Months pass… And it was the deep of winter with a thick blanket of snow outside the keep. Multiple fires were lit around the place to keep the space warm.

Jace was reaching his limit. “How does Cedar deal with this?” He asked himself as irritation built up in his system. He felt as if Cinnamon’s ‘stink’ was deliberately targeting his nose. It lingered for ages every time the red furred Reynard passed through the keep. The Reynard had passed through the living area to grab a few things to eat recently.

The quill’s spine snapped in his hand. “Faaak!”

“Language!” Evaliena shouted from the floor on a futon-like cushion.

“I can’t. I can’t take this anymore…” Jace growled, putting the pieces of the quill down. He placed both his hands on the table and got up. “I can’t. I need an escape… If I have to smell his pheromones again, I’m going to go insane.”

“If Me, Burr and Baysil can deal with it, you can deal with it.” Evaliena pointed out. “We’re suffering just as much as you are.”

“I haven’t grown up the way you have.” Jace scratched at the table with a claw. “I never had to deal with any of this.” He put his head in his hands, scratching at the mane that was building on the top and back of his crown. “I thought I could handle it. I can’t. It feels as if he’s targeting me specifically… When is he supposed to leave?”

Evaliena was silent for a moment. “When this winter is over. His affairs should be in order.”

“I can’t… I might just,”

“I understand.” Evaliena interrupted Jace. “Actually, how about I take you somewhere tomorrow?” Jace’s face lit up and looked at Evaliena. “I’m surprised you haven’t been affected by cabin fever yet.” She cracked a smile. “Not exactly the place I would raise kits, though.” She muffled her voice with her arm.

“Where?” Jace sat up. Wondering what another place other than this mountainous valley could be like. Not that any of the fables or stories he read over the last month gave him any ideas.

“I can think of a few places. Won’t be the outpost down in the valley.” Evaliena looked thoughtful, her head shifting.

“I’ve been meaning to ask.” Jace stretched. “Why doesn’t anyone come up here?”

“Oh that, the keep and its surroundings are obscured with a shrouding spell. There is also no reason for anyone to hike up a mountain and chance upon this spot.” The vixen explained. “Now as for going somewhere. I guess one of the way towns or road inns.”

“Why not a city?”

“I don’t think your sensitive nose would survive any of the cities I can step to.” She chuckled. “I guess tomorrow’s settled then… But you should get back to your letters.” She poked her tongue out of her upside-down face at Jace.

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“Now here’s your travel cloak and shirt.” Evaliena handed Jace a grey cloak similar to the one when he first met the vixen. The fabric was hard wearing and made of a felt-like material. He slung it around his shoulders over the shirt. He found out it could be a fully enclosing cloak or a cape if he required with an adjustment to the ties on the insides of the flaps.

“Wow, I didn’t expect it to be this… so free…” Jace couldn’t quite describe the feeling of wearing the travel cloak.

Evaliena took the fold of fabric that now hung from behind Jace’s head. Pulling it over his head and ears.

“This feels familiar.” Jace commented as he tested the feel of the fabric around his arms. There were hole pockets for his arms to fit through and reach the outside.

“Mmm, not bad for a first fitting. As you grow, I’ll need to make another one, but this should last you a few years at best.” Evaliena sounded proud.

“Please don’t remind me.” Jace gritted his teeth and tucked his cloak closer. The thought of him putting everyone through what Cinnamon did weighed on his mind.

“It really isn’t as bad as you think.” She assured Jace. “Though if you wanted to change your forms to something less offensive…” Evaliena cooed teasingly.

“Nope, nope, not thinking about it.” He held his hands up in the cloak.

“I only jest. Now here, take this.” She handed Jace a small satchel. It was heavy for his size, but smelled of baked pastries and cured dried meat. “There’s also a small gift for you in there, too.”

Jace looked inside the satchel. Next to the wrapped supplies, there was a small bracelet of hemp with an orange gemstone anchored to it. “What’s this?” He pulled the piece of jewellery out.

“Just put it on your wrist. It’s helping me keep track of you.”

“Like a beacon?” He carefully slipped the bracelet over his left arm.

