2.33 (1/2)

Erin woke up to the sound of snuffling. She opened her eyes fast; when you hear something large and unfamiliar moving around your face, sleep tends to be a lesser concern.

To Erin’s relief she wasn’t being attacked by mutant caterpillar pig monsters. Instead, she saw Mrsha, the small white-furred Gnoll rooting around her cupboards. She was pawing through Erin’s meticulously organized shelves, sniffing at what she found.

“Hey.”

Erin said it softly, but Mrsha still freaked out. The Gnoll turned and scampered out of the kitchen, fur standing straight on end.

“No, wait, I didn’t mean—”

The young woman rolled out of her blankets, tried to stand, tripped, and smacked her toe against cupboard.

When Erin had stopped whimpering she found Mrsha in the common room, hiding under a table and staring at Erin. It was like having a wild animal in her inn, except that Mrsha’s eyes were far more intelligent than any animal Erin had ever seen. She stared at Erin warily as the girl halted.

“Hi Mrsha. You’re awake, aren’t you? Are you hungry? Do you want food?”

Erin kept her voice low and soothing. Mrsha made no move, but she backed up a bit as Erin stepped forwards. The girl stopped.

What should she do? Ryoka was currently upstairs, sleeping, and Erin had no desire to wake her. Carefully, Erin walked back into the kitchen and looked around.

Mrsha’s nose twitched as Erin came back out a few minutes later with some fried sausage and scrambled eggs. She stared fixedly at it, but she retreated to another table, hiding between the chair legs as Erin approached.

Carefully, making no sudden moves, Erin put the plate on the floor. Mrsha stared at it, and then watched as Erin retreated to the kitchen. Erin hid herself behind the door frame and waited.

After a few seconds of staring at the plate and Erin’s half-visible head, Mrsha made her move. She darted out from the table and stopped at the plate. She began to gobble down the food on the plate, licking her paws greedily as she scarfed the food.

It was adorable to Erin the way Mrsha licked the plate clean with her tongue and washed her paws and face. Adorable, and heartbreaking. Ryoka had told her what had happened to Mrsha’s tribe. She was all alone now.

What was she supposed to do next? Mrsha burped and Erin decided to attempt contact once more. Her ankle still hurt from Mrsha’s bite yesterday, but she had been punching Ryoka at the time.

When Erin approached again, this time with a glass of water in her hands, Mrsha tensed, but didn’t run.

“Hey cutie. Here’s a glass of water. Are you thirsty?”

Mrsha peered suspiciously up at Erin. She accepted the glass of water and drank messily. She was still clumsy enough that she slopped a lot of water onto the floor, but Erin didn’t care. Mrsha flinched a bit as Erin sat next to her, until Erin offered her a hand.

“I’m sorry I kicked you last night. Ryoka and I just had a fight. But I’m not mean, okay?”

The Gnoll child blinked at Erin’s hand. Then she sniffed it. Erin kept very still as Mrsha’s whiskers tickled her skin. The Gnoll grabbed Erin’s hand with her own paws, and Erin was relieved not to feel the sharp claws, but instead the much softer pads on the Gnoll’s paws.

Mrsha inspected each of Erin’s fingers with great interest, flexing them, pulling them apart and together, even patting them. Then she hesitated, and licked Erin’s skin.

“Hey! That tickles!”

Erin laughed and pulled away. Mrsha looked alarmed, but when she saw Erin laughing something changed. The Gnoll put her paws on Erin’s leg and looked at Erin inquisitively.

“Go ahead. I won’t move.”

Erin did her best, but she wasn’t prepared for Mrsha’s curiosity. The Gnoll prowled around her, poking at Erin’s body, her sides, even patting Erin’s breasts which elicited a yelp of surprise. The small Gnoll was soon all over Erin, and Erin was laughing as she finger-combed Mrsha’s hair when Ryoka walked downstairs.

