Chapter 62 part 2

"Actually, no," Ralph replied immediately. That was one wrong impression he didn't need them getting about the whole statement. "I was wondering what it was about the dream conference that was different where only Amelia and I could remember about it. As both of us remember everyone being there, so what was it that made it so that only Amelia and I could remember?"

"Yeah, that would be interesting to know," Wes commented, clearly taking the bait hook, line and sinker.

"I'm not sure," Tim said, either not as interested in the topic as Wes or that he wasn't convinced that that's really what was on Ralph 's mid.

Though, Ralph would argue that who in their right mind doesn't go a little crazy over time anyway? That there's always something or someone that would make someone get a little unhinged, regardless of how stable they were before and how unusual it was for them to do that in the first place.

"Well, what would make you sure?" Hannah asked. "It's not like we're Charlie and can just look into his thoughts like it was a journal or something."

"Hannah does have a point," Amelia remarked. "Even if this was what was on Ralph's mind, how would we disprove it? It's not like we can just snap our fingers and look at the access logs to Ralph's brain like it was in a library."

As his friends started to discuss the matter, Ralph let them take center stage so he could take a step back. He hadn't expected it to go that way, but it was also possible that some of them weren't getting along as well as they usually did, but that was par for the course with any group of friends. As that was just part of human nature.

However, they'd barely started on the climb of the Stone Mountain and Ralph was wondering how long it'd take. As they hadn't reached any of the steep parts, but it was supposed to be a single mountain that seemed to extend to well over a hundred square miles in total area.

To Ralph, it should be a mountain range, but he wasn't going to argue. Geology had never been his forte, or any of the sciences for that matter. Even some of his pranks didn't make sense to him, as in how they worked scientifically; he was just glad that they did.

At the same time, he couldn't help but recognize that this trip up the single mountain was going to take a while. Though, since Beth wasn't with them, he seriously doubted that he'd be able to get any of the others to start on another book to read. As while Charlie wasn't with them to enjoy it as well, at least it would be something to do other than just continuously walking and maybe having topics like Lily com e up. Topics Ralph was sure would only be coming up to alleviate some of the boredom that accompanied walking long distances without anything else to really entertain them.

_

Beth sighed. She wasn't really happy at the moment.

Even though she wanted to learn to read the language, she had to admit that it was rather tiring. Especially with the way that Kystia conducted her 'class.' Though, Beth made herself stay, she couldn't say that she was happy about it.

She wasn't sure which part of it was the most difficult, as she accepted that learning this language was going to be difficult, but she knew that there was something there that Kystia was doing that just made it harder. Even though she couldn't say what it was, even if she knew. Largely because she had the distinct impression that Kystia wouldn't listen even if Beth made any suggestions of how she could improve her teaching technique.

The biggest surprise, though, was the fact that Lily had appeared partway through Beth's lessons and would only leave when chased off by Kystia. Which seemed pointless to Beth as Lily would generally show up again, with no signs of how she did it, even when the door was closed securely.

Beth had a feeling that eventually Kystia would get worn down, but at the moment, she was continuing on the point that her father hadn't instructed her to teach Lily. Which Beth thought was a little pointless, given how she seemed to have some kind of powers, likely a type of magic, that just came naturally to her.

It'd only been little over a day since she'd had to start the literacy lessons, but Kystia was already starting to essentially foam at the mouth when it came to Lily.

"You know, if you're worried about your father being unhappy about you teaching Lily, why not just blame me?" Beth asked, hoping to at least get Kystia to calm down, since she had a feeling it wasn't very healthy for the girl to get so worked up about something. Especially something like this that really didn't matter that much.

"But she can't even talk!" Kystia protested after a minute. A minute Beth was pretty sure the girl took to think of an excuse.

"What's that got to do with learning?" Beth shot back. "Just because someone can't, or won't, speak, doesn't mean they're any less intelligent. However, even if that was true, then it'd be all the more reason for them to learn. That way they'd be able to improve themselves, regardless of any difficulties they have."

Kystia didn't look impressed and Beth wondered how much of it was from Kystia's indoctrination of certain ways of viewing things that just weren't true. Such as if a person couldn't talk, then that meant they weren't as smart as someone who could. That if a person had trouble paying attention that it was because they were lazy.

Beth accepted that those things weren't Kystia's fault, but rather the society in which she grew up. As the culture seemed to view things that weren't 'normal' as things that made a person less than human. Or at least inferior to those who were 'normal.'

