharp elf eyes were perfect for this sort of thing, and he knew this little game would kill a few birds with one stone; keep his companion entertained, and distract the dark female. The elf immediately went to work, not even waiting for the other’s responses, as she darted around to start looking.
“While we look, why don’t we share a bit about ourselves?”
***
At his attempt to reach out to the spirits, Avallach bristled a little in surprise at someone else having the ability to communicate with them and gave off a raspberry sound that was just barely audible right in front of Shaa’s face before he zoomed over to Melaena where he started to circle her head. Melaena tried not to twitch in response to his reaction as she mentally consoled him and checked with Banafrit and Dumnonos. They were both surprised as well but were behaving better than Valla, she knew the little prankster loved giving surprises but wasn’t so fond of receiving them. Melaena felt like Shaa kept staring at her even when he wasn’t physically looking at her and was a bit unnerved but was determined to try her best to have fun and not stand out.
“Um.. well I live in a misty valley away from other vayrons and humans, it is quite peaceful in my small hallow.” Melaena ducked her head down almost as if embarrassed at having said that much about herself, she wasn’t used to talking to others that didn’t already know her.
Qinglong tilted his head, “Wouldn’t that be lonely? I couldn’t imagine living all by myself, I am from a community that resides near a palace on the coast of Vitalus and there are always many people coming and going throughout the day.” He looked at the sign that Shaa pointed to before he regarded the red runner, “but I agree a scavenge hunt sounds like it would be lots of fun. Any suggestions on where we should start our search?”
***
At the raspberry sounds, Shaa chuckled. So they were more intelligent beings.
Sorry for startling you little ones.
“Not a clue honestly, but between your little trickster creatures, and Lissana, they should be able to get lower than we. It could be under or on something, it’s incredible where they put things like that.”
Shaa glanced around, hating the fact his vision was often tinted red from his eye’s glow. He enjoyed the red tint on the gold he wore, it just would make it harder to find gold in the fair, so he might have to rely on everyone else for this one.
“As for me, I’m Shaa, and I mentioned the elf is Lissana. We live in a cottage in the woods not too terribly far from here. It’s usually quieter but you know, the fair changes that. We take trips into town for supplies and to sell the things we hunt and craft, but enjoying nature is far more serene. It also helps with my head. Busy places like this often give me headaches, I blame the nature of my magic.”
He suspected the female wasn’t lonely with her critters around, whatever they were. Her misty valley sounded peaceful too. Quinglong though sounded like he was used to a lot more bustle of city life. Living near a palace seemed awfully busy, and expensive, and probably more luxurious than a little cabin in the woods.
“Both your places seem wonderful in their own ways. Nothing wrong with anyone’s way of life.”
***
Melaena gave him a slightly affronted expression, “they are not Creatures,” she said quietly but with strength to her voice that was normally lacking. She looked up at him through her lashes as her eyes flashed briefly. The spirits floating around her flickered and showed a hint of color, lavender one floated near her cheek, green circled her head and blue was floating in the air between her and and Shaa almost as if it was inspecting him. As the light dimmed in her eyes, so did the visibility of the spirits and they were once again invisible and the sudden strength left her demeanor. “They are my friends,” she whispered quietly as she tucked her head down to her chest, “But they would not mind helping us find the trinket.”
Qignlong looked around confused by the mention of creatures who were not creatures. He wondered if one of them had been whatever was tugging on his tail and ears and had led him to the tent where he first met Melaena and the others. He looked back and forth between the two other vayrons as he felt some sort of energy moving between the two of them.
“How about we head this way?” Qinglong asked as he gestured toward a path that was populated by many stalls that could act as hiding places. “I’m sure it would be a good place as any to start.” He looked at Lisanna with a smile before he gestured for her to accompany him as he began walking.
She fidgetted her feet, kicking at the dirt before she spoke again, “How did you know about them?” she looked up into his glowing eyes briefly before her eyes were downsact again. “Besides only Avallach likes to play tricks, Banafrit and Dumnonos are better behaved than that,” she muttered almost to herself before she decided to follow slowly behind Qinglong.
***
Frowning, Shaa quickly backtracked. “I apologize, I didn’t know what they were, or what to call them. I couldn’t see anything physically, so I could only go off what my mind told me.”
He nodded to Qinglong’s suggestion, and the group followed his lead. Lissana poked in and out, checking to see if they found anything yet, before ducking back off again. Through their bond, she need not worry about getting too far; she could easily find them.
Considering his words carefully, as he knew his sort of magic scared people, he weighed his options.
“It’s part of that magic I mentioned. I could sense them. I hear thoughts and feel the presence of those that are intelligent and can communicate through that. Thus the headaches. You listen to a crowd of people’s thoughts all day long. I unfortunately am cursed with having a nice strong mind. Bonding with Lissana was total hell, I was one hundred and ten percent fully aware of everything from both bodies.”
They needn't know about the other things he could do. Locking people inside their own minds and experiencing whatever reality he wanted was scary. Influencing their emotions of others to feel what he fancied, think what he desired, and serve his every whim while making it seem like their idea was not something you opened up to people you might want to be friendly with. That sort of power could topple empires, and he had no reason to call out the level of his power just yet.
He thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye, but his dratted vision didn’t help. He touched the fishscaled male’s rump, pointing out in the direction he thought. He figured touching him for attention would be the smarter choice than the female, who was very jumpy.
“To be fair, I think that whatever they are, they are good friends to you. They brought us here out of concern for your wellbeing.”
***
Qinglong looked back when he felt a touch on his back and saw Shaa gesture in a direction, the runner must have spotted something so he went to investigate. He trotted over to a dusty looking shelf that was crammed between two heavily decorated stalls. It looked like it didn't get much attention as it was mostly in the shadows and quite dusty. A layer of grime coated most of the surface except for one corner of the bottom shelf way in the back.
He crouched down to get a closer look, his chest was practically resting on the ground as he stretched out his neck and twisted his head sideways. *How the heck had Shaa managed to spot something way down here?* The shelf wasn't easy to reach in the narrow space, his butt was high in the air and wiggled as he tried to get closer. There! A glimmer of something gold! His long Reptile Tail started to whip back and forth in his excitement and was added to his butt wiggle as he wormed his way closer to the shelf. It never occurred to him to ask help from the elf till he was halfway crammed into the tiny space, no turning back now.
Melaena blushed in embarrassment, she felt a bit ashamed over her reaction to his simple comment, she had a weak spot when it concerned her friends. She nodded her head in agreement to Shaa's comment, "Yes they are dear friends, and have been with me since I was a pup." She looked up at him quickly as they paused while Qinglong searched a spot, then glanced down as she continued. "I have always had the ability… to speak with spirits." She winced as if waiting for a disgusted reaction and when one didn't come she looked up at him in surprise. "Part of why I live alone is because my home village cast me out, they thought I was a bad omen and would bring evil down on them. Banafrit, Avallach, and Dumnonos have been my only true friends."
A bit uncomfortable with sharing so much of herself with a practical stranger, she glanced around to see if Qinglong had found anything when a burst of surprised laughter escaped from her mouth like the sound of tinkling chimes, soft and melodious. The sight of Qinglongs blue butt and tail waving in the air was too much for her.
*** Shaa too couldn’t help but laugh at Qinglong’s predicament. Lissana ran over to see if her slender arms could help, but the bulk of his body had taken up the shelf, and he was on his own.
Seeing the female’s embarrassment, Shaa’s glowing eyes turned on her, taking her in. “You know, there’s nothing wrong with whatever it is you can do. I got some who think I’m a demon over my eyes alone.” he glanced around to make sure no one else was in earshot before continuing. “My magic is pretty powerful, when others find out the full extent of it, they tend to avoid me. I often scare people away on purpose, either through influencing their thoughts, or with my claws, so I don’t have to face that sort of rejection. You’re safe with me, and I’m sure butt in the air over there would also agree. He seems like the pleasant sort.”
When the other male runner finally freed himself, returning triumphant with the golden coin, Shaa knew that group would likely be good for teamwork. Lissana danced around with excitement alongside the blue runner, who pranced on his toes
“Let's go turn that in, and I’m sure we’ll find something else to enjoy!”
Shaa was more than content doing simple things, but when Lissana pointed out some of the competitions at another end of the fair, he groaned inwardly, wondering what in the world she was going to get them into this time. The woman was probably older than all of them combined, yet acted like an excitable child when the fair came around.
“Oh come on, it’ll be fun!” She neglected to hide the imagery in her head of the group, especially Shaa, covered head to toe in mud, so he knew the real motivation behind it.
“Lissana wishes to watch us test either each other, or another group by seeing who can drag the others in a mud puddle.” He tried to make it as unappealing as he could, but looking at the other male who just wanted to experience as much as he could, Shaa realized he might be outnumbered here. Warrenfall had grass and rain and mud and trees, and mud was one of those things that may be in other places, but was def an uhh, experience perhaps.
The dark purple reosean pointed with a tail towards the areas where tug of war pits were set up. He wondered if perhaps Melaena’s spirit friends would be useful at all, considering he wasn’t sure how strong they would be. Tickling and distracting an opponent wouldn’t be a terrible plan though. Perhaps he didn’t have to get full of mud.
***
Qinglong looked in the direction that Shaa pointed and was intrigued by the tug of war competitions he could see. There were a few that were quite obviously mismatched with a tyrian on one side vs a couple runners, but not all of the matches were so unbalanced and the thought of testing his merit of strength intrigued him.
He looked towards the rest of their group and smiled, “Come on, I think it would be loads of fun and I wonder who our opponents would be.” His tail perked up with the tip curling back towards his body almost making a circle shape. He gently nudged Melaena with his paw, “ I’m sure even you would enjoy it a bit,” his huge grin practically split his face as his energy level seemed to increase.
Melaena looked up at Qing and was a bit put off by his energy at first, she wasn’t used to people being that happy and energetic around her. They usually just shunned and ignored her or gave her their hatred. She looked at Shaa and Lissana to see how they reacted to Qinglong’s energy level and found that Lissana seemed to have her own high energy and was raring to go whereas Shaa was more mellow. She had to admit that she had never participated in a tug of war and it might be fun.
She looked at her friends, what do you guys think? Should we give it a try? Bara floated closer and rubbed against her cheek, If you want to give it a try I think it sounds fun. Valla whipped around the group of vayrons before circling Shaa. I think this one might have some fun ideas so I am game, he chuckled mischievously before he moved back towards Melaena. Nos merely floated quietly near her back as he watched everyone around them.
Melaena garnered strength from her friends' support and looked at Qinglong with a shy smile, “I think it sounds fun, I have never participated in a tug of war before.
***
Clearly outnumbered, the older male sighed and smiled softly. He wasn’t really that upset, and the expression on his face only told so.
“As you all command.”
He led the way over to the sign up tent, where the small group put down their names and awaited a team. Eventually, they were matched up with a similar group, who had a puller, a runner, and a couple of humanoids. It would prove to be an interesting match for sure.
Shaa found that the energy from Lissana and Qinglong was contagious, and he bounced on his paws a little when they geared up to go. He wasn’t going to let himself get full of mud if he could help it, and had sensed that the little spirits of Melaena’s were as excited for mischief as he was.
I wonder if any of you could trip up one of our opponents? Blow in their ears? Tug their tails and fur? Splash some mud in their eyes? Make them sneeze?
He wasn’t a thief for nothing, an assassin, a sneaky and dark character. There was a reason people had their doubts about him; Shaa played into all the stereotypes. Not that he minded. The dark purple vay smirked as he thought of all the ways they could win this.
You’re such a cheater.
Lissana laughed in his mind and he chuckled back through their bond. She was just as bad as him, and had no room to talk, but this game they played was rather normal for them.
Melaena took a spot towards the rear, while Qinglong popped in front, leaving Shaa sandwiched in the middle, with Lissana at the very end.
***
Valla floated around the opponent team as Melaena and her new friends took their positions on their side of the rope. This was going to be fun, he thought as he moved back next to Bara and Nos. 'So, are we going to help them win?' He chuckled as Nos sighed at his antics but Bara giggled and chirped in, 'I'm game, let's do this.'
Melaena couldn't help giggling herself at the spirits' antics, she was hopeful to win but wasn't sure of their success. She looked at the muddy rope a little skeptically before grabbing it with her front paws. Her long tail, she moved off to one side away from the rope for fear her many long hairs would get tangled with it. Nos hovered near her face as he sent her feelings of encouragement while the other two picked out their targets.
"Ready guys?" Qinglong called out to the others. His blood was pumping, his energy was high and he was raring to go. He wrapped the rope around his left shoulder and arm before he gripped it with his teeth, and for added measure he coiled his long reptile tail around the rope as well. They would win this if he had any say about it but even if they didn't he was sure it was going to be fun!
A referee walked up to their area and looked over the two teams, "Ready teams?", they lifted a checkered flag into the and on their downward swing shouted "Pull!"
***
Grabbing the rope with his tail was a smart idea, and Shaa had to giggle as he picked up the thoughts of the spirits. His own tail he considered wrapping around, but it didn’t have the grip as the other male had.
Lissana went full on body mass, tying the rope around her midsection , bundling up some cloth so that it wouldn’t bite into her. He worried it would hurt her, but she assured him she’s done crazier things in her life.
He almost missed the whistle that signaled them to pull. He dug his paws into the dirt - it already had the grass and anything with any grip ripped away from past contestants, giving him nothing extra to grip onto. He sensed two of Melaena’s spirits over on the other team, although just what they were doing was beyond him.
He realized he could potentially influence this a bit his own way too. He concentrated on his teammates, inspiring strength and confidence in them all, perhaps a bit more than the dark female was used to, and he hoped it didn’t startle her. Qinglong immediately perked up, seeming to pull all the harder for it.
Perhaps cheating, but the male sent out some of his magic to the other team too. A few of them were just starting to feel so sleepy. He couldn’t affect them all without looking suspicious, but maybe a couple.
***
Shortly after the match started Melaena was resolved with having to hold the rope in her mouth, she just wasn’t able to keep a very good grip and pull backwards at the same time. So she hunkered down, wrapped the rope around one of her forearms and gripped it in her mouth. She was finally able to successfully help their team though it seemed Qinglong was giving them the brunt of the pull for the team, he seemed to get a boost of energy from nowhere as he slowly helped them inch the little red flag closer to their line.
Qinglong was getting overly confident in his ability to lead their team to victory when his foot caught a soft patch of dirt and it slid out from under him. He was able to recover quickly but they still lost ground and the flag was much closer to the opposing team's side. If they were going to win it was going to be a long and hard struggle to get there.
Valla decided he was going to mess with the opponents puller, being as it was probably the main strength for their team, he flew closer and blew cold air into the pullers ears before he flew spirals around their neck and body before tickling between their legs as he flew under their tail, giving it a tug.
Bara decided to play with one of the humans, she moved close to their face before she started to tug on their hair in different directions and then pinched their booty which elicited a shocked squeak from the human.
***
Shaa almost immediately started to see the results of Melaena’s spirits. While Qinglong was starting to slip in the mud, their opponents were struggling more, getting distracted. If one didn’t know better, they might think the team was being harassed by a swarm of biting flies. Which very well might be the effect the spirits were going for.
Seeing them distracted, Shaa urged his team to pull with his mind, and the flag slowly inched closer to their side. Both his new companions and Lissana were trying their hardest, and when they landed flat on their rear ends, there was a wave of disappointment thinking they had lost, only to realize they had succeeded in covering the other team with mud.
The elf jumped around with glee, cheering and tangling herself further in the rope, which Shaa gently untangled her from. He could feel the spirit’s smugness, and he grinned in spite of himself. The three vays were becoming quite the companions, and Shaa actually was looking forward to spending more time with them.
Qinglong was walking with his new group of friends after the tug of war event. He had thoroughly enjoyed the game, when his stomach suddenly growled loudly and he stopped as he blushed In embarrassment.
Melaena's ears perked up as she heard his stomach grumble a second time. She giggled quietly as she saw him blush a darker green to his cheeks.
"I guess that took more energy out of me than I thought," he grinned at the group.
Melaena looked at the others before looking back to Qinglong, "I could do with a bite to eat myself, I admit I was a bit too nervous to eat breakfast this morning before I left to come to the fair." She dipped her head down shyly before she looked back at the others.
Qinglong smiled before he started to look around, "I know there are plenty of food stalls but I wonder if there is somewhere we can sit down to eat?"
