"I don't like it. You seem way too pleased."

  Anna gave Saul a look as they left out on the road towards the encampment.

  Saul responded with a smile. "It feels like we're moving forward, Anna. The ending is in sight."

  "The ending of what, ?adar?"

  "The ending of this in-between, or this transition, and the beginning of a world where you won't have to hide your face in public."

  "See, that's what troubles me. A normal day has a normal Saul filled with worries, showing a brave face; a big day has a Saul with big worries, but this Saul has none- he walks when he'd rather jump!"

  "Ah, but I do have one worry. I worry that I won't be able to make you happy."

  Anna poked his side. "Fun-foolish ?adar. You should worry less about me, and more about whether you have clothes for traveling through the mountains."

  Saul nodded. "That is a concern of mine, but not for now. Now? Here? I'd much rather feel joy at seeing a plan come together."

  They walked for a bit in silence through the throng of soldiers preparing for an unknown threat. The mood in town was stressed, and rightfully so: the viscount himself came down; messengers rode out in the night for Carlisle, Monmouth, Woerden, and others for aid; and the new wave of people increased tensions with the old guard. All of this, combined with the removal of Fiadh from a leadership role, left the soldiers riled up and not much holding them back from speaking their minds.

  Anna took Saul's hand through the mess, until they passed the town filled with support staff, and their steps landed on the flame-forgotten grasses.

  There was barely a whisper of flame; it reminded Anna of a bird in a storm, getting battered by gusts as it tried to stay afloat. Anna felt a bit like that bird in this moment, flying against the wind.

  She glanced up at Saul, who was walking beside her with light steps.

  Saul noticed- because of course, he always noticed- and raised an eyebrow. "You're quiet, Anna. Would that I could read thoughts as you do mine."

  "If you could, you'd see how many times a day I want to poke you."

  Saul chuckled. "Is it a lot?"

  Anna poked him. "Many, many times."

  Saul laughed, then sighed. "What troubles you, Anna?"

  Anna stopped and looked at him.

  "I'm coming with you. You know that, right?"

  "Anna..." How so much emotion could be crammed into one word, Anna would never know.

  Saul wasn't only happy anymore, though. She could feel him clench beneath his kindling.

  "I mean it. I'm coming with you. You need someone to speak Demonic to the other hunters, and someone to cover your back. I can be that person."

  "Anna, please be reasonable. This will not be a pleasant trip; we will spend up to a week in the mountains, and more on the other side. Past the mountain pass, a moment's lapse could mean discovery, if not worse; that means smokeless camps, light rationing, and constant vigilance."

  "So many new words for 'this will be hard, cold, hungry, and quiet.' I've been through worse. You remember where you found me?"

  "Would that I could forget."

  "Then I will repeat myself: I've been through worse."

  "Anna..."

  "Saul. This is what you want to be your last. I hear you; I can feel your peace- and it's the kind that drowns out your worries. You ask for me to sit in safety while you walk past the horizon, but I will not listen. You will not have peace while I live and breathe; I will not let you."

  Saul didn't speak for a moment, and just looked at her as she stared defiantly at him.

  "I've been mistaken... I thought I've been traveling with a child, when all along, she's been growing beside me."

  Anna's shoulders loosened. "You'll listen to reason, then?"

  Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

  "I still think this is foolish. You have your whole life ahead of you-"

  "My whole life, to spend as I wish."

  "...You're serious about this."

  "If you could feel my thoughts, you would see there's no doubt in my mind."

  Saul sighed. "Then I'll allow it- however! Hiday?t has the last say, alright?"

  Anna smiled. "I'll allow it."

  Saul felt a shred of hope.

  ---

  "She's fine to go with you."

  And just like that, the hope was gone.

  "Could I ask for your reasoning?"

  "She's coming of age, has woodcraft experience from living with the sa??ard and you, as well as has a small size, to help with stealth. Her only lack is a the eyes of a ?ítta-or lynx, in your tongue- and that can be fixed quite easily. Also," Hiday?t nodded to her, "she chooses how she goes, whether it's to stay or go. That is the way of the sa??ard since before I was born, and that's how it will stay."

  Anna grinned triumphantly. "?adar knows best, as I always say."

  Hiday?t frowned at her flippant response. "Anna, while I'll let you join them on this, don't mistake me; this will be a very difficult journey. I ask that you treat this with the respect it's due."

  Anna sobered up. "Yes, ?adar."

  Hiday?t nodded and turned to Saul. "I'll ask for volunteers from my best hunters to join you both, and I'll tell them to look for ?íttan on the way out, before the mountains."

  "We'll be ready when they are."

