Kongol woke the next morning with an anxious heart. While he'd been able to stretch out and had slept remarkably well, he could not dispel the unsettling feeling in his chest. Coming to Mille Seseau had been shocking in more than one way, but even so high off the ground, on the second floor of the inn, he could feel that peculiar string of energy within the earth.

Early sun streamed through his window, and he rose to see Haschel still asleep in the bed across the room. Oddly, the old man wasn't snoring like usual. Reaching out with his mind, Kongol focused on the energy of the world around him, and although it was hard to focus on, he could almost feel the gentle pulses of Haschel's heartbeat from beneath the covers. The pace was elevated; either Haschel was dreaming about a fierce enemy, or he was awake and pretending to sleep.

With a light sigh, he bowed his head and prayed that Haschel would find peace.

He marched out of the room as quietly as he could before going downstairs to the small lobby. He had to bend his neck slightly to avoid hitting the ceiling, and after waving at Rose and Shana who sat at a small table, he left the inn and walked toward the forest.

With every step, he felt the peculiar instability of the earth beneath him. It felt as if a thousand jolts of electricity were shooting through it simultaneously, and he frowned to feel it. It was an irritating sensation, but there seemed to be little that he could do to stop it from leaping up his legs. As he approached a tall pine tree, he reached out and placed a palm on its rough bark. Then he closed his eyes and listened.

Even within the tree, strings of that tension rippled.

Kongol sighed and took several more steps into the forest. The trees were thick and vast, towering over him in a mighty fashion. He grinned to see it, but every moment, he was only reminded of the earth's agitation.

Upon reaching a young, bushy cedar, he paused to hear movement among the fallen needles. Searching between the branches, he spotted a black squirrel hopping along, and he grinned. Kneeling, he peered at it, but when his knee touched the ground, ripples of energy shot into his leg. He gasped, and the squirrel turned to face him. Then it leapt at him.

More quickly than he thought possible, he caught the squirrel mid-air, and his fingers easily closed around its tiny body. Immediately, it began to scratch and claw at him while wriggling vigorously in its attempt to escape. Blood began to drip down Kongol's hand as its tiny nails tore his skin, but he held fast and closed his eyes.

As he reached out with his mind, he felt the aggravated energy of the squirrel. Something had disturbed it, and Kongol could now sense the fierce terror dwelling in the beast's mind. Tentatively, he directed his own thoughts in the squirrel's direction and spoke.

"Be at peace," he said aloud. "There is no danger here."

The squirrel stopped squirming, and Kongol saw its eyes still wide with fear and its chest heaving with tiny breaths.

"Be at peace," he repeated, and the squirrel stared at him.

Slowly opening his hand, Kongol allowed the squirrel to move, and it watched him carefully for several seconds before leaping from his hand and climbing up a tree until it was out of sight.

He sighed in his frustration and then looked at his hand. The dozen cuts were stinging, and several drops of blood had stained the pine needles near his feet. Shaking his head, he knelt and touched the soft earth with his unmarred hand. Then he brushed aside the needles and dug his fingers into the cool soil.

Unlike the Suncrest Islands, there was nothing beneath him except soil and distant rock. Several ancient cracks ran through the endless, thick stone, but they hadn't moved in generations. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary in any direction for many miles other than the constant buzzing sensation that only served to irritate him further. Suddenly, he understood the vicious nature of the squirrel. Had this sensation been assaulting his mind for the past week, he may also have been angry enough to attack someone.

With a sigh, he headed back to the inn, eager to strike out on their course to find the boy named Teo.

Having communicated his encounter with the squirrel to the others over breakfast, Kongol concluded his tale, saying, "I am very worried about the state of the forest. That such a thing would occur… troubles me."

"Are we going to have to fight every piece of wildlife on our way around the country?" complained Meru.

"It seems at least possible," replied Albert with a thoughtful expression. "Perhaps in venturing to find Teo, we can uncover something else to guide us forward."

"It has to have something to do with Lloyd, right?" inserted Dart.

