Stars exploded into shimmers of blue and gold as the blow slammed into the left side of Hirc's face. The punch snapped his head to the right and sent him flying back into the road. Staggered by the impact, Hirc clawed ineffectually at the air as he fell. His hooves slipped on the ice beneath the powdered snow, and he crashed heavily onto the roadway. Scrambling to gather his limbs beneath himself, Hirc shook his head to clear it. He instantly regretted it as agonizing pain lanced through his head.

Mother's tits, I've not been hit that hard since… since… I've never been hit that hard. His attempt to regain his footing was interrupted by a heavy kick to the stomach that flipped him over on his back. A wave of nausea washed through him as he continued to roll onto one side and then vomited. His attacker's derisive laughter mocked him. Snow crunched beneath the attacker's paws as he closed for another kick. Hirc curled into a fetal passion as the blows repeated.

"Come on, goat! Cough it up!" the cougar said, tossing Hirc's coin purse into the snow. "Maybe we should take the fee out of your ass," snarled a panther as Hirc thrashed weakly on the snow.

"Know you’re hiding it somewhere!” Each word was punctuated with a powerful kick. "Couldn't even make this frozen shithole worth our time," the panther spat. The cheetah laughed. "Bet the meat would taste good, maybe right around the leg," he said, grinning. He gave Hirc’s thigh a squeeze, and Hirc whimpered in pain and fear.

The realization that they weren't just being cruel, but were actually serious, was real and visceral. Getting his hooves beneath him, he staggered and pushed himself up. Unsteadily gaining his feet, Hirc spat at the ground and wiped vomitus from his lips with the back of his right paw. The lynx grinned hungrily, running her tongue over her teeth as she slid a half-step to the right and jabbed straight out at Hirc, her punch landing on the goat’s nose. Hirc spun away the force of the blow, falling down hard on his rump. A bolt of pain shot up Hirc's spine and exploded in his brain. He felt as if his pelvis had been shattered in the fall, and the pain in his midsection numbed all sensation from his legs.

Time slowed as his foe's hand slammed down over Hirc's right eye and blasted him back down against the street. Hirc's view of the world went black for a second or two but snapped back into stark and painful detail as fingers tangled themselves in his mane to pull him to a sitting position.

A loud howl echoed in the distance; the lynx smiled. The tiger glanced at the rest of his squad and nodded. Then his fist fell again and again…

Hirc woke and found himself lying in a bed. His body throbbed; his mind was hazy. He struggled to recollect what had happened. He knew it was there, hovering on his memory's edge. As he stared at the ceiling, attempting to remember, he heard muted chanting.

'Where am I?' he asked, his voice emerging as an awful croak. He heard the rustle of fabric and felt a glass pressed gently to his lips a moment later.

"Drink," said a soft, melodious voice, and he did. The sweetened water felt wonderful as it soothed his throat.

"You are in the Chapter House of Lady Gathra," said the voice.

"Who… are you?" he asked as he struggled to turn his head. Sitting next to him was a petite she-goat, perhaps a year or two younger than he, with a sleek, caramel-colored coat that glistened under the candlelight. Her gentle amber eyes were curious and innocent. Despite her diminutive size, there was an air of confidence about her.

"My name is Lussi," she said, her eyes sparkling warmly as she smiled at him. Her smile was so infectious that he found himself unable to look away, captivated by its charm.

"Lussi! Where's Vedu? Is the child all right?" cried Hirc, sitting up as Lussi reached out to steady him.

"She is with the priestesses. Poor thing was half starved, but she is doing well," answered the goatess.

"Thank the Mother," breathed Hirc as he lay down again, "Thank you."

Fully awake now, and with the memory of his journey returned in all its vivid detail. He recalled everything from when he left Orgun to when he encountered the Fang patrol, but there, his memory failed. As he tried to remember the missing details, their companionable silence was broken only by chanting and Lussi's soft breathing.

Finally, Hirc spoke, "What happened? I remember the Jaws attacking me then…" he shook his head, wincing at the sudden jolt of pain the action caused. "It all seemed so dim, and it still does."

"Yes, it would. Considering the state you were brought to us, we wondered if you would make it through the night," answered Lussi.

"Your wounds were quite severe. You wouldn't have survived without the first aid administered during your travel. A few more hours and you would have been beyond our aid. But you have some strength in you, or perhaps it was the Mother's will that graced your desire to save the pup." Hirc leaned back and mulled over that; nothing in the last twenty-four hours made sense.

"I think I was only lucky," he remarked, a relieved smile crossing his face. Upon hearing that, Lussi burst into a fit of giggles.

"The Mother heeds all her children, kind one. A knight brought you to us on the back of her barghest." At his dubious expression, Lussi's laughter echoed through the room, mingling with the flickering candlelight.

"Yes, I know. It sounds unbelievable," Lussi continued, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I can't blame you. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen them with my own eyes. But I swear it! A tigress and her barghest, larger than any carriage, came right up to the door. The abbess rushed out in her nightgown, completely flustered. She hoisted you onto her shoulder as if you were merely a sack of flour and insisted that we treat your wounds. The knight explained she had found you on the side of the King's Road, beaten nearly to death."

