Chapter 29: Excursion

True to their word, the trio set out at first light. It was another freezing morning. Clear, bright, and harsh. The icy snow crunched under Ann’s paws as they made their way northwest by the sun.

They spent most of the morning talking about what Kat had been up to. General Polaris had her going over reports of troop movements, Warped activity in the region, supply levels and other incredibly boring statistics according to Kat.

On the lunch break, which really meant pausing to pull out rations and keep walking, Bren broached the subject he’d clearly been holding back on.

“Annita, I really must ask about your time some more. I admit my curiosity has been eating at me,” he grinned a bit sheepishly, running a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, we’ve been dancing around that, haven’t we? Anything you want to start with?” Ann asked with a chuckle.

“Well, start with your normal day. We can learn a lot about someone by their routine. I would like to hear yours.”

“All right, but it’s pretty boring,” Ann sighed, thinking back. “I’d wake up at 8 a.m. I’m supposed to get up at 7:30 but I keep snoozing my alarm.”

“Pardon, snoozing an alarm?” Bren interjected.

“That was slang for turning off the little bell or sound that we used to wake us up. You just wanted to snooze a bit longer, so it got attributed to the action,” Annita explained. After Bren nodded, she continued. “Oh, and thank the Gods you all kept the timekeeping we did. Makes this so much easier. Anyway, after that I’d sit up and stare at my floor, trying to get the drive to stand up and start my day. My cat Pixel would always come over and demand pets, shoving her head into me until I gave her what she wanted.”

“From there I’d get into the shower, use it to wake up and clean up. I’d get out, get dressed, get on my makeup, say good morning to the other cat, Emeril. Then, I’d grab something quick to eat and head out the door around 9. I catch the bus, a form of public transport for people, and get to work. Once there, I’d check in, say hi to Megan and Todd, get some coffee to try to waste more time, then sit down and start answering calls on my computer.”

“What are…” Bren started.

Ann held up a hand. “Honestly, I could talk about what a computer is for a very long time. I guess we’ve got the time, but for now, just think of it as a magic book that can connect anyone and everything.”

Bren nodded. “It sounds incredible. These were common, then?”

“Yeah. Pretty much everyone had one. Some of them we made were as small as this.” Ann held up her hands to form the rough rectangle of a smartphone.

“Yer sure that wasn’t magic?” Kat asked, joining the conversation.

“Yeah. It was all electricity tricking rocks into thinking. Fuck, it might as well have been,” Ann sighed. “Anyway, I’d sit there in a chair for eight mind-numbing hours listening to people having problems with a product we provided to them and trying to help them. Honestly, I hated the fucking job. The only saving grace was being able to draw while I listened to people.” Ann sighed, a shiver that had nothing to do with the cold running through her. “So, I’d get done with that, clock out, catch the bus to a local produce store and grab things for dinner. Once I’m home, I say hi to the cats, start dinner, relax for a while, eat, do some more drawing and head to bed. On days I didn’t have work, I’d put more time in drawing, trying to get better and sell more of it. Like I said, I focused a lot on work, less on, well, living.”

“Interesting. And this was typical for your time? It sounds incredibly tedious to me. It seems similar to the job of a clerk or the like. I may be studious, but having to do that every day would wear on me,” Bren admitted.

“Yeah, pretty normal. It’s a desk job. There was a ton of other work you could do, but it usually involved either worse pay or a lot of physical labor, which I was not cut out for.”

“Hard tae believe, lookin’ at ye now,” Kat said, sidling up to the tall Lupine.

“Oh, you have no clue what I looked like, do you?” Ann realized. “Ok, so, I was five foot two, and I stressed the two inches. I had shoulder-length brown hair a shade brighter than yours, Kat. I was thin, with a little muscle on me, but not much. I wore glasses, had a weak chin. I didn’t look anything like this,” Ann described, waving a hand in front of her face. “Really, the only thing I seem to have kept was my eye colour.”

“That really is quite the, um, transformation, I guess would be the best descriptor,” Bren agreed. “Well, that is certainly eye opening, even if it is similar to some positions in our current time. Thank you. Next, we should talk about your civilization. Perhaps a different time. You seem to be slightly distracted,” Bren observed as he watched Annita closely.

He was right. Her mind was wandering back to her old life again. Old memories. Wonderful memories that hurt all the more because of how fond they were. Ann shook herself, ears flopping as she focused on the trail ahead of her.

“Yeah, I just get caught up in how different things are now. Two completely different lives. It’s a bit discordant when I really sit there and think about it. Not that I’m asking you to stop asking questions or being curious, to be clear,” Annita clarified. “It’s just tough being this singular existence in this world. You two are as close to family as I have here, and I’m dating one of you, so not sure that really counts.”

Kat gave a scoff of mock offence. “Even if we weren’t fuckin’ we’d still be lookin’ after ye. Kinda who I am, an’ I can bully Bren intae whatever.” She gave the man a cheeky grin, challenging him to argue with her.

Bren sighed. “She is correct. On both points. You are a singular person. It does not mean you are alone.”

