Chapter 8

Usually, Matt rode a bus that made trips between the rift and developed area of the island but not tonight. None of them wanted to wait near the rifts.

Matt looked down at the trophy he had been so proud of and felt sick. With an effort that strained his recently healed body, he threw the orc’s head into the woods.

It had transformed from a symbol of his bravery and victory, to a token of his stupidity.

He nearly died and had wanted to take the head of his fallen foe and proudly proclaim he had killed it.

That Matthew Alexander was the next Duke Waters. The next Light and Shadow.

The encounter now tasted like ashes.

Healer Iris’s greed towards the cold egg in his hand had angered him. It still had him simmering. If not for the Empire and its rules, the strong would be able to take anything they wanted. Matt wasn’t strong, he was protected by a Tier 50 who was planets away and wanted people to grow and not be oppressed.

That wasn’t his strength. The healer should have followed the rules, but instead tried to oppress Matt with her money and power. Griff was a better person than Iris, but what if he hadn’t been?

Everything he risked his life for could have been snatched in an instant.

He did not want to… no he could never be weak again. Iris reminded him of how he felt at eight, when the rift break had torn everyone he had ever loved away from him. He knew he had only been a child, but if people had been stronger, the rift break would have been easily pushed back. If the Junipers had done their duty, he wouldn’t have lost everything he held dear.

Power is the only way to protect what I care about.

Matt wanted that power. He looked at Melinda, Mat, Kyle, Sam, Vinnie, and Tara. He wanted to be able to protect his friends that had run to help, even if he didn’t know how they got there so fast. Now wasn’t the time to ask, but he wanted to be able to return the favor however he could.

Griff had been right, he could admit that. Matt may have misremembered the information about rift challenges, but Matt had played it smart and cautious until he had seen the reward distortion. If he hadn’t been blinded by his avarice, he would have retreated, and still could have made good gains in both essence and credits.

The fight with the orc could have gone worse in a thousand different ways. Any misstep or dodge in the wrong direction, and Matt could have been killed.

He had only been hit with a single thrown shield and it destroyed the left side of his body.

Matt knew he was lucky that it was only a glancing blow, and that [Cracked Phantom Armor] had stopped him from bleeding out. His left side was covered in blood from only a few moments between the skill turning off and Melinda healing him.

The area felt odd to his senses. The wounds were healed, but now the area felt off, like it wasn’t quite his own body anymore.

Matt looked to the healer, he owed her. He couldn’t imagine how to even begin to repay the debt. He promised himself that he would one day.

He would become strong enough that he wouldn’t need to rely on the protection of the Empire and the Emperor. He wouldn't need to lean on his friends.

Matt wanted to be able to support them as they had supported him. To do that he needed to get strong.

***

As the long walk was ending and the residential area was in sight, Melinda broke the long silence. “Healer Iris wasn't a good person. Rumor had it she was here because she tried to extort someone while acting as an official Healer. It's just a rumor but she's always been an asshole.”

Mat chimed in after his girlfriend, “Well I think her actions tonight kinda prove those rumors right.”

“Yeah, I guess they do.”

Tara quietly asked, “Did Griff have to kill her? That seems a little excessive with his power.”

Kyle quietly answered her, “Yeah he did. Theft of rift rewards is considered banditry, and the punishment for that is always death. My combat tutor talked about it. He said it’s considered kinder to just kill them and avoid the publicity.”

“That’s stupid, we shouldn’t kill anyone that easily. She could have been given a second chance.”

“She was on her second chance. No way she deserves a third, she tried to steal from Matt. Are you saying she should?”

“No I...”

Matt felt the need to interject before they got farther off track, “Thanks for the quick reaction I swear I’ll...”

He was stopped as a red-eyed Melinda jumped in front of him, finger in his face. “If you say ‘pay me back’ by every ring of hell there is. I. Will. Hurt. You. We help each other. That's what friends do. If you had the chance I'm sure you'd do the same. All that’s needed is a thank you.”

As he opened his mouth to protest Melinda glared harder, “The next words that leave your mouth better not be anything other than ‘Thank you’. Do. Not. Fucking. Test. Me.”

Matt acquiesced. “Thank you Melinda.” he looked to the rest of her party, “Thanks to all of you. I just don't want you guys to feel like I'm only friends with you for free heals. I've seen friendships end over far less. And I value our friendship too much.”

