Lezah carefully walked towards the old red barn, her steps slow and deliberate. Her curiosity had managed to get the better of her, and she was attempting to stalk her way over to where she had seen the shaar scratching at the wood of the barn. She narrowed her eyes as she drew near. Rodents were always a problem around the farm; she did her best to control the rodent population by feeding the shaar to keep them interested in sticking around. Aside from traps, and keeping a constant shaar presence, there was almost nothing else she could do.

Still, she was curious.

Thurfrit the Chronicler flattened himself against the wooden floor board that stood between him and the outside. There was only one place to go, deeper inside the underbelly of the large structure, and that was no place for a chronicler to be. Perhaps if he was a hunter, a warrior, maybe a defender, he could brave the dark morass. But not a chronicler. Armed with his quill and note pad, he had very few methods of defending himself. Scilith, gozor, and armored beetles that dug around in the dirt and mossy underbelly, however, were the least of his concerns. The cracking of twigs, the distinct sound of a gloomy approach set his eyes wide, his heart racing and his pulse nearly loud enough to hear.

The one with hair like fire was near, blocking his retreat. He could hear her, he could feel her, and he could smell her.

Thurfrit had come to the great den of the giants to investigate rumors that Eyes like Ice had returned. The tribe had been enjoying times of plenty, as the den of giants was much easier to raid for supplies when there was only one great guardian to defend it. Eyes like Ice and Tall as Tree had vanished one day, leaving one with Hair like Fire alone. While she was still a formidable foe, on her own she was hardly vigilant enough to discover their frequent presence in her domain.

All of that was about to go to hell, as Thurfrit heard the snapping of straw, twigs and leaves, and the gentle ‘thwump’ of foot falls so close he could feel the vibrations. Hecould hear her breathing. He could see her shadow on the ground all around him. He was about to single-handedly undo generations of work and blow the tribe’s cover. The Huntress would have his hide!

Drugar the Leader forbad those not in a hunting party from entering the den of giants, but he never planned on entering the den, he just wanted to get close. Only the hunters ever really saw the giants up close; everyone else saw them from a distance. They were terrifying. Even having one this near, without physically seeing it, made Thurfrit quiver. He quickly grabbed his quill from his pocket and dipped it in the small satchel of berry ink he had tied to his belt. He had to record this. If this was the last of him, if this was to be the time he would become one with the Great Spirit, there would need to be a record, because to a chronicler, there was no greater dishonor than to have one’s end forgotten, lost to the threads of time. If it was recorded, it would be remembered.

‘The very ground she walks on trembles, cracks and groans, it is as if the trees themselves are moving. Never before have I felt such a terrible sensation. Each footfall approaches and my resolve begins to fade. One with Hair like Fire’s breath weights on the back of my neck…like a great wind from beyond the great forest! Guttural groans and gurgles from deep within the giants belly, it is likely where I will end up. I can only pray the tales of old are false. I dare not flee into the dark morass. Weighting the options, I believe I would much rather meet my end at the hands of the great fire-haired one than at the jowls of a scilith, or an armored beetle….’

Lezah carefully crouched down and eyed the small hole in the barn’s side. There was a loose board that allowed something just smaller than her own hand to fit between it. Carefully, Lezah reached out and pulled at the board. It moved enough to widen the hole. She pulled at it again.

The old, rotten wood cracked and groaned and the gap was widened further, until it was enough for her to fit her hand between. Carefully, she lowered herself to her stomach, flat against the grassy turf around the barn, and peered into the hole.

‘Spirit help me, the light is gone! I dare not move, I dare not peek to see what horror awaits me. I regret many things, perhaps I may have started a family, and perhaps I may have known the love of a woman. I only regret one thing in earnest, one true regret that I can never forgive myself for….’

Thurfrit stopped, he held in his breath as he felt the wall behind him shift. He heard the wood groan, and dust and debris from the ceiling above him, now disturbed,began to rain down upon him. The urge to scream was strong, the instinct to run was almost uncontrollable, but the strongest instinct, the most pressing urge was that that begged him to be as still as could be, his breath paused, his muscles still, not even his eyes shifting in their sockets. He was still as still could be; only the frantic beating of his heart gave the slightest indication that he still lived. If he could remain still, if he could do so long enough for her to lose interest, all would be well, there would be no discovery, and perhaps he would live to see a new sun.

