Knocking on Sharp’s bedroom door, I tried to stop my tail and ears from fidgeting too much.

I was upset. Bothered. But I wasn’t sure what to be the most bothered by.

The heavy wooden door opened, creaking lowly as Sharp tilted her head at me. “Renn…? Is everything okay?” she asked.

She didn’t have her robe or hood on. Nor any bandages. All she wore was a thin leather shirt, which made small noises as it clung to her skin. Her short and spiky hair shifted a little, as if swaying in the wind, as she glanced around.

At least she hadn’t been asleep. “Vim’s asked me to get you and Abel…” I said quietly.

Sharp tilted her head the other way, and her purple eyes narrowed in understanding. “I see. He’s finally doing it then, is he?” she asked.

I nodded. “Vim and Tim are at the front. Um… I don’t know where Abel’s room is,” I told softly.

There were other members in this hallway. Though I wasn’t sure which door led to their rooms, I did know people lived here. And it was early morning. I didn’t want to wake them by being too noisy.

“Oh. Right… Let me at least put on my robe,” Sharp hurried away from the door, to get dressed.

Waiting for her, I shifted as I felt uneasy again.

Banishment. I knew it. I had experienced it.

Yet…

Remembering the weird smile on Tim’s face when Vim had spoke to him not too long ago, I felt a little sick.

I had not wanted to be banished. I had not expected it, when it had happened. In truth… I wasn’t even sure if I deserved the ones I had received.

Tim was the complete opposite. He had not only expected it, he had admitted he earned it. He had even acted as if he had desired it.

It made me feel weird. I wanted to pity him… yet instead I was…

Remembering the short conversation in Tim’s room, where Vim and Tim spoke to one another… I felt my tail coil and tighten as the hairs upon it stood up.

Tim had sickened me. He had spoken of the things he had done wrong, namely the threat he had given Frett, as if he had been talking about the weather.

The man had no remorse. He was not regretful for his actions. He knew it was wrong in the eyes of the Society… but didn’t find it wrong in general.

He reminded me of my brothers.

“This way.”

Stepping back as Sharp shut her door and hurried down the hallway, I went to follow after her.

She had her typical robe on again… but no bandages, as far as I could tell. Not too surprising… it likely took her some time to wrap herself with all those bandages. But thanks to not having any bandages, I could hear her clothes as they rubbed and got stuck on her abrasive skin. I could see her sharp hairs poke and snag on the hood she wore. I wonder if her clothes ripped and tore without those bandages.

I knew now, thanks to bathing with her, that Sharp didn’t have ears. Or well, any non-human ones. She had a human appearance. I had mistaken the way her hair shifted and tugged her hood as the movement of ears. An odd thing, which under any other condition and moment would have made me smirk and enjoy thinking about.

Instead right now I was barely able to use it as a distraction as I was led downstairs and past the courtyard. We returned to the front of the church, and went to a door in the corner of one of the smaller hallways, not far from the entrance.

Sharp banged on the door and stepped back, past me even.

Taking her actions to heart, I readied myself as the door quickly opened.

“What happened?” Abel asked worriedly, his eyes wide in shock.

“Vim sent me to get you, Father Abel,” I said.

Abel looked from me to Sharp, and his face immediately contorted into worry. “What happened…? Who’s hurt?” he asked worriedly.

“No one…! Just… well…” I hesitated, and wondered why I was hesitating to say it.

It was bad, but it was reality. It happened and was happening. And Vim had asked me to do this… this was my job… so…

“Tim is being banished,” Sharp said for me, before I could find my confidence.

Abel froze, then… turned his head and flinched. “I see…” he simply said… then hurriedly stepped out of the room.

Unlike Sharp he had been dressed. His robe fluttered as he stepped past us, heading down the hallway and heading for the entrance.

He must know where they were. Maybe when one is banished they were normally supposed to be taken straight to the exit.

