Eiden sat alone amidst the books and runic stones after Clade left to meet his friends. Clade wouldn't sell him. He found this safe place for him to hide. But, what does he know about Clade? No. Clade would be back. Eiden suppressed the doubts. Whatever. He threw himself into creating runic stones, stored them safely in a pouch, and ate the delicious unknown fruits Clade collected.

It was late at night, and he finally fell into a restless sleep plagued by unknown nightmares, which kept waking him up a few times, sweaty and heart racing, and made him burrow into fur covers hiding his whole existence underneath them. When Clade returned in the morning, he found a large lump on the grass mat, covered with both his and Eiden's blankets.

Eiden woke up to some loud voices. Voices? More than one. Someone was talking outside of the cave opening, and there was splashing. Eiden thought he should go outside to see what was going on. Then, he changed his mind and thought of hiding. His thought reverie was broken when Clade entered the cave.

"Hey, good morning," he greeted Eiden as usual.

"Clade, there're people," Eiden whispered.

"Yes. Two of my friends." Clade sat beside Eiden.

"Look, Eiden, you need help. Sorry, not asking you before talked to them. I trust them. They are creature people like me. Call ‘Lugars’. Let's see them, come," Eiden followed Clade outside.

One was swimming and splashing around and another was standing far away from the splash zone.

"Hello guys, Cissa, get out of the water. Meet Eiden,"

Eiden was amazed by their appearance as both the girl and boy walked towards them. The guy shook his hair and water droplets flying around landed on the girl making her hiss in annoyance.

She had shoulder-length white hair with a few streaks of black strands among it, and the guy had equally distributed streaks of black and yellowish-brown short hair. They both had long-spotted tales of respective colors. They were lithe and tall, the guy was only a little shorter than Clade and the girl was a close second.

"Hello, my name's Nub. Nice to meet you." Her voice was clear and high-pitched. Nub extended a hand to Eiden who shook it and then curiously examined. He heard a throat clearing and saw the Lugar guy standing next to him.

"If you feel like letting that hand go, my name is Cissa," he winked and extended his hand. Eiden blushed and shook it. He didn't know what to say to them, and he sent a questioning look at Clade.

"Let's go inside and eat. Brought some cooked food. You slept late. Why?" Clade directed all of them inside. Eiden was ashamed for doubting Clade had disappeared.

"Just restless," he mumbled and Nub laughed.

"I'm sure that Eiden thought you were gone."

"Is that so?" Clade lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry Clade, I shouldn't have doubted you." Eiden apologized, making all three of the friends laugh.

"Clade told us you ran away from home because you weren't sure your uncle was going to kill you or not," Cissa said as they sat on the grass mat.

"Cissa!"

Both Clade and Nub shushed him for his bluntness. Eiden shyly described his situation while Nub helped Clade unwrap the roasted meat, fish, and yam. They had also brought an assortment of fruits and more honey. The fish was a welcome change for Eiden, and he enthusiastically dug in.

"Clade, how do you know Nub and Cissa?" Eiden asked because he thought the different creature people were staying in their territories.

"Yeah, true. Clade shooed away some basterds from hurting Nub. They bonded over books," Cissa said, loudly chewing a bone.

"Grr..disgusting," Nub smacked Cissa on the arm and turned to Eiden to explain the incident.

"You see, my color is different. White-furred people aren't common in our colony. Many people are like Cissa. One day, there was a scuffle and I got bitten and scratched, and I was outnumbered. Clade heard me howling and rescued me. Since Clade loves books too, we get together from time to time to read books."

"This stupid cat is my neighbor." She nudged Cissa on the shoulder.

"Hey, your mighty and faithful neighbor," Cissa made a purring sound.

"I like shiny things from outside." Cissa licked his hand earning another smack from Nub. Clade made an exasperated sound at Cissa.

"Knives, that's what he likes," he remarked that Cissa was quite a proficient knife thrower.

"Do you live in houses like Clade?" Eiden was excited to hear more about Lugars.

"We have dens and tree houses. Dens we make from stone and clay, tree houses with branches and wood, and grass. Our village is up there. We cook and keep our things in the dens, and usually sleep in the tree houses” Nub explained.

"Can we go there?" Eiden turned to Clade with wide shining eyes.

"Nope. Someone will see you," Clade dismissed. Eiden hung his head in defeat.

"We heard you don't know many people, and you need help. I don't often go outside, but I can help you to get clothes and supplies." Nub took Eiden's hands in hers and looked him in the eyes.

"Great Nub meant we, both of us." Before Eiden answered, Cissa poked his head over Nub's shoulder.

Eiden stared at them astonished.