And then he saw it.

Lezah Maris pulled back slightly and brought her hand around in front of her, she parted the boards a little more and reached into the gap between the boards. She narrowed her eyes and scrunched her lips to the side, sticking her tongue out a little as she reached underneath the barn, for whatever there was to find.

The sight was like nothing Thurfrit had ever seen. Up close, so close if he had reached out he could have touched it, was the hand of One with Hair like Fire! Each smooth long digit was long, longer than him, and thick like logs. But where he had thought there would be grotesque, monstrous features, there was nothing but smooth, soft looking skin, like his own, and that of any female he had ever known. He had never been this close to any of them. Nobody he knew save for the hunters had ever seen one up this close. It had always been from a distance; only from so far away it was hard to make heads of tale of what was what. Never this close. Never.

Only the hunters were ever this close, and the tales they told were of great escapes and daring raids, they gave few intricate details such as this. The fear began to subside as Thurfrit slid to the side, away from the arm. But he did not run, he quickly dipped his quill into the ink, and began to sketch the outline of the graceful, beautiful palm he found before him.

More and more of the long tree sized arm pushed forward into the underbelly of the barn. She was looking for something, likely him. But Thurfrit was to dazzled to run. He kept his distance, sticking to the walls, drawing as fast as he could. His eyes wide like disks, his breathing fast and intense.

Rodents often built nests of straw, wool and discarded soft garbage, Lezah had pulled more than her fair share of nests out from under the barn on many occasion. She wasn’t afraid of being bitten, but as she fished about, all she could feel was the mossy damp soil. She grumbled softly as she reached in up to her shoulder.

“I know you’re hiding in here somewhere!” Lezah called, her tone determined and focused, grumbling at the rodent that vexed her.

Thurfrit froze as he heard the words from just behind the wall echoed all around. Such a voice he had never heard. It was strong and loud, but gentle and soft at the same time. How could something so soothing and gentle-sounding belong to a monster of legend, a monster that had existed since before his time, and the time of his father’s father? One With Hair like Fire was a giant, a great guardian of the land. She would kill him on sight…at least that was what he was taught, and it was what they were all taught. Still, her hand, her voice…she didn’t look like a monster, not to him.

“She knows I’m here…spirits forgive me…I’ve failed you.” Thurfrit closed his eyes; it was only a matter of time before she found him. She was being meticulous in her search, sweeping the ground methodically, and growing ever closer to him. He winced and prepared for the inevitable.

Lezah bumped her head on the side of the barn as a loud slamming sound startled her quickly. “Gorram, the hell was that!”

Aisell tore out of the homestead, slamming the door behind her. The young woman ran as fast as her legs could carry her down the cobblestone walkway, she plowed into the picket fence gate, nearly taking it off its hinge. Without skipping a step Aisell took off at a full paced run down the old stone path that lead down the back of their property.

Lezah slowly pulled her arm out of the hole and pushed herself up to a standing position. “Silly little pup.” she muttered, as she dusted herself off, and at a casual stride made her way down to the cobblestone path. She knew where Aisell was heading, she didn’t have to rush. Aisell only really had three places she went when she was upset, and given the direction she was heading, Lezah knew which one she’d chose.

Thurfrit nearly leapt for joy. The Great Sprit had spared him at the last moment! His prayer had been answered! Eagerly he peeked around the corner to see Hair like Fire walking in the other direction. He wasted no time, and took off once the coast was clear.

He had only managed two steps when he ran into the glowering angered mug of Quendra the Huntress.

“You realize what a pain in the ass you are, Thurfrit!” she snapped, her freckled face downcast into the most displeased expression. Her cold blue eyes locked onto his, her fists clenched, and her lips curved into an accusing frown.