***
Shaa was also growing hungry, and while Lissana was intent on seeing all of the fair, he knew he would have to pull her down and make her eat like a child otherwise she’d skip a meal or two to have fun. “I think I saw some tables somewhere.” He closed his eyes and spread out his awareness, touching the minds of those around him in a radius until he found someone he was looking for. Another vay was contemplating the area, and he saw the benches in his mind’s eye. Smiling and letting the glow from his eyes shine, he pointed off in another direction. “There’s some tables that way built to accommodate humanoids and reoseans.”
Qinglong led the way, clearly letting his stomach take control, and Melaena followed behind, giggling. As luck would have it, it was Qinglong who took the brunt of the attack Shaa hadn’t seen coming.
His face was dripping with ice cream as the group had walked right in the middle of a food fight.
“I swear I hadn’t seen this coming! Take cover!” He yelped, ducking behind a stall. Lissana though had different plans. “Oh yes!” She picked up a handful of stray fries, and with deadly accuracy, tossed them back into their attacker’s face. She was scary with her daggers and her bow, Shaa should have guessed she would be scary with anything really.
***
Melaena squeaked before she ducked down behind a table, her rump was slightly in the air with her long fluffy tail curled around her face. Valla zoomed up to a higher vantage point as more food continued to fly in the air, *Whoa… this should be entertaining*. He laughed before he took off into the fray to check out the action.
Bara ducked down with Melaena to be her lookout and try to encourage her to join in. Melaena's pale purple eyes looked out from behind her tail hair, she knew flying food wasn't scary but it had caught her by surprise. With Bara's help she was able to slowly make her way towards a table that had some food she could use to throw back at the ones that were lobbing food at them.
Vos decided he would try and help warn Qinglong who was pinned down behind a stall. He would gently tug on his fur to tell him the direction a volley of food was coming from so he could dodge it.
Qinglong felt the tugging again that he had felt when he was first exploring the fair and decided to follow its guidance as so far it hadn't led him wrong. He soon learned that one tug meant the coast was clear and two tugs meant an incoming projectile.
Using the unknown guidance he was able to weave his way mostly unscathed and found an arsenal of his own that he used to return fire, laughing as he did so. He quite enjoyed this food fight.
***
Shaa wasn’t usually one for nonsense, but even seeing Melaena and Qinglong dive headfirst into it, he knew he couldn’t be the old stick in the mud.
He was old, a few more years and he couldn’t do stuff like this anymore, but for now, for now he might as well enjoy it while he could.
Shaa knew he was going to have to be sneaky for this one. In the light of the fair, his dark pelt really stood out, and his glowing eyes made him an even better target. Plus with his gold jewelry, well he was just asking for it.
He sent out his magic again, this time touching the minds of those throwing food that weren’t his new friends.
Forget me.
The fair goers did just that as he seemed to vanish from their minds. Perfect. Lissana caught what he was doing, and while he offered to do the same for her, she shook her head, the dark elf enjoyed the challenge.
He slunk around, avoiding the thrown food while gathering ammo for himself. The problem with not being seen, is well, he might be right in someone’s trajectory without knowing it. Whoops.
***
Qinglong hopped up and quickly lobbed a big gloopy handful of food in the spot he had last thrown it at an opponent but felt three tugs too late. He was confused for a second because his helper had not done that number before but soon found out what it meant as his volley spattered against Shaa's hide. Qinglong stopped with his mouth slack and his arm extended as he watched the food drip off of Shaa's right shoulder. His bright blue coat made him an easy target as he stood still and was soon pelted by different pieces of food and he laughed quite boisterously as he fell over to try and avoid anymore successful hits.
He hoped Shaa wouldn't be too mad about the friendly fire as he wiped a bit of chillyifrom his cheek. He looked around to see if he could find the others and saw Lissana nimbly dodging food thrown at her and using the same movement to return fire. It was almost like she was dancing and Qinglong was amazed by her grace. He turned to wipe off more food and saw Melaena staring between him and Shaa with her paws over her mouth.
Melaena couldn’t believe Qinglong had hit Shaa, she was shocked and surprised but then she started to giggle uncontrollably. Shaa looked quite silly with the food dripping off of his shoulder and then Qinglong ended up being covered in food as well and all he did was laugh. She plopped onto the ground as she continued to giggle loudly.
Who knew playing with food could be so fun and she was glad she had made some new friends. They had made what could have been a terrible experience quite joyous and entertaining.
***
His magic had worked too well as his concentration was wavering as the day went on. He accidentally wiped himself from his companions as well, and the dripping food just proved it.
He slack jawed gaped at the blue male who was just laughing his butt off. Oh so that's how it's gonna be? Grinning, Shaa lobbed a volley of his own at Qinglong, and lemonade soon dripped down his legs. He then tossed a powdered sugar funnel cake like a Frisbee at Melaena. He smiled before turning to grab more food; there were no friends in this war.
He was perhaps the only one who was going to be able to hit the elf, and if he was gonna come out of this messy, she would too. She tried to block him out, but due to their bond, there was no way she had any chance of success. He could predict her movements almost before she made them, and landed a mustard covered corn dog on her. Her shriek turned into vinegar fries being tossed at him, and he knew his pelt was going to smell the rest of the day.
He could feel his new friend's joy in his mind. Both of them really seemed to be happy. If he knew that was all it took, he'd have started tossing food a while ago!
***
Qinglong yelped midlaugh as Shaa returned the fire and launched food and drink at him. He wondered if he would be able to land another hit on the sneaky male now that he was actually trying to. He couldn't help laughing continually as he ducked for cover, he knew it would give away his position but he was just having too much fun.
He whooped in excitement as he stood up and threw some cheese fries at Shaa, only to be pegged with some ice cream. He turned to look where it came from and saw Melaena with her paw stretched out from the throw. She looked almost surprised that she had thrown food at him but quickly snapped out of it as her right ear twitched and glanced in that direction.
Qinglong took advantage of her distraction and threw a corn dog covered in ketchup at her. As it flew in the air towards her, her head jerked back to look in his direction only to have the corn dog smack her right between the eyes. It stuck there for a moment before it slid down her nose, leaving a red streak behind almost like a blood trail. Whoops… he thought as her expression changed from shock to a determined look with a Glint in her eye that did not bode well for the cleanliness of his coat.
Melaena wiped the ketchup off of her face with her left paw before she grimaced at the red stain it left on her white toes. Oh he was so gonna pay for that, she thought. She sent out a call to her friends that was like an energy pulse in the air. Valla stopped in mid motion as he was reaching to pull on some of Shaa's hair and looked at Melaena. 'Uh oh, this couldn’t be good' He moved towards her, answering her call.
Bara was slowly circling Melaena’s head, she was mirroring her emotions and didn't answer Nos's inquiry when he joined them. Valla joined shortly after and looked to Nos, 'What triggered this? I thought we were all having fun.' Nos just gave the equivalent of a shrug as he watched Bara continue to float in circles above Melaena’s head.
The three spirits didn't realize that they were becoming more visible to the naked eye because they were always able to see each other clearly. Bara was a pale lavender, Valla was a soft green, and Nos was a light blue and all of them were gently glowing. The air around Melaena began to ripple with energy which caused a minor wind current to move the hairs on her tail.
The energy was calling to something, from out of the clumps of plants and nature that surrounded the fair and lay interspersed throughout, small opaque orbs with misty tendrils trailing off of them. They were slowly, almost shyly, moving away from their hiding spots and moving towards Melaena and once they reached her they would circle her, riding on the energy pulses.
Melaena's pale lavender eyes had started to softly glow as she smirked, "Let the fun begin." Her voice echoed hauntingly in the air around her, the notes fading in and out of hearing.
Shaa eventually left his new companions as they split ways for the day. Qinglong and Melaena were good reos, and he enjoyed their company, but as the day went on, they all decided to start heading home, or find new friends.
There was nothing wrong with that really. Shaa had left his own companions some time back and it was probably time to go track them down again and find them. Shaa also had to find a place to bathe. That last food fight he was in was totally messy. When Melaena brought her spirits into it, there was no winning against that assault. Even Lissana didn’t escape being covered, and she had sticky jam from someone’s sweet treats all over her clothes, but she smiled and laughed it off. The only downside was the heat. They had wandered into a part of the fair that was tied to Thedale, and the sugar turned to goo and slime, coating them with dust from the sand that just would not wipe off.
Surprisingly, when Shaa reached out his mind to look for his companions, he found them quite quickly with his magic, as the group wasn’t terribly far. Well, at least two of them were. Roma and Livi seemed to have taken the kids further in, maybe for some food or something, with Blake and Goblin were nearby. In fact, he had only pay attention to his ears to find them, as they were arguing or something or other, and he hadn’t needed his magic after all.
Lissana too caught they were nearby and she hung back when Shaa started walking towards them. The elf knew Blake was getting better with humanoids, not great but at least he was no longer trying to burn down buildings at the sight of them (else he might not be at a fair that had plenty of them walking around), but there was no use poking the bear. She would stay quiet unless addressed.
***
“Why do I have to clean it up?? I didn't put it there. Blake, someone else dropped all that garbage over there. If you're so worried about it why don't you find who did it or better yet do it yourself huh?” Goblin spat towards his yellow friend.
The amount of garbage around the fair was piling up, but it wasn't his fault. The fair had been going on for hours, probably days, he honestly wasn't sure. He doesn't keep track of time anymore if he's being honest the days just blur together at this point. Don't they have a clean up crew or something?
The green puller was admittedly lazy at this point in time. He didn't want to clean up after anyone else but himself or Liviera. Yet here the large male was, dealing with his companion’s nagging at him to clean it up. He grumbled to himself and stalked away from Blake to find someone else who could possibly clean the mess instead of himself.
The male trudged forward with a stern expression on his face. ‘Oh do this Goblin, do that, clean that up, do all this’ he groaned to himself. He had been looking at the ground until he bumped into a slightly smaller object. Glancing down at the form in front of him he let out a shocked noise.
“Ayeeee Shamalamadingdong what are you doin here!??” The large puller exclaimed excitedly. His previous grumpy mood instantly faded away at the sight of his favorite cantankerous runner.
He spotted Lissana hanging back behind Shaa, he could tell she was trying to stay away so as to not push Blake too much. ’We definitely don't need Blake getting any more fired up than he already is. Maybe seeing Shaaniqua will help cool him off a bit and distract him’ he thought with a roll of his eyes.
***
Blake groaned at the incoming presence of the glowing eyed vay they all loved and adored. Yes, loved and adored.
He snorted internally at that, knowing full well that Shaa could read it. Unfortunately for him, he’d had a couple lessons on mind crap from Roma’s adoptive dad that he could at least keep his secrets to himself. Mostly. Idle thoughts were harder for him to control, like those, but that’s just his personality and not really his problem if the bastard got offended by his offhand mind comments.
“Roma, seems my mutual friend has made his appearance yet again.” Blake sent the thoughts down their bond, waiting for her response.
Mere seconds later, all he got was a tinge of sympathy that was almost overwhelmed with amusement. Not surprising, that’s just how she is.
“What do you want Shaamala?” Blake drawled out, eyeing up the trash that was slowly piling up.
He never wanted to clean up the trash, Roma was the one who wanted it. And since this bond had formed between them... Well, let’s just say it was hard to deny what the female asked. Honestly, he didn’t really know why he bothered trying anymore.
Goblin seemed psyched to find their friend again, Blake, not so much. The humans around weren’t really an issue anymore for him, unless they tried to touch him, accidentally or not. Lissana was a different story. He didn’t like being around her because she had seen him at one of his worst moments. That wasn’t something he wanted another human to see ever again, so staying away from her was just principle at this point.
Ah fuck it. Better stop whining about it if the two clouds-for-brains are just gonna stand there and watch.
Ignoring Goblin and Shaa, Blake decided to clean up now instead of continuing to argue who was going to do the cleaning in the first place. Thankfully, all the supplies that were needed to replace the bags in the trash areas were already nearby, almost like the staff knew goody two shoes like him would do the work for them.
***
Love and adore you too. The nightshade vay shot back with smugness.
Shaa almost felt bad. Almost. Even Lissana had to fight not to hide a smile. The majority of the mess around here was from the food fight they had gotten involved in. The least he could do was help, even with the hot desert sun beating down on their backs. He didn't know how the other two could stand living someplace like here. The dust and sand everywhere just made everything even further messy.
Grabbing some of their cleaning supplies, Shaa and Lissana wiped themselves off first. If they waited any longer, they were bound to attract bugs to the sticky substances, and Shaa wanted to shudder at the thought and he was sure the elf didn't like the idea any better than he did. Besides, his friends might be distracted now, but if they clean up now, they might miss the teasing later.
With an extra pair of hands Shaa's paws, and a few passersby that he convinced mentally that they wanted help too, the area around them was starting to look spiffy in no time. Just in time for someone else to make a mess.
"Come on guys, let's get out of here. I know of something better to do." Leading the way, Shaa pulled them straight for a crowd, right where the real fun awaited.
Reunited with his friends, Shaa couldn’t help but feel a little naughty. He had spent most of the fair on his best behavior, but seeing the dorks he had grown to care about (ugh, feelings!) he felt a thrill in doing something they probably shouldn’t.
The fair was more than ideal for the vays to show off their skills. Thieving seemed to be in all their veins, even if for different reasons. Shaa tried not to pry in their personal lives, and pretended not to know why they did what they did, but for him, thieving was both a job, and he was a little bit of a kleptomaniac.
Lissana didn’t entirely approve, but she wasn’t going to say no either. The elf had been raised pretty poorly so this wasn’t abnormal for her, she just tried to be a good person. Instead, she’d be a distraction; most people didn’t seem to like dark elves, so it helped that they’d already keep a close eye on her and not anyone else. She mingled through the crowd, staying in sight but not within reaching distance. She could get closer to people, and point out potential marks.
Not wanting to speak his plans out loud, the male reached out his magic, connecting his two friends in a little mental communication with each other. Sometimes he found his magic handy, and this was clearly one of those times.
Who wants to have a contest? First one to nab something? Who steals the most unique item? Who can carry away the most krones?
He couldn’t help but turn this into a little friendly competition, after all, dumb and dumber seemed to be pretty entertaining when competing against each other. He made sure that his own thoughts were kept to himself, using the mind link he set up for strictly intended communication.
You can talk this way just by thinking and projecting what you wish to say.
He assumed Blake knew how with his bond with Roma, but Goblin, well he was dense, and Shaa felt it was better to explain than be sorry. Besides, who knows how well the dullards could think in the desert heat. They might be used to it but Shaa sure wasn't, and he hated every moment.
***
Blake snorted at Shaa’s explanation for the mind reading. Of course he knew how it worked. He knew how it worked even before Shaa unlocked his damn magic. It wasn’t that hard to figure out. Mentalists were a freaking pain, always running around probing into your mind and stealing your secrets.
I’m fine with just stealing shit. Don’t need to make it a competition. Just... no one tell Roma. Or the kids.
Gods know how terrifying Roma could be when mad. He’d seen it only once. Didn’t really want to be on the receiving end of it. Only thing that would be safe for him to steal right now would be krones. Or maybe someone else’s prize...
Blake scoured the crowd, not really in a competitive spirit but also getting drawn into the nature of hunting for marks with his friends again. He deftly kept those feelings to himself however, refusing to let them slip through the bond like he sometimes did. He’d surely be in the doghouse if Roma figured out what he was doing right now.
One particular vayron stood out, not much younger than him as he wandered around with amusement on his face, enjoying the festival with little to no care of his surroundings. Blake made a beeline for him, watching Shaa and Goblin split up from the corner of his eye going after their own marks.
Blake was a little rusty, not having been on a stealing spree in a good year maybe. But the motions were familiar as he casually bumped into the vayron, mumbled his apologies and quickly walked away. The younger vayron didn't know what hit him as Blake slipped away, his mark none the wiser.
He chuckled to himself, snagging the coin purse that dangled from his tail with his mouth, raising an eyebrow to his two companions. Blake wasn’t surprised to see Shaa had his own bag of goodies, but Goblin? Oh boy. He had definitely outdone himself this time.
***
Goblin’s head perked up at Shaa’s words in his mind. A contest eh? Stealing stuff? Oh yea I am totally gonna destroy you guys at this contest. I am a professional thief. Goblin thought to the others with an almost evil sounding laugh. He stalked off away from the two already plotting what he was going to take while being careful to not project his thoughts to the others. And ohhh boy it was gonna be good.
Goblin stalked down the road eyeballing each and every vendor. Some of them were selling others cleaning up their stalls when he noticed one in particular. The vendor looked to be trying to find something or someone. His cart was attached to a horse and it was filled to the brim with an assortment of things from jewelry to little nicnacs like his grandmother used to have. ‘Let's go see what he’s doing.’ Goblin thought as he trotted over to the greasy looking vayron.
