Friedrich bounded on all fours to the top of the hill, his golden fur shimmering in the sunlight. The morning air was crisp and fresh, filling his lungs as he reached the top and looked at the beautiful sprawling plains before him, very glad to be free of the fens.

“Y-you win,” panted Marina as she slowly dragged herself to the top of the hill.

Friedrich winced as he transformed back into a human and the mask fell from his face, hanging around his neck. The transformation was less painful now and Friedrich wasn’t sure if he was getting used to them or if speaking to Kitt had given the fox’s soul a moment of relief that eased the pain. He tucked the mask back inside his tunic and laughed at Marina, walking down and taking her hand. He helped her climb to the top of the hill, where she remained bent over and desperately trying to catch her breath.

“When you have the strength to stand up straight, take a look,” he said, stretching out his arm and drawing it across the vast green grasslands below.

Marina stood up, still panting heavily, and drew in as deep a breath as she could manage. Her face lit up as she forgot about how tired she was. Almost everywhere they had been so far had been wooded, rocky or wet, so it was a welcome sight to see somewhere so open, yet so filled with wonder.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, her eyes drawn to the clusters of yellow and pink flowers that dotted the landscape before her. She watched as an orange and black butterfly with white dots on its wings fluttered gently past her face. “I’ve never seen this side of Mercia…I’ve only ever…” but she trailed off.

“You’ve only ever what?” asked Friedrich, wondering if she would finally talk about where she had come from.

“It’s nothing,” she said, turning to Friedrich with a sly grin. She drew back her hands and shoved him down the hill.

With a yelp, he tumbled down the grassy hill, bumping on the protruding mounds along the way, spinning faster and faster until he was on flat land once again. Even then, he did not stop, he carried on for another dozen feet. He sat up in a daze as Marina rolled down after him, in a much more controlled fashion.

“Why?” he asked the three wavering Marina’s in front of him.

“I thought it would be fun,” she giggled as she sat up and brushed the grass from her dress. “Was it?”

“Uncomfortably fun, I suppose.”

“That sounds like fun to me!”

Friedrich stood up and helped Marina to her feet. “Let’s see if we can find a path to the road.”

“But I want to walk through the grass?”

“Aren’t you the one who said you wanted to have some respite between each of our crazy adventures. If we go off-road, that makes wild beasts and monsters all the more likely to show up.”

“Ah, dear Friedrich,” said Marina in a know-it-all manner, “I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no between adventures. Everything so far has just been one big adventure. When they tell tales about us in the future, everyone will speak of the epic of The Lightning Foxes.”

Friedrich burst into laughter. “The Lightning Foxes?”

“That’s right,” said Marina confidently. “That’s our adventuring name. Every good party has one, don’t they? The Red Hawks. The Band of the Iron Bull. I shoot lightning bolts and you transform into a fox…we are The Lightning Foxes!”

“First of all, I know you made those names up because you don’t know any adventuring parties. And secondly, who is it that’s telling our tales then?”

“We haven’t met them yet, for we haven’t succeeded in our mission. Once we’re rich beyond our wildest dreams, then people will take notice. They’ll talk about us from the western coast of Mercia to the western border of Heartland. The entirety of the human world will know our names and think of us fondly.”

“What about the elves?” asked Friedrich. “The orcs? The wolven? Why stop at the border of Heartland? Why not the entire continent of Eradrel?”

“Why would other species tell our stories to their children?” asked Marina, shaking her head. “Come back to reality please, Friedrich.”

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Marina tutted and bounded along the grass. Friedrich wasn’t sure if she was being serious or not, it was hard to tell sometimes. He decided she was half-serious, not quite sure what that meant, but he chose not to dwell on it anymore as he followed his skipping companion.

“Speaking of lightning,” he said as he strode up beside Marina.

“Yes?”

“Do you only know the one spell? I’ve never seen you use anything other than a lightning bolt before.”

“Very astute, Master Friedrich, you are correct. It’s the only one I use because it is indeed the only one I know. I would love to learn more, but…well, I simply don’t have the time these days. It’s difficult to study magic when you’re out on the road.”

“Alright,” said Friedrich, “seeing as I doubt that I’ll be rid of you anytime soon, I’ll pitch in for a couple of spell tomes for you.”

“Why would you ever want rid of me?” asked Marina, winking at him and playfully pushing him. “Any other man would be thrilled to have a pretty girl travelling with him every day.”

