“The Odyssey”
By MrNelg

Act: XIII

{Two-hundred years!} The throne room rang with every syllable Hark belted out. {The entire history of the pack! Our journey to greatness! Our very identity! Now all we have is a pile of debris!}

Jason uncovered his ears and looked the Prime Alpha in the eyes. {I am genuinely sorry for your loss, sir, but the survival of my species was at stake. I had to do something.}

{When I granted you protection, that didn't give you the right to destroy my greatest treasures!} Hark bellowed. {Survival or not!}

Hark's throne room was huge. Circular in design and almost as big as the library, it seemed to hold an endless sea of lupus. High above sat a spectators gallery, which housed even more lupus. From everyone's dress, the ground floor was reserved for the higher ranks. Hark sat on a huge cushion in the centre of the room, situated upon a raised golden dais. His wives lounged on cushions at various locations around him. 

Hark cradled his massive Warhammer in his lap, his fingers idly stroking the hooked spike as he glared down at Jason. Tac stood before Hark, holding the sapien in his cupped hands. Although the Prime Alpha's words weren't directed at him, Jason could feel the Sciuridae shaking.

The two massive guards standing at the palace entrance held a battered and miserable looking Rattus to his left. Surprisingly, it was the guild member. The rest had perished, just like Ssith, when the shockwave threw them. Disturbingly enough - when they found the guild member, Jason had seen them rescue a second Rattus. The Rattus's had revealed their mysterious backers and their reason for fleeing to his shores under intense interrogation from what Tac had informed him. Tac had deliberately withheld the method in which they managed to get the guild member to talk. 

Considering only one Rattus remainded, Jason wasn't too eager to have that question answered. 

Eyeing the numerous wounds that dotted the Rattus' body, Jason couldn't tell which ones had been from the explosion and Hark's soldiers. He was missing his tail and half his left ear. Although naked, bandages practically mummified his body. He was having trouble standing, and the guard on his right was propping him up like a puppet. Hark hadn't bothered informing Jason on who financed the Rattus's, or why they had fled to his city. Most likely just to spite him for what he'd done.

At this point in his life, Jason didn't care. Ssith was dead, and her research was gone. Sapien kind was safe. Whatever happened to him, he would face it head-on.

{Tell me,} Hark said. {Why should I keep my promise of protection upon you?}

{I don't ask for it} Jason said. {You have every right to take that promise away from me.} One of Hark's ears flicked. Jason carefully stood up to face Hark like an equal. {If you wish to blame me for what happened to your library, I won't complain. If you want to have me killed right this instant, I won't care.} Hark was silent.

Suddenly, he burst out laughing. {For something so small and helpless, you have the courage of a lupus.} He grinned. {I like that.} 

{Does that mean you've forgiven me?} The grin vanished.

{No,} he snapped. {I haven't forgotten you helped my dear old friend, Tac. My promise of protection on you still stands, but you haven't escaped punishment. After all, my pack's greatest treasures are all gone. Parents, relatives and children are lost. Seventy-eight of my lupus are dead, and over one-hundred are wounded. Most of those injured have a disability for the rest of their lives. They will be unable to do their job and be a financial burden to their families.} Jason winced.

{Sir, it's not fair to blame me for what happened.} Again, Hark flicked his ear in amusement.

{So, it wasn't your people who attacked my city, killed my people and destroyed my library?} he said with all the sarcasm he could muster.

{Maybe you should blame the ones who brought them here,} Jason said, nodding towards the lone rattus. All eyes turned to the guild member. 

{Oh, I already do,} Hark said casually. {I've gotten everything from him, and I'm not afraid of the guilds. He's going to be spending the rest of his life in the deepest, darkest recesses of one of my tin mines.} He turned to look at the rattus. {Before you enter, take one last look at the sun, because the next time you'll see it is when the guards carry out your corpse.} There was a long moment of silence as the rattus seemed to gather his wits.

{Am I really the villain?} he asked. Jason was about to remind him what he intended to do, but before he could, the rattus continued. {You saw what they did. That was one flying machine. We estimate that they have fleet's of them.} All around the room, tails stilled. The rattus saw this and continued. {Wanting to destroy them before they kill us? Does that make me the villain?} No one responded.