“Can I help you with anything sir?” Goblin spoke charmingly to the vendor. He was often called silver tongued because he could talk anyone into anything.
“Actually yes! I was looking for someone who could watch my cart while I run to get some things.” The vay said not paying any attention to Goblin’s face, just looking at the crowd as if still searching.
Goblin knew that look, this vayron was doing the same thing he and his friends were doing.Looking for people to steal from. So that's how this vayron got all his merchandise. From stealing.Goblin had to hand it to him, he was obviously pretty good if he got all this stuff from stealing. But Goblin was better.
“I don't mind watching it for you sir!” The big green puller replied enthusiastically.
The vendor gladly took up his offer and even offered him a few krones to watch it for him. The vayron stalked off fairly quickly after a few particularly wealthy looking humans and vayrons walked by. Once he was out of sight Goblin hurriedly grabbed the horse's reins and started off towards the designated meeting place of his friends.
“Just like taking candy from a baby. Those boys won't know what hit them when they see what I've got.” he chuckled to himself.
In no time he arrived back to the group. Shaa and Blake were already chatting about their miniscule prizes but when they spotted him their jaws dropped to the floor which sent Goblin into another fit of evil giggles.
“Well boys what do ya think? I think I’ve won this round.” He said cockily gesturing to his new horse and cart of things.
***
A cart? A cart? What the hell was Goblin thinking? Horse and all! Even Blake was just as flabbergasted and dumbfounded as Shaa. It's not like you can pick out a reo who may have stolen a trinket. Oh no, just look for the giant fucking cart. How the hell did Shaa not think this one through when he challenged him? They were so fucked. Maybe the heat was affecting his brain. How stupid could he be?
Blake felt it too, and Shaa could feel his worries that Roma would catch wind of this stupid stunt. They had to do something, and fast.
Lissana was way ahead of them. The elf leapt onto the back of the horse, grabbing the reins from Goblins mouth. She hijacked their mental link to yell at him.
You big green buffoon! That vendor is gonna be back for this! Think next time! No wonder Shaa is worried about a ulcer over you.
She snapped at Shaa, and she quickly obeyed her orders when she yelled, Clear the way! His magic caused a panic among the people, making them urgently want to move out of the way as he imposed his will on them.
Tell the guy a Humanoid stole it! I'll see you guys at the cabin! The magic will work with us, he won't be able to find where I ran to!
Snapping the reins, the elf made the horse gallop away at full speed, dust flying from the desert ground, just in time as the vendor came back in sight.
"Stop! Thief!"
Shaa only smiled as Blake swept his reptile tail, tripping the vendor further. He saw in Goblin's mind that the items were all stolen. Without saying a word, he shoved that imagery into the vendor's head, a threat unspoken. The other reo gulped, and slowly backed away.
Grinning at his friends, Shaa decided that might be enough excitement for the day. Besides, the Thedale atmosphere was uncomfortable, he wanted to go back to his cooler forest home.
"Well boys. I guess this turned out good in the end. See you at home. Oh and Goblin, you might want to come up with something to tell that girl of yours. Idk how she feels about your not so legal activities. Enjoy the fair~"
Lissana had dragged Shaa along when she heard there would be a petting zoo. Of course she just had to go see the cute animals, and she was not taking no for an answer. Not that he would dare tell her no - today was all about having fun. He had made some friends along the way, and found time just to enjoy stuff with her as well, along with some shenanigans with his friends.
So they headed to the pens of animals, and he was worried about scaring the kids that might be there. They had mostly avoided activities that might have a bunch of those, as a dark elf and a red glowing eyed vay were likely to stand out mighty fine. Thankfully the fair atmosphere had soothed most people’s prejudices, and there were a fair few others that were odd around here that might get stared at otherwise. The fair was for the wacky and fun loving, so the winged vayrons and the horned creatures were nothing too terribly out of the ordinary. In fact, Shaa and Lissana almost blended right in.
The elf led the way in line, waiting quite impatiently, very abnormal for her. She kept rising to her tip toes and settling down to the heels, as if trying to see up further, or prepping for a run. Her antics amused Shaa, and it made him feel young again. She only grew more excited with each sound she heard, a donkey’s bray, a chicken’s cluck, a calf’s moo.
Behind him, he heard a small commotion.
“What the hell is your problem? Necromancer remember? I like dead things, not living ones!”
“Oh Haki, come on, you’re gonna love it!”
Glancing back, Shaa was easily able to identify the speakers. There was another vay that would turn heads normally - a large puller, dressed in bones and with a serious grump face. He was as sandy colored as Shaa had heard Thedale described, and he did not look pleased. The other reo on the other hand, was just as sparkling as his voice, with opalescent markings under rosettes in his hide.
***
Haki was not having it. He had lost the floppy eared idiot not lomg ago, and even ditched the python puller too. But getting rid of this sparkling nuisance was proving to be difficult. He was just so optimistic and cheery, and didn’t seem to give up. Haki had no clue how they ended up in front of the petting zoo - it was exactly where he didn’t want to be.
There was an excited squeal from a humanoid up ahead. He snorted as he watched her and her dark companion walk into the pen. With enough people having left, Haki and the flashlight were ushered through, where Neph went to work finding everything cute to cuddle with.
Haki though stood back and just glared at anything that got too near him. Most things seemed to get the idea, but there was a pair of goats that was not leaving him alone. He was far taller than them, but he saw them reaching for the feathers on his headdress to bite at them, and as it was, they tried to nibble on his tail.
“Hey! Cut it out already!”
He whipped said tail back and forth, and looked around. No one else seemed to be having any problem with the animals, just him. Not the dark human, Neph, the glowing eyed freak, or anyone else. What made him so special? He didn’t even like the things! He shooed them away, perhaps kicking one of the goats a bit too harshly.
It was then the turkey appeared. He could have probably eaten it minus the tail in a bite, but when it came charging at him for disturbing her flock (and the entire petting zoo of animals was her flock), suddenly she was the scariest thing in the world as she chased him around the pen to the amusement of those gathered.
***
Neph couldn’t help but laugh at Haki’s predicament. That was karma for ya, and it made him joyous as he gently stroked the back of a baby bunny.
It was then he was approached by the dark elf.
“Umm, excuse me, is that … real?”
He didn’t really understand her words, but the larger runner next to her kindly translated, and a slender finger of hers pointed towards his sparkling hide.
“Yes! Do you want to touch?”
Clearly that was the right thing to say, as she squealed and shyly approached, her fingers finally touching and running through his short and sparkling fur.
“Thank you-” She was clearly hesitant on what to call him, and he just smiled.
“Nephrite, but you can call me Neph. Or any variation of sparkling names. The grumpy one over there being chased is my friend Haki. Well I didn’t know him before the fair, but I’m determined to make sure he has fun.”
The elf nodded and supplied her name. “I’m Lissana, and this is Shaa. Maybe we can join you?” While Shaa’s translation was on point, she had clearly trailed off the last word as her eyes grew large and she dashed off to go check out a pony.
The red eyed male just chuckled as he watched her run.
“Hey, thanks for that. Not many of our kind are that comfortable allowing random humanoids to come up and touch them.” The dark purple male sounded grateful, and Neph couldn’t help but smile. It almost even seemed to make him sparkle even more.
“Not a problem. Perhaps she can help me temper out the big one!”
The males shared a chuckle as they continued to watch their companions have their completely opposite reactions to the animals.
Haki just could not shake the glowing freak. On top of it, they got a glowing eyed freak, and a furless humanoid. Disgusting. He knew elves could live to be older than most reos, and they all looked young, so there was no telling how old she was, but she acted like a child. Between her and sparklespots, it was like babysitting a bunch of two year olds.
It would have been easy to slip away, but he found himself just not wanting to. It was curious. All day he wanted to escape everyone else and be by himself, and now … now he was entertaining children as they begged and pleaded with him and the glowing eyed male to come fish with them. Fishing at least sounded better than some of the silly games they had done. There he could show off some skills at least.
As they headed towards the fish ponds, little pools and tanks set up for those to fish using their natural weapons or rods that were supplied, he couldn’t help but wonder if the rumors about the fish being cursed fair goers was true. The idea intrigued him, and he wondered if he could learn how to cast a curse like that! His own magic dealt with necromancy, so maybe he could stretch that to include curses? He wasn’t sure where to start trying to learn for that though.
“Last one to catch a fish is a shitface!” He called out as he raced for the tanks, determined to prove at least one game here wasn’t rigged. He already had lost due to some stupidity, but fishing was a natural talent plenty of reos had. There was no way he could mess this up. And he was hungry. He wasn’t sure if the fish would taste good, with them glowing and being supposedly magical, but he might be finding out shortly.
***
Nephrite always found Haki an amusing delight to be around, and judging by the look on his new companion’s faces, they did too. He and the elf raced to catch up to Haki, while the older male took his time padding behind them. He seemed to just be along for the ride, and if Lissana was happy, he was happy. Not a bad thing.
When they made it to the tanks, Haki already had his paws at work, trying to scoop up a fish. The elf was offered a pole, but she refused, instead diving into the tank, clothes and all to swim after the fish. Neph looked around to make sure that was okay, but no one was stopping her or seemed upset over it, so clearly no one really minded.
Neph himself had a different idea entirely. He positioned himself by the tanks and let his fur reflect light into the water, sparkling and almost glowing like the fish themselves. He wasn’t sure if it would work to attract them, but he sure would try! Anytime a fish came near, he pounced, trying to snap up one in his jaws.
The rumors that they were cursed didn’t escape him. He wondered if they were also magic, making them harder to catch. The tanks didn’t seem to be low on fish, no matter how many people fished from them. Maybe they weren’t even real and they were some sort of illusion? Or maybe they just couldn’t be hurt and were able to be put back? All were fascinating ideas, and he was all the more determined to catch one and try to find out for himself.
He saw Haki splashing around in the water, having evidently tipped his larger self too far over the pond, unbalancing himself and pitching him forward. After seeing Lissana dive for fish, the puller stayed content in the water, trying to catch them from this new vantage point.
That left Shaa. The other runner stayed quiet and often escaped notice somehow, even though his dark pelt clashed with the brights of the fair. Neph swore he saw him trying to fish, but the next moment, he seemed too far from the tanks. Weird.
***
Shaa was more content to watch his new companions fish than do anything himself. He tried to project himself having fun and enjoying the fair to his companions, but he was as exhausted mentally as he was physically, and he could barely summon a phantom of himself across the way.
Shaa was old. The only one of their group who was older was Lissana, but she was still young in elf years. He was old enough to easily be the father of his best friends, and they had kids, and those kids weren’t newborns either. Honestly, he would have preferred to stay home and sleep. Lissana though made it all worthwhile, and he was determined to spend what time he had left on this planet with her. If that meant going to a fair and mustering up energy for just one day, he could do it.
It was almost simultaneously that the three of his companions pulled him out of his own reverie. Neph had a shining green fish that matched his pelt perfectly, Haki carried a bright yellow one, and Lissana held a blue one. They all brought them over to him, talking over each other trying to decide who won. They had all seemingly got them at the same time, they were about the same size, and there was no real prize for catching certain colors of fish.
“How about you all win?”
Nephrite and Lissana seemed content with that answer, while Haki sulked and tossed his fish back in the pond. Oh well. You can’t please everyone.
Haki had finally ditched the sparkle brat. Good riddance. He had found his loopy eared friend again and they had gone for a race. Haki had taken it upon himself to slip away unnoticed, or so he thought.
It didn't take him long to notice the drow elf from before standing in front of him, arms crossed and pouting. What in the hell did she want? That meant her companion couldn't be far, and twisting his head around, he saw the glowing eyed freak in conversation with a striped pink male. What was up with stripes and tabby and pink lately? Anyway, the dark vay seemed to have found a new friend, so why waste elf bugging him?
He snarled at her and walked past, where she proceeded to grab his ear and yank, a painful thing. She had quickly ducked out of the way when he turned to bite her, which got the dark vay's attention, golden accessories bobbing as he approached with his new pink runner friend in tow.
Great. That's all she seemed to have wanted, was for him to not slip away. He wasn't good company so he had no clue why, but he suspected with the grin on her face, she was going to try to drag him into another pointless activity. And considering they were near the racetrack he had ditched the sparkling male at, and the fact they had found another runner to talk to ... Haki wasn't dumb, and he easily put two and two together.
Haki was a puller, and while the older male might be more of an even match for him since he seemed to be getting slower as the day wore on, the other male they had attracted was young and fit - he looked like he ran on a regular basis. Great. The elf just wanted to watch him lose.
***
Agnulus was more than happy to flirt from fair activity to game to competition to what have you. He had been having loads of fun, meeting new people, breaking them out of their shells or playing games with the most rambunctious of them all. Recently he ran across an older runner named Shaa, and his elven companion, proving that the fair was for those of all ages, not just the young.
As Lissana dragged over a rather grumpy sandstone colored puller, Agnulus had to laugh. It seemed he wasn't the only one trying to break people out of their shells.
"Come on guys, the starting line is over here!" He spoke, unable to keep the excitement from his voice. The elf dashed to catch up with him, leaving the other two males to fall behind.
The pink male led the way, excited to get going. Against this bunch, he was likely to win, but he just enjoyed the run either way. He reflected on a time when he was dashing to make sure things get delivered on time with a confetti chaser. It made him chuckle.
Haki was reluctant to join them but lined up anyway, Agnulus half suspected he might try to make a run for it as soon as they left him behind. But that didn't matter once the starting whistle blew, and they were off! Dirt was kicked up from their paws.
What Agnulus didn't expect was his biggest competition being the two legged companion. The elf was agile and graceful, and quite fast! Now here's some fun! He kicked up his paws even more, determined to pour on the speed and push himself to victory! He hadn't raced against any humanoids before, and this was going to be loads of fun!
***
Shaa was happy that Lissana was having fun. It made everything worthwhile. He could push himself to run a race - he was old but he wasn't helpless, and still did everything unaided, including chasing down prey.
The larger puller seemed determined to not come in last, so Shaa played around with his speed, making it seem like he was pulling ahead, only for the puller to overtake him. It kept that glint in his blue eyes that told Shaa he was still invested, exactly what Shaa wanted.
Up ahead, Agnulus and Lissana were neck and neck, and the elf was clearly giving the runner a hard time. People tended to underestimate her, and she kept pace with Shaa when they hunted. He never knew where her speed came from, she was so small and her legs so short. But she practically floated over the ground, her feet barely making any trace of their passing, unlike the vay's larger paws that left prints and dirt everywhere.
Through their bond he cheered her on, which only seemed to push her to go faster. When they reached the end, the pink runner had barely won by a few pawsteps, which was an impressive feat. Lissana didn't seem bothered in the slightest that she didn't win, and she shared laughter with Agnulus, as Haki and Shaa crossed the line not far behind, the puller having barely beat Shaa.
Haki finally managed to slip away while the other three congratulated each other, he was clearly done with them all and there was no real reason to make him stick around. That was fine with Shaa, who invited Agnulus to do something else with them next. The runner agreed, and Lissana was overjoyed to have made yet another friend. As long as she was happy, Shaa was happy. He shuffled their little group off the track so the next group could go, as they discussed what to do next.
As the day was winding down to a close, Shaa was more that ready to go home. Lissana and their new friend Agnulus had started dragging him all over the place to do this or that, and he honestly was struggling to keep up with it all as he had no clue what they had done and what they hadn't at this point.
He was broken out of his thoughts with a loud crash not fat away. His companions would have had to been deaf not to hear it, and the three of them headed towards the source of the sound.
The cause was apparent. A large grey vayron with a huge pair of wings on her was struggling in a mess of poles and tent fabric and flags. With wings as big, if not bigger than her main body bulk, it was no wonder the friese had gotten tangled.
A vendor nearby was in near tears, trying not to cry in despair. His stall looked half crushed under the winged puller, and Shaa couldn't blame him. How clumsy could she be to run into all that?
Lissana was the opposite, her voice chattering in his mind about wow, what a special vay, it must be wonderful to fly!
He snorted and started to turn, intent on leaving them to their own devices, when Lissana rushed forward to help. Of course she would. The pink runner was right behind her, and Shaa knew he was resigned to helping. It didn't really bother him if they did or not, he was usually seen as a sharp edged individual, but he did hold a soft spot for those who could use his help. He was just tired.
***
Agnulus wasn't one to not help someone in need. Having the elf's help was even better, as her deft fingers were able to untangle and remove things far easier than fangs and claws could, and with less damage. It wasn't long before they had untangled the winged female, who thanked them profusely between apologies to the vendor.
"But my stall! What will I do now?" The vendor cried out in dispair, running his paws down his face.
