Rex sat in the grand tent—bigger than any made before—that had to exist to fit all the people trying to see him every day. He made sure the Hero had a spot near him, of course. She was still the best.
“Rex, tell me another story about how you became the Hero and Elder!” Nina’s voice overflowed with an excitement that was infectious.
Rex scratched his chin, unsure what to say, while the others sitting around also chimed in with their own pleas.
“Lead us, Rex!”
“Teach us, Rex!”
“Help us, Rex!”
“Rex… Rex… Rex… I told you not to stay up late. You’ve slept in enough—time to get up and go play.”
That last voice shattered the world of him as Elder. The shadows danced back into his small, real tent, where his mom stood bringing him a plate. “Your dad will be busy hunting, and I need to handle some things. Will you be okay today?”
Rex was unsure why she was asking. She was always encouraging before. “Why? You were fine with me before. Did I do something wrong?”
A gentle hand brushed his head and kissed his forehead before she spoke. “No, dear, you’re fine. My concern is the Hero’s outburst the other day. It was concerning. Your father and I aren’t sure how to address that. It’s partly why I’ll be busy today, checking with others for gossip.”
“It’s fine, Mom. I’ll be the Elder someday, so it’ll work out.”
Rex waited for the praise that would follow. He hadn’t gotten a chance to explain his goal yesterday, since everyone was still upset about what transpired with the Hero.
“That’s nice, dear. Be home before dark, and if you learn something new, let me know. I’d prefer to be ahead in gossip. Remember to use your wind power to listen for the whispers.”
She left without giving him a second look. That wasn’t the respect he assumed he’d get. Maybe he needed to find kids his age—they’d understand better.
He went to where the groups liked to play. They were happy to see him—more players, the better—but when he told them about being Elder, they didn’t offer praise either. They asked why, and was he sure, and who told him he would be…
As if he would lie.
What was worse, even when he explained his side and offered to help lead them as a good Elder would, they mostly ignored him, wanting to play instead.
So maybe he did need to help adults… just not his parents till they were less busy.
Yet the same scene kept repeating wherever he went. He’d offer advice and help as a future Elder, and the same words echoed.
“That’s nice, kid.”
“Who told you that?”
“Can you tell so-and-so this for me? Thanks.”
The last one was least common but most annoying. He wanted to be helpful and prove his worth, yet they just saw him as a messenger. Rex assumed the new people he delivered the info to would respect him more for trying to be responsible… they repeated the same words as the others.
It was draining, trying to get attention. Really, all he wanted was to run back to Nina, the only one who seemed to care or listen to him. He would be an Elder, but he remembered she hated being bothered early, wanting to sleep in. That was partly why he was delaying seeing her, waiting for her to be up and moving around.
He debated visiting the Elder and proclaiming his goal so she would train him, but after everyone else’s reaction, he hesitated, roaming near the Elder’s tent, indecisive about what to do. Yet even as Rex paced, he saw a cloaked figure enter the tent and nearly rushed in afterwards. Nothing was more suspicious than someone trying to hide in plain sight.
Yet he still hesitated. He knew the Elder was a powerful wind mage, and if she wasn’t shouting for help or blowing the person out of the tent, they might be on a secret mission for her. Adults did things he didn’t always understand; this might be one of them.
He would never have hesitated before, but talking to the Hero—no, *Nina*—made him question how much he knew about what it meant to be an Elder and a Hero. So he strained his ears, hoping for some answers from the side of the tent.
“I don’t know,” Rex heard a voice say, though faint. Sighing with relief, Rex quietly moved away, back to uncertainty about what to do.
Well, they were talking, so it wasn’t a fight. He deflated, kicked a random rock, then sat and just started practicing his wind magic, losing interest in interacting with others.
He let his mind wander while he floated random pebbles. *Was Nina awake? And what was she doing?*
Yet from beyond the pebbles he floated, he saw Nina walking toward the Elder’s tent, near where he was. He was surprised—she was literally near the front of the tent but didn’t see him, and was hesitating like he had. Unlike him, she did enter. He wasn’t sure what would happen from there, but now he cared to listen once more.
***
Nina awoke a bit late, and though she was happy Rex let her sleep in, she wished to seek the Elder sooner rather than later. She wanted to wrap up affairs now that she’d made her choice and had a statue as a symbol for them to learn from. It would be enough; she could not keep carrying them.
As she approached the Elder’s tent, worried the Elder would be sleeping in or out and about busy, she strained her ears, hoping to hear snoring so she could avoid waking her, or at least know if she was even there.
“I fear we cannot help you. No fairies have been here,” she heard the Elder say.
Fairies? Nina thought as she opened the flap, unable to stop her curiosity. There was a hooded figure sitting with the Elder. She wasn’t sure what to think—it was cool weather, so maybe they were cold—but they seemed to be hiding, not trying to keep warm, which bothered her.
The Elder saw her face and met it with her own concern. Nina felt she was intruding and already did not want to be involved. She tried to leave. “Sorry, I can come back. I just heard voices and was unsure.”
“Nonsense, Nina. You’re always welcome here, and the talk is not secret. They are just seeking help, though I fear they will find none here.”