{All we want is to be left alone!} Jason shouted back. {We only attack those who threaten us!} Turning to the gathered lupus, Jason explained the Vulpus Factor. When he finished, the room was silent as everyone mused over his words.

{How long?} the Rattus cried out. {How long will that Vulpus Factor protect us!} He turned to the lupus. {As predators, we've hunted and eaten them; for centuries! You saw what they are capable of doing right now. What happens when they decide that enough is enough. What happens when they are strong enough to take on all mammalians?} He paused. {I'll tell you what will happen. We won't stand a chance!}

{We have always avoided-}

{Can you guarantee that?} the Rattus interrupted. {Can you stand before everyone here and tell them honestly that is a path sapiens won't take?} Jason hesitated too long. {We must do something while we still have the opportunity to do so.} Hark rose to his feet.

{The safety of my people takes priority,} he said, walking down the steps of the dais. He stood before Jason and stared down at him for a long time. {I must think about our future.} Jason stared up at him in horror. Hark turned towards his pack. {My fellow lupus, you have witnessed today, but a token of the strength the sapiens possess. As Prime Alpha, I can not allow such a threat to go unchallenged.} Jason's mouth fell open. {I, Hark of the Stone Claw pack, now make this vow. I will cross the Emerald Sea with my army and fight the greatest battle in history. I will show the sapiens my fury and skill. Show them why my pack is the undisputed power on the High Continent. I will destroy them before they kill us; And add their flags to my parlour, for all to see.}

The entire room erupted in howl's of approval as Hark observed all this with satisfaction. Only his eldest son held a different expression; One of horror. However, it was the expression on the rattus that drew Jason's attention. It was one of triumph. Jason's eyes widened with horror, and the colour drained from his face. The bastard had wanted this. Hark was a proud warrior. The rattus knew he longed for the days of conquest and triumph. A force more powerful than anything he believed possible had invaded the heart of his empire, wrecked his city, killed his people and destroyed his greatest treasure; And had been utterly helpless before it. Hark was mad. The Prime Alpha wanted to do more than strike back; he wanted revenge. The rattus knew there was no way Hark would win against the sapiens; He'd get himself killed. Then Jason thought of other consequences. How would the rest of the mammalian world react to Hark's crushing defeat? They would enact the Vulpus Factor for sure.

There would be no need for the surrexerunt poison after all. 

{Father, no!} The entire room went silent. Heads turned. Hark's eldest son stood out from the crowd, the same horrified expression from before, still on his face. {You saw the firepower the sapien's possess. Even you couldn't win such a battle against that!} Hark's muzzle wrinkled.

{You question my ability to lead?} The son didn't answer. {Then get back in line, boy.}

{No,} his son said. {I've ignored your behaviour for years because it's embarrassing. This - it's suicide! All you will do is get yourself and many of our brave warriors killed!} He spread his arms wide. {And then where will we be? A mighty empire with a broken army; ripe for conquest! Your enemies will pounce, and everything our family built will end up like the library; In ashes!} Hark growled, but his son pushed on. {And it won't end there!} He pointed a finger towards his father. {I'll tell you where it will. Our flag hanging in the parlour of a rival pack!}

{Enough!} Everyone's ears folded back. Hark jabbed a clawed finger at his son. {I will not tolerate such insubordination. Not even from you!} He lowered his voice to a menacing hiss as he unsheathed all his claws. {Apologise to me, and get out of my sight!}

The eldest son was silent for three seconds. Then, with deliberate slowness, he unsheathed his claws. The entire throne room went still. No one even breathed.

The silence was broken by Hark chuckling. ******. He let loose a high pitch howl. A guard stepped forth and gave the eldest son a bronze longsword and round shield. After taking it, he walked to the area just before the dais and took a battle stance. Hark stood opposite him and simply twirled his giant war hammer in one hand. Everyone hurriedly backed off.

One of Hark's wives stood between them like a referee, holding up her hand. She backed off before letting her hand drop. The moment it fell, the eldest son charged his father.

*, Hark snarled and stood his ground. As the son lunged for his father, he simply parried the charge with a quick twist of the war hammer, sending his son crashing headfirst into the ground. The eldest son was quickly back on his feet. Hark smiled at his son and waved him on.

