Milly did not slow down when she reached the top of the steep hills of the Gathering. Leaping over the ridge, she nimbly dodged around roots and rocks as she glided down the slope, creating a cloud of dust that marked her path.

She spotted Nobori and the other rescued fairies on the way down. They had made good time. They were helping each other down the steep hillside, every step bringing them closer to home.

“I freed them from enslavement, but did I just send them into something worse?” Milly agonized, staying out of sight. She knew what awaited them at dawn, when the timer on Luna’s monitor hit zero.

Milly had not travelled straight back to the Gathering. She’d turned east, following the trail of the slavers. Calista had been teaching her how to track, and the wolves hadn’t bothered to hide their passage across the grassland.

It did not take long to find the dozens of campfires spread out along a winding river. The blanket of foul smoke overhead made them easy to find. There were over a hundred wolves gathered around those fires, tended by an equal number of fairy slaves. Milly saw Red Fang stalking amongst the wolf army, his obliterated eye now covered with an eyepatch, guarding an enormous metal cage covered with hides that obscured what was inside. The wolf looked miserable, and Milly took a grim satisfaction in that misery.

Her satisfaction did not last long. She knew why the wolves had gathered there. She’d guessed the nature of the upcoming challenge when she had glimpsed the name on Luna’s monitor – The Arena of Protection. Her battle with Red Fang was a simple prelude to what lay in store for them in the morning.

She’d only stayed long enough to tally the wolves before sprinting towards the Gathering, only a few miles away. Her magic was depleted, and although she was physically strong, she had no weapon other than the rusty ones she had received on the first day of the Contest. There was nothing she could do to help these captive fairies.

“Not yet, anyway,” Milly told herself as she reached the bottom of the slope. “But I know their numbers, where they are going, and when they will attack. And we have a couple hours to prepare.”

Bursting into the bazaar, Milly sped past surprised fairies as she frantically searched for Calista and Milly. She dodged around joyful revelers laden with sweet pies and gifts for loved ones, though several dropped their prizes in shock at the blur that passed them by. She saw the tiny fox child, Mikoko, holding the hand of her mother, and slowed just long enough to wave. Mikoko’s eyes lit up, and she waved excitedly back, though Milly was gone before her mother turned to see who her daughter was waving at.

“I’m not going to let those wolves enslave any more fairies,” Milly promised herself.

She found Calista and Rain beyond the southern edge of the Bazaar, seated on the shore of the Lake of Memories with Whitewing and Elder Twotongue. Calista had a sour expression as she and Twotongue argued, and Rain’s hand was placed tenderly on Twotongue’s shoulder.

“Milly!” Calista exclaimed as Milly came into view. “The Elders, they… they decided to banish Twotongue. All he was trying to do was help his people, and they banished him. It’s not fair. We can’t let this happen.”

“It’s their laws, Calista,” Rain countered with sympathy. “We can’t get involved.”

Calista gave a dismissive huff and turned to Milly for support.

Yesterday, Milly would have fretted endlessly about whether to support Calista or Rain in the argument, but it didn’t matter right now.

“There is an army of wolves only a few miles away,” Milly blurted out. “They will be attacking the Gathering at dawn.”

“What? That’s… Milly, that can’t be. These fairies…,” Calista stammered, glancing down at Twotongue. “How did the wolves find this place? It was supposed to be secret. Wasn’t that the whole point of banning outsiders?”

“Mils, how do you know this?” Rain asked curiously, surprisingly composed.

“I saw the wolves, camped out on the prairie,” Milly answered simply. The less she said, the easier it would be to keep Luna secret.

Calista jerked her gaze from Twotongue to Milly. Her eyes were daggers.

“What do you mean you saw the wolves on the prairie?” Calista demanded, filled with anger. “You said you just wanted to get away from the crowd. Are you telling me you left me… left us… behind and went out there alone?”

Milly was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Calista’s anger. “Cally, I…”

“After what happened to you? What if… what if you’d been hurt again? What if you’d been killed. I’d… I’d never know…,” Calista continued, her anger intensifying. “I’d never know if you were dead, or if you had just abandoned me… us.”

“Cally, I would never abandon you,” Milly said, trying to calm her girlfriend. It didn’t work.

