Early the next morning, we woke at dawn and the humans reluctantly shared their rations with us. They surprised me with their packaging. Because from what I had seen of the world so far, it relied on low-tech solutions, like swords, crossbows, and even meohr-pulled wagons. But then, coming from their backpacks, were almost shrink wrapped packets of wet nutrient bars. All the packaging was missing was colorful advertisements or name brands and they could fit in in any convenience store.

The bars even tasted like I would expect, like a cross between a sports bar and breakfast in a package.

With no time to waste, I fingered open the seal with my teeth and ripped off the tab with my claw, then tore into the bar. The taste was unexpectedly sweet, like pancakes on Earth but without syrup or honey. While I could grow accustomed to the overly saccharine flavor, the Kaiva thought otherwise.

Kissen shuddered when she took her first bite before she daintily held up her packet in disgust.

“Food is food, sister,” Larissen commented, though he was scowling at his own.

“A truth,” she agreed. Afterwards, she tore into hers as well, taking smaller bites than usual, but soon her growling stomach won out over caution.

As I ate my own, I decided that the flavor was increasingly worsening. No, I took it back as I bit into what must have been some sort of dingleberry. I winced and forced the stuff down while watching the humans devour theirs enthusiastically.

“Are you enjoying that?” Sir Kate asked, her voice light and teasing.

Gregory Silverborn gave a half-smile as he scooted closer to his companion. “I doubt it. Kunny don't usually appreciate people food.”

Kissen glared in their direction, but Larissen was the one to speak up, “Define people, Qavi.”

An insult that the humans failed to recognize exactly, but understood the implied tone.

“Brother! These are our allies!” Kissen protested, a strange smirk that mixed both joviality and anger that completely befuddled both myself and the humans. She swiped her hand down and raked her claws across his shoulders. He yowled, and the two of them tumbled across the ground, hissing and spitting and laughing.

Gregory sneered, “See? Animals.”

I barely restrained the growl before it grew audible, though Kate glanced my way and winced, if ever so slightly.

The words should not have bothered me so, but… but there was some truth to them. My body was not my own, not anymore. I had a tail! It was just too much. And as if those physical changers were not terrible enough, no, but there were mental changes as well! Could I even claim to be me any longer?

Would I end up acting like the Kaiva?

And then, there were the little things that defied physics, that defied biology, that were just altogether confusing.

I had been in this body for at least a month now. And yet, my cycle never came. Did that whole business change with this body? I would need to find out. Those types of surprises were the worst. I wondered if I should bring it up with Kissen, as the older female here? But then, that would admit another gap in my knowledge that might reveal something that should remain hidden.

I did not know what I never knew and it was maddening to try learning everything while keeping these secrets!

But while on the topic of biology, while just finishing a meal, that left another deviation: no waste products. I never urinated or defecated, but I did eat. Where did that mass go?

These were the questions I pondered while the humans packed their camp and led back out into the gully. But once we were moving, I forced myself to switch mental tracks. We were in hostile territory, even with the numbers, especially with the numbers, which could draw attention quickly.

And so, with vigilance and trepidation, we set out along the gully, expecting an ambush at every corner.

My senses were heightened, scanning every angle for Charson's presence; his thoughts on our mission made it clear he wanted nothing to do with it. The Kaiva and humans kept a close watch as well, though none of their senses compared to mine.

Surprisingly enough, it seemed I took security the most seriously. The Kaiva trusted to their senses and grimaced at the noisy humans, but they did not seem overly alert otherwise. The humans seemed to be scurrying about, talking and walking at different paces, and it was difficult to discern a marching order.

Soon, I was dragged into it as well.

Sir Kate soon came upon me, her presence making me wary. For her, my feelings were mixed. I both wanted to be near her, and detested her. All at the same time. Were I human, I knew she would be exactly my type. But I was not. And she had treated me like property.

