Sneezing, I closed my eyes and held my breath… as I fought back the weird pain now pulsating in my head.

Yes. I was sick.

How? When did it start? It wasn’t winter yet, and although I’ve been camping outside a lot lately… I’d not done anything too unusual. I had wiped myself off at a few streams along the way, but I hadn’t actually bathed in the cold waters. And I’ve not eaten anything strange, at least so I thought. The years of me eating weird berries or bugs were long gone.

I’d blame the nasty ale and meat I had eaten last night, but I had noticed my tiredness from even before that.

It wasn’t too surprising to get sick, honestly. I wasn’t a human, and as such didn’t get sick nearly as often… but it did happen if rarely. Lujic and Ginny had gotten sick so often, especially when they had been younger, but I could count on both hands how many times I had been actually sick.

Less than a dozen times in over a hundred years. And two of those times were when I had gotten hurt. Hurt enough to warrant a fever. If not for the witch I’d have perished from one of those events.

Staring at my hand, which I had used to cover my sneeze, I sighed at the gunk on it. Just great. Things would taste funny for awhile. Maybe that was why I had felt the ale and bread were nasty? Though likely not, everyone else had been complaining about them too.

A knock on the door made me startle. I hurriedly flung the towel I had been using over my head, as to cover my ears. It left the rest of my upper body exposed, but I had arms for that.

The door opened, and Suzie the pregnant tavern owner peered in. “Done yet, lass?” she asked happily.

“Just about, yes,” I said as I did my best to stay calm. Luckily Suzie didn’t enter the small bathroom fully. Nor did she even open the door all the way. She simply smiled at me from the hallway.

She couldn’t see my tail. It was hidden behind me, and I was positioned properly. The only way she’d be able to see is if she entered and walked over to where I was sitting. Surely.

And my ears… well…

I shifted a little, and was glad to feel the towel all around my head. Yes. It was covering my ears.

“Well hurry on up. We gotta’ get to the tavern and start preparing. Food doesn’t cook itself!” she said as she snickered.

“Mama!” one of her children drew her attention, and she shut the door. She and the child were noisy as they left, heading down the hallway back towards the rest of the house.

Breathing a deep sigh of relief, I hurriedly finished drying off and got dressed.

I should know better.

There were three young children in this house. Loud and rambunctious ones. The type of children who would not have hesitated to open the bathroom door out of simple childish interest. I shouldn’t have been so careless.

It wasn’t just my own life and safety at risk, after all. I knew from experience how humans became, when faced with those like me.

They’d burn those who housed me just as fast as they would me. Sometimes even faster. Humans had an odd tendency to sometimes judge those who stood by or helped evil more than they did evil itself.

Once dried and dressed, I stepped out of the small bathroom. The tub I had used to bathe in was actually just a very large bucket. Big enough I had been able to sit in, curled up, but that was all. It had been warm, heated by the father of the family and his son, but I had no way of draining it.

I could have lifted the bucket, but if I had walked out with it in my hands they would have found it odd. Too odd to dismiss. It took even the large burly father and son several trips to empty and fill that thing, because it had been too heavy and bulky. Not something one lifted, especially not someone who looked like a young woman.

And something told me they’d re-use the water. At least on the kids, later.

I found Suzie at the end of the hallway, near the house’s front door. She was handing off her youngest child to her oldest.

“We’ll be back early today, Rani,” Suzie said to her eldest daughter. The young girl was a little taller than me, not including my ears, and was actually very pretty. But she for some reason wasn’t very keen on speaking. Even if she ran around with the other kids, playing.

Rani nodded up at her mother, and then turned to look at me. She tilted her head at me, but said nothing.

Unsure of myself, I tilted my own head back at her. She smiled and nodded, and then turned away. She stepped away, carrying her youngest sibling with her back into the house.

“Ready Renn?” Suzie asked me.

I nodded. Yes. Time to pay her back for her and her family’s kindness. I hadn’t actually agreed to anything outright, but I had offered to help them out at their tavern for a few days. In exchange for using one of their beds.

Suzie opened the door, and shouted one last goodbye to her kids as we left.

Following her out of the house, I paid close attention to how she walked. She had a very slight… wobble to her gait. Likely from her large belly.

“Won’t be long, I think,” Suzie said, noticing my gaze.

“Should you be working? I know the way, and I’m sure I can figure stuff out,” I offered.