"I don't see how it could, but I can't imagine any other possibility," said Shana.

"We said the same thing about Emille," muttered Rose.

"And look how that turned out," said Haschel sourly.

Albert sighed and said, "Let us hope that we can end his schemes here and now before they escalate so much as they did in Tiberoa."

"We're better prepared this time, at least," said Rose.

"What do you mean?" asked Meru.

"Coming to Tiberoa didn't exactly have us all in the best of spirits," replied Haschel.

"Oh, right, with Dart and…" Meru glanced between Dart and Shana, hesitated, and then finished with, "the dragoon spirit."

"Yep, this time, we're all doing great!" exclaimed Haschel a little more loudly than was necessary. "Nobody has any problems, and we can just push forward without anything weighing us down." He slapped his knees and crossed his arms, and his feigned smile dissipated into a scowl.

At this statement, Kongol peered at his companions. The only one of them who seemed to believe Haschel's words was the king, who sat with a small smile as he likely considered the warm heart awaiting his return to Tiberoa. Dart and Shana shared an awkward glance, Haschel's face had set into a grim line, Rose appeared wary of speaking, and Meru fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. Despite all their best efforts, it was laid plain for Kongol that each of them was troubled about something.

"In that spirit," he said, rising tall despite the low ceiling, "let us venture into the forest to find Teo. I'm sure that he's terrified out there, surrounded by hostile wildlife. Maybe the journey itself will give us the peace that we seek."

"Seconded!" exclaimed Meru as she shot up onto her feet. "Let's go!" Then she charged out the door.

With a sigh, Dart stood slowly and began stacking empty plates on his own, starting with Meru's. Albert and Shana rose to join him, and Rose took off for her room, but Haschel remained seated with a sour look on his face. Kongol approached him and held out a hand.

"Perhaps peace will come with the journey," he said quietly.

Haschel watched him carefully as he tried to discern what the giant might know about his secrets. Then he took Kongol's hand and hoisted himself up.

"Do we know that peace is even possible?" said Haschel, almost to himself as he watched Dart walk off toward the kitchen. "Or is it something that we just… chase around for decades with it always out of our reach? Maybe peace is just a tease of the gods, egging us on until we collapse from exhaustion."

"I have felt this way," acknowledged Kongol. "But Albert taught me something valuable some weeks ago. He said that friends are those who come alongside you on your journeys and help carry your burdens. Since then, I have been able to share my burdens with my friends. Maybe…" He eyed Shana as she walked toward the stairs with her head low and brow furrowed. "Maybe peace is not what we think. Not a lack of trouble, but a means of working through it. Friends can help with that. Wouldn't you agree?"

Haschel frowned and rocked back and forth on his feet. "When did you wax so eloquent?"

"What do you mean?"

Haschel chuckled and shook his head. "Never mind," he dismissed before charging off toward the stairs. "Gotta go pack."

With a sigh, Kongol watched him go for a moment before following him up the stairs.

Within a half hour, the group had congregated outside the inn, and they bade farewell to Furni as they plunged into the forest.

"How are we supposed to find this kid?" asked Meru as she bounced along beside Kongol, rustling the needles with every step.

"Good question," said Dart. He stepped carefully over a fallen branch.

"I have considered this," inserted Kongol. "Maybe I can sense him… if we get close enough."

"And just how close do we have to get for your new magic to work?" asked Haschel.

Kongol ducked under a low-hanging bough and shrugged. "I haven't figured that out yet. Such precision is… elusive."

"What if we fanned out?" offered Albert from behind him. "Perhaps we could cover more ground and simply communicate when we find the beast."

"Communicate how?" asked Shana on his right.

"I suppose the same way Meru communicated her hunger last night."

"How did you do that?" inserted Dart.

Meru shrugged. "I just… wanted to tell you guys something. I was hungry."

"I've wanted to tell you all things before, too," said Dart, "and it never did anything."

"Rose, do you know?" asked Albert.

"As it happens…" began Rose. "I've… heard about it before. Someone once told me that as dragoon spirits come together, they learn to communicate with each other. We've experienced this before with various dangerous circumstances."

