"When a new World or Plane is made, Ego is created with it by Life, Ego will protect it and make it grow rightly. Ego will accumulate knowledge by absorbing into itself the Essence of the various dead Elementals, as Ego obtains more Essence it evolves and becomes more useful to Life and Death. When Ego has assorbed enough Essence, it will have a good idea of what the living beings that inhabitate the World or Plane Ego is in think of and venerates. There is a special barrier that separates newborn Planes and World from the rest of the Plane of Creation. That barrier will fall when Ego has created the first God or Overgod and the divine being is strong enough to protect its home from the possible outsiders."

-Bee May, the faery of knowledge

"A lot of boring stuff no one cares about..."

"Ego is actually really important uh?"

The village was enveloped by the silent forest for what felt like a long time, the howling reminded them why they did not open the doors yet. Only, this time there were only those strange howls, there were no dropper's bleats mixed in.

Sidon was worried about the two missing teenagers, but could do nothing about it yet. He already sent the best scout on their traces, the First Hunter just had to wait. That did not mean wait and do nothing, Sidon walked thowards the animal pens, then he walked to the back of them and came upon a newish structure, inside there was the bear and the three droppers he saved four snows ago. The four of them ate any scraps the villagers left, so for the moment they were not a burden on the village resources even while they are stuck inside and are not hunting or foraging.

The bear was getting bigger, it was grown with affection and was a big softie, the village kids made bravery tests about escaping the caretakers and riding the bear around, you had to be brave because Fianna would be royally pissed when she discovered you after you fled.

The three droppers have grown larger too and the villagers are scared of them, for obvious reasons too, they are predators. The droppers are really smart and can understand language, Sidon is sure of that. They decide to not listen to what you tell them too... but thats another thing entirely, they understand what you tell them. The droppers were agitated, their ears were moving around, listening to the sounds of the village and, even more trying to listen to what was appening outside the village.

"It's dangerous outside, again, do you hear any of your kind?"

Asked Sidon.

The droppers were two males and a female, the female was the bigger one of the three and apparently the leader of the little group. The two male bleated to each other for a while then one of the two gave a headbutt to the female, who turned around and kicked the offending male to the amusement of the other one.

Sidon watched them comunicate for a little then raised an eyebrow, the female snorted a bleat then shook her head left to right a couple of times.

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"Is your kin safe? Did the wolfs win?"

Asked Sidon.

This time the female answered istantly, she blowed air with her nose and rolled her eyes.

"You are here, how would you know uh?" Acknowledged Sidon thoughtfully. "Well if you guys notice something make a lot of noise, someone will call me."

The First Hunter gave the four beasts some scraps and left.

"I think I found something, I don't know what I found but, it's something."

Brielle intercepted Sidon as he was walking around the village.

"I'm all ears."

Said Sidon.

"Not so fast, the bodyguard of Tumen is following you again."

Whispered Brielle.

"Yeah... I know, he's been following me around from when I left the house."

Shrugged the First Hunter.

"I dont like that merchant, he's plotting something."

Said the scout's leader.

"He can plot all he wants." Shrugged again Sidon. "We are stuck inside the village all together and, we have our rules to follow, he can do nothing about it."

"Mmh, you might be right but now that I'm a mother... I can't help but worry sometimes, if I do something stupid or just randomly drop dead, what will my child do?"

Said Brielle.

"I'll ask the hunters to keep their eyes open around the shady guy, what did you find?"

Asked Sidon.

Brielle guided Sidon in front of the village's wall and knelt near the base.

"See here? Five holes hidden by the grass, and five furrows that go towards the wall."

Brielle used her body to hide what she was showing the First Hunter, it might be nothing but, the merchant would get no informations of any kind from her.

"The wall uh?"

Asked Sidon.

"Yeah, I'm not done yet, follow me up there."

Said the scouts leader.

The two of them sat on the wall, observing from above the village, in between the two, five furrows marred the hardwood wall, the furrows were pointing toward the outside.

"So... both of us know what Little Wolf can do, the holes are a little too big for him but... It's the only thing that comes to mind that can pierce hardwood so easily."

Said Brielle.

"I knew that my son could go outside the village without getting caught, I did not know how, are you suggesting he just jumped over the wall and ran?"

Asked Sidon.

"Yeah... Pretty much that just him being the sneaky little monster he is and making both the hunters and scouts on the walls look like idiots."

Said Brielle with a tense smile.

"I grew my son well, he would never leave the village when its dangerous like this and, I taught him to not leave any sign of his passage when on a hunt. I think these furrows are not his."

Said a hopeful father.

"He always stalked his prey alone, if he had Annabelle with him... He might have had to adjust at the start, if you see over the wall there are no traces of passage until the forest shade, I had to check up close to see the traces they left inside the village, outside... I think I'll have a hard time to find something, he always learns fast how to correct his mistakes."

Said Brielle, her face looked dark with worry.