"You don't mind me, human?" he asked.

"No, I like you." Nub giggled.

“Alive,” Cissa purred.

He gulped and looked at three of them, one by one.

"If my uncle found out, you could get hurt," Eiden said with a shaky voice.

"Oh, Kitten, what's a life without a little risk." Cissa grinned and ruffled his hair. Eiden laughed and hugged Nub, ruffling Cissa's hair and beaming at Clade.

"Thank you, all of you."

Eiden learned that despite them acting older, they were both seventeen years of age and like Clade possessed low-level magical abilities. There were clear differences among Cazards and Lugars apart from their appearance.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Clade often talked in short, or broken sentences in his growl like deep voice, and Nub spoke more formal Terish, probably learned by books. Cissa often used informal Terish and swearing, must have picked up mostly by hanging out with villagers. He joked about Eiden's 'imperial Terish', which was his clear formal speaking, and got smacked by Nub.

He didn't understand why anyone wanted to harass Nub, as she was one of the most beautiful girls he laid his eyes on. Her unusual colorations didn't only apply to her fur, but her eyes too, making them silver gray with black outline defining their shape.

He was also a bit confused by being called kitty and he secretly asked Nub why. She laughed and described that's the way bigger cats affectionately call their smaller friends.

Friends…The concept of close friends was a novelty for Eiden who only had loyal subjects, and peers in the Palace who he considered as friends, but not the friends you sit together and eat while throwing playful insults around. Though he was bit unsure his parents would approve them, having such friends who called him with affectionate pet names and were not bothered by his social status, made him smile and genuinely happy.

Eiden poured all the money; tokens, vints, and a few tasi, which he brought with him, onto the grass mat.

"I only have this much. I don't have any cinco cheques because Mother only gives me cheques when we go out. How much do I need to buy clothes and things? I don't want to do any shopping on the way." Then, he noticed his friends had gone quiet.

"What's the matter? this isn't much?" Oh. He has to look for something to sell then.

"Eiden?" Clade looked at him with a serious expression.

"Yes?"

"Don't know prices of clothes, or foods, do you?" he asked. Eiden took a moment to recall an occasion when he bought something with money.

"Well...When I attend some function or festival, I see toys or sweets and tell Mother or Father, and I get them. Mm, if I buy them myself, I don't ask for change," he paused to think.

"Are they very expensive? I have learned about finances. But, I just started learning them." He cast a worried glance at his friends because they were looking at him strangely.

"By lord..," A look from Nub stopped Cissa from swearing more. Eiden was upset that they thought he was a spoiled and pampered Lord.

"I know about money, I learned it in kindergarten. 20 for each. 20 tasi for 1 vint, 20 vints for 1 token. I heard people use tasi and vints more often than tokens and cinco cheques," Eiden said with a defensive tone at the edge and glared at Cissa.

"Eiden, I have never seen this much tokens at once in my whole life. People in villages around here don't have a lot of gold," Nub said, looking at others.

"Kit, if you flash money like this either you will get robbed or you will be caught," Cissa said, running his hand through the gold coins on the floor. He let out a humorless chuckle.

"To market, like this? Have you ever seen anyone around here look like this?"

"Why? Is it because of clothes? I can wear yours until I get one," he grumbled and opened his bag to show Nub his clothes.

“Could you please select one? Not a fancy one, Clade said they are fancy," he asked her. Suddenly, Cissa laughed aloud.

"This is going to be so much fun," he purred, playing with coins. Clade scowled at him and turned to Eiden.

"No, Eiden, Not clothes. Your looks. Villege people look different," Clade said. Eiden looked down to see himself.

"Meaning is you're too pretty." Cissa slapped his shoulder. Eiden huffed.

"This is so beautiful." Nub touched her cheek with his silk robes.

"So soft." She made a purring noise and hugged it close. Eiden turned to Clade.

"I can dye my hair black, with henna. I still have some with me," he pointed to the satchel.

"Oh, that black gunk had to wash, when you crashed on my doorstep?"

"I fell in the mud a few times too." Eiden touched his neck embarrassed. He gave Clade the list. It was obvious that his friends wouldn't take him to market.

"I used to have a tent, grandfather got me to use it when we went to the mountains. But, it's gone, I don't have a new one. I had to sleep on the ground," he whined.

"Good for you, rich boy," Cissa smirked. Eiden pulled a face at him.

They left with a promise to return in two days. Meanwhile, Eiden divided his time between practicing his magic, deep meditation, and researching the best route to go to Soeriend. Eiden hugged Nub as soon as they entered the cave.

"Were you scared?" She patted his head.

