“Ughh my back hurts.” Mari grumbles as she and Sanora finish packing the remains of their camp. Night had fallen not long after they left Deepvalley and thus they just spent their very first night out in the plains.

“The ground sure isn’t comfy.” Sanora laughs and stems her arms into her back before pressing them in, causing a multitude of loud cracks to resound from her spine.

“That didn’t sound healthy.” Mari looks at Sanora with a raised eyebrow, but she just waves her off.

“Ah my back does that all the time. No need to worry. Let’s keep going, we have a lot of way to cover.”

“If you say so…” Mari lets go of the topic a bit reluctantly. Soon after, they tie up their belongings and sling the heavy bags over their backs before heading on. The morning air is cool and crisp, dew still sits in the grass surrounding them as they walk down the road. They eat some of the rations they packed on the way and pass the time with some idle talking until the sun starts to near the distant horizon.

“-and when we got down into the well, we ended up in an old cistern. I didn’t expect it to be so big for such a small village. You’d think all they need is a regular old well, and not such a giant structure, especially with the river right next to them, but I digress. Anyways we headed down and there was actually a monster hiding in there. And it was weird. A giant plant of sorts, with tendrils tick as arms that spread through the whole cavern. And I thought the walking chameleon would be the weirdest part about that adventure.” Sanora finishes her recount with a laugh.

“Beastkin are hardly weird.” Mari chuckles. “Although I guess to someone who isn’t from here, they might seem a bit odd. But that aside, I never heard of a monster like that either. I don’t think I ever heard of a plant monster to begin with, much less with tendrils. That sounds more like something a flesh monster would have.”

“Oh right, didn’t you have a book about that?”

“A book about monsters?” Mari tilts her head at Sanora. “I can’t remember having anything of the likes.”

“Oh no, not a book about monsters. What was the name again… I think something with a ‘Doppler’?” Sanora says with her gaze fixed skywards as she holds her chin.

Finally, Mari seems to remember what book Sanora refers to and her face immediately turns the same shade as the sinking sun.

“You read that one as well?!”

“Of course. I read all of them.” Sanora mumbles absent mindedly.

“All… of them.” Mari whispers as she stops in her tracks with a pale face.

After a few steps Sanora comes to a stop as well and turns around.

“What’s wrong?”

“W-why did you read ALL of them? How did you even find the rest?!”

“Mhh well you’re not really good at hiding things.” Sanora shrugs. “And I just wanted to know what you’re into. Gotta admit I didn’t expect all the beastkin girls.” She grins at Mari, but the girl just stands there with a red face and wide, wet eyes.

“Aww don’t look at me like that.” Sanora smiles as she walks to Mari. “I’ve been thinking you know. If my flesh magic keeps getting better, I might be able to grow some fox ears just for you.” She grins at Mari whose eyes are swimming. “Think about it.” Sanora says with a wink before turning around and walking on, leaving Mari back with her brain on complete meltdown.

============================================

“Alright, that’s the tent done.” Sanora steps back and looks at her creation with a satisfied smile. A small triangular tent made of hides and sticks, just barely long enough to lie down in. “I’ll try and find some wood for a fire. Maybe there’s some bushes around here.” She says as she scans the treeless plains around them. But Mari gives her no answer. She just sits there, nibbling on a piece of dried meat.

“Come one, you’re still mad at me?”

“No. What makes you think I’m mad.” Mari responds with a cool tone.

‘Yep, definitely mad.’ Sanora thinks with a chuckle as she takes a seat next to Mari.

“I already told you, I’m sorry I read the books. My curiosity just got the better of me, especially since this was something about you. I just want to know everything about you, ‘cause I love you. Please don’t be angry with me.”

Mari looks at Sanora who is looking at her with the best puppy eyes she can muster. Mari’s face relaxes as she sighs.

“It wasn’t about the books you know? It was what you said earlier. The thing with the ears.”