"I can help!" The grey and white female tired to offer, but with cut off with a resounding no from the vendor.
"You're only going to make a mess of things!" He was clearly upset, and no one could really blame him. He did have his stall broken by an awkward vayron, even if unintentional.
She drooped her head and Agnulus knew he had to step in.
"Hello kind sir. My companions and I can help. And if the wonderful lady wishes to assist, we'll make sure she doesn't cause any more damage."
Shaa left to fetch some new boards to replace those that had broken, leaving Agnulus in charge.
"Thank you. I'm Bryidae." The collared female introduced herself with a smile.
"Agnulus. This is Lissana, and the one who just left is her companion Shaa." Lissana waved and
The trio started making a pile, sorting what was salvageable and what wasn't, until Shaa returned with supplies. Proving he was smarter than the average bear, he brought tools and nails, some drinks and snacks, and even found someone from the costume tent to put their face painting skills to use to paint what they would put together.
***
Bryidae was more than thrilled to have help, and to try to make things up to the vendor. She wasn't clumsy normally, but the fair was so packed with people and reoseans, and she tried to keep her wings up so no one bumped into them, potentially tearing through the membrane, or hurting themselves on the claws. That went so well as most things weren't built with overhead wings in mind. Sure tyrians made their way through the fair, but there were also floating things for them to access, and on the ground they crawled with their wings down. Plus they didn't have the claws to worry about on the ends of their wings.
She found herself making good friends with her new companions as they chattered endlessly while they worked. The glowing eyed male made sure they took plenty if breaks and kept hydrated, clearly doting on them like some father figure. Agnulus had a way of making everyone happy, even just looking at the flop eared pink male tended to make others smile.
While the vendor continued to be a bit crabby, he eventually started coming around to them, and helped with repairs. He was finally smiling and laughing as the stall came back together. And in her opinion, it was even better than before. The bright colors and intricate designs made it stand out, and Bryidae used her wings to hover, putting up a new painted banner that called attention from even further away than before.
There were cheers from the onlookers as the group contemplated a job well done. The vendor thanked them, giving them all a small prize from his shop, even Bryidae herself. Clearly he forgave her.
There was still one more thing to be done though. Turning to the elf, the winged vay spoke.
"I noticed how you keep looking at me and my wings. As my main savior, how would you like a ride?"
Shaa smiled as he translated and Lissana’s face lit up. She squealed and Bryidae didn't even need to kneel down for the lithe elf to jump on. The fair was a good place to have fun and make friends, and as she took to the skies, Bryidae was glad she could make someone happy.
Shaa’s voice resounded in the elf’s head as she proceeded to give him the largest doe eyes he could imagine, which was rather impressive considering the literal puppy eyes glancing up at him with a soft whine.
But Shaa, he’s going to die out here.
Let him. Or, if you insist on helping him, go take him to town.
But-
No buts! We have a job to do and enough money to have us set for quite some time and I don’t need some abused puppy to get in the way!
There was silence from Lissana and the misty vay stubbornly refused to look in her direction while he continued to pack supplies. There was no way he’d let her drag along some creature that seemed like it would die at any minute on this quest.
The drow had found the dog while she was out hunting. It had been left for dead and Shaa had detected the scent of other humanoids on it. Pathetic. She wanted to nurse it back to health and the vayron really didn’t want to have another creature dependent on him. Maybe if they weren’t about to leave on a task of high importance, maybe. But even then, he didn’t want a loud yippy creature living with him - Shaa enjoyed the quiet of his life.
***
Shaa hurriedly got off the boat, quite enjoying the solid ground beneath his paws. He kept himself far ahead of the drow that leaped off behind him - she carried a golden puppy that went against everything he wanted. His paws were immediately burning though, the sand and flagstones everywhere were warmed by the searing sun.
His mind drifted to his old friends and wondered how they could stand the heat of this place. He quickly whipped his head around to see if one of those two loonies were around - the last thing he needed was Goblin and Blake ruining something else for him.
Breathing a sigh of relief with them far from sight, he gestured with this tail that he was going ahead. He had a contact to meet, and Lissana could go do her own thing. She had mentioned something about finding a proper collar. Ugh!
***
Sitting in a tavern, Shaa sipped his drink while waiting. Eventually he noticed someone enter, a human who matched the description he was given.
The human sat at the bar and Shaa reached out with his magic.
The sun sets early in Thedale.
The moon rises late in Warrenfall.
Satisfied with the response, Shaa opened the connection further to speak freely.
Alright, spill.
The reosean you are looking for is called Tigerlily, although that may only be a nickname.
Go on.
She doesn’t stand out much with her colors, blending in well among the background of this land.
The human squirmed in his seat, and Shaa had to put more pressure on his mind, pulling more out of him. It was a fight though, the human was not about to say any more, but by the way he hid it, Shaa knew there was more information to be had.
Tell me.
She’s in charge.
Oh what a twist. The old Shaa would have killed the witness here on the spot. Perhaps it was Lissana’s influence that had softened the beast within him, perhaps it was the emergence of his magic, but Shaa didn’t even consider leaving a body behind.
Forget.
He pushed with his mind, wiping all existence of their conversation. He went a step further and made sure he too was invisible, undetected. The human would only see what Shaa wanted him to see, a trick he developed to perfection.
He started to make his way over to the bartender, when he felt Lissana’s voice on the edge of his mind.
Check everyone else.
Shaa reached out, and sure enough, he had been sloppy. Three others, the bartender included, were in on this, and he quickly erased their minds as surely as the human.
Shit.
Organized crime would be nowhere without a proper mentalist on their team, and Shaa had already slipped up. Somewhere nearby he was positive there was another with the same kind of magic as him, spying on that bar from the moment he stepped paw in it.
***
Shaa found himself in a square a little while later while Lissana played with the puppy. It bounced around her feet and Shaa wouldn’t ever admit how cute it was. Maybe it was fine if she fully took care of it. The little black collar with red rhinestones she picked was on point for their aesthetic as well.
She felt him approach through their bond, and from the smile on her face, he got the feeling she heard that inner dialogue of his. She waved and the puppy too looked over, running towards him with one thought in it’s mind.
FOOD!
It danced around his paws with that one word on repeat in his mind. Shaa glared at the elf.
You can’t feed it?
I fed him!
Then why is he demanding food?
Lissana only shrugged, but she dug into her bag to haul out a brand new food bowl and a bag of puppy chow. Of course she would. That dog was about to be the most spoiled creature on the planet. The retriever ran back over to her, tail wagging.
So, what next?
I suggest you find someone else in the guild and track them that way. If she’s in charge, eventually you’ll find your way to the top. You’re a skilled mentalist, I have no doubts you’ll succeed.
Lissana’s plan wasn’t bad, but Shaa’s identity was already compromised. She seemed to be thinking along the same lines with her next comment.
How about you watch the puppy for a bit and I’ll go scouting? I’m smaller and easier to hide. Plus I wasn’t there in that tavern.
Shaa groaned, not wanting to spend a minute along with the dog, but she had a point. He grumbled and groaned and finally conceded. She handed over her bag and gave Shaa the leash before dashing off. He stood on the fabric and had a staredown with the dog, whose tongue happily lolled out and one thought prevailed in its mind.
FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!
It hadn’t even finished eating what was in it’s bowl, so Shaa concluded the stupid beast was indeed dumber than a box of rocks.
FOOD!
Actually paying attention to the thought process, Shaa realized everything was food to that dog. It was thinking of Lissana at the moment, the picture of her face in its mind while that one word race within.
No, not food. Lissana.
FOOD!
Lissana.
FOOD!
Elf.
FOOD!
Drow.
FOOD!
Shaa was about to beat his head among the pavement when he realized he was being watched. His magic was screaming at him that someone was thinking of him, and it wasn’t the only people he cared about in this land.
He stretched his mind to get a look at his spy without making it obvious by turning his head.
His viewer was a little chaser, blue markings and stripes, not at all like the oranges and tabby of the puller he was looking for. The chaser sat at the end of the square, doing its best not to be obvious in its spying.
Shaa for a moment considered just erasing himself from this one’s mind as well, but he suspected that would be more suspicious. What he wanted instead was more eyes on him, so Lissana could get the job done.
The tiny puppy looked up at him with a soft whine and the glowing eyed male got an evil idea. If only the elf wouldn’t kill him for it.
He stepped off the leash, and put an image of the chaser in the dog’s head.
Go get the food.
FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!
Shaa stopped listening to its yells and only cackled as the puppy tore off after the little blue chaser. Scooping up the bag Lissana had left, Shaa followed, muffled half assed yells of “Stop! Come back!” from between his teeth.
The chaser freaked out with the puppy running straight for him, and rushed off, the dog right on its heels. Perfect. Shaa cackled while following.
***
Shaa expected the chaser to try to shake them, find a place to hide, something. Sure the puppy wasn’t much of a menace in hindsight, but it was a small reo with stubby legs and somehow the dog was gaining on him. Shaa was able to keep a leisurely pace, going at a comfortable pace.
It was a surprise though when the chaser ducked down some back allies, and then into what seemed like an abandoned warehouse. When the puppy and Shaa crashed through the front door, they found themselves crashing in on a meeting of some sorts.
The first thing he noticed was his elf companion tied in the corner. He couldn’t feel her mind at all, and he roared, reaching out with his magic to destroy the mental block someone had dared put on her. A reo on the other end of the room flinched, and the moment he could feel Lissana again, he lept, tackling the puller.
It was only through surprise that he got the upper hand, and when he pinned them down and snarled in their face, the markings of the other reo became apparent, the pieces falling together in his mind.
He jumped back, deciding instead to take a defensive stance between this female and his elf. In the process, his jaws wrapped around the dog, dragging him with as the creature protested with the yelp.
When the puller got to her feet, she surprisingly only laughed. The crime leader known as Tigerlily seemed smug and amused - not at all upset in the slightest.
Shaa let the dog down and nudged it back towards Lissana. It scampered over and crawled into her lap, tail tucked between its legs.
Shaa only looked at Tigerlily and her posse with contempt. He wanted to kill them all for capturing Lissana and blocking their bond, but he also being paid to find this reo’s whereabouts, not kill her.
“You sure do have the skills we thought you might.”
His ears perked up to listen, but the growl didn’t stop.
Tigerlily grabbed a pouch off her belt, and tossed it towards him. Shaa heard a very familiar clinking of coins, and quite a lot of them. He didn’t bother looking now though, only reaching forward to pull the pouch back, sliding it across the floor behind him where he had dropped Lissana’s bag.
“I’d say the contract was fulfilled, although I didn’t expect it to be so soon.” She glared at the little blue chaser, who blushed in embarrassment for leading Shaa right to her.
“I’m also impressed at your skill. Erasing that many minds is quite a feat.”
“Yeah yeah, get on with it. We can go then yes? Clearly you hired me as some sort of test and you probably have some job offer but I’ll have to decline; I don’t want to be employed this far from home and I have a family to take care of so we’re going to go home.”
He turned away from the assembled reos to rip the ties from Lissana. He helped her to climb on his back, and passed her the money, her bag and the puppy up too.
“I mean yes, but I suppose I can contract you out for jobs in Warrenfall.”
“Touch my family again and you die.”
Tigerlily only looked at them as they left, shaking her head with a smile. Shaa could care less of what she thought. He did the job, he got paid, it was time to go home. Maybe later he’d consider her offer. He tossed one last snarl behind his back before exiting the warehouse.
***
When they were on the boat home, Lissana smiled at him.
What?
You called us family.
Yeah.
Even Cabi.
Shaa just glared at her as she stroked the dog’s head.
Cabi?
It’s short for Caballin, it means food in my language.
I’ll never be rid of the damn thing will I?
Nope.
Can I just call it Trouble?
Lissana only laughed and reached over to scratch between his ears the way he liked it.
Shaa had forgotten about the yearly celebrations. They had been running low on supplies, most notably eggs, and so Lissana had dragged him with her to town to go shopping and sell some of the meat and things they had gathered. Seeing the parades and revelry had only cemented the thought that they needed to start raising animals, the retriever following them needed more to do anyway, maybe Lissana could train the dog to herd.
The celebration though seemed to spark something within the elf, and she was cheerful, whistling to Caballin to heel as she jumped out of the saddle and jumped ahead to join in the colorful celebrations.
In a large scale event like this, this frivolous party in Shaa’s mind, no one was really excluded. For once, no one looked at the color of her dark skin, and she could be accepted for who she is. Perhaps there was something nice to be gained from this as she was able to converse with light elves and other surfacer races in a way she probably hadn’t been able to do before. It upset Shaa that this was what it took for her to be accepted, and this month wasn’t even about skin color.
She came back to him not after long though, a few colorful accessories hanging off her possessions, even wrapped up in a flag like it was a cloak. He raised a brow at her and rolled his eyes.
Come on, let's get you one.
He planted his paws and glared. He didn’t need some fancy flag or colors. He grunted and turned away, but that didn’t stop her from being in his head.
You don’t know do you?
That elicited a growl. Of course he knew. He just…
Unable to vocalize what was in his head, he shut down the connection, using his mentalist magic to temporarily close it. Her shocked expression quickly turned into a frown as she turned away from him. He thought she was going to walk off, but she pointed to the flag on her back.
The colors were more like what he liked, simple bands of black, gray, and white, along with a purple. None of the bright and gaudy colors like the rest of the rag tag group.
“You’ve never been interested in others either, this one might be you too. I’m ace, I don’t have any desires for -”
He cut her off with a snarl and a snap of his teeth.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. But if you don’t want to talk about it, we don’t have to.”
He wasn’t ashamed.
“Please let me back in?”
He was afraid.
Did he even belong to be here? To be fake? To be labeled? He didn’t feel anything for anyone, but he had before. Was he just an outlier?
Shaa’s mind went back to a time when he loved another. When he would have done anything for them. And how his heart was broken when they chose someone else. He was happy for them, he really was. He just, he pined still sometimes. There was a reason he didn’t look at anyone else the same. A reason he bristled at the thought of a partner. Why he refused for so long to try to find a companion.
At some point he brought their connection back on. At some point a tear rolled down his cheek. The drow elf wiped it away while Cabi sat quietly at her feet.
I feel you.
His glowing eyes glanced back up at hers, red staring into red.
It’s hard to understand completely, you try not to think about that.
It was true, he didn’t like to think about Koma. Koma was a forbidden subject, something locked away. Lissana had her own demons as well, so neither felt bad hiding their pain from the other.
He would have slept with Koma. He wanted to. But he didn’t want to with anyone else, and he never had the thought of that until later in their lives. So he wasn’t like Lissana at all. She was wrong.
If I was a reo, would you feel like that about me?
Her question rocked him back on the balls of his paw pads. He had never considered that; to him, Lissana completed him as is, but if she wasn’t … well he wasn’t sure how to feel.
She left him then, if only for a moment, and came back with another flag of the same colors as hers, but differently arranged. White on top, light gray on the bottom, with a black triangle on one side and a purple stripe through the center.
He felt its meaning through her as she handed out the small flag to him, nothing big and gaudy like hers.
Demisexual.
For some reason, he wasn’t as scared as much.
There’s nothing wrong with you. You are amazing just as you are. And there’s nothing wrong with longing for someone you love and having a hard time moving on. But your family is here for you.
Maybe he could move on sometime. Maybe he could find love again. And maybe, just maybe, he belonged at these “gaudy parties” that maybe weren’t so gaudy. Little steps though, for now, they needed to get groceries.
Traveling was always something that amused Lissana to no end. Even though Shaa was a bit of a homebody, he indulged in her desires and they often found themselves far from home. He often tied these trips into his jobs as well, and coming to the blasted snow covered country only really happened when he was getting paid. Assassin and rogue contracts took him far and they both got enjoyment out of it then. Win win.
A quaint little tavern has drawn his elf companion's attention, and while it was busier than he liked, they found themselves entering anyway. It wasn't really little, but quite large in comparison to many others, proving why it was so busy.
Shaa felt ... weird was the best way to put it. Something off in his brain as he shook his head to push it away. He squinted at Lissana, noticed the frown on her face.
What's up?
There's something off.
You too huh?
They ordered their food and sat down, but it was like there was a constant ringing in his ears.
Lissana, maybe we should leave.
Silence.
Lissana?
The bond was silent and his glowing eyes widened. He knew that feeling, and cursed himself for not noticing it sooner. Lissana looked panicked and he reached out with his magic to try to talk to her and found he couldn't. He placed one of his large paws on his knee in a soothing manner, and outwardly growled as he looked around.