"Look," Beth said gently, hoping that Kystia would be more open minded. Especially if it turned out that she was somehow in fact Amelia's daughter. "I get that you don't think that a girl Lily's age not talking makes her smart. She certainly doesn't do anything to make us think that way. It's just that even if she doesn't show signs of being smart, that doesn't mean she isn't. She was a slave that had seemed to have lost her will to live, so it's possible that her hiding how smart she is could be a method she'd learned to survive. That if she showed just how smart she was, that she might be scared she could lose something that's important to her."

As Beth finished speaking, she couldn't help but think of Charlie. Why Charlie came to mind right then, she couldn't say. She just merely had a feeling that somehow her best friend connected to this conversation somehow. She just couldn't place how right then.

Kystia sighed, like she was the one who was having to deal with someone who was being unreasonable. "Look, let's just not talk about her, okay?" she asked, sounding almost like she was about to plead instead. "I don't like talking about her, okay? I'd rather not say more."

Beth sighed herself. She wasn't sure what the problem was, but it was clear that there was one. Though, she wished that she could figure out what it was. However, since she didn't have Charlie's ability to read minds, she couldn't say if she'd be able to learn what the problem was. As that would require Kystia to speak about it and she wasn't sure if that was going to happen any time soon.

Though, as she looked next to her, she saw Lily smiling at her. It felt more like a thankful smile and Beth couldn't help but return it. She just wished she knew how Lily had appeared there after having been ejected a moment earlier.

With the door on the other side of the room, Beth couldn't say if she merely teleported or if there was something else that she didn't think of that Lily could do. Nor was she sure how long Lily had been there. It was possible she'd heard the entire exchange between Beth and Kystia and was happy that Beth had defended her, but if she didn't say, or indicate, anything about it, then Beth wasn't sure if she'd be able to know which it was.

Although, a sudden thought struck Beth: What if Lily used illusion to make them think that she'd left?

It would explain how she got back in without any real trouble as well as how it was that she kept appearing in there without warning after having visibly left.

"Okay," Beth answered. "Though, just one last thought, okay?" When Kystia gave a nod with an expression that she wasn't happy about it, Beth continued, "If she can't talk, then maybe that's why she'd like to learn to read and write. So she can communicate with us that way."

"I really don't care," Kystia replied, looking like she might be ready to cancel the rest of the lesson, which Beth was perfectly fine with. She had things she wanted to talk with Lily about anyway. Such as if she stopped coming to the class, that Beth would teach her what Kystia taught in each lesson.

That way they'd stop having the interruptions about Lily having to leave and the girl would still be able to learn to read and write. Which Beth didn't really see a downside to. Although, she had to wonder if there was something else about Lily that made her want to learn. As when Beth was that age herself, she certainly hadn't been that interested in learning anything scholastic. Maybe what came on, on the public broadcasting educational shows targeted towards children, but certainly not in a formal setting like this. Even though it might be the only way she could learn any of this in this world.

Which also was something to think about at a later date herself.

_

Jenn felt that the escort around her was rather unnecessary. Even though it seemed to put the wolf-kin at ease, she knew that she could have taken them without any trouble if she'd really wanted to. Especially since she wasn't prevented by what would happen to her unit if she fought them.

While the other wolf-kin might still attack them in that case, it wouldn't be immediate, since they weren't around right then.

However, if she did that, then she could very well lose her chance to make contact with the wolf-kin elders and see if there was anything she could do to essentially form a treaty, if not just approach the other on friendly terms.

The gate was farther away than Jenn would have liked, but it's not like she had any say in the matter. Since the gate's location was fixed, even when it would be convenient to move it to a better location. Such as the gate that let out above the griffin canyon Jenn wanted to search for. If she could have moved that gate so it wasn't so far above the canyon, she might have considered directly going there to retrieve Petals' memories that she didn't know she'd removed from herself. As that would have made so much of this expedition unnecessary, despite all the good that Jenn knew they'd don for some people.

Including Jenn's people right at the moment.

"Last chance to admit you're in the wrong here," Howl taunted as Jenn stepped up to the gate.

Jenn glanced at him dismissively before stepping through, while closing her eyes to show Howl how she really wasn't concerned. If she was going to give up on Nibbles, she'd have done so already. She wouldn't have dragged this out for so long or have let those in her unit be in danger that she could have avoided easily.