Nina nodded slowly while watching the hooded figure. They saw her concern and lowered the hood to ease the uncertainty, making Nina gasp.
A rabbitkin. She’d heard stories of the rabbit race, but they were like folktales. She’d heard they avoided humans at all costs, so why would one come here, where humans were welcomed and near?
“Nina, this is Clover. She traveled far to get here. Clover, this is Nina. She is a tribe Hero but wishes to be a normal person welcomed here.”
Nina couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous. Clover’s fur was a pure black that blended into the low light of the room, and her eyes were a pink that shone against her dark fur. Long, drooping ears went past her shoulders. There was kindness and concern in her eyes, mixed with a fear of being discovered. Even now, Nina watched as Clover’s hands fidgeted and she seemed to want to hide her face once more, but stilled out of respect for the Hero.
“It’s fine,” Nina said casually. “If you want to wear your hood, nobody here would hurt you. But I guess you draw a lot of attention, and that won’t help.”
Clover nodded eagerly. “Oh, yes, I would. Normally I don’t mind—I like people—but not humans. They’re bad, very bad. So I’d rather go than face them. They’re not here, are they? I know they’re here, but I mean, they’re not near here, right?”
Nina was unsure how to answer—it was a bit much—but she knew she could be the same way. The Elder spoke: “They walk among us but tend to stay among their loved ones. Usually, it’s only other beastkin who seek my counsel, but I promise we will be careful.”
Clover nodded eagerly and kept glancing at the door, always seeming on the edge of running. Nina spoke: “I’ve got to ask—you’re super rare. What brings you here? I’ve never seen one of you in person.” Nina edged closer, admiring Clover. Her tail wagged, wanting to know more, making Clover look shyly away.
“I come from a place where others are hunted by humans. I can’t say more. I only came because… I was the only one they talked to before they left.” Clover said, looking defeated. Yet even now, her eyes darted to the door.
“Sooo… fairies?” Nina asked, trying to get her to say more.
“What? Where?” Clover jerked, wondering if Nina had found them. Her fear was replaced by a blind hope they were near.
“No…” Nina spoke carefully, ears going flat. “I’m asking *about* them. I, uh… overheard that part. Sorry, wasn’t trying to eavesdrop.”
Clover deflated, tears slowly falling. “I don’t know what happened to them. They’re the last of their kind, and I failed them.”
Nina went up and rubbed Clover’s back. “I want to help, but you’re not telling me the whole story. Any of the story, really.”
Clover looked at Nina as she was now near and had her attention. “The fairies stayed with me for a time. They even sought me out. They said they felt the birth of a powerful balance-mana person and didn’t know where, so they traveled everywhere.”
“They don’t see races; they see our mana and judge us from that. So they said they were looking for one who glowed with all the mana, not just one type. That’s why they thought I could help.”
“Till they never came back. So I sought them, hoping anyone had seen something….” Clover whispered her tale before stopping, not really watching anything. “I tried more than once to avoid here, yet trade talks mentioned powerful mana users existed further from where I’m from, so I risked trying here.”
Nina rubbed Clover’s back, listening, thinking about the poor fairies. “Uh… wait. You said they came to you because of your balance mana?”
“Yeah,” Clover said, defeated. “I know it’s rare, and the way the fairies talked, the balance person they sought was even stronger than me—a level two, which is hard to believe. I think the fairies were just hoping to find someone out there and assumed it’d be a balance user.”
Nina did not want to involve her brother in a tale that could go nowhere. In fact, she didn’t even want to stay here. Yet a rare, hidden beastkin race shows up for the first time, chasing even rarer mystical races, and it led her here.
“My brother has a high level of balance mana. Not sure what level, but at least three, maybe four. He never said, and it wasn’t a big thing to me.”
Clover lunged at Nina, knocking her back. The rabbitkin’s small frame, though light, nearly pinned Nina down. Giant pink eyes intensely stared into hers. “Truly? Your brother has balance magic? You’re not lying to me?”
Nina gently pushed her off. “Why would I lie? I was planning on leaving soon, and yes, he has balance mana… he cured a weakness curse recently.”
“I HEARD ABOUT THAT!” Clover shouted, excited, making both the Elder and Nina’s ears go flat. Clover waved her hands, trying to calm down. “Sorry! Can I see him? How far away is he? Did he see the fairies? Is that why you think you can help?”
“I would offer caution, Clover. You would not want to see him if you fear humans,” the Elder spoke, trying to calm Clover.
Clover watched the Elder with uncertainty. “I trust all beastkin. It’s only humans that cause me fear. I can put up my hood while we find his tent. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Even if he did not see them, with him it’d be a beacon that would draw them, I’m sure.” Clover said each word with an edge of hope. Nina was about to shatter it.
“Also, my brother is human,” Nina said carefully.
“WHAT? HOW? WHY?” Clover flinched back as if Nina was a snake that tried to bite her.
Nina glared, not liking the outburst nor the look that something was wrong with her brother. “BECAUSE HE IS, THAT’S WHY. ALSO, I WAS LEAVING SOON, SO MAYBE WE WON’T HELP.”
