My friend had a gravestone.

  Such a thing was still neat to me. Unique. Special. Even though I’d seen so many at the Crypt not too long ago, I knew the reality.

  Graves rarely were remembered for long. Especially amongst humans. It only took a handful of years for them to be forgotten half the time. And Witch… well…

  “Three hundred years…” I whispered the truth, and wondered what to think about it.

  Elaine had been nice enough to fill in some information that I lacked. Concerning time. My age. She had shown me her family tree, a blanket that had been sewn by her and many other family members over the years. A tapestry. It had the names and years of each member of her family tree, and I had been able to do the mental math and figure out how long ago I had killed Witch.

  Three hundred and thirty odd years.

  That was how long had passed since I had last been here. Since I had killed her. Since I had killed her out of mercy.

  It was strangely therapeutic. Because it told me I was older than I had thought. By quite a margin. I had nearly been almost fully grown by the time Witch had found me, and I had spent far longer with Witch than I had thought. Elaine and the rest had records, both written and oral, that told how I had spent dozens of years with Witch. Some of their legends even said I had spent over a hundred years with her. Although it was hard to imagine, I had no choice but to think it possible. Back then in my youth… I had not been the most observant of the passing of time.

  It was why I had failed so spectacularly at keeping a track of Lujic and Ginny’s ages. It was why I had gone out into the world, only to return to find Lujic old and on his death bed. I had not noticed the years pass as quickly as seasons.

  Odds are the only reason I haven’t still continued failing to notice the passing of time, was thanks to Vim. The Society and everyone in it. I was paying far more attention to the world around me thanks to everyone, and everything, so I noticed it more acutely. Otherwise… well… who knows how little I’d paid attention to the world around me.

  Honestly it was a little sad to think of all the years I had spent alone. Even though I could clearly remember all those years, those endless days alone, they still felt as if they were a blur. But not because I couldn’t remember them, but instead because nothing had happened during them.

  Walking through forests. Sitting alone by a campfire. Or huddled in a small grove as the snow fluttered past. Sometimes I would have been at a human village, doing all I could to blend in and learn what I could or simply enjoy life. Most of my memories of those years, outside of the time I had spent with Nory or the kids, were just of me traveling from one village to another. Taking my time, and doing my best to stay unnoticed and out of trouble.

  Lately the world has felt hectic. Full of life, people and action. But the reality was the world was calm and uneventful. I used to go years without any kind of chaos or drama. There had been times I had gone years and years without feeling panic or stressed simply because nothing had gone wrong.

  Not that there was anything wrong with such long years of normal, uneventful, life. In fact there was a certain joy to such years… but, well…

  “I’ve grown fond of my current life,” I admitted to my friend.

  When I thought of Witch, I did not think of her on her deathbed. I didn’t think of her natural colored eyes. I thought of her glowing orbs, brimming brightly as she smiled and taught me about the world. Or as we traveled, either helping people who needed help or hunting down one of those monarchs.

  She would have liked the Society. She would have joined it, to help it. She had been that type of person.

  She had given her life to help people. Used her powers to heal and save people, even at the cost of her own life.

  There was no doubt in my mind she would have wanted to help me and the Society. Those who needed help more than most.

  Though maybe she wouldn’t have been able to abandon her family. Her descendants. Her home.

  “I wonder if I would be able to,” I wondered as I thought of such a dilemma.

  Lilly had left her baby. To join me. Upon request of Vim. She had done it without hesitation, even though she has mentioned she wanted to leave soon. Though I wasn’t sure how much her urgency to leave was so she could return home, but instead so she could simply leave this human village.

  Could I do that?

  Could I leave behind my child? One just recently born? One not even able to walk yet, let alone talk or take care of themselves?

  It was a terrible thought. So daunting it made me almost queasy, as if I was sick… which was funny, since it wasn’t likely something I’d need to worry about anytime soon.

  Yet I couldn’t help but wonder about it. Especially now.

  After all… was I going to be able to leave this village?

  Glancing away from the stone, to look at the only building in the distance that was visible, I wondered if I’d be able to leave this place without worrying about it.