“With the ears… I’m sorry. It was really just a suggestion, we don’t have to if you don’t want to of course.”

“What? No, of course I want to. But that’s exactly why its mean to joke about it.” Mari pouts at Sanora, who just tilts her head.

“But I wasn’t joking.”

“You weren’t?” Mari blinks at her.

“No. I was dead serious.”

“So, you were.” Mari heaves a relieved sigh. “I really thought you were just teasing me with it.”

“I’d never tease you with something like that.” Sanora smiles at Mari as she pets her head. “Alright then.” She gets up again. “I’ll go search for some wood. You can imagine me with cute fox ears and a tail in the meanwhile, so you don’t get bored.” She grins at Mari before disappearing in the high grass.

“Sanora with fox ears… and a tail.” Mari gulps as her face blushes. “Dammit don’t just leave now! You did that on purpose!” Mari whines as she looks at the grass in which Sanora just disappeared. All she hears is a distant, muffled laugh.

A while later Sanora returns to the campsite, a few branches and a small dead tree under her arms.

“That was mean.” Mari puts at her as she walks over. “You better learn flesh magic fast you hear me?”

Sanora laughs as she drops the wood. “Loud and clear. But first, let’s get this fire going so we can sleep. We got a lot of walking ahead of us tomorrow as well.” She says, unable to supress a yawn.

Mari joins her with a big yawn as well. The last rays of dusk have disappeared by now and the first stars dot the sky above.

“I’ll get the fire steel.”

“Wait a second, I want to try something.”

Mari tilts her head as Sanora starts to pile the wood with the thinnest, driest brush at the bottom. She stretches out her finger and takes a breath.

“Alright now, just a little bit…” She mumbles as she lets a very small amount of magic flow into her finger. A tiny flame starts burning at its tip and she holds it to the kindling which starts burning right away.

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“Damn I’m good.” Sanora says with a pleased grin and extinguishes the small flame with a flick of her hand.

“When did you learn that?” Mari looks at the pile of wood which is starting to catch fire rapidly.

“I didn’t really learn it. I just figured if I could make the spell stronger by feeding it more magic like in the cave, I can make it weaker by feeding it less.” Sanora shrugs.

“ ’Feeding’ it magic?” Mari raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah. You know, that feeling when you make it flow through your body to cast a spell.”

“You can do that?” Mari looks at her with her slack jawed.

“Yeah. Don’t all mages do it like that?”

“Most mages can’t even cast without a catalyst. And even less have control over magic like that. And I’m not even sure if there are any that achieve a level of master like this in just a few saints.” Mari sighs and lets her head hang.

“Uh… sorry?” Sanora scratches her head.

“No. You’re some sort of envoy. Right, that doesn’t count.”

“What doesn’t count?” Sanora tilts her head, but Mari just waves her off.

“Don’t mind me. Let’s just go to bed.”

“Uh, okay. I’ll take the second watch.”

“You sure? You don’t have to.”

“Nah, it’s alright. I’m an early riser anyways.”

“The middle of the night is hardly just early.” Mari chuckles. “But alright, I’ll take it as an apology for your teasing.”

“In that case I’ll glade make it up to you.” Sanora smiles as she crawls into the tent and under the blanket. “Wake me as soon as something seems fishy, alright?”

“You’re saying this like it’s my first time on watch duty.” Mari rolls her eyes with a smirk.

“Sorry sorry. Well then, I’m off to sleep, watchwoman Mari.” Sanora grins at her.

Mari just rolls her eyes again. “Good night, Sanora. Love you.”

“Love you too.” Sanora answers before rolling herself into the blanket. She dozes off only a moment later to the sound of the crickets and the fire.

When she wakes up again Sanora’s eyes remain closed. She doesn’t know how she slept yet, but she knows that it wasn’t enough. She groans and rolls around on the bedroll. If Mari didn’t wake her there is no reason for her to stay awake. But as she lays there and tries to fall asleep again, she notices something. An odd smell, one that she is all too familiar with, the smell of blood.