Ryoka Griffin was still numb, but better. Incomparably better than yesterday, in truth. She remembered the empty bleakness in her soul like a nightmare. Now she was still hollow, but there was something inside of her. Something warm that came from a full night of sleep in a warm bed and hot meal.

She walked softly down the stairs and saw Mrsha sitting in Erin’s lap as the young woman ran her hands through Mrsha’s soft hair. Erin was humming a song under her breath, and Mrsha was swaying to the sound.

Ryoka paused and watched the scene for a little while. Erin was singing the doe rei mi song.

“Me, a name I call myself. Fa, far, a long, long way to run…”

Mrsha’s eyes were closed. The child wasn’t smiling, but her face was…peaceful. Ryoka wiped her eyes and waited until finished stinging before she walked into the room.

“Ryoka!”

The Gnoll’s eyes shot open at Ryoka’s name. She leapt out of Erin’s lap and ran on all fours around Ryoka.

“Mrsha. Hi.”

Ryoka raised her hands as Mrsha leapt around her like an excited dog. Mrsha stood up and reached for her. Ryoka hesitated.

“Here.”

Erin lifted Mrsha up. The Gnoll squirmed, but then started licking Ryoka’s face and sniffing her. Ryoka recoiled, but held in place as Erin stared at her.

“Morning, Erin.”

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Ryoka scratched at her hair. She avoided staring at Erin. The two stood awkwardly until Mrsha wriggled out of Erin’s hands. That broke the spell.

“You want food? I’ve got lots.”

“Sure.”

Ryoka sat awkwardly at a table as Erin disappeared into the kitchen. Mrsha tried to follow Erin in, but Ryoka called her back. Mrsha sat on the floor and fidgeted until Erin came back with crepes of all things. Ryoka stared at the steaming food until Erin plonked down some butter and a bowl of sugar.

“How…?”

It wasn’t that Erin had made the crepes; it was that she’d been in the kitchen for less than twenty minutes and she’d already fried up a stack large enough for Ryoka, Mrsha, and Erin herself. And she’d managed to cook some more sliced sausage up on another plate.

“Oh, I’ve got [Advanced Cooking] and I figured out how to make pancakes earlier. Try some, they’re really good!”

Erin handed Ryoka a fork and then dug into her own plate. Mrsha was already patting one of the hot crepes with a paw, waiting until it was cool enough for her to eat.

“No, here, darling.”

Gently, Erin wrapped Mrsha’s paw around a fork and showed her how to cut and pick up the crepes. Mrsha was clumsy, but she soon began to spear oversized bites of crepe and dip them into butter and sugar before transferring them into her mouth.

Normally that kind of excessive gluttony would be remarked on—at least in Ryoka’s house. But Erin was doing the same and Ryoka herself put back quite a number of crepes before she even began to feel full.

“That was good. Really good.”

“I’m glad. You ate more than I thought, but we’ve got leftovers. I guess Lyon can eat them.”

Erin covered the plate with a cloth as Ryoka frowned.

“Lyon? Who’s that?”

“Oh—oh, right! I forgot, you haven’t met Lyon! She’s probably still sleeping upstairs.”

Ryoka’s eyes flicked to the stairwell. She hadn’t even noticed there were other people in the inn. But now that she was finally thinking again, a hundred questions and thoughts were pushing through her mind.

She couldn’t help it. It was her nature. But part of Ryoka felt she shouldn’t be wondering and planning. Everything she did hurt people. What good were her opinions?

But then Ryoka looked at Erin as the girl laughed at Mrsha’s attempts to steal sugar from the bowl. Flawed as she might be, she could still help Erin who sometimes didn’t think enough.

“So this Lyonette is a new employee? Did you hire Ceria too, or is she in the city?”

Erin paused.

“Um. No. Ceria’s gone north. She’s gone back to adventuring.”

Ryoka held quite still as her thoughts paused. She didn’t swear, and she clamped down on her immediate response. Because Mrsha was sitting in her chair, happy and bloated. Ryoka would slice off the rest of her fingers before she disturbed the child’s moment of peace.