"I remember when Albert almost died to that virage," added Haschel. "Felt like I could feel his injuries for a minute."

Rose nodded. "Yes, or when Dart asked for help while fighting Lenus. Now that all seven are together, the communication becomes stronger… more direct. While transformed, maybe with a little practice, we should be able to speak to each other from any distance."

"Any distance?" exclaimed Meru.

Rose nodded again.

"But can we do this while not transformed?" asked Kongol, eager to get back on track.

"Yes, but it's a bit trickier. You have to focus, to have direct intent."

"Does that mean our thoughts just flit across all willy-nilly when we're transformed?" asked Haschel.

Rose chuckled. "No, thankfully. Intent is required either way. It just takes more effort in human form."

"Hey, we're not all humans here," mumbled Meru. Then laughing, she punched Kongol lightly on the arm. "We have a giganto, too!"

"Fair point," muttered Rose.

"Let's split up then, and cover more ground," redirected Kongol.

"Shouldn't we practice first?" said Dart with an anxious tone.

"Probably," agreed Rose, and they stopped and formed a rough circle.

For a short moment, there was a peaceful quiet around them. A soft wind touched the trees and ruffled them, and Kongol grinned. For now, he could ignore the rumbling energy beneath him.

"Everyone think of something you want to say," instructed Rose. "Then we can go around and try. I'll go first."

"Wait, does it have to be like… words?" asked Haschel. "Or just thoughts? Or what?"

"Think of what you felt with Meru last night. It's that kind of thing."

Haschel nodded skeptically.

Rose sighed in preparation, then stilled herself and looked pointedly at them. Almost instantly, Kongol felt a sensation of gratitude wash over him, followed by the smallest twinge of regret. Then the foreign feeling was gone.

"What was that for?" asked Shana with a smile.

"Just an example," diverted Rose with her eyes on the ground. "Someone else give it a try."

"Me next!" shouted Meru with her hand in the air. Then she closed her eyes, and a few seconds later, Kongol felt hunger once again, despite his full stomach. He laughed, and several others chuckled.

Next was Dart, who attempted an awkward greeting, though he could not hide the anxiety that leaked through with it. Shana's impression was quite similar – affection riddled with subtle layers of apprehension. Albert tried to diffuse a sensation of surety, and then Kongol one of confidence. At the end, Haschel put forth a measure of humor, but Kongol could feel a great sadness oozing out of him at the same time. He exchanged a concerned look with Shana, but Haschel changed the subject as soon as he could perceive his accomplishment.

"A successful experiment, I would say!" he exclaimed as he rubbed his hands together. "Shall we get on our way? We can all handle a feral squirrel, right?"

"I daresay we can," nodded Albert, who eyed Haschel along with the rest of them. "Let us reconvene by nightfall, if we do not find Teo before then."

"What if we get lost?" asked Meru with a small voice.

"Tell me, and I will find you," smiled Kongol.

Meru grinned. "I knew I liked you for a reason."

Somewhat hesitantly, the group dispersed through the trees to search. Kongol walked for some time while feeling through the earth for any abnormalities beyond that of the strange pulsing, but he found none. After a half hour, he frowned and sat on a short, rocky ridge that extended north to west in a slow curve. As he gazed east through the trees, he took several deep breaths and calmed himself. Then gripping the stone beneath him, he closed his eyes and focused.

He hadn't mentioned it to the others, but he believed that he would be the only one who could find Teo through any route other than happenstance. Perhaps Shana could sense Teo's unavoidable sickness, or maybe Albert his labored breaths. But the feeling of a child pressing against the earth was something that only Kongol could perceive without eyes.

His mind shot out in every direction, and he winced to feel the earth roiling in terrified… anticipation. Such a strange feeling… but there was no doubt. Something was coming that made the earth itself anxious. Kongol shook his head. As intriguing as this discovery might be, he could not get distracted. A child's life was at stake, and he was determined to save it.