“You just did! We were on a date, and you left me. You… you lied to me! You snuck away and left me behind,” Calista accused, angry tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

Milly stood there in stunned silence. She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t make it better. Calista’s words stabbed her heart, and the fear of the army of wolves was nothing compared to her fear that she might have just lost Calista.

Rain placed a gentle hand on Calista’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be angry, Calista. But if Milly is right, then we need to act now. Can you hold your anger until tomorrow?”

Calista jerked her gaze from Milly and stalked off towards the shore of the Lake of Memories. She sat herself down on a fallen log and stared out across the waters. Whitewing floated over and joined her and wrapped her in a supportive hug. Milly could hear Calista’s faint sobs as anger and betrayal collided.

Milly didn’t know what to do. She started to walk towards Calista, but Rain grabbed her hand to stop her. “Milly, we need to meet with the Elder Council. If we hurry, we can catch them before they adjourn for the night. They had another matter to discuss after deciding on Twotongue’s exile.”

“How… how do I fix it, Rain?” Milly pleaded, her eyes on Calista.

Rain gave her a small, sympathetic shrug and began walking towards the Elders Council. Milly’s heart dropped every further when she saw the same anger in Rain eyes, hidden beneath her calm and calculating exterior.

Is this the price to keep Luna’s secret? Was this the cost of being her inquisitor?

Elder Twotongue placed his webbed hand on Milly’s arm. She looked down into his white, bulging eyes, feeling completely lost.

“After our first fight, my wife and I did not speak to each other for three days,” Elder Twotongue said, leading Milly gently behind Rain. “I don’t remember what the fight was about, but I’ll never forget the crushing fear that rested against my heart during those days. I was desperate not to lose her. It was all I could think about. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t do my duty to our tribe.”

“But… it got better?” Milly asked hopefully. “She forgave you?”

“Yes, and no,” the Elder answered. “We found a way around the hurt I had caused, but she never forgave me. I learned to live with that. But that is not the point of my story.”

The Elder stopped and spoke with a deep seriousness.

“I fell apart for those three days. If what you say is true, and the wolves come for my people, you do not have that same luxury. You must build a wall around your emotions. Cut yourself off from the anger and betrayal you have caused to others. Because we need you, Milly Brown. An army of a hundred wolves will decimate us. Every one of us, from the children to the elderly, will be slaughtered or enslaved. I do not wish my final day with my people to also be the final day of the fairy tribes.”

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“I… I won’t let that happen,” Milly promised. Steeling herself, she pushed the pain and fear deep down inside her.

They travelled the rest of the way in silence.

The Elders Council met where the river fed into the Lake of Memories on the eastern tip of the shore. The Elders were seated in a semi-circle facing the water, each seated atop a large stone that had been nestled into the sand. Five of the stones were empty. Milly knew one of the empty seats had belonged to Twotongue.

Where there the other four?

Twotongue sat in the sand on the edge of the gathering and beckoned Milly and Rain to sit silently and listen.

An ancient antelope fairy knelt in the sand in the middle of the semi-circle, pleading his case to the elders.

“… are so few of us remaining in the Galloping Winds tribe. We’ve lost so many of our people to the wolves that we can’t provide for ourselves anymore. I am left with no choice but to request my tribe be absorbed into another,” the antelope concluded reluctantly.

“Elder Quickstride, you’ve been a member of this council for a long time,” answered an aged raccoon-type fairy that sat on the centre stone. “You know what an absorption means. The Galloping Winds tribe will cease to exist, and your people must give a generation of servitude to the tribe that absorbs you. It is not a decision to be lightly made.”

“If I do not ask this of you, Chief Elder Tamarind, then the Galloping Winds will not make it to the next Gathering. We shall be lost to the ages, and our stories will fade from this world.”

“Quickstride…,” the Chief Elder said, his voice low and stripped of its formalities. “I know you still grieve the loss of your mate, Matron, even after all these years. Are you sure your emotions do not cloud your judgment? There are other ways for your tribe to survive.”

Elder Quickstride bent at the waist until his antlers pressed into the sand. “There is no other way. I formally request this of you, my old friends.”

There was a murmur amongst the elders, until Chief Elder Tamarind raised his hand for silence. “We will consider it tonight when Elder Lightpaw returns. Until then, you are temporarily relieved of your duties as elder.”