“I guess a lot has happened. You’d better tell me all of it, Erin.”

“Oh—sure. But uh…”

Erin’s eyes slid sideways to Mrsha. The kid was staring at a crumb on the table.

“Uh, what are you going to do about her, Ryoka?”

“I don’t know.”

“You said she’s by herself? Does she have any…anyone…?”

Ryoka closed her eyes. Something dark squeezed her heart.

“I don’t know. I…doubt it. And I have no idea who to ask.”

Memory flared in her head.

“What about that Gnoll you know? Krshia, right? Could we ask her for help?”

Mrsha’s ears perked up at the word ‘Gnoll’. She looked over at the two Humans. They exchanged a glance.

“Um, well, the food was good, right Ryoka?”

“Right.”

“How about I find something for Mrsha to do? Hey Mrsha, you must be bored. Do you want to play with uh, some things, sweetie?”

Mrsha cocked her head at Erin. Ryoka stared too, raising her eyebrows silently. Erin hesitated, and then ran into the kitchen. Both Gnoll and Human heard banging and doors opening, and then reemerged with an armful of ladles, rolling pins, and other cooking equipment.

As a ploy to distract Mrsha, Ryoka thought it could never work. But she’d forgotten that Mrsha wasn’t a child in a first world country, and she’d probably been banned from hanging around the cooking pots in the Stone Spears tribe’s camp. She immediately scooted over to the cooking equipment and began inspecting it with interest.

Erin sighed as she and Ryoka relocated a few tables down to talk. They kept their voices low, in case the young Gnoll was listening.

“Good thinking, Erin.”

“I guess she’ll play with those for a while. But I don’t know what to do, Ryoka. She needs someone to look after her, and proper toys and stuff. Not…”

“I know.”

“And she’s so sad, Ryoka.”

“You can tell?”

Ryoka stared at Mrsha as the Gnoll inspected the various cooking utensils Erin had brought out. She was half like a normal toddler in that she tasted everything, but she was clearly older and smaller. It must be a Gnoll quality to want to smell and taste everything.

Erin nodded.

“She’s just like a kid. I mean, a Human kid. She’s really curious, but every now and then when I was playing with her she’d…how bad was it?”

“Bad.”

Ryoka saw the Gnolls falling around her, and the Goblins screaming and cutting both Drakes and Gnolls apart. She shuddered. Erin stared at Ryoka, and then looked at Mrsha.

“What should we do with her?”

We. It was just like Erin, to immediately put herself into the problem and look for a solution. Ryoka half-smiled.

“I guess we need to talk to Krshia. She’d probably be willing to help, right?”

She vaguely remembered Erin having a good relationship with the Gnoll, but now Erin hesitated. She looked at the table and twiddled her thumbs.

“Um. There’s this thing with Krshia. ”

“What thing?”

“Well—”

Erin began explaining in a rather confused way a story about Gnolls and burning shops when Ryoka heard someone moving upstairs. Ryoka turned, and saw Lyon.

The young woman stood staring down at the room. Mrsha had gone silent as she appeared at the head of the stairs, but Lyonette’s eyes were fixed on Ryoka and Erin. She stared at the two girls, and then spoke in a haughty voice.

“I am awake. Where is breakfast?”

Ryoka watched Erin’s face change in a second. Her bright smile disappeared and she sighed. Ryoka stared at the other girl.

“Who the hell is that, Erin?”

“Oh—that’s Lyon.”

The other girl had heard her. She descended the stairs with chin raised.

“That is Lyonette de Marquin, peon.”

She was wearing somewhat ragged travelling clothes, and her hands were dirty from work. But she still conducted herself like some of the haughty girls Erin had sometimes seen, those born into money.

“Ryoka, meet Lyonette du…something. She’s uh, an employee I’ve hired.”

