Notes:

Expect much more exposition, worldbuilding, introduction of characters and interaction in this and the next few chapters. Things may get complex and uncomfortable, though expect little to no fighting or action. Consider this the uneasy, awkward calm before the storm.

Chapter 3: Welcome to Temeris

"And on Sundays I elude the eyes and hop the turbine freight…"Geddy Lee's voice kept me company as the pavement rushed by, a fitting song for my current task at hand. Headlights flooded the dark highway ahead as subtle vibrations were felt through the steering wheel; the muted growl of my chariot's engine carrying me forward through the twisting backroads of Colorado's Front Range. This was a trip I had undergone many times before, though the reasons for this one had been quite somber. Yet, out of somber occasions could emerge silver linings; my tribute to a fallen friend the roaring exhaust and sweeping corners we used to enjoy. It was an unusually clear, warm evening for mid November, and I was going to enjoy it to the fullest.

My feet danced on the pedals, rev-matching the engine as I downshifted my rally car for the next corner. Fresh sports tires kept the rare homologation special planted as I swept through the next turn; uprated suspension doing its job of keeping body roll to a minimum. I let out a breath; I felt alive. Not much could compare to the sensations I was experiencing, and the sheer act of blasting through a winding state highway at night chased a lot of the fears and concerns from my mind.

That was until Rush's Red Barchetta stopped and the familiar ring of my phone echoed through the speakers instead. I let off the gas pedal and brought my car down to a more reasonable speed before sparing a glance at the aftermarket head unit mounted into the center dash stack. It told me who was calling, and I knew exactly why I was dreading it. I let out a sigh and punched the button to pick up the call. "I'm here, Fi. Everything okay?"

Fiona's voice responded with a hint of frustration which would normally be a warning sign: an argument was imminent. "Adam, you were supposed to be home thirty minutes ago. Did you forget we had plans to go out with Max and Sarah to see Fantastic Beasts tonight? Where are you?"

I bit back a sigh. "Fi, Kevin's memorial service was today, remember? The one we held up in Grand Lake? I thought we discussed this; I wasn't going to the movie. I haven't seen Terry and Jake in over two months; we've already got plans tonight and tomorrow. You can stay at my place tonight, but I probably won't be back until late Sunday."

That frustrated tone intensified. "I made these plans two weeks ago. This was supposed to be a double-date for us; not you going out to gallivant with your car friends because you want to waste so much money on gas." I frowned. Here came the argument. "You're supposed to be saving money for our future, not spending it on this car obsession. You know I get uncomfortable with your friends and their projects. You need to sell that Supra you've got in the garage instead of restoring it. That, the Celica and the old truck you have would give you a down payment on a bigger house up north. You know I want to live closer to my parents if I start living with you, and the school districts are better up there."

I didn't respond for a few moments, slicing through another corner. Conflict welled up inside of me. Relationships, especially serious ones, weren't something that happened for me very often; it was obvious Fi wanted me around for the long haul. Yet I knew what she expected: White picket fences, a large house complete with a draconian HOA and the massive mortgage that came along with it. She wanted a big SUV and a minivan instead of her sedan and my collection of vintage sports cars, compact SUV, and a hand-me-down truck. She wanted me to start camping on the weekends, agree to have two or three children and be on board with active community involvement. I may have been willing to compromise on a few of the issues, but her dreams relied in large part on my effort and sacrifice. I had been willing to see if compromise would eventually win over, but at this point I doubted it. Not after a year; frankly the longest stretch of time I had dated anyone by far.

"Fi, you're forgetting that most of these goals of yours depend on me altering my life and letting you slot into the lifestyle you want. I've got a decent job. I spent an inheritance wisely and bought a house along with my cars. I might be into car projects but it's a hobby, Fi. Frankly, half this relationship has been spent changing my plans, ignoring my friends, and leaving that car half-built in the garage because you didn't want me spending my money on it. I do this because it makes me happy, hon. And frankly, a tank and a half of gas for this car costs less than movie tickets and dinner at Marshall's Filmhouse. That is if you don't offer to pay for your friends out of my pocket, and if they don't drink. Do you really think that's equal play?" I was pretty sure I let some of my exasperation slip, though after today I found that a part of me just didn't give a damn anymore.

