She chucked the necklace onto the grass and began to set up the bowls of food and fill the goblets with wine and ale.

She knelt on the ground and waited as dusk arrived and the new moon lit up the night sky with the stars that seemed to blink at her.

A gentle energy of a nuzzle against her side made her look over. “Ruzo.” She croaked and reached up to touch his face, but her hands just went right through him like smoke.

No – she could feel smoke, feel mist. This was – nothing. Just air.

The feeling welled up tears in her eyes as reality of his death began to set in.

Tears blurred her vision as she gazed upon the giant furball that is her friend – was her friend – she had forgotten for a moment. Here in this place, he didn’t look dead, he didn’t look like the bloody giant warwolf that laid lifeless before her that day.

He looked – like himself, just like he’s always had.

He threw his head back and howled into the night sky – a sound she never realized she would miss so damned much.

-“Okay, okay, we’re here.” Yamo approached from behind Ruzo and rubbed his fur. -“Hey bud.” He smiled as his eyes landed on Tsugi. -“My, look at how much you’ve grown.” He crooned, but there was sadness there. Not much, but it was there and she could sense it in him – in his presence.

“Hi.” Tsugi hadn’t seen them in so long, she was at a loss for words. Most of her days had been but a blur and she couldn’t keep track of time anymore.

-“How are you doing Tsugi?” Volgan sat down by his grave and plucked the food into his mouth. And though she could see he was eating, the food remained untouched.

She only managed to smile and nod.

-“Where’s Lugo?” Yamo glanced around the empty field like Lugo would pop out from between the blades of grass.

Her gentle smile faded. “I told him to leave.”

-“How come? Did you two fight?” Then he gasped dramatically, leaning in as though someone would – could overhear them. -“Did he find out you’re a girl?”

“No!” She frowned. “It’s his fault Ruzo ended up like this. If it wasn’t for him, Ruzo wouldn’t have died.” Her shoulders slumped along with her as she sat on the ground.

Yamo let out a deep lungful of air and knelt down next to her. -“It’s not his fault.”

“Yes it is! How can you say that? You weren’t there! If he hadn’t wanted to go there in the first place, none of this would’ve happened!”

-“True, but it wasn’t his fault that Ruzo died. It’s nobody’s fault. Life happens. Yes, it may seem unfair, but that’s how it is. Lugo is a great person and he is always looking out for you and Ruzo. He wasn’t the one that killed Ruzo. He would never do that.”

“He got Ruzo killed! How could I ever trust him with anything?!”

Yamo sighed. -“Whether Ruzo had passed away from that incident or not, it was probably something that was meant to happen. His time had come, and it was time for him to go. Whether you willed it to happen or not, it was probably bound to happen one way or another. Ruzo risked his life to protect Lugo, how do you think Lugo felt about it?”

“How do you know?”

-“Ruzo told us.”

“He – told you? How?” She said with a slight tilt of her head.

-“Well, he didn’t tell us, more like he showed us what happened. Let’s just say, Lugo was getting attacked and Ruzo saved him, and that’s how he got hurt. You need to stop trying to find someone or something to blame it on, bud. It sucks, but things happen. I bet Lugo is beating himself up more than you ever could right now.”

Ruzo nudged at something on the ground and Tsugi went to pick it up. It was the necklace she had thrown – or gotten rid of more-like.

-“Is that – a soul stone?” Volgan said with a mouthful of food. He quickly downed his goblet and ran over to get a better look. -“It is.” He breathed.

“What’s a soul stone?” Tsugi muttered, scratching at her head.

-“I’ve never seen one, but I heard it’s very hard to get and very rare. There was a legend of a man who had lost his wife. And he went to seek out death to give his wife back. He offered to be death's companion the day he died in exchange for her life.

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But death bargained and said he wouldn’t be able to offer her life, but he could bring back her soul.

And so death gave him a stone that trapped her soul in it and allowed him to see her, and walk alongside her. But, no one else would be able to see her, or hear her. After years together and he had grown older with each passing day, she could do nothing but watch.

He was to break the stone to release her soul before he died, but he had died unexpectedly, leaving her soul trapped in the stone for eternity.

After a thousand years of being alone, whispering to anyone she could to come and break the stone so she could be free, none came. All who saw her ran and never looked back.

So when pain and grief overcame her, she turned into a reaper trying to find a soul to replace hers so she could walk alongside her dead husband again.”

“So I can use the stone to keep one of you guys with me?”

- “That’s not how the stone works.” Volgan said. “It’s the scythe that claims the soul in which will replace the one in the stone should it be intact.”

Tsugi’s eyes flared as she took in that knowledge. “Do you think Lugo originally planned to get this for me because he thought I could use it to bring you guys back?” She peered down at the red stone in her hand.

He had said he planned to go there by himself. If he did –

She stared at the swirling stone in her palm.

If he did then perhaps she would never see him again. He might very well be the one trapped in that stone forever with not a single soul to know where he’d gone off to.