It didn't take long for his eyes to fall on the faintly glowing pelted reosean behind the counter. He could excuse it by the look on his face, the glances he kept throwing their way, but when Shaa reached out with his magic, he felt the signature touch of a protected mind, a familiar feeling of mentalist magic like his own. Not only that, but the other male was just exuding this aura of look away, and Shaa recognized the magic enough to know that they were at the very least suspicious, and stalked over.
It took a few tries too. Something in his subconscious telling him that the light gray vay was not who he was looking for, and a desire to be suspicious of virtually anyone else. Shaa aggressively pushed back with his own magic, and wrote Lissana out of existence his the reality he tried to create within the mindshape, keeping her safe any way he knew how. He didn't mind people targeting him, but no one messes with his bond or his girl.
***
It was almost second nature for Emir to edit every customer that walked in the door. Not on purpose or for malicious intent, but instead, to keep him from being the center of attention. He was a glowing vayron with glowing eyes and that wasn’t exactly a normal thing, so everyone would always stare. After a while they would stop but that took weeks sometimes, especially for strangers passing through.
So, he took it upon himself to quietly change the way people and vayrons alike viewed him, at least in their subconscious. It wasn’t anything bad per say, just a nudge here, a suggestion there, and before long, they wouldn’t even look at him after the first few minutes after meeting Emir. To say it was a breath of fresh air was an understatement.
So when a dark coated vayron with bright red glowing eyes angrily stalked up to Emir at the bar and was exuding violent intent, he was thoroughly surprised.
“Uh, hi? How can I help you?” Emir said, trying his best to dissuade the anger roiling off the other male.
And then blinked in confusion at the voice that popped into his head that was decidedly not his own.
***
Remsdale sipped his drink, grimacing at the taste. Ale was not to his liking, he instead preferred wine, but the wines offered at this... ‘converted’ inn were cheap. Definitely cheap, if they were only a few krones a bottle. Sad, to say the least, but he couldn’t say much when the entertainment was way more interesting.
Waiting for the contract to finally show their face was a boring business to begin with but what could he do? He had to sit here until they approached him, or he figured out who it was, both of which were irritating to begin with. So, he decided to play a bit with the minds around him. Much more fun than waiting sipping nasty ale.
The green and white vayron was hidden beneath a cloak, easily placing himself in a desirable position to view the whole room. Even though he was decked out in his usual noble attire, he was also trained to keep other’s eyes off of him... if he wished. Though the glowing vayron, ‘Emir’, Remsdale gleaned from the male’s practically unguarded mind at the moment, was stealing the show.
It didn’t take much to convince the other mentalist in the room, a much more practiced user of their shared magic but still not well versed in the nuances of misdirection. Though, he could feel the power behind the male’s magic that roiled when he plucked at the magical bond between him and his human companion.
Remsdale didn’t dare peek into his mind for his name, though he did find it amusing that he thought the subconscious editor was the culprit behind the blocked bond link.
Best not to mess with that one.
Still, entertainment or no, this ale is truly disgusting... Remsdale thought, quickly hiding his magic and memories of said magic behind a barrier but leaving his mind open and unguarded. Just like every other sad, non-magically inclined vayron in the room.
Sometimes the best defense was none at all.
***
Shaa reached out with his mind magic, striking like a battering ram with his words as he snarled. His words were quiet, making sure not everyone heard his words, and for good measure, Rea he'd at the minds of the inn goers and blocked them out like a bubble settled in around Shaa and his target.
"Give her back."
He slammed a paw on the counter, a sneer on his face.
"Messing with minds is one thing but don't you ever dare think that fucking with a bond is okay."
Fury filled his words, his anger high enough that he didn't even notice he hadn't blocked everyone out entirely, a figure in a hooded cloak in the corner of the room watching their encounter. His violent tendencies dripped from each word, promises of pain and death.
Shaa had emotions when it came to his drow companion. If she was a reosean, he might have pursued a relationship with her. Instead they were more than friends but he didn't have any words to describe what they really were. What he did know of he would spill blood, use every tool at his arsenal, make poisons galore, anything he had to go after those that dare fuck with her.
The other vayron's glowing eyes met his, and Shaa felt confusion coming from the male, but his anger made him gloss over that fact.
***
“I-what--” Emir was flabbergasted and flinched at both the attack on his mental barriers and at the physical paw that hit the bar in front of him. There were always the rowdy customers that always thought they knew better, or were strong and thought they could cause problems in the inn but... this was something else entirely.
Emir had dealt with other mentalists before, but none as angry and violent as this one. Usually menalists weren’t physically inclined but the rage flowing off of him was completely different than what he was used to.
“I don’t know what you're talking about? I never... I’ve never touched another’s bond, nor will I ever!” Emir shot back quietly. Touching another’s bond was akin to touching another’s lover. You just didn’t do that, ever.
To outsiders, this would look absolutely confusing, but to Emir and this angry vayron, it was like a full conversation with their magic. It was almost like the two were using their own magics to size each other up, like what bears did before deciding whether they should fight their opponent or not.
Emir blinked as he saw the bond writhing between the male and his human companion, reaching out to investigate it. His magic shuddered as it touched the bond then recoiled like it was a hot brand.
“T-that’s not me? Who is that?” Emir said, looking at the male in front of him.
Now he was really confused. What was going on?
***
"Don't act stupid!"
He whipped out a blade, holding it out, the tip aimed towards the tavern keeper. Sure it wasn't a good tactical standpoint, but Shaa was going for intimidation.
His anger was getting the best of him. By now, Lissana would usually have reined him in, using their bond to send soothing vibes and logic. By now, he would have realized the confusion from his opponent was genuine.
Instead he considered tossing the dagger at the other glowing eyed male, and maybe dipping it in one of his deadliest poisons first.
As if she could see what was going on in the mental battle, as if he hadn't written her out, his elf companion appeared at his side, tapping his shoulder in the best way she could in an attempt to calm him. She wasn't there mentally, but Shaa was immersed in a weird state between the real and mental realms, and her familiar hand touching his fur and reaching to scratch behind his ear grounded him.
He turned to her, still not noticing the green and white vayron that was enjoying this show with his own mentalist battle.
He had picked up some of her language before their bond, and even with it broken, he remembered much of it. Her words were along the lines of telling him to calm down.
Would he listen?
He wasn't sure.
Still, he dipped the blade down only a fraction as the snarl settled back on his face.
"Fine then, explain." The faintly glowing male better talk fast or else.
***
As soon as the male whipped out his blade, Emir quickly started pumping up the suggestion of ‘don’t look over here’ to all the other customers. Of course, there were always the dumb ones or the subborn ones who would ignore it without direct intervention, but Emir’s focus was mainly on the male standing in front of him. The least he could do was keep the tension to a minimum and keep other parties from intervening in this unconventional situation.
“I uh well-did-did you even check the magic signature?” That was common knowledge between mentalists, at least it should have been.
Not all vayron magic users could tell the difference between specific individuals, like which fire belonged to two different fire based elementalists if they were using it at the same time, but for mentalists, and even sometimes arcanists, it was easy to tell. It was like scent, in a way. One could always tell who was who with their magic if you knew how to read it right.
“I don’t know who was messing with your bond link, but it definitely wasn’t me, see?” Emir supplied, poking at the thick barrier around the male’s mind with his magic to prompt him.
Even Emir could tell at a glance that it wasn’t his magic. His was more soft to the touch, like a breeze or a spider thread on the wind. The magic affecting the bond was stronger, closer to an icy wind with a hint of spring. A definite difference between the two, if the male had bothered to look.
He couldn’t help but look down the length of the dagger in his face as he manipulated his magic to demonstrate to the male. The blade was impeccably sharp, almost ridiculously so.
What the heck did this vayron do for a living to need such a sharp knife?
***
Oh, comparing magical signatures... Sounds like someone got a bit ahead of themselves in their anger and forgot to listen to reason, Remsdale thought, though he kept it within the confines of his own mind.
He couldn’t help but overhear the two mentalists and their verbal sparring, what with being the center of all attention in the inn at this point for those that didn’t succumb to Emir’s subconscious suggestions. Plus, the human bond had gotten herself involved now, much to Remsdale’s disappointment.
The jig was up it seemed.
The male was already calmer even if he couldn’t understand her fully, a shame to be sure. It was much too fun watching Emir get aroused at the situation, even if he was uncomfortable with a blade being directed at him. What an odd vayron...
Remsdale didn’t even bother to hide his interest at the proceedings, though he knew the red-eyed male had noticed his presence because of it, but not his magic and its involvement. Even in a fit of rage, he was still smart enough to check his surroundings. Interesting...
Might as well let go of this then. We shall see how it goes from there, won’t we?
With barely a thought, Remsdale let his grip on the bond link go, but not before sending a hint of amusement spark along it, paired with a warning.
“Perhaps in the future, guard your bond link as well as your own mind. Not everyone is as trusting as Emir is.”
Remsdale took another sip of his ale, grimacing at the taste. Should he stick around and find out what the aftermath was? Perhaps. Was it a good idea? Not really, but it was more fun than waiting outside in the cold, after all.
***
Shaa wasn't about to admit he had been dumb when it came to magical signatures. He usually could tell the difference, he just let his anger get the best of him, and he was looking stupid for it. Still, he scoffed when Emir poked at his own mental barriers, a bit of an ‘I knew that’ attitude.
When the bond snapped back in place he gasped audibly, a comfort settling into his bones and mind. Lissana was murmuring soft words in his head, and all felt right in the world. He tucked his blade away, and made to turn from the tavern keeper, but a sharp tug on his ear from the drow reminded him of his manners.
His attitude mostly gone, Shaa nodded deeply to Emir. “I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
The mental voice though made him raise his hackles again, and he whipped around, his glowing eyes torn from the other male to stare finally at the one he kept noticing on the edge of his mental planescale.
The dagger came back out as he stalked over to the other male, erasing himself from the minds of everyone else in the process. He didn’t usually agree to such widespread mental manipulation, but he was angry and didn’t want anyone to see what he was doing.
“You rotten piece of shit!”
Again, Lissana was the voice of reason, as she hung off his paw, refusing to let him swing the blade with any accuracy. Her red eyes met his and glared, and pointed to the green and white vayron.
He stared back, and at the other male, his eyes tracking her finger right to the bangle on the other male’s wrist.
“Fucking hell.”
This jackass is who we’re supposed to meet?
Seems like it.
Shaa snarled and whipped his head around, his gaze landing again on the tavern keeper. Three mentalists in one place were giving him the creeps, and one of them was his contact and the other owned the tavern.
“This shit ain’t worth it.”
Lissana flicked him on the nose, and he had never been so embarrassed to be cowed by a humanoid. He really was going soft.
***
Emir blinked as the male said his apologies, the anger fully leaving his face for all of two seconds before it came back and his red glowing eyes darted towards another male, situated in a far corner with a cloak around him.
Emir knew the male had been there from the start but honestly, he could have cared less what his patrons did in their free time, though now that the crazy dark colored vayron turned his attention towards the stranger.
Well, if he was being honest, all of them were strangers to him. He had no idea what was going on, nor did he really want to get involved in this any more than he already was. With a quick flick of his tail, Emir immediately made a swift exit towards the kitchen, the swinging doors closing quietly behind him.
Eros or Eliya could deal with this mess now. He absolutely did not feel like poking his nose into this business at all.
***
Remsdale smirked at the mentalist before him, his bond exuding wariness but also a small bit of amusement, though it wasn’t directed at Remsdale, disappointingly.
“Took you long enough to figure out who your contact was. You really need to step up your game. Even if you were recommended to me, your performance thus far is leaving much to be desired.”
The green and white male lowered his gaze, glaring daggers of annoyance from his icy blue eyes into the other male’s glowing blood red ones. “Are you going to take the job or not? I promise it’ll be fun... Well, for me it will. Not sure if you’ll take joy out of it, but that’s entirely up to you.”
Shaa perked his brow and glanced in the direction Lissana mentally was gesturing towards. His heart leapt to his chest, as the female the drow pointed out was more than just familiar.
Fluffy ears and tail, light dapples along her pelt, with glossy red fur and even shinier wavy hair that fell down around her shoulders, along with accents of white and black - the female standing across the way was like something out of a dream.
Nope, had to be someone else. Blake’s girl had the same colors, so it was only a coincidence another vay had similar markings.
“Can I also get a week's worth of dried fruit, thanks!”
Shaa gulped, that voice was too familiar, a light cadence that he would know anywhere.
You do know her.
The dark vayron didn’t deny it, and looked away. He had been to Roenden on business purposes plenty of times, but had hoped to never run into her again. And why would he? She usually stayed by her father on the outskirts of town or in the capital, which was large enough to avoid any unpleasant interactions.
Shaa glanced around, looking for the grey male that was her father, or worse yet, that orange coat that he grew envious of, but neither was nearby, allowing him a few breaths of peace. Which begged the question, what the hell was she doing here of all places, in a small market at the exact opposite end of the continent she usually hung out in.
So this is who you keep trying to hide your crush on.
It's not a crush.
I know that, silly. You've slipped up on your magic enough times that everything has fallen through our bond at some point.
Shaa groaned but he couldn't keep his eyes off the red female.
Go on, say hi!
I can't.
Oh for goodness sake. At least let me thank her.
What?
She's one of the ones that pushed you to go out. I might never have met you without her instance and dropping off those fliers so let me thank her for the best thing that's happened to me.
Seeing as he wasn't moving, the elf dismounted, walking over to the vendor stand herself. Cabi wiggled in the saddlebag that had adjusted for him, eager to be by her side. Instead of dealing with the anxious hound, Shaa reluctantly followed.
***
Rowan had been aware of eyes on her for a few minutes, even if she missed the mental conversation that was occurring. She continued buying her supplies and noticed a dark skinned Humanoid stepped up beside her. Rowan moved a way a bit, letting the woman slide in to get her own purchases, but instead, those ruby red eyes were trained on her, making her uneasy.
The drow looked over and smiled, gesturing for whomever it was to move faster. A translator to get her goods most likely. Rowan paid them no mind until the elf tapped her on the shoulder, and so her eyes fell upon a runner almost as dark as her skin.
"Can I help you?"
The way the runner squinted at her words, his glowing eyes narrowing, had her wondering if he had constipation with his magic, but she gave them a moment to translate.
Clearly her question hadn't been what the woman had expected, as she frowned, turning towards the runner, and spoke a few words in a foreign tongue.
Rowan paid for her goods and decided not to crowd the poor vendor's stall, and gestured for the pair to follow her out of the way if she really wished to talk.
Once they had some space, with the dark companions following (although she noticed the most adorable golden retriever in the saddlebags that completely ruined their ascetic), the male vay seemed nervous for whatever reason, and hesitated to speak.
"I really need to get going soon if I'm to make it to the next town by nightfall. What can I help you with?"
"Koma, I-" He trailed off, and the elf gestured her arms, trying to convince him to go on.
She squinted at the name. "You must have me mistaken for someone else. I'm sorry." She was nothing special, very few things that stood out about her pelt, so it wasn't unlikely he had made a mistaken. She turned to leave, needing to fill up her waterskins.
The male looked puzzled. "You know I'd recognize you anywhere. Did I upset you that badly? I'm sorry Koma, I didn't mean to be mean to you."
Her steps faltered. There was always the chance someone from her past life would find her. She had both dreaded and looked forward to that day. She liked who she was now, it had been years since she woke up in a cave on a mountainside with no recollection of who she was or what had come before. She feared hating whoever she may have been, or having an identity crisis should she have two conflicting personalities. Yet some part of her wished for some clue as to what had happened before.
"Well Stranger, this is awkward." She began, hesitant as she shifted her weight from paw to paw. "You see, I go by Rowan, and I don't remember my own past, so you are just that, nothing but a stranger to me. I'd take your apology but I have no clue what it's for."
***
Shaa stared dumbfounded at the female in front of him.
Well, go on then, offer to see if you can fix it already!
Snapping out of it, the misty runner realized she was right.
"Well, I'm a Mentalist, would you mind terribly so if I poked in your head? Perhaps I can help."
The red female frowned for a moment; her eyes flashing with what might have been fear, before she shook her head.
"I suppose not. They've tried before. But please make it quick, I don't have a lot of time."
Shaa nodded, but hesitated. "Where are you going? I'm headed out myself and if it's easier we could do this on the road?"
His words seemed to soothe Ko-no, Rowan, and she nodded. "I'm headed to the capital. I have some goods to sell that will fetch a better price there."
The elf brightened up, and jumped easily into the saddle while the runner gave a grin. "That's where we're headed too."
Rowan nodded and turned away to head towards the roads leading out of town, stopping at another vendor along the way for fresh water for her skins in the event she couldn't find any water sources clear enough to drink or got caught in a freak snowstorm.