"Adam, they're our friends! You know they're struggling, and I think it's a good thing to have shared experiences. They look forward to spending time with us. Max and Sarah just got a two-bedroom apartment so they can have room for the baby they're planning for next year. It's a good gesture to them." Fi's voice wasn't raised, but I could tell she was exasperated.

Unfortunately for her, so was I. "And it's a good gesture to Kevin to get his engine built and in his car. Frankly, honoring his memory is higher up my priority list than showing Max and Sarah a good time." Fi was about to respond, but I steamrolled over her as I downshifted to pass a slower-moving RV on a clear stretch of road; my Celica's turbocharged engine roaring in my ears as I rocketed past the tourist. "They're more your friends than mine. They do artwork and staff the local furcon. I don't draw, and frankly they don't understand that I'd rather spend my money keeping my classic cars on the road than getting a fursuit so we can do events together."

"And maybe if you owned cars that weren't older than I am you'd have the money to put into these kinds of hobbies as well as save for our future." Fi sighed. "Look, I know Kevin was your friend but you're taking his death too hard. You need to live your life for you, and not the life he wasted for him. We've got a future together. Don't you want to have this future?"

I would have sighed and closed my eyes, but I was already cooking far too hot along a curvy backroad and my frustration was adding to the fire. I had a decision to make; one that would change my future. Was I willing to have that future with her; one that would basically alienate my friendships and bring all my hard work to an end? Or would I stand my ground at the cost of my relationship? Should I choose to value the emotional investment in Fiona or my temporal, financial, and sentimental investment in my hobbies and friends? I had a few Rubicon moments in my life; I might have made some questionable decisions but my gut never steered me wrong.

"No, Fi." I cast the die. "Actually, I don't." I could have heard a pin drop on the other end, despite the growling of the exhaust. "I don't want a bigger house; I don't want to replace this GT-Four and my Supra for a minivan. I don't want children or better school districts. As much as I hate to say this, I would rather trade it in on what I'm doing now. You feel you're entitled to this lifestyle; you get the trappings you want and I get to make the sacrifices. That's not how it works, and I'm not going to derail my life goals just to let you slide right into yours."

There was no response for nearly a minute. When Fiona responded, she sounded shocked or nearly in tears. "Are you saying you want to end things? You would rather be single with your goddamn cars than have a decent, normal life? Is that what you really want, Adam?"

"I told you when we started dating that I had my own way of doing things, Fi. Maybe I've been too complacent, but maybe I've also been lax in communicating my wants and needs. This can't be all about you; not when it looks like we want completely different things out of life. I'm not going to break up with you over the phone. I just think that we need to have a very candid discussion of what we want out of life and how we fit into each others' plans. All I can say is that I hope you enjoy the movie; I'll be back home on Sunday evening." I was frustrated enough to end the call and cut the bluetooth connection. I could hear the phone vibrations coming through; she was trying to call me back. I simply ignored them; I had many more miles to go and a lot of work to do when I got to my destination.

I knew the relationship was over; I had pretty much pissed her off to the point that there was no salvaging it. I wasn't sure I was being fair to her; at the same time I just didn't care anymore. I downshifted and shot forward into the night; intent on taking the conversation off my mind and making up time. Cody Jinks' voice had replaced Geddy Lee's; providing words to my state of mind as I opened up the throttle on my 3SGTE. "I've been standing on the outside for all of my life; but I like the view, I'm not gonna lie…"

I wasn't even sure how long it took me to realize I was dreaming. Consciousness was a fuzzy concept for me at that point; a swirl of colors and sensations. Pain, falling, tingling, cold and finally a disconnected sensation of softness and warmth seemed to flow into each other. What little I had seen was blurry and chaotic; interspersed with memories from my past. Unfortunately those were usually the bad ones. Kevin's death and my subsequent breakup with Fi wasn't something I wanted to dredge up. Ironically, out of the memories that had danced through my head breaking up with Fi had been one of the better ones. At least that one ended with an empty house and the requisite spare time necessary to get my car running.

The upside was that I figured I wasn't dead. Cogito, ergo sum. I started feeling things. The warmth of sunlight, for example, and the softness of a nice bed. A gentle breeze tickling my face. The muted, distant sounds of wildlife and what sounded like people going about their daily business. Somehow I doubted this was the afterlife.