The rocky structure beneath him offered itself for his inspection, but he restrained his inquiries to the surface. Every tree that dug its roots, every squirrel that buried a nut, every hoof that struck the soil – he could sense each of them. He grinned to notice Shana's and Haschel's unsure footsteps nearly a quarter mile to the north and northwest. Pushing farther, he frowned at the difficulty that arose with distance. Now a half mile from where he sat, his mind could only catch glimpses of what grew there. Frustration rose within; he was sure that he could sense rocks a full mile beneath him, and yet the earth's surface was forcing such difficulty.

Still, he focused. Brow furrowed, he strained to detect what he sought. Suddenly, it felt like too many anomalies were offering themselves for his inspection so that he could barely maintain his efforts. The pounding of a herd of deer, the ticking of spiders as they burrowed into the earth, and even the slithering of snakes kept him from his prize. But there, at last, he sensed something… movement of something not a creature, nearly hidden from his view by a large wall of rock.

Kongol homed in on this sensation, and though it was faint and indistinct, he thought that he could make out a child's frame upon the earth. Nearby were the four small paws of a beast, most likely Teo's wolfdog friend.

But then he noticed something much larger. The heavy footfalls of a great creature pounded along the earth only a quarter mile north, less than two hundred paces from Teo. With a sharp breath he realized how close they were to Shana.

Standing suddenly, he bolted through the woods and ran along the rocky ridge, all the while paying close attention to those footfalls. He approached them quickly, dodging this way and that between the trees, and within a minute, he beheld the creature responsible – an old, brown bear. On hearing Kongol, the beast turned and roared at him, a cry that would have terrified someone of shorter stature. Kongol drew himself up, but then he noticed movement on his left.

Shana stood there, glancing warily between the bear and Kongol. Upon noticing the less dangerous prey, the bear turned from Kongol and sprinted toward Shana's smaller frame.

In one swift movement, she readied her bow and arrow, but the bear was almost upon her. Kongol lurched forward and jumped, and he wrapped his arms around the bear and dragged it to the ground. It flailed and screeched and scratched, and Kongol stifled cries of pain as it ripped into his skin. Its jaws closed around his forearm, and he flinched, released the bear, and stood. He readied his mighty fist as he positioned himself between the beast and Shana.

The bear turned and growled at him before standing on his hind legs in intimidation. Kongol merely smirked; he was still taller. Then he lashed out with his fist and struck its head. Instantly, the bear collapsed with a heavy thud, unconscious.

"Wow," remarked Shana, slightly bewildered. She cast a light to the cuts along his arm and shoulders, and they healed over instantly. "I don't think I've ever seen someone wrestle a bear before."

"Happy to entertain," smiled Kongol.

"Have you had any luck finding Teo?"

Kongol nodded and waved at her to follow him, and the pair wandered west even as Kongol called out to the other dragoons with a feeling of success. He also tried to indicate where they were, but he wasn't so sure that they would be able to understand. Still, he had Shana with him, and that made him feel better as they approached a crook in a rocky outcrop.

This one towered high over Kongol's head, but his eyes were drawn to the base of it, where a small alcove harbored two small forms. A child lay huddled against the wall, and a young wolfdog was curled before him. Its youth was inconsequential, however, as its body was larger than Teo's. Kongol supposed that the beast's jaws could wrap around his forearm with ease.

Shana gasped, and the wolfdog snapped to attention. All at once, it was on all fours with ears forward, tail up, teeth bared, and hackles raised. A low growl issued forth as it took a warning step forward, and Kongol echoed, undeterred by the eighty-pound beast.

"Wait," said Shana, touching Kongol's arm lightly. "He's not trying to hurt Teo. He's protecting him."

"Maybe we can communicate with him," suggested Kongol as he took a step back.

The wolfdog relaxed, but only slightly. Though its teeth were no longer showing, it still stood forward, attentive and stiff. Kongol knelt, and the wolfdog growled in response, but stopped when Kongol no longer moved. Then the giganto reached out with his mind, as he had with the squirrel, and felt the chaotic energies swirling around within the wolfdog. Touching its mind, Kongol spoke aloud.