Quickstride rose to his feet. “Thank you, Chief Elder. My tribe will await this council’s decision.” The elders watched Quickstride walk along the shoreline in silence, until he was no longer in sight.

“That’s the third absorption request this year, and it is only the first day of the Gathering,” said a seagull-type elder grimly. “How many more of our colleagues will we lose this year?”

“Speaking of which,” interrupted the Chief Elder, spotting Twotongue. “Twotongue, the council has made its decision. You know there are no reconsiderations.”

“I know, Chief Elder,” Twotongue replied, walking to the middle of the semi-circle. “It is on another matter that I come before you. A grave matter that concerns the safety of us all.”

The Chief Elder motioned to the sand, granting Twotongue permission for the audience, and Twotongue knelt before continuing. “The outsider Milly Brown has seen an army of wolves only a few miles to the East. She fears they will attack us at dawn.”

“An army of wolves?” scoffed the seagull elder. “The Gathering has been a secret place since the first days of the fairies. Even if such an army existed, they can’t find us. The Lake of Memories can only be found by those who are guided to it.”

“All secrets are revealed in time, Elder Tidebreaker,” countered Twotongue. “We have lost so many tribes – so many fairies – to the wolves these past years. All it would take is a single fairy to break our code and to lead the wolves here. We cannot assume the secret remained preserved.”

“Yes, well, I suppose your own actions prove your point, banished one,” Elder Tidebreaker spat with venom. “After all, these outsiders would not be here if not for your wagging tongue.”

The Chief Elder raised his hand, and silence fell amongst the elders. “Outsider Brown, kneel in the sand and tell us what you have seen.”

Milly walked over and knelt beside Twotongue, her hands growing sweaty.

I have to convince them I am not a liar. What if I cannot do it?

“I was exploring the prairies tonight. I just… needed to get away from the crowds, you know…” Milly started nervously. She kept glancing at Rain, who looked at her with calculating eyes.

“You were instructed to remain at the Gathering, outsider. You agreed to those terms,” Chief Elder Tamarind interrupted. “Yet, the first words from your mouth are an admission that you cannot be trusted.”

“I… I… yes, I did say I would follow those. But…,” Milly stammered. Scolding herself, she tried to think of an explanation that would preserve Luna’s secret, but her mind felt as if it had been suddenly emptied of logical thought.

“Milly Brown and her companions protected the Tribe of the Lost Foal on our journey to the gathering,” answered Twotongue with a touch of anger, covering Milly’s hesitation. He lifted the sleeve of Milly’s gown to reveal her scarred arm. “And she did it at great cost to herself. I may be banished, but I will not have Milly’s honor besmirched by the Council.”

Elder Tidebreaker began to argue, but a sharp movement from the Chief Elder cut him off. “Continue with your story, Outsider Brown.

Milly took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She could not fall apart. There was too much at stake.

“I needed to be alone, so I climbed the hill to stare at the stars,” Milly started, feeling uncomfortable in the lie. “I saw smoke to the east and went to investigate, and that’s when I found the wolves.”

Milly described what she had seen, reciting every detail she could think of as she was unsure of what may prove to be a pivotal piece of information. She kept glancing over at Rain, who had pulled a notebook out of her inventory and was making notes.

When she reached the end, Milly sat back in silence and waited.

“Your story is… intriguing, Outsider,” the Chief Elder said judgmentally. “I can sense the hesitation in your voice and see the tremble in your hands. There are elements of your story that may be true, but it is dipped in lies, and therefore not credible.”

“But… the wolves are out there. They are headed this way. You must believe me!” Milly protested.

“Chief Elder, I ask that you consider Milly’s story before dismissing it. The consequences are too dire to be ignored,” Twotongue begged.

Chief Elder Tamarind gave an exasperated sigh. “Even if what this outsider says is true, what would you have us do about it?”

“Fight!” came Calista’s shout from behind the Elders. She marched out of the trees with Whitewing at her side. Her eyes were red and puffy, but she spoke with a certainty that commanded attention.

“Fight? Are you mad, Outsider Gale?” cried a monkey elder with blue fur. “The wolves would slaughter us all. Fairies do not fight wolves. You might as well tell the fish to fight the fisherman.”

