PreCursive

  Fade and I ended up sitting on that hill all night, simply staring off into the dista Elys. By the time she began to sink below the horizon, I retty sure I knew what his answer was going to be.

  As Elys sunk below the horizon and the first hint of the green period began to show, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh. A long, drawn out o that.

  It wasn’t often, but sometimes Fade and I could almost almost…sync up. I had long suspected that the two of us had some kind of strange bond that couldn’t be quantified by Statuses, Skill, or Talents. At times, I could almost uand if not his emotions, then his meaning and i. I think he could do the same for me, from when he had shown up at just the right time.

  I could feel that right now. For the st few hours, it was as if I could sense a faint impression of resolve growing within him, tainted with apprehension and a bit ret.

  At my sigh, Fade looked up at me. From the look in his eye, he could tell that I knew what was running through his furry little head.

  But it still had to be said.

  I smiled down at him slightly. “Yoing to take the offer, aren’t you.” I wasn’t even really asking a question.

  I was just saying what we both ko be true.

  Slowly, Fade nodded up at me, almost ashamed.

  “It’s…fine,” I said, doing my best to smile. “I get it, I really do. I don’t have the room to pin about you taking this ce, when I have something simir with Grey. This is going to set you up for success for the rest of your life, for the rest of both of our lives. It’s not like yoing away forever. Just…a long time.”

  Fade reared up at my words, resting his front paws on my chest. He tucked his head into the crook of my ned then whimpered ever so slightly. But I could tell that his resolve hadn’t wavered, through our formless bond.

  He was just feeling a bit homesick already.

  I took a deep breath, and ed my arms around him in a hug. “It’ll be fine,” I soothed him. “Really, it will. And hell, I think I wrarip out here every on a while. The war will…probably be over before your training is. O is, I’ll probably be free enough from my duties to Grey and the Noes that I stop by.” I leaned back, ughing a little at a thought I just had. Fade looked at my quizzically, inches away from my face. “It’s just…we only barely started training together with Sparrow, only for you to immediately start training with someone else. Guess we’ll just have to learn how to fight together another day, huh?”

  Fade huffed a small, lupine ugh of his own at my words before falling back down to all fours. I took that for the cue it was, and got to my ow. I looked down at Fade. “So…do you want to say goodbye to Sylvia?”

  I doubted he cared all that much about Hook. It was too bad Azarus and Grey weren’t here. He got along pretty well with the two of them. As, both were likely embroiled in a running battle with the horde right about now.

  The young wolf at my feet tilted his head slightly at my words, before shaking it. He looked down the small hill that ent the night on, towards the ring of standing stohe pack of werewolves had returned several hours previously, den down with freshly hunted game. When they had, Taran had melted out of the darkness in order to greet them.

  They’d all beeing together for hours.

  I smiled wryly, at the hungry look in Fade’s eyes. “Want to join them, huh?”

  Fade snapped out of his bloodthirsty trance long enough look back up at me and nod.

  “Alright,” I said quietly. My eyes met Fade’s, green on green, so simir ihen…until we meet again, Fade.”

  Fade o me, before taking oant step away. That seemed to be all he o bolstered his fidence, as with one final parting gnce over his furry shoulder, he darted down the hill towards the ritualists.

  When I raised my gaze from his retreating from, I found that Taran had raised his bloodstained muzzle to look at me. With he his enormous blue eyes were, it wasn’t hard for me to see the passion in his gaze. I think he uand how bittersweet this parting was for both Fade and I.

  I mouthed something to the a wolf.

  ‘Take care of him.’

  Taran nodded his gigantic shaggy head at me, before bending down in order to greet Fade.

  I turned away, doing my best to put it out of my mind.

  I strode down the hill, back towards town.

  I had things to do.

  ………………………………………………

  “I see,” Sylvia said quietly, sitting on the bed in front of mine. Once back within the walls of T?r Gronn, I’d made for the guest house.