"Those troopers said they would eat me," he mumbled. Shivering, he remembered the fear he felt.

"The Knight said that you kept talking as you drifted in and out of consciousness about Vedu and a hunt of some sort." Hirc blushed at that.

"I don't recall what," he blurted. Lussi laughed softly.

"In any event, she did what she could and brought you here." She watched over you until we told her you were out of danger.

"I would… like to thank her," Hirc said impulsively.

"She has already departed. However, she left something for you. She said it was to aid your recovery." Lussi pressed a small pouch of coins into his hand, along with a letter.

Dear Traveler,

I trust you survived and recovered from your wounds if you are reading this. I regret I cannot send my regards in person, but I must attend to a pressing business. While I do not know the circumstances that led to your being in that ditch, I know you have the will to recover. No mammal could have survived all of that without a strong will.

I hope these coins will serve as a small gesture of support as you begin your journey towards rebuilding your life. It pains me that I cannot be there with you in person to offer my condolences and well wishes, but please know that I am thinking of you. Life can be unpredictable; sometimes, we find ourselves in situations beyond our control. However, I believe you possess remarkable resilience and determination to overcome any obstacles that come your way. Your strength is evident in the fact that you have managed to survive against all odds. I may not know the exact circumstances that led to your unfortunate situation, but I have faith in your ability to rise above it. You have already proven your indomitable spirit, and I am confident that you will persevere and create a new beginning for yourself.

Remember, you are not alone on this journey. There are people who care about you and are rooting for your success. Take this opportunity to lean on your support system, seek help when needed, and never hesitate to reach out to those who can guide you toward healing and recovery. I wish you nothing but strength, courage, and resilience as you embark on this new chapter of your life. May these coins serve as a reminder that you are capable of overcoming any challenges that come your way.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Yours in haste,

Ragna Astartes of House Ruthevena

PS. The pup is cute; she also bites.

Setting the letter down, he turned to the small pouch of coins. Opening it, he gasped when he saw the gold medals within. A quick guess was that there were easily a hundred in the pouch, maybe more. With this, he could live comfortably for years and take care of Vedu…

He closed the pouch guiltily, looked back to Lussi, and met her gaze.

"Vedu and I owe her our lives," said Hirc. "But I also owe you mine," He said, clasping her arm gently. Lussi blushed.

"I… thank you," said Lussi, "but I only sat with you and helped with minor things. The apothecaries here did the actual work. How did you end up like that in the first place?"

Hirc hung his head in shame, feeling the weight of his past mistakes.

"It is not a tale worth sharing. Full of heartache and pain," he replied. His embarrassment was evident as he recollected his arduous journey. He couldn't help but wonder if Lussi would even believe his tale.

"Perhaps the best stories are," insisted Lussi.

He told her all of it. His wife and child's death. His melancholia. How he found Vedu. Lussi listened to everything, never asking questions. I'll tell her everything, Hirc thought, and she will then sour when I'm done. Besides bringing him more water and a meal at noontime, Lussi didn't interrupt. As he ate, he asked her about her life.

"I was born in Viltr. My family ran a small tavern there called ‘The Golden Bells.’ My uncle still runs it. He took it over after my parents decided to move to Nahrstrom to pursue better work opportunities. It was a big change for us, but Father believed it was the right decision."

Hirc nodded. "My father was the same way, but we only had to leave Orgun. My mother was very fussy, and I remember it took us far longer than any reasonable mammal would need to move twenty miles." His muzzle curled in a smile as he remembered his mother's increasingly strident calls for them to ensure they had forgotten nothing.

Lussi giggled, then became serious.

"I met Aytor there. He was working on the docks as a stevedore," she smiled sadly. "Always had a wild energy about him, always willing to take a chance. He used to unload the Coeur de Fer company ships. I remember he would sneak me little things he had found on board. He used to have quite a collection of curios. My parents didn't much like him; they thought he was too rough around the edges for me, but I was young and a little foolish; we got engaged the moment I turned fifteen. Unfortunately, the war came. He was called up to serve and never returned. I learned he had been killed at Orcrim."

"After that, I worked where I could. The Cirice took me on because of how short-pawed they were, and I have been here ever since,"

Hirc nodded thoughtfully. Poor thing was like him; she, too, had lost her world.

"What will you do now?" asked Lussi, changing the subject. Hirc leaned back, his eyes fixed on the gold coins before him. With a thoughtful smile, he replied, "With this wealth, I could live in comfort for years."

Hirc's hand reached out, gently squeezing Lussi's arm. "I could devote all my time to raising Vedu," he continued. Lussi raised an eyebrow at this unexpected statement.

"An herbivore raising a predator? That would certainly turn some heads," she remarked, a hint of amusement in her voice. Hirc chuckled in response, envisioning the curious reactions they would surely receive.