“Like a beacon.” She patted Jace on the back. “Now. Where we’re going, it’s going to be warmer with no snow.”

“Wait, how far are we going?”

“You don’t have to worry about that.” The yellow vixen urged Jace to get downstairs and outside.

Once outside. The pair walked to the centre of the snowed in courtyard of the keep. Snow crunching beneath the pads of his toes and foot as he took careful steps down. The wind was bracing. Even more so being winter. He thought himself lucky that his body had acclimated to a thicker layer of fur. his feet became lined with insulating fur too. Which annoyed him slightly, as the fur often caught on things.

“How much warmer will it be again?” Jace asked as Evaliena held her arm out.

“It’ll be cold, just no snow. I just told you. Now take my arm.”

Jace took Evaliena’s arm firmly. She turned and pulled him close to her front. Evaliena stepped. The world twisted sideways as his vision filled with that haunting spectral cerulean he witnessed months before.

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Jace fell to his knees and started hurling from an empty stomach. Good thing he listened to Evaliena about not eating this morning. The taste was still bitter, however. He wiped his mouth with the back of his arm and slowly got up. He could smell the earthy and dewy scent of a forest around him.

“Trust me, pup.” Evaliena spoke empathetically. “It took me months to get used to teleporting without emptying my lunch.”

“Is there any way around it?” Jace spat the last of the phlegm out of his muzzle. Blinking his watery eyes as he looked around at the forested surroundings. It was certainly a different type of tree. He looked down and realised he was on stone bricks that were covered in wet moss. He got up. “Where are we? I thought we were going to a town?”

“I took us to a beacon.” Evaliena explained. “Taking us straight to town would upset people.”

Jace looked around some more. They appeared to be in the ruins of a structure. “I’m surprised this beacon functions at all. Also, why would they be upset?”

“Most Humes don’t like remembering the fact they can not step a thousand miles like we can.” Evaliena smirked. “Also, look up.”

“Huh?” He looked up. He saw a floating diamond-shaped piece of stone just lazily spinning in the air. “Oh, that’s not normal.” Jace stammered. It had rusted silver inlays on the carvings of the faces.

“That’s the beacon. So long as that’s still in good shape. It’s possible to step here with little effort.” The vixen explained dryly. “Now come along.” She waved Jace over. “We have a long way to go before we reach the road.” Jace followed along.

The forest differed from the deep weald. The trees here were tall and thin instead of wide and branching, collected in loosely scattered clumps across the hilly landscape with many open wildflower plots. Noticing the wildflowers, Jace thought he was going to be sneezing if he agitated any of the bushes.

“You weren’t kidding that it was cold here…” Jace commented as his feet pressed into the cold, damp soil. He pulled his travel cloak closed. “At least it’s not blowing.”

“We get snow, they get mud and ice when the peak of winter hits them.”

“How far until we reach the road?”

“We get there when we get there.” She told Jace. So he kept quiet and followed behind the taller Reynard. Her yellow bushy tail was hanging out of her travel cloak. She was wearing the cloak more loosely than he was. He could not stop looking as it swayed. He suddenly lurched forward and bit the end of it. Evaliena let out a squeak. She immediately looked behind and scowled. “Oh, not this…”

Jace let go and stepped back. What was he thinking? The heavy brown furred hand came down on his head more gently than expected. “Next time. Resist. Pup… I know it’s tempting, but don’t…” her sapphire eyes looked Jace directly in his.

He slowly nodded his head. Evaliena let out a sigh. And they kept moving.

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It was a long hike to get to the road. With the light chirping of forest birds and insects, along with Evaliena’s muffled crunch of leaves under her feet to keep Jace company. When they finally broke out onto the road.

The first thing Jace noticed was just how straight and level it was. Both sides had stacked slate walls to hold back against the forest’s roots and soil.

“This looks recent…” Jace commented as he looked either way along the road.

“It’s several centuries old.” Evaliena replied. “This way now. Stay close. Least the bandits snatch you up as they gallop by.” Jace then held close to Evaliena, also getting underfoot and scanning his ears and eyes back and forth.

“How much further?” Jace asked.