But still, she was my type, and I could not help taking a moment to study her appearance—she wore three swords—a bastard longsword jutting out of a belt on her side and two shortswords harnessed on her back. Her carefree attitude clashed with the dread that emanated from her form; it was clear that stepping into danger was nothing new to her. Despite my hesitation in building relations with her, I decided it would be worth it–her blue-tinted blonde hair, blue eyes, skin so pale it seemed blue, lithe limbs and her entrancing smile were far too appealing to ignore.

As I watched her, my heart raced.

She was captivating–a vision of beauty, and I could understand why Greg Silverborn followed her around like a dog after its master.

But I also felt a wave of revulsion wash over me; this girl had called me 'kit,' she had treated me as a pet, as though I were property. And other than... no, no one was permitted to do so, no matter how charismatic or ruggedly beautiful, and no matter how their callouses would likely feel... just no.

The space between us seemed to expand as the silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity.

My face torn between a lustful smile and a loathing grimace, with my expression fortunately hidden by my muzzle and sharp canines. I managed to smooth out the awkwardness and gave her a simple and slight nod.

She fidgeted while approaching, toying with the hems of her jacket.

Meanwhile, her jealous little lover-boy, Gregory Silverborn, hung back with suspicious eyes fixed firmly upon me.

“So, come on, spill it... what Marks do you have?” Her voice was strangely tight, the implication of something brewing in the air.

My eyes narrowed and my lips curled downward as I remembered how Lieutenant Muleater had greeted my talents with skepticism only a few hours ago.

Muleater had been less than impressed with my forthcomingness. I kept things vague, and only told my present company some of what I could do, the most obvious and situational things that would leave me underestimated.

I had told them I could climb any surface, that I was lighter than should be naturally possible, and that I could sneak. Of course, I never mentioned my Illusions. Those remained an ace up my sleeve, one which could mean the difference between life and death should the situation sour.

I took a deep breath and considered if I would share more. I was leaning towards no, but while I thought on it, she spoke once more.

“Look,” she said. “If we're going to fight together, then you should know what I can do."

I thought about her suggestion while I kept examining our surroundings. The walls of the gully had started to incline, and the floor had widened out, but the others were still hesitant to scale the sides–even though it could shrink our travel time by days. The humans brought enough supplies that they were certain we'd be alright. I wasn't as convinced. As I thought it over, she brushed a mark off her coat; I doubted she would ever get it back to its initial yellow state.

“Alright,” I said, nodding hesitantly. It made sense. That did not mean that I agreed, however.

She stopped adjusting her clothing and gave me a wide smile. It made me almost regret what I was about to say next.

“But only if you tell me yours first,” I said with intentional humor, hoping to distract and derail, or at the very least lighten the situation.

She chuckled in response, while Gregory glared and grumbled. Luckily, she spoke before Gregory had a chance to protest.

“Alright, alright–” she smiled and showed off a blade “-I guess that makes sense. As you already suspected, I use swords.”

“More like a blademaster,” Gregory chimed in with obvious flattery and a sharp glare directed towards me.

“Not even close to that level yet,” she said immediately, sounding wistful. “I have so much more to learn before I can even think about being called a master.”

“But you've won tournaments!” he pointed out rather proudly.

“Yeah… that’s true," she conceded reluctantly. "But there's always room for improvement; as someone once said." She paused and gave an amused shrug before continuing, “I actually can’t remember exactly what that old dude said exactly. But you get the idea, right? … Right?!” she grinned. “Anyways, show me your maaaarks!” she finished, laughing.

“Forgetting something?” I asked her, attempting to raise a brow. Without a mirror, I could not be sure it worked.

“Oh right! I share first. Uhmmm–”

“Kate!” Gregory protested.

“-No, I got this, don’t worry. It’s nothing she wouldn’t have figured out on her own anyways. I’ve got some Body enhancements; improved speed and dexterity plus battle awareness. That one was my latest gain.”

