For the next two days on the road, I tried to be good and not bother them. After sneaking to the stream and getting scolded by Fox, I told myself to be careful and avoid causing trouble.
In the carriage, I gazed silently out the window, watching the scenery pass without a word. At rest stops, I ate quietly, then sat in a corner staring at the view, only exchanging small talk, nothing more.
Fox, Snake, and Panther milled around, but I didn't ask questions, just sat there, chin propped on my hands, lost in a dreamy haze.
Occasionally, I caught them whispering, sneaking glances my way. Fox probably told them about the stream, or maybe they were warning each other not to bring it up so I wouldn't feel awkward.
But the silence felt strange. Normally, I'd be chattering away, but sitting so still made me feel oddly glum.
"What am I even doing here?" I sighed, thinking of my original goal: spy on their plans for Caelora. But the longer I stayed, the less I wanted to dwell on it. And that frozen stream, their suspicious looks… I shook my head, trying to push it aside, staring blankly into the distance, my heart empty.
While Ami sat quietly in the carriage, the beastfolk gathered near the campfire, whispering so she wouldn't hear.
"Zorion, what did you do to make her do a complete 360 like that?" Snake asked softly, full of curiosity.
"She's been off since yesterday. Normally, she's chirping before the birds. But yesterday, even when the roosters crowed, she didn't make a peep," Panther said, staring at Fox.
"Let it go. She's probably just sulking—she holds grudges, it's fine," Fox said dismissively, dodging explanation.
"But her acting like this makes things feel… empty," Snake said, tilting his head thoughtfully.
"Yeah, it's back to this gloomy, all-guys hideout vibe," Panther added, his tone flat.
"Exactly," Snake snapped his fingers, nodding.
"You better do something, Zorion. If she stays this quiet, I won't let you off," Snake said, half-joking, half-serious.
"You think she'd let you tease her if she was her usual self?" Fox shot back coolly, seeing through Snake's antics.
"Haha, no way, just kidding!" Snake scratched his head, laughing awkwardly.
The three fell silent, their gazes settling on Ami's small, slouched figure, sighing heavily with a dejected expression.
"We're almost there—she'll perk up soon," Fox said, standing and walking off.
"That guy," Snake muttered, shooting Fox a side-eye.
I sat in the carriage, one elbow propped on the narrow windowsill, head resting on my arm. My other hand idly traced the edge of the wood, fingers tapping a rhythm only I could hear.
My eyes drifted over the passing scenery, never lingering, as if it were just a blurry backdrop to my wandering thoughts.
One more day to the border… I don't know how many times I've sighed lately. Pretending to be someone I'm not feels so stifling. I realized causing trouble is part of who I am. Skulking quietly like this? It's not me. I wanted to run around, sing, eat, chat. But I had to be good, or I'd bother them again.
I stretched out my tapping hand, plucking a branch within reach from the roadside, swinging it like a conductor's baton. I hummed a tune bouncing in my head. But soon, I stopped, sighed, and let the branch droop.
The sight of Ami slouched in the carriage, lazily waving the branch and humming before sighing again, didn't escape the beastfolk.
Snake, riding behind, shook his head. "We can't let her stay like this. She'll stop talking to us altogether," he muttered, then spurred his horse to the carriage window.
"What's up with you lately? You look like you've got no spark," he said, starting a conversation.
I glanced at him, then down at the branch in my hand. "I'm just trying not to be a bother…" I said flatly, my voice monotone.
"A bother? Who said you're a bother?" Snake laughed, caught off guard.
I paused, resting my chin on my hand, and said casually, "You guys did."
"Huh? When did we say that?" Snake grinned, playing innocent.
"So you don't think I'm a bother?" I asked softly, a pitiful edge to my voice.
Snake froze, then burst out laughing. "Of course not! You being so quiet makes me feel down."
I perked up, flashing a bright smile, but then slumped back, pouting.
"What now?" Snake asked, confused.
"That's just you… the other two think I'm a total pain," I said, voice heavy with gloom.
"Hahaha!" Snake laughed like he'd hit the jackpot. "Look at you flip moods! Hang on."
He rode back to Fox andPanther. I glanced after him but quickly turned away, pretending not to care.