“If my memory serves. Just past that mountain.” She pointed to the range that was before them, which the road went straight through the middle of two peaks.

“That’ll take us all day.” Jace whined.

“Unless you want to shell out for the responsibility and cost of owning a mount, then you’ll have to get used to walking so much.” Evaliena poked her tongue out at Jace. Jace could hear the rumbling of cartwheels and the heavy footfalls of whatever was pulling it coming from behind them. “Well, we might have transportation after all?” Evaliena took a step to the side of the road, pulling Jace with her. “Keep your hood up.” She warned.

Jace saw a large, covered wagon some ways away. It was being pulled along by a large reptilian-like creature. Which had awnings providing a modicum of protection from the elements. “That’s a big lizard.” Jace exclaimed.

“It’s just a ground drake. What are you expecting? Oh…” Evaliena thought about it for a moment. “You don’t have working animals in your world, do you?” Jace shook his head in acknowledgement. “Don’t worry, they’re usually friendly creatures.”

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An instinctual need to close against the vixen’s side crept up on Jace as the wagon approached. As much as he tried to bury the urge, he found himself creeping slowly behind Evaliena’s side.

The smell that hit Jace’s nose was uncomfortable. A Mixture of scent the ‘ground drake’ gave off was akin to walking into a horse’s stable. The scaly beast dragging the wagon came to a thudding stomp. It seemed to give Evaliena a respectful nod. The pair moved to the driver. A human looking individual wrapped heavily in drab winter clothes. “Looking for a ride to town?” The driver said with a heavily nasal accent.

“If you’re willing to take two Therians to inner fields near Bellac?” Evaliena spoke cautiously.

“Aye, I can do that. I just got done selling the last of my wares to the previous town. Mind, there’s two other travellers in the back.”

“This should cover your expenses, then.” Evaliena pulled a small collection of silver strips from her cloak and left them in the driver’s seat.

The driver’s eyes bulged. “Well, get on then. I won’t ask questions.” He waved Jace and Evaliena down.

Evaliena leant down a little to whisper in Jace’s hood covered ear. “I’m going to say this once. Keep your muzzle shut until we get off.” Jace nodded slightly. “Oh, and you should eat some of the stuff out of your pack. I can hear your stomach rumbling.”

Evaliena helped Jace up into the back of the wagon. He unsteadily clambered past the thick, weatherproofed canvas.

“I thought I smelt something disgusting when we stopped.” A dismissive feminine voice spoke. Jace nearly stumbled back upon hearing the words. He also clasped his hands over his mouth so he didn’t speak. Regaining his balance, he rolled himself against the wooden wall opposite the two over travellers.

The first to catch his eye was the larger individual. An olive-skinned male with a shaved face and well groomed short dark hair. He dressed in a close fitting brown and red gambeson and woollen trousers. Beside the fellow was a longsword in its scabbard, round shield, and several bags. A mercenary maybe? “I wouldn’t say that around a mage, woman.” The muscular man spoke with more warmth.

The other traveller, wrapped up in a thick grey travel cloak, snorted. Jace could barely make out the face. She covered it with a hood and scarf. There was a bow, quiver, and a simple backpack at her side.

It must have been his increased sense of smell as he could smell the body odours of the two. He didn’t like it. Evaliena, more gracefully, climbed into the wagon and took her seat next to Jace.

The man narrowed his eyes at Evaliena. “It’s rare to see one of your kind so close to civilization.”

Jace started rummaging through his pack, and pulled out some wrapped pieces of dried meat and gnawed on them. He hadn’t realised just how hungry he was.

“What, have you encountered Reynards before?” Evaliena spoke cordially as the wagon started moving. Rocking the occupations from side to side.

“A few. You’re a skittish bunch.” The man crooked a smile.

“Well, I’m in no mood to socialise.” Evaliena replied.

“Makes two of us,” said the Hume woman.

“Just business, huh?” said the man as he leant back.

Evaliena nodded. The rest of the ride was mind numbingly quiet, only broken occasionally by the mercenary trying to make conversation. Which Evaliena did not indulge and Jace remained dutifully silent.

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Jace had fallen asleep during the constant rocking of the ride.

