"Hehe, time flies, and it's finally time to head out!" I chirped, whistling and humming a tune, my heart light as if we were off on a picnic.
Inside the carriage, Ami poked her head out the window, eyes sparkling as she took in the scenery.
Nearby, Panther glanced at Fox, his voice uneasy. "You really let her come along? Is that okay?"
Snake, riding beside the carriage, chimed in, "And you didn't even tell Orson. You sure about this?"
Fox, silent until now, wore a tense expression that screamed: Definitely not okay!
Panther and Snake exchanged a look, clearly sharing his concern.
"Why'd you bring her, then?" Panther asked, glancing at me as I happily babbled in the carriage, soaking in the view.
"I don't know… guilt, maybe?" Fox replied, his voice flat.
"Huh? Don't tell me—" Snake shot him a suspicious look.
"Remember the first day? I led her in and just let Orson take her without a word. She's held a grudge ever since," Fox said, staring into the distance.
"Stop overthinking it," he added coldly, turning to Snake.
Meanwhile, she was lost in the scenery.
"Wow, this place is gorgeous, like a fairy tale!" Lush green trees, wisps of mist, crisp air—I took a deep breath, savoring it. Back in Caelora, I was always cooped up, too busy to step outside.
Now, on this trip? I could scream with joy!
"Oiii! Zorion, Serpion, Pardus!" I called, waving with a beaming smile, as if we were on vacation.
Snake waved back, while the other two managed half-hearted waves, looking utterly exasperated.
"You know, bringing her might not be the worst idea," Panther said. "…Like a little spark of light in this dark world," Fox nodded, his gaze softening as he watched her.
"Whoa! This place is huge!" I ran out to the open field where the group had stopped, spinning to Fox with excitement.
"It's been ages since I've done something like this—thanks!"
"Hey, this isn't a joyride," Panther warned, raising his voice.
"Hehe, I know!" I grinned, then perked up.
"So, what's for lunch? Oh, I'll gather firewood and catch some fish. You guys rest—I've got this!" I rolled up my sleeves, all business, and started looking for tools.
"Uh… but—" Fox tried to speak, but she was muttering to herself, "Let's see, what can I use for a fishing rod…" she rummaged around, oblivious to him.
"Hey, Ami, we don't need—" Fox tried again, but she cut him off. "Aha, found it! This stick's perfect!"
"Let her be. She's all fired up," Snake chuckled.
"…It's probably fine, right?" Fox and Panther said, their voices hesitant. "Yeah, let her play house. Gives us a break," Snake said, convincing them. They nodded, clearly relieved to dodge babysitting duty.
----
So…, she sat by a nearby stream, fishing, with Snake leading the way.
"Yawn!" I stretched, bored after no bites.
"Maybe the bait's off?" I reeled in the line, checking.
"Argh, the bait's gone again! How?" I'd set it right, thanks to Snake, who dug up a pile of worms in seconds—impressive.
"This is so dull," I groaned, flopping onto the ground, arms and legs splayed, staring at the sky.
"They're probably tired from the road, and I just sat in the carriage. Wanted to do something for them, but I can't even manage this. Why am I so useless?" I sighed. "Yawn!" Lying in nature like this, I felt sleepy. A quick nap won't hurt… And I dozed off.
----
"Where is she? Serpion, check if Ami's still there!" Fox called.
"On it!" Snake grinned, thinking, Bet she didn't catch a thing—there's no fish in that stream, haha!
Pushing through the brush, he found her sprawled out, asleep. "Ami?" He hurried over, then sighed in relief seeing her breathing steadily.
"Fishing and then napping? I'm impressed," he said, exasperated.
Suddenly, he shivered.
"Why's it colder here?" He noticed mist rising.
"Fog?" Snake approached the stream, realizing it was silent—no flowing water.
"Frozen?" he muttered, tapping the ice to check, his expression darkening.
Her sneeze startled him.
"Look at her, sleeping like a baby out here," he said, noting her curled-up, chilly form.
He glanced at the frozen stream again, then hoisted her onto his back.
When Snake carried her back, Fox and Panther panicked, thinking something was wrong. But when Snake explained she'd been fishing and fell asleep, they exchanged defeated looks.
"She's one of a kind," Panther said, shaking his head.
"Get blankets and pillows—let her sleep in the carriage," Fox ordered.
Snake nodded, signaling for someone to prepare.
