The Non-Human Society had many members.

Not just those like Rapti and Renn, but also actual humans. And even a few animals, who were more than what they appeared to be.

Thanks to how vibrantly diverse our members were... I wasn’t allowed allegiances.

I couldn’t follow a singular faith. Even if I wanted to.

I couldn’t enforce a certain land’s laws and rules over another.

Members in our north did not have the same laws as those in the south, and those in the east were even more different. Members like Rapti had their own code of ethics, and then those like Lilly had another.

Yet I protected them all. I’d defend them all.

Even from each other.

Yet... right now I felt as if it was I who needed to be protected.

Sitting in front of the two women, I studied the little game board they were focused on. The little pieces, each hand carved to represent a knightly order, were freshly painted. I recognized Oplar’s handy work, and couldn’t help but praise it.

She was good when she wanted to be.

“Neither of you will win at this rate,” I complained.

Renn and Rapti ignored me as they both stared at the board, and the pieces littered upon it. Renn was actually losing, but Rapti... being the kind soul she were, was more interested in teaching Renn how to play than to actually finish the game.

“What’s this one called again?” Renn asked as she touched the top of a piece. It had a small horn.

“A horse,” I told her.

“Why would a horse move sideways?” she asked as she went to move it. She at least remembered its move-set.

“It’s cavalry, more specifically,” Rapti corrected me.

“A horse,” I said again as I watched Renn move it to take a villager from Rapti’s side.

It was a good move, but it would open up her own defenses in a few moves because of it. Which, in a normal game, would result in her loss... But Rapti, even though I knew she had seen it clearly, chose to instead of moving her cleric where she should, instead moved her wall forward into danger.

“Rapti...” I groaned and wished she’d just end it.

“Oh hush, I’m having fun,” Rapti chastised me without looking at me.

Sitting back, I scratched the back of my head as I watched Renn go into deep thought while staring at the new board.

The worst part wasn’t that Rapti was being so gentle with her...

“Should I not have done that?” Renn asked.

“No. A villager is valuable, but you could have put my own cleric into a pincer here,” Rapti pointed out her error happily.

I sighed as Renn nodded, learning intently.

Yes. That was the worst part.

Renn knew she was being treated gently, and seemed to actually find it all the more fun because of it.

“He’s a baby,” Renn said as she went to move another piece.

“He values free will, so this is torture for him,” Rapti said with a chuckle.

“If this was her first game, I’d not argue with you Rapti. But this is the twelfth,” I said.

They had been playing all day. Since the sunrise, and it was now dark. Late. Stormy.

“I’m a slow learner,” Renn argued as she watched Rapti take a villager from her.

“You’re doing rather well actually. I look forward to playing you again in a few years,” Rapti said.

“Oh that would be wonderful!” Renn happily agreed to the promise, and I groaned.

Surely they both didn’t think I’d be bringing her back with me?

Watching Renn make another mistake, I decided to stop paying attention.

It wasn’t her mistakes that bothered me, but Rapti’s strange smile that she made when she watched them happen. That smile was far too kind. Far too gentle.

It had no place in this world.

I understood teaching. I did not understand such a gentle touch.

One did not learn until they failed, after all.

Standing from my seat, I decided to tend the fire. It was time for another log anyway.

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“He ran away,” Renn teased.

“Surprised it took this long, to be honest,” Rapti added.

“I’ve been in actual full-scale wars that were quicker,” I said as I picked up a small log.

I knew the two women had stopped their game for a moment to stare at me, and not just because I felt their stares behind me. Both had paused as they had been moving pieces.

Putting the fresh log on the fire, I watched it for a moment as it slowly caught aflame.

The storm had renewed again. Not only was it now pouring, but it was windy. Even in this well built solid house, I could hear the wind sneaking in here and there in-between cracks and beams.

In a few more trips I would probably have to help rebuild this house for Rapti, or get her a new one.

Sometimes that was the best thing I could do for someone. Since it meant the world was peaceful for them.

Moving into a new home, in the same city or location... was the best outcome. The best kind of request for me.

That and introducing myself to new members. Rather... newborn members.

“Aww...” Renn groaned as I heard Rapti put a piece down, solidly.

“Dethroned. I win,” Rapti said calmly. Seemed not even she could have elongated that game any further.

“I lasted longer this time, but I could have lost a long time ago huh?” Renn asked.

“You made a few bad mistakes, but you’re definitely improving,” Rapti complimented her in stride.

“Defeat is defeat. Doesn’t matter how long it takes to get there, the end result is the same,” I said.

“He’d be a boring teacher,” Renn said.