"We are not your enemies," he said. "We have come to help Teo."

The wolfdog's ears flicked back toward Teo for a second, and his high tail faltered.

"You care for him," continued Kongol. "As do we. We can help him. We can help you."

Kongol stood slowly, and the wolfdog took a step back and growled again. Then as Kongol stepped forward, the creature's posture changed. Its tail tucked and its head bowed low as it backed into the alcove, all the while baring its teeth.

"I will not hurt you or Teo. We want to help you."

Shana eased along behind him, and together they made slow progress forward while Kongol continued his efforts to calm the wolfdog. Holding out her hands, Shana began to issue a warm light that filled the alcove, and the wolfdog lay down with its ears pinned back. Averting its eyes, it bowed its head as they approached the boy.

"He's hurt," breathed Shana as she knelt by the young child. He was no older than Fa, and Kongol's heart ached to see the ravages along his left arm, no doubt inflicted by this very wolfdog. "These cuts are infected, and the infection has spread. I'm not sure I can heal him like this."

Even so, she made the attempt and bathed the child in healing light. For some time, she worked, and Kongol sat nearby, watching the wolfdog carefully. It had grown attentive to Shana's movements, but with more curiosity than aggression, and Kongol endeavored to reach his hand toward it.

Instantly, the wolfdog's ears pinned back and its body stiffened as it glared at him. Kongol retracted his hand and nodded.

"I will not bother you if you do not wish it," he whispered.

Footsteps approached, and Kongol turned to see Haschel, Dart, and Rose running toward them. The wolfdog leapt to its feet and prepared to intimidate once again, but Kongol jumped up and planted himself before the newcomers.

"They will not harm you, either," he said firmly. "They are with us."

"You found him?" inquired Dart.

Kongol nodded without looking as the wolfdog lowered its head and slowly lay down once more.

The light in the alcove faded, and Shana placed a hand on Teo's forehead and closed her eyes. After a moment, she shook her head in frustration.

"The infection isn't totally healed. He needs proper medicine," she said. "We should take him back to Furni."

"Good idea," muttered Haschel.

Kongol moved over to Shana, thanked her, and knelt to lift Teo off the ground. But as the others approached, the wolfdog suddenly barked and lunged toward them. With surprised eyes, Kongol watched Shana leap between them and strike the wolfdog with her bare fist, and it collapsed onto its side with a whimper.

"Good one, Shana," praised Haschel.

With the wolfdog incapacitated, the three came closer as Shana knelt by its side. Rustling and distant voices heralded the arrival of Albert and Meru as Shana placed another hand on the animal's chest.

"I can feel it," she said sadly. "The anger… frustration. The fear. He did what he thought was best to protect his friend. We can't leave him like this."

"We also can't take him back to Furni," Rose pointed out. "He'd just go wild again and attack someone else."

Shana sighed. "Let me try something." She closed her eyes, and a bright shine emanated from her hands and seeped into the wolfdog. Its skin and fur began to glow until the magic settled over its mind. It remained there for several seconds, and Shana frowned as if she was battling something fierce. Then a moment later, the light faded, and she opened her eyes and waited.

The wolfdog woke slowly and peered around at the gathering crowd.

"Is that Teo?" exclaimed Meru as she and Albert drew near, and the wolfdog's eyes snapped to her. For a moment, the group was tense, and Kongol drew one slow breath. Then its tail began to thump on the ground with cadence, and it slowly pushed to its feet and nuzzled into Shana.

Laughing, she began to pet the wolfdog, but it was soon discontent with one person's affection. It began to bound around the group, waiting before each of them and presenting its hind end for petting.

With a smile, Kongol reached his mind toward the wolfdog and was pleased to find that the irritation had vanished. The wolfdog had returned to its happy self that the mayor had described.

