Raine never thought he’d missed the Valley and its pubs. Compared to the taverns in the wasteland, it’s much better. The beer’s tasty, too. He felt bad for those who needed to live in a region that served as a reminder of the follies of war that lasted centuries, but they shouldn’t keep havens behind unappealing, concrete walls. Raine wondered if the hardened wastelanders would look at the Emerald Valley and complain that it was ‘too green’ or ‘too peaceful’. The worst of them would deride the Valley as ‘tyrannical’, jealous of how the most Aether-polluted inland region that was once a desert would turn into an emerald garden.

He did not need to wonder about them. All he wanted was to relax after years of having an adventure in the desert and the seaside. He served as a knight and survived being a bounty hunter. He considered himself successful, although the sacrifice was great.

And so, he raised his mug and lightly butted his head on it before he drank the whole pint down. The human bartender saw this and approached Raine.

“Was he a friend?” asked the man.

“A rival, to be precise. I have nothing but respect towards him,” said Raine. “I’m surprised you know about it.”

“I’ve seen more knights mourning their dead in my lifetime, bud. You from inland? The hair’s a dead giveaway. Nobody has that orange of a hair around here. I bet you’d be milky white once you lose your tan.”

“Yeah. From Cavilen.”

“Oh, damn. Now that’s new. Tired of farm life and finding adventure in the desert?”

“Yeah. Too bad I couldn’t stop before I made friends. Not that I regretted it. I wanted to find interesting people, and I got it. I just never thought it would end like this.”

“And you’re taking it rather well.”

“I lost him half a year ago. I had time to move on.”

“Ah. I see.”

“Also, I wonder. You ever come across someone who’s willing to part with their land, or maybe an abandoned place?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Surely you know one that’s not dangerous.”

“There’s not a lot of free lands out here, unless you’re trying your luck in the desert, which I doubt you will. You might want to try your luck further inland. Won’t Cavilen do?”

“Maybe as a last resort. I’m not done with the adventures yet. Still too young for that. I’m just jaded with all the deceit and the violence.”

“Can’t help you on that one. Sorry, bud.”

“No worries. I’ll go ask around. Here’s for the tab.”

Raine paid for the only pint he would drink that day. He only needed confidence, not the wooziness. He wouldn’t give a good expression if he’s drunk. He wasn’t that much of a party person, anyway.

The pub was crowded for a village pub. Most of the patrons were travelers of all races coming in or out of the desert wasteland or laterally along the green area of the Emerald Valley. This, however, did not help Raine in the slightest, as he wanted a land somewhere within the Valley where it was relatively safe so that he wouldn’t have to worry about raiders or wild animals. It would be great if it was walled and close to basic resources such as wood and animals that could be hunted and not contaminated with Aether.

Pondering about it made Raine realized that it was a rather tall order. He was asking for too much. As he asked more and more of the patrons, he started to give up. He could go to Cavilen and hope that there was something for an honorably discharged knight. The last thing he wanted was to reenlist. There wasn’t anything wrong with that. It’s just that he found that he wouldn’t learn a lot from a relatively peaceful region in which the only concern were the monsters created by Aethers. There’s hardly a civil unrest or raider attack like the bounty hunting jobs he got out in the desert.

“Ah. What am I saying?” thought Raine to himself. “I’d better ask a couple more before I went back. I hope Kar knew where to buy dinner.”

***

Karkas walked to a nearby restaurant to buy some food he could bring back to the bungalow. He bought some grilled meat that was good for two, with cooked potatoes for Narati. The Croc wondered why it took so long for Raine to return. He simply shrugged it off, thinking that Raine needed some time to relax after a long journey. Karkas would do so but decided to accompany the Fa’ar, knowing that the ratfolk might become confused and would not understand what to do in a foreign place.

“Just don’t pass out before you return, human,” thought Karkas, correctly assuming that Raine was in the closest pub to the inn.

***

Raine asked around, using his well-honed skills of persuasion. Unfortunately for him, no one in that pub could give him a satisfactory answer. No one planned to sell a patch of land or able to point him to a space he could develop. Some suggested that he should go to a bigger city and ask someone there. Realizing that he might not get a satisfactory answer in a village with more travelers than villagers, he decided to enjoy the night and get ready to travel. Might as well talk about something else than rushing to find a place to settle. He had been a wanderer for five years; one more week of searching wouldn’t hurt. He just hoped Karkas and Narati would be willing to continue, though.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Feeling that it would be a waste not to enjoy a private night-out, he decided to find someone to talk to. He did not need to look for long when he spotted a lone Felinar standing near a high table, away from most of the crowd. Given the Felinar’s appearance, it was easy to understand why.

The Felinar was clearly not a native of the Emerald Valley, as seen from her spotted, creamy blonde fur. The spots were black and opaque, covering most of her body enough to make them apparent but contrasted well with her fur color that, from afar, she still looked creamy blonde. Her face was round, with her snout short and her head relatively small compared to most Felinars. She had a distinctive black streak of fur that looked like tears, running from the corner of her eyes down to the nose and ending somewhere below the chin. Her cat eyes were amber in color and rather sharp, though now she seemed relaxed and enjoying the drink she had. She looked bored, or rather, she had a permanent bored look when having a neutral expression, at least for a Felinar.

Her clothes were also indications that she was a foreigner. She wore a tank top short enough to let her midriff bare, showing her light build and her fur, which was of lighter cream color around that area. She wore a legging which covered much of her fur below her waist, possibly worn to fit the standard of decency of the Emerald Valley. As she was standing, it was easy for Raine to see below her waist. Like many beast people, the Felinar was barefooted, showing her digitigrade legs and feline paws. To complete her looks, she wore several rings of bronze-colored bracelets big enough to dangle on her wrists, along with earrings on her round ears.

