The green cloaked stranger led the group to a camp amongst a lush canopy of the forest. There was a fire pit and two wagons. The wagons were painted with colourful Silver Tongue runes, flowers and leaves. The group stood with bated breath. Torn between exhaustion, relief and hesitance. A pink haired Silver Tongue walked to the doorway of the largest wagon and poked her head out, expecting her daughter to return to craft more arrows after practising and hunting. The secrets of durable Silver Tongue weapons were lost during the genocides. It was hard for the septet to tell that the pink haired Silver Tongue was older than them, even with almost half of them being Halflings.71Please respect copyright.PENANAwRQMSImBpg
71Please respect copyright.PENANAiQjE7YRiTz
“What a…surprise. I wasn’t prepared for guests. No matter. Silly me! Where are my manners? I am Amanda. Perhaps I can help you find whoever you are looking for?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAHnIjAwwoD1
Suki and her friends looked at each other. Dumbfounded.71Please respect copyright.PENANANgk8zbbHve
“We’re looking for someone. We have reason to believe he or she is a Silver Tongue.” Randolph held the envelope high into the air. He turned his sweetest smile on Amanda.71Please respect copyright.PENANACU4EFJhwhM
“What do you have there?” Amanda asked.71Please respect copyright.PENANABRAhMUefAL
“We don’t know. The envelope says Chikyū.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAXVirAjziYu
“Do you know anything about this Chikyū?”
“Not much, I’m afraid. Forgive me for assuming that because you are a Silver Tongue that you can help, but would you happen to know of a human named Arthur Sheehan?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAiluZgAHJSu
Amanda nodded. “We founded a school long ago. He sends letters from time to time.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAz4h0jPm10w
“He won’t be sending any more letters. He was…” Randolph paused. “...slain recently.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAZSEPvForaW
The smile on the pink haired Silver Tongue’s face shattered. She pursed her thin lips.71Please respect copyright.PENANAXzMQYqqaRe
“He’s…dead?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAHT8gXbxT2J
“Murdered.” Florimal corrected.71Please respect copyright.PENANAiSLGR2WIU5
“Florimal!” Greenwood roused. “Now is not the time.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAaDapDEnCIp
“We are students from his school.” Randolph explained.71Please respect copyright.PENANAlCUqVykc78
“What happened?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAPkc57TA1rD
“We were attacked by the Fomorians.”71Please respect copyright.PENANARmlqqkuXb0
It was for the best to avoid telling her that Sheehan was ambushed while unarmed.71Please respect copyright.PENANAjCTcjZvSnO
71Please respect copyright.PENANA3FzGhrXiYc
“Speaking of Sigils.” The hooded Halfling pointed at Randolph. “Show me your Sigils!”71Please respect copyright.PENANA2IPLRBZHVU
Randolph obediently rolled up his sleeve and held out his forearm for inspection.71Please respect copyright.PENANAmu1gNhlZKP
“Dawn and Daisy have Ivory Sigils as expected from angels, however Suki, Florimal and Greenwood are neutrals and therefore you won’t find any Sigils on their bodies.”
Suki prayed that however her sister concealed her Ebony Sigil did not fade overtime.71Please respect copyright.PENANAAEHDcf5dL5
“We’re not going to strip. Especially in front of a stranger.” Florimal’s throat tightened.71Please respect copyright.PENANARB1jQnPrRJ
The pink haired Silver Tongue rubbed at Randolph’s Ivory Sigil to confirm that it was not an illusion. His milky skin bruised from the friction. The bruises were blue like his blood.71Please respect copyright.PENANAXkJl2BqaWu
“I assure you that we all know each other, and we do not mean your group any harm.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. Next.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAOIrBqWSHXt
“Daisy. How about you show the nice lady your Sigil?” Randolph smiled sweetly.71Please respect copyright.PENANAJoVeYYKRMJ
“How dare you!” Dawn scowled, wrapping her wing protectively around Daisy.71Please respect copyright.PENANAV2FBwDVVoN
Daisy ducked out from beneath her sister’s wing and pulled down the collar of her shirt to reveal the Ivory Sigil marking her collarbone. “Like this?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAJdH8UEFs2Q
“Exactly.” Randolph nodded.71Please respect copyright.PENANAVed5xcJjoX
The pink haired elf didn’t rub Daisy’s skin raw. She petted the angel on the head and looked over her shoulder at Randolph.71Please respect copyright.PENANAZFt69mLVxE
“Uh…How about you, Dawn?” He suggested with an apologetic shrug.71Please respect copyright.PENANAtfnctCYtJJ
Dawn lifted her shirt to display her swelling navel and puffed out her cheeks impatiently.71Please respect copyright.PENANAyqPIxTBH7F
“You said the others don’t have Sigils?”71Please respect copyright.PENANARIXX2w6zRp
“Yes. One is a human. She’s not from our world. The other is a Halfling who-”71Please respect copyright.PENANAOc0sRQkdSW
Before Randolph could finish Greenwood started to remove his clothes.71Please respect copyright.PENANAAz1AZeCJVJ
Dawn hastily pulled her shirt down and covered her sister’s eyes with both hands. Suki stood in confusion until Greenwood was shirtless. His scales sparkled in the moonlight. He showed no signs of slowing down as he unbuckled his belt. When she realized what he was doing Suki burst into fits of laughter that left her gasping for air.71Please respect copyright.PENANA3DmyKl0Wzi
“Greenwood!” Florimal gasped.71Please respect copyright.PENANA2mQrMKjVQI
“She thinks we’re hidin’ somethin’. I hate bein’ accused of somethin’ I haven’t done.”71Please respect copyright.PENANA4sBD0qF6B6
“You can keep your pants on. I believe you.” The pink haired elf waved her hand. “Please cover up. There are children present.”71Please respect copyright.PENANA1svT2YdvTl
Greenwood grinned toothily at his friends as he pulled his tunic back on over his head.71Please respect copyright.PENANAF1866UEio0
“Sorry. My friend is…uh…”71Please respect copyright.PENANAiVBPEZJRBp
“It’s okay. My daughter has two high-spirited friends like him. This old heart hasn’t seen such tenacity since my lover passed. I had to be certain.” The pink haired elf smiled.71Please respect copyright.PENANAcHg474iKvP
Dawn uncovered Daisy’s eyes as soon as Greenwood was decent. Florimal snickered once before reprimanding him.71Please respect copyright.PENANAjlCuNf8AVf
“What is your problem, Green?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAKf6lonGskH
“Relax, Purple.” He winked. “Are you angry because you didn’t see anything?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAtu7QBaGHws
“Oh hardy ha ha.” She rolled her eyes, punching him in the shoulder.71Please respect copyright.PENANAxQtCAsqTnK
“You’re welcome.” He laughed. “Neither of ya were searched for Sigils you don’ have.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAWNHwsikV3q
Suki nodded with shifting eyes.71Please respect copyright.PENANAddSmpZH1qV
“I lost my Sigil during the genocide.” Amanda explained. “You don’t need to explain. I know what it’s like. To think…it may happen again. Especially to children like you.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAwwL9JLqYBt
In different circumstances they would tell her that only two of them were children, but even without Genevieve’s clairvoyance the septet could tell this kindness would not last.