It made sense. Ruvindale and the Bell Church had basically wanted me to leave immediately, as soon as possible. Lumen I had been able to stick around for a few days because of a technicality.

Before I turned to join Sharp and follow Abel… I glanced into his room.

And found an empty, cold, and dark stone room. A tiny place with but a single bed. Not even a rug.

Although disturbing, I knew better than to judge or worry for him.

Father Abel was a very pious man. He lived a life of monasticism on purpose. He wasn’t suffering… he was just living a life without attachments.

I wouldn’t be able to live like that.

Though…

As I hurried to follow after Sharp, I realized something oddly interesting in my moment of internal discord.

Vim was the same. In his own way.

He cared not for anything materialistic. He had nothing. If he could get away with it Vim wouldn’t even have the clothes on his back.

It was interesting a man so opposite of Father Abel, at least in terms of religious beliefs, was strangely so similar. You’d think Vim would be the opposite what with his difference in views of religion… yet instead was the epitome of it.

Reaching the entrance, I followed Sharp and Abel out of the church and down the few stone steps… to approach Vim, Tim, and the horse he was about to get on.

Sharp came to a stop several steps behind Abel, who also stopped a good distance from the horse and the two men. I slowed to a stop behind Sharp, since I knew I… really wasn’t supposed to be here, probably.

As far as I understood, Sharp was seemingly the de-facto leader and elder here. Which was funny, since she was more like Vim than not when it came to religious beliefs. Plus she was short. Young looking. Constantly angry, and avoided by most of the residents here. Yet she had some kind of authority, all the same. Thus earning her such a position.

Abel however represented the religious members here… which was basically everyone. So it seemed he too had a position of authority.

Thus they two were the leading votes here.

It was interesting that even though everyone got a vote and a voice... each location basically had its ruler, or elder.

“Abel, Sharp,” Tim greeted the two.

I glared at the taller man, and did my best to not hate him more than I did.

He looked excited to be setting out on a journey.

I’d question what Frett had seen in him, had I not heard from Vim that Frett hadn’t seen anything in him. She hadn’t loved him. It hadn’t been a relationship of emotions, but desire. A desire for a child.

Or well, for Frett at least.

“Tim… what have you done?” Abel asked heavily.

Tim frowned and glanced at Vim. “What… no one else knows?” he asked Vim, who was standing only a few feet away from him. He had his arms crossed and looked… tired.

“They will before the day is over, Tim,” Vim said simply.

Tim sighed and nodded. “Sorry Abel. I um… well… I did screw up. I really did,” Tim admitted.

“Don’t act so sorry,” Sharp said sharply.

Tim frowned, but didn’t say anything back.

“Vim… what did he do…?” Abel asked.

“I two-timed. I’m an adulterer,” Tim answered before Vim could.

I shifted, and wanted to say something… but kept my mouth shut.

“He threatened Frett. Tim, I told you, you’re not being banished for who or how many people you slept with… but the threat of violence towards our members,” Vim reminded him.

Right! I nodded quickly.

“You… you threatened Frett…?” Abel sounded confused, and it was no surprise.

“Did you really?” Sharp asked, stepping forward.

Worried she was going to do something, I glanced at Vim. I found him staring intently at Sharp… likely staring straight into her eyes.

“Just in anger… but Vim’s right. I get it. I shouldn’t have done it. I just… got emotional… and…” Tim shuffled in his feet, making the horse he was standing next to turn a little as to stare at his feet. The horse studied Tim’s feet intently as Tim sighed. “I’m sorry. Let her know I’m sorry, would you Abel? I shouldn’t have let my emotions get so heated like that,” Tim said.

Abel groaned as he covered his eyes with a hand, and shook his head. “Gods,” he said softly.

“It’s worse than that too, Abel. This bastard got Frett pregnant, and didn’t even help her as the baby died,” Sharp told him.

Abel immediately looked up, looking straight at Tim who flinched.