As they walked along the main road, Shaa poked at her mind. It was as she said, there was no trace of her former memories, not even locked away due to some trauma or another mage. It was like whoever she was before had vanished and Shaa knew very well who she was. Her markings would never be forgotten in his mind, all the way down to the black spot just under her right eye, her self proclaimed beauty mark. All he saw now in her mind were memories of the woman she had become, and he avoided them as much as possible to respect her privacy.
It was hard to face. It felt like he had a lifetime of memories with this woman, and it was uncomfortable that for once he knew someone better than they knew themselves, outside of when he used his magic. The fact she couldn't remember him, their childhood playing around, how she loved to let his father intimidate him, how he was trying to be the perfect soldier for his approval, her mother and the antics they got into and how he worried her senseless with the reckless things they got up to, and their best friend, the one who she had broken his heart over by choosing her over him, his jealous rage where he said things he regretted and they never saw each other again, only spoke through fewer and fewer letters.
Talk about drama.
Oh shut up. It's not like you didn't know that.
The red runner interrupted their unspoken conversation unwittingly. "Did you find anything?"
He shook his head, refusing to stare at her and kept his eyes on the road.
They traveled in silence for a little while longer before she spoke again. "You never did tell me your name, Stranger."
"Oh! Sorry!" Shaa was quick to respond as he tripped over his paws. "I'm Shaa. This is Lissana. And Caballion but we call him Cabi." The latter was currently trotting alongside them, stretching his own paws now that they were out of the confines of the city.
The other runner hummed in delight, bringing her nose down to greet the canine, speaking words to him about what a good boy he was. The sight brought butterflies into his chest, along with an uncomfortable tightness.
You're adorable. Too bad you can't just tell her how you feel.
And that was the truth of it. He was a stranger to this woman, and no matter how much she reminded him of the one he loved, there was no way in hell he could do that to her. It wouldn't be fair to her memory either. Or to Amina. Oh gods, if she didn't remember who she was, what about her family? If he sent a letter right now, reaching out to her father for the first time in many years, he would come tearing down like a bat out of hell to find her, to coddle her, to try to fix this.
Sounds like you got problems.
Shaa only rolled his eyes.
***
Rowan was curious about the other male even if he did make her nervous. She wasn't sure how to feel about his lack of being able to find anything. She knew it wasn't likely to have worked, but she had wondered if his connection to her past life would change things.
At least his dog was cute.
As the sun began to set, the group set foot into Udreim, the last place to rest before a long stretch of days on the road. They both grabbed rooms at an inn, taking the opportunity for comfortable cushions before having to sleep on the ground for a while while Shaa snagged one with a human sized bed in it.
She sat in contemplative silence for a while, unable to sleep after retiring for the night; the food she had eaten sat like rocks in her stomach.
Did she want to know more about her past? This runner has delivered her a perfect opportunity to learn more. Not only could he tell her, but he could show her with his brand of magic. Could she do magic before? What was their relationship? He apologized for his rudeness, which could mean a lot of things. The look on his face though when she caught him gazing at her made her think it was something more, that he was someone important before. Did she want that again? She didn't really have anyone right now, keeping to herself mostly as she remade her life. Was he her family? Did he know her family? Did they miss her? Was she doing the right thing in giving up who she was?
She didn't have any answers, and when she finally drifted off to sleep, her rest was fitful and probably no better than the cold ground.
When she woke in the morning, none of her questions had magically been answered in the night, and she resigned herself to questioning her very existence. For half a thought, she considered just skipping town, running ahead or perhaps just splitting once they reached the major fork in the road in two and a half days or so, so she could avoid hurting her head any more with inevitably more questions.
As she headed down to grab some breakfast before hitting the road, she faintly heard Shaa and Lissana getting ready for the morning through their closed door, and she suspected that she couldn’t sneak away if she tried. Something about them put her on edge. They were just people she had met the morning prior after all, and while she tried not to judge a book by it’s cover, the pair of them elicited an uncomfortable response by appearance alone.
How had she known them before?
She had half a thought that if he was as dark as she felt looking at him, that she didn’t want to know what sort of person she was before, if she was something dark and, dare she say, evil.
The chill from outside wafted into the inn, a slight breeze with an opened door that gave her a shiver, and she wrapped her scarf tight around her neck as she grabbed a hot meal and dragged herself from those thoughts. No, she was a kind reosean, there was no way she’d have been anything else before.
But what if she had a dark past that shaped her? She groaned, her thoughts going down the rabbit hole when her new traveling companions came out from their rooms.
Shaa looked at her with such ferocity that she had to turn away from his gaze, and she felt her throat grow dry even with a large gulp of coffee. What she wouldn’t give to be out of this circumstance.
The elf, Lissana, paid the barkeep and helped herself to a plate of potatoes that disappeared in record time, and Rowan didn’t even notice Shaa get anything. She might have guessed he had food on him, but their bags weren’t terribly large, and she couldn’t imagine him carrying much on him at all. What was his business, and why was he traveling so light as far as he was?
She was a mess. She groaned to herself which elicited a chuckle from the other vay, and he gestured to the door. With a roll of her eyes, she begrudgingly got up, triple checked her bags were secure, and headed back for the road.
It was colder today, winter was clearly running in, and soft flurries occasionally sprouted up as they walked. All in all, it was beautiful, but it would make the mountain pass much more dangerous. She didn’t think she’d be making this trip more than once or twice more this year.
“So Shaa,” she started, trying to make light conversation, “What brings you on a trip to the capital?”
***
Rowan’s morning grumbles were heartening, and the more he observed her, the more he saw bits of her old self poke through among some of the habits that he occasionally found strange. Such as the fact she tried her hair up while they walked, instead of constantly letting it fall freely, or the way she was quieter and almost like her energy had been muted.
Her question sent him into splutters, and the elf on his back laughed, patting his neck fondly.
“Uhh, I have a job to do and some guild work.”
Smooth. Real smooth.
Shaa turned to glare at her, but found the other reo’s laugh distracting.
“A job huh, what do you do?”
She shrugged. He didn’t really want to tell her. He wasn’t even sure if the old Koma would have agreed, let alone the new Rowan who didn’t really know him at all. Besides, it was in his contract. He didn’t take assassination jobs lightly. Nor was it something that should be talked about, contract or not. Still, he could work around talking about his mark.
“Guild contract work. Nothing major.” At least that made sense. He was dropping off some poisons to sell, his position in Vanquest aligning with the work he did freelance for the thieves and assassins guilds.
“Hmm, can you tell me about your guild then?”
Ah, that he could talk about.
“Vanquest is a bounty hunting guild. They help apprehend criminals and deal with threats to the population. My home base is in Warrenfall, but Roenden’s hall needs some of the supplies I make, so I’m dropping off a small shipment.”
She had always been curious, and this new version of her was no exception.
“What sort of supplies do you make?”
Ah, that wasn’t exactly what he wanted to answer either. “Potions. Mild poisons to help incapacitate a target.” Stronger more deadly poisons to make difficult targets vanish was left unspoken. He felt a chill go down his spine, and it wasn’t from the snow covered earth his bare paws stepped on.
“Oh that’s cool! Is the guild hall in the capital?”
He shook his head. “Nah, it’s actually not far from here, but my assistant will be in the capital for a week or so, restocking on items needed to make everything, I usually hand things off to them there so all I need is the bottles.” He gestured to one of the largest bags he had, and it wasn’t hard to imagine it packed with straw to keep the fragile glasses safe.
He decided to change the subject, instead turning it to her. “And you said you have goods to sell?”
She perked up and bounced a little, the motion familiar as was the energy in her paws.
“Oh! I make jewelry! I have some pieces to sell and those rich elitists in the capital tend to eat it up, although I have some cheaper pieces that look just as pretty but with lower value alternatives for those who normally can’t afford such things, like colored glass instead of gems.”
Shaa hummed. While he couldn’t imagine her past self crafting and making things outside of making trouble, her view on society and her way of appeasing everyone was spot on.
He almost missed her soft spoken words that were barely louder than the crunch of the snow under their paws. It was Lissana pointing it out to him through their bond, her elf ears lending her a keen sense of hearing that rivaled or even surpassed the predators.
“Was I like that before?”
He could pretend not to hear her, clearly the subject was touchy and she spoke so quietly, he wondered if it was even intentional. Even if it wasn’t though, some unconscious part of her must have wanted the answer, or she might never have spoken aloud.
The sun would begin, and they had to consider stopping for the night. Shaa’s stomach rumbled and he knew they should make time to hunt as well, so perhaps this was as good a moment as ever to broach the subject.
“Would you like to see some of my memories of you? Or perhaps just hear some stories?”
***
Rowan hesitated, unsure of what she really wanted at that moment. She was fully torn in half, but eventually nodded. The glowing eyed male made a gesture and led them off the path. He found a copse of trees that was barely big enough for the two, and started to settle in before pausing. He looked at her with an unreadable expression.
“You, umm, I mean, is this okay with you?”
She realized what he was getting at, her maw opening in a small oh. He was still just a stranger to her, even if he knew her. They’d have to sleep close by, probably touching if they stayed here. She bit her lip, and he shook his head, getting back up to find someplace else.
At some point, the drow had slipped off, so silently that Rowan never noticed her leaving until her eyes fell upon the empty saddle. She glanced back towards the tree cluster they left, brows furrowing before Shaa motioned her on.
It wasn’t long before they found a more adequate shelter, a small glade that was more than big enough for them. They were silent as they made spots for themselves, disturbe only by Shaa perking his head up and slinking off, leaving her alone.
He wasn’t gone long, and when he returned, a pair of deer were slung across his back, a single arrow in each, rammed through an eye. It was impressive, and Rowan vaguely thought that the weapons strapped to Lissana’s armor weren’t just for show.
The drow removed her arrows and cut herself a few hunks of the meat and made a fire, cleaning the pieces and setting it to cook on a spit, leaving the rest for the vays. Caballion joined them, resting by the fire as he waited for his piece to cook.
Shaa snorted at that when the elf gave him his serving warm. “Spoiled rotten.” Rowan had to giggle at his mumbles, and she could tell that even with the gruff tone, he didn’t really mind, as his eyes seemed to sparkle through the glow.
They each ate in peace, Shaa leaving her the larger of the deer, and she wasn’t sure if it was intentional. Either way, she enjoyed the fresh meat. She was a terrible huntress herself, thus the collection of supplies she had weighing down her pack. She never even expected the other vay or his companion might hunt for her, and she wondered how she could make it up to them.
There was a weight between them as the small fire crackled and popped. Soft snores came from the pup that snoozed by the fire, the elf’s long fingers threading through his fur absently. Rowan didn’t even know where to start, but she appreciated the other vay giving her time.
“Do I have any family?”
He seemed to expect the question, and sighed softly.
“You have a father, an adoptive one but a father nonetheless; he loves you dearly. While they aren’t partners in any sense of the word, you have someone who is like a mother to you, but also encourages you to get into trouble - the mischief you two created was legendary.” As he spoke, he sent her imagery, like a painting in her mind, showing her the gray vayron and the black tyrian.
So she did have parents. He started with the adoptive ones, which made her figure the real ones weren’t in the picture anymore, if he even knew anything about them either.
“Then there were your friends.” He spoke more hesitantly, and showed her an image, only this one was an actual painting, a trio of reos, with her plastered in the center with a shit eating grin, and the male she’d been traveling with on the left. He smiled softly, an expression she never expected on him. On the right was a vay that was more orange, their expression even more shy with the faint hint of a blush showing through the thinner parts of their fur.
“Did you imagine that painting?”
He shook his head, and the image moved, showing the dark vay’s paws putting a cloth over the painting, putting it in a corner of a room. She felt immense sadness, and got the impression he used his magic to have someone paint it from his memory. The elf leaned over at that point, clearly in the know, and one ebony hand rested on his shoulder. The sadness left then, more peaceful feelings returning before he seemed to get a hold on his magic, reigning it in until she felt nothing at all.
“I can help you find them.” His voice was strained, and she wondered what caused the change in tone. Perhaps they had a falling out? He had been apologizing when she met him after all. She wanted to know, but she wouldn’t pry.
She should give him time too.
“Thank you. You’ve given me a lot to think about already.”
She trotted over to her designated sleeping spot, and curled up, tail delicately covering over her muzzle. Family. She had a family, and friends, one of which was sitting across from her. She breathed deep, unsettled, and wondered if she’d ever have restful sleep again.
***
Unable to look at her any longer, Shaa got up, needing to walk off some of the energy that filled his limbs restlessly. He needed to be alone.
Lissana gave him his privacy, sticking to her own corner of their bond, reaching out only to assure him she was there, her mental touch like a caress against his mind before withdrawing.
His walk turned into a run, and he knew he’d be tired tomorrow, but he couldn’t care less. He found himself deep in the trees, the snow falling more heavily, blanketing everything in white.
If only he could white out his memories as easily as Rowan did.
He never in a million years would have guessed this had happened. She didn’t know him, didn’t remember him, and it hurt. Had she done it on purpose? Found a way to have her memories erased because of what he had done? Was it an accident? Had someone hurt her?
He wanted her. He wanted her to himself, to shelter her and take care of her, make sure nothing happened to her again. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t suffocate who she was. He couldn’t do that to her family, to her loved ones.
But what if they never knew…?
No. He wouldn’t allow himself to think those thoughts. He was selfish, and couldn’t be that way. She would never forgive him if she knew.
He should contact her father. All would be made right then.
The man would come and take her away. Protect her to his dying days, do everything he could to restore her memory, or if not, build new ones with her. She’d have her father, her mother, her … her chosen partner.
A small part of him realized they’d smother her too if they didn’t have anything to do with this.
Did they?
They rarely communicated, the last time he had heard from any of them was Koma, no, Rowan herself years ago. But it wasn’t like the rest of them didn’t know how to get in touch with him, he just refused to answer most times. Had something happened to them as well?
Perhaps he could use his connections. He had his paws in all sorts of organizations around the world, and some circles called him Spymaster. It was the least he could do though, give her the option to return to them. Give her that bit of freedom.
He remembered how her mind had felt though when he dug in her memories the first time. Afraid of what he might find. Content with her current life. Would giving her that option cause more strife?
“FUCK!” He screamed, the sound swallowed by the wind that picked up and he tossed his paws through the snow, kicking it up all around him, watching the white stuff fly in clumps.
He never knew he could miss something right in front of him, and he surprised himself with tears freezing to his cheeks.
The soft and shining vay was used to be the love of his life, might never be back again. He had to remember that. He couldn’t impose his memory of her onto the stranger that wore her face.
There really was only one option.
Once she knew what she wanted to know, perhaps if he gave her all his memories of her, or give them to someone else for safe keeping like her father if they found him, he needed to forget, forcibly with his own magic if need be.
He needed to let her go.
***
Shaa was in a subdued mood in the morning. Rowan could feel the frustration rolling off him as easily as the snow slid down their hides as they stretched. Perhaps he wasn’t much of a morning person. Or perhaps she said something wrong yesterday.
If she really was his friend, would she have known his moods, how to cheer him up once more?
She noticed that someone had buried the bones of their dinner, and the elf had roasted up some light vegetables for breakfast, setting aside plenty for Rowan too.
The red vay snapped them up, quickly grabbing her possessions to hit the road. She didn’t want to hinder her companions, or perhaps upset the male further. Lissana only gave her a look that made Rowan feel like she pitied the vay, and, not for the first time, she was unsure how to feel.
Their travel was a lot more silent, the air only punctuated by the occasional howl of the wind, or a happy yip or bark from Cabi. The dog had it so easy, and Rowan felt a pang of jealousy as she wished her life was as easy as the canine’s.
By nightfall, the next town was in sight, and it was the last stop before crossing the mountain pass. Rowan picked up the pace, eager for the buildings that would block some of the wind that was steadily growing stronger. It wasn’t long though before she left the sound of footsteps behind, and she looked back, only to see her companion going at a snail’s pace, his long tail dragging along the road. Lissana had dismounted, hefting a few of the saddlebags on her own back, while Cabi trotted alongside, both of them doing their share to relieve the weight.
Rowan stood still, unsure if she should head back or go ahead and get them some rooms. In the end, her decision was made for her as she had been motionless for long enough that the slow procession caught up to her.
“Everything okay?” She bit her lip in worry.
Shaa didn’t say anything clearly conserving his strength for the walk, but the elf gave her a small smile and nodded.
Not knowing what else to do, Rowan wondered if she could use her limited conversation skills to speak with Lissana.
“Do you understand me because of his magic?”