My eyes slowly opened; a blurry combination of browns and blues eventually blinked away to come into focus. I was staring at a wooden ceiling of simple construction yet masterfully put together; part of a small room that looked like a living area. It wasn't much larger than the spare bedroom of my modest house; one I had turned into an office after I moved in several years ago. A round table had been tucked into a corner, surrounded by a few chairs. The floor was wooden, but was significantly rougher than the polished hardwood of my home. An open doorway was right across from where I lay; it opened into what looked like a tiny kitchen, owing to the cooking utensils and a clay contraption that was probably a stove. Once again it was very simple construction but also crafted with care and consideration.

A door off to my left was closed, but the adjacent window promised blue skies and daylight. It was hinged open, allowing that gentle breeze to waft in. Overall it was pleasant enough for me to not immediately want to get up. What I had thought was a luxury mattress was an impossibly soft pile of fur hides; it wasn't memory foam but it was definitely more comfortable than what I usually slept on by a significant margin. I was covered by a fur blanket, which was starting to get a little uncomfortably warm. I winced as I moved my left arm; a deep-seated ache radiating from my tricep as I swept the blanket off.

"Damn it." I sighed; not only at the pain but by a significant lack of dress. Apparently Krystal or someone else had seen fit to remove my clothes and not set out the spares I had in my backpack. Instead, I was dressed only in what looked like a skirt; similar to what Krystal wore though at least it covered more than a loincloth. I was about as self-conscious as it got, so hanging my ass out into the wind wasn't something I looked forward to. A quick scan of the room didn't reveal my backpack, clothes, or jacket; I didn't see the shotgun or the Glock anywhere, either. That concerned me.

Bandages were wrapped around my upper arm. They looked neat and professional; like I had been meticulously looked after by a trauma nurse. I didn't notice any blood spotting through so I had likely been out for a while. Mindful of my injury and my pretty much undressed state I managed to get to my feet. I wasn't sure where to start; the small house seemed pretty much completely empty. The entrance to another room off to my right beckoned and I poked my head inside.

This was a bedroom of some sort; oddly enough I caught the faint scent of cinnamon and something earthy mixed with floral undertones not dissimilar to lilac. The pile of furs was large; it took up nearly the entire room and easily matched a king-sized bed. I blinked at that; even if this was Krystal's place and she was married or something I couldn't see the need for a bed large enough to comfortably fit at least four or five exceptionally friendly people. An alcove off to the left caught my attention, with what looked like several sets of personal items. Two staffs of similar construction to Krystal's(yet much less ornately decorated) leaned against the wall along with a incongruous mixture of equipment including an ultra-modern looking yet weathered backpack which sat amongst spare clothing and simple items. I didn't see anything of mine sitting there, and if my weapons had been present I would have probably seen the shotgun propped up against the wall.

I did see something hanging up on the door; something which was unmistakably mine. A pendant hung on a simple leather cord; a disc of pewter about an inch in diameter and carved with an ornate series of runes. The Ægishjálmr pendant a close friend had given me a couple of years ago was an old Viking symbol of protection and power; they were really into Norse mythology and worshipped the pantheon which included Thor and Odin. Something happened as I picked it up, however; the pendant felt warmer to the touch than it had any right to be. My head felt a little less fuzzy as I slipped it on; I arched an eyebrow at that. The pendant was a link to my home as well as my past and I didn't feel comfortable leaving it there.

The creak of floorboards behind me announced the presence of someone else. My heart jumped a little bit as I wasn't even remotely decent. It was probably Krystal anyway, but I felt embarrassed as hell to be dressed like this. I turned around to face her…

…and found myself looking at someone who was very much not Krystal. Another vixen stood there; her fur a far more typical reddish-russet instead of Krystal's cerulean. Her markings were also far more typical of an actual fox; black-tipped ears, the black 'mustache' curls that occurred along the natural blend of her muzzle and the obsidian 'gloves and socks' which extended up to her forearms and her calves. The tip of her twitching tail was white, separated from her primary fur coloration by a black ring. She possessed the same white throat and chest pattern as Krystal, but that was about the only similarity. She was built differently as well; she stood a couple of inches shorter and was a bit more curvaceous in comparison to the Cerinian's athletic, toned frame. Auburn hair hung down to her shoulders; not deliberately styled yet not unkempt by any means. Her dress was similar to what Krystal wore; a slightly decorated skirt preserved her modesty as well as a simple cloth top; she also wore a couple of equipment pouches on a belt that looked to be of much more modern manufacture than her clothing. One could have accused her of cosplaying as Krystal, though she lacked her 'tattoo' markings.