The pious man stepped forward, raising a hand as if to reach out and grab something… but no words came as he stuttered and gaped. He was in shock.

“He’s admitted to it all, Abel. You and Sharp need to decide if his banishment is legitimate,” Vim said with a small gesture to the man who honestly didn’t look as ashamed as he should be.

“By the Gods you’re kidding!” Abel finally found his voice.

I flinched, and knew that he had likely shouted loud enough to be heard. At least by our non-human members.

Glancing up at the brightening sky, I looked back down as Sharp stepped forward again and pointed at Tim.

“You’re lucky Frett wouldn’t let me punish you myself,” she said angrily.

Tim stepped back, and suddenly looked worried. For the first time since Vim and I had addressed him and confronted him over his actions.

I glared at the man who was now scared. He didn’t deserve to be worried and scared now. Sharp’s anger was justified, in my opinion.

The fact this man was more worried about Sharp’s anger than he was his banishment made me upset.

“Tim…!” Abel drew Tim’s attention, and the Father of this church gestured behind him. At me.

Standing up straight, I panicked as Tim looked at me.

“What have you done…! In this holy place!” Abel asked loudly.

Ah. Okay. He wasn’t pointing at me.

Calming down as Tim stared at Abel, who was shaking in his robes; I watched Tim frown and nod. A little too quickly.

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“I know. I’m sorry,” Tim apologized, but I didn’t see or hear anything genuine from him.

“Pfa,” Sharp made a noise as she turned away, and stepped back towards me. “See Renn? This is the quality of men in the Society,” Sharp said with a gesture at the three men in front of us.

I didn’t like how she obviously had included Abel and Vim in that statement.

“What kind of threat did you speak in this house of Gods, Tim?” Abel asked stiffly.

Tim shifted, and glanced at Vim.

“He threatened to kill Frett had she revealed to anyone that the child was his,” Vim stated.

I nodded. That was what Tim himself had told us, but a few minutes ago. In his room.

Abel let out a tiny groan of sorrow… and then fell to his knees.

Startled, I stepped forward… to see if he needed help, but I didn’t make it to him.

He started praying. Bowed. Prostrated… right there in front of Tim.

“Hmph.” Sharp made a noise, which told me she was not impressed.

Tim looked uncomfortable in front of Abel… who had just begun to pray for Tim’s soul.

“I uh…” I wasn’t sure what to say.

“I accept his banishment. Since you won’t give him the punishment he deserves, at least give him that,” Sharp stated loudly.

Vim nodded, and then glanced to Abel… who was still praying. Deeply.

“Abel. You can pray, but I need to hear your vote,” Vim said gently.

Abel continued to pray, and Tim sighed.

I flinched at the sudden desire to smack the man. He had sighed! Actually sighed!

He had no remorse at all!

“Careful Renn,” Sharp whispered.

I turned to my friend, who had drawn a little closer. Maybe even to grab me. She must have noticed my anger.

“But Sharp…!” I said.

“I know. But Vim will stop you if you try. Trust me, it’s not worth the pain,” Sharp warned.

Vim would…?

Right… he would…

I groaned as I looked back at Vim and Tim, and hated how Vim was patiently waiting for Abel to finish.

He looked far too calm! Why wasn’t he more angry!?

I got it. Tim hadn’t actually hurt Frett. He hadn’t hurt anyone. Although his adultery had caused heartache and headaches, he hadn’t physically harmed anyone. And it wasn’t like it was his fault the child had died. It had been born with complications, per Frett’s own words.

But he had still threatened to kill Frett! The mother of his child! And…!

Growing very upset, I realized I was taking this far too personally.

Something I wasn’t supposed to allow.

Something Vim would scorn me over.

But I couldn’t help it… the bastard wasn’t upset at all. He even had prepared a pack. The bag tied to the horse had been readied before Vim and I even confronted the man! He had been expecting Vim’s visit! He had known long before we even got here that this would happen. He had even greeted us with a relieved smile when we knocked on his door earlier, as if he was glad to finally be done with it.