After taking several turns patting the happy pup, the group turned back toward Furni with joy, though Kongol's and Shana's were dampened by the fever exuded by the unconscious Teo. Several times, he asked Meru to cool the boy, and she happily surrounded him with chilled air to lower his body heat, but it always elevated again a few minutes later. It was with relief that they finally neared Furni and sent Meru and Haschel on ahead to alert the mayor.

"Thank you so much for saving my boy!" cried Teo's mother as she wept against Shana's shoulder. Then she snapped her head up and glanced around at the whole group with puffy, serious eyes. "All of you. You all saved him. You didn't have to, but you did anyway!"

"It was really no trouble," assured Dart awkwardly.

"Indeed, we came here to help," added Albert.

"We were happy to," smiled Shana, gently pushing the woman away from her. While she was normally happy to receive hugs, such emotion felt a little too weighty for her today.

"And Kamuy, too," grunted Teo's father as he petted the wolfdog. "He's been a good friend to Teo. We couldn't believe that he'd done something like that."

"He was just protecting his friend," said Kongol with his arms crossed. "He is a good pet, and he should not act out again."

"How long will you be in town?" asked Teo's mother. "Maybe we could thank you with dinner one night."

Dart shifted uncomfortably. "Oh, uh… Sadly, we're leaving today. We have to get on the road as soon as we can."

"Where are you headed?" asked the father, suddenly more invested in the conversation. "Are you taking the road north, or west? Through the forest or skirting it?"

"Um… We're headed to Neet first. So northeast, I guess."

"Oh, are you going there for the festival?" asked the mother.

"No, we will miss it by a few days," said Albert. "We will pay our respects and then head on our way."

"Taking the north road, then," considered the father. Shana exchanged an amused glance with Haschel. "When you go that way, watch out for wolves. I've heard there's a pack near the east coast that's been a bit more aggressive lately. And when you head west from Neet, make sure you don't take any turns. There are a couple intersections near the mountains that are a bit confusing. I think they posted signs sometime last year, and that should help. But folk have gone missing around there. They say there are fairies, some kind of magical creatures, that live in the forest where the Sander River flows from Lake Duskin."

"'Fairies'?" said Meru flatly. "Really?"

Albert shot her a chastising look and quickly inserted, "Thank you for the advice. We will be careful on our way."

"Will Teo be alright now?" asked Shana. "Do you have enough medicine?"

"Yes," nodded Teo's mother. "We have a wonderful healer here in Furni, and we had a good crop of herbs this summer. Teo will be just fine."

"Good."

Shana sighed in relief. Something inside her needed Teo to be okay.

"Is it alright if I say goodbye to him before we go?" she asked tentatively.

"Of course, my dear, anything you want," assured Teo's mother.

Shana turned to the others. "I'll meet you all outside?"

Dart nodded, bade farewell to the couple, and ushered everyone out the door. As they filed out, Shana knelt by the child's bed at the back of the small home and put a hand to Teo's forehead.

He slept peacefully as his body fought off the sickness. While touching him, she could sense every part of him that had been infected. His lungs, his heart, his liver, and his stomach had all grown inflamed, though Shana's magic had seemed to tame much of the irritation. They had calmed in response to her healing touch and the medicinal herbs that had been administered to him upon their arrival. Upon feeling the remnants of the infection, she tried to push some light into the deeper parts of his body, but it did not seem to respond as quickly as she'd hoped. She had a feeling that she would have to either transform or stay by Teo's side for several days to be able to fully clear it. And as it was, there was no time for that.

He would have to heal the rest of the way on his own.

Kamuy trotted over and sniffed at Shana's hand, and she smiled before scratching between his ears. He leaned into the attention, and she whispered to him.

"Thank you for a wonderful birthday gift. Thank you for protecting him."

Then with a sigh, she rose, said goodbye to Teo's parents, and left.

Dart and the others stood outside the house chatting, and as she approached, Dart straightened and drew back his shoulders.

"Alright, everyone," he announced. His claimed authority made Shana smile, especially as she recalled how far he'd come to be comfortable in such a role. "Let's take an hour to rest up and eat some lunch, and then we're headed north."