The lupus carefully approached his father this time, cowering behind his shield as he drew closer. Hark merely shook his head in disgust. ******, he jeered. His son made a lunge, but with a simple swing of his hammer, deflected the blow. He made another thrust, and Hark blocked it by swinging his hammer in the other direction. He gave his son a bored expression.

Then he grinned. 

With a mighty roar, he charged his son, swinging his hammer. The eldest ducked behind his shield as he raised it to block the blow. The hammer struck with a mighty crash, shattering it in half. The eldest son let the broken shield fall to the ground as he cradled his arm. Hark watched this display with disappointment. The eldest swung in from the left, and Hark simply blocked it with the handle of his war hammer. As the sword struck, Hark pushed it aside. Using the momentum, he leaned in and landed a devastating head butt, right between his son's eyes. 

A shattering crack pierced the air, and the eldest son was sent reeling, a hand over his face. He stumbled about while Hark shook his head. ***, Hark said, disappointment in his voice. ********? He strode towards his son. The eldest quickly regained his balance and brought the sword up. ***! Hark snapped, battering it away with little effort. The eldest brought it up again. ******! **! He swatted the sword aside once more. It quickly returned. ***! ******! He waited for his son to move.

When nothing happened, he spun the war hammer around and swung it with one hand. The sword splintered in two. Hark glared with dismay as his son just stood there. He tossed the hammer aside and stepped towards his son. 

The eldest son extended his claws and swung at him with his right hand. Hark caught it with ease. The eldest attacked with his left, but with a quick movement, Hark grabbed that hand too, securing both hands. Without a single flicker of emotion, Hark brought both hands together as he turned, and heaved his son over his shoulder, like a heavy sack, and slammed him down on the floor. Hark turned around and hurled his son over his shoulder to slam him on the opposite side.

He let go and stood back. The eldest son writhed on the ground in pain. Hark waited to see what he would do. Then he shook his head sadly, and picking up his war hammer, walked over to him.

It was then, Jason saw it. There was a sudden change in the eldest son's expression. He'd been faking it. As Hark stepped close to his muzzle, it suddenly latched onto his ankle. It was a sudden bite, as the eldest quickly let go and rolled away.

Hark howled in pain, dropping his war hammer. Still rolling, the eldest struck out with both feet at the abused leg, sending his father crashing to the ground. Hark rolled with the fall, getting back onto his feet, but his son was faster.

With both hands, the eldest grabbed the Warhammer and lifted it. He then swung it around once and brought the spiked end down into the back of Hark's skull. Hark was on his feet when this happened, and his mouth opened wide with the impact.

Blood, chunks of meat and bone fragments exploded out from his muzzle.

The eldest let go of the Warhammer and stood back; the weapon still lodged in the back of Hark's head. Hark swayed. He looked stunned. For half a minute, he stood there, blood dripping from his muzzle like a small waterfall.

With a mighty crash, he was on his knees, a look of defiant rage on his face. Then he tilted forward. Like a mighty tree, Hark collapsed to the ground, face smashing into the floor. He lay still, save for the pool of blood, steadily growing around his hidden face. The Warhammer still embedded into him.

For a moment, no one moved. Even the eldest son looked shocked that his father had succumbed to his wound. Then, he stood before his father and knelt on both knees, head touching the floor. He stayed like this for ten seconds before rising to both feet, throwing back his head, and letting out a loud, triumphant howl.

Every lupus joined in, filling the hall with so much noise, even Tac had to try and cover his ears. It ended when the eldest son ceased howling. All eyes were now on him. He straightened himself up and pointed at the rattus.

{I'm not as dumb as my father thinks. I know what you did. You goaded my father into accepting that insane adventure.} The rattus remained expressionless. {If you think I will grant you leniency for allowing me to take charge of the pack, think again.} He gave a quick gesture, and both the rattus' guards grabbed him. {Your words have proved dangerous. I can't have you doing that again.} 

[What are- no!] he shouted, but his words ended in a strangled, gurgling sound. When the guards stood away, the rattus held his mouth, blood oozing from between his fingers. The guard to the right had something bloody in his hand.

{You still are going to our tin mine, but you won't need your tongue for that.} He gave another gesture, and the guards hauled the rattus away. 