  Elaine was a little odd. Some of her answers to certain questions left me… questioning her. But not so much her loyalty, or trustworthiness, but instead her mind. She may be old. Too old, even for a saint.

  Cat was air-headed but a good soul. A good friend. Kind and able to find joy in the simplest things in life.

  And the rest of the villagers here, even the little I knew of them, were good people. Simple, hardworking, good people. The types to happily stay in their little village, hidden away in this forest… yet also the type of people to send their own out into the world beyond as to try and help it.

  No one here cared much for the world outside of it yet they had been willing to sacrifice their own to save it all the same.

  They were all the types that I probably would fall in love with if I stuck around here for too long.

  They all were. Even Elaine, as odd as she could be, was someone I knew I could spend a long time with.

  Though my own personal feelings about them, and this village, were obviously because of whom they were… or rather who they were descended from.

  “I miss you,” I whispered to my friend as I looked back to the grave.

  The grave was near a huge tree. One I didn’t remember existing when I was here last time. We weren’t near the buildings, and instead on a small hill. This little hill wasn’t far from the nearby lakes, but far enough I couldn’t smell them on the air. Not even on the breeze.

  It was a nice little spot. Though there were oddly no other graves nearby. Not even a hint of them. Had they not buried her children or husband near her…?

  Maybe she wasn’t buried here at all. Maybe this was not where she was buried, and this was just a symbolic thing. A reminder, nothing more.

  “Doesn’t matter,” I whispered as I stepped forward. I reached out and brushed off some browning leaves that had fallen onto the stone. It wasn’t as big, or as fancy, as the stones back at the Crypt… but it was more than just a slab of stone. Someone had carved some nice words into it, and little flower designs all around them.

  “Here lays a saint amongst saints,” I read the top few words, and wondered if that was a common phrase amongst such topics or not. It sounded special, yet not at the same time. As if it was just the first thing someone could think up on the spot, or something.

  Some noise drew my attention, so I turned as to watch a black and white spotted cat run up the hill. It darted towards me, turned before drawing too near, and then hurried up the tree nearby. It disappeared into the leaves and branches, and then reappeared a moment later as to settle down onto one of the thicker branches and glare down at me.

  It stared at me with familiar eyes, and I remembered what Cat had said about her namesake. That she had been named so because when she had been born all the cats in the village had come to sleep around her, it was so odd the name simply stuck.

  “How nice,” I whispered at the lovely namesake. It was so silly, so simple, that it made me jealous.

  I had been named without much thought. As had all of my siblings. In fact I wasn’t even aware why we had been named what we had been, or where my parents had even known of the names in the first place.

  The cat above me began to purr as I wondered what I’d name my own children.

  “Now that’s a smile if I’ve ever seen one.”

  I startled, and turned. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the cat on the branch hadn’t even blinked as I found Lilly standing next to me.

  “Learned his sneakiness too did you?” I asked as I shifted a little as my heart quickly calmed down. I hadn’t even heard her approach, or smelled her! The ground was slightly wet, and grassy with a lot of fallen leaves from the nearby tree. I should have heard her easily.

  Lilly smirked at me as she stepped closer, to stand beside me as to look down at the grave.

  “Saint of saints… I see,” she noted, understanding who was buried her. Or at least, whose memory was.

  “What’d you mean by smile?” I asked.

  “You had a huge smile on your face just now. What had you been staring at? The cat?” she asked as she glanced up to the tree.

  “Hm… no,” I shifted again, and felt the smile return. Did I want to say aloud what I’d been thinking about? It was kind of embarrassing.

  “Well… all the same. I’m glad you’re finally done latching onto that saint. I’ll admit she doesn’t seem to have any ill-intent but like always my gut is right,” Lilly said with a nod.

  “Your gut?”

  Lilly shrugged lightly. “She’s weird. Like all saints. She acts like she knows everything, yet makes assumptions and believes in things that are wrong or stupid. It annoys me, but honestly I like it when saints make such mistakes all the same,” she said.

  “What do you mean by that…?” I asked carefully.