Mat looped an arm around his shoulder. “It's not like we haven’t had to fend off people who just wanted to cozy up to us for Melinda’s abilities. It’s easy to tell who’s who.”

“Also, as the healer who treated you I'm banning you from delving for the next two shifts.”

“You can do that?”

“Yeah and I’ll make it three if you give me any more lip.”

Looking at her still red eyes and slight sniffle she was trying to hide, Matt didn’t feel it would be smart to call her bluff.

“Ok but you need to explain what happened.” Sam pushed the conversation to safer waters.

“After you all explain how you got to the rift so fast.”

“Easy. You’re usually out of the rift way before us, and when you didn't answer our message we got worried. We saw your pad hadn’t gone online since your rift time, so we waited outside in case you needed Melinda’s help. We know your skill makes it so you can’t really get hurt in a Tier 1 rift so we got worried.”

Kyle added, “Unless he's crazy enough to fight a Tier 3. I'm surprised you can walk Matt”

Matt didn't know what he was talking about. Walk? His legs hadn't been injured.

“With the size of those balls on you, I’m surprised you aren't just bouncing down the road on them.”

Ohhhhhh.

The attempt at humor didn't quite land, but he appreciated the effort. Tara added, “Yeah give us the story, how did you do it?”

So Matt told them, their reactions made him feel a little better after Griff's dressing down. But he still felt Griff had been mostly right, even if a little harsh. He definitely would make a different decision if presented with the same situation a second time.

The incident felt as if it happened to someone else once the adrenaline had run its course.

As they got to the housing complex Matt was urged to scan the egg, and after he had, they rushed to the group’s suite to view the results privately.

Bound Pet: Arctic Fox.

Elemental Affinity: Ice.

The group then looked up how to bond the pet, which was like bonding a skill shard. Send essence in, and then a few days later the creature would hatch.

That sparked a debate on why a fox was in an egg, until Melinda, who was looking up the procedures with Matt, saw an author's note.She read it out loud.

“Guys holy shit, this explains why Iris tried so hard to steal the egg! Listen to this, ‘While Arctic Fox’s arent particularly stronger than other bound pets, they are prized for their beauty. Most eggs that are placed on the market go for 50 Tier 11 mana stones.’ Wow, that's a lot of credits.”

Then Melinda straightened, “That bitch Iris only offered you ten million credits.”

“Wait why is it worth 50 Tier 11 mana stones and not 5 Tier 12 mana stones?” Kyle asked.

That led to more searching for the group to learn that after Tier 5, mana stones increased the total mana they held, leading to a ratio jump of 50 to 1. Then another jump every ten Tiers until it was 1000 to 1 at Tier 50.

Strategic resources like shielding and rift disrupters used millions of mana a second at the higher Tiers. There the mana capacity of rift made mana stones was valued much more, so the price increased faster than the total mana. Man made mana stones that were rechargeable were only able to hold 200 mana at the same size of the rift made ones. After that they ballooned in size.

Matt and the others spent the rest of the evening trying to decide on what to name the unhatched arctic fox, looking at the available pictures with a chorus of oohs and aahs.

They even watched some combat footage with companion arctic foxes. There wasn't much, but what they found impressed Matt. The lowest Tier of video they found was Tier 7, but the fox had created a small blizzard then shot icicles at the targets.

Matt looked at the egg in his lap, the PlayPenNet said it could take anywhere from one to three days to hatch, but Matt wanted it to hatch now. Or rather, in the morning. He was tired and needed to get pet supplies.

Shit, what do foxes need? Are they like cats? Dogs? I've never had a pet.

***

The next morning Matt stood outside Griff's door. It was early enough that Matt hadn't expected the man to be in, but the light was on so he knocked.

“Come in.”

Matt did so and Griff looked surprised to see him.

He gave Matt a tired smile and said, “Sorry about yesterday, I shouldn't have yelled at you. I had just come back from a party’s funeral, but that doesn't excuse how I acted. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that and I apologize.”

Matt was surprised, this wasn't how he expected this to go; he had planned to apologize and thank the older man.

“No sir, you were right. It was stupid to push on. I got greedy and it almost got me killed. I thought over the fight a lot last night and it went about as well as it could have. I'm pretty good, but I know I'm not good enough to attempt to kill a Tier 3. I got lucky.”