Being alone in a pub that’s not that crowded in the first place only made her stood out as her appearance was a sharp contrast with most of the patrons in the bar, who were mostly human but with one or two Loups, Vulpins, and Felinars who clearly did not look remotely close to her. She looked exotic, probably one of the Felinar kinds from the southern grasslands. It wouldn’t hurt to start a conversation with her.

He soon approached her as she drank the glass of water in front of her. She noticed him and turned her rounded amber eyes to look at him. Raine simply smiled.

“Hard to imagine seeing you all alone drinking nothing but water,” started Raine. “Enjoying the crowd?”

“They don’t seem to like me,” she said, revealing sharp rows of teeth as she talked. “But they’re far too kind to throw me out.”

“Throw you out? I want to see them try.”

“I prefer not to start a fight. How about you? Are you going to start one?”

“Not in the mood,” said Raine. “And besides. I’m not drunk enough to go all out.”

The spotted Felinar chuckled. “You got a point there.”

Raine ordered a glass of water and started drinking with the Felinar.

“So. Had to make a stop before you start traveling again?” asked Raine.

“I have a friend. She said to meet me in a town in Emerald Valley, but I don’t know much about this place. Too many trees. Too green for my taste.”

“Yeah, I hear you. After spending a long time in the desert, the green color around this place is going to screw with your eyes. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m a local but I’ve been out and about. Even I am surprised we still have a land this green while the rest of the world’s a hot mess.”

“You’re from the Valley?” She looked up. “Well, that explains the hair. And the ears.”

“No one got red hair down where you live?”

“Hardly.”

“To be fair, No one I know here have spots, either.”

The Felinari woman chuckled, amused by Raine’s smooth, light-hearted banter.

The two talked through the day and into the night, during which Raine correctly guessed that she was from the south, specifically in a grassland region her people called Jabouti. Her kind was not called a Felinar in Jabouti, though she was aware of the term used to generalize all different kinds of feline people. She called herself a Chitra.

“Chee…tah?” asked Raine.

“Chitra,” she corrected. “In the language of my people, it means the ‘painted ones’. Cheetah is when you’re referring to our four-legged cousin.”

“They’re not wrong. I mean…those spots aren’t there for nothing.”

She chuckled. “You’ll be surprised by how different these spots can be between Chitras. Hence why we called ourselves the Painted Ones. Each of us are painted by the spirits upon reaching adulthood, and each spirits have their own way to tell our stories.”

“You mean, they determine your fate?”

“Maybe. It’s not my place to tell. It’s an old faith that I’m not even aware of until my friend reminded me of it,” said the Chitra.

“I hope you can find her. Or, you can come with us if you like.”

“Oh, I don’t want to get in your own travels. I’m sure you don’t have time to help me.”

“The Valley’s a big place, you know. If you’ve never been here before, I suggest you get a guide.”

“And you’re going to be that guide? Cheeky,” teased the Chitra. “How much should I pay you?”

“No, no. No need for that. We happened to be in the Valley to find a place to settle, and I am in this pub asking for anyone who might have a land to sell.”

“And you happened to be talking to the only foreigner. For a land in the Emerald Valley.”

“Who turned out to be quite as interesting as she looks,” teased Raine, causing the Chitra to let out a purr. “Anyway, I’m sure your friend can help me. What’s the name of the town again?”

“It’s…Kraigen, I think.”

“Kraigen.”

“The owner of this establishment doesn’t know where that is. He assumed it’s also a village far from here.”

“Or maybe you should try the map instead. The post office sells some rolls. But…it’s too late now.”

“Oh. Right. Why didn’t I think of that?” The Chitra knocked her head. “And I am not even drinking!”

“It happens,” said Raine with a shrug.

“Should I…well, meet you here. Tomorrow morning?”

“Sure. We’re just going to start thinking about going to Cavilen after tonight’s rest. Do you have a place to sleep?”

“I rented a room in the traveler’s rest across the road.”

“What a coincidence! I’ll meet you near the entrance, then. First thing in the morning?”

“Sure.”

The interesting conversation with the exotic Felinar somehow gave him the information he needed. His natural charm worked so well, even towards someone who had never stepped foot (or paw, in the Chitra’s case) in the Valley before. Maybe it’s because he was interested in meeting new people, especially those who were friendly from the start. Or maybe he was just that friendly and optimistic, which were the qualities that most people in the desert did not have.

As they walked out of the pub and back to the inn, Raine accompanied the Chitra to her room in the main building. It was already late, and he should take a bath; he was still in his traveling gear, covered in sand. She did not seem to mind or did not seem to notice.

After she got to her room, Raine excused himself. Before he could leave, the Chitra asked, “What’s your name?”

“Raine. You?”

“Sakiri,” she said with a toothy smile. “Call me Kiri.”

“Well, Kiri…it’s nice meeting you. Good night.”

“You, too, Raine.”

Sakiri closed the door to her room slowly, smiling as her feline face disappeared behind the door. Raine walked back to the bungalow, musing about her.

“She’s cute,” he thought. “And pretty. Don’t want to get on her bad side, though. I don’t think her feral cousin’s a harmless tabby.”

Raine, who had never seen a cheetah before, would never imagine them being the ferocious predator of the Jabouti grassland. Then again, Sakiri’s appearance already clued him in.