A couple of days passed peacefully. Rosalea baked bread that she shared with the wolves and had for herself. They brought her meat for her meals. She now had enough supplies to make soups and stews. She consolidated the barrels enough that Miri could play in one of them.
Bazil, Nakai, and Amalia all worked together, and extended out the slate sunning area to follow along the edge of the drop off, making a sturdy space. On it, they built a roughly rectangular structure of two large stones and a big stone over the top, carefully brought from elsewhere in the forest by their magic, and it was big enough for a mystic to be inside of it as well as to lay on the roof.
The back was open, so earth was mounded up over it. Mere was put in charge of growing plants on the new mound, and in honor of apparently Rosalea’s silver hair, grew a whole array of pale pink, pale blue, and pale gold flowers on it. They smelled nice even though the whole structure was earthy.
Rosalea’s original bed was left where it was; she made a new one by whip-stitching some fabric to make a sack that could be stuffed with soft material. “Good! Now we can keep all your human mess on the inside,” Amalia teased her, but was really fishing for praise, based on her tone.
Rosalea put her arm over the wolf’s neck and pulled her close, “Well, most of them,” she said, “It’s really nice, and it will be a lot warmer.”
“What do you mean?”
“I cannot have a fire without a chimney - a place for the smoke to go.”
Amalia tilted her head, “I see, so if we add a chimney, you will be able to also cook inside?”
So, with Rosalea’s guidance, there was a chimney added. Mere ended up liking the whole arrangement, she did not mind the smell of the smoke drifting above her, and she liked the shape, slope, and warmth of the stone that stood as the roof. So, the old lady took up residence in that space in the coming days.
The days were getting shorter, and the nights got longer. The shelter, since she could not warm things with her magic or take on her own wolf form, but it was often very dark within. Amalia often slept there, and rarely Miri came, so the nights were warm for her. “I noticed that humans use light things in their hands,” the wolf observed once as Rosalea kicked a pot that had been resting on the floor and squawked about the damage to her toe.
“Well, I do not see in the dark as well as you do,” said, sitting on the ground and rubbing her toes through her boots. “So, humans carry lanterns and other light sources to help them. They are usually powered by oil unless they are very high-end and enchanted with magic.”
“Unfortunately, Bazil is the only one with a light or dark affinity, and you can tell which he is. I will get you one on the next merchant train; though there have not been additional merchant wagons since the last one… probably because of me.” She smirked.
“I do not think it is necessary, you should not do–” Rosalea was interrupted by Raisa walking by. The wolf glowered at them so intensely that Rosalea stopped speaking.
“Amalia, I don’t know why we have to tolerate this. Surely you have greater duties as mother’s successor than that watching a filthy little human and listening to its poorly told stories and silly little human notions.”
Rosalea froze. Two things occurred at the same time - the first and most obvious was the shock that someone would openly say such horrible things to someone as if she was not there. It was rude even beyond people calling her “demon” and “beast woman.” The second realization was that her ear knew that the words sounded like gibberish; like another language. Yet, somehow, she comprehended them clearly. Color began to come to her cheeks.
Amalia answered in the same language, “I would not be so short-sighted, Raisa. Mother has always had a good reason for what she does. Her will is often informed by what the Gods’ will, and so what better things could I have to do with my time if not watching over this little one?”
Little one again, Rosalea could not help but think. This is a special karma, where Fen’s look alike hates me so openly.
Raisa was exuding deep hostility. “The Moryshin is old, much past his time. If the order came from him; it is a strain to believe it is credibly the will of Gods. He does nothing while the humans have resumed hunting and killing on our lands, and just today they have begun to take the trees again. The humans are in league with a dragon, which has brought nothing but ill fortune to us. Dragons do not belong here, they should all be destroyed on sight, including this one.”
Amalia did not have a chance to respond. Both Mystics became quiet as Miri caught sight of the dragon flying some distance away through the valley. It was the same dragon that Rosalea had seen before the eternity that happened when Fen died. The dragon swooped low over the trees, Amalia moved instinctively and stood over Rosalea, watching the dragon go by while clearly circling, looking for something. “Rosalea, you mentioned the other day in the town you were grabbed by a dragon that dropped you. Is this the same?”
Rosalea nodded, she had talked about that when talking with Amalia. She had told Amalia a lot, except about Rhainnon yet and about Fen.
“Rosalea and Miri, go inside the hut; Raisa, with me.”
***
Amalia and Raisa had to run to keep up with the dragon. It was circling, dipping in and out amongst the trees.
“Searching for your nasty little human,” Raisa observed, just as Amalia realized that was likely the case.
“Your attitude is the worst.”
Raisa gave her a sidelong glance. “We lost two sisters; one to a dragon and one to the Uryans. I cannot understand why your attitude is so positive. You must be lying about it.”
Amalia had certain suspicions. She was not going to share them with impulsive Raisa. “You willing to back me if it comes to a fight?”
“Between your stone affinity and mine with the air, I am sure that we can take the beast. Nothing would please me more than to get into a fight.”
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Amalia breathed out, that was not reassuring at all. Reckless. She has no idea how terrifyingly magical a proper dragon is. All the same, they had to try and stand their ground. She took a deep breath, slowly released it, and her eyes lit up red. The trees near the dragon began creaking and waving a bit, as if in a violent breeze as things split and shards of stone fired at it. The wind picked up, and Raisa took a shot at it with lightning. It snarled and turned just in time to avoid being stuck, and it landed awkwardly to try and get out of sight - as Amalia hoped. Amalia and Raisa were on him in a second.