This next part felt embarrassing but Matt pushed on. “I thought I could be the next Light and Shadow. I told myself to take it easy and not risk it. And I did until the last room. Before that, only the last three rooms could even get through my skill, and they were just the normal hobgoblins. Even three of them aren't so strong that I was concerned at all.”

Swallowing Matt finished, “And I looked in and saw the hobs and the orc. I knew I should have turned around but when I saw the reward distortion. It felt...” Matt looked down and pulled the large ice egg out of the backpack.

“It felt like this was my chance to be great. I considered myself too good and skilled to waste the opportunity. I swore that I'd be the next person to complete The Path. It was just bullshit justification to be greedy. I looked up what little info I could find and Light and Shadow were clearing Tier 1 rifts at Tier 1. They weren't great and strong until they got skills and experience. I don't have either. But I thought I did especially after winning.”

“So. I just wanted to thank you for the reality check. And stopping that healer from stealing my prize.”

Griff had leaned back in his chair and had a slight smile after Matt finished.

“Well, I didn't expect that. A lot of people don't appreciate the fact that they are not the hero of the story, that they won't get to save the Empire and get the girl. I thought I was hot shit, I thought I was the next Duke Waters. I believed it, my whole team thought we were going to be the next greats.”

“So we started delving into Tier 11’s at Tier 10. It's how we fell off The Path. My wife was chopped in half, two of my teammates were moments from death, but thankfully we were able to retreat with our lives. And the worst part is I didn't even get a bruise.”

“That was the day I learned that I wasn't special. My wife and two of my best friends were almost the price I had to pay to learn that lesson.”

Griff turned a picture on his desk around of him holding a woman smiling up at him with another couple doing the same.

“I treasure them more than advancing fast. The prizes are an illusion Matt. after Tier 5’s free skill shard The Path is not worth risking everything. You know how age works with cultivation?”

Matt shook his head, “I know the higher you get until Tier 15 you live longer but I don't know the details.”

“At Tier 10 you’ll have a life expectancy of almost 700 years, Matt. 700 years is a long time. Those that go slow and steady are far more likely to hit Tier 15 and those that do hit Tier 15 slowly are more likely to reach Tier 25. People like to fixate on The Path but it's a charnel house.”

“Then why is The Path a thing? It seems wasteful.”

“It is and it isn’t. I wish it weren't so but The Path is a net positive. The Empire isn't the only Tier 50 power out there. There are seven others of relative strength. And all have some variation of The Path. It shows everyone else that our younger generation is strong. It's an internal competition to show external power.”

“The last war the Empire fought was six or seven hundred years ago. It was a tame war as far as those things go, and still we lost 800 million people.”

“What was the war about?” Matt was curious now.

Griff laughed but there was no humor in it. “A Tier 30 world was found with natural portals to both Empire territory and the Republic. Both sides claimed it, and so blood was shed. Do you know why we haven't had another?”

Matt shook his head, “Duke Water’s. He's one of three people in all eight great powers who have completed The Path. He alone stops any attempts. And his presence will continue to do so until he ascends to the higher planes.”

“How can one man do that? It seems like they could just send a squad of Tier 40’s or stronger.”

“That isn't allowed.”

Seeing Matt surprise Griff laughed for real this time. “Yeah, I thought the same thing. Wars are only fought with people Tier 15 to Tier 35. But attacking someone in a lower Tier is strictly forbidden. If a Tier 16 kills a Tier 15 it can domino all the way up to the Tier 50’s.”

“If a Tier 40 or higher wants to wipe out all life on a planet, it’s easy. They could snap their fingers and we wouldn’t know how we died.” Griff leaned back and rubbed his temples.

“Twenty or so thousand years ago a conflict happened where the rules of war were ignored. It was a three-way war between the eight great powers, and someone somewhere killed a battalion of Tier 15’s. Then the other side retaliated, getting revenge by sending a team of Tier 17’s to kill the Tier 16’s. After the war was over forty worlds were uninhabitable. Trillions of lives lost. It cost too much to be worth it.”

“So Duke Water's very presence stops anyone from attacking us and our allies because he's a true monster. He just reached Tier 31 and he solos Tier 35 rifts. The other two Ascenders are strong but not Duke Water’s strong. That's why we have The Path. That’s why the Empire allows its best to get killed trying to grow as strong as possible. Because one man can stop billions of deaths.”