"Best watch out for the wolves and the fairies!" said Meru, showing her teeth and baring her claws in jest.

Haschel laughed, but Albert scowled and chastised her as the group began to disperse into the city. In the end, Dart stood before Shana with a smile, hand outstretched. She took it and sidled up to him as they began to walk toward the ocean.

"I like it that you're our leader now," she said quietly.

"I don't always feel like much of one," he replied. "But thanks."

"I don't think any leader always feels like one. But where are we going?"

Dart sighed. "I know you didn't want me to do anything for your birthday, but seeing as this might be the last time we're alone for a while, I wanted to do something. Even if I can't throw a big party with everyone there."

"You know, a big party actually sounds like fun, now that I think about it."

"Really? You tell me that now?"

Shana chuckled. "Just kidding. Sort of. Maybe next year, I can have a big party."

"I'll keep that in mind," smiled Dart. "But for now, it'll be a bit simpler. I asked around, and apparently there's a restaurant on the south side of Furni that everyone swears has the best crab. I'm not sure if that means anything, considering that this is the only town within thirty miles of here, but we're going to try it anyway."

"I don't really like crab, though…"

"Oh! Uh…" Dart thought for a moment in his panic. "We could go somewhere else, if you want?"

She laughed. "I'm teasing. Sorry, maybe that was mean. I love crab. And I love you. Having both at once sounds lovely."

He chuckled awkwardly and nodded. "Good. Then let's do it."

"Thank you for this," she said as she paused their walk to look at him. "Things have been a little… crazy lately. It'll be nice to slow down for a minute."

He grinned. "Glad I could make you happy."

"You always do," she replied with a smile.

Meru stood by the ocean as it wafted its chilly waves around her ankles. Occasionally, the water would splash against her calves and dampen her silky pants that she'd rolled up around her knees. The water was calm for this time of year, though she could sense its relative unease. She hadn't told the others, but even several miles out to sea while on the Queen Fury, she'd known that something was off here in Mille Seseau. Even the ocean itself could sense the surging earth.

This must have been the cause of Kamuy's aggression. He had been so gentle after Shana had healed him, and such a stark contrast was troubling. That the tension had affected even wildlife had set Meru's inner peace askew.

Even now beneath her feet, the sand grains trembled. To think that Kongol could feel the phenomenon so acutely – and worse, that Dart could – had left her even more deeply unsettled. But she had said nothing to them about it.

On the one hand, she was tired of lying to her friends about everything. On the other, she knew that she could never yield the truth.

For now, at least, she could take solace in the water.

It was a soothing feeling as it lapped at her. Eventually, she knelt and snatched a handful before setting it to hover before her. She stretched the liquid sphere until it became a tendril, and she danced it around her, directing it with deep contentment.

"I love magic," she whispered before casting the water back into the sea.

Her mind drifted north to her home, and she sighed. As hard as she endlessly tried, she could not dispel that nagging feeling that she should return. It had been several years, after all… Perhaps her parents would not cast her out so readily now. And maybe, they could even offer some wisdom about the anxious earth.

Footsteps approached behind her, soft and intentional. She did not turn but allowed the newcomer to mosey onto the beach and invade her space.

"You stole my spot," chuckled Haschel.

"And whoever said it was yours?" she returned with a grin.

"I claimed it. Last night. Say, aren't you cold out there? It's a bit chilly."

Meru turned and dug her bare feet into the sand as she walked over to join him.

"Oh, but I love the cold now," she said. "Makes it feel a bit more homey, don't you think?"

"I'll have to disagree with you on that."

"Then why didn't you bring a coat? Your arms are bare."

"Maybe I didn't want a coat."

"You just said it's too cold."

"No, I said it's chilly."

"That's the same thing!"

"No, it's not!"

"Just admit that you're cold!"

"Fine!" Haschel threw up his hands. "I'm cold, and I wish I had a coat, but I forgot it. Happy?"

Meru grinned. "Yes, thank you." Then she plopped into the sand.