After settling her in the carriage, he returned, his tone serious.
"Forget that carefree girl for a sec. That stream—I took Ami there earlier, and it was flowing fine. I even washed my face. But when I went back, it was completely frozen. You guys need to see this."
The trio headed to the stream.
"It's melting now…" Fox murmured, watching the ice dissolve. The weather was mild—not cold enough to freeze or warm enough to melt so fast.
"A stream freezing out of nowhere…" Panther said, voice heavy.
"It's what we thought, isn't it? A celestial's here," Snake said, touching the ice.
"The melting speed confirms it."
"But how could a celestial be here? This is still our territory," Panther questioned.
Snake hesitated. "…What if it's Ami?" He glanced at Fox, who'd been silent. "You're thinking it too, right?"
Fox's voice was low. "People cling to Caelora not just for humanity but for the divine gifts it grants. When exiled, they're stripped of those gifts—divine powers, even their humanity, seen as Caelora's privilege." His tone turned bitter, almost mocking.
"The exile process is strict; divine gifts are removed under high-ranking witnesses. The chance of her retaining any is near zero. Plus, you've seen it, right? Her aura's changed."
"Celestials emit a white glow, symbolizing purity and nobility. Beastfolk have darker auras, the worst being pitch-black, marking those who've lost their humanity," Panther added.
"True, her aura's gray now, but… a celestial showing up here is just as absurd," Snake said.
"For now, stay alert and have the area checked for suspicious activity," Fox ordered, his gaze sharp.
Panther and Snake nodded, heading off to carry out his command.
While Fox, Snake, and Panther huddled in discussion about the mysteriously frozen stream, Ami remained curled up in the carriage, fast asleep, oblivious to their concerns.
Her eyelids fluttered, then slowly parted.
I stirred, wrapped in warm blankets, my head still heavy.
"Huh, how'd I end up here?" I mumbled, glancing around.
The blankets and pillows were neatly arranged—someone had clearly set this up. Bits of memory trickled back: fishing by the stream, then… passing out cold!
Gods, how embarrassing! I buried my face in my hands, cringing at myself. I'd wanted to do something useful for Fox, Snake, and Panther to ease their load, but instead, I'd become a burden.
"Why am I so useless?" I sighed, sitting up and peeking through the carriage curtain.
"Where'd they go?" I scanned the area, seeing only soldiers, no sign of the trio.
"Where are they?" I muttered, about to ask a soldier when I spotted them returning from the stream.
"Hey, where were you guys?" I waved cheerfully.
But their faces were unusually grim. Something's up, I thought.
"Ami, while you were fishing, did you see anyone suspicious?" Snake asked.
I blinked, confused. "Nope. Why?"
"Just asking," he said, brushing it off. Fox and Panther stayed quiet too, avoiding my gaze.
Definitely something! I decided, glancing toward the stream, determined to check it out later.
"Sorry… I meant to catch fish but… fell asleep," I said sheepishly, sneaking a look at their reactions.
Their expressions screamed, We're used to you by now.
"We already prepped food, so no need for fishing," Fox said.
I froze. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were so excited, so…" He looked away.
I stared for a moment, then let it go, feeling a bit less guilty.
"So, where are we heading to help?" I asked, taking a bite of the roasted bread Snake handed me.
"Wow, this is amazing!" My eyes lit up.
"The northern border region. A battle just swept through—it's bad," Fox replied.
"Crops and rice fields were obliterated, the air's thick with dust and gunpowder, and people are starving, dying in the streets," Snake added, his voice low, as if picturing the grim scene.
"Serpion!" Panther hissed, jerking his chin toward me. I fell silent, staring at the bread, my heart heavy with empathy for those suffering.
"You okay, Ami?" Fox asked, tilting his head.
"I-I'm fine. Hearing Snake talk just… makes me appreciate this bread more," I said, voice catching.
My oversensitive side was acting up again. To hide it, I took huge bites, stuffing the whole piece in my mouth, chewing messily.
My sudden move stunned them for a few seconds. I turned away, knowing they were staring, my face burning with embarrassment.
"Haha, you look like a squirrel hoarding nuts. There's plenty, no one's stealing it," Snake burst out laughing. Fox and Panther couldn't hold back either, roaring with laughter.
I glared, hands over my mouth, struggling to chew. I wanted to yell stop laughing, but I couldn't speak.