“And that leads me to Healer Iris. She was a valuable asset to the empire, healing skills are rare and those who wish to dedicate themselves to the profession are even harder to nurture. She lost that value to the Empire after her stunt; if we let people abuse their positions it breeds enmity. If there isn't a swift punishment people will do anything they can to take revenge. Just a few years ago a young man's sister was raped and murdered. He tried to get the culprits punished.”

“He reported it to the authorities and even the nobility of his planet. They ignored him, he was a lower Tiered crafter, the rapist was a mayor's son. They valued him and his sister as less because they weren't strong. Do you know what he did to get revenge?”

Matt didn’t have words so just shook his head.

“He waited until the city's defensive shielding was up and broke a family treasure. He torched a city of millions. Not a single survivor. It was the only way he could see to right the wrong done to his sister. The Empire has laws for a reason and when they aren't fairly enforced millions can pay the cost of a few.”

Matt didn't know what to say. It was a grim tale, but one he could understand. He had fantasies about getting revenge on the mayors and Junipers who let the rift breaks occur. Killing millions seemed excessive in his eyes. That just created more pain.

The room was silent until Griff shook himself, sitting up and slapping his desk. “On to better topics. Matt, you have skill, I've looked at your training stats and clearance rates. You’re good. I think you can get to the 10th or 15th Tier safely on The Path. And just that will show our enemies we have one more powerhouse in our rosters who they have to be leery of.”

“You mentioned Light and Shadow, do you know why they cover their faces? It’s so they don't get assassinated by the other powers. No one wants The Empire to have three Ascenders at once.”

“It would be unprecedented. It would make us the strongest power by miles. Duke Water’s still has another seven or eight hundred years before he hits Tier 45 and can travel to the higher planes.That amount of time is nothing to the other seven powers. The mere thought of a single power having that kind of power terrifies them. Light and Shadow have probably had an attempt on their lives every few years since they hit Tier 17.”

“Matt, standing out too much will draw attention. And yes, you were right. They were weak at Tier 1. It’s common knowledge that they came from an under Tier 5 world, and so did Duke Waters. As far as which planets they came from? That information is completely hidden. When you roll the dice trillions of times, that’s how you beat the odds, and that’s how The Empire gets lucky enough to have two sets of Ascenders.”

“War is close Matt. Remember this; If you kill a genius before they can fully grow up, they aren’t a genius.”

Griff stood and walked to the window, peering out at the sun as it peaked over the ocean, bathing the island in the light of the new day.

“To happier topics, what pet did you get? It's obviously ice based, but did you get something crazy like an Ice Dragon?”

“No, an Arctic Fox.”

“Ahh that's still a good one. It starts a bit weaker than a dragon or a phoenix, but all pets can get to absurd power levels. Hmmm I don't think we even have pet collars here.”

“Pet collars? I didn’t see anything about needing a collar.”

Griff glanced at him and said, “Yup it's how pets show they are owned and not just wild monsters. Also, they function like the bracelets and will allow you to share essence. I'll get one special ordered for you.”

Griff turned and stuck out his hand. “Matt, really, thanks for coming by. I still am sorry I snapped at you, but I appreciate you for understanding what’s at stake.”

Then Griff laughed. “Let’s hope you get a female fox.”

“What? Why's that Griff?”

Griff just laughed harder, “All nonhuman monsters can take a human shape at some Tier between 15 and 45. The stronger the bloodline the higher they have to reach. Pets from rifts gain the ability as soon as they reach Tier 15, unlike their naturally born counterparts. And considering you're going to be binding your spirit to your fox, sexual attraction is basically a guarantee. So bisexuality is in your future if you get a male fox.”

“And besides if it's a she, she would be foxy.”

***

Matt walked into the general store and looked at his pad. He had a list of things to get, but every time he thought of his fox pet Matt couldn't help but remember Griff’s bad joke.

Griff’s wife had overheard the end of his conversation and a whispered argument ensued. She told Griff that if he got an animal companion she'd have to get a male companion of her own.

Matt felt the argument was strange because she had their child in a carrier the whole time. He was just glad that the kid was asleep when he made his escape and heard the contents of Griff's desk clatter to the floor.

If what Griff said was true, he hoped he got a female companion, but he couldn't find anything on the PlayPenNet or PlanetNet about rift pets turning into humans at Tier 15.

Is Griff messing with me?