I couldn’t really explain it to her, since I looked so young, but I actually had years of experience working in such places. Taverns and inns were always willing to let me work in exchange for lodging and food. When I lacked coins or goods to trade that was usually how I survived.

“Aye, I’ll be fine. I get restless if I don’t, anyway. Before we go, I want to check with the abbey first,” Suzie said with a point to the biggest building in this little logging village.

A tiny pointed spire was our destination. It had a small bell at the top of it, which was gleaming in the morning sunlight. I was surprised it hadn't been rung yet, though maybe it only was rung during special occasions.

“Abbey?” I asked. Was that what the churches in this region were called?

Suzie chuckled. “Small right? I know. But it’s what we got here! And we only got two monks, so it’s big enough for’em if the Gods will forgive me for saying so,” Suzie said.

Oh. She misunderstood me. Probably for the best.

“Is today a day of prayer?” I asked. Hopefully not. One of the last churches I had been to, they had been making people take off their hats as to pray. I’d hate to have to run away right now when I was sick. I might need that bed I was borrowing.

“Not at all, or well… maybe it is every day, in a way. No, my little Rani is old enough for her marriage blessing. Just want to see if they’ve found out which little whelp she’ll be getting stuck with,” Suzie said.

It was a good thing I had slowed down a little, as to walk behind Suzie. I was not really sure what I had just been told, and as I slowly made sense of it… I found myself getting upset.

“Marriage blessing?” I asked carefully. I made sure not allow my voice to sound too weird thanks to my unease.

Suzie nodded as she glanced at me. “Ah, you may not know it depending on how far away you’re from. Lotta places around here let the church decide who marries who. They do it when they’re fifteen. There are three boys her age, unmarried right now. All of them are good enough lads, so I’ve no complaints… but to be honest I hope the leatherman’s son gets picked. We wouldn’t ever have to worry about clothes or shoes that way,” Suzie said with a smile.

I smiled back at her, but had to force it.

Forced marriages. Arranged marriages. Not uncommon for the humans… but it’s been so long since I had last encountered it. And especially ever since the so many of the villages lately have been converting to that larger religion. Maybe this place didn't have the same religion as the one I'd been encountering all over lately. Though some cultures just... retained their odd traits, sometimes...

Studying the building we were walking towards, I found that I recognized it well. The building had the same symbols on the roof and walls as others I had seen. It was definitely the same religion spreading everywhere… so it was surprising to hear they not only condoned it, but were the ones overseeing it.

Was this why that young girl had been so… quiet? Though maybe not. If one grew up in such a culture, they’d likely see nothing wrong with it. Just a matter of fact to them.

“I suppose if you settled down here, you could get a husband too if you’d like. Though I worry they’ll try and force ya’ on one of the older boys,” Suzie said.

“I’m just passing through,” I said lightly, doing my best to not even consider it.

Yes. Definitely not staying here.

Suzie giggled as we neared the church. There weren’t many people here, but it wasn’t really a surprise. Those who lived in these little villages were usually early risers… but so far the only people out and about I’ve seen were the older folk.

Maybe those who worked in the forest waited until it was bright enough to venture out into it. Although the sun was rising, it wasn't fully up yet.

“Ah! Father!” Suzie raised her voice at the sight of a man in brown robes. I slowed a little as she hurried forward, to catch the man before he entered the church.

He looked young, considering he was bald.

“Why Suzie, how are you today?” the man smiled warmly as she approached. It was a little upsetting to see a man so… gentle looking. From a distance, behind Suzie, he looked like one of the most harmless men to exist. Just something about the way he stood, and smiled.

Which was terrifying, since I knew just how dangerous men such as him were.

“I’m good, feeling fine… actually came to see if you and father Dillbor found out who my little Rani would be getting betrothed to, yet…” Suzie spoke quickly, but sounded worried. Her normally boisterous confidence was seemingly not here, before her church.

The bald monk smiled at her and nodded. “I believe brother Dillbor did indeed finish deciding. I’ll ask him after his morning prayer,” he said.

Instead of relaxing, Suzie actually seemed to grow even more worried. “He did? Do you not… maybe happen to know who it was, father?” Suzie asked as she stepped towards him. The closer she got, the more I realized how small the man actually was. He was thin. Short. His robes hid a lot, being so baggy, but upon further inspection it was clear. Either he got very little food, or he lived a very un-luxurious lifestyle on purpose. Though maybe that was the point… being a representative of their faith.