Suddenly, he stood before Tac. The Sciuridae looked up at him. Jason could feel the mammalian trembling in fear. {Tac, you were my father's greatest friend. For that reason alone, I will allow you to stay for the funeral.} He glanced at Jason, and he couldn't help but cringe away from the Lupus' gaze. The eldest son turned back to Tac. {When it is over, I want you both to leave my territory and never come back.} 

---

The funeral was spectacular. Everyone attended to wish Hark good-bye. There was a vast open section of ground at the bottom of the grand staircase, paved with stone. In the centre, they had constructed a large funeral pyre on a pyramid of wooden logs.

Not too far away, Tac watched, holding back his tears. Beside him stood Hark's eldest son, the new Prime Alpha. Next to him stood Hark's wives, all decked out in hooded capes of black. Their hoods covered their faces, but Jason could hear the whimpers coming from them.

Only Hark's latest wife, the one whom he'd just recently been engaged to, wasn't crying. She looked stunned, almost afraid. Jason questioned Tac about it.

{She wasn't his wife,} he answered, {Therefore, she's not entitled to widows rights.} He cast a glance her way. {No one is sure what the new Prime Alpha will do with her. He might marry her or just ship her back.}

{What about the alliance his father was trying to create?} Tac shrugged.

{A new Prime Alpha means a new foreign policy,} Tac answered. 

{He won't marry the other wives, will he?} Tac burst out laughing.

{Oh, * no,} he answered. {The Prime Alpha's first wife is his mother, while the other wives are mothers to his siblings.}

As the new Prime Alpha stepped towards the funeral pyre, he fell silent, burning torch in one hand. He said a few words towards his father, covered in a grand, purple cape, the pack's symbol embroidered on it. When he finished, he bowed his head. Everyone followed suit. Then looking up, he let out a long, mournful howl. 

Everyone joined in, only this time, it reminded Jason of his time with the lupus mother. They were all singing. Looking up at Tac, he saw the Sciuridae was humming along. Jason turned back to Hark. Every inch of him lay obscured beneath the purple cape. His body lay surrounded by many personal possessions. Tac had informed him that they would be burnt with his body to enjoy them in the afterlife.

When the song ended, the new Prime Alpha stepped forth. He reached out, lit the base of the funeral pyre and stepped back. The flames were slow at first but quickly spread, consuming everything. Even then, it seemed to last an eternity, as Hark was making one last attempt to defy his end.

Eventually, everything collapsed, and Hark was buried beneath a pile of burning wood. Still, everyone watched as the flames burned on, until at last, they died out, leaving a charred, smoking giant pile of ash behind.

The new Prime Alpha stood before Tac. {It's over,} he said with no emotion. {Now, you will leave my territory and take all your problems with you. Once you cross the border, my protection ends, and if either of you set one claw across it, I'll have you skinned.} Then he was gone.

They'd gone over the arrangements for their trip last night. Ironically, the pack of nomads - the one that Hark had used for Jason's cover when giving him to the rattus', where to take them to the border. They would travel to the north-west, out of Lupus territory to the lands of the scrofa. There was a boat that would have taken them to their destination much quicker, but the new Prime Alpha vetoed it. To him, the sooner Jason and Tac left his city, the happier - safer he'd be. It would take them weeks, travelling on foot, but the new Prime Alpha hadn't wanted them in his city any longer. 

{Wherever he is, trouble follows,} the new Prime Alpha had stated. {I'd rather trouble to occur in the countryside, where it can't impact my city and people. We've already suffered enough. I want nothing more to do with any guilds and sapiens, especially ones who talk!}

The boat wasn't scheduled to leave for another two weeks. So, by caravan, they would go.

The dawn following the funeral, the nomads were packed up and headed out. The riding avians weren't as fierce-looking as the ones the Leo's used. They were slimmer, with shorter beaks and lacked the dangerous claws on their feet. All knew about Tac, and especially Jason. They had promised the Prime Alpha not to hurt the sapien. When he asked the healer why, he had said, because Hark had pledged safety to him. Since Hark was greatly respected, even outside their pack - and despite his death, his promises were still honoured.

There was one last surprise visitor before they left. The lupus mother showed up to wish Tac well. She gave him a large, hooded cloak to wear while in the scrofa lands. After he accepted it, she turned to grace Jason with an unreadable expression. She gave a slight nod. It was so quick Jason almost missed it. Then she was gone.