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  “It lets me know that even though they have powers, and are somehow connected to the gods, they’re still human. Still normal. They’re not all knowing, even if they all seem to think they are,” Lilly said with a mischievous grin.

  I hummed as I nodded. I wasn’t sure if I agreed with Lilly’s happiness over that fact, but I did agree with her reasoning. Even I had noted several things Elaine had said that had seemed odd, or out of place.

  “She firmly believes every prophecy she sees comes to pass,” I noted.

  “She does. That proves she’s stupid. She herself has spoken of prophecies that didn’t come to pass, or did so differently than she saw. Like you showing up with Vim, earlier than now. But let her make that mistake. We can use that against her if we ever need to,” Lilly said calmly.

  My ears beneath my hat fluttered a bit, not liking the matter of fact way Lilly just admitted she was making plans for if Elaine and this village became our enemies. She wasn’t entirely wrong to do so, of course, but it still unsettled me how matter of fact she spoke about doing so… and how confident she was about it, too.

  “Vim would consider that too, wouldn’t he…?” I mumbled regretfully.

  “Hm… sadly I think Vim would let them live. They don’t seem to have any idea about us, or care to either. I’ve even traveled to the nearby village, the human one that Cat said sold their kids to nobles. The people there don’t even know about this one. They’re just a simple farming village there, barely any bigger than this one,” Lilly said, sounding regretful herself.

  “You went there?” I asked. When? I had just seen her this morning, not too long ago.

  “Yesterday. During the rain,” she said.

  Oh. That was why she had returned soaked. The rain had picked up last night, but had never grown strong enough to justify how wet Lilly had been. That was why then, she must have traveled a fair distance.

  “Would you like to leave tomorrow?” I asked her.

  Lilly glanced at me and frowned. “Here I thought you’d want to stay longer,” she said.

  “I do. But that’s exactly why. If I stay here any longer I may grow too attached,” I said as I glanced back to the stone.

  “Hm… can’t say I understand, but okay. Won’t hear me complain,” she said lightly.

  I nodded. “Vim would have smirked happily just now.”

  She chuckled. “I know that exact smirk, yes he would have.”

  “So… you’re okay with leaving though? I mean… do you want to question Elaine about anything else?” I asked. Honestly although Lilly had sat in with a few of our conversations, she had never really questioned Elaine. She usually just sat quietly, listening to us.

  “Yeah…? I think she’s just seen typical prophecies. She saw the monarch being born, or at least that’s what she believes she saw. She sees other random events, which she considers cataclysm but honestly they don’t seem like anything we need to worry about. A forest fire? Who cares they happen often,” Lilly said with a shrug.

  “What if your forest is in danger too?” I suggested.

  She shook her head. “I’d handle it. I’d protect it. And if I can’t do it, Vim will,” she said plainly.

  I blinked at that and wondered if that was her utter trust in Vim speaking… or the simple truth.

  Somehow I could believe that Vim could stop a forest fire. Though I wasn’t sure exactly how he’d accomplish it. It wasn’t like he could punch a fire away.

  Or… maybe he could…? When he had taken Tim’s head, back at the Crypt, had he not made a huge gust of wind in the process? It had shaken whole trees, ones as big as the ones around here. Maybe he could…

  “Plus… they like you. Too much to threaten you, at least anytime soon. Elaine nearly reveres you. That’s a scary thing, Renn. Be careful with that. Humans act strange with those they consider a higher power, or very important. Sometimes they do things that make no sense out of such loyalty and affection,” Lilly gently warned.

  I slowly nodded. “I’ve heard similar stories. From Vim, about those who worship us,” I said.

  “Good.”

  “How old are you, by the way?” I asked.

  “Hm…? Uh… well…” Lilly frowned as she went into thought, and then after a moment shook her head. “I have no idea.”

  I see. “Vim says you’re one of the oldest in the Society. Having been around since its inception,” I said.

  “Really…? Was I around in the beginning?” she asked herself more than me.

  I smiled at her. “How would I know, Lilly?”