“You’ve never seen the fish of the Turquois Sea, Elder Durian,” laughed the youngest elder, a handsome fairy of middle years. She looked like human woman, except she had fish scales instead of skin, webbed feet, and a row of gills along her neck. “There are creatures in the deeps that could swallow fisherman, and this council, whole. Do not underestimate the simple fish.”

“You mock this council with your jokes, Elder Sapphire of the Kinship of the Eastern Waves,” retorted Elder Durian. “Perhaps you should sit quietly and learn from your elders.”

“It is no joke, Durian,” Elder Sapphire said with an exaggerated smile that revealed the tension between the two tribes. “Why don’t you visit my ocean, and you can experience their power for yourself.”

“Enough, Elders,” spoke Chief Elder Tamarind calmly. “We have spoken about your bickering before, and to do it in front of these outsiders does us all a disservice.”

The two Elders stayed silent, though Elder Sapphire gave a sly smirk to Elder Durian, pleased she had gotten in the last word.

Milly was growing anxious. The countdown in her head weighed on her more with each passing second.

“Outsider Gale, you gave an impassioned speech at the debate on Twotongue’s banishment,” the Chief Elder began. “I respected your… passionate, if inelegant, efforts to defend one of our own. But to suggest we fight an army of wolves is to further demonstrate your ignorance of our people.”

“You outnumber the wolves ten to one. You have magic, and we have six hours to prepare,” Calista opposed, her own frustration growing. “We know they will strike from the east, so we build fortifications and traps. Rain can brew explosives. I can assemble strike groups. Milly can…”

“Outsider Gale, your actions would bring chaos and fear to our gathering. I will not obliterate the peace of our gathering based solely on the words of a girl who violated our laws and broke our trust at her first opportunity. Frankly, I don’t believe her, so we will do nothing.”

There were nods of agreement from most of the elders, though Elder Sapphire was not among them.

“Further, for trying to defile our peace, I want you and your friends to leave this gathering at first light. You are no longer welcome amongst us.” the Chief Elder said sternly, his calm exterior cracking.

“But…,” Milly protested with disbelief. Her fingertips sparkled with her replenishing magics. If these elders would not listen, then…

There was movement behind the Elders. A shriveled old fox emerged from the trees. His fur was a pale red that spoke of fading vitality, though his eyes were keen and mischievous. Walking with a pronounced limp and a cane for support, he slowly strolled across the sand and sat upon one of the empty stones in the semi-circle. He leaned the cane against the stone and brushed the sand off his paw. He seemed to be in no hurry to speak, and he was making a show of it.

“Nice of you to join us, Elder Lightpaw,” Elder Tidebreaker squawked sarcastically. “You missed an entertaining fabrication from the outsiders. You would have…”

“Yes, I am aware,” the ancient fox interrupted. “I was dealing with a related matter. One this council needs to hear before it renders its decision in this matter.”

“I’ve already made the decision, Lightpaw,” the Chief Elder started, but Lightpaw raised a withered hand up to silence him, as if the Chief Elder were a child.

“Enslaved ones have been returned to us tonight. They came in the night, malnourished and ravaged by cruelty, but filled with life and hope. As we speak, your clans embrace their long-lost loved ones,” Elder Lightpaw started. The words were hopeful, but his tone was somber.

“That’s impossible,” Elder Durian pronounced. “It… it’s not possible.”

“I agree, Elder Durian. I am the eldest of us all, and I cannot recall a fairy ever finding their way home,” Elder Lightpaw continued. “Yet, this night, such a miracle has occurred. I ask this council to hold off judgement, until you have heard from one of them.”

Elder Lightpaw beckoned the hidden fairies forward. “Please, join us, great grandson.”

The brave, emaciated fox called Nobori emerged from the trees, holding the hand of his little sister, Mikoko. Indigo walked behind him, trying to stay in the shadows.

Mikoko tugged at Nobori’s fur and pointed towards Milly. “Look, big brother. It’s the internopers.”

Nobori shifted his gaze, and immediately fell to his knees.

“My Goddess!” he praised, bowing his head to the sand.

All eyes fell on Milly, and Milly could feel Calista’s angry glare burrowing into her back.