“Nina,” the Elder spoke carefully, “Clover means well. She doesn’t understand—not all humans are bad. She comes from a place where humans are feared, not trusted.”
“How do you know he would not just kill the poor fairies?” Clover asked, terror never leaving. “I know for a fact what humans have done for power.” Yet as she saw the glare never leaving Nina’s face, and since this was the closest she’d gotten to knowing the fairies’ fate, she tried to relent.
“I’m sorry,” Clover said carefully. “Can you… still find out if… your brother can… will he help me?”
“Why? You think my brother is evil and yet still want my help?” Nina said, turning her head away from Clover. She didn’t care how rare the rabbitkin was; her brother was better, and she wanted to go home.
“Nina,” the Elder tried.
“No.” Nina replied bluntly. “I will bend on a lot of things, but not Wolf. He tried hard to be good. He won’t hurt those seeking help. He’s not evil. And if the fairies felt his power, it meant the gods trusted him with more power than you, since you said your power is only level two.”
Nina saw both the Elder and Clover flinch, and she wanted to bite her tongue, but the words were said. She knew how ingrained power levels were as a sign of the gods’ chosen, and she hated when it was used on her—yet now she wielded it as a weapon for her brother.
“My brother makes things to help people with his power. He never tried to harm anyone.” Nina tried to make them understand why she trusted and loved him, but hated that she was trying to validate her brother.
“I’m just confused and tired and don’t know what to do,” Clover said, tears breaking through. “I don’t want to lose the last fairies in the world to humans or random mindless monsters eating them, but I can’t help them if I can’t find them.”
“So I came here as a last resort, and—” Clover stopped speaking, a bit of desperate madness entering her face, “—and I found you, who told me about your brother. So maybe it’s the gods’ will. Please help me.”
Nina knew she could walk away, let it end here. She owed them nothing. But if she just left, she wouldn’t be able to help when someone begged and came so far just to save another. And much as she hated it, she wasn’t even sure if her brother had seen the fairies to be able to help, even if she said yes. “I’ll send a letter. But after this, I am leaving.”
Clover smiled with joy, happy she agreed, but then was confused. “A letter? He’s not here?”
Nina shook her head. “That’s why I said I would be leaving later. But for now, I’ll stay here, since if I go, I won’t know what happens to you here. My brother is in a village I lived in before I came here to… visit.”
The Elder relaxed, finally seeing things getting resolved. Clover, though still seeming broken, finally calmed, even when nobody was getting exactly what they wanted.
Nina promised she would wait to hear what her brother said before she did anything rash. Clover said she’d be hidden but nearby when Nina finally did get word—even if it wasn’t what she wanted to hear, it would be something.
Nina left the tent exhausted but resolved. It wasn’t the ending she wanted, but she would relent a little. She took a chance in a rare moment of being alone to write the letter.
Hello brother,
Personally, I wanted to surprise you by just showing up and seeing your face, but I fear things have changed, forcing me to stay a bit longer with the tribe.
No, I’m not living here forever—gods, no to that—nor am I a prisoner. They love me too much for that.
But I do need your help, if you’ve got any answers. Someone is seeking fairies and assumes this person is looking for you. I have zero info beyond they need help, so I leave you with very unhelpful info, and I hate that.
18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHZbeAio0w
Thank you for the light, brother. It helped. I love it.
18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFHVO9SAdd
P.S. Tell Teva she’s a brat, and I’ll try to hurry back so the shop can finally have the better worker back.
She hoped Teva would know that was her way of saying she missed her, too. If not, they could fight it out when she got back. It would keep things interesting, at least.
Rex found Nina before she’d gotten ten steps toward a runner she was hoping would swiftly send her letter. “Nina!” Rex’s voice boomed before Nina could get her bearings, as the little furball rushed her. “You’ll never believe—nobody listens to me! I tried to help with the hunting party, and they just sent me away, and then I tried to—” She couldn’t help it. She laughed.
“It’s not funny!” But his glare had no heat.
“Sorry, sorry.” She ruffled Rex’s hair even as his ears were flat. “It’s just… it takes time, Rex. You can’t make people believe you’re worthy of being an Elder just by wanting it.”
“But how do I—”
“You show them. Slowly. One person at a time. Just like I’m doing with you.” She finished heading to where she knew a runner was. Rex followed. “Let me mail this letter to my brother, then we’ll get some food, and you can tell me about your terrible day while we eat.” For the first time since arriving, Nina felt almost… normal. Like things could change.
The rest of the day was a blur. Rex seemed less upset she was leaving, even as he mentioned it in passing. Instead, he was happy to be with the Hero and focused on telling her about his random adventures and mixed results from the rest of the tribe before meeting her later in the day. She did pity him and wanted to try to help him more than passively, but she wasn’t in the mood today to try to push for his rise to maybe be an Elder someday.
And as the day finally ended, with Rex and everyone else leaving Nina alone, she felt she had no choice but to wait to see how this would unfold.
If Wolf knew nothing, she’d leave it there and just come home. But if he did? As much as she hated it, she would finish this last job and go from there.
ns216.73.216.10da2
and then Add to home screen.