"She's not giving herself enough credit," he interjected before she could stop him. "Her battle-sense is really good… Amazing for someone her age. With the major glyphs she does have."

“We can chat about me later," Sir Kate said determinedly, "But right now it's your turn."

She gave me a pointed and almost teasing stare.

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“A deal’s a deal,” I said, even though I had no intention of honoring it fully. Instead, I recounted what I had shared with Lieutenant Muleater.

Sir Kate was also less than impressed.

“Is that all?” She asked sternly, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

My confidence faltered, and my ears and tail dropped slightly.

I wanted her to respect me like she respected Gregory; after seeing her fight, I knew she deserved it. Despite the risk of overexposing myself, I let my emotions show.

“I have a Body one too, but it’s still–”

“What?” Sir Kate questioned sharply, her voice laced with suspicion. Why would she be suspicious? Did she not admit to having Body enhancement as well?

“Haaah…” I said, shrugging. “I guess I should ask this first: how do Marks work?” I asked, trying to conceal how desperate I was for an answer with false humor. Also, attempting to once again distract and derail.

Gregory snorted with disdain.

“Can’t even accuse her of lying–the beasts know even less than the–”

“Gregory Silverborn!” Sir Kate interrupted him sharply. “She is an ally and you will treat her with respect!”

A part of me swelled when she defended me–and the rest of me hated that traitorous part for committing attempted Stockholm syndrome.

“But she’s weak and clueless! Why are you wasting your time on her?”

Sir Kate took a deep breath and counted to three before sighing. “Go back to the group, Greg. Now.”

“But–”

“Get out of my sight!” She shouted at him.

That was a bit over the top, I thought. All parts of me grew suspicious. Why was she acting this way? I assumed she was attempting to sway me to her ‘sympathetic’ side, for either potential boons, or perhaps information. I would not be falling for the honey bucket, however. No, I refused to fall like such an easy mark. Nevermind her strong shoulders…

Meanwhile, Greg huffed and threw his arms up in protest before turning away.

Kate watched him leave then shook her head and cleared her throat. “Sorry about that,” she said. “Now what were you asking about Marks? Anything part in particular?”

I studied her cautiously, my mind racing with anxiety over her true motives. “Just general information, if you don't mind” I said through gritted teeth, desperate for any shred of insight.

She smiled again and my heart slammed against my rib cage in an attempt to break free. “Of course! I suppose they really don’t have anything like this in the jungle, but I would have thought...” She halted abruptly, shaking her head to clear her mind before offering me a reassuring smile and continuing the explanation. “There are different kinds of Marks. The static ones tend to be cheaper and can always be added later, so there is some sense in getting them first. But Living Marks like mine come with flavors; for example, my battlesense has three glyphs that will likely branch out into even more depending on how I use it as I age. So it’s important to practice regularly and stay active if you want your Mark to grow. Same goes for Enhancements too – like my speed body Mark. And then the God Marks…” she ended with a frown. “But I don’t know much about those, that’s inquisitor business.”

As I probed further, my curiosity intensified. "What… what are those?” I asked, keeping my voice calm, avoiding any shaking quiver that might convey my concern.

Her expression grew grave as she replied. She winced, her eyes betraying a deep-seated fear. "Sorry, but you'd have to ask an Inquisitor or a Nobel Agent, and… well–” she shot me a look “-I don't recommend that," she finished with a shudder.

My heart raced with the intensity of the moment. If she simply did not know the answer, it would be one thing. But her discomfort with the topic spoke volumes about its gravity. If I dug deeper, our fragile relationship could spiral out of control. It was a risk I had to take.

"Why swords?" I asked abruptly, feeling the weight of my own impatience in my words.

She blinked, taken aback by my sudden intensity. Her smile slowly faded away like a dying star in a black hole.

"In what sense do you mean?" she countered hesitantly.