Pale blue eyes regarded me as I had regarded her, a soft gasp exiting her lips a split second after I had turned around. When she spoke her voice lacked Krystal's prim, proper London accent; if anything she sounded like she was from Dublin. "I am glad to see you are awake. I hope I didn't disturb you." She must have noticed my dumbfounded look, which probably grew a fair bit as she reached out to take my hand. "My name is Kalene; I'm Krystal's sister and the healer for Clan Sallas. You were wounded with a poisoned blade; Krystal and her Cloudrunner friend managed to bring you here."

I was a bit confused as to what to do, so I shook her hand. Like Krystal, her fur was soft and pleasantly warm. It was Kalene's turn to look confused, though I was already starting to introduce myself. "I'm Adam. Please excuse my, well, state of dress; I assume my clothes are a lost cause. I take it you're the one who helped me back to health?" A nagging voice at the back of my mind doubted she was Krystal's sister, at least biologically; even not taking their difference in fur colors into account they still looked significantly different.

"Aye. You were nearly dead when Krystal brought you in." Kalene's expression saddened for a moment. "She said you saved her from the clutches of a Kamerian warrior who tried to ambush the both of you. Their poison is difficult to counteract, even with Lylatian medical technology." The name didn't sound familiar. What was a Kamerian? "My family owes you a great debt, Adam. Thank you for keeping an eye out for my sister. You saved her life." I wasn't prepared to be swept up into a hug; soft arms wrapping behind my back and the unfamiliar sensation of being bathed in silken fur lasted a brief moment. I felt her muzzle nose against my neck, a gentle puff of air against my skin as I felt more than her heard her sniffing against me. Neither of us was wearing much of anything, so while the sensation was physically comfortable and admittedly alluring I wasn't really mentally comfortable with it. I returned the impromptu hug with an awkward pat on her back before pulling away.

"Uhm… just doing what anyone else would do, given the situation. One good turn deserves another, that kind of thing." I mean, Kalene looked friendly enough but I wasn't really into hugs; especially when I was basically stripped to my skivvies and I'd known her all of thirty seconds. Things were already awkward enough. "Could I ask you a few questions?" I was shaky on my feet so I decided that sitting down at the table was best. Kalene followed suit; nodding at me as if to start my inquiry. "I'll try not to flood you with them, but I'm obviously very new here. For starters, is Krystal okay? She got shot in the palace and was bleeding pretty badly." I was surprised that she was able to get me out of there.

"She is okay, though she has been placed on light duty until she has recovered." Kalene smiled, nodding to me. "I would suggest you also take a few days to rest before you start exploring Temeris. You might feel somewhat weak as the last of the antivenom works its way through your system; that is normal." The red-furred vixen reached for one of the pouches on her belt; a moment later coming up with something that looked similar to my phone. "With your permission, may I do a medical scan to check on your wounds?"

I nodded. She reached out to take my hand; despite my slight discomfort I couldn't help but marvel at how soft and warm her touch was. With the utmost gentleness she rotated my palm upwards and pressed my hand against the device's screen. The equipment emitted a muted hum as she held it there. I tried to keep most of my focus off of my vulpine caretaker's touch, though other than a soft smile on her muzzle she didn't treat this as anything out of the ordinary. The silence was growing a bit awkward, and I hadn't finished with my inquiries anyway. "I had a question. Even taking your different fur color into account you don't look much like Krystal. I assume you're not her biological sister?"

Kalene shook her head. "Nae. I was born on Papetoon, the Vulpine homeworld of the Lylat System. My parents were sociologists whose studies heavily centered on Cerinia; I grew up speaking both languages and was practically raised on Cerinia." She glanced away for a moment, her voice becoming wistful as she continued. "I was nine cycles of age when my parents were killed in a landspeeder accident. They were good friends with Krystal's parents and as I did not have any close family in Lylat they took me in. Elder Kael tried to stop them on the basis that I was an outsider, but as the leaders of Clan Sallas they overrode his decree." She glanced back to me, her smile still present but a little sadder than before.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kalene." I wasn't sure what else to say. My parents were still alive, but I could only imagine how awful that felt. I was pretty abysmal at understanding body language when it came to humans, let alone anthropomorphic vixens, but for some reason I somehow knew that the sadness in her eyes stemmed from something significantly deeper. "Loss is something that never truly goes away." I wasn't sure why I said that, but it was the voice of experience talking. My words accompanied a flash of memory; shared beers while Kevin and I tried to figure out the butchered wiring harness of his ST185.