  A solemn Hiday?t walked to other fires while Saul and Anna went to chat with Anna's friends. At the news, K?nül was wowed, ?hm?d was jealous, and Saida was worried, but after assurances that they'll be back in two months or so, they turned to chatting about the new humans and Hiday?t's gift of food yesterday.

  When Hiday?t returned to them, he had two demons in tow, a male and female demon in open front leather vests, leather pants and no shoes.

  The first was named Cavad. He seemed to be Hiday?t's height, with the only apparent changes being claws on his fingers and two different eyes: one human eye and one cat's eye.

  The second was named ?rad?. She was closer to Saul's height, if not slightly shorter, with dark fur covering her legs, arms, and chest- it peeked out from her vest- and the same combination of eyes.

  Hiday?t gestured to both of them. "These were the two ?arc?aban that volunteered for your journey; ?rad? is known for her stealth, and Cavad is one of our finest warriors."

  Cavad was the first to speak, expressing his respect for Saul as "the human that crossed borders," and swore to protect them until they reached their destination. ?rad? didn't seem to be talkative- although, after Anna spoke with her a bit, ?rad? admitted that the reason she joined was because she saw Saul's magic from the front lines, and she wanted to see something like that again.

  Saul turned to Hiday?t after a round of introductions. He was about to express his thanks, when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

  "Please, no thanks is necessary," Hiday?t said. "Instead, I encourage you to put your energy towards a plan that has you and your people coming home safely. I'll see to getting all four of you clothing and food for the cold."

  They spent the next hour getting ready for their journey. Hiday?t managed to procure wapiti leather clothing for all four, which consisted of two layers: An inside layer with the fur side on the inside, and an exterior layer with another layer of fur on the outside. ?rad? only wore the outside layer, because her fur would keep the inside warm.

  For food, Hiday?t had a surprising amount of jerky prepared, along with pouches of wild nuts. When Saul asked him about it, he smiled sheepishly, responding, "Let's say I live life being careful, yeah?" He didn't comment further on it.

  Finally, all outfitted and ready for the trip, they set off to the north, passing by the fort before heading into the treeline. They found a game trail and made good time, with Saul taking the lead, then Anna, then the two demons holding up the rear.

  Cavad spoke quietly with ?rad? in demonic for most of the first afternoon, but when Saul asked Anna about it, she shrugged. "Some people like to speak, and he's not doing more than speaking his thoughts; I imagine he'll be quieter once we start moving though land that the ?a?s?as-?u?s? could be in."

  Saul nodded, and didn't think much more of it until they made camp.

  Their campsite was in a small cavern they discovered in the side of a hill, with some signs of use, but not recently (?rad? said this was a place of rest for bears during winter). Cavad took to making most of the preparations for the campfire, and even took out a small copper teapot which he used to brew single cups of tea for the group.

  As they sat down for the night, Anna volunteered to translate for Cavad when he asked to speak with Saul.

  "?adar, you seem to be strong. Do you have any lessons for us?" Cavad's smile was with more teeth than Anna's; he seemed to be out of practice.

  "My only lesson is to be ready for plans to change. For you and ?rad?, this will be simple, but, depending on how close they are to the mountain pass, you may need to be silent while we travel through the pass."

  Cavad laughed. "I will not mind. The pass is too cold for talking."

  ?rad? chipped in. "If only that was true; you'd talk in your sleep if someone could listen."

  Anna rose her brow. "Saul talks in his sleep. I think it's to remind himself to be serious."

  "He already speaks so little!" Cavad remarked. "Would that he spoke more, we could learn from him."

  ?rad? shook her head. "Your obsession with elders and lessons will give you grey hairs before your ten-by-seventh ?u?t-at."

  "Better to be wise and gray than foolish. I'd rather live till my ten-by-tenth than prowl the horizon at my ten-by-fifth."

  ?rad? bared her fangs, but Cavad felt she didn't mean it. "Hiday?t said a life with no memories is a life without flavor. How's that ?adar's lesson for you?"

  "It moved my steps here, didn't it?"

  Cavad and ?rad? traded barbs, but they weren't heated; it seemed that words meant even less when most of the meaning of a phrase was wrapped up in what the speaker was feeling. It was quite confusing to a man that couldn't see emotions without looking through his mana.

  After a round of tea and banter, they settled down to rest. Anna volunteered for first watch, and ?rad? for the second, so Saul laid down and closed his eyes, and settled down for a night with his new companions. He had a feeling they would be well acquainted by the time they would split up; whether that was in a week, or a month, well, only time would tell. These kinds of people would be good for Anna to know, Saul thought.

  With thoughts of a promising tomorrow, Saul fell asleep.