“I am pleased to meet you, Ryoka. I trust you will conduct yourself with the appropriate manners in my presence?”

Ryoka eyed Lyon as Erin scowled. She shrugged.

“Perhaps.”

Lyonette’s brows flashed together, but before she could speak, Erin interrupted.

“I’ve got some crepes in the kitchen, Lyonette. You can have them or some porridge. Or cereal. Help yourself.”

The haughty girl sniffed, but she went without another word. Ryoka stared at Erin.

“An employee?”

“Sort of. I mean, yes, but she’s not a good one.”

Erin rubbed at her eyes as Lyonette poked her head back into the common room.

“Where are the forks?”

“The drawer next to the cutting board.”

“Very well.”

“So, is she some kind of noble?”

“Yeah, she says—”

“Where are the cups?”

Erin’s left eye twitched.

“I’ve told you, it’s in the cupboard above the forks.”

“Ah.”

Ryoka watched Lyonette disappear. Mrsha had stopped playing with a ladle and was staring at the kitchen with interest.

“She reminds me of a female Pisces.”

“Even he wasn’t this bad.”

“So why haven’t you fired her?”

Erin shrugged helplessly.

“Because I can’t. She’s got nowhere to go, Ryoka. And if I send her north a monster will eat her. And she can’t go into the city because all the Gnolls want to kill her.”

Ryoka raised both her eyebrows. Erin shook her head.

“It’s a long, long story. And it’s actually why I’m not talking to Krshia, actually.”

“Then tell me. Start with—no, tell me what happened from the start. Let’s do this right.”

It took a while for Erin to relate the entire story, but for once, Ryoka managed to listen to all of it without many interruptions. Lyonette returned with her breakfast and ate in a corner. Mrsha abandoned her playing to stare at Lyon. Both girls tensed when Mrsha sniffed around Lyonette’s legs and the other girl froze up, but surprisingly, Lyonette let Mrsha paw at her without any screaming or noticeable revulsion.

“…And so now I can’t buy anything from any Gnoll shopkeepers, and I haven’t talked with Krshia since. I’ve been meaning to, but after all these adventurers came by and Magnolia wanted to chat…”

Erin spread her hands out helplessly. Ryoka nodded absently as she looked at Lyonette. She hadn’t exactly had a good impression of the girl from the start, but she was now right above Persua on Ryoka’s dislike list.

“And that’s what’s she’s like all the time? Just…”

Ryoka waved a hand at Lyon as the girl stared at Mrsha and the Gnoll stared back. Erin nodded miserably.

“Erin…”

“I know. But I didn’t know she was like that!”

Both girls watched as Mrsha scooted closer. Lyon hesitated, but then she gently patted Mrsha on the head. She began to scratch Mrsha behind the ears and the Gnoll child leaned into Lyon’s side. For once, Lyonette wasn’t scowling.

“That’s odd. Normally she runs away from anyone with fur or scales. Or dirty hands.”

Ryoka nodded. Then she spoke the thought that had coalesced in her mind ever since Erin had described meeting Lyonette.

“She’s a princess.”

Erin paused. Then she turned and stared at Ryoka.

“What?”

Ryoka nodded at Lyonette.

“She’s a runaway princess. She has to be.”

“Well, I know she says she’s noble, but a princess?”

The incredulous look Ryoka received did nothing to faze her. She shook her head.

“She is a princess. How can you not see that?”

“How are you seeing that?”

The other girl began to tick points off on her fingers.

“Running away from a royal family, calling other people peons, countless powerful magical artifacts, haughty attitude.”

She looked at Erin.

“How many stories do you know of where the princess runs away? Look at the way she acts—not to mention the fact that she seems to think Magnolia would just take her in. We’re in a world that has dragons and magic, Erin. Lyonette is a princess from Terandria. They have several royal families there.”

It was a lesson in facial expressions to watch Erin’s face. Incredulity turned to thoughtful contemplation, and then uneasy suspicion which became shock and realization, which finally merged into reluctant acceptance and deep regret.

