Full moon smiled down at me and I packed up, creeping along the bank while looking for the river boat hidden under a log. It took me almost to sunrise to find the traces of log being moved. The area directly near the pivot point was bald and only sheltered a few pebbles.

I gripped the front end and my hands glowed a soft white. The log rose and fell. Leaving me with the heart-warming task of dragging the boat out and down to the river bank. Loading up my things, I prepared to push the boat into the river but--

The sound of dry grass being stepped on made me unhook my bow and notch an arrow. My body lowered and I turned to the noise. It was without a doubt that I caught a hint of a sweet smelling fragrance that reminded me of a type of honey dip one of my nanas makes. My stomach growled, I dropped my arrow back into the quiver, and recurve bow back to my back. Pushing the boat into the river, the mala walked out with a dirty smudge on her cheek.

“Did you think I couldn’t track you down,” she asked with a smirk. Hands on her hip as if that made her all the more intelligent. Then her face turned serious. “I think we should return. Those fire glows weren’t our people.” She gestured across the river.

I climbed into the boat and unhooked an oar. “Mhm.”

Her chubby cheeks dimpled when she frowned but she rushed over and dove into the boat. Scrambling up into a seating position as I guided the boat downriver with a few strokes.

“Don’t you think they are planning to raid the nearby villages?”

“Mhm.”

“Then why aren’t you going back to report it?”

“They are very obvious and it’s the beginning of the harvest. Who wouldn’t raid fat sheep?” I glance at the other side of the river just to make nobody snuck up on us. While we moved faster than walking, it wasn’t faster than an all-out run.

“Do you think our family will be fine,” she asked while mirroring my head sways.

“I don’t know about yours. I don’t even understand why a tailor’s daughter is even out here.”

“Because I want to be a swordswoman.” She challenged me with a glare that could spoil water.

“Mhm,” I replied and stopped assisting the boat in maintaining a clip pace. We were well beyond the encampment and tall, silver pines were on the horizon. I could smell their sweetness from here.

“I bet you don’t have friends,” she snorted, spreading her legs as the boat rocked more on the rapid.

I gave her a calm look. The same look I would use with the swaddlers when they didn’t want to stop playing for an afternoon. Yet, she was oblivious to the T. Her gray eyes swept over me jumping to the hills. An awkward uptilt to her lips let me know she was enjoying her one-sided banter.

Sigh--

“Or is it that you have some kind of hatred towards us for being different from you?” She gripped her seat and her neck turned a little rosy. Her forehead gathered a trace of gleam and this was before the sun peaked on the horizon. “I’ll have you know, we aren’t all that different from you. In fact, we are the same. We both need to eat, need to pee, need to be around--”

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I held up my hand and stood up.

Just over the bend of the grassy hills, black smoke walked into the heavens. It would not have been a big deal, but it isn’t the time to burn leaves or clear dry-grass.

“Is that coming from our--” she stumbled to a stop and looked down at her waist. The token that blended into the waistband of her pants, faded, cracked, and turned to ashes. Ashes that fluttered down to the wooden floor.

My mind faltered because the connection with my three tokens failed. I bent back, thrusting my hips forward, and gripped the leather sash. My fingers scrambled across the soft, furry surface; my nails slammed into the first token, Majka’s token--it crumbled. My fingers pads couldn’t even touch the corners.

My leather armor felt all the more tighten.

My bottom hit the bench and I found myself looking into the mala’ face. Mirroring her opened lips, widened eyes, dilated pupils, and then--that single tear that dangled dangerously on the edges of her lashes. I knew the moment a breeze ushered that tear spiraling downward because there were others to follow it. Others try to be a hero.

Yet, looking up, up at the sun stepping forward. Up at the smoke figures running from the stampede of red figures.

My throat constricted but then I swallowed the feeling because I knew. If I faltered now, I might end up meeting my family on the river. I picked up the oar that I didn’t even know I dropped. I turned away from the smoke clouds and faced the front, guiding the boat around the dangerous outcroppings.

***

The boat smacked into the pebble bank. I climbed out, dragged it further onto the shore, then turned to survey the forest before me. The hanging vines and dancing shrubbery that sat alone in the middle of the green traispery.

If not for the second set of crunch on the pebbles, I might have forgotten that someone else was with me. Her dazed expression didn’t do a thing to inspire any confidence that she was capable of retaining her priorities. Yet, this just meant I had an obligation to look after her.

But--

I wasn’t confident in ensuring my own survival. I knew, for a fact, that the others might not hold a rational head. That they might take a gander up at the brisk clouds and recklessly charge forward. A few tough faces came to mind even as I pondered what to do, where to go?

“What are we going to do?” Her voice dragged me out of my head. “Should we meet up with the others? Plan on how to kill those bastards!” Her words took a sharp turn, transforming from soft mud to hardened clay in.

And--I couldn’t blame her. Really, I couldn’t. Even the thought crossed my mind but I stamp it down for one solid reason. Otac wasn’t on the same level as me. He was a Grandmaster who could merge his Ancestral Spirit with his body, becoming something more than human. If a thousand-man army against him--they will die with resentment.

Whoever could kill him can slaughter me like cutting carrots. It’s unwise of me to cater to that fantasy that I could seek revenge.

So, I ignored her question and pondered something even more worrisome. Those fools will indeed seek revenge and most of the known hunter’s holes are known to them. The enemy wouldn’t even have to work hard to round us up.

And, I knew no better location to hide. Well, other than the beasts lands with the magical beasts that even my father suffered at the hands of them when he was younger. It’s possible to live on the borders of those lands. Majka told me stories of those who did.

“Do you hear me!”

Birds shot up and leaves scattered from their flights.

I snapped out of my thoughts and backhanded her. Not out of anger but out of a need to hush her in the quickest method available to me.

She bounced off the ground, scattering pebbles under her. She held her face like I really hit her that hard. More tears fell from her eyes and she actually sniffed like she was going to cry.

Sigh, flatlanders.

“If you want to go meet up with your friends, go.” I waved in the direction we just left and then fetched my stuff. “I’m not stopping you.”

I marched off along the river with a destination in mind.