I've seen a few of their kind before who were... very large. I wonder which of the two were the better representation of their beliefs.

I really should take the time to learn of their religion some day. Though I wasn’t sure how I’d ever get the chance to. It would mean I’d need to spend time in their churches… and that was so dangerous and…

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“I’m sorry Suzie, I do not. If you’d like I will find out and come let you know later? You’ll be at the tavern, correct?” he offered.

He must be used to Suzie, or people in general. He didn’t even flinch as Suzie stepped right up to him, and raised her hands as if to grab him by the shoulders. She didn’t touch him, but I could tell she had been about to… until she realized who she was speaking with. “Surely you at least have an idea…? Or maybe you saw the parents if he was talking to them last night?” Suzie asked with a pushy tone.

The monk however wasn’t disturbed at all. His gentle smile never flinched. In fact it almost seemed like he actually grew… even calmer, somehow. He raised a hand, as if to wave, but only gently patted Suzie on the arm. “Please, sister. All will be well. I’ll find out for you as soon as brother Dillbor is finished with his prayers. It'll be only a few hours, at the most,” he said.

Suzie shifted, and I blinked. Sister? He had said that a little oddly… maybe he didn’t mean it in a religious sense, but literal.

They didn’t look alike at all… but…

“All right. You promise to let me know as soon as you can?” Suzie asked, calming down.

He nodded. “As possible. Now please, fret not over it. It shall be as the Gods will it, and as such you need not worry,” he said.

Suzie did step back and calm down… but it was obvious she didn’t, and wasn’t going to, stop worrying about it. “All right. Thank you father. Ah, this is Renn. She was passing through; I let her stay with us for a few days so she could get some rest. She’ll be helping us at the tavern while she’s here,” Suzie remembered I existed, and pointed at me.

I did my best to remain calm as I smiled and gave the monk a small bow. “Father,” was all I said.

“I see. Traveling alone, are you?” he asked.

“Isn’t it crazy? I swear the world’s getting worse and worse,” Suzie said.

“I’m heading south. Maybe towards the sea,” I said, and hoped that’d be enough.

The man gave me the same gentle smile as he had given Suzie. “I shall dedicate my morning prayer to you, flying bird. Fret not, for the Gods already watch over you… but maybe this feeble man’s prayer can help you all the same,” he said.

Suzie perked up at that, as if it was some kind of great gift. I did my best to smile thankfully, and nodded with a tiny bow. “Thank you so much! I’d greatly appreciate it.”

“Of course. I shall see you later, Suzie, after our morning duties,” the monk made a very obvious effort to end the conversation… and luckily Suzie accepted it. She cupped her hands and lowered her head to him, and I hurried to do the same as he made a small prayer.

I didn’t hear most of what he said, since he seemed to mumble most of it, but I thought I heard him asking his gods to give Suzie patience and understanding… which likely meant he knew full well who her daughter had been married off to, and it wasn’t the boy she had in mind.

Suzie didn’t seem to notice, and after the monk finished he turned away. He went into the church, leaving us outside as if he hadn’t ever talked to us.

Unclasping my hands, I sighed as I felt the weird layer of clammy sweat in my hands.

I’d blame the worry of being so dangerously close to a church and its faithful, but I knew it wasn’t. I was sick… and likely getting worse.

I’ll need to decide if I should stay here or not soon. If I was going to leave I’ll need to do it before it gets too late. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to risk getting sick here. Not only was it possible Suzie and the others would get very upset with me if I did, but there was a chance that even if they were kind enough to let me rest at their home and heal… there was still dangers to it.

Like while asleep in a fever, them coming in my room to wipe me off or check on me… and seeing my tail or ears, exposed thanks to my lack of attention. Especially since Suzie had so many little children. I knew from experience with Ginny and Lujic how curious children could be.

“Let’s go. I bet he’s starting the soups, so he’ll need some help,” Suzie turned, and gestured for me to follow. She was likely speaking of her husband.

“Right,” I nodded… and wasn’t sure what to think of her tone. She almost sounded as if us being late was my fault.

Thanks to the size of the town, it didn’t take long at all for us to reach the tavern. Surprisingly it was empty, other than her husband working in the back. I had expected maybe some people to be here for breakfast, but maybe they didn’t serve it here.

Since I didn’t want to get in the way, I volunteered myself for cleaning. I spent the first portion of the morning simply gathering all the dirty cups, plates, and rags throughout the tavern. Surprisingly there was a lot. By the time I finished gathering them all, the plates alone became two stacks. It was hard to think that there had even been enough customers for so much, but so it was.