The elf pursed her lips, thinking on it for a moment before shaking her head.
“But it does help?”
A nod.
“Are you two bonded?”
Another nod, this one accompanied by a smile that practically glowed.
“Was I bonded to someone?”
A look of pain crossed the vay’s face. Lissana shook her head, then shrugged.
“Not that you knew of but maybe?”
The elf smiled and nodded. That ruled out what this vay may have been to her. She had suspicions after feeling his emotions bleed over before.
“Maybe the orange vay in the picture?”
The male grew stiff, and the elf nodded. Interesting.
“Did something happen to them?”
Another shrug, the tension loosening. So it wasn’t a tragic story, it was - wait.
“You’re jealous.”
The elf snorted, trying to turn away and hide her giggles as the male came to a halt, turning his head to look away. Rowan too couldn’t help but giggle, and she decided not to push any further tonight.
“I’m gonna go on ahead, and uhh, book us some rooms.”
If she was blushing, her red fur hid it well.
***
Perceptive isn’t she?
Shaa didn’t bother with a response, dragging his tired paws ahead, wishing he could run to escape the embarrassment he felt at being found out. He’d have more energy if he hadn’t spent well more than half the night in a frustrated rage, burning his energy through the woods. In hindsight, he should have just ignored it and held things in until he could afford the lack of sleep.
Rowan gave them the key to their room, and Lissana handed her coins to cover the cost, leading them up to their room.
So what do you want out of this?
He shrugged, collapsing into the cushions, his feet aching and glad for the break in the abuse.
Pushover.
He grunted as she came over to rub some lotion into his paws, helping relieve the discomfort to some small degree.
I can’t be who I was before.
It was Lissana’s turn to go silent, quietly listening as she worked.
We’ll go our separate ways in the capital. I’ll see if I can’t use some means to find her family, and that’s that. We’ll go home and she can stay and I’ll never have to see her again.
Do you believe in fate?
He scoffed. No.
Then why did you find her again?
Coincidence.
What about second chances?
Doesn’t matter. She chose him. They were friends longer. I was always an outsider. If I truly loved her, I’d not take her away from him.
You have a heart of gold my friend. If I ever lost you, I don’t think I could make the same choice.
Nah, it’s different. You don’t have to lose me to someone else. I’m yours. And any asshole who tries to poke in my head to fuck with my memory has another thing coming.
You think someone did that to her?
Her mind is blank, it’s like there isn’t anything, like something erased it. Trauma or illness only fogs the mind, there’s usually something there. No, I suspect a mentalist, one possibly stronger than me, did that to her. I could probably do the same, but I won’t.
Because of your heart of gold.
Stop reminding me.
Exhaustion finally overcame him, and the elf scratched behind his ears, listening to his snores before she too fell asleep, more content to sleep against his side than in the bed awaiting her.
Morning came too fast in Shaa’s opinion. They may have pulled the fabric over the window, but it was still too bright, and he scowled as he got around for the morning. Lissana had already gone and come back, having taken care of a discreet supply drop off, as they had so far in every town on their path. A few vials of poison to various guild members, and she returned with coins the other roguish members paid with. If it wasn’t for the extra stops for those not at the main guilds, he’d have taken a boat almost directly to the capital. He wasn’t turning down the cash though, and assassins and thieves across the globes always had a use for his concoctions. She also put a few ears to the ground for him to look for Rowan’s loved ones, pulling a few favors.
Rowan was up and eating again by the time they came down, clearly an early riser. Something else that hadn’t changed.
He grunted in greeting, causing both girls to giggle. He scoffed and headed out the door, eager to get on the way.
Lissana had tied some extra rags around his paws as they’d likely make it to foothills of the mountain range today, if not the mountains themselves. The road was always more rocky and rough, and she offered the same to Rowan, who took the fabric happily, glad for extra protection.
The snow had settled over the night, a fresh blanket across the land. He was grateful for the lapse in the snow, enjoying the sun on his dark pelt in this cold land. Rowan had decided to play the yes or no game again with Lissana, and eventually, Shaa just sighed.
“Let me make this easier.”
She cocked her head as they walked, clearly confused and then she felt him, a presence on the edge of his mind.
“Go ahead and speak.” She opened her mouth, probably thinking he was talking to her, but the elf beat her to it.
“Oh finally, you know how rude you are?”
The elf spoke in her own language, but Shaa could feel Koma’s surprise as his mental presence allowed the translation.
“Congrats. While I’m here, you can understand when she talks. She could understand you through me already, but, well. If being in your head bothers you, just tell me. I won’t poke around. I’m honestly barely even putting any thought into this, it’s child’s play.”
Maybe he was bragging a little bit, but he was extremely talented and wasn’t afraid to flaunt it every once in a while. He was able to keep silent while the girls chattered, the sound of their conversation a comfort to him and it also helped the day move on faster.
***
Rowan had been sticking to relatively safe topics, simple things like Lissana’s skills with weapons, or what made her decide to do jewelry.
“So how did you two meet anyway?”
It was silent between the group for a while, before Lissana cleared her throat. Did Rowan say something wrong? She worried for a moment before the elf reached out to scratch at a fluffy ear.
“Indirectly, it’s because of you actually.”
Rowan stopped, furrowing her brow. Her?
“That’s why I came up to greet you in the first place, to thank you.”
“Oh.”
Lissana smiled, her hand retreating and Rowan almost wanted it back. “You knew this pain in the ass was living on his own and refusing to spend time with anyone. He was growing reclusive.”
Rowan could see it, although knowing how much he’s talked in the short time she’s known him, and in the bits of memories she had bore witness to, he clearly had at least somewhat of a social aspect to him.
“You bothered him in every one of your letters to get out. You even started sending fliers for the rider expos.” Oh yes, Rowan knew about them, places where mentalists helped reos looking for prospective riders and companions to communicate, perhaps find a partnership.
“They let you in the expo?”
Lissana laughed at that, a full belly chortle. “Oh goodness no. Shaa found me after spending all of ten minutes at the expo, just to tell you he went and stuck it to you. We were at a cafe, and even without understanding one another, he stood up for me against some others.”
Ah, yes, the reason why she knew Lissana wouldn’t have been allowed in the expo. The drow were often prejudiced against, more often than not by the more fair skinned elves.
“So you didn’t have your magic then?” Rowan asked, her question directed to Shaa next.
He shook his head. “That came later, although I had always been good at reading others.”
“Did I have magic?”
Shaa tripped, and she thought it was from her question, but she looked down to see that they had made their way onto much more unsteady ground. Her attention had been fully on the conversation and not so much on where they were!
“Uhh, I don’t ever recall you having any, but please don’t let it be fire. I can’t stand to have someone else try to burn my house down.”
“Oh come on, it was only twice. You need a little fire in your life!”
“Twice, and one left you in the worst anxiety attack I’ve ever seen, not again, no thanks.”
“Rude.”
“You have no self-preservation skills.”
“You don’t know how to live.”
Rowan smiled seeing the two bicker playfully. If she was really the reason they met, she was happy for it. They were happy, so clearly she did good in her life. And appearances were deceiving - this pair seemed like good people. Maybe it wasn’t so bad that they were friends in the past.
Friends.
The male was jealous of a possible relationship between herself and someone else. Did he, did he like her? She couldn’t get that thought of her head. Were they something more, had they ever been … together?
The dark purple vay wasn’t unattractive by any means, and she wondered if attraction is what made him stay around after the first disastrous encounter. Did he want what they had before? If they had been like that, could she give it to him?
She was so glad her red fur hid her blushing well.
No, she couldn’t give him whatever they had before, but she might not say no to a fun romp if he could promise there were no strings attached (which there clearly would be, so no, not happening). Besides, it sounded like they weren’t in communication outside of letters. There was no way they were like that.
“For what it’s worth, if I kept sending you letters, I think I forgave you.”
That halted the bickering, both of them looking at her with mixed expressions.
“You apologized when we first met. If I’m anything like I was before, I wouldn’t have kept talking if I didn’t forgive you.”
Lissana laughed as Shaa turned away. “Beautiful! I’ve met very few people that make this lump actually bashful! I like you!”
Conversation turned lighter as they continued their trek. When it grew late, they found a cave right off the beaten path, probably used countless times by travelers before. As the last time on the road, Lissana left, and Shaa joined her once she had taken down some prey to help her carry it back.
This time it was mountain goats, and Rowan was grateful for the meal, even if the fur was a bit long for her liking. She didn’t often get a meal this fresh, and she savored every bite.
***
Shaa watched Rowan fall into slumber, trying to figure out the puzzle of the day. While he was arguing with Lissana, he had felt through his presence in her mind (which he had pulled away from once she had gone to sleep), her embarrassment. He hadn’t been paying attention to her much, or he might have caught why. She seemed fine before and after, so was it their play fighting?
She totally didn’t want to intrude on us.
Hmm?
Fighting like an old married couple.
Shaa had to fight to keep his laughter inside lest he disturb the red runner’s sleep.
It’s true! You’d feel awkward too if you walked in on that.
He couldn’t argue with that.
The cave protected them from the wind, and the embers that Lissana tended helped them stay warm. Sleep came easier that night.
The sun crested over the mountains, shining only a little light into their cave. If they kept the pace they were at, they’d be out of the mountains by day's end. If they really pushed themselves, they could make it to the next town, but neither of them really liked the idea, instead deciding to keep to a leisurely pace. It helped that the company they kept made the trip kinder, and Shaa knew from his place in her mind, that neither of them minded the canyons and mountain trails as much with the other around.
“A penny for your thoughts?” Lissana was back to speaking out loud for the benefit of their companion, and Shaa made sure to restore the mental connection and encouraged the elf to repeat herself.
“Ah, I was just thinking, about well, you.” Her attention was back on Shaa, and he mentally shoved Lissana’s retort away, listening to laughter inside his head.
“And what about my pain in the ass companion were you thinking about?” The elf spoke playfully, and Shaa groaned.
“What did you do that merited apologizing?”
Ah, that.
“Well, go on. It’s better it comes from you. But that won’t stop me from saying it.” He couldn’t see it, but he knew the drow winked at Rowan.
“Please no. Fine.” He wasn’t sure how to approach the subject, and it only made him more flustered, his tail twitching in agitation as he considered the best route to approach this subject.
“Remember the painting?”
Rowan nodded, prompting him to continue.
“Well, we both umm, liked you.” There, he said liked, not like, just keep it past tense Shaa.
Her eyes only widened a little, but he suspected it wasn’t that surprising based on the context clues he had been dropping.
“And well, neither of us were going to make a move. It was better to let you choose.”
“I didn’t choose you, did I?”
Sha’s chest heaved with a mighty sigh.
“I didn’t take it well. I took it out on you. Your parents were furious. I’m surprised I lived honestly. But it’s been years, I’m over it.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No you’re not, but thank you. I’m going to find them for you. You at least deserve the option to go back if you want.”
***
Shaa was quiet after that, which was quite okay. Rowan had a lot to think about. Well, it wasn’t too terribly far off from what she suspected. At least she wasn’t with him in that sense, but that meant there was someone else out there she was. What a nightmare.
What shocked her most was his mention of her parents. It didn’t seem like a joke when he said they’d kill him, and she felt through the tiny bit of magic in her mind his fear.
Were her parents bad people? Was she wrong to think Shaa and Lissana were safe people?
Was she bad?
She didn’t like the thoughts that plagued her.
Something else was a little more pressing that occurred to her.
“Why haven’t we run into any trouble? I’ve had to run from bears far too many times this time of year among other things.”
That seemed to help the mood as the glowing eyed male smirked. “I’m chasing them away. I feel their presence and instill fear in any threat, making it run away. Prey too, I find where it is and let Lissana know so she can find it faster. A hunt is great and all, but it’s fucking cold in Roenden!”
The drow laughed, cackling from the saddles, and even Rowan managed to crack a smile.
“Wow, that’s really cool. You’re like the best bodyguard ever.”
The mirth left Shaa’s eyes then, and he grew solemn. “Yeah, something like that.”
She frowned, and looked to the elf instead.
“Did I say something wrong?”
Lissana only sighed, patting Shaa’s neck. “We’ve had some troubled pasts. Shaa was used for his appearance and they played on his desire to prove himself to -” she cut herself off, frowning at the vay beneath her. “Prove himself to others.” She finished, but Rowan felt there was more being unsaid.
She tried to prod for more with her gaze alone, then pouted, and then tried the puppy eyed approach. None seemed to work, but they did bring a smile to the elf’s face.
“Tonight.”
Shaa finally spoke, both women looking at him curiously.
“I’ll share a memory tonight. Not until we’re done moving for the day.”
Well, excitement or anxiety filled her limbs then, or maybe a bit of both. She set a brisk pace for the pair to jog. When they settled in for the night, they were perhaps a few hours outside of the next town. They could have made it if they pushed themselves, but neither felt the need.
A mighty caribou was their dinner, and they ate in silence. Rowan grew more and more anxious. When the male instructed her to get comfortable, she did, laying as if she was preparing for sleep.
Her vision blinked, and the scenery changed in an instant. She was looking out of eyes that were not her own, a body that wasn’t hers.
And then she saw it. Herself and the orange male, running through a field as they chased butterflies. They were small, they must have been young. Childhood friends clearly.
“Why aren’t you playing with them young one?”
Her head turned to the side, catching a glimpse of the one Shaa had shown to be her father.
“I don’t want to scare her.” She recognized Shaa’s voice.
The larger male snorted. “That girl isn’t afraid of anything.”
“Even me?”
“You were raised to be fearsome, you always will be. But she sees past that. The girl has a hell of an intuition.”
Her gaze turned back to the children frolicking.
“What should I do to prove worthy of her attention, of your approval?”
The laugh was warm, but with hints of something sinister. She felt resentment and fear, but they didn’t feel natural to the scene in front of her, and wondered if they bled through.
“You will do as I say. I’ll make sure your potential shines through.”
“Yes Sir.”
“Good, now go play.”
Her paws moved, slowly at first, but gaining speed, she found herself out of breath from the sprint, standing in front of the awestruck children.
It was her body, not Shaa’s that squealed. “Daddy let you out to play!” The tabby hung back, clearly shy, scared, or both.
“Don’t worry, he won’t hurt us! Daddy promised! Come on, we can play tag now!”
Her words assured the orange tabby like nothing else, who easily relaxed. Rowan felt butterflies in her chest when her paw touched the shoulder of the body she viewed this from.
“Tag!”
She had a feeling that Shaa didn’t know how to pla, but he leapt forward anyway.
The vision ended and she was once more in her own body. For some reason, her face was wet, and when she raised a paw to wipe it away, she realized she was crying.
Shaa was looking at her with a sad expression. “I’m sorry.” He got up and padded away from the campfire, leaving them behind.
Lissana came to her side, helping to wipe away the tears. “It’ll be okay.
“Did you see it?”
The elf only nodded.
“It wasn’t even sad, why am I crying?”
“Because it’s something you lost.” It was said simply, but the red vay took the words like wounds, and curled in on herself, crying until slumber took over.
***
“We should make it to the river tonight, and be in the capital early afternoon tomorrow.” Lissana spoke with authority, as neither vayron seemed capable of rational speech right now.
Rowan had taken to being shy and reserved, making Shaa regret showing her anything. Shaa himself was just ‘bad moody’ according to the drow, and he growled out his irritation in response, only strengthening her argument.
It wasn’t anyone's fault but his own he supposed. He groaned to himself more than anything else, shuffling as he moved along. He was not helping things at all, and should have just kept that to himself. Worst memory ever, he said things she didn’t need to know.
Why did he even pick that one anyway?
It was the first time he had gotten to interact with the female outside of stolen glances as they caught sight of each other through her father’s halls. Protective, that one was. He was willing to do anything to gain the favor of the family, and his loyalty was the price. And oh what a price it was. He was glad to be free of it, even if he wasn’t free of his heart.
He looked over at the red vay now and again, cursing himself every time he did. Yep, definitely going home after this, and if his connections find her family, they can tell her. In fact, he had no reason to ever come to this snowy tundra again. Ever. Nope.
Who was he kidding? The red fox that walked ahead of him would pull him back time and time again, even if he did only gaze at her from afar, keeping her safe from the shadows.
Fucking creepy.
Shut up.
Someone better not go stalker or I’ll kick your ass.
Then erasing my memory it is.
The elf grew silent, and he knew if he turned his head that he would see her pout from her perch on the saddle.
They reached the town within a few hours. Shaa excused himself to take care of the things he had in the cities prior. Lissana and he made short work of it, splitting up and returning in record time. Rowan attempted to sell a few jewelry pieces in their absence, and quickly picked up to rejoin the pair when they were ready to head back on the road.