“Oh my god.”

Ryoka patted Erin on the shoulder as the girl slumped to the table.

“She might not be princess. But she’s probably among the high nobility, at least.”

“How could I have not seen it?”

“The important thing is what happens next.”

Erin looked up.

“Like what? Send her home? How would I even…? You said she’s probably from Terandria? That’s another continent. I can’t send her back there!”

“I’m not suggesting you do. But you have to do something about her. She’s a danger to you if she stays here.”

“Because someone will come looking for her?”

Ryoka nodded. Her mind was already racing with possibilities.

“To bring her back—or kill her. Or use her as a hostage. Either way, you’ll be a loose end to tie up. Maybe she’s not that important if Magnolia isn’t interested in her, but she’s clearly some rich person’s daughter.”

“Noooooooooooo…”

Erin moaned as she covered her face in her hands.

“Why is my life so hard? What do I do? I don’t need this!”

She lowered her hands and stared at Ryoka.

“What do I do? What can we do?”

“Think.”

“What?”

Ryoka tapped the table.

“Calm down. Just think. Lyonette is a problem, but from what you’ve told me, she’s not the only thing on your plate. You’ve got lots of problems.”

Erin looked down.

“I know.”

“And I’ll help you with them.”

There was a pause, and then Erin looked up. Ryoka didn’t exactly meet her eyes. She cleared her throat awkwardly. Her face was hot, but she knew what she had to say. It was just hard.

“I…said a lot of things I shouldn’t have last night, Erin. I’m sorry.”

“What? No, Ryoka, I know it was really tough. I’m sorry for hitting you.”

Ryoka rubbed at her chest. Her ribs still hurt.

“No, it was my fault. It’s just—a lot of things have happened. That army of Goblins is a real threat. But from what Magnolia told you, that might be the least of the things that’s about to hit the continent. And we’re about to be caught in all of it.”

Erin caught her breath. When Ryoka said it like that, everything seemed so much more overwhelming. She had no idea what to do, and said so.

“What should we do, then? I mean all these problems—what are you going to do, Ryoka? Do you have a plan?”

She had nothing like a plan. Ryoka stared at her hand. She had nothing. She didn’t know what to do. But now Erin was counting on her too. She had to keep going. She couldn’t falter. Not now.

“Next? I guess the next thing I have to do is collect my reward from Teriarch. Once I do that, I need to deal with Lady Magnolia. Then…I don’t know.”

Ryoka stared down at her maimed hand.

“I’ve got to finish this delivery. When I do, I’ll come back and help you.”

She looked at Mrsha. But then felt something. Erin touched Ryoka’s good fingers gently.

“Don’t go. Stay here for a while.”

The taller girl shook her head. Her legs felt like lead and her mind was still heavy. But she had to see this through. She had not told Erin who Teriarch really was. A Dragon. Maybe he would have the answers to all of this. Maybe—

“I have to go. I have a job, Erin.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to go today. Or even tomorrow. Ryoka, you looked half dead when you came in! And then there’s Mrsha and all this stuff that’s happening here…stay here.”

Ryoka hesitated. She looked at Mrsha again. The Gnoll was leaning against the table where Lyon sat, eyes closed. Could she just leave Mrsha here and run on?

No. Of course not. Ryoka closed her eyes and nodded.

“That was stupid of me. I’ll stay. At least for a day.”

“Good! Then we can do something together!”

Ryoka opened one eye and stared at Erin.

“Like what?”

“Something. Anything!”

Erin looked at Ryoka. She smiled in excitement.

“We’ve never actually done anything together. I mean, we went into the city that one time and I sang on the inn’s roof, but besides that…”

Ryoka nodded slowly. She looked at Mrsha, and then at the inn. This inn. This place where she felt safe. Somewhere to go home to. Slowly, she began to realize what she had to do.

“Okay. Let’s do something.”