As he joined her, Haschel asked, "So, why are you out here? Trying to wrestle with inner demons like the rest of us?"

"I thought we were all fine," she protested. "You said it yourself, just this morning." She puffed out her chest and deepened her voice. "We're all doing great! We don't have any issues at all! We're all perfect!"

Now Haschel changed his voice, turning it high-pitched as he mimicked her.

"I'm Meru, and I'm hungry all the time, and I just think everything is wonderful, which is what I tell myself to hide all my insecurities!"

"Now, that's just rude." She scowled.

"But it's also true, isn't it? You have problems just like the rest of us. So, what has you out here on the beach instead of with your friends? You're normally so eager for dining."

"I could ask you the same question."

"But I asked it first. So, I win. You have to answer me before you ask any more questions."

"Does that mean you'll answer me after?"

"Nope."

"That's not fair," whined Meru.

"Life's not fair," retorted Haschel.

She paused in surprise and watched him for a moment. She'd noticed his disappearance last night mere seconds after he'd left their group, and she'd been kind enough not to mention it to him, even after his peculiar communication through the dragoon spirits. But his harsh tone had betrayed him now; whatever he was trying to hide was bubbling just beneath the surface, threatening to erupt at any given moment.

"Okay, fine," conceded Meru. "If you must know… I'm thinking about visiting my parents, but I really don't want to."

"And why not? If we're in town, what is there to lose?"

"You don't know what happened. It's not as easy as just waltzing in and saying, 'Hi, I'm home!' I didn't leave on good terms."

"I see," he mumbled.

"What, no words of wisdom?" accused Meru. "No, 'You should go see your parents anyway because they miss you'?"

"If you would just give me a second, maybe I could come up with something."

"Fair enough."

And so, she waited. Placing her hand on the sand, she felt the water only a few inches beneath it. With simple pleasure, she drew it to her and watched with fascination as it saturated the sand grains and transformed them from a hard surface to a mushy plaything. With a wicked grin, she wondered if she could manage to trap someone in quicksand using this method. But she was brought back to her senses when Haschel spoke.

"You don't know what it's like…" he began quietly. "You're right, and I don't know what happened between you and your parents, but you don't know what it's like to have your daughter leave and just… not come home. It was my fault that Claire left. But even if it had been something horrible that she'd done that demanded her exile, I can't imagine having spent a single moment of my life not missing her. Whatever happened between you, and even if they seem angry if you go back, I can guarantee that they'll be thrilled to see that you're okay. That you're happy. That you're alive. They have to wonder. I know I did…"

He looked down and frowned as if he were trying to keep from saying any more, and the slightest glimmer of a tear shone in his eye. Quite amazed, Meru swallowed a lump in her throat and put a hand on Haschel's shoulder.

"What happened?" she asked gently. "This… you don't cry. Like ever."

Haschel sniffed, looked at her, and smiled as if he had just cracked a wise joke.

"Nothing!" he said. "Just trying to get you to do the right thing. You're a good friend, Meru. Least I can do is give some good advice." He punched her lightly on the shoulder and sprung to his feet. "So, when do you leave?"

Following his lead, she leapt up and smirked back. "Oh, I thought I'd just wander fifty miles north by myself through a forest that wants to see me dead. I'll leave tonight at midnight, when the wolves come out hungry for blood."

He gave her an unamused stare.

She laughed. "Just kidding. I'll wait until after Neet and then split when we get a bit closer."

"Where is your home, anyway?" asked Haschel as he turned toward Furni.

Skipping along next to him, she answered, "Up north, near the mountains. It's pretty far off the path, but if we head straight to Deningrad from Neet, that should save me a few miles of walking."

"And you don't want anyone coming with you?"

"Nope."

"It's a shame."

"Why?"

"I just… I'll miss you, that's all. You're like… a second daughter to me."

Meru's smiled widened, and she bounced a little higher on her next skip.

"I see. You want to meet the in-laws. Well, too bad, old man! They'd murder you and me both if they knew we were friends."

"Why's that?"

Meru shrugged. "What can I say? They don't like people."