  “Right… maybe I was? Celine and Vim found me. Or well, Celine did. Then Vim showed up. One of those mistaken prophecy things. She had foreseen Vim showing up earlier, saving more of us. She almost got us both killed because she had so firmly believed Vim would have shown up in time to save more than he did. Saints are stupid,” Lilly said with a smirk, remembering such a thing.

  I noted the information and slowly nodded, since I wasn’t sure what to say to that. She spoke as if…

  “Wait… you mean that in the sense that Vim showed up. Literally. As in showing up out of nowhere, not summoned or called for,” I said.

  Lilly nodded. “Yeah? That was the first time Celine met him too. I’ll have you know he trusted me over her even from the get-go, you know?” she said with a proud smile.

  I smiled back at that grin and nodded. He had told me he’s always trusted her, even when she was a snot-nosed brat as he called her. “On the way home would you tell me about her? Celine?” I asked.

  “Sure? Not much to tell you, though. I didn’t like her, Renn. She wasn’t just a saint she was also so annoying it made me sick. Plus… I mean… well…” Lilly shifted, and then sighed.

  “Hm?”

  “Celine tried to use Vim, Renn. Abuse him. I didn’t like that. Then she blamed me for certain things, banishing me from Telmik, so… well… I just didn’t get along with her. Especially at the end,” she admitted.

  I nodded slowly. “That’s okay. I’d still like to hear about her. To be honest all I’ve heard about her is from either Vim, or those like Randle. It’d be nice to hear about the woman from the viewpoint of someone who didn’t like her,” I said.

  “Are you saying Vim spoke about her the same way Randle does…?” Lilly asked with a weird look.

  Frowning, I shook my head. “No. Not at all. In fact he’s usually annoyed when I ask him about her. He’s told me too, that Celine had used him. He knows she tricked him, I guess. Though he doesn’t seem upset over it. Plus he doesn’t like saints, as you know, so,” I said with a small shrug.

  “Right… Well, I’ll tell you what I know then. I take it that means you were serious about us leaving tomorrow?” she asked, sounding a little excited.

  I nodded. It was time. I still had so much I wanted to ask Elaine, of course, but I knew it could wait. Or at least, what couldn’t wait was my need to leave.

  If I didn’t leave now I never would. And if I didn’t leave… well…

  I might lose Vim. The Society. If I stayed here. Not only was this village not a part of the Society, Vim had no desire or duty to protect this place. So if I stayed here he’d…

  Shifting a little, I frowned as I realized this place might work as a home. The place Vim and I had been talking about. A place to stay at, hidden away from the rest of the Society.

  Lilly knew about it, of course, but I wasn’t bothered by that. Lilly was trustworthy. Verily so.

  And…

  “Renn?” Lilly nudged me ever so slightly, and I frowned at her since she hadn’t asked anything. I had been lost in thought, but not so much I would have missed a question or something. Instead I had to glance down, following Lilly’s finger.

  I found the cat. The black and white one that had been sitting on the branch was now at our feet, rubbing against my legs.

  Cute. “Uh… this is neat,” I said as I stayed still.

  “Is it…? You’re a cat aren’t you? Should be common. I thought that was why they’ve all been watching you this whole time,” Lilly said.

  Glancing at Lilly, I wondered what she meant. “Watching me?”

  She nodded and shrugged. “All the cats here. They’ve been watching you. From a distance, I mean.”

  Really…? I glanced around, looking for more, but didn’t see any.

  I gave up on searching for more as I glanced back down at the cat. I grinned at it as the thing purred and rubbed against my shin, rather roughly too.

  Was this what it felt like…? It was really rubbing against me. Was it trying to leave a scent on me or something?

  “Why the odd smile? It’s just a cat,” Lilly asked.

  “Cats usually ignore me. Or run from me. They don’t like me, usually,” I said softly, afraid to speak too loudly and remind it I was here. Maybe it thought it was rubbing against Lilly’s legs.

  “Really…? Weird. Usually animals related to our bloodlines are attached to us. Windle and I always need to chase owls away back at home,” Lilly said.

  That was weird. But…

  Bending down slowly, I hesitated. I wanted to pet it. Or at least try to… but what if by trying it ran off? Or hissed and clawed at me? It’d not hurt, much, of course but it’d break my heart.