“I…I was…I mean…I had to find out if…Eyes like Ice…” Thurfrit couldn’t help but look into the Huntress’ own icy blue eyes. The guardian was not the only one who had chilling eyes like ice!

Quendra briskly slapped the scribe aside the head and shoved him forward. “Drugar should have you lashed for this! 20 lashings with the shaar-tail is what you deserve, you fool!” Quendra shoved Thurfrit forward a few times as she stormed after him. “Nearly eaten by a Shaar, and now almost seen! Honestly, you have to be the dumbest Chronicler ever!”

Thurfrit winced as he jogged ahead of the angry Huntress, who stormed after, grumbling the whole time. He would never hear the end of this, he feared.

***

Aisell was sitting atop a large boulder looking towards the small pond at the back of their expansive property. She had been crying for a while by the time Lezah crept over and hopped up onto the large rock beside Aisell.

Aisell looked at her sister, and she didn’t even try to hide her tears. She didn’t try to play tough girl, she simply nestled into Lezah and rested her head on her sister’s shoulder. The tension and stress of three weeks of insomnia, poor eating and anxiety had finally reached the breaking point, and Aisell began to sob deeply, from the pit of her stomach, the moment she felt Lezah’s hand on the back of her head. She felt safe with her big sister, never judged. She didn’t have to keep her guard up, but at this point, she couldn’t have even if she wanted to.

“I messed everything up Lez! I made a mess of it all!” Aisell blubbered, she could hardly talk, and her face smooshed into Lezah’s neck didn’t make understanding her and easier.

But Lezah knew what she was saying. The older Maris sister didn’t respond, not yet, she just pulled Aisell close and stroked her hair gently.

“I tried to make it better, I tried to fix it, but I just made it worse. I’m a monster Lez, a gorram monster!” Aisell struggled to breath; she was so upset she was forgetting to breath. “He looked at me like I…I…I…gods I am Lez…I really am!” Aisell began to tremble. Aisell’s voice was hardly a squeak; the words were forced off her tongue, with a deep look of fear in her eyes. “Lezah…I’m a horrible person!”

Lezah held her closer, so close, with all her strength; it was all she could do to refrain from crying herself. In all her life she’d only seen Aisell cry once. When she was nine, she had fallen and scraped her knee during glot-ball game. Even then it wasn’t because of the pain; she had cried because she was taken out of the game. It was almost laughable, even the memory brought a smile to Lezah’s lips.

“I’m not trying to be a bad person! Really Lez, I’m just trying to make this better! I’m just trying to help! I just want to make things better; I just want to fix this. But I can’t fix this; I just keep breaking things even more.” Aisell curled up against her sister, if she could get any closer she would. “I just destroy everything I touch! I should never have even bothered him! I should have just left him alone the very first time I saw him! He would have been better off without me!” Aisell gasped a few times to catch her breath.

“Shhhh, nonsense-talking like that won’t make it any better pup.” Lezah spoke, in a deep matronly voice as she rubbed her sister’s back gently. “Really, where would he be without you right now?”

“I don’t know…but he wouldn’t hate me. And I wouldn’t feel like a monster,” Aisell mumbled selfishly.

“Well, answer the question, where would he be? What would have happened to him?” Lezah asked once more, her voice firm, but gentle.

“Dead….” Aisell sniffled.

“So, it’s a good thing you did bother with him eh? It’s a good thing you didn’t just leave him alone?” Lezah smiled, taking her hand under Aisell’s chin, she tilted her sister’s head so they were looking each other in the eyes. “And alive is better than dead…so you didn’t make that worse…and when that scilith tried to eat him? Did you fix it, or did you rub salt in the wound and make it worse?” Lezah grinned.

“I…got him help.” Aisell mumbled softly. “But….”

“Shhh!” Lezah put her finger over Aisell’s mouth and winked. “Focus on the good. So you’ve made a few mistakes, you broke a few eggs, spilt some mek. The Aisell Maris I know doesn’t give up when things get tough, and she sure as hells doesn’t curl up in a ball and die!” Lezah gave her sister’s shoulder a squeeze.