“Don’t worry. That stew doesn’t not contain any meat. Meat is hard to come by out here with those Driders hunting everything that crosses their path.” Amanda smiled. “Enjoy!” Amanda did not want to dampen the mood. She knew how far the school was from Dead Forest.71Please respect copyright.PENANAxKS2dFVw9r
“It’s okay. We’ll eat anything.” Randolph waved his hand with an apologetic smile.
“For somethin’ that’s all veggies, it’s not half bad.” Greenwood remarked with a goofy grin that reminded Florimal of all their adventures before all of this chaos. He was sitting on a log with Florimal sitting on the ground between his open legs. Suki sat next to Greenwood on the log. Eden’s injured leg rested on a biscuit of straw while he laid next to Excalibur and Snowfire; who were tethered to a hitching rail with Goldie’s Nightmare.
***
Everyone was seated around the campfire, shovelling down spoons full of stew when Goldie filled a second bowl and walked out into the darkness, holding the bowl above her head.71Please respect copyright.PENANA9st8oy9qci
“Birch!” She called out. “Birch?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAmu5xvw2khn
A labyrinth of fuzzy legs unfurled from beneath the dense foliage. At full height, he was larger than a Nightmare. Birch rubbed all four of his eyes. He was nocturnal. He signed quickly with his hands before bowing his head and taking the bowl from Goldie’s hands.
Upon noticing the figure tailing the Halfling in the green cloak, Greenwood, Pan and Randolph leapt to their feet to protect their friends. Greenwood and Randolph withdrew their Magi. Pan extended his talons. Dawn enclosed her younger sister with her wings.
Birch started to sign something.71Please respect copyright.PENANAtRKFXCYwkK
“Don’t apologise.” Goldie snapped. She expected this to happen. Everyone reacted the same. “Relax everyone. This is my friend, Birch. He’s a mute. Birch, this is everyone.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAGujdtEMlNA
No one relaxed their defensive posture. Except for Randolph who bowed.71Please respect copyright.PENANA89nM7tMasT
“I’m sorry, Birch. We’re all a little bit on edge. Allow me to make some introductions. I’m Randolph. These are my friends Greenwood, Florimal, Suki, Pan, Daisy and Dawn. I’m sorry, we’re not familiar with sign language. Do you have parchment and a quill?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAui6SUsaFdK
Oh, they’re like Milo.71Please respect copyright.PENANAn45Vmbm8c4
“Even if he could write, there is no way that you’d know our version of Faelish.”71Please respect copyright.PENANAaymCQJHQ2Q
“That is correct, but it might help him in the future. Sign is the most niche language. Can you draw shapes?”71Please respect copyright.PENANAw8VTXZkYzB
Goldie did not expect the pivot. She was prepared to crack skulls with her mace.
Birch waved and glanced around the gathering as everyone sheathed their Magi and settled again onto the logs, ground and laps that they were previously seated on.71Please respect copyright.PENANAAvbW0QR6fD
“Quit ya staring and eat.” Goldie barked loudly. “Don’t waste me ma’s delicious food.”
Accustomed to stealing food from the kitchen, Suki licked her bowl clean in seconds.71Please respect copyright.PENANAIrD7nPwpN3
“I am sorry Suki. I wish I could turn into-” Eden spoke telepathically. Suki rubbed Eden’s leg. She was rough but he smiled through the stabbing pain.71Please respect copyright.PENANAMfHj0tBDyG
“Forget it. I won’t leave you behind. Those bastards won’t hurt anyone else!”71Please respect copyright.PENANAvOBIreWvPT
“If you don’t leave me behind, the Fomorians will find everyone. And then-”71Please respect copyright.PENANAas9AHG6PNO
“No!” Suki lunged at him, wrapping her tiny arms around his slender neck. She squeezed as if she was fighting for her life against Raphael. Her tears soaked into Eden’s white fur. Eden blinked away tears as Suki tugged a biscuit of straw from the pile for the Nightmares to nibble on. Suki crammed the straw beneath his injured leg. It felt like hundreds of tiny blades, but he was in no position to complain, even telepathically.