{What was that?} Jason asked.

{That was her way of thanking you for saving her daughter's life.}

{I thought I was just property to her?} Tac smiled.

{I guess you changed her opinion.}

The entire pack organised into a long column and travelled out of the city.

Tac wore the long, hooded cloak around his body. Jason sat in the back of the hood, watching as Baile an Chósta fell away behind them. Even from this distance, he could see the damage wrought to it from the Leviathan. He kept watching until the forest-covered mountains hid it from view.

{You're not too worried you weren't able to uncover the true identity of the rattus's backers?} Tac asked when they'd travelled for a while. Jason didn't answer straight away. Instead, he merely brushed it aside with an uninterested grunt. 

The truth was completely different. He couldn't stop thinking about the last thing the new Prime Alpha had said to him. 'Where ever he is, trouble follows.' Knowing his luck, it wouldn't be a matter of 'if' he would find out, but rather 'when.' Jason could only hope that when the answer did present itself, he would be ready for the chaos that followed.

The rest of the day, they travelled in silence.

---

About a week into their journey, Jason finally brought up the courage to ask Tac what their plans were once they reached the scrofa lands. They were heading to a port city called Port Beag Mara. The boat's destination - the one the new Prime Alpha hadn't been willing to wait on.

{From there, we try to pick up the pieces,} Tac finished. There was a moment of silence. {Jay-sun?} Tac asked. 

{Yes?}

{You've been quiet since we left Baile an Chósta.}

{I've just been thinking, is all,} Jason answered. {Over this past week, I've had a lot to think about.}

{Like?}

{everything,} Jason replied. He then spent the next hour explaining what had happened to him while a prisoner of the Rattus'. When he finished, Tac was silent. {Now that I've had time to think, I can't help but pity Ssith. Yes, she was a monster, but - I can't help but wonder, where her drive would've taken her, and her father's business had she not been-} He stopped. Despite his sympathy for her, he still couldn't bring himself to call her a victim. Instead, he said, {In the wrong place at the wrong time.}

{What do you think really happened? With Ssith's father?}

{We'll never know,} Jason said. {The only one who knew that answer was Ssith, and she's gone.} He turned as if looking back at Baile an Chósta. {She was young when it happened. Maybe she didn't witness the full story. The cause of her biased in her recollection of events may not have been over what happened, but rather because she didn't know the truth herself.} He turned away. 

Tac was silent for a full minute. {Maybe sapiens should stop attacking woodcutters,} he muttered.

{And then what?} Jason asked. {Let them cut down the forest right up to our borders? Then mammalian's will have easy pickings taking down our cities.}

{So, what's the answer?} Jason gave a huge sigh.

{I don't know,} he answered. {All I do know is that things can't keep going on like this. Hatred only leads to more hatred. Somehow, all this needs to stop.}

{How?}

{I don't know,} Jason snarled in frustration. {Mammalian's aren't going to stop hunting us overnight, and for sapiens, well, you can't just switch off a thousand years of hatred,} he snapped his fingers, {just like that.} He sighed deeply again. {But we need to find a way. Because if we don't, there isn't going to be a future for anyone. How long before another Ssith arises? If we keep fighting fire with fire, all we'll have left is ashes.}

Tac tilted his head. {From what I saw back there, mammalians are the ones who should be afraid.}

{We only take offensive action when threatened,} Jason countered. He explained to Tac the details and history behind the 'Vulpes Factor.' 

{You haven't completely changed,} Tac pointed out. {You're still defending your aggressive actions.}

{And what would happen to all sapiens if we didn't?}

{Then why are you telling me things need to change?}

{Because you are people,} Jason said, turning to look up at the Sciuridae. {After all the time I've spent living among your kind, I've come to see you in a different light. You're not all rampaging, voracious monsters.} He pointed his finger at Tac. {You convinced me to help save predators.} 

{You wanted to change it; Only to children.} He tilted his head slightly. {And no vulpes.}

Jason stared the healer directly in the eyes. He thought about reminding the Sciuridae that he didn't want to help the vulpes' either but decided against it. Instead, he said, {before I met you, I never would've entertained the idea of assisting predators, let alone save them. If I change, other sapiens can too; And that's a good enough start as any. If I'd escaped with the others, maybe I could have...} He trailed off as he wound down before collapsing into the back of the hood.