“You think very highly of yourself, don’t you?”

“You don’t think I’m pretty?”

Friedrich’s face turned red and he looked the other way. “I wonder if there are any ruins over there,” he said, pointing into the distance. “Maybe we should hunt for some treasure on the way to Akatfall. I suspect we’ll need the kupons if we need to catch a boat to Kai’roh.”

Marina rolled her eyes. “I’ll let you away with avoiding the question this one time,” she said. “And no, I don’t think there are ruins over there. I know perfectly well that you’re pointing at nothing.”

Friedrich said nothing further and led the way along the grassy plains. He and Marina walked across the knolls, through the fields of flowers and past lonesome trees until they reached a dirt road that looked as though it had been tamed recently by many footsteps. Taking this to be the southern road they sought, they kept walking until they came across a bridge over a small river where a wooden post fixed with two signs sat at the end.

“Fallswych to the north-east, Cambrae to the south,” read Marina, wrinkling her nose. “I don’t see Akatfall here.”

“They can’t put signs for every village, town and city in Mercia on a single sign on a bridge,” said Friedrich. “It’s not practical.”

“At least put Akatfall, no? It’s the grand capital after all.”

“That just means we’re still many, many miles away. We’ll be on the road for some time. I’m sure we’ll see signs for it as we move along.”

“Should we stop in Cambrae then?”

“If you want to.”

“What do you know about it?”

“Absolutely nothing. I’ve never even heard of it until today.”

Marina smiled widely. “Have I finally beaten you at something?”

“Beaten me?” laughed Friedrich, not realising they were competing.

“I know something that’s in Cambrae!”

“What is it?”

“There’s a famous tailor based there called Hareld Ashcroft. He caters to many of the nobles throughout the country.”

“And how do you know that?”

“Hmm…I heard it somewhere.”

Friedrich was starting to get irked. “Why are you always so evasive when I try and ask you about anything from before we met?”

“Because I don’t want to talk about it!” yelled Marina, her face turning immediately stern. “It’s not like I know much about you either.”

“That’s because you haven’t ask—”

Friedrich pulled Marina onto the bridge as an arrow flew towards them and wedged itself in the dirt road. The two kept low behind the stone wall, wondering who was firing upon them and where they were firing from.

“Stay here and cover your head,” said Friedrich, passing Marina his shield and placing the mask upon his face.

He slinked out from his cover, keeping to the thickest patches of grass he could. Another arrow did not come, but there was tree ahead. It was the perfect vantage point for any bandits looking to shoot travellers on the bridge.

“Friedrich!” called Marina.

He immediately turned back and ran towards the bridge, where a figure in dark leather armour was walking towards Marina with a hood pulled up and a bow in its hand, but it was not raised to unleash another arrow. Friedrich leapt from the grass, over the wall and landed between Marina and the figure. He started barking lightly, unable to make a much more threatening noise in this form.

“Is this fox your companion?” came a woman’s muffled voice from underneath a dark hood and cloth mask. Friedrich could just about make out her piercing green eyes and a faint sliver of golden blonde hair escaping from its covering.

“N-n-no,” said Marina, nervously clutching her staff and walking backwards. “I-I-I don’t know w-w-where he’s gone.”

“You do not need to lie to me,” said the woman softly, slinging her bow over her back. “I believe I have mistaken you for someone else.”

“W-w-who did you think w-w-we were?”

“That is none of your business,” said the woman, “but if you bear no ill-intent towards me then you are free to pass and my search continues. If you come across a man and a woman on the road, I implore you not to trust them, children.”

Marina glanced at Friedrich, whose rage was further ignited by being called a child. He forced himself to hold back his temper, knowing that he could not fight against this woman as a fox. She held the advantage and he would not turn back to normal for another few minutes.

“What is your name, girl?” asked the mysterious woman.

“Marina.”

“I suggest that you and the fox-boy, Friedrich, make yourself scarce,” she said.

With that, she turned and ran across the grass. She ascended a hill and disappeared from sight moments later, leaving Marina and Friedrich standing on the bridge.

“That was close,” said Marina breathlessly.

Friedrich was certain that the arrow was not meant for them. The woman looked more than capable of hitting her mark, and the shot was a mere warning. Whoever she was searching for was in trouble.

Friedrich looked at Marina and pointed forwards, leading them further down the road and away from the bridge. Whatever trouble was coming, he wanted no part of it and wouldn’t rest easily until reaching Cambrae.