“What mean you this impertinence?” the dark red beast roared at them.
“What mean we?” Raisa growled right back. “What mean you?! This is Mystic land and you are not welcome here!”
The dragon puffed up. “I am welcome wherever I chose to be. Or have you Mystics forgotten how the Gods themselves smiled upon us? I could kill you now, and you could not stop me with your cheap elemental tricks.”
“You carry the might of the Gods, but we carry the wisdom of Gods,” Amalia said coldly. “You would do well to heed us.”
“Humans are my business. It was one of the things agreed upon when Kaylar gained the magic; dragons have dominion over humanity.”
“Some dominion… not all,” Amalia said while Raisa bristled. “Has a human eluded you in this forest?”
“Do not play so coy, it was a mystic that took her from me two days ago. One that used lightning.” The beast's intense, molten eyes were on both of them, clearly accusing one of them of being the source of it.
Amalia didn’t look at Raisa, though she heard the wolf snort derisively. She was as aware as Raisa that the very human they had among them might be the one this dragon was searching for. “Did she belong to you?”
The dragon seemed close to losing her temper. She did not answer; she huffed and flew away. Amalia thought as she watched her fly.
“Amalia,” Raisa said as they watched the dragon retreat. “How do you know Rosalea is not associated with this dragon? She’s marked, right?”
Amalia could not help but grin a little smugly at her little sister, “By Kaylar, yes.”
Raisa frowned.
“I keep telling you to have more faith. All is as it should be, and we must trust the Gods.”
“Connall says they have left us behind because they have other concerns.”
“Yes, well, Connall is a beady-eyed moron,” Amalia said with a contemptuous curl of her lips.
Raisa’s hackles came up a little, “He is not. His eyes are fine, they’re just dark.”
Amalia gave her a look, “So… you like him?”
“Shut up!”
Amalia cackled. “Little sister, you are five centuries too young to be considering being a leader of the other wolf pack.”
“I am NOT interested in Connall. He just talks to me sometimes,” Raisa bristled.
Amalia decided not to point out how much that denial sounded over the top to her. She changed the subject, “So did you save Rosalea from the dragon?”
Raisa huffed, “Not on purpose.”
Amalia bumped her shoulders against her little sister, “Aw, look at you accidentally doing good things.”
“Amalia. I hate you.” Raisa groused and turned sharply to one side to lope into the trees and away from the conversation she did not want to have.
Amalia could not help but laugh a little. Eventually she will mellow out, right?
She heard a little noise to one side, and when she looked, it was her mother. “I did not know you were with us.”
“I wanted my support to be a surprise,” Nekana said, pausing with Amalia as they exchanged nuzzles. “You should not pick on Raisa so much.”
Amalia sighed, “I know. I cannot help it. She’s been like this for years now, full of a grudge about lianas and Gods that is going to get her in trouble.”
“Maybe, but she really looked up to her sister, and you have not been nice or easy for her to get along with.”
“Because I am calm and not a bone-head,” Amalia huffed.
Nekana stared at her, until Amalia breathed out slowly and made apologetic ears.
“You are good, but try to be nicer, or she really might at least join Connall’s pack, and I still hate him.”
Amalia repressed a sigh; of course, her mother was right. “Well, let me go check on Rosalea and Miri.”
***
Nekana watched Amalia go. Your faith inspires me, she thought as she continued her slow walk behind her daughter to their den.
Her troubling interaction with Kartowen weighed on her heart. He was clearly avoiding another God - whoever the God of Many was. It will be difficult to stay confident when I wonder whose will is best to follow, she thought.
When she entered the den, Amalia was sitting in front of the makeshift home she had devised for the human, with Rosalea pulled up against her side. Her eyes look sad, but less shadowed then we first met, Nekana thought of the human’s demeanor. Amalia is doing good with her, and I am glad she has been comfortable just showering the poor thing with affection to keep her in one emotional piece.
Miri raced up to her, “Mother! We saw a dragon! Amalia and Raisa chased it off!”
“Yes, I heard, that is good! But you must stay away from the dragon, you are not old enough yet.”
Miri huffed, “I know that!” Her tail wagged wildly as Nekana gave her kisses over her face.
Once Miri was mollified, Nekana focused on Rosalea again. “Rosalea, can you reach your magic?”
She watched the human’s whole demeanor seem to crumple. Amalia stared at her as if to say, Really?
“No, no, everything has been dark since she left.”
“I understand. I want to speak to the Moryshin about you.” If you are the One of their prophecy, then I cannot imagine it would be without any magic. However, I think human mages so strong that they live through the loss of a liana bond is probably largely unexplored.
Rosalea took a deep breath in, and she breathed out in a way clearly designed to calm herself, but since Amalia had just done it, it made Nekana wonder if one had learned it from the other somehow. “You have brought me here as punishment for trespassing; what could I have to say about who you do or not speak to about me?”
It was a little passive-aggressive, but her tone was so calm that Nekana expected it was more just resignation and pragmatism. Still, Nekana did not care for even the hint of sass, and Miri read that in her mother’s demeanor as Nekana came closer to Rosalea. The little pup grew tense, but Rosalea remained steady, looking up at her, and Nekana leaned in to touch her nose to the girl’s forehead. “Do not be a brat,” she said softly, licking her with her comparatively big tongue, getting a satisfying squeak of indignation as the wet was chilly in the winter air.
Nekana smiled despite herself, and she kept walking. I hope he has something he can tell me.