She immediately tears open her eyes and shoots up, hand on her sword as she looks around. The night is silent, only the crackling of the small fire breaking the silence. Goosebumps rise on her skin as she remembers something Amni told her one day. ‘As long as you hear the crickets, you’re good, but when they go silent there is something nearby’.

But what fills her with even more dread is the fact that Mari is nowhere to be seen.

“Ma-“ She is about to call out as she gets up, but stops when the hand she is pushing herself up with touches something wet. All the colour drains from her face as she looks down at Mari’s bedroll which is soaked in blood.

“Mari! Where are you?” She shouts in panic as she gets up and looks down both sides of the road. No response.

“No. Nononono this isn’t happening.” Her heart is racing as her head whips around, searching for the girl. A rustling resounds from the grass ahead of her and her head snaps towards it.

“Mari? Please tell me that is you.” Her hand is gripping the sword hard as she speaks. A moment of silence passes, she swallows. A wave of relief washes over her when Mari’s face emerges from the darkness.

“Gods you scared me to death.” But the relief wanes and the blood in her veins freezes when Mari’s head suddenly drops to the floor, rolling a bit before coming to a halt. Her throat tightens and her heart stops dead as she stares at the bodyless head, blood still flowing out of the severd neck. As the grass rustles again, she slowly looks up and eight beady, black eyes above a bloody maw stare at her.

“No.” She shakes her head. “You’re dead.” She whispers and the broodmother’s maw turns into a sneer. Then, with a unlike anything she has ever seen before the monster lunges at her. She can’t even draw her sword before the fangs reach her neck.

With a scream she jolts up in her bed, hand clutching her throat which was torn apart just a second ago.

“Sanora? What’s wrong?!” Mari looks at her with wide eyes. She is still sitting next to the fire, head on her shoulders. Sanora just looks at her, her clothes drenched in cold sweat as she tries to catch her breath. Before Mari can get another word in Sanora jumps at her and pulls her into a crushing hug.

“You’re alright.” She sobs into Mari’s shoulder.

“Of course I’m alright.” Mari says, patting Sanora’s back. “Bad dream?”

Sanora just nods quietly.

“Poor you… It’s alright, it was just a dream.” Mari gently strokes Sanora’s back. After enjoying the warmth for a moment and catching her breath Sanora leans back and pats down Mari’s face and her neck.

“Right. Just a dream. Thank gods.” She lets out a shaky breath.

“That bad?” Mari’s face is creased in worry. Sanora nods. “Wanna talk about it?” Mari asks, but Sanora shakes her head.

“Not really.” Her body slumps. “How long was I out for?”

“Barely twenty minutes.”

“Great.” She sighs. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to fall asleep again after that.”

Mari looks at Sanora with a pondering expression. Her face is glistening with sweat, her hands still shaking a bit. She nods to herself before shifting onto her knees.

“Here.” She says, patting her lap. Without a word Sanora lays her head on it and Mari starts stroking it slowly. The warmth seeps into Sanora’s head from below and above as Mari’s hand is brushing away fear and exhaustion with every stroke.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah.” Sanora says as she gazes into the flames of the campfire.

“You’re always such an uneasy sleeper.”

“Am I? I had no idea.” Sanora mumbles.

“You always toss and turn in bed, sometimes mumble.” Mari nods. “I figured you have a lot of nightmares. But it was never this bad. Maybe it’s because we went back there.”

“You mean the cave? But there was nothing there.”

“Maybe there wasn’t, but it’s still no surprise. You almost died down there. It would be a surprise if it doesn’t give you nightmares.”

“Guess that makes sense.” Sanora mumbles as she mulls it over. Is that why she was feeling so sick the entire time the other day? Because she almost died in that cave?