The [Innkeeper] smiled.

“Great! What should we do? We could get a bath. You and Mrsha, uh, sort of smell. Or we can visit the city. Or—”

“Let’s go see Krshia.”

Erin froze.

“What, now? But—”

“As long as Lyonette’s here, she’s a problem. Those Gnolls won’t give up after just one attempt, at least, that Brunkr might not. I want to be sure you’re safe. And I…need to tell them what happened.”

Erin nodded slowly. Ryoka stood up, and stared out the window. The sky was clear, but snow had fallen heavily. Her body was tired, but she kept moving. She had to keep moving.

She had a duty now. A mission.

Ryoka stood, and shouldered the debt she carried. It weighed her down and gave her a purpose. She looked at Mrsha and knew what she had to do.

—-

Erin walked down Market Street in Liscor and felt like nothing had changed. And yet, the feeling in her bones was like that of a traveller coming home after many years.

How long had it been since she’d walked down these stalls looking for that familiar brown fur and calling voice? Too long. Just a week or two had passed and yet—

She missed her friend.

It took Erin a while to spot Krshia’s shop. That was also because she was walking with Ryoka and Mrsha; while Ryoka could easily keep pace, Mrsha was not so quick. The Gnoll child kept pausing to stare around the market or dart off after some interesting sight or smell, and Ryoka and Erin kept having to go after her. Eventually, Ryoka ended up dragging a reluctant Mrsha along by the paw.

But at last, they were through the market and nearing the intersection when Erin saw two familiar figures. Krshia stood behind her shop’s counter, arguing with her nephew Brunkr.

It was all the same. And yet, it wasn’t. Not nearly.

Erin remembered Krshia had always been in the center of Market Street, with one of the biggest shops and many customers. But now—

Now she had a small stand, with a few items on display. It was so far from the bountiful shop she’d kept stocked that it hurt Erin’s heart. And neither was the Gnoll smiling and laughing with her customers. Her ears were flat against her skull and she was snapping at Brunkr.

“—go back if you are so impatient! Tell them, yes, tell them of my failure! But here I am still the leader, am I not? If you go against my wishes, you defy the Chieftain!”

“You are not the sole leader here, Aunt!”

Brunkr wasn’t wearing his sword and shield, but he was still taller than Krshia. His fists were clenched, and both Drakes and Gnolls were walking wide of him. Erin stopped as she saw the two, uncertain.

Someone bumped into her. Ryoka cursed under her breath as Mrsha tried to tug her into a queue of people lined up to buy some grilled meat that smelled wonderful in the cold air.

“Mrsha, no! You can’t—Erin! Can you hold her?”

Ryoka looked over and saw Krshia and Brunkr. She paused, but didn’t let go of Mrsha who was practically drooling.

“That’s Brunkr?”

Krshia was growling at Brunkr, and he was making the same noise. It looked as if they were about to attack each other at any second. In short, not the atmosphere Erin wanted to have a reunion in.

“Yeah. Should we—?”

Ryoka hesitated for a second. Then she thrust Mrsha’s paw into Erin’s hand. Erin lifted the Gnoll into her arms and watched Ryoka. The young woman walked straight into the argument between the two Gnolls.

“Krshia Silverfang? My name is Ryoka Griffin. We need to speak.”

Both Gnolls shut up and stared at Ryoka. Erin held her breath and Mrsha stared as Ryoka faced both Gnolls down without a hint of fear. Tall as Ryoka was, both Gnolls were taller and bigger than she was.

Brunkr glared at Ryoka.

“Another Human? Go away. We are busy. This is a matter between me and my Aunt.”

“I’m a friend of Erin Solstice’s.”

Ryoka jerked a thumb over her shoulder at Erin. Krshia’s eyes widened when she saw Erin and Mrsha, but Brunkr just growled.

“I do not care. Go away.”

He tried to loom over Ryoka, but she didn’t even bat an eyelid.

“And who are you supposed to be?”