Tac turned away. {Jay-sun?}

{Yes?}

There was a long pause as if he were building up the courage to ask a difficult question. {You had no intention of using those captured sapiens to help me, did you. That story you told me was a lie. You wanted to escape with them all along.}

{Yes.} 

There was a long bout of silence. {Do you still hate me so much?}

{Tac, while I understand why you kidnapped me, it still doesn't excuse it.} He sighed heavily. {Although, looking back on it, if you hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to save all those girls and my people.} He sighed heavily again. {Hindsight is a "Bitch,"} he muttered.

{You promised me, Jay-sun.}

{I know what I promised, "Damn it,"} Jason snapped. {But I still want to go home! I want to walk among people my size. I want to live a regular life! So, I saw an opportunity, and I took it.} He paused. {Don't you ever think about the life you left behind?}

{It's too painful,} Tac answered.

{What about your mate?} Jason asked. {Is her life too painful?}

{I made sure she would be comfortable for the rest of her life,} Tac answered.

{I'm not talking about that kind of wealth,} Jason said. {She lost both her daughter and her husband. Did you ever stop to think about what that might do to her?}

{She has her relatives. They were comforting her, much more effectively than I could, during the days after I lost my daughter.}

{So it's still all about you?} The head turned towards him.

{What are you implying?}

{I'm telling you to grow a "fucking” spine!} Jason snapped. {If it is to be my destiny to spend the rest of my life with you, I'm not going to see you spending the rest of yours fleeing from town to town because of your guilt.}

{I can't go back.}

{Why not?}

{Because...} he trailed off. {I can't face her!}

{Why?}

{I don't know if she'll take me back. After all these years, I still remember the look in her eyes when our daughter breathed her last.} There was a low sob as Tac turned away. {I wouldn't be able to withstand the rejection.}

{Is that her, or you saying that.}

{Why would she take me back?}

{Because you're her husband!} Jason cried. {You gave her a family. You did everything you could to save your daughter.}

{But it wasn't enough.}

{You did what you could,} Jason said, placing a caring hand on his ear. {Sapiens have a motto that goes like this. 'Every exit is an entry somewhere.' You can spend the rest of your life moping, thinking about 'What if,' or you can get off your backside and do something about it.}

{It's been so long,} Tac murmured. {What if she doesn't want me back.}

{But, what if she says yes?} Jason asked. {What if she does want you back. And besides, if she doesn't, then you'll know. Will you spend the rest of your life going to bed every night, allowing that question to haunt your dreams?}

Tac was silent. When five minutes passed, Jason leaned back into the hood. He decided he wasn't going to push the subject anymore. Tac would have to be the one to make-

{When we get to Port Beag Mara, we'll have to organise sea transport. Then we will make the journey back to my village.} Tac didn't speak for the rest of the day. From the back of his hood, Jason smiled.

---

A heavy blanket of rain covered Port Beag Mara when it came into view. Above, black storm clouds continuously rumbled, intermixed with streaks of lighting, stabbing down towards the earth below. Like Baile an Chósta, the port town hugged a mountainside, though the mountains weren't as high, nor did the town climb it. It stretched around a sheltered bay, like a crescent moon.

The town was right on the border of lupus lands. The caravan had started travelling at the crack of dawn. Within an hour, they reached a wooden fence, only fifteen feet high. Atop its battlements, great big muscular mammalian's march back at forth. They were bulky and hairy with large tusks protruding from their snouts; The scrofa.

There weren't many details Jason could see on them, as they all wore large cloaks to protect themselves from the pouring rain. The nomad's Prime Alpha approached the scrofa in charge. There was quick banter and some coins exchanged. Then the doors were hastily flung open, and the entire pack moved on through. Two hours of marching later, Port Beag Mara appeared.

The Prime Alpha approached Tac. {This is where we leave you,} he said. {Hark was a great warrior and good lupus. It has been a privilege to guard his most treasured friend.} They shook hands and said their good-byes. 

All structures in the town were made of stone with thatched straw roofing. The lupus' weren't allowed inside. If they felt anything about that, they never showed it. They simply set up camp outside. The scrofa didn't say anything to Tac, and after asking for directions to the nearest inn, he was allowed entry into the town.