I tapped my lips thoughtfully, readying myself to push forward into this new venture. My index claw dug into my chin by mistake and drew blood. She snickered at my clumsiness, breaking the tension for just a moment.

"I guess I haven't seen any Kaivan use weapons," I explained through gritted teeth as I licked my wound clean.

I realized, at some point, that the Kaivan in question had come near enough to join the conversation, though they had thus far remained contentedly brooding as we walked.

Off to the side, Kissen's fur bristled with indignation, while Larissen growled a warning deep in his throat. Kate appeared oblivious to their reactions. I could see her naivete in assuming she had said something wrong, but I merely held my tongue and kept my tail swishing menacingly behind me.

“Okay then, lemme explain it," Kate said, licking her lips in anticipation, and completely ignoring the brewing unease from the Kaivan siblings. “Swords are the best.”

My eyes were hard and narrowed at her unhelpful answer, but then I realized she was making a joke, and that this was the perfect way to ratchet down the conversation. The pause was brief enough that I thought the awkwardness might have escaped notice.

Meanwhile, I was trying to figure out what was bothering the Kaivan. Their ears were perked and their heads swiveling. Did they hear something? I noticed Kissen’s nose scrunched just slightly, with her mouth agape and tongue visible.

Kissen was tasting the air.

Which meant they smelled something.

I scanned the gorge, trying to pick up what had them spooked.

But with the multitude of large broken stones strewn across the ground and the steep walls of the gorge, we were vulnerable to an ambush from any angle. And from what I had seen, these guards lacked ranged weapons; only swords, which was partly why I had asked her questions in the first place.

I assumed all their ‘strayls’ or crossbowmen as I would have called them had died in the ambush.

But as I studied the rugged craggy walls of the gorge more closely, out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw a brief moment of motion along the top of the cliff, right along the lip: a flicker too quick to discern what it may have been or where it had gone. That brought up yet another curiosity that would need answering soon enough. I ceased walking, becoming utterly still except for my tail's slow swish.

Kate’s serious gaze transfixed me, seemingly still processing the conversation, never aware of the body language that screamed danger. The other humans had yet to catch up with us, but I hoped that they at least would understand.

Kate continued speaking with the intensity of conviction. “I assume you aren't asking why humans use weapons, since we don't possess claws, but why I favor swords?” She continued without pause. Her passion was unmistakable as she declared “Swords are elegant, fast, and versatile; no other weapon can match it!”

Other than that one slight almost-movement, I had failed to detect any signs of hostile parties in the area. If I were to raise the alarm for nothing, then I would lose credibility. I decided to remain wary, and to trust the Kaivan to actually say something if they found something worrying.

I began walking and talking once more.

"But couldn’t crossbows hit you from range?" I asked, playing devil’s advocate to Kate’s passion.

She scoffed with disdain. "By the time one loads and points one I'd have them at point." Then she fell silent, her distant expression hinting of past experiences that left their mark on her soul. The cloying aroma of sweet perfume suddenly wafted through the air as we walked, making us all pause for a moment–yet I shook my head gently and we resumed our slow pace.

But still, where had that smell come from?

Out of the blue she made a bold offer: "You want me to show you how to use one?"

My mouth opened in surprise, "Pardon?" I stammered in confusion.

“The sword? You asked about it, I take it you’re interested right? My trainers told me one of the best ways to learn is by teaching. I was thinking when we make camp tonight that I could show you some of the basics.”

My heart raced and my mind spun in circles. On one hand, I wanted to learn something so unique as swordsmanship, but on the other hand I had never been one for anachronisms. But was it really an anachronism here? I was undecided, but I was still leaning towards a ‘yes.’

But what sold me on the offer was that learning swordsmanship would be an incredible way to bond with Kate and strengthen our relations. Which would deepen empathy. Which would decrease the likelihood of getting stabbed in the back. So I answered.

"Yes," I said, "I would like to learn."