I felt her fingers tighten around mine; I was a little concerned yet the gentleness behind her actions remained. It was blurring the line between professional and friendly, which made me slightly uncomfortable. When she spoke, her voice was soft and almost on the verge of choking. "You are not wrong." She took a shaky breath; an awkward yet emotional moment shared with someone I had known all of a couple of minutes. The awkwardness was broken by a soft beep and vibration from the device; the vixen casting a sheepish look in my direction before removing her hands from mine.

Kalene looked at the screen for a moment, a smile returning as she turned it towards me. I couldn't decipher any of it, other than a couple of graphs surrounded by symbols that must have been some kind of text readout. "You are recovering quite nicely. Your arm is healing very well and you should have full use of it in about a week. You are still feeling the residual effects from the Kamerian poison, but the antivenom will pass from your system soon. Luckily your biology is quite similar to a Lylatian Simian."

"Better than the alternative, at least." I closed my eyes for a moment, tilting my head back. "I figure you and your sister saved my life. That debt's going to go both ways." I opened my eyes then, taking a deep breath. "I don't know if Krystal told you this, but I don't know how I got here. I'm from a completely different world and I'm out of my element. I don't really understand any of your ways; hell, I'm way underdressed and I'm trying hard to not be embarrassed about it. That, and I have no idea how we are able to understand each other."

The vixen grinned; cutting off a chuckle before shaking her head. "It's traditional dress for Cerinian males. If you feel more comfortable in your own clothes, we may be able to get them back from the Temple. You will have to meet with Elder Kael at some point soon, anyway." She paused for a moment and pointed to my chest. I blinked and gave her a questioning glance. "The pendant you are wearing. Krystal felt it held significance to you, so she took it to the Temple and had it imbued with the same translation qualities our pendants have." The vixen motioned to the aforementioned pendant which just slightly nestled in her cleavage; in the interests of not appearing like an ogling letch I gave it a quick, cursory glance before looking back up. I wasn't really used to this kind of dynamic. "If I may be bold, you do wear the look quite well." I swore I could see the insides of her ears flushing as she made that comment.

Did she just make a… no. Really shouldn't go there. I decided it was best I considered that strictly a compliment, though frankly I felt I had pretty much let myself go after trading out my retail management gig for an office in a corporate IT department. "Thanks. I appreciate your vote of confidence." I chuckled nervously; hopefully a gentle deflection if she had meant anything deeper than a compliment. I bit the inside of my cheek as a sheepish expression crossed her muzzle.

However, I was saved from awkwardness by the door swinging open once more; two figures entering the small living area. One I instantly recognized as Krystal; she looked much as she had before, minus the same professional bandage job done to her thigh where she had been hit with those shotgun pellets. Her companion, however, wasn't at all familiar. He was definitely Cerinian; blue fur and all. He was taller than Krystal; probably even a little taller than my five-foot-ten. Like Krystal he possessed a swimmer's build; despite our similarities in height I probably outweighed him by a solid forty pounds. Additionally Kalene wasn't lying when she mentioned I was wearing normal Cerinian dress, as he was only wearing the same kind of 'skirt' I was. Shortly-cropped cerulean hair completed the picture; if he wasn't related to her I would have eaten my hat.

"Adam! You're awake!" Krystal beamed, practically reaching over to pull me out of the chair. She wasted no time in repeating Kalene's hug; the second time in five minutes I had been embraced by a vixen I didn't really know too well. Again I felt a vulpine muzzle against my neck, followed by the cool caress of her nose and a slight puff of air; apparently getting my scent as a greeting of some sort? "I see you have met my sister, Kalene." I politely returned her hug, though internally I felt a little awkward. Maybe I had a lot to learn about Cerinian customs.

As Krystal pulled away she motioned to the other man. "Adam, this is my brother, Mareth. He is a Guardian attached to our Clan." I stuck my hand out for a handshake and ended up getting a lot more than that in return. The tod's arms wound around me in a hug that was about as enthusiastic as Kalene's; for yet another time I felt a nose nuzzle and sniff against my throat. However in addition to that I felt a quick, warm, and ever so slightly wet swipe against my jawline… did he just lick me?

"I am glad to see you are awake." His voice, laced with a similarly posh accent to Krystal's, was friendly as he slowly disengaged from the embrace. "You brought our sister back to us. Not only does our family owe you a debt, but the Clan as well."