His audacity was infuriating!

And I knew why. Verily so.

Because he reminded me of my own family.

Abel then went quiet… and then looked up at Tim.

I shifted at the sight of Abel’s cheeks. I was only able to make out a small section of his face from this angle, since I was somewhat behind him… but the teas marring his face, and the dirt clinging to his cheeks thanks to those tears, were obvious.

“I banish you, Tim of the Rambling Plains. I banish you from this holy land, and our house. May you never return,” Abel said.

I breathed a sigh of relief as Vim nodded, and then turned to Tim.

“On your horse, Tim,” he ordered.

Tim nodded. “Yeah, yeah… I’d be half way down the mountain by now if you’d have just let me go earlier, Vim. Really,” Tim complained.

I shifted and glared at the man as he climbed up on his horse.

“Just get going you asshole,” Sharp said, sounding just as angry as I felt.

The horse huffed a little as Tim settled into the saddle, and he sighed as he looked down at Abel. “I am sorry Abel. This could have just been avoided had I killed the stupid baby earlier. I knew I shouldn’t have waited so long,” Tim said.

“H…huh…?” my head went blank, as if all the anger and disgust inside me just popped like a bubble.

He then turned to Vim and nodded. “You as well Vim. Next time I won’t let it become this big of a deal, promise,” he said seriously, meaning every word.

I heard a sharp intake of breath next to me. Sharp. I watched Abel lean back, aghast.

Then I saw the man who had been just a moment ago tired and calm… become a man I’d never seen before.

A flash of emotion covered Vim’s face. For but an instant. A scowl that I’d never seen before.

If anyone else had noticed, I had no idea… because he then took a single step forward. Up to the horse.

Then the man who had been shaking his head with a sigh… suddenly lost his head.

It had happened in the blink of an eye. Yet I had seen it all, since I had been staring wide-eyed at the man who had just said something so atrocious. So egregious.

One moment it was there. The next it was gone… as if he had never had a head at all in the first place. Then without warning a massive boom shook the air, and a burst of wind exploded outward from the area around the horse.

It hit Abel first. Knocking him over onto his back. Then it kicked up some dust right before it hit me and Sharp.

I skidded back, staying upright as I felt an actual wall of air and wind slam into me. It whooshed past, deafening, and caused the whole world to become loud as clothes and dirt fluttered and flapped. It had been so strong it had even made my left ear curl and fold backwards a little.

Off in the distance, I watched the wall of wind roll out over the dirt and grass. It was like a massive gust, flowing outwardly forever. It eventually hit the first row of trees of the surrounding forest, and the world suddenly got even noisier as the trees rustled and swayed as if in a storm.

Right as the next rows of trees began to shake violently, the horse let out a great bellow of shock and pain. It began kicking wildly, as it hurried away.

Windows then shattered behind us, starling me, as I spun. The church looked fine, but there were definitely now missing windows. Tiny fragments of shiny glass were falling to the ground, rolling along the stone church as they did. Then a moment later, the church bell began to ring... and not in the steady rhythm it did when someone else tugged its rope.

Turning back around, right as a bunch of birds flew into the sky from the forest, squawking in terror, I groaned at the sight of Vim.

He had Tim’s head in his grip. And he no longer looked angry.

Vim’s shoulders rose up… and then lowered as he released a deep sigh of regret as he stared at the head in his hand.

“Vim…” I groaned.

“That’s more like it!” Sharp shouted as she hurried forward.

I too hurried forward… but not to join Sharp. Instead I went to help Abel up. He was struggling to get back to his feet. He had fallen backward in such a way his right leg had gotten curled up and stuck under him. Poor man was pale in the face. It made the white lines all over his face look red in comparison. I got an arm under his, and helped him to his feet.

Abel's arms were thin. As thin as my own.

“Good job, Vim!” Sharp said happily as she stepped over to him.