“Thanks, both of you,” Ann reached out and pulled them into an awkward hug as they kept walking. “Sappy shit aside, we’re headed West right? Wasn’t that the direction toward that big strip of Seeds that forms the border?”

“Northwest,” Bren corrected her, “but yes. It is why Graven Keep is positioned there. A strong defensive point against any surges of Warped, or any scouts from Bortislav on the other side. The multiple purposes suit it well.”

“You said that the Alfhindur came from the West a long time ago, right?” Ann asked.

Kat nodded to confirm.

“They that much of a problem?”

“Oh, Aye. Bren knows the more political version o’ all o’ it, but fer us?” Kat gestured to her ears. “Much more personal. The Bortislav Empire are racist gobshites. Human supremacy all over the thrice accursed place. Anyone who’s not them is less than a person. Alfhindur got it the worst, merely fer bein’ so similar tae humans. They took it as an insult tae their race. My kind were slaves. Beaten intae the dirt and forced to work fer our ‘betters’,” Kat spat into the snow. “From the stories, I can’t imagine livin’ like it. Marked, ears clipped, workin’ in the mines an’ fields. Any Alf that showed a talent fer magic was either murdered on the spot, or drug off from their parents tae be used tae power whatever machinations the humans had. The other races didn’t have it much better. Thrundol ‘ad their tusks filed down an’ were punished if they let ‘em grow back. Indol were put tae work in factories. Small bodies fer small places. Dangerous work. What Bultrong were around were forced tae be clean shaven at all times. Men an’ women. Not really sure what tha’ was about, but it was their form o’ discrimination. And, tae be clear, the grudge is wit’ them. Humans ‘ere? Perfectly reasonable, kind, normal people.”

Ann watched as Kat explained the situation. The normally relaxed, kind person she was used to had hardened. Her muscled arms strained as her fists clenched.

“Thankfully, the dogma o’ the aristocratic blaggards didn’t affect all o’ them. There were sympathetic groups in tha Empire. Helped hide some o’ us. Then, once the time came tae get the feck out, they supplied us, gave us guides. Tha’ bein’ said they were a vast minority.”

“Same shit, different fucking millennium.” Ann cursed bitterly.

Bren’s ears twitched, a question clearly running through his head.

“Before you ask, yeah, I meant that,” Ann cut him off gently. “We had our own problems. Fucking pissed to know they haven’t gotten any better. My people, or at least my mom’s people, were fucked out of their own land. Settlers came in, invaded, took over, drove them into reservations, killed them, locked them up, indoctrinated the children. Not a great time. I mostly got my looks from my dad, so I got to avoid a lot of the discrimination that was still happening, even if it was less severe, but mom made a point of teaching us about our heritage. Shit, they were still digging up mass graves of kids under schools when I was alive.”

“Filth,” Bren muttered, his face darkening for the first time Annita could remember. “I can not condone anyone who would treat another with such disrespect for who they are.”

“We still held on to our name. The First Nations, Inuit, and other tribes. Our southern relatives in the Americas didn’t fare much better either. I could go on, but there’s a lot of pain in these words. None being mine, just generational. Dad was Swedish. Across an ocean. They’ve got their own history, but not really relevant here.”

“Aye. Feckin’ guess ye do understand, then. Not a great topic, but it’s what led the Alfhindur tae brave the Fertile Lands an’ make it tae Korvas. Since then, we’ve been thrivin’. Funny how shakin’ off oppressors can make so much o’ a difference.” Kat laughed darkly.

“So, they’re still a threat even now?” Ann asked.

“Unfortunately. Expansionist bastards ‘ave been tryin’ tae find a safe way through the Fertile Lands fer as long as I know. Fat chance wit’ the Warp bein’ what it is. Can protect yer people, but travelin’ through several major Seeds all at once? Ye’d ‘ave half yer army dead before ye even got tae yer destination. That many people gets… attention. Smaller parties can sneak through. It’s how the Alfhindur made it work, and why groups go intae Seeds tend tae limit their size. More people, more the blasted things’re willin’ tae throw at ‘em. Not sure why, but it’s how it works.”

“Weird. At least there’s that, uh, natural buffer? I guess that would be natural, now.” Ann said, grunting as she hopped over a large rock in her way. “If there’s no ocean to the West before the Fertile Lands, guess that means they’re pretty central to the continent. Depending on how big they are, probably the Rockies. Then the Pacific Ocean would be past there. Man, we’re pretty far north, though. Means we must be where Alberta used to be. Maybe the Northern Territories. You know, if the near apocalypse didn’t change the maps significantly. More things to bring up with Orenous.”

“Good tae have a Goddess ta ask about this shite,” Kat laughed.

“I am still wrapping my head around the fact we’ve met and spoken with her,” Bren sighed. “A real, honest to the Gods Goddess. And she seemingly knew us, too.”

“Yeah,” Ann agreed. “It was like that with me, too. Guess having the mind be part of her domain lets her peek in if she wants. At least she seems to keep what she knows to herself. Scares me that she could probably do a lot more.”