Moments later, Snake said something, and Fox and Panther rode up to the carriage.
"You're a sly one. Acting all repentant, then pulling another stunt," Fox teased.
I shot him a look but didn't jump up like usual, just slouched, avoiding his gaze.
"Not as sly as an old fox like you," I said. Inwardly: Bleh, bet you can't do anything about it.
"Enough bickering," Panther cut in. "Ami, you don't need to mope. Zorion saying you're not a bother doesn't mean what you think."
I sighed. "I know… but my mood's like a domino chain—one falls, and the rest crash down."
Her words left Panther speechless, and he shot Fox a look: Say something!
"Ughhh, fine! I'm sorry. Cheer up, cute little rabbit," Fox said, suddenly oozing cheesy charm, striking exaggerated poses to make me laugh.
But…
Me, Panther, and Snake all got goosebumps.
"Ew, that's too much," I said, my face scrunching in disgust.
"Zorion… you didn't need to go that far," Panther added, shuddering.
Only Snake, behind them, roared with laughter, thrilled to see his decades-long comrade pull off such a bizarre performance.
Fox fumed, his grumpy face hilariously ridiculous.
I couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.
Her clear, ringing laughter, so different from Snake's duck-like cackle, echoed freely. She doubled over, shoulders shaking, clutching her stomach with one hand and smacking the windowsill with the other, unable to speak. "Hahaha! I'm dying!"
The three stared, stunned.
One minute I was moping, the next laughing my head off. They couldn't figure out what kind of person I was. I'd expected Fox to be embarrassed, but he seemed oddly calm, his eyes glinting with quiet satisfaction.
After laughing so hard I started coughing, I wondered why I was so giddy. It felt like I was laughing for all the gloomy days past.
"S-Sorry, my bad," I said to Fox, wiping tears from laughing too much.
"Back to your old self quick, huh?" Fox said, his sly fox eyes returning.
"Thanks to you, hehe," I replied, knowing I was poking back.
Fox just smirked, then rode off. Panther and Snake followed, tossing me smiles before they left.
I settled back in the carriage, feeling lighter. That laugh had chased away the clouds in my head. But really, Fox acting all cheesy just to cheer me up? So funny—he's so serious one moment, then like this.
What a weird guy. I giggled, swaying, and started humming the tunes in my head again.
----
Finally, we reached the northern border.
The scene… it was beyond anything I could've imagined.
I peeked through the carriage curtain, catching a glimpse of bodies strewn across the ground—some lifeless, others barely clinging to life.
The air was thick, not with clouds but with the acrid residue of gunpowder, choking me.
"Don't look out there, Ami," Fox said, his voice stern.
I quickly closed the curtain, sitting upright, feeling a bit deflated. Ugh, so annoying! Since I wasn't supposed to show my face here, Fox, Snake, and Panther all crammed into the carriage with me. Now, every move I made was under scrutiny.
I turned, tilting my head. "Quick question—are the people here not beastfolk?"
Fox nodded. "Yeah, they're humans."
I nodded back.
Humans occupied the middle tier of society—no divine gifts, not as strong as beastfolk, but full of emotions and the most vulnerable. They were considered "true humans," eligible to join Caelora if they met the criteria.
Beastfolk, on the other hand, were Caelora's rejects, stripped of divine gifts, bearing half-animal blood—a curse and a strength. Their "beast transformation" lasted a year, and since I'd just left Caelora, I was back to being a regular human.
"Besides famine, what else is going on here?" I asked, curious.
Fox's face grew serious. "A plague." Panther's voice dropped low.
"We sent experienced healers, but it's no use. It's chaos—too many patients, and the healers are collapsing."
I propped my chin on my hand, mind racing. Snake mentioned the area was hit hard by dust and gunpowder, so people likely had respiratory issues, jaundice, or stomach and intestinal problems. But those wouldn't necessarily cause a plague.
"Can you say what kind of plague?" I pressed.
All three shook their heads. Snake said, "We're not hiding anything—it's just that no one knows. Healers checked and cross-referenced, but they can't identify it."
"What are the symptoms?" I asked, leaning in.
"Wow, you sound like a healer diagnosing someone," Snake teased, his voice light.