  Yet as my hand drew near, I felt a strange sense of relief as my hand reached the soft fur… and then began to pet it without any issues.

  The cat’s purring increased, and I had to take a deep breath to calm myself.

  I was petting a cat. One that was happily letting me do so, to boot.

  “Well uh… I feel like I should congratulate you or something. You okay Renn? You look like you’re about to cry,” Lilly asked gently as she watched me bend down, as to pet the cat with both hands.

  “I’m fine. I’m just… happy. I wonder why it’s not scared of me?” I wondered as I went to petting the cat under the chin. It seemed to love that, and sat down lazily as to enjoy the feeling.

  “Not sure…? It might just be made of sterner stuff. Animals can be as varied as us, after all.”

  I nodded. Yes.

  This cat must be bold. Strong. Fearless.

  I almost wished to keep it. To take it with me, and to breed it. Maybe help it have countless children, and make sure its children have many more… all so that I could spread its fearless blood all throughout the land. Maybe then I’d not be ignored by my own kind any longer if I did.

  The happy idea came and went as I enjoyed petting the cat, but eventually the happy moment had to inevitably come to an end. The cat slowly stopped purring and then stepped away, its tail twitching as it walked away from me.

  “Don’t be offended. That’s a typical cat, they get fickle and leave without a care,” Lilly said as she and I watched it walk away. It walked around Witch’s grave and then headed down the hill, slowly picking up pace as it left.

  I sighed and nodded as I stood back up. “Right. Fickle,” I said.

  “You don’t seem fickle.”

  I smiled at that. “I don’t think I am, no. In fact I don’t like it when people are so wishy-washy. It really annoys me,” I told her.

  “Oh…? Good. That’s a good trait to have. Makes sense though,” she said.

  “Makes sense…?”

  “About why you like Vim. He’s a lot of things… but fickle is not one of them. I don’t think that man has ever changed or broken his own convictions. Not willingly, at least,” Lilly said.

  Slowly nodding, I found myself a little shocked.

  She was right of course. Even though I’d not ever noticed.

  Was that one of the reasons I liked Vim so much? Because he was so steadfast? Because he never seemed to change…?

  It was more than just his personality. It was he himself. How many times have I said, or thought, that he would likely be the same no matter how many years passed?

  A thousand years could come and go, and Vim would be the exact same. In appearance and not.

  “I would like him to change a little, though,” I admitted.

  “Oh? How so?”

  “There’s a few things. Stuff like how he treats the Society… or his rules…” I listed a few of them.

  Lilly sighed. “Right? Don’t get me started.”

  “Plus I’d like it if he was a little more honest with himself,” I added.

  “Hm…?” Lilly gave me a raised eyebrow, so I smirked and nodded.

  Clasping my hands in front of her, as if I was grabbing something, I felt my smirk turn into a wry grin. “I wish he was more touchy-feely,” I said, using one of his little phrases.

  Lilly laughed, loudly enough that if the cat hadn’t already ran off it likely would have.

  Reaching over, I patted her on the arm as I stepped away from the grave. It was time I stopped being melancholic.

  “Here I’d thought he’d be insatiable! Now that’s funny!” Lilly said loudly as she followed.

  “I wish,” I said.

  Lilly’s laughs turned into happy giggles, and I found myself giggling with her. She had a wonderful laugh, it was a little singsong. Maybe because she was a bird?

  “I’ll say goodbye. Tonight. To Elaine and Cat,” I said, choosing to change topics just a tad.

  “If you don’t mind I’ll simply pack our bags while you do so,” Lilly said with a smile as her giggling stopped.

  “We’re already packed. You never unpacked,” I pointed out as we stepped down the hill.

  “That so?” Lilly frowned at me, which only made me smirk and nod.

  Right.

  Vim really had rubbed off on her. Not only had that smirk been the same one he normally used, it had been for the same reason he would have worn it. As if she was pretending to be him, but she had been completely serious.

  It was adorable in its own way… but also concerning.

  I’ll need to make sure our children don’t get as tainted… somehow.

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