A smile spread across her smudged face and her scent intensified with undertones of caution and purpose that almost tasted like cherries. I had only come across one force in my life that could emit such emotions through scent.

"That's great!" She exclaimed. "Since you've got a Living Mark, at least I'm pretty sure you do, then we might get you an Unlock something blade-related. With your current skill set, it might end up as footwork related at first; but that's the most important part anyways. Maybe you could end up a sword dancer–" she wiggled her eyebrows.

She looked me over again, twisting her lips and scrunching her brow in thought before continuing. "But oh yeah! Able to climb anything, not leaving tracks definitely a mobility theme... depending on what kinda stone went into your Mark, you might even emulate The Ghost!"

My heart skipped a beat as she continued her explanation with far too much enthusiasm, referencing things I had never heard of before. Fear and excitement tore through me like a wild beast as I considered the possibilities of learning swordsmanship in such a short amount of time.

“Wait, stones?” I asked. “And The Ghost?” The more I learned, the more questions I had.

“She's an absolute legend. How have you not already known that stuff?" She then pretended to slap her forehead while shaking her head in disbelief. “Oh that’s right! Haaa… alright so the stone used in the ink makes a big difference on how glyphs will manifest”

The wind suddenly shifted to our backs and I could taste both amusement and hunger radiating from somewhere, reminding me of a creepy stalker or urban prowler.

My suspicions were once again heightened as Kate began listing off Living Stones and their common to exotic effects. Still though, the Kaivan siblings held their peace. What had I been smelling, I wondered.

“Out of curiosity though,” I said abruptly, cutting her off again. “How did your group escape from the mikuya–wyrkwik–yesterday?”

Kate looked at me with surprise and a slight hint of anger flitting in her eyes. “Didn’t Aunt Jan tell you?” she asked calmly, though I could sense the tension beneath her words.

“Not really,” I replied, feeling like an intruder into this conversation. The scent that had been hanging in the air was still present, making it clear that the hunter was still following us, but for some unknown motive. “But I saw you fighting and it didn't look like you were doing very well.”

“What’re you trying to say?” Her voice had gone cold now as if daring me to answer her question. It made me feel uncomfortable knowing that just yesterday we had lost so many of our people yet here she was appearing unfazed by it all.

I chose my words cautiously so as not to offend her. “Your fighting was brave and impressive, every movement you made was quick and precise. But there were just too many enemies for one person to fight.”

A slight blush crept up her cheeks as she tried to hide her embarrassment behind a cough. “That's true... there were a lot of them so we decided to make a break for it and head south. Though not on the road.”

The further we went, the more I sensed that something was wrong. Somehow, in the discussion, while Kate listed off stones and their power expressions, we separated from the Kaivan. They had broken off slightly, crouching in the shadows of a boulder.

She noticed at the same time as I.

"Why are they over there?" she asked, nodding her head in their direction.

“They’re worried,” I said, still unsure of how to say that I basically ‘smelled’ a possible enemy, like some sort of bloodhound, like some sort of animal. I knew I needed to say something, but I really did not want that sort of comparison in anyone’s mind, let alone Kate’s. I was being impractical though. I needed to say something!

“Why’re they worried? About what?” she asked slowly, cautiously.

“I… I think they might have smelled something.”

“Like what?” she said. Her eyes widening a fraction. “Did you smell something too?”

I grimaced. “I’m not confident, but I think it might be mikuya following us.”

"What?!"

Blessings: Rank (1/9)

* Body: 59

* Mind: 71

* Spirit: 47

Talents:

* Athleticism (3/9):

* Climbing I (1/9)

* Featherlight (1/9)

* Stealth (8/9)

* Trackless Tracks (5/9)

* Eschiver (1/9)

* Evasion (3/9)

Spells:

* Illusion I (2/9)

* Touch (5/9)

* Closed

* Closed

Gifts:

* Obsession (3/9)

* Closed (0/9)

* Closed (0/9)