The shiver running down her spine just confirms that Mari is probably spot on. After all, Sanora did almost die that day. But making that sacrifice was the only choice she had. Even if it would have killed her, if that meant the others would survive, that Mari would survive, then to Sanora it was a choice as clear as day. And she would do it again in a heartbeat. If a time ever comes when it’s her own life or Mari’s, Sanora will choose Mari’s over hers any day. And with this as her final thought Sanora dozes off until it’s time for her shift.

The rest of the night passes by calmly. Sanora sits next to the fire as she watches over the sleeping Mari. She’s still a bit antsy after her nightmare, but at the end it was just that, a nightmare. Once morning rolls around she wakes up Mari and they pack their belongings to continue their journey. As the day before it’s rather boring. They just walk all day, from morning till midday when they take their first break to eat, and then the whole afternoon. Just walking.

“Are we gonna be there soon?” Sanora groans causing Mari to sigh.

“No, we still have a few days ahead of us.”

“So many.” Sanora whines as Mari shakes her head.

“Do I have to remind you of the reason we didn’t take a carriage?” She glances at Sanora with a raised eyebrow.

“Ah… no.” Sanora grows quiet, her eyes glued to the road ahead.

“Yeah, I thought so.”

============================================

“Alright, the tent stands. I’ll see if I can find some wood.”

“I’ll get dinner ready then. Don’t stay away for too long.” Mari nods before Sanora heads into the grass in search of something burnable.

“Damn plants.” Sanora curses as she swats at the grass which is taller than her. “I miss the woods.” She mumbles and looks at the few meagre sticks she managed to find.

“Guess it’ll be a small fire today.” With a sigh she turns around and makes her way back to the camp.

“I’m back.” Sanora says as she drops her haul before sitting down next to Mari. She prepared some of the rations in the meanwhile.

“Guess we’re having dried meat again. Thank gods, I was starving for something different.” She chuckles wryly.

“Don’t worry, these are the last we have so tomorrow we’ll go hunting.”

“You mean I go hunting?” Sanora smirks at Mari.

“I mean you go hunting.” She just nods with a smile. “Unless you forgot that I’m a healing mage and you just happen to be able to fling around bone spears out of your hand.”

“Point taken.” Sanora nods and they start to eat.

Not long after, the food is gone and they both lie in bed, looking at the small fire as they cuddle in the light of the evening sun.

“Ugh it’s going to be so cold without a fire.” Mari whines.

“Sorry. Couldn’t find any more wood, there’s almost nothing but grass around here.” Sanora pulls Mari closer under the blanket.

“If we could sleep at the same time at least.” Mari mumbles as she nozzles into Sanora’s neck.

“Just a bit longer and we can finally crash at an inn. In a nice bed, together, and with as much food as we can… buy.”

“I can hardly wait.” Mari smiles.

“Me neither.” Sanora lays her head down, enjoying the moment before one of them has to get up for guard duty again.

Her head rests on the ground sideways. Only the crackle of the fire, the sound of the grass dancing in the wind, the chirping of crickets and an odd thumping sound surround them.

‘Wait, what?’ Sanora furrows her eyebrows. ‘What’s that sound?’ She wonders as she sits up to look around.

“What? We still have some time.” Mari pouts at her, but Sanora ignores her, her eyes glued to their surroundings.

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?” Mari tilts her head.

Sanora looks down the road with her ears tuned. For a while she hears nothing, but just when she is about to put it off to her imagination, she can spot something in the distance coming down the road.

“Ah, just a group of people riding down the road.” She relaxes again.

“A group of riders? Odd.” Mari sits up as well.

“Why’s that odd?”

“There aren’t many reasons for a whole group of riders to travel. If it was an escort job there’d usually be a carriage with them.” Mari says, now having spotted the group as well.

“Then who…” Sanora squints her eyes and looks at the group again. “Oh shit.” Her eyes widen as she recognizes the riders’ outfits.

“What’s wrong?”

“I think things are about to get messy.”