"Hmph!" Suddenly, I froze—choking! I flailed, pointing at my throat.
The trio panicked, scrambling for water. "Slow down, you greedy eater,"Snake teased, handing me a cup.
I shot him a look, snatched the water, and gulped it down. Swallowing the bread, I snapped, "I'm not greedy!"
Fists clenched, I must've looked like a puffed-up kitten—small claws, big meows—because they only teased harder, laughing louder.
"Ugh! Just wait, I'll tell Orson you're bullying me!" I shouted, storming back to the carriage.
"Hey, wait! We're sorry!" they called, pulling me back, still laughing, no sincerity whatsoever.
I shook them off and marched to the carriage. They say sleep calms anger, and that's solid advice.
I'm napping, and they can deal with it! I'd barely closed my eyes when I jolted awake.
"Almost forgot! I need to check the stream!"
Waiting until the camp settled down, I crept out, moving as quietly as possible. Sneaking around felt thrilling, almost fun. Doing something secretive wasn't half bad. I reached the stream without getting caught… I think. Either way, I was here now—if I got busted later, oh well.
"Here we go!" I said smugly, scanning for anything odd.
But it was pitch-black, impossible to see. I searched more, but found no clues.
"Why were they so tense, then? Ugh, they're always so secretive," I grumbled, crossing my arms.
Rustle!
"Eek, what was that?" I spun around, swallowing hard, mustering courage to move toward the sound, torn between fear and curiosity.
One hand parted the bushes, the other shielded my eyes as I peeked.
Whoosh!
I opened them wide. "Nothing?"
"Phew! Scared me to death," I exhaled. "Just the wind."
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine—literally and figuratively.
My body trembled, as if I'd stepped into a freezer.
Crisp, crackling sounds echoed in the dark, like invisible ice weaving a web.
I whipped around, hugging myself against the cold. Blowing into my hands, I saw my breath fog in the air.
"What's happening? It's freezing!" The sounds grew clearer, like water solidifying. The stream's gentle trickle faded, then stopped.
I looked down—the water… froze?
Thinking I was seeing things, I edged closer. A piercing cold surged up, the wind making me shiver harder.
"The stream… it's frozen?"
My heart pounded, breaths shallow, the sensation eerily like my recurring nightmare.
I crumpled, writhing, and then… blacked out.
"Ugh, my head's killing me."
I slowly opened my eyes, struggling to sit up. It was still dark, thankfully—no one saw me like this.
Drip, drip!
The stream flowed steadily again. Was I hallucinating? Or had the ice melted? The bone-chilling cold was gone, like I'd escaped a looping nightmare.
"Phew!" I stood shakily, stretching to shake off the grogginess, and headed back.
But as I pushed through the bushes into the camp, I jumped.
"Fox—Zorion? What're you doing here?"
"What I'm doing doesn't matter. Why'd you come from there? What were you doing at the stream this late?" Fox fired questions, stepping closer with each one, like he was interrogating me.
"Chill out! You guys wouldn't tell me anything, so I had to check it out myself. Why so intense?" I said, trying to sound casual.
"You know a fox's eyes see better at night than day, right? Just 'checking it out,' but your clothes are filthy," he said, his face more serious than usual, making me step back.
"I-I fell, that's all! I'll brush it off," I stammered, avoiding his glowing amber eyes glaring under the moonlight.
"D-Don't look at me like that, I'm scared…" I covered my face, voice trembling.
Fox sighed, brows furrowed, not letting up.
"I'm not joking about the danger. We just found signs of someone suspicious. What if you'd run into trouble wandering like that? Do you know how much it'd hurt Orson if something happened to you?" His voice was stern, unlike his usual smooth tone.
I knew he was just looking out for me, but still… "Waaah!" I burst into tears. "I'm sorry, hic!"
"Seriously, you're like a kid," Fox grumbled, but patted my head.
"Don't go sneaking off anymore. If you're curious, just ask. Some things are hard to explain, but I'm not stopping you from wondering. Just don't put yourself in danger over a whim." His tone softened.
I tried to stop crying. "Mm… hic!" I nodded, sniffling.
"Alright, go sleep," he said.
I trudged back to the carriage, burying my face in the pillow, then turning over. I'm such an idiot, always causing trouble. "Hic!" At least they're good people.
That final thought flickered, and I drifted into sleep.