There were several large wash bins on counters, made into sinks. They had built a… trough like drainage system, where you tilted the basin bins and poured the water into the trough that ran along the wall and over towards the back-door. It just poured out behind the door, which made the section behind the tavern a little muddy.

And smelly. But I wasn’t going to say anything, since I wasn’t really sure how a better system could be made for it.

Although Suzie’s husband had filled the water bins before we arrived, I had to fill them twice more from the well nearby as I cleaned. Each time I left the tavern with two buckets, for water, the town became busier and busier.

Before I even finished cleaning the dirty kitchenware, customers began to show up. I found it a little funny that Suzie’s husband came in with a tray of fresh dirty cups before I had even finished cleaning the ones from last night.

It made me wonder how they did it all by themselves and what they would do when Suzie finally gave birth and couldn’t help out for awhile. Maybe they brought Rani more often than not.

“Don’t go dropping it then!” Suzie shouted from outside the room I was in, from the kitchen. I perked up at the shout, and noted the grumbling and arguing. Suzie was yelling at her husband, over something he had done.

She had a temper it seemed. I wonder if it was because the churchman hadn’t arrived yet.

The small room I was cleaning in was a tiny room right outside the kitchen. The door that separated us hung very loosely on hinges that squeaked loudly. There were no windows, although the door to the outside was open. I left it open as to try and air it out a little, since this place smelled bad.

Because of my staying in this room practically the whole time, I hadn’t been able to actually tell if the churchman had shown up yet or not… but I had been listening. I could hear clearly the kitchen just on the other side of the door. And just beyond the kitchen, was the tavern itself. It was growing louder and rowdy. People were mostly ordering drinks, not food just yet, but it sounded nearly as loud as it had last night when it had been full.

Humans sure did seem to like that nasty ale they served here. Maybe it was because it was all they knew... or had.

“Renn! Still washing? Your poor fingers are going to shrivel up and fall off!” Suzie entered the little room, and the place suddenly became very loud.

“It’s relaxing, honestly,” I said.

Suzie giggled as I turned to look at her. She was carrying a platter of dirty dishes and a few cups.

Smiling at her, I wondered if I’d be doing this all day, every day, while I’m here. Although monotonous, there was worse tasks to get stuck with. This was better than serving the patrons. I could only imagine how they’d treat me, based off the few experiences last night. Suzie was very vocal about protecting me, but drunks always slowly forgot reason…

Putting a few more plates into the water basin I was currently using, they plunked loudly as I went to grab the rough cloth I had been using to clean them off. Yet before I could, I noticed Suzie hadn’t put the platter down onto the counter yet.

“Why… Renn… Dear…”

Turning, I frowned at the very worried expression on Suzie’s face.

Hurriedly reaching up, to check on my hat, I felt a huge wave of relief upon feeling it still there. I hadn’t revealed my ears… so…

Then why was she…?

Suzie stepped forward, and nearly tossed aside the dirty cups and plates. They clattered onto the nearby counter, and luckily were made of wood and metal. “Renn! Honey! You’re bleeding!” she shouted at me, grabbing me by the shoulders.

“Huh…? Bleeding?” I couldn’t understand why she was shouting at me. What did she mean I was bleeding? How? Where?

Glancing down at my hands and chest and…

Then I felt it. And saw it.

In-between my legs. Seeping down my thighs.

“What…?” I couldn’t believe what I was feeling, and seeing. I could see the blood seeping into my thick pants. It wouldn’t look this bad even if I accidentally soiled myself. The dark splotch was very visible, even on my dark pants.

“Renn, did you recently lose a child?” Suzie asked worriedly.

I shook my head as I pulled my pants away from my waist, though thanks to how tightly they were bound I wasn’t able to really see anything. Yet although I couldn’t see anything, I could feel it. It was obvious what was wrong with me. I wasn’t… necessarily injured, in the more common sense.

“Then… is this your first blood? You look young, but I didn’t think you were that young!” Suzie said, and I noted she actually sounded relieved.

First blood.

Cold understanding dawned on me, and I had to step out of Suzie’s gentle embrace and over to one of the buckets. An empty one, that I had recently dumped into the trough and hadn’t refilled yet. I barely made it in time before throwing up into it.