Aisell sat up, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. She sniffled a little and looked down at the rock she was sitting on. She sure didn’t feel like herself. She didn’t feel like the Aisell anyone knew.

“Pup, I’ve only seen you cry once. You didn’t even cry and Grandad’s funeral! You’re tough as nails! You can do this, if anyone can it’s you,” Lezah smiled.

“I don’t feel like I can do it, I don’t feel like I can do anything right now….” Aisell sighed.

“You’ve never really cared about something this much…I won’t even begin to tell you I understand it. But…I mean you’ve had a dozen or so humans in the past…you’ve lost plenty…I’ve never seen you this upset about a pet before….”

“He’s not a pet!” Aisell’s eyes went wide, her expression fierce.

Lezah backed off a little and her eyes went wide. “Okay! Okay! Well then why don’t you tell me what he is then? What he means to you?” Lezah asked. She didn’t sound angry, or patronizing, just curious.

Aisell flopped back onto Lezah’s shoulder; she didn’t want to make eye contact when she said this. She hated being mushy and sappy.

“Lez, I traveled for 17 months…went to almost a dozen different worlds…met hundreds of people, saw thousands of sights… but I only met one person who I even remotely felt like talking to. Only one person I really wanted to get to know, only one person who at the end of the day I walked away form and considered myself a friend to…and that was Luke Palmer.” Aisell sniffed.

“I see. Go on….” Lezah idly stroked her sister’s hair.

“He has a name, a full name…first and last. He has a mother, a father, even siblings! He has a history…he had a job, he had friends, he has likes and dislikes…he comes from a place full of excitement, full of life…full of things we’ve never imagined they could be capable of!” Aisell spoke with conviction in her voice, but with tenderness and compassion.

“So, you like him because of that?” Lezah questioned.

“So much more than that Lez. But he got me to see all of that, he convinced me to give him a chance. Before, I never would have even imagined a human could be so complex, so interesting…so….” Aisell fumbled for the right words. She sighed. “So much like me,” she whispered.

Lezah simply listened.

“We are so much alike me and him. Lez, I could totally see myself in his position, alone, afraid, stubborn. I think I would have been just like him! I think I would have been just as angry with him as he is with me. So I gave him a chance, and we spent time together Lez. We got to know one another…I gave him a chance and the more invested I became the more I began to dread parting ways. Because I knew, I if I let myself get attached….” Aisell paused.

“I think you did what any of us would have done. I don’t think even Luke would have been able to do what he asked you to do.” Lezah hugged her sister tightly. “Look, I can’t say you made the right choice; I can’t say you made the wrong choice either. But you did what you had to do, and you did what most anyone in your situation would have done. You had to choose between respecting a friend’s decision, and letting them die. And I don’t envy that. But I do respect the decision you made. Even if it was the hard choice. You didn’t treat him like a pet…you showed kindness…you did what anyone would have. You treated him like a friend.” Lezah spoke with unquestionable kindness and assurance.

“You really think that?” Aisell asked, with a whisper of hope.

“I do.” Lezah took a slow deep breath. “But maybe you should have done away with the terrarium a bit sooner, hmmm?” Lezah added, carefully.

Aisell winced and dug into her sister’s hug deeper. “I was afraid. I didn’t know what else to do. Every time I tried to talk to him he just sat there, every time I opened the door for him to come out he just sighed and turned away…I really didn’t know what else to do…I…I…I..” Aisell struggled to defend herself.

“Shhh, Pup you sat beside that cage day and night with him…you were just as caged as he was. I’m sure you can dig your way out of this, you always do.” Lezah hushed her, and stroked her hair.

“I hope so,” Aisell sighed.

“One day at a time, okay?” Lezah smiled.

Aisell felt a little better. She cuddled into her sister’s hug and kept quiet for a few moments. “You think I should get him chipped? I mean…for safety?” Aisell asked anxiously.

Lezah laughed. “Not a good idea to bring that up for a while pup….” Lezah mussed her sister’s hair up and gave her a slight shove.

“Right, as always Lez. What would I do without you?” Aisell sighed, appreciatively.

“Likely starve!” Lezah laughed.