"Not much." Eiden smiled, recalling him checking every half an hour for their returning footsteps.

They spread the purchases on a mat. Eiden looked at the clothes in disbelief, though he had seen such clothes, never worn them before. He touched the rough fabric suspiciously.

"Commoner clothes," Clade said Eiden better try out.

Eiden looked at himself and found he looked very strange. He stood in the middle of the cave in commoner clothes, wondering who he actually was. His family was gone and he was a fugitive hiding in a cave. He didn't know a life outside of the Palace. What is going to happen to him now?

"Eiden,"

He was startled and realized his friends were looking at him. He must have zoned out.

"Err..they are ok I guess," he mumbled. The sudden realization of the change in his life had shaken him to the core.

"Eiden, what's the matter?" Clade looked concerned.

"Who am I, now?" Eiden said to no one in particular, more like speaking to himself.

"I can't be Eiden Northstar, right? I'm just no one" he stared blankly at the wall.

"All my life, I was trained to be a monarch. What am I going to do now?" his words caught in mid-sentence and his voice broke.

The betrayal by his kin, running away aimlessly searching for someone to trust, finding comfort and kindness in the most unusual strangers, and now the realization that he was not the Eiden Northstar he knew anymore. All of the weight he was holding in his heart came down and Eiden broke into sobs.

His friends moved closer to support him, and Eiden found himself sobbing bitter tears into Clade's shoulder while Nub stroked his hair. Eiden was embarrassed, he didn't know where all those emotions came from, but he couldn't stop tears.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," Eiden mumbled. He was glad they didn't laugh at him for crying.

"I guess we need a celebration for Kit getting a new suit, come on, I'm hungry." Cissa ruffled Eiden's hair, making him laugh a little. And, they spread the food on the mat and had a delicious meal, chatting and laughing.

Eiden woke up warm and sleepily and looked around for others. Cissa and Nub also had spent the night with them. He heard laughter, hissing, and growling sounds like they were playing in the pool. He joined his friends and had a fun splashing time, almost forgetting his misery. They got out and made a hot meal together and sat down to eat.

“Eiden,"

He looked at Clade.

"Eiden. Not going to lie. At first, thought that when you leave, will take you outside of the jungle, a safe place, no people. But changed my mind." Eiden's heart sank. His disappointment must have been displayed clearly, Clade chuckled.

"You misunderstood me. Will come with you. All of us. Wherever you're going. Besides, people looked for me, not going to stop. Already caught in deep what's going on with you." Eiden couldn't grasp what Clade's saying. He looked from one to another, open-mouthed in disbelief.

"You..you will go North with me?" he managed to mutter.

"I always wanted to go North, and see the snow." Nub declared with a dreamy expression.

"Look, Kit, that's a pretty long shot, going North. You don't even know if that woman is dead or not." Cissa said in an indifferent tone and took a big bite of the fowl leg. Eiden took a moment to think.

"He's right, you know, if you come I'm leading you to a useless quest, and to..to obvious danger," Eiden said quietly, biting his lip.

"Cissa,'' Clade growled at Cissa and he shrugged.

"Don't wait till I finish hah?" He put a hand around Eiden.

"I'd say. Why don't we just go and find out?"

Eiden was overwhelmed by this support, but he was extremely glad and suddenly the uncertainty of his journey didn't seem terrifying.

"Just ask around for that lady. Criags even look different, I think. People in villages different from the people I saw in the Palace." Clade marked important-looking villages on the map.

"Most Craig people who work in the palace are broad and rough-looking. Shorter than Father and Uncle. Shorter than you too." Eiden guessed that it was because they engaged in heavy physical labor.

"Higher class magicals must be delicate looking like you," Cissa said to which Eiden protested. Nub smacked Cissa on the head, before patting Eiden's hand.

"We can try to find her. If not you will remember someone. Don't worry."

Eiden wasn't so sure. His memories haven't returned, only his dreams are getting violent making him restless. Worst of all, he doesn't even remember them.

Packing the last bit of items, they left the unnecessary belongings buried securely in the protective circle. Eiden was extremely reluctant to move. It was safe here, and he had a group of close friends. It took him a lot of courage to finally step out of the cave and his newfound freedom into the outside world where he was seen as a tool and resource to be used. He shivered in the chilling morning breeze.

Eiden felt the soft touch of a hand on his shoulder, he looked at the hand first, and the owner next. Clade smiled reassuringly. Nub reached out to pat his hair.

"Ready for the game, Kit," Cissa winked broadly grinning.

Eiden smiled at the dark jungle in front of him and extended his hands to either side.

There was a quiet swish and faint whoop heard as the vines rustled with a sudden magical rush.