Matt wasn't sure, but it wasn't like he could change the gender of the animal in the egg. It just seemed weird to want to have sex with something that was once an animal. He pushed the thoughts off, that was a problem for decades in the future at the earliest.

Griff had ordered a collar for Matt as an apology, and while Matt felt guilty accepting, when he saw the price tag of a Tier 5 mana stone his protest died.

That was more than twenty-five times his credit limit. Griff warned him that pets were usually only bought at Tier 5 because they were so expensive. The spiritual strain the bond placed on the cultivator was only a problem if the pet wasn't willing to bond.

The true barrier of pet ownership on The Path was the restriction on outside financial assistance for their upkeep. Griff even said he was skirting the rules pretty heavily with his “apology”.

Matt found an employee who helped him access the off world catalog Griff had directed him to.

The prices were absurd. A month's supply of food for an arctic fox kit cost a little more than a thousand credits.

Matt looked down at the egg and wanted to cry. He didn't know how he was going to feed the little monster.

Then there was the toys and bedding.

Why do toys cost hundreds of credits each? Why does the bedding cost four thousand?

As Matt looked into the blatant extortion he found that the pets were considered monsters for a good reason. At Tier 1 most could chew through iron. All of their toy materials needed to be Tier 3 monster parts or higher.

The bedding was specially made for cold creatures, and would deflect their cold back at them, which was apparently important. Despite his best efforts, Matt couldn’t find any specifics as to why. Just that every bed rated for the foxes came with it, and that feature increased the price considerably.

To make matters worse, the fox would also need special alchemist concoctions to strengthen its innate cold powers.

Matt could see his future of living with no savings and his debt constantly climbing. The only reassurance he had was his peak Tier 1 status after the rift challenge. Now he just had to wait for his spirit to acclimate to its newfound power before attempting the breakthrough into Tier 2.

Confirming the purchase for six months of food, two supplement packages, a bed, and a massive amount of toys and grooming supplies was painful. Seeing his credit limit instantly halved, Matt almost wished Griff would yell at him again so he could get some more free stuff. If it wasn't for Griff’s generosity, he wouldn't have two credits to rub together.

The arrival time for his order was scheduled for two days from now, the quick turnaround being another perk of getting on Griff’s bad side. He was grateful he wasn't charged with the usual fee of a Tier 8 mana stone to activate the portal off schedule.

Matt decided to go to the gym to work out. He needed an outlet for his frustration at his newly acquired pauper status, and the only way to claw his way out again was to delve higher Tier rifts.

Tier 2 here I come.

***

The night before the pet items arrived, Matt was in the shower, pondering the impending arrival of this creature that would have a heavy influence on the rest of his life. The frozen egg left an unfogged section in the mirror next to it as it rested in the sink next to his shower Suddenly he felt a powerful jolt in his spiritual energy, warming and chilling him all at once. There was only one thing that this bizarre sensation could possibly mean.

His fox was about to hatch.

Matt hastily ended his shower, threw on his pants, and sent a rushed message to Melinda’s team.

He was staring at the egg placed carefully on the center of his bed, when all six of them barged into the room. Seeing that they hadn't missed the culminating moment of their days spent in anticipation, the team sighed in relief.

Less than fifteen apprehensive minutes later, a crack appeared with a crisp, satisfying, ringing sound. The egg shook slightly as the crack expanded along its surface, until finally the egg shell fragmented into frost covered pieces.

Out popped a fuzzy mass of white. She, as the hatchling had clearly asserted through their newly formed spiritual connection, was looking up at Matt as she wobbled to him on unsteady legs.

The little fox advanced but three steps before falling over, and Matt quickly scooped her up and cradled her to his chest.

She was so soft. And as frigid as a block of ice. Matt could feel a chill permeating the air around her, emanating constantly from her fur.

He could barely make out sounds of appreciation and wonder coming from the others. Words like adorable, fluffy, and cuddly, barely registered. He was completely lost to his surroundings, except for this new facet of his very identity.

Matt only had eyes for the small creature in his arms. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she seemed perfectly content to stay pressed against his chest, but Matt could feel her exploring the link between their spirits.

It didn’t feel as if it was an invasion into his consciousness but instead like a hopefully inquiry from an innocent child. Matt got the sense that this bond was deeply familiar to her, and the very reason that she had woken from her deep sleep. It wasn’t through spoken word that he could understand her, but instead he almost immediately could interpret the emotions, colors, and impressions she projected to him mentally.