"Vedu helped save my life, and I want to give her the chance to have a good life," he said, looking thoughtfully at Lussi. Another idea was forming crazily, but possibly, it would give Vedu something else as well as a legacy.

"Perhaps I can purchase Xwaadúu and restore the inn to its former glory, give up the silk roads, and settle down again."

"That will be a lot of work on your own," said Lussi, "Especially while raising the pup." Hirc nodded in agreement.

"It may seem daunting. I have been given the gift of a second chance—a gift I had never expected to receive. I would be ungrateful indeed to turn my back on it."

Struggling, he sat up and willed himself to stand. He paused on the edge of the bed and added, "But if I have someone to help me… who shared my dream, it could work." He regarded her, feeling a strange attraction towards her, far more than he had any right to, all things considered.

"You wouldn't know anyone willing to help?" he asked quietly. Lussi blushed and squirmed slightly as she considered the question.

"Not really; most inns are tightly held in the family," she said. "I grew up in one and know my way around, but apart from hiring extra serving girls or extra muscle, the family handled most of the real running," she said. "I think it's pretty standard across the board." Hirc felt his pulse quicken at her suggestion.

"How about you? Between the two of us, we can bring back part of our history and make a new beginning!" Hirc said passionately. Lussi looked at him uncertainly.

"But we just met… and my work here in the Cirice," she protested. "They need my help. I am a lay sister of the Cirice." She looked at him, stunned. Hirc waved the objection away.

"You said so yourself that you don't have many responsibilities here. But if you are certain, I understand." Lussi nibbled on her lower lip nervously as she contemplated the offer. He knew it was sudden, and a lot for her to take in.

"The War ended a lot of things for a lot of mammals. You know how I feel—what I've lost. I felt I had no reason for living, but now I have found my reason, it won't bring back what I have lost. But it will let me start over." Hirc spoke gently as he watched her face.

"Could I trouble you with finding a helping paw, Lussi? I intend to rebuild Xwaadúu. We will have traders coming all the way from the Federation and beyond. We can start over again."

Lussi looked at him with a frown, her expression filled with doubt.

"There are girls and goats that may probably be interested. I’ll ask around..." Hirc looked at Lussi, his expression skeptical.

"Just so you know, I have completely rebuilt my life," Lussi said firmly.

"No, you haven't." Hirc gestured, a sweeping, circular move that took in the entirety of the chapter house's infirmary.

"You are like me, just going through the motions and licking your wounds. I know how deep they must be, Lussi. I nearly died to realize that. I don't want you to reach that point, and I don't think Aytor would want that either."

Lussi recoiled at his words, and Hirc thought she would either shout or cry, so he pressed on quickly. Lussi sniffled. "How would you know what Aytor would want for me?"

"Because I know what Imala would want for me–what I would want for her. She would want me to live a long, happy life, and I would want the same for her. I got so caught up in my grief that I forgot what we really wanted for each other. If Aytor truly loved you, he would want the same, no?" Lussi shivered, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Forgive me. I’m getting ahead of myself. I am grateful for whatever assistance you can provide," said Hirc soothingly.

Lussi was quiet for a moment, then answered. "Toward the end, I wanted to give up on everything… if not for the Cirice, I would have."

Hirc sighed. "I understand..."

"You said that it is mostly make-work you might have needed during the war, but the war is over… it hurts me to admit it, but it's true; Lussi, you know that as well as I do.” He continued, "And now you're thinking that it could be the same as with Aytor all over again, that no matter how much you're needed, you can fail. But you didn't fail Aytor or yourself. What you did was lose everything important to you. This is the result."

Lussi sat there for what seemed like an eternity before slowly nodding. “I need time to think." Lussi rested her head against her knees. She was quiet for a while, then finally spoke.

"Tell you what, I have a friend who runs a tavern here in Nahrstrom. I could introduce you, and he might know people who can help,"

Hirc nodded. "I'd like that, and maybe we can talk more over dinner?" he asked hopefully. Lussi looked at him, then laughed playfully.

"Courting already?"

Hirc blushed, then nodded, "Seems the least I can do after all you have done for me."

Lussi gave his hoof a squeeze.

"I will accept on one condition," she said as Hirc looked at her, his curiosity piqued. He leaned in slightly, waiting for her to continue.

"Name it," he blurted, his eagerness evident in his voice. He couldn't help but wonder what condition Lussi was about to propose. A mischievous glint danced in her eyes as she took a moment to savor the suspense. She then spoke, her voice laced with a hint of playfulness.

"You must promise to have a good time," she declared, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Hirc's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Without hesitation, he nodded, his own smile forming. "It is not difficult with the right companion," he replied happily. Lussi clapped her hooves together.

"Good. Once you're ready, I'll take you to see Vedu then, my friend." Hirc nodded and stood up. He wobbled slightly, but he felt steadier on his hooves after a few moments.

“I’m sure she’ll convince you.” Hirc said. Lussi took his hoof on her own before leading him out of the room; as he stepped out into the light of the courtyard for a brief instant, he thought he saw Imala and Kaya standing there.

They were smiling.