"Just tell me!" I snapped, not in the mood to banter.
"Sudden high fever, headaches, rapid exhaustion, full-body muscle pain. If it lingers, vomiting," Snake listed, then paused, his voice darkening. "And… it's often fatal. Usually within a week. For those already starved, maybe one or two days."
"Have you found the source?" I asked next.
Snake sighed, listing theories: "Not yet. Some say it's from gunpowder smoke mixed with corpses, others blame contaminated water, or it spreading person-to-person…"
"You know about medicine? You're asking some detailed questions," Panther cut in, curious.
"Uh… not really," I hesitated. "I managed healthcare-related stuff in Caelora, so…" Saying it felt weird, like I was exposing something.
"You handled big roles like that?" Fox asked, skeptical.
I glared. "What's that supposed to mean?" Ignoring him, I continued, "Finding the cause… I might be able to help. I didn't treat patients directly, but I heard a lot from skilled healers. I picked up a thing or two." My voice trailed off, lacking confidence.
The three exchanged looks, weighing my words. Then Fox spoke.
"Fine. But be careful. We don't know the cause, so it's hard to avoid. You're just human now—if you catch it, no one can save you."
"I know," I said, excited they agreed but annoyed at being treated like a kid. Seriously!
We stopped at a guesthouse reserved for important visitors, probably the cleanest and safest place in the region.
I peeked outside and was instantly overwhelmed. Outside the gates, people lay scattered, emaciated. A woman clutched her child, holding a broken porcelain bowl, reaching toward the guesthouse.
Others were the same, as if they'd pounded on the doors, screamed for help until they collapsed, unanswered.
So brutal! My face crumpled, a thought flashing through my mind.
As the carriage stopped, those with any strength crawled toward the wheels, moaning faintly for help. The mother from earlier struggled, turning to reveal her child.
I froze.
The child was skin and bones, curled up, lifeless.
I couldn't take it. I grabbed a pack of bread and stood, ready to rush out and give it to them.
"Where are you going?" Fox blocked the door.
"I'm giving bread to that kid—it's dying, don't you see?" I snapped, desperate to act.
"No. Stay in the carriage," Fox said firmly, not even looking at me.
I knew handing out food in this starving crowd was dangerous—they'd swarm me, not caring what was food or who was human.
"Then you do it," I said, shoving the bread into Snake's hands and plopping down, pouting. Snake blinked at me, then at Fox, but got the hint.
"Alright, I'll do it," he said, stepping out with Panther.
"Don't you dare get out," Fox warned one last time before leaving.
I stuck out my tongue, turning away, annoyed.
The three, along with soldiers, began "relocating" the people. Too weak to resist, they were dragged away.
"Hey, you! Be gentle!" I called out, trailing them and shouting now and then.
Eventually, they moved everyone to a nearby spot—not far, but too far for them to crawl back.
"Stop looking, or you'll have nightmares," Snake said, covering my eyes.
I swatted his hand away, frowning. "I told you, I'm not a kid!"
I got my own room, while the three shared one. Can't complain—they did well to arrange rooms at all.
After unpacking, I changed into dark clothes, tied on a black face mask, and headed out.
They were already waiting, all in black, faces covered except for their eyes.
"What took you so long?" Fox asked.
"What? I changed and came right out!" I huffed, keeping my voice low to avoid attention.
"Let's go," Fox said.
"To the clinic?" I asked, leaning forward.
"Clinic? No such thing here. Just a medical tent," Snake said casually, leaving me speechless.
Medical tent, clinic—what's the difference?
The tent was close to the guesthouse, so we walked. Even from outside, the chaos was palpable—people sprawled everywhere, waiting for treatment. Many had yellowed skin from gunpowder exposure, others coughed harshly, some spitting blood.
War was too cruel to the innocent. "Ow!" I bumped into someone's back.
"Why'd you stop?" It was Fox, frozen in place.
"You okay?" I stepped forward, waving to get his attention.
"There it is again," Snake said from the tent's entrance, turning back. "His sense of smell's sharp, so the stench is hitting him hard. Just leave him be." Snake and Panther went ahead.
Got it. I nodded and followed, leaving Fox behind.