Welcome back

Her eyes cast down an expressionless gaze, making the rabbit sniffle and dry it's tears with its tiny paws.

It's voice was still shaking as it pitifully spoke again.

"Master.. you.. *sniffle* ..you disappeared so suddenly. There was nothing I could do! I couldn't even sense your presence any more!"

Marella considered the rabbit's words for a moment, and reasonably decided it was telling the truth. She then swayed her gaze from the stupid rabbit, to Collin for a proper explanation.

People don't just disappear into thin air without any rhyme or reason. Someone HAD to of caused it, and there just so happened to be two Apostate mages that had more then just the ability to make it happen. She also woke up in their hut with no signs of struggle. The poison mist couldn't of been so strong as to keep her unconscious to the point of not waking up while being dragged for god knows how long through a beast infested forest.

Magic seemed to be the clear and reasonable explanation.

Collin saw her questioning stare and quickly understood what she was asking him with her eyes.

"Uh, That might be my Grandma's doing. All I know is that she suddenly said we had a visitor, and then you appeared in our spare cot."

[Hmm.. so magic can even do something like that? Interesting. That would be a good skill to know. Maybe after this memory business is over I can ask the old lady if she could teach me a few tricks. I have a spirit animal with an ability after all, so I should beable to learn magic if I tried.]

She nodded back at him to show him she understood what had happened, making a silly grin spread eagerly across his handsome face.

"I suppose that could make sense. Now.. what do I do with you my stupid rabbit? Should I let you go back to annoying me, or should i let the wolf eat you?"

An expression that she showed it was unlike Collin or the rabbit have ever seen her make before. Her eyes lit up mischievously and a slanted smile showed off her perfect teeth.

Was she.. trying to make a joke?

Collin covered his mouth with his hands to hold in the oncoming laughter building up in his stomach. He could tell that she was only trying to make a joke, but the rabbit on the other hand looked like it might faint.

"No! Master, please don't get rid of me! I'm sorry for everything I said, please don't hold a grudge against me!" Tears welled into its eyes again and its body trembled even harder.

[It's funny how such a rude rabbit could act so.. weak? Where is that superior attitude it had back In the void?] Marella laughed through her nose. and that same mischievous look overtook her delicate features.

"Hmp! I guess I don't have much of a choice. Though i don't remember it, I did make a contract with you. Don't make me regret it."

She held out her hand infront of the wolf.

"Give."

The wolf plopped the rabbit in her empty hand, then turned around just as fast to end back up by Collins side, its golden eyes never leaving her face.

....

"Grandma, we're back! We found her spirit beast as well!"

Collin hopped his way around the hut until he found an older woman with gray hair sitting at the table drinking tea.

She looked up from her cup and gave him a familiar 'Mother-like' smile. Affection brimming in her withered but clear eyes.

Her voice was light and held a tone of indearment from seeing her grandson in such a good mood.

"Good. Good. I'm glad you found it." Her eyes shifted to Marella who was just now walking through the doorway with her rabbit In her arms. "Welcome back, child. Did my silly grandson cause you any trouble?"

Marella casted her sight to the ground. She knew she was only trying to tease her grandson, but her question brought a strange warmth to her face.

"No.. He was very helpful." It embarrassed her to say, but he really was alot of help to her. She doubted she would of succeeded anything other then getting herself lost and eaten by a beast on her own. Without Collin and Kai to help, then her rabbit would of been beast chow as well by now. No doubt in her mind.

When Collin heard her praising him, he held his head high with pride. His big puppy dog eyes filled with tears of joy, and it took everything in him to hold them back. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't hide his emotions even if it meant saving his life. Even Marella who didn't know him well could easily tell what he was thinking.

[All I did was say he help. Please don't cry from somthing so simple. It makes me feel weirdly uncomfortable.] She quickly avoided looking at him as to save him some face. It was the least she could do.

Collin was nineteen this year, and didn't have much experience with people, let alone a girl as beautiful as Marella. The fact she was an elf didn't faze him in the slightest like it would for other humans. He saw her for who she was as a person, not her heritage.

A quiet, but snarky young lady that had a kind of charm that easily captivated the people around her. Her words were few, but almost always made him laugh. Maybe he liked cynical women?

She was unique. Unlike other girls her age, she was outstandingly calm and collected. He could tell she was a sceptical person by nature, but once she did trust someone then she would continue to do so wholeheartedly until proven otherwise. She acted beyond her age, and he found her absolutely fascinating.

It was just a bonus to him that she was absolutely gorgeous on the outside as well as in.

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Author's note:

We found out the gender of our baby. It's a boy! Baby River will be here in just a few more short months. Wish me luck everyone!