The streets were narrow, long and muddy. Tac had to hug the sides of the buildings, as the road proved impossible to traverse. They quickly found the inn. Thankfully, it had a wooden porch. As Tac hurried for it, Jason spied a different looking mammalian standing on it. The creature was taller than Tac and slender with a long, bushy tail. A small head that contained a square face and outward-facing ears sat atop a long, broad neck. The creature's fur was entirely one colour; battleship grey.

Jason couldn't see if it wore any clothing because its entire body lay obscured beneath a light grey, almost white hooded cloak. Resting just to her side was the most bizarre contraption Jason had ever seen. It looked like an upside down 'L,' but completely covered in all sorts of items. Clothing, bottles, tools and even pouches that bulged with more unseen objects.

As Tac reached the porch, Jason could see that the creature was carefully, almost lovingly playing with a doll. Then he got a closer look. No, it was a puppet. The puppet was strange looking. It looked like an anthropomorphic Insecta, with little rhopalocera wings. He frowned, then his eyes bulged as he realised what it was. That was a Fae.

With a sudden movement, the creature made the puppet disappear into one of the contraptions many pouches before turning to look at them. A bright, careful smile appeared.

{Customers,} the creature said in a calm, feminine voice. She was at Tac's side in an instant. {Let me guess, you're very weary after your long travel, am I right?}

{I'm at an inn, and I'm about to get something to eat,} Tac said, walking through the front door. {Good-bye.} The mammalian kept right on behind.

However, before she could reply, a loud snort filled the air. All heads turned to see a colossal scrofa, glaring daggers at them. It took a few seconds to realise the female mammalian was the target of his wrath. When Jason turned to look at her, all he saw was a grey tail, disappearing around the frame.

Moving closer to Tac's ear, Jason whispered, {What was that mammalian, just now?}

{A neovision,} Tac answered as he strode towards the big scrofa. {Do not listen to more than one sentence from them unless you wish to spend half your coin, buying junk you don't need.} He reached the scrofa, and asked for a room and food. 

While he waited, Jason observed the room. A fire crackled in a large fire pit, providing much-needed warmth. Two long tables filled the centre of the room, holding a few scrofa. They drank, ate and talked among themselves in their native tongue. 

At the far end of the table sat a small, hooded mammalian. The creature was impossible to identify, but what drew Jason's eye was the mammalian was staring straight at Tac. Although the hood obscured the entire face, Jason could feel the creature's eyes upon him. He shivered.

{Are you cold?} Tac whispered when he got a bowl of vegetable stew.

{No,} Jason said. {It's just that mammalian, with the cloak, over by the end. They've been watching us ever since we walked in.} Tac hesitated a little, then moved to the far end of the other table. {Can you tell what species they are?}

{No,} he whispered. 

{A friend of yours?} Jason asked. Tac cast another glance. 

{I don't recognise the shape,} he said.

At that moment, the mysterious mammalian rose. The cloak covered its entire body. Like a ghost, the mammalian floated for the door and outside. {How long will we be staying here?} Jason asked.

{I'll have to ask around the docks to find out any information on boats travelling to the west.} He paused. {I was going to wait until tomorrow, but now seems like a good time.} Tac didn't even finish his stew. He gulped down two more spoonfuls, then proceeded up to his room to store his belongings. After, he then headed back down and outside.

{Refreshed?} The neovision from before was still waiting outside.

{I'm busy,} Tac snapped and hurried out into the pouring rain.

{You'll be back,} she called out after him. {Everyone always comes back to *!}

Tac hurried through the blinding rain, keeping to the sides of the building as he ran. Suddenly, he paused. {Jay-sun,} he whispered. {We're being followed.}

{The mammalian from the inn?} Tac's head bobbed in affirmation. {Could they be a thief?} The shoulders shrugged. Jason didn't know what to think. It couldn't be a guild member chasing him down. As far as everyone on the Middle Continent knew, he was still with Glitch. They had no idea who Tac was or that he stole him from her. Whoever this mystery mammalian was, they were after the healer. {What do we do?}

{We can take the next ship out of port, no matter where it goes. I am a healer, after all. As I've done in the past, I can simply hire myself as the ship's healer.} Suddenly, he froze. {They're gone.} Tac looked all around. {I can't see them anywhere.}

{Then let's hurry,} Jason urged.