“Aw Renn, there, there. It’s okay. For some the first time is bad. Here, let me go get my husband. I’ll take you home and we’ll get you cleaned up,” Suzie patted my back as I hurled, and although my mind was whirling and stunned… I still couldn’t help but thank her for her gentle kindness.

She really was a mother, through and through.

“Honey! Get in here!” Suzie shouted loudly out towards the kitchen.

Heaving, I composed myself. As well as I could.

So this was why I had felt sick and lightheaded.

I of course knew what was happening. Not only was I old enough to understand… I had been there for Ginny’s first experience. And the many after. It was simply a natural thing. Something every woman went through.

Yet here and now… for me…

Closing my eyes, I groaned as I tried to comprehend it.

I was over a hundred years old, and this was the first time.

Likely the reason it was so bad. And why it felt so… wrong… but it would pass.

Right?

“What’s wrong Suzie? Screaming like that made me think…” her husband’s voice faded, and with it… something became obvious.

Opening my eyes through the pain and despair, I realized something serious.

Suzie had not only gone silent… but completely still. Her hand had stopped rubbing me on my back. It even felt as if it was trembling… which couldn’t be right. It was I who was trembling, right?

Right…?

Blinking, I pushed through my pain and fuzzy head… and focused.

Focused, and wished I hadn’t.

Right on the bucket’s side, which I had just thrown up into, was a hat. It was barely resting on the side. The thing was slowly sliding off… then it fell and bounced off the counter and landed on the floor.

My hat. On the floor.

Standing up quickly, I startled Suzie. She tumbled backwards, letting out a yelp as she fell on her rear.

My hands shot up to my head, and I didn’t even need to feel the fuzzy ears. The world was louder now. Clearer. I felt the rush of wind on them as I had stood up abruptly, too.

My ears were exposed.

Suzie stared up at me with wide, unbelieving eyes. Her husband, standing in the middle of the doorway… was staring at me in pure disbelief.

“I…” my voice caught in my throat, as Suzie slipped as she tried to crawl away. She landed harshly on her side, and I nearly hurried forward as to help her. She was far too along in her pregnancy to be rolling around on the floor…!

But her eyes of pure fear kept me from stepping forward. Kept me from saying anything. Kept me from making this even worse.

Some pots and pans clanked, and I turned to face her husband. He had stepped forward… but had stumbled. His shock and confusion made him fall against the table and stacks of all the stuff I’d been cleaning all day, knocking them all over alongside the piles of dirty dishes. They clattered against the floor, breaking and making the world sound as broken as it was starting to look.

He looked more terrified than his wife did. Which was saying something… since she was trying her best to crawl away from me. Too scared to get to her knees or feet. Too scared to scream. A woman not afraid of loggers. Unafraid to threaten big burly men. Scared of me. Staring at me like I was a monster.

Her husband was the same... Or had been.

I could already see the terror and unexplained confusion being processed and dealt with. His hands had clenched into fists. His eyes narrowed. A deep breath was being sucked into his large barreled chest. He stood up, without the need to lean onto the edge of a table for support. It seemed he was made of much firmer stuff than most.

Right as I turned away, to run to the other door and out the back, Suzie’s husband shouted out. A wordless cry, that I knew any and all men in the vicinity would understand.

A cry of pure desperation. From a man of grit.

A cry to arms.

Bumping into the door, I felt it pop off the little metal latch that secured it open. It shot open wide out into the dirt back road the tavern rested against. I wasted no time running out of the kitchen, and out onto the road, stepping through the squishy mud as I did.

“Help! Everyone!” Suzie’s husband finally found words to join his shouting, but luckily they sounded far behind me as I hurried away.

Running as fast as I could, I did my best to ignore the weird feeling in between my legs. It felt so… outlandish, that I almost didn’t want to run. But my common sense kept me from stopping.

The blood leaking out of me would be the least of my worries if I stuck around. They’d do far worse to me than my own body was doing.

Groaning loudly, I held back tears as I ran out of the village and out into the forest. I did my best to ignore the onlookers. The men carrying hatchets, axes, and lumber. I did my best to ignore the church bell ringing behind me. A bell that wasn't ringing because of the time of day.

I tried with everything I had to ignore the horrible gut wrenching fear growing in my stomach. It was mixing with the pain and unease that was already there. I gave it my all to ignore the ever growing soaked pants, and lightheadedness tugging at the back of my mind.

I tried to ignore it all… and failed.

Like always.