Zafira follows a lone wolf through the forest. His tail swishes hypnotically, making it hard to keep her focus on avoiding danger and reaching Beligos. Luckily, she can trust him to lead her there, so she allows herself to enter a meditative state. Gently rocking her body in the same rhythm as his tail. When he suddenly stops, she almost barrels into him, but makes it look like she’s giving him a hug instead. The wolf gladly accepts her affection like it’s a little pup instead of the fierce predator she knows he is. They have reached the edge of the forest and can see the town in the distance. Zafira feels how proud the wolf is of having repaid her generosity by leading her here. She humbly thanks the outstanding leader for his help with a bow. Sending him feelings of solemn gratitude. However, as he slightly nods his head like a regal noble. She jumps on him with a smile and playfully ruffles his fur. He pounces on her in vengeance, and they tumble over the ground, play fighting till they call a truce. They both stay on the ground for a while, panting heavily. As she recalls the events of the past week. She had found the wolf on her way to Beligos. A snake had bitten him, and he was on death’s door. But her magic quickly restored him to his prime. She was expecting him to scurry away afterwards like most wild animals. But his response surprised her. He was very proud and insisted on repaying her favor. There was nothing she truly needed, but the look in the wolf’s eyes convinced her he wouldn’t take no for an answer. She sighed, but the corners of her mouth lifted a bit as well. She did her best not to laugh at him. He reminded her of her past self. When she too could not accept kindness without a burning desire to repay it. So she decided that a little white lie was in order. “I got lost while traveling to Beligos. Could you lead me there safely?” I asked him. He didn’t understand the word Beligos, but when I sent him an impression of a place where humans crawled like ants in their nest, with lots of pelts lying in baths of urine, he immediately knew the place I was referring to. It was dangerous to go near there for his kind. Many hunters regularly swept those parts of the woods. But that only convinced him it was a proper repayment for the life I had given him. So he led the way, and I followed quietly, doing my best to keep a straight face. My magic would point the way, help me avoid dangers, and guide me to food along the way. But if I told him that, he would probably feel obliged to stick around indefinitely until he’d found some way to repay me. So instead, whenever I felt danger ahead, I just told him I was tired and needed a break. And we waited till I felt like it was safe to continue. At first, this annoyed him. He kept quiet, but his feelings radiated off him unmasked. A weak human like me had no business in the forest. I should stick to the roads instead. However, after a few days of traveling, his feelings changed. To my surprise, he wasn’t stupid and blinded by his ego, unlike many humans. He noticed that we never came even close to any dangers. And I slipped up a few times as well. I walked past him in the right direction when he stopped at a branch in the trails we were following. Or walked off into the forest without thinking about it to grab something to eat from a bush that I had no way of knowing was there. We never talked about it, but we both knew it, and that made him drop his guard as well. And by the time we arrived, he’d gone from a grumpy old man to an excited and happy pup. Now, it is time to go our own ways again. I send a new feeling of gratitude while hugging him. This time, not for his aid, but for the fun we had while traveling together. And then I get up and walk out of the forest without looking back. Feeling his approval as he does the same, and returns to his own pack.

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I steel myself as I walk towards the town. Leaving my beloved forest is never easy. But luckily I can always retreat into my mind palace if I need a break from being around people. It looks like the trading caravan arrived today as well. There is a bustling market and people everywhere. I consider putting in my wax earplugs, but decide against it. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a truly noisy environment. And I can use the practice of getting used to it again. Sometimes, I think humans are so loud to fill up the emptiness of the stone and concrete they build their homes with. And I thank the spirits once more for the opportunity and ability to survive on my own in the wilds. I enter the market and start slowly walking through the stalls, admiring the variety of products available. None of them are offering what I’m looking for, but that’s not unexpected. I came to this town for their renowned leather workers, and these are the stalls of merchants importing things into town. There is one stall that has a very nice rock being used to keep the tablecloth in place. The merchant thinks I’m messing with him when I ask what he wants for it. And laughs it off by saying that he’d need another rock to replace it with. I wave him off with a smile and say that I’ll find him another good one. The look on his face when I return an hour later with a rock that I feel would be a good match is priceless. But he agrees to the exchange, and I wish him the best with his new lucky rock. While tucking my own in my backpack. It’s going to be heavy to carry around till I can store it properly in my dimensional chest, but I’ll manage. With that out of the way, it’s time finally time to focus on what I came here for, and visit a leatherworker. I close my eyes and find the stillness inside. Triggering my intuition to guide me to the place where I’ll find what I need. I chuckle when it leads me to a store only 2 houses down the road. But as I want to go in, I freeze. Through the window, I see someone talking to the saleswoman, and frustration is oozing off both of them. The customer is a woman in armor that resembles scales, and something inside me stirs. I know her, but I’m unsure who she is. The frustration she radiates, however, makes me feel like now is not a good time to get reacquainted. So instead, I walk away slowly from the shop, pretending I didn’t see her. And hang out in the stalls nearby till she leaves.