“Actually he’s a rather good one. It’s upsetting to admit, but...” Rapti shrugged as I wiped my hands and stood away from the fireplace.

Although I felt as if I should be offended, it was Renn’s look of agreement that kept me from voicing any complaints.

“He can teach when he wants to. The problem is getting him to actually do it,” Renn said.

I nodded; glad to actually get a compliment for once.

“Look at his smile,” Rapti said.

“It’ll disappear once I ask for another game,” Renn said.

She was right.

“We’ll leave tomorrow Rapti. With the sunrise,” I said, before they could get too distracted again. I sat back down on the small couch, close enough that I could go back to watching them play their little game. Even if frustrating, it at least passed the time.

“I figured. You never stay long, Vim. Though usually I don’t mind... this time it is a little upsetting,” Rapti said with a sigh.

I nodded as Renn smiled at her, obviously understanding what Rapti meant.

“Yes. I know. I’m boring,” I said.

“He is,” Renn agreed.

“In his case that’s actually a positive thing. I couldn’t imagine our protector being awkward or unruly,” Rapti said.

“Based off animals that would probably be the standard, huh? Males are usually rude to their packs and stuff,” Renn said.

“What do you expect? All of you are so annoying... it’s a miracle I’m not old and weathered thanks to the stress,” I complained.

“Hmph. Old and weathered. Quite a statement from someone who was probably born fully grown,” Rapti said.

“Fully grown?” Renn asked with a glance at me.

“She’s just complaining because she ages if she’s not careful. Don’t mind her,” I said.

Renn quickly looked to Rapti who nodded as she studied the board before her. As if it had somehow changed in the last few minutes, even though it hadn’t.

“It’s true Renn. I’ll age if my feathers grow too long, it’s annoying but not that big of a deal,” Rapti said as she finally started gathering up her pieces.

“Finally,” I commented.

“You age if your feathers grow? How does that work?” Renn asked, as she and Rapti decided to completely ignore me. Renn joined Rapti in beginning to put the pieces back in place, as to start another game.

“I age quickly if I don’t pluck the feathers,” Rapti said simply.

“Huh?” Renn hesitated, holding a piece right above a spot. She even glanced at me in disbelief.

“She’s telling you the truth. If she lets her feathers grow she’ll begin to age. She does let it happen every so often so she can confuse the humans,” I told her.

Renn looked back at Rapti who had a strange smile on her face as she nodded to Renn. “Really,” she confirmed it.

Rapti reached up and began to take off her headdress. For some reason I found myself looking away as she did. It was so rare to see her without it that it felt wrong.

As I kept an eye on the fire, even though it was more than fine, I listened as Rapti showed Renn the back of her head.

“See where the hair is thickest? Feathers grow from there. Big ones too, that will hang all the way down to the ground,” Rapti explained.

“Huh... why would they age you though? And does that mean if you pluck them you get young again? You don’t look old at all,” Renn said. I could hear her fingers as she brushed Rapti’s hair.

“Yep. Once plucked I’ll, over the course of a few days, return to this age,” Rapti explained.

“That’s...”

I looked back at them, and was proud of myself for doing so. Rapti sat there, smiling with her short but messy hair.

She looked happy.

“How long does it take to grow them?” Renn asked her.

“Just under a year. I have to pluck them every moon turn,” Rapti explained.

Renn nodded, as if that made perfect sense to her.

“I’ve never thought of such traits doing such things... My nails get pointy and long if I leave them alone too much, but my fur doesn’t shed. I’ve always wondered why, since cats shed often,” Renn said as she looked at her tail.

“You’re a forest cat. And who knows, if you tore your tail off you might start growing old too,” I said.

Rapti nodded quickly. “Indeed, it’s why you need to always protect it just in case,” she said.

“Many of our members remove their parts and are fine afterward, don’t worry about it,” I said.

“That’s because he has none. So he can’t comprehend the loss of something like it,” Rapti argued.

“I could too... maybe,” I said. Could I even lose an arm? It’d just grow back... maybe if I tore it off again and again?

“We could chop off something else I suppose,” Renn hinted.

Rapti quickly went red in the face and shook her head. “Renn!”

With an embarrassed flutter Rapti quickly went back to wrapping her head in her cloth. As she did, Renn as well grew red in the face... as if Rapti’s embarrassment was overflowing to her.

The fire crackled as I watched the two women snicker and giggle at each other, enjoying the moment.

“One last game then I’ll head to bed,” Rapti then said as she went back to preparing her pieces.

Renn happily nodded.

Although I had expected this game to likewise take forever...

Rapti went ahead and won in eight moves.

A proper farewell.