The tiny kit opened intelligent, blue eyes the color of towering glaciers. After a few minutes, Matt realized he had forgotten something important.

She was hungry, and she wanted food now. He had no idea what he should feed the hatchling, the food he had purchased wouldn't arrive until the next morning.

The dilemma was solved for him, and through the spiritual connection Matt got an impression of the fractured pieces of egg. Setting her down next to the remains of her vessel, the Arctic Fox ate half of the remains before falling over, stuffed and exhausted.

Matt looked to the others and saw Melinda was biting her knuckles to keep quiet and the rest weren't faring any better.

He could tell that his new bond would be asleep for a while and whispered. “If you want to pet her, go-ahead. She's going to be dead to the world for a while.”

That started a very fierce but careful rush to gently stroke her soft fur.

Only now did Matt understand why Arctic Foxes were prized for their aesthetic more so than their combat ability. Their coats were divine to the touch, the fluffy tail felt how clouds looked.

After they had their fill of admiring and appreciating the new life before them, each member of the party reluctantly left, one after the other, allowing the newly bonded pair to sleep.

***

Matt woke up the next morning and quickly realized why the fox beds cost so much. The little bundle of fluff had crawled onto his chest in the night to curl up, nose tucked into its tail. But the damn thing had chilled him to the bone as she slept, causing Matt to wake up shivering.

Gently setting the kit on his pillow, Matt scurried into the shower, letting the heat wash away the deep chills that permeated his body. Before Matt could fully warm himself, he felt a jolt of pure panic through their spiritual link as the kit woke, frantically searching for her lost bond.

Following their connection as it led her to the bathroom door, Matt could sense her irritation as she scratched at the door, worry flowing into his spirit. Stepping out of the water he bent down to comfort the fox, getting pawed at and scolded with small yips for leaving her side.

The kit left to explore the bathroom so Matt finished his shower. She seemed interested in, but wary of the falling water. Curiosity overcame her caution as she stuck a paw into the running stream of water. Matt finished up and checked his pad for the status of the delivery. It was at the island's post office waiting for pickup.

Quickly he scooped up his fox, receiving loud protests to the interruption of her exploration. Matt noted that she had finished the egg remains. He reached out through their link and felt that while she wasn't hungry, she wasn't full either.

Hurrying down to the post office was a challenge. His fox was squirming in his arms as she tried to take in anything and everything they passed as they went. He quickly grabbed a single bag of kit chow, as well as the box containing the toys and care products. Seeing his predicament, the postal workers didn’t make a fuss at Matt leaving five large bags of food.

When he got back to his room, he found Melinda, Sam, and Tara waiting. Seeing the fox awake they quickly showered the kit with affection, completely ignoring Matt and his load.

The little traitor basked in the pats and coo’s from the girls. Matt unboxed the bowls he had bought and filled one with water, the other with food.

The fox leaped off the girls’ laps, darting to the food and scarfing down the kit chow. It was some blend of fish and beef according to the packaging, and was supposedly formulated for her breed in particular.

Mat, Vinnie, and Kyle arrived with breakfast as the fox was still eating, relieving Matt's gnawing hunger.

“Have you decided on a name yet?” Tara asked through a mouth full of food.

“Not yet. I ha...”

“How could you? Are you neglecting her?”

“She's adorable, how could you leave her without a name?”

“Look at her! Call her Snowball.”

Vinnie’s suggestion started a chorus of cliche snowy names being suggested, as the fox in question just nosed the box of toys. She started pulling them out, giving them a shake and a scratch, before going back to pull out the next.

“I am not naming her Little White. Why would I put little in her name anyway? She would grow up. And naming her based on her color seems lazy. I'm sure there are a hundred arctic foxes named Snowflake or something similar.”

Matt started putting the supplies for the fox in a bag, and when he got to the collar, he was afraid the fox would resist the small band. In fact, she didn't seem to mind it at all. She was far more interested in the brush that Melinda had found and was using to her growing satisfaction.

The trip down to get the remaining bags of food was even slower; the fox demanded to be let down so she could inspect every new object or stimulus she came across. Matt found it adorable that she would find something, then push her curiosity to him through their bond as if to ask ‘ohh what's this?’ He would try to explain with vague impressions, but the little ball of fluff didn't have the attention span to allow Matt to get the idea across.

How do you explain what a rock is to a baby?

The