When she opened her eyes, she was in a mountainous forest. Similar to the one that her people had started to build a settlement in, but this world was clearly in the early stages of spring.

Jenn could clearly see that some plants were trying to put out new growth despite the freshly fallen snow. That the world around her was getting ready for changes that came every year. Though, she had a feeling that it was too early in the spring for most birds who migrate to have returned. There was also a time change where rather than being early morning, it was now around midday.

Jenn just wished she knew if this was the same world as the pronghorn-kin. As maybe then she'd look at creating the means to travel there. If only for trade if not to have a quicker means of returning to Earth when the time came. Though, she hoped that she wouldn't have to get so deeply involved in the political climate of the locals like she had the last time she was there.

At the same time, she had a feeling not getting involved was already too late. Like with how she really was the Blue Rose of her own people, their leader, she was going to have to deal with them in an official capacity sooner or later, regardless of how this went. Even if she had to come back later as the Blue Rose to deal with it.

When the others came through, Jenn was then again 'forced' to walk with them, despite the fact that Jenn knew it was merely for appearances. Otherwise they'd have handled her at the gate differently. Or at least if they hadn't they'd have found out what their mistake was quick enough.

She also noticed that Howl had dark brown hair that was almost black, red eyes, and tattoos over his body, each looking like they signified something, that Jenn wasn't sure what it meant. Just that she was confident that each one meant something different. Especially with how she could see tattoos on the bodies of the others escorting her, though not near as numerous as Howl's.

Jenn wasn't sure how long it took to get to the wolf-kin's village, but it was a collection of tents. Showing a clear nomadic lifestyle that Jenn had only ever seen in either movies, on TV, or in books.

Children ran around, some with clothing on, some without any at all, but always under the watchful eyes of the adults around. One aspect that didn't surprise Jenn was the packs of wolves in the village. She couldn't be sure, but she had a suspicion that there were three of them. That they weren't just there for the usual canine companionship many people she knew kept dogs or wolves around for. These seemed like they were there because they were the ones who sought 'wolf-kin companionship.'

The tents were made of leather, though Jenn couldn't say she'd seen the kind of construction before, as it seemed almost like a cross between the kind of tents she finds at the store and tepees. Not something she'd care to try to get standing on its own. If she did, she was confident it'd fall over with the slightest breeze if it didn't fall over right away.

Jenn was led through the camp to a tent that looked more impressive than the others, which she supposed meant that it was supposed to be where the elder was.

There were two guards on the outside, both with spears that looked like they might be barbed, which Jenn wouldn't like to get poked with if so. She could imagine how much that would hurt.

"We captured this prey when we were after the jackalope through that hole in reality," Howl announced to the guards.

"Bring the prey in," a voice from inside the tent called out. It sounded aged, but still strong and full of vitality. A voice that Jenn was certain was more reasonable than these youths were currently capable of.

When Jenn walked in, followed by the others, she saw a wrinkled old man who looked like he could beat Jenn if he merely felt like it and there'd be nothing she'd be able to do about it. Not to mention how clear it was that he could still move about like he was in his prime. Jenn could only assume that this was the elder. He had pure white hair, light blue eyes, and nearly every inch of his skin seemed to have a tattoo. Many much more elaborate than Howl's.

When everyone was in the tent, the old man started laughing. "You say you captured her, but clearly she could leave if she wanted to!"

Howl bristled at the comment, but didn't react in any way. Which showed Jenn how intimidated he was by this person. Which was a good sign for her. As it let her know that she was really dealing with someone in charge.

"Would you be willing o hear my side of the story?" Jenn asked, startling everyone present.

The old man looked not only surprised, but intrigued. It was clear he hadn't expected Jenn to say anything. "Go ahead," he answered, clearly interested in what Jenn might have to say.

Jenn explained what happened from her point of view. Mostly about how she and her unit had found Nibbles and took care of him for a night when the wolf-kin appeared in the morning, itching for a fight.

When she finished, the old man turned to Howl. "She paints an interesting picture. Would you have anything different to say about it?"

Howl nodded, though Jenn felt a little surprised to see a flash of fear cross his face. "When we lost our prey, we quickly found the hole in reality and followed our prey through it. When we got there, we found ourselves in a completely alien environment. With all the new scents, it took a while to locate the jackalope's scent. When we did, we found him surrounded by people like her, most of which are barely pups in being able to fight or hunt. We demanded they turn over our prey to us and they refused," Howl paused to take a deep breath before finishing. "The rest of what she said is true."