  It’s not like I had anything else I could be doing in this vilge.

  I’d found both Sylvia and Hook waiting for me, both looking like her had slept ht. I wasn’t too worried about it, though. It’s not like sleep was essential for anyone in this room. A status helped to keep the exhaustion away. This was my sed day without sleep, and while it sucked, I wasn’t debilitated by it. I was going to have some sleep debt soon, though.

  When I’d gotten here, Sylvia had asked about Fade, which had led to me telling the two of them that he was staying with the Thunderhearts for a time. I hadn’t provided much more expnation than that.

  I got the feeling the existence of both the Wolfbloods and Taran himself wasn’t mio share without good reason.

  her of them pried too deeply.

  Instead, Hook cleared his throat. “Then it’s about time we get out of here,” He said roughly. The dwarven spymaster stood up from the chair he had been sitting in during my brief expnation. “We have somewhere to be.”

  I didn’t get up quite yet, instead doing my best to meet Hook’s eyes. “Did HQ have anything for you? Any news on if the rest of the Division has started operations in Elderwyck or…about how the Army is doing?”

  I noticed that Sylvia’s attention sharpened on our boss at my question.

  Hook did too. He sighed and ran a hand through his long steel-grey hair. “The campaign in Elderwyck hasn’t begu,” He said shortly. “Those Agent’s that have reached it have only just begun iing themselves into city. They’re finding it to be…harder than anticipated. Acc to reports, the city is better fortified that it was expected to have been, even in the middle of a civil war. And not just because it was known that the Uprising was intending to assault it.”

  “How do you mean?” Sylvia asked with narrowed eyes.

  “Because the kind of defehat were set up are meant to keep out monsters instead of soldiers,” Hook said, grimly amused. “There’s a difference if you know what to look for, as indicate that it’s there. To me, this indicates that not even the Loyalists khe extent of what the Breaks were going t. They were preparing their strongholds for the possibility of the horde knog on their front door.”

  I snorted in disgust. “I’m betting Elderwyck officials were mighty fused on that.”

  “No doubt,” Hook nodded his head, as disgusted as I was. “But it’s made things a bit difficult for iion. Not impossible, though. Not by a long shot. Still, don’t worry about us. I have my own thoughts about how to get into the city. I’ll let you in on it once we meet up with someone else oskirts. As for the Army…”

  Hook paused for a moment, taking in Sylvia and I’s increased focus. He rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry about it. I’m told things are going…if not well, then at least not disastrously. There was a bit of a morale boost following the discovery of those free levels, which I don’t bme them.” He smirked to himself, looking particurly satisfied. “I don’t get levels often myself, so getting two of the fug things was a nice surprise. Word is, Grey and Honoka both got a level as well.”

  Sylvia shot me a thrilled smile at that, her suspis from earlier vindicated. I just grinned back at her, while in the bay rings, I wondered if that was true. It would be quite the morale coup to discover that two of your stro fighting assets had only grown more powerful from a on-a-geion disaster. Knowing Grey the way I did, I wouldn’t put it past the man to have lied about the level, if only to keep spirits up.

  After all, who would be able to tell?

  “Enough talk though,” Hook said, folding his arms. “Like I said, we o get going. Get up. You two will have to say oodbyes to our hosts. ‘Grimgar Stonecloak’ doesn’t speak much, and isn’t the important muckety-muck that you are.”

  Sylvia and I nodded, standing up finally. I was ba my Order uniform and armor after my impromptu stripping from earlier, while Sylvia had never bothered to ge out of hers. Hook had procured three small packs filled with supplies for our jouro Elderwyck, which we slung over our backs and fastehe straps. With a final exge of gnces, we exited out into the hall of the guest house. It was only starting to fill up for the early m meal, and versation was low and sleepy. Barely anyone looked up at us as we tromped dowairs.

  We did accept a ed package from the barkeep though, filled with a traveler's breakfast. He told us it was on the house, as he gazed at me in a surprisingly respectful manner.