“Feck, didn’t even consider that,” Kat shuddered. “She better not ‘ave gotten in my girlfriend’s head. Or mine. Or Bren’s. Hear me?” Kat shouted as she shook her fist at the sky.

“I mean, to be fair, I don’t get that vibe from her? Yeah, she’s a Goddess and could be lying for all we know, but I feel like she’d think that’d spoil things. Am I making sense here?” Ann asked, exasperated at her inability to communicate exactly what she felt.

“The heart follows what it will. It should be free to love and lose as it will. Those are core tenets to the temple of Orenous,” Bren advised. “I agree that she does not seem the type to be controlling. Setting pieces in motion? Absolutely. Manipulating the outcome? Unlikely. She loves her children, as she called us, and seems to want the best for us. I do not currently see any reason to worry.”

“So, trust ‘er and keep movin’. Aye, best way tae handle it fer now.”

“Oh, speaking of trust,” Ann interjected. “Bren, I meant to ask you the other day, but our time together got cut short. You both know what my Path is, and I know Kat’s now. What is yours?”

“I suppose we should have spoken about that sooner,” Bren chuckled. “Several life and death situations do have a way of instilling trust. My Path isn’t that complicated. Scholar of Restoration. It appears that my natural inclination towards historical research and wishing to keep our Katlyn from harm manifested in such a way. I have several skills, mostly focused on healing and slight protection. In addition, some related to memory. I can memorise far more than the normal person, as long as I read the source. It is why I carry around my book, and take constant notes. If I simply see or hear something, it can be forgotten.”

“Interesting. A weird downside to the skill, but a good enough workaround even if it’s time consuming,” Ann said, mulling it over. “You and Kat sure do make a complementary pair though. Even without a more damage focused person, I bet you two could outlast quite a few opponents.”

“Aye. Twas the general strategy even when we ‘ad others. I’d piss off the thing we were fightin’, Bren’d keep me up, an’ whoever else was with us would do their job. Simple, but effective. Ye’ve seen a couple o’ me skills in action by now,” Kat said, pausing for a moment as she waded through some deeper snow. “I’ve got Reactive Defense. Let me use a bit o’ me unique resource, Tenacity, tae reduce the damage o’ a hit by twenty percent. Problem is I’ve gotta place the effect mentally. I feck it up, it doesn’t work. High skill, high reward. Stand Yer Ground is another I think ye’ve seen. Lets me take a hit that’d normally send me flyin’ an’ not move at all. Also got a taunt in there. Just called Provoke. Pretty common, actually. I just need tae insult whatever I’m usin’ it on an’ it activates. Then we’ve got the bigun. All In. Ye know that skill’s cost. Totals all the stats it takes an’ adds em up, plus thirty percent, inta a single strike. Leaves me completely useless after, but it hits hard.”

“Wow, that’s a solid setup for a defender. Feels like mine is all scattered comparatively,” Ann groused.

“If I may,” Bren interjected, “Some Paths can start off discordant. I have read records of many such that came together at a later point. Katlyn simply got lucky with her skills. I highly doubt a chosen warrior of a Goddess would be given a weak Path.” He placed a comforting hand on Ann’s bicep, squeezing gently.

A few more hours passed and after moving away from their camp to alleviate Ann’s growing libido, the three slept for the night. It was a restless time, and Ann woke up to the sound of small beasts scurrying through the snow and dead underbrush around them. She and Kat had decided to forgo the separate bedrolls, electing to get cosy together. Kat was more than happy to have the furry warmth of Ann’s tail wrapped around one of her thighs.

The next morning started slow. Both Annita and Kat were useless until Bren got some tea into them, grumbling all the while about sleep, and missing their bed. Knowing they were getting closer to their destination, they armoured up after a quick meal of salted pork and fruits. Time was of the essence, and their trek was set at a quick pace, even for them. All three were eager to get to the reported area of the large Warped and find who they hoped they could recruit as their new companion.

As they travelled, the woods grew denser. Spaces that allowed them all to pass began to force them closer, until they were walking mostly in single file. The wildlife was also growing more active, birds and smaller creatures rushing past without a care to being seen.

“Odd,” Bren observed, watching a deer with too many antlers dash by. “It is rare to see such a large migration of creatures.”

“Yeah.” Ann agreed, nervously placing her hands on her weapons. “Not a good sign either.”

After a couple more minutes of walking, the sun now blaring down on them directly, Ann paused again. “You hear that?”

“I hear that.” Bren hissed, tensing.

Rumbling echoed through the woods. The ground began to shake as something approached. Trees creaked and crashed as it rushed in their direction, and an eerie wail sounded out from beyond their sight.

“Feck,” Kat swore, drawing her weapons. “Looks like we’re meetin’ our target early.”

“Should we fight or attempt to escape?” Bren asked, drawing his wand.

“Woulda preferred tae have the caster wit’ us. Let’s see the thing. If we can take it, we fight. If not, we run. I’ll make the call after first engagement.”

“Gotcha,” Ann confirmed, sliding her helmet on and fastening her faceplate. Her voice was slightly muffled as she spoke. “Let’s see what horror it is this time.”