“By the Gods Vim!” Abel shouted, a little loudly. Had his ears gotten hurt? He had been far closer to the cause of the noise than Sharp and I…

Thinking of ears, I fluttered my own. The movement made my ear that had been folded go back to normal, pointing upward. It felt a little ticklish as it did. It has been a long time since my ears had ever curled in such a way... it used to happen a lot when I was younger, but lately it only happened when I scrubbed my head too hard while drying off or if I’d rolled around too strongly in my sleep.

The horse stopped running nearby, a few dozen feet away. Tim’s body had fallen off it, and the horse kept kicking and scraping the grass. As if in anger.

Looking for the body, I found it not far from where the horse was fuming. It had landed in the grass, on its side.

“Aw come on,” Sharp complained.

I turned and found Vim had lifted the head. Just out of Sharp’s reach. She was trying to grab it.

“Sharp, please,” Vim said stiffly.

“What? Come on he’s already dead he won’t notice,” Sharp groaned as she tried to stretch and grab at it.

Abel stepped forward, and almost fell back down. His robe had gotten a little tangled somehow beneath his feet. I held on to him, as to steady him, as he got his robe under control and then he hurried forward.

Letting him go, I watched as Abel stepped right up next to Sharp. Close enough that I worried for him. She was jumping and trying to grab at the head, and didn’t notice his approach.

Abel reached over and Vim let him take the head without resistance, before Sharp could get it.

“Aw…!” Sharp immediately stopped trying to grab at the head as Abel stepped away, and tucked the head closely as he wrapped it with a part of his robe.

“Have some respect for the dead, Sharp!” Abel shouted at her.

“Respect? For that piece of shit? You heard him, didn’t you? He had killed the baby!” Sharp shouted back.

I groaned and flinched.

Yes. He had.

But had we misunderstood? Had he actually done it? Did we have proof?

No. We didn’t.

Even if he had been an ass, and didn’t seem to be regretting his actions at all…

“Sharp, please,” Vim said again, a little gentler this time.

Sharp groaned as she crossed her arms and glared at Abel and Vim. “Fine, whatever,” she mumbled.

Abel sighed, and stepped away as he unfolded the head from under his robe… and went to staring at it.

“Oh, my son… what brought you to this end?” Abel asked.

“Son…?” I asked worriedly.

“He means religiously, Renn,” Sharp told me.

Ah. Right. Right…

Thank goodness…

Sighing in relief I watched as Vim stepped away. At first I thought he was going to head over to Tim’s body… but instead he went for the horse. It was still stomping around, angrily.

I gulped as I watched Vim walk over to the horse. He grabbed its reins, and went to speaking gently to it. To calm it down.

He looked hurt. Vim did. The horse did too, kind of… but…

“I can’t believe he actually said that. In front of Vim of all people. After being banished,” Sharp said, and started to snicker as she went to laughing.

“Don’t defame the dead, Sharp! Have some decency,” Abel said with a dry voice.

“Decency? Like him? A two-timing child killer. Sure,” Sharp said.

“What the heck’s going on!”

I flinched, and turned… to see several faces. Prasta and some of the human members were at the entrance, staring out at us. Even Elisabell was amongst them.

Great.

My tail was in a fury. Twitching and darting around all over. But I didn’t even try to contain it or calm it down. My heart was beating quickly, and my mind was racing.

“Go tell them what happened, Abel. If I do it, it won’t end well,” Sharp said softly.

“Ah… right. Quite right,” Abel quickly nodded, and turned… but right as he did, the head he held in his hands became visible to those behind us.

One of the women screamed at the sight of it, and Abel jolted. He nearly dropped the head in shock, and Sharp groaned as she waved at me.

Oh no.

Letting out a weird whine, even for me, I stepped forward and over to Abel… who promptly held the head out to me.

“Please Renn,” Abel asked seriously.