The unwelcomed thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Ruzo put his nose near her and blew a breath of air into her face. His energy around him calmed her and it was like he never blamed Lugo for his death, instead he only seemed grateful that he had managed to save Lugo.

Volgan lifted his cup of ale to his lips, taking a big thirty gulp. -“If you put on the necklace, you should be able to feel him.”

Tsugi did as she was told and watched as the stone swirled. She lifted her hand up to his muzzle, though she couldn’t feel him like he had actually materialized, she could feel his presence, like she was touching the energy surrounding him, and it brought a smile to her face.

She opened her arms and wrapped them around his energy. He just happily plopped onto the ground in front of her and nuzzled against her warming embrace. “You’re here.” She sniffled. “You’re really here. My good boy. You’re my good boy.” She rubbed her face into his fur and it was almost like she could feel the fur tickling her nose.

“Come. We should go check on Lugo. And I think I need to apologize.” She smiled and waved a farewell to everyone as Ruzo retired to the soul stone before Tsugi made the run back to the house.

“Lugo!” She burst in but the house was dark and quiet. “Lugo?” She ran up to his room and opened the door, but he wasn’t there. His pack was gone. “No. Did he really leave?” She quickly ran through the house and even checked in the bathroom.

His cloak was missing from the rack.

She began to panic, afraid that she had chased him away. Her heart was hurting again and she ran as fast as she could to the orphanage.

If he had left, and she never saw him again, she would never be able to forgive herself. Her dear friend, her best friend and she drove him away, all because she couldn’t hone in her temper.

She silently cursed herself, over and over for the fool that she was.

“Jenene!” She burst in through the door.

“Tsugi? What’s wrong darlin? Is everything alright?” She quickly ran around the counter and approached her, scanning her over to see if she had gotten hurt.

“Have you seen Lugo? He-he’s m-missing and I-I-I can’t f-find him.” It’s been so long since she panicked this much to revert to stuttering. “I-I s-s-said some things t-to him and n-now he’s – g-gone.”

“Whoa whoa, calm down darlin, I can’t understand a word you’re saying.” Jenene embraced Tsugi in her sobbing mess. “Why are you crying sweetie?”

“Lugo’s – g-gone.” She muttered into Jenene’s shoulder, still a complete blubbering mess.

“Who’s gone?” Lugo emerged through a door behind Tsugi with Elli and Master Lumes alongside him.

“Lugo!” Tsugi gasped and ran to hug him, surprising him as he stood frozen with his arms in the air, watching as everyone around them stared, their jaws practically on the floor.

“Whoa.” Lugo dropped his pack to the floor and grabbed Tsugi’s shoulders, trying to push her away, but she held on for dear life like he would vanish into thin air should she let go.

“I’m s-sorry, I didn’t m-m-mean all those things I s-said, I don’t want you t-to go away. Please s-stay.” She muttered. “I’m sorry. I’m so s-sorry.”

“Tsugi? You are Tsugi right?”

“Of course it’s m-me.” She cried.

“I’m not going anywhere. I just went with Ellie and Master Lumes on a quick mission.”

“R-really?” Tsugi finally pulled away and wiped frantically at her eyes. “S-sorry.” She muttered and tried her best to collect her composure. Her cheeks burned red from embarrassment as all eyes were still locked on her – on them.

“Well, this is a side of you I haven’t seen before.” Lugo raised a brow. “Are you sure you’re Tsugi?”

“Yes, it’s really me!”

“Okay, don’t burst a vein.” Lugo grinned and turned to Master Lumes and Ellie. “We’ll head back first.” He said with a polite nod of his head.

“Thanks for your hard work Lugo.” Master Lumes and Jenene said in unison.

“You’re very welcome ladies.” He bowed once more and picked up his pack. “Come on Tsugi, let’s go home.” He patted her back and they walked out of the orphanage.

***

“So, you’re not mad at me anymore?” He said with a raised brow.

“I’m still upset, but no – I’m not mad anymore.” She rubbed her fingers around the red stone and a soft smile formed on her face. “Thank you.” She muttered quietly.

“I meant to get it for you so you could use it for Yamo or for someone else, but I didn’t realize the conditions.” He looked at his feet disappointingly. “I’m really sorry.”

“No, it’s fine. I-I’m really sorry about all those things I said. I didn’t mean any of it, I was just really angry. Yamo told me everything.”

“What?!” Lugo’s eyes widened in horror. “What did he say?!”

Tsugi furrowed her brows, bewildered. “He said that Ruzo was the one that protected you, and that’s how he got hurt.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Why? Was there something else?”

“No.” He said abruptly and changed the subject. “What’s with that stuttering? You’ve never done that before. Are you really sure you’re Tsugi and not someone else?” He stopped in front of her and leaned down as if to study her face.

“Wh-what is your problem?” Tsugi muttered and took a step back. “Why do you always get so up close and personal?”