The Hfabu landed on me, coiling its long snake neck around me. Its beady eyes looked at me while it opened its mouth, the sounds emanating half hissing and half roaring. I could tell this was not an animal I could reason with like Shifu. While it had roped me tightly, it wrapped my sword against my body. I pulled at the handle, providing enough leverage for my muddy body to slip out of its grasp. The hfabu struck my head with its claw, causing a big gash on my forehead. I went down. It circled me, approaching my front to block my way. It’s forked tongue poking out, smelling me.

I looked at the blood gushing from my forehead, mixing with the water that hung in the mud. I mumbled a phrase in Sylvan, giving the mud the viscosity of water. We both plunged into the trap, it was totally caught off guard. With the slight advantage, I swam upward, making my way out. I got most of my body out and cut the concentration on my spell, sealing the beast in the now hardened mud. I ran but fumbled, falling to the ground because my leg snagged onto something.

When I looked at what had caught me, I saw that the hfabu’s long neck was wrapping around me, its body was clawing through the mud attempting to get out. I yelled "True Strike! And brought down the sword on its head. The powerful lash caused the snakehead to recoil in pain and I was free to escape. When magic drained, it had a kind of soul-crushing effect similar to a bout of depression. I ran with the eerie emptiness of ‘what’s the point’ hanging to me, trying to insist I didn’t need to keep running despite how tired I was. My mind told me it was not worth running because the hfabu would grab onto my scent and run fast enough to catch me. I started to slow down, powerless to stop the fog of nothingness as it gripped my soul. But I thought about my mother. And the herbs I spent all day gathering. Even if I would die, it would be a waste If I didn't get the herbs back to her. So I kept running. The guidelight following close behind me as I dashed home.

When I walked through the streets at night, I finally knocked on my parents door. My father opened the door with a horrified look on his face. He stared down at me and fell to his knees hugging me. I could feel his tears dripping on my tattered tunic.

“Where were you? We were so worried about you,” Then he turned back and said, “He’s here! He’s back! And he’s covered in blood.”

Timu picked me up and brought me in, closing the door behind him. He took me to my mother, Hesitana, Ictar, Clary, and Clary’s mother, Clara were all there sitting in my living room.

“Mother!” I said, “Mother, I got your herbs!”

Hestiana broke down and cried into her hands.

“It’s okay, Hesti,” I said, “I got them! I’m fine.”

My mother shot Hestiana a wicked look and then turned to me, her face full of anger. She walked up to me and slapped me across the cheek, “Where were you? We thought you had died. You were gone all day, it’s night time and Hestiana said you were out. Now you’re covered in blood?”

“I fought a Hfabu,” He said, “But don’t worry I used magic”

My mother, in anguish, let out an exasperated sigh and reverted to her mother tongue, cursing Artemis, the elven goddess, and looked back at me. Her face flush as she stared at me. Then she stormed into hers and my father’s room. There was not much room at this place. Hestiana slept on a makeshift bed in the living room and I often slept with her. But I was getting big. They started to talk amongst themselves, but they knew they could be heard from the sheet.

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All the adults got up at once. Ictar was the first to say, ‘Whelp, I best be going. I’m happy you’re mostly in one piece.”

“Ictar,” I said, “I used my powers. Slammed it right in the head, and I used ‘stride’ to get me across the river.”

Ictar nodded his head, “that’s wonderful to hear, but I prayed you would not need to use them so soon.”

Clara prompted us all to get up, “We’ll be on our way. Happy as always to see you and I’m so glad you’re safe. Say bye, Clary!”

Clara hugged me, and kissed me on the cheek. Clary looked at me, she was red faced and teary-eyed. She leaned in to hug me. I could tell such brazen affection in a crowded room was an act of bravery for her.

Clary whispered in my ear, “I’m glad you’re okay,” And then let go of me.

“Clary! I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow! It was wonderful! Don't’ believe what these adults think! It ruled!”

Clara nodded and also left with Ictar. Hestiana grabbed my arm and dragged me outside. She got on her knees and faced me.

“Hesti,” I started to say, “I'm so sorry I got you in trouble. I didn’t mean to… it’s just that the last herb was the hardest! But you can make the tea for my mother now and she’ll get better!”

Hestiana also had this inscrutable look of sadness on her face, then just said, “I’m sorry I sent you off without supervision, little master. It was foolish of me and I am glad to see you are safe,” She looked at my palm covered in blood and she began wrapping a new bandage on it. Then she wiped off the blood from my forehead.

“I used elven magic as well, Hesti!” I gushed, “It was awesome. I used it to get across the river and used it to trap the Hfabu in mud. You’re going to make the tea now, right?”

“I’m so happy for you, little master. But no. I did not realize what kind of sickness your mother had,” Then, off my forlorn face, “But I can still use the hellcattail! They taste quite pungent when cooked over an open fire. I’ll glaze it in honey and serve it to you with yogurt! It will make a splendid desert tomorrow.”

Dare I mention who I met? I thought about the orange cat that let me go. I could not tell them. They were too scared. They would not ever let me out of the house if they found out I had met Shifu The Child Eater. The bedtime story my mother warned me about. Hestiana pushed my hair back on my head, “My, I know I am an elf and years go by quicker, but already fighting monsters? How soon. I merely blinked and I’m watching you become so big. Bigger than this family will allow. Big and strong and smart. You will make an excellent-”

“Please don’t say porter,” I pleaded.

Hestiana wiped her own tears and giggled, “I was going to say adult.”

My parents had stopped fighting. They came outside. I looked at my dad and mom, waiting with baited breath to what they might say.

“Your mother and I wanted some time to pass to be sure but we wanted to tell you both… we’re pregnant!”

Hestiana smiled, having guessed it already. She congratulated them. They both looked at me, and my mouth agape.

“You’re going to have a baby brother or sister soon, Egen,” My mother said now smiling.

Was this what all the fighting was about? I was going to be a brother again. Maybe this time I could protect my brother from the world the way my brother protected me.

“And with the dangers to our safety in the Copper Ring…” My father continued, “we realized it would be best if we moved sooner than we expected. So we’ll be moving into the Bronze ring!”