Right. Sharp couldn’t take it. She didn’t have her bandages on. If she did it’d cut Tim’s head up and…

Right. Sure. Okay…

Carefully taking the head, I felt a strange shiver at the feeling of warmth. He was still warm!

I did my best to angle the head away from me, so I’d not see Tim’s eyes. But somehow that was just as bad. It made my hands and fingers slide into his hair and over his ears…

“You can just drop it if you want, Renn,” Sharp offered.

“I uh…” I kind of wanted to, but I feared if I did I’d be the next one to be banished.

“Go take it to Vim then,” Sharp suggested.

Ah. Right. Yes.

Hurrying away, I ran over to Vim.

He turned on my approach, and I noticed the way he quickly made sense of what was going on. He looked at me, blinked at the sight of me with the head… then looked behind me, and over at the crowd near the church quickly becoming noisy.

Vim readily accepted the head from me, and I sighed in great relief once it was out of my hands.

“Sorry Renn,” Vim said gently.

“Huh? It’s okay… I uh… it’s not the blood or anything, it’s just… I mean… he’s still warm, and…” I tried to reason it to him.

Vim though smiled at me, and nodded. “I meant I’m sorry you had to witness it,” he said.

Oh… “Well… it had been very shocking,” I admitted.

Especially the… strange boom and wind. How had he even done that anyway? Vim tearing a head off made perfect sense. He was strong enough to do so... but... That had been something else entirely.

The horse, which Vim had calmed down, reached its head over to nuzzle at me. I lifted an arm, to pet the thing on the nose and snout. “Is it okay?” I asked.

“No. I popped its eardrums. It won’t be able to run for a while,” Vim said.

Glancing at the horses ears… I startled at the flowing blood. They were practically oozing. “Vim…” I groaned.

“Yeah… It should survive. We’ll see,” Vim said.

Poor thing. I scratched its head, and noted the teary eyes. It was in pain.

“I can’t believe he said that. Do you… did you believe him?” I asked as I glanced at the head in Vim’s hand.

“What do you think?” Vim asked as he lifted the head.

“Ah… I mean…” I hesitated, but knew what he meant.

It was a stupid question. Vim had killed him over it. He’d not have done so had he not have believed it entirely.

He had likely known Tim better than I had; of course… maybe Tim was the kind of man that anyone would have believed such a thing upon hearing it.

Abel and Sharp had also reacted in shock too… so they had believed him too, although likely startled in disbelief at first.

“Why…? Why though? Why kill the baby?” I asked as I stared at Tim’s head. His eyes were still open. They were facing away from me, but it was a little unsettling.

“For the same reason he had threatened Frett. He feared being killed or banished, so he wanted to keep it quiet. Chances are the only reason he didn’t kill Frett was because her going missing was far more obvious than the baby would be. No one else had known about the child, after all,” Vim said.

“Still…” Why kill a baby for that reason? It made no sense.

After all… as Vim had said, Tim was being banished not for his affairs with multiple women… he was being banished for his threats.

Had he not harmed the baby, or threatened Frett… none of this would have happened. Jeez, he could have even kept the fact he harmed the baby a secret. Vim would have allowed him to just... ride off into the sunrise had he simply kept his mouth shut.

Vim sighed, and I turned to follow his eyes.

I found Frett. Standing away from the group on the stairs. It looked like nearly everyone was here, listening to Abel describe the situation.

Frett was paying them no heed. Instead she was just… staring out at us.

Oh boy.

“Would… would you go talk to her? Let me handle the horse, then the body, then I’ll talk to her,” Vim asked of me.

I nodded. “That’s a lot easier than handling that head,” I said.

“To you maybe,” Vim said as I stepped away.

Hesitating, I paused and glanced back at him.

The Societies Protector had grabbed the reins, and paused too as he noticed me.

“Stand tall, Vim,” I told him.

He blinked, and his eyes narrowed at me.

“Not this time, Renn,” he said softly.

Then he turned away.