“I am Brunkr, warrior of the Silverfang tribe. And I—”

“Okay. Piss off. I need to talk to someone important.”

Erin’s mouth fell open. Mrsha’s ears flattened and suddenly she was the one clinging to Erin. Brunkr’s eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth.

“You dare? You dare to insult me? You?”

Cold sweat ran down Erin’s back. She’d thought Ryoka had gotten better—or at least she wasn’t crazily angry anymore. But she wasn’t showing many signs of sanity at the moment. What should Erin do?

But Ryoka seemed to have a plan of her own. She calmly stared at Brunkr as the Gnoll drew back his lips and bared his teeth.

“I dare. I dare because there are more important things than you, little Gnoll. Krshia Silverfang. The Stone Spears tribe is gone.”

The street went silent. Ryoka’s raised voice caused a hush and a pause as every single Gnoll on the street within hearing—and that was quite a radius—stopped and stared at her. Brunkr had drawn in his breath to roar, but now he froze, eyes wide.

Krshia stared at Ryoka. Her eyes flicked to Erin, and only now seemed to notice Mrsha. She took a step back, and for a second her eyes were filled with fear.

Then the moment passed. She looked at Ryoka, and shook her head.

“You speak the truth?”

“To the best of my knowledge. I witnessed their end.”

Krshia nodded. She looked at Brunkr.

“Close the store. I must hear this.”

He didn’t argue. The street was full of silence as Krshia gestured. Ryoka walked after her, silent. Erin hesitated, but hurried after the two, Mrsha in her arms. She sensed Gnolls following her. And now that all eyes were on her and Ryoka, they saw Mrsha too. She heard muttering, and felt a twinge of unease in her heart.

They were all Gnolls, and Krshia was her friend, even after Lyonette. She didn’t seem angry at Erin, even if Brunkr was a jerk. But then why were all the Gnolls staring at Mrsha? And why was she holding on to Erin so tightly? And why—

Why did they all look so afraid?

—-

I think I have it figured out. I’m Ryoka Griffin. I’m a Runner, and an arrogant young woman who thought she was better than she actually is. Because I was a fool, people died.

Maybe I couldn’t have saved them anyways. But I could have been stronger, and maybe that would have made a difference. Regardless though, they died. The people who helped me died. It may not be my fault, but I still have a debt.

A debt to the dead.

One person still lives. A kid, a child. I will keep her safe. But I will also pay off my debt. And the first part of that is confession.

I sit in Krshia Silverfang’s apartment, a cup of weirdly bitter tea in my hands. There’s a bowl of chopped meat on the table, but I’m not sure if it’s raw so I don’t take any. Erin and Mrsha have already eaten several cubes.

Krshia sits across from me, with Brunkr by her side. She’s clearly in charge; she was the only person to ask questions as I told her what happened. Whatever their beef, Brunkr is clearly subordinate to her in this matter.

And there are Gnolls outside. I look towards one of the windows and see a bit of fur disappear. Gnolls are standing outside the apartment, maybe even on the roofs. I doubt it’s an ambush. I think they’re listening in on our conversation.

Small wonder. The news I have is bad, as bad as it gets. I can tell that just from the look on Krshia and Brunkr’s face.

“A Goblin Lord.”

That’s what Krshia says after I finish. She stares down into her cup of tea, untouched, as her nephew clenches his fist. She looks up at me gravely, and I nod.

“A Goblin Lord. And he’s got an army.”

“An army strong enough to defeat Zel Shivertail. It is an ill thing. Worse, he has slain the Stone Spears tribe to the last.”

Krshia’s eyes flick to Mrsha. Mrsha’s sitting next to Erin, but she seems uneasy around Krshia. No more than Krshia and Brunkr seem uneasy around her, though. They keep looking at her.

Because of the fur?

“These are dark tidings you bring us, Ryoka Griffin. But I am grateful you speak to us of what has passed instead of letting others spread the news.”