“Right!” the driver shouted as the wagon came to a halting stop. This abruptly woke Jace up. “Your stop is here, Therians.”

The man waved while the woman said nothing as Evaliena and Jace hopped off the back of the wagon. The wagon immediately left off without a word of goodbye.

Jace stretched and yawned. That was a good nap, he thought to himself. “Why did we stop here?” He wiggled his toes against the compacted dirt road.

“To save that merchant a headache.” Evaliena shook herself out. “Now come along.”

Jace scouted his new surroundings. Both sides of the road had stone hedges, intermittently broken up with wooden gates. And as he looked at the mountain range, he saw the patchwork of stone and tree hedges circling fallow farmland, with farmsteads dotting the landscape. Then he looked ahead to the Town. Which had rather imposing defensive stone walls with towers regularly spaced as far as he could see.

“Why… would… you…” Jace wanted to ask why Evaliena wanted to save the merchant a headache. “Oh…”

He noticed the traffic jam before the town’s probably one of many gatehouses. He could see individuals going from cart to cart, checking the contents.

“We don’t want to sit through that.” She pointed towards the scene. “We’ll go through one of the other gates instead.”

“Does this road see a lot of traffic?” Jace asked as the pair started walking, finding a path heading around the town through the fields.

“I don’t know.” Evaliena happily admitted. “Not my place to keep track of who is trading with whom. Besides, we don’t need the extra scrutiny.”

“Why would that be?” He was curious what Evaliena would have to fear.

“I’m a mage of not so inconsiderable power, Jace.” Evaliena looked to be searching for something along the top of the town walls. “And I would rather not pay the not inconsiderable entry tax for being one.”

“There’s an entry tax?!” Jace exclaimed.

“Remember when you asked about the spatial construct I hide things in?” She flicked an ear as she kept searching the top of the walls. “They don’t wanna bother searching through it, so they just lump a hefty tax on us. There are exemptions, but they’re hard to get.”

“Okay, that somewhat makes sense… What are you looking for?” Jace followed where Evaliena was looking across the wall.

“I’m looking for a gap in the guards. Once we’re in, no one is going to bother us,” Evaliena assured as she stopped to look closer. “Well, I guess we’ll have to pay up today. Come along now.” She waved Jace to follow.

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Jace was stepping side to side along the path, dodging piles of excrement while the vixen seemed completely unbothered. They took another junction into another road towards another of the town’s gatehouses. It was an impressive sight. Fat rounded towers with machicolations and pointed roofs, flanking a large wooden gate. The entrance looked like a gaping maw with exposed teeth on the portcullis.

There were a few carts and wagons passing through. Not as many as the traffic jam that was occurring at the other gate. Evaliena clicked her finger and a soft breeze fell over Jace. It was… disconcerting. His fur felt refreshed, his hair felt well groomed. And his clothes, they looked freshly cleaned… A mild amount of anger built up in Jace’s mind.

Jace leans round the vixen to look at her face. “You had me washing my own sheets and clothes. Even taught me how to groom myself properly. And you could do this the entire time?” Jace said with a tinge of annoyance.

“It helps you grow.” Evaliena kept her eyes forward, laughing softly. “However, there’s a point to that.”

“Point is?” Jace tilted his head and ears.

“There are times and places where spellcraft isn’t possible or wise, so knowing how to do things without mana helps.” Evaliena explained as she started working towards the gate. “Also, it keeps you on your toes.” She tapped Jace on the snout with her hand. “Come along.” Jace rubbed his nose with both his hands and growled lightly. “Now you know how I wanted you to be quiet in the wagon?”

“You want me to be quiet again as we go through the gate?”

“Exactly.” As they approached. There were several guardsmen at the gate. They wore steel helmets, heavy gambesons whose purple dry was fading, and thick plain trousers. Most carried poleaxes in hand, often leaning on them, and others carried maces on their hips. The shorter individual standing next to what presumably was the Hume sergeant, with their slightly different helmet and fully armoured right arm. Was a Therian in a cloak with their hood up, dyed with the same fading purple as the guards.

“Is that what I think it is?” Jace murmured. Evaliena shh’d him as they neared the guards.