I was taken aback by the affection, especially in such quick order. That wasn't even taking into account that on Earth, guys really didn't greet each other like that. I took that truckload of confusion and awkwardness and parked it for now; I didn't want to make any cultural faux pas which would result in my foxy hosts getting annoyed. "I appreciate your hospitality, all of you. I'm… not really sure where to begin. I think it's obvious my culture and ways are probably a lot different than yours." I glanced over to Krystal. "Just don't play up what I did. I don't want to be some big damn hero. You got me off that ship; you saved my life about as much as I did yours." Out of the corner of my eye I caught Kalene glancing from Mareth to me; meeting my gaze for just a moment she lowered her eyes with a slightly saddened expression. I found that a little concerning; did I do something wrong?

Krystal paused for a moment, nodding to me. "That is true. However, there is a reason why we must play it up. While you are a guest of our family and Clan Sallas, there are some highly placed in the other clans who don't feel we should take you in. They have some reasons; that means we must present your presence here in the best possible light." She smiled and motioned to her brother. "We had been discussing some ways that might help. Would you be willing to meet with Elder Kael now?"

Kalene rose from her seat, though I could still see a bit of disappointment in her smile. "I should check up on Velia and see how her cubs are faring. It was a pleasure to meet you, Adam." Before she had a chance to turn I reached out to her. Her confusion lasted for a moment until I grasped her hand and shook it.

"It was nice to meet you, too. I'll talk to you later?" She nodded politely before disengaging; slipping out the door without a word. I was a little confused as to her quick departure, but if I crossed some sort of line I wanted to make sure I kept a friendship mended. Reading between the lines, I needed as many friends on my side as I could get.

Mareth cast a thoughtful gaze in my direction, a slight smile on his features as he did so. "Our family has a way of frustrating the traditionalists. We are somewhat unorthodox, yet bold action yields bold fruit." He motioned toward the door. "If you are well enough to walk, we should escort you to the Temple. Elder Kael has requested your presence as soon as you are able." He offered his hand towards me, which I took. I was pulled out of my seat with relatively little effort. My legs still fit a bit shaky and tingly; that and I still felt embarrassed as hell for walking out in public like this, but it wasn't like I had a whole lot of choice in the matter.

As we exited the house I got a better look at the surroundings. I had to admit the village was quite impressive. It was walled in with thick tree trunks sunk into the ground; the 'wall' seemed to be about fifteen feet high on average. The only exception was a section backed into a cliff that I estimated was around two-hundred feet in height, creating an imposing barrier. A cavern entrance was present in the cliff face; it was the source of an apparently underground river which wound through the village grounds. It divided the property into three distinct areas, before exiting through one of the side walls. Each area had a small pond, connected to the river by what must have been an artificially created channel. I could see several Cerinians gathered at the closest pond, probably fifty yards away. A few stopped and looked at us, staring. It was pretty obvious I was the center of attention.

Most of the buildings were the same kind of small wooden cabin we had just emerged from, though there were a few larger buildings sitting amongst the mix. The largest sat in the center of the territory directly across the river from us; it had been built from gray stone instead of wood. There was a short wooden bridge that crossed between the areas. The sense I got from this was that this wasn't a makeshift refugee camp or something that was slapped together overnight. "This most definitely isn't a small camp. I gotta ask; how did you get all this built so quickly? This looks like a lot to accomplish in just four years."

Krystal's answer surprised me. "A combination of Lylatian technology, those of us gifted in the art of telekinesis, and the help of the Lightfoot, Earthwalker, and Cloudrunner tribes. The ship we fled Cerinia with crashed on top of that cliff. We salvaged what we could and established our village here. It took us nearly two years to accomplish this, but we have adequate defense against hostile wildlife."

I nodded as we made our way to a path which led to the bridge. I hated the pins-and-needles sensation coursing through my legs, but I bore it without much complaint. I suspected that while Krystal and Mareth would help me if I needed it any show of weakness on my part might not be a good thing. I was attracting more attention than not, but nobody seemed to approach us. "How old are all of you, anyway?" Per the games Krystal was nineteen, though with everything else that seemed to be different I could have been mistaken.