I nod, my attention back on Krshia. In truth, I have no idea what this Gnoll is like. I knew Urksh, fairly well for someone who’d only spent four days in his company. But Krshia is a stranger, for all Erin says she’s ‘nice’. I have to watch her, and at the same time, I have to help. A good start is being honest.

“I owe them. The Stone Spears tribe saved my life. Their Chieftain was kind to me.”

Krshia nods. She closes her eyes for a second, and I see a bit of pain cross her features.

“I knew Urksh. He was not the strongest Chieftain, not as a warrior, but he was wise. That he is gone is a true loss.”

“That the tribe is gone is a disaster.”

Brunkr growls as he clenches his fist. No tea for him. He looks at me, eyes full of passion and fury.

“What of the mining expedition? They may yet live. Gnolls will not die to Goblins so easily.”

I shift in my seat and shake my head.

“I had the same thought. But that army had over a hundred Hobgoblins in it. Even if the mining expedition wasn’t found…”

Krshia nods. Her expression is bleak.

“They would throw themselves upon the Goblins rather than live without their tribe. They are gone, Brunkr.”

“All except one.”

I nod at Mrsha. She blinks around as both Gnolls stare at her. Erin pats Mrsha on the shoulder soothingly, but Mrsha just edges towards her, away from Brunkr.

“Hrr. Yes. Young Mrsha.”

Krshia gets up from her chair. She bends down and Mrsha scoots back, but the other Gnoll’s face is nothing but kind. She growls something low and soothing and Mrsha’s death-grip on Erin’s arm slowly releases.

Mrsha doesn’t speak—she can’t—but she does reach out with one paw. Krshia lets Mrsha put a paw on her cheek, and then nuzzles the smaller Gnoll gently. White fur brushes against dark brown and I look away.

“Human.”

Brunkr looks at me, his eyes serious. I stare back. I don’t like Brunkr. He’s probably a solid, serious guy, but he doesn’t strike me as smart. And it’s smart I need right now. Smart, and willing to talk and compromise.

“What of the other tribes? Did you run and warn them? Or are they at the mercy of this Goblin army?”

Krshia steps back from Mrhsa and looks disapprovingly at her nephew.

“If it is Shivertail, he will have had the Gnolls in his army howl, yes? The tribes will be warned. This Goblin army will not catch them so easily.”

She shakes her head.

“No. They are warned, but a meeting must be called. The tribes must either flee or band together to destroy this threat before a Goblin King arises.”

“I will lead the warriors south, to defend our tribe—”

Brunkr rises, but Krshia glares him back down.

“And do what? A few spears will make no difference against such a horde. Besides, you are weeks away and our tribe is secure. You are needed here.”

“To do what? Guard ashes?”

Brunkr’s hackles raise as he stares at his aunt. She glares back, and the mood in the room goes sour again. Mrsha edges away, and Erin looks worried. She hasn’t said much—I guess she’s worried about saying the wrong thing.

But I? I don’t care if the mood’s wrong. I just want to resolve this. So I clear my throat and get the two Gnolls to break off the staring match.

“That’s the second thing I need to talk to you about. Krshia Silverfang—”

She waves a paw.

“You are a friend of Erin’s. I am Krshia.”

I nod.

“Krshia, Mrsha here is without a home. I don’t know anything about Gnoll customs, but you’re the only Gnoll that Erin knows. Is there any way she could stay here?”

I’m not prepared for the look of horror Mrsha gives me. She tries to struggle out of Erin’s arms towards me, but the girl holds her. She’s giving me a look too. What?

Krshia hesitates. She casts an eye at Mrsha, and I see her expression as she looks at her white fur.

“Brunkr. Will you go and give Mrsha some food? I have some snacks from home she may like.”

It’s the cheapest of tricks, but Mrsha’s ears perk up at the word ‘food’. Brunkr glares, but he stands up and walks into the kitchen. Erin’s the only one who protests.