“Halt, you two,” one guard spoke with a heavy accent. Jace and Evaliena stopped. “Unless you have papers, mages must pay the entry tax. Wait here.” The guard lazily ordered. Jace wasn’t a mage yet, but he guessed the guards assumed he was one.

Jace stood silently. He noticed the guards were all taller than Evaliena and significantly taller than him. Are Reynards just naturally short? He could also smell of long unwashed clothes and the body odour of a long day standing guard.

The sergeant and the cloaked Therian walked up to the pair. The sergeant spoke first with a more formal tone of voice than the guards did. “Not every day we have a clanner turn up to our town, let alone two of them. State your business.” The sergeant didn’t ask for papers.

“The younger one isn’t a mage.” The cloaked therian told the sergeant before Evaliena could get a word in. Jace shuddered a little. Only now he noticed the slight pressure on his being. Where did he feel this before?

“What?” the sergeant said loud enough for several guards to turn their heads. “Don’t be pulling my leg here, Thornly.”

“I’m not.” Cloaked, Therian spoke again, their voice clearly male. They shifted, turning their perception onto Evaliena. “This one, on the other hand. You’re veiling yourself Reynard.”

Evaliena took down her hood, exposing her red mane and brown-coloured ears. “I’m not here to be interrogated. I’m here to purchase some supplies and any items that may catch me or my ward’s fancy.” Evaliena replied to the sergeant cordially, ignoring the cloaked therian completely.

“My acquaintance is not finished here yet…” the sergeant spoke back. Evaliena summoned a heavy sack from thin air that landed in her right hand. It jingled with the sound of coin and glass. The cloaked therian took several steps back. Jace couldn’t see their eyes, but they were looking at a spot in the air above Evaliena’s hand.

“I’m not here to cause trouble. How much?” Evaliena focused only on the sergeant. As she started reaching inside the bag. Jace thought she was being rude.

The Therian grumbled. “She’s clear, sergeant Gaven. Give her the highest rate.” They looked away. “Bitch…” Jace barely heard the curse.

“Now hold on.” The sergeant blinked at his coworker for a moment.

There was the clinking of coins from the sack Evaliena held. “Five electrum strips should be enough.”

“Hey, we got a high roller.” One guard chuckled.

“You should be more courteous to your inferiors, Archmage.” The cloaked therian spat quietly.

“Hold on, we still have to check for contraband.” The sergeant insisted firmly. They were also leering at Evaliena. “Also names. What kind of profession do you have that would let you own so much?” Evaliena poured the five green gold strips of metal into the guard’s gloved hand.

“The boy has a simple beacon on his arm for his protection.” Evaliena stated calmly. “My charge’s name is Jace and mine is Evaliena. As for my source of income, the local lord would struggle to pay for my services.”

“Those aren’t Therian names.” The cloaked therian commented, still sounding annoyed. “She has just the one construct on her, the storage one.”

“No clan affiliation?” The sergeant inquired.

“The Citrines disowned me ages ago. And to be honest, I didn’t care for clan politics either.” She said dryly and whisked away the sack of coinage. “Is that all?” She kept her hand out.

“You can pass.” Sergeant dropped a pair of tokens into Evaliena’s brown paw. Then waved them through. Evaliena tugged Jace to make him walk ahead of her. He did not look back as the pair passed through the gate. He could hear the sergeant and the cloaked therian arguing quietly behind them.

“Did you have to be so rude to him?” Jace broke his silence as he kept walking. Awning shaded the area ahead of them. He thought it was unfair.

“Acknowledging the townie would have just made things worse.” Evaliena sighed and pulled her cowl back over her head. “I don’t like doing it, but I want to avoid revealing myself as much as possible. Least the town mages start vomiting as I walk through.”

“Personal experience?” Jace remarked.

Jace could feel the plotting smirk of his ‘guardian,’ had. “Soon you’ll witness my glory, and that nausea you experienced from the farstep. That’ll be a picnic in comparison.”

“And about your clan disowning you?” Jace curiously asked.

“The less you know, the better.” Evaliena dismissed. “Let’s go haggling, shall we?”