Preparing the New Route

Fenrir and Kalishar were preparing to get away from the site and do some traveling. Bruce had prepared some documents for Fenrir to hand over to the recruiting department, in case the con man finally wanted to accept the old man's offer, those documents would help save him from unnecessary details that the old man knew the con man would not be willing to tolerate. Now he kissed the cheek goodbye amidst a few whispers in the hope that the two of them would see each other again sooner rather than later. Tryforn gave a few compliments and Zanzalien shook hands with Fenrir acknowledging his great skills and that the skunk man would learn to be more like that annoying swindler. Kalishar on the other hand was making sure supplies, especially food, were in order, she almost didn't want to interact with the other knights in comparison to the swindler.

"I don't know yet if I want to become you guys, but if I end up being a knight, I promise to join this squad because well, you're the ones who bother me the least."

"Just don't get yourself arrested and drag the strange girl who is now accompanying you," the captain commented mockingly.

"Are we leaving already?!" shouted Kalishar.

"Who does she think she is to shout at my prince?"

"Ha ha ha ha, don't be jealous Ahori, I bet they'll split up in the next town," Tryforn commented.

"Don't start with the bad vibes, these two are weird in their own way. We owe them this beautiful feeling of joy that we had so long forgotten. Just for today, try to smile without feeling jealous or annoyed by the two of them," said Zanzalien, appreciating having met his two new friends.

"That's fine," both gentlemen replied.

After another half hour of words and polite farewells, Fenrir began to set off in his carriage with his new companion, thinking about the route he would take. After willingly risking his life and almost dying twice, he felt he deserved a nice rest. He asked his new companion if she liked the idea of visiting a beautiful beach near Mooncastle. The girl did not answer because she was gazing in wonder at the horse who was pulling the carriage.

"This girl still makes me curious. How did she live in that nest? How long did it last? What did she eat? What goes on in her head? I suppose a normal person would give her time to tell me everything I want to know, but I'm not like those people. The last person I gave her space and time wanted to steal my teeth". I thought as I glanced now and then at the girl who was gazing like a little girl at the scenery with an expression of awe and excitement. "Nice, eh?"

"I didn't know there were so many bright colours, that big bright spot in the sky must surely be the work of the Sun Saviours. It's amazing how the power of it can be up there in the sky, bathing us in its vitality."

"The sun bathes us in what? That is not the work of the Sun Saviours. That great star has been around before the legends of knights blessed by a sun god were born, all weirdness that for some reason has not manifested again for us.

"No?"

"You don't know what the sun is?"

The girl's look seemed neutral, but one that gave away that she was thinking about her answer. Such reactions or comments from the girl only caused the itch of curiosity to rise further. He wondered what his brother would do or say to get information out of her that would satisfy his curiosity without sounding rude or somehow leaving a bad impression by wanting to get to know his companion more until he was satisfied.

"This, I don't know much about the sun. Truth be told, I'd been in that nest so long I must have forgotten what the sun was."

"Oh! That's sad to hear. I guess when you're trying to survive, you forget things you don't need to stay alive like sunlight." He sighs. "I don't know what my life would have been like if I had been there."

The girl sighs in relief at having thought of such a good answer to end the line of questioning before it started.

"Still, I expect you to tell me a few more things, I need to get to know you. I really want to know what kind of person you are. Don't take this the wrong way, but if it turns out that your mind is damaged because of them, I don't want to feel threatened in my sleep."

"Don't worry, you have nothing to worry about from me."

"I doubt it, a lesson I learned, is to always worry about things, even if there's no need to."

"Very true, even I can't be entirely sure about you. More with your troubled reputation, I'd say it would be fair, that I should have doubts about you too."

"Ha! Bad reputation they say! What you call a bad reputation, I call an image that makes everyone understand that I'm someone amazing, talented and a true master when it comes to stealing and cheating."

"Like a disguise!!! You seek to hide the real you so no one knows who you are on the inside!!!" the girl exclaimed gleefully.

"No! What a thing to say girl. I hide things, well, only when I don't want to get caught stealing." He smiles proud of himself.

The girl noticed every change in the human's body language, she could tell that like her, Fenrir wasn't interested in her knowing too much about his life. The hustler took out a map to see the most appropriate route to go to Mooncastle Beach, the man felt watched by an owl; he didn't like that because if there was something he hated very much it was the feeling of being watched, it limited his actions and in most cases the intense looks were accompanied by bad intentions.

"If I may, I would like some privacy. Watch the road and warn me as a good companion if there are any threats." He turns his back to her.

"How do I..."

Quickly, Fenrir understanding the situation, tells her that the horse will walk alone without so much direction. All she needs to do is watch the road and should the horse move slower, a bit of sweet patting and the equine will be encouraged to trot better.

After speaking, Fenrir enters the carriage to make sure he has more privacy leaving Kalishar alone with her horse, she looks at the animal who feels nervous about her presence. The zerbarix girl could tell, she knew that the long-faced animal knew who she was, and that made her feel a little threatened, she never expected a living being that didn't speak like the other species to realize her true nature. Luckily, the horse couldn't say anything to Fenrir or a terrible misfortune would have happened. Still, she could not help but feel threatened to the point that she bared her fangs and true eyes, she gave the equine to understanding that if ever the steed disobeyed her or did anything that made her angry, she would eliminate it.

The poor animal just moved, trembling as she could feel it through the wood, Kalishar brought her menacing face closer to the frightened animal, causing the horse to walk without so much trembling and without missing a beat. She smiles proudly to mark her authority to the other life form, remembers Fenrir's words, and pats the horse, causing the frightened horse to keep a good pace in its gait.

It was night and Fenrir had already prepared the route he was to take, as well as hiding some treasures and funds of money. No matter who accompanied the man, he would not risk being robbed of his greatest treasures and prizes. The man watched Kalishar look from side to side with an alertness reminiscent of a guard dog who watches the home when the owner leaves the house.

"If you want to rest, I've arranged everything, the carriage is small enough for only one of us to sleep. So, as I see things, I was the one who mostly slept when we were in Ringhood. I don't know if you're exhausted, but I think it's best if we take turns taking breaks a bit so we don't wear each other out."

"No need, I can keep going."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to protect the three of us."

"I don't need to sleep, if you want to, you can rest."

"Come on, miss, you'd better rest, rough or not, accept this token of kindness I'm giving you. Not everyone is allowed to sleep in my domain, and it is not polite to refuse tokens of good faith."

"Is that necessary?"

"Well, we all need rest, I don't know how you slept in a nest full of monsters, but sleeping with the soothing sound of wheels on the ground must be better than there.

"That's fine. I guess I can take you up on that offer."

Kalishar enters the carriage to take the first rest so as not to raise suspicions to the human, he turns off the lamp so the girl can rest. She lie on the ground staring into the darkness, she didn't understand this resting thing, a zerbarix was always active for as long as she could remember, they only got lethargic from the sharp temperature change, but that wasn't because they wanted to. Now she was out there trying to hibernate, even though there was no cause to justify such a problematic action, she would be vulnerable to potential dangers and she wasn't entirely sure Fenrir would be okay fighting alone. She felt that somehow she was the one who should always be active.

Fenrir looks up at the dark sky wondering if it is still a good idea to have such a rare companion as Kalishar, even if he wants to be a good person to help explore the world. He had doubts that someone like him would be a good fit for someone who would need help from the wise healers.

"The opportunities are confusing, brother, I don't know if they will be good or not. But I suppose you would tell me that it is easy to have doubts, we all have them, but few are brave enough to seek answers," the man whispered, clutching his brother's emblem that he had retrieved from the corpse.