  Ah, whatever. I wasn’t going to turn down free food.

  Exiting the guest house, we stepped out into the vilge air. It had long siirred to life out here, with plenty of people out and about. Those whnized us kept our party at a respectful distance.

  As roached the gates of T?r Gronn, we were stopped as we had expected. Elder Einion was standing in front of the gates with Captain Cadoc. We had beeing a farewell party, but not quite this. Because they had a surprise for us.

  Iweewo mehree horses, saddled and waiting with full saddlebags. I smiled at the sight of them, expeg what they meant.

  Sure enough, the Elder greeted the three of us with a smile. “Good Morrow, warriors of the Order. I trust you had a good night's rest? Or perhaps…” His gaze shifted my way. “An informative one. I notice that your smallest panion is not with you.”

  I the Elder slightly. “He…was given an offer from an ued source. You’re likely to see him in the surrounding areas, Elder.”

  Einion houghtfully. “I see…well. I will inform my people to treat him with respect, if he is sighted. In the meantime, I came to say farewell and to bestow upon you a gift, at the same time. Captain, if you will?”

  Captain Cadoc stepped forward then, holding the reigns of all three horses. “ awr presents these three horses to you, free of expectation of return. We do not know your destination, and it is not our pce to pry. We only hope that they will be of aid to you in your travels.” He paused for a moment, eyeing our two non-human members. “Special sideration has been made for a steed that handle your…additional weight, Lady Sylvia. As well as your height, Sir Grimgar.”

  ‘Grimgar’ snorted, but accepted the reigns of his new horse. Well, to be ho?

  It was more of a pony. Said dapple coated pony eyed the dwarf with an almost evil glint in its eyes.

  The disguised spymaster just glowered back at it.

  In trast, Sylvia’s was by far the rgest of the offered horses. It almost looked like more a draught horse than anything. Still, it had a gentle demeanor, nuzzling hand as if looking for treats. The bck of its coat leasant trast to the Mithril silver of her skin.

  My own gifted horse had an almost frighteningly intelligent glint in its eye. It looked at me for a long moment, before sn and allowio brush its long coat. I guess I had passed its test.

  I smiled. I teo get along with horses just fine, so I had no problem with this. I looked up at the Captain from my iion. “Their names?”

  “Poppy, Charlie, and Marquis,” He said, pointing first to the pony, then Sylvia’s horse, and then mine. “He’s, ah, an import from the Principality. I hope that does not offend, Sir Hart.”

  I brushed a hand through Marquis’s mane. “No, it’s fine,” I murmured, unfazed. “It’s o meet you, Marquis.”

  Marquis just s me.

  The Elder stepped forward then. “I bid you good travels, my friends. Know that the Thunderhearts ride to battle soon, but that the gates of T?r Gronn will always be open to you.”

  At that, the Elder and the Captain stepped back, allowing the three of us to settle into the saddles of our new horses. I didn’t have a ton of actual riding experience, but I had enough that I thought I could do this. I shifted in the saddle, trying my make myself more fortable. I think I was doier than Hook, who was cursing slightly as he tried to situate himself.

  Sylvia, of course, had ma just fine. She sat pcidly in her saddle as the Elder gestured for the gate to be opened for us. O was, nudged our fresh mounts forwards and out the gate.

  Hook was grumbling as he did so. “Had to be a horse,” He griped. “Damn things have never liked me.”

  Before long we had reached the small trail that led out of awr territory. I don’t know what made me look back over my shoulder, but…

  I was greeted to the sight of a tiny, far-off form watg in the distance from a tall hill. The small, furry figure was outlined by the rising sun, and its antlers cast a shadow down on the slopes. Almost as if it had been waiting for me to look, the shadow threw back its head.

  And howled. Long, and loud enough to echo over the hills all around us.

  I smiled at the sound.

  Yeah.

  I was going to miss you too, buddy.