Tac took five steps and was abruptly yanked to the right. Within the hood, the sudden movement threw Jason. There was a thud as Tac was shoved up against a wall.

{What do you-?} Tac's words ended in a strangled choking sound. Jason stayed hidden in the back of the hood, unsure of what to do. {I haven't got many coins on me,} he gasped.

{I don't care about your stupid coin! Where is he?}

{Where's who?} Tac croaked. 

Jason never heard what was said next. The moment the mammalian spoke, it triggered something in his memory. That voice; It couldn't be.

He knew that voice.

{Glitch!} 

There was a moment's silence before something rushed into the hood. Giant furry fingers seized his body and lifted him out, albeit hastily. A light orange-brown hand held him before the hood. In the pouring rain, another hand lifted back the hood to reveal the long ears of a familiar light orange-brown face with a white stripe around the muzzle that traced down a neck.

And a joyful smile.

{Jay-sun!} Glitch's voice was on the verge of tears. {It's you!}

{It's me!} Jason cried out. Suddenly, her hands squished him against the wet fur of her cheek as she cried with joy. Jason also cried as he hugged the wet fur back with all his strength. He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. Two old friends, crying in the pouring rain.

{Oh, Jay-sun,} Glitch said, pulling him away so she could talk to him. {I never thought I'd ever see you again.}

{How did you find me?} Jason asked.

{There'll be time for explanations later,} she said. {For now, let's get out of this pouring rain.}

{We have a room back at the inn,} Jason said. {Tac can-} he trailed off, as when he mentioned the healer's name, Glitch's face suddenly twisted into one of fury. She fixed the Sciuridae with her enraged glare. 

{Well, umm, hello again, my dear,} Tac was fiddling nervously with his fingers. {I guess-} Glitch moved like lighting. Tac's words ended in a bellow of pain as he started hopping up and down, clutching his knee. When he calmed down, he rested his back against the wall, careful to avoid putting any weight on his abused limb, and sighed. {I suppose I deserved that,} he muttered. Glitch stared wide-eyed at him.

{Suppose? Suppose!} She roared louder than the thunder. {I suppose you deserve more than that, you-} her words trailed off in her tongue. Jason suspected Tac knew her language because his face became one of horror, then twisted into one of uneasiness.

{Young lady,} Tac interrupted with an indignant squawk. {Do you even know what a *** is?} Glitch looked unimpressed and started explaining, only for Tac to quickly ask her to stop. He seemed positively ill that she understood the meaning of those insults. {Let's all go back to the inn,} he muttered in defeat. He moved his hood aside, for Jason to climb in, but Glitch bared her teeth at him as she moved Jason within the protection of her cloak.

{Oh no,} she warned, {There's no way in * I will allow you to put your * claws on Jay-sun. He stays with me.} Tac didn't argue and instead headed out of the alleyway and back towards the inn. Glitch lifted Jason to her hood and allowed him to slip inside.

As they walked along, Jason patted Glitch's ear. {Glitch?} he asked. When she answered, he asked, {Why did you come for me? You had everything. You were on your way home to your people. Why did you give it all up for me?} She scoffed in amusement.

{You still have no idea what my life was like, do you?} She gave a happy sigh as Jason stroked the fur along her ears. {You're my friend Jay-sun.} Before he could ask, she continued. {You're my only friend. I haven't had a true friend in - well, far too long.} She paused. {You rescued me from the Cervidae, even after you knew I betrayed you.}

{Yeah, but-}

{I couldn't spend the rest of my life living in happiness while completely in the dark about your fate. I had no idea what had happened to you. Were you dead? Alive? Living in luxury or caged up as a zoo exhibit? Nobody told me anything.} Jason was silent. All he'd cared about was Glitch's happiness. He'd wanted to get Glitch home. He never stopped to think about how she would react to his loss. He felt very guilty all of a sudden.

{I'm glad you came back, Glitch,} Jason said. Her wet, furry fingers reached into the hood and stroked him. Jason rubbed them back as the two friends made their way back to the inn's warm shelter. Jason had no idea what the next day would bring, but at this moment in time, he just couldn't give a damn.