Mareth answered the question, settling a hand on my shoulder. "Krystal is the youngest in our family, at nineteen." Bingo. Apparently I wasn't off the mark. "I am the second eldest at twenty-five, though I am considered the head of our family. You have not yet met my mate, Kevani; she is twenty-three. Kalene is the eldest at thirty-one. While she would normally be considered the head of the family, there are… reasons she isn't."

"I'm assuming because she isn't a Cerinian." That was my speculation. I was starting to get the picture: Krystal's family wasn't held in the highest regard by the powers that be; part of that reason was taking in Kalene. I could extrapolate that I wasn't going to receive a hero's welcome from this Elder Kael, either.

Mareth's hand tightened its grip, though I could plainly tell it wasn't an act of aggression towards me. I got the impression that it was a protective gesture; though why he would be this concerned about a man he had known for just a few minutes was somewhat confusing. I had saved his sister's life, but it wasn't like he owed me a life debt or anything. Krystal's voice chimed in, the vixen striding a few yards ahead of us. "You are not wrong. It was decreed that Kalene's Lylatian heritage would disbar her from holding any position of leadership and influence. This is despite her dedicating her life to the calling of a healer."

Mareth's voice was slightly laced with venom. "Her knowledge of the Lylatian healing arts saved many of us, especially after the crash. If it wasn't for her, there wouldn't have been enough of us left to start this village. We would have died out within a year." He took a deep breath, though kept his hand on my shoulder as we walked. I was starting to get slightly uncomfortable at the contact, but he met my confused look with a soft smile. "Like her, you are under the hospitality and protection of Clan Sallas. Even Kael would not think of violating the laws governing the autonomy of our Clans by unprovoked retaliation against either of you."

Krystal's voice, however, held a hint of sternness. "As I warned you in the Palace, he does have the authority to impose conditions on you in return for allowing you to stay here; Kalene lives under similar conditions. Failure to comply with these conditions can result in exile or imprisonment, so please take these conditions seriously." I was about to make a retort, but the vixen cut me off sharply. "Venturing off on your own here is akin to suicide. Even if you have your weapons, Sharpclaw are not the only danger out there."

Mareth's voice chimed in with agreement. "I understand that your way of life and customs are different to ours. However, we stand a better chance to prevail against the Sharpclaw and their Kamerian allies if we work together." He paused for a moment, his hand falling off my shoulder. "Elder Kael does not wish for us to get involved in Sauria's struggles. However, there will come a time where we will not be allowed the luxury of a choice." I felt his hand wrap around mine, which was much too friendly for my liking. I didn't pull away, though I figured a talk about personal boundaries would be in order. "Please, consider accepting our offer to stay. We will teach you our ways and provide the companionship and strength we will all need in the days ahead." The look in the Cerinian's dark green eyes was almost pleading.

I felt his reaction was a bit over the top, but I nodded at him. "Alright. However, you should also be aware of my ways as well. There's probably… cultural differences that we may have to compromise on. We'll talk about this later?" As we crossed the bridge I let go of his hand, eliciting a confused look from Krystal's brother. "My people are by and large reserved when it comes to physical touch. I'm probably a bit moreso on that front than most. I understand it's probably a cornerstone of your society and I appreciate your making me feel welcome. However, too much of it makes me a bit uncomfortable."

Krystal nodded, pointing to the stone structure that lay about sixty yards away. "Thank you for letting us know. However, among Cerinians someone who isn't willing to share affection among friends and family can be construed as aloof and untrustworthy. She halted, turning around to face me with a serious expression. "Understand that Elder Kael's conditions may make you uncomfortable. They might make you very uncomfortable. Our Clan's influence and protection can only stretch so far." The vixen reached out and placed her hands on my shoulders, her emerald eyes gazing into mine. "I ask you to trust us. You saved my life, and I saved yours. None of us wish you to come to any harm."

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. "Okay. I'll play along. However, with my understanding of this situation comes a condition of my own. I need to find out why people like me are being brought here. I need to find out why they're being turned into meat puppets, and by whom. And, I need to find a way home. It's obvious that I don't belong here."

Mareth's hand returned to my back as the fox circled around to stand next to his sister. "We understand, and will help you in your task as much as we are able. However, you must also prepare for the possibility that you may not be able to return." Again, not words that I wanted to hear, but he wasn't wrong. "Krystal will accompany you inside the Temple; I wish you luck in stating your case to Elder Kael. We will discuss things further later?" He left, leaving me to follow Krystal to the simple stone building which apparently held my future in its hands.