The day was spent in silence, and only the rush of the massive river pierced the quiet. They could hear it from hours away, deceiving people into thinking they were closer. It was one of the largest on the continent, snaking through the mountains with abandon.
They were close. Shaa could easily slip away and do his business alone, rushing ahead during the night and getting away. His range wasn’t that good, but he could also tail the female, keeping threats away from out of sight. Anything to get away from her and deal with his heart breaking a second time.
Stop that.
He had the mental imagery of a rolled up paper swatting him on the nose. Even though it was in his head, he still winced.
Don’t be an idiot. How do you think it’ll make her feel if you just left in the middle of the night?
He didn’t have an answer.
***
They set up their tiny campsite not too far from the river, intending to cross the bridge in the morning. They made sure they weren’t too close to the water's edge in the event of the water rising or flooding, and just inside a tree line so they weren't out in the open.
Rowan was anxious. She wondered if she could just dip once they got to town, avoiding the other vay until he left. Surely he didn’t intend to stay in the capital for too long if he’s as busy as he implied with his guild work. Not that she didn’t appreciate him, she just … didn’t know how to deal with him.
One more day. Tonight was the last night, and they could go their separate ways tomorrow. Less than a day and she’d be alone again.
Alone.
For the first few months when she woke up without her memory, she was scared of being alone. She wanted some tie to her past life, someone to help her. She was constantly terrified. It got better with time, but even all these years later, she still hated the idea of being alone.
She had never let herself get close to anyone else, for fear of this exact situation - someone from her past life that knew her, but she didn’t have a clue who they were, and the awkwardness that ensued. That’s not even touching the idea that she could lose her memory again. Had this happened before?
It made her skin crawl.
Still. Would it be better to stick around someone who knew her well, who clearly didn’t push too much or run away to avoid any hurt if she didn’t remember them?
She didn’t know.
As they settled in to sleep, the chill of the night air cut right through their pelts with the short fur they both bore. Lissana had hauled out a tarp and strung it from a pair of trees to block some of the wind, and curled up with Cabi as far into Shaa's front legs as possible as he pulled his blanket tightly around him. Rowan too did the same, but it didn't stop the shiver that rippled down her back.
Sighing, the female knew she was going to regret it later, but made up her mind all the same. She stood, grasping her blanket and dragging it over to him. He looked at her with narrow eyes that widened only a little as she tossed it over him, then proceeded to crawl her way under the fabric, curling up so their backs touched. It was simply platonic, it's only for warmth; feral reos touch each other in their dens far more than this. The fact their shivers stopped only cemented that fact, and she buried her face in her paws as she got comfortable.
It was a long time before the body next to her lost the tension that held it stiff.
She wasn't sure when she finally nodded off, only that she was alone when she woke, Shaa for once rousing prior to her and gathering up their things. He held a distant look in his eyes, and Lissana rolled up the blankets to pack away once she noticed Rowan stirring. The group was somber, no words being shared, an awkward presence in the air between them all that hushed even the dog's normal antics.
Ready, the group headed for the bridge, the echoes of the city just on the horizon, signaling the end of their journey.
The crash of the fast paced river sounded below them, the occasional spray would slick the bridge above, causing the group to mind their step a little more than normal lest they lose their footing.
The elf said something, and Rowan glanced at her puzzled, and both of them turned their gazes to the dark purple runner. He didn't heed their questioning eyes however, and Rowan sighed, knowing she messed something up, and resigning herself to a few more hours of silence as he didn't seem eager to reach out and use his magic to help her understand once more.
It was fine. It was totally fine.
Lissana didn't seem to think so if the scowl on her face was any indication. Rowan imagined the conversation going on in their minds, guessing it was probably one sided as the elf ribbed the misty runner.
Clearly unsatisfied, the drow cleared her throat and began to sing.
Rowan couldn't understand the words, and Lissana’s singing voice wasn't anything she'd be winning awards with anytime soon, but the songs she chose made someone feel things, conveying emotion through sound.
She had expected something that spoke of her frustration, but instead the tone was light and airy. It was joyful and made the long haired runner want to skip, energy tingling into her limbs. There were points that were so happy, it very nearly brought her to tears. She wondered if perhaps the song itself was magic, something akin to an arcanist's life steal but in reverse, or a mentalist and changing emotions.
No matter what the reasoning was, it made the rest of their trip more pleasant, and Rowan realized the last few hours passed by far faster than she had expected, almost as if the tune had carried her along with it.
***
Shaa wasn’t in the mood to talk at all to either of the females, shutting himself down as he concentrated on the road, on his footfalls.
Rowan’s back against his during the night had felt nice.
It also felt wrong.
He did his best to avoid his frustrations. His tail wanted to twitch in aggistation, a growl threatened to spill out of his chest, and a twisted sneer kept trying to find a place on his maw.
He should not have enjoyed that as much as he did. She wasn’t who he remembered, even if her beauty mark was exactly where it always had been, her hair holding beautiful waves naturally, ebbing like his memory.
He couldn’t do it to himself, no matter how skilled he was, but he could find a mentalist to erase all traces of her. Heck maybe even just replace her with someone that never existed so he couldn’t risk running into anyone again.
Lissana sung, trying to ease the mood. It worked to some extent, and he watched Rowan practically skip as they approached the capital. Once the roar of the river died down, the bustle of the city could be heard, everyone busy even as the snow threatened to settle in and silence them.
Outside the gates he gulped. Did he dare say goodbye, or should he sneak away now? He was doing his best to shut out even the drow, and didn’t notice the other runner standing in front of him, staring curiously.
He jumped, his eyes glaring at her, which seemed to do nothing to deter her.
“So, umm, what now?”
What now indeed.
He sighed, grimacing as he turned away.
“Look, it was nice seeing, I mean meeting you, but we both have our lives to go about. You’re Rowan now, and I don’t have a right to stand by your side any longer.”
Lissana slapped him, his neck smarting a little. In response, he just bucked his hips, jostling the saddle and forcing her to scramble to get a hand hold. Rowan looked about to say something, but he didn’t want to give her the chance.
So he ran.
He ignored the red vay’s calls to wait as he dashed into town, winding his way into the alleys he knew so well, hoping never to see her again.
***
Rowan watched as he ignored her cries. She considered running after him, but she knew it would be fruitless; Shaa seemed like the type to stick to the shadows and she was not very sneaky. It didn’t stop her from feeling a tug that made her want to try.
She didn’t want to let go of him, even if he was still a stranger. She didn’t know much more about him than when she met him at the beginning of this trip. Even if she didn’t remember him though, clearly he left an impact on her past life, she felt like he belonged even if it did make her awkward as hell.
And what about her family? And the other friend he mentioned, the one she picked over him? Would she feel the same about them? Would they feel the same about her? Shaa ran from her because she was not who he remembered, what’s to say the others wouldn’t do the same?
He head hurt, her heart too.
She sighed, and her bags felt a little heavier. She considered the necklace in her bag, one with silver metal that had oxidized and been polished to give it black undertones. It held a red stone on a wire wrapped pendant. Nothing too gaudy, but it reminded her of the pair’s eyes. Had she the chance, she considered giving it to the elf, as that one was human sized.
Suddenly she was overcome with loneliness. It caused a tear to leak from her eyes, and she shook it away with a sad snarl.
Maybe she could find him?
But he didn’t want her. She was a ghost to him, and no good could come out of it.
Part of her had hoped that over their days, over him giving her some bits and pieces, that everything would come back. She had been hesitant of her past life, afraid it might be someone she wouldn’t like, but what little she had seemed didn’t conflict with anything she felt about herself now.
But if even he, a strong mentalist with memories of her could fix her head, nothing would.
She was Rowan now. She would never be who she was before. Meeting Shaa was the final nail in the coffin, dashing any last hopes, however small they may have been.
Resigned to her fate, missing something she couldn’t remember, Rowan entered the city. She had merchandise to sell. It didn’t matter that the coin she’d gain would do nothing to replace what she had lost.
And she wasn’t crying damn it. There was nothing to cry about. She only lost something, someone that she couldn’t even remember.
Wasn’t that stupid?
Just like many other times over the past few days, she didn’t have an answer, and possibly never would.
The elf’s words went without saying as Shaa rolled his eyes. He did his best to ignore her, but even with his mentalist powers, it was sometimes a bitch to block her out entirely - his magic and their bond was just that strong.
You’re missing one.
Of course he was. He grabbed the knife she indicated, dipping it into the bottle she held aloft. He pulled it out, letting it drop a few times, and once the poison dried (which didn’t take more than a minute), he put the blade back where it belonged in its holster.
He didn’t like using normal weapons, they were messy, and blood could be traced. A very skilled mentalist with the help of a necromancer could get some memories off the very recently dead, and most people notice an attacker. No, Shaa preferred to just slip a poison into a meal, organize an ‘accident’ or rarely use some very powerful darts. Sure he could just erase him from their mind, but that sometimes required more concentration than he could afford to give at the time.
His mind was pretty far from the reason he was in Roenden’s Capital, instead thinking of the female that had reentered his life.
Rowan.
With the body of his former crush and none of the memories to go with it, Rowan was nothing but a distraction to him. He had already considered wiping the memories of her from his brain after parting ways, but he couldn’t do it, and now here he was preparing for an asassination with his brain as far from the target as it could be.
He needed to focus.
Taking a deep breath, he called upon a peaceful landscape in his mind. His magic brought his home cabin to life as he stood in his favorite room, Lissana lounging on a cushion nearby. He knew it wasn’t real, that really she was sitting on a chair in the room they had rented, but it felt nice.
He went over the contract details, a document sitting on a nearby table. He had burned it almost as soon as he glanced at it, the details long gone, but for his memory and his magic, there was no destroying the contents.
It was actually guild related for once, usually Vanquest didn’t need his services but sometimes they did. And it was a service he was more than willing to provide - for the right price.
Most times when dealing with criminals, the guild will turn them in to the authorities, or hunt them down when the bounty was to leave them dead or alive. Assassin talents usually weren’t useful, other than when he provided poisons and shady tools of the trade.
This time though, his target was a known criminal, but with no record. His status gave him certain immunities when it came to the law. The man was giving the guild hell, and Shaa was glad he wasn't at the hall while his letter was being written - he knew Artemis seemed calm as she wrote the letter, but she was intimidating as hell, and Horai was bound to be wound up and ready to rip fur out of anyone who came too close.
Apparently the man was just short of royalty or something. He was some sort of traveling noble here on business with diplomatic immunity. He would only be in Roenden’s capital for a few more weeks now, and then he would be back in Vitalus, which would be an even bigger bitch to target him at. He was scum though, and while there was no proof of his crimes, it was all but given he was responsible for the trail of dead concubines that he was the last to buy their services. Some of the girls had been part of Vanquest’s spy network, helping keep their ears to the ground for the guild.
He knew the counts would never charge him with the murders, and he would keep on doing it, so Shaa had been called in as an expert.
He wasn’t the only assassin in the guild, but he prided himself on being one of the best.
Yet with your distraction, you’re not doing so hot.
Shut up.
He went over what he knew. The male rarely left except under heavy guard, so it would be easiest to sneak inside. Even if he did administer deadly toxins while he was out and about, there was a chance the guards could find something or find him or who knows what. Shaa didn’t like his chances or loose ends, so best to just sneak into where his mark was staying and call it good.
The layout of the building was on blueprints in his mind, and Lissana rose to run her fingers over them, just as immersed in his mindscape as he. She ran the route he would take, and indicated where she would be on lookout. The glare she gave him spoke to be safe. She wouldn’t commit the murders herself, even if it would be easier for her to get in and out, smaller and unseen, but she wouldn’t let him get hurt either. The dog would be put into a sleep induced by his magic, so as not to give away anything - they had learned their lesson in trusting the hound to keep quiet.
Even distracted, Shaa later found himself in a pretty lavish wing of a great hall, not terribly different from a palace. He scoffed, wondering just how people lived like this, and snuck through the halls. He had his goggles on that covered the glow of his eyes, the darkened lenses barely hindering his own sight. His dark pelt helped him move from shadow to shadow, not as easily as shadowdweller might, he didn’t truly melt and become one with the darkness, but his nightshade coat was a blessing. He had even painted his claws black, covering the standard red, and removed his golden jewelry. His mouth was kept shut to hide his white tongue, and he had rubbed some ink in his chest and flank where his markings were lightest. He used to rub dirt in, but the flecks would fall off, leaving behind traces of himself. The ink would dry and wouldn’t come out unless washed, and he could jump in one of the frigid streams to let the evidence flow downstream.
Smirking to himself, black teeth the only things visible in his smile, Shaa wound his way to where his target was staying.
A pair of guards stood outside the door, and Shaa reached for his magic, ensuring them both. He made himself invisible to their senses, and to them, the door stayed shut as he picked the lock and slipped inside. He let his magic drop once there was nothing to hide, and stayed alert. He had opened and closed the door as quietly as possible, trusting that rich places kept their hinges well oiled and silent, but he needed to make sure that those inside the room wouldn’t notice.
He had his work cut out for him, as both of those inside the room slumbered quietly. He snuck over to the table where a pitcher stood, intending to pour a vial into the wine and be done with it, perhaps stick a needle in his target’s veins, but he hesitated when he saw the servant. A pretty little lass, with a brilliant red coat, draped over the edge of the table in a small pile of their own drool.
He groaned as his mind returned to the red furred female he left earlier that day.
Focus!
Lissana’s voice hissed in his head, and he quickly cut off his groan, hoping it wasn’t too loud. Thankfully the two occupants of the room stayed sleeping, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
Well, now he couldn’t bring himself to poison the wine in the event this pretty young thing drank from it, which usually wasn’t a problem except for his damn infatuation with a similar female.
With a sigh, he strode over to the master bed, grumbling mentally. He could feel Lissana’s amusement faintly, as if she was trying to hide it.
He didn’t want to spill blood usually, but if he poisoned the vay with something down his throat or a needle, the pretty lass would likely get blamed. He sighed again, knowing this was about to be messy.
Shaa put both of the occupants of the room into a deep sleep with his magic, ensuring neither would wake up. Hauling out one of his pre-coated blades, the assassin stood behind the slumbering male and swiftly drew it against his target’s throat, ensuring the blood spilled out and not near him. Now he had to make himself obvious, as he licked a paw and wet it on his chest, drawing out some of the ink rubbed in. He left a few paw prints and smeared some on the tobiano markings of the now dead vay, clearly left behind by an intruder and not the sleeping servant.
Checking over his inventory, Shaa remembered some sleeping draughts he had, and poured some down the female’s throat, and the rest into the wine,leaving a few drops remaining as he planned on leaving the almost empty bottle somewhere for people to find in the morning, perhaps in the kitchens. The female would be asleep for quite some time, and hopefully it would be assumed that the noble also had been poisoned with the sleeping draught and thus why the two of them slept through an intruder. Helped with his cover as well, and it would be less suspect of a mentalist, and more on someone who snuck past the guards without the aid of magic.
Softie.
Oh shut up.
Time to sneak on out. Now that he had to make things more obvious, he strode over to the window, throwing it up and glancing down. Of course he would be on the third story. His old joints were not up to this. He sighed, smearing more of the ink on the windowsill, and knowing he was going to have to do even more. The things he does for stupid jobs. He could have been in and out with no one the wiser, but noo, here he was protecting someone he didn’t even know because she reminded him of someone else.
This was gonna hurt.
As clumsy as he dared to be, knowing he could land far better if he tried, Shaa jumped from the window, aiming for a clump of brush off to the side. He barely made it, and made a big ruckus as well, disturbing the branches and leaves, and causing quite a mess of debris and more ink that he rubbed off on the bush.
His breath was knocked out of him as he rolled his eyes back in his head while he groaned. He could feel Lissana’s concern, but that was neither here nor there. For now, he needed to get away, and fast, before anyone could catch on. He wasn’t quiet by any means, so he rolled himself to standing, listening to his joints pop, and then scurried off, making as much of a trail out of the lavish courtyard and into town.
Once sure he wasn’t being followed, the male slowed, and pulled on his skills to be undetected. He would sneak his way through the city to get to the river so he could bathe at last. Lissana would meet him there, and they could return to town to finish up their business before leaving.
All in all, it wasn’t terrible and could have gone worse, but he knew at this point there would be a wild goose hunt for the assassin, and no one would dare be looking under their noses, assuming with such a dramatic and messy exit, that they would have long fled. He was bound to get some shit for such a messy job, but he didn’t care. He saved someone who didn’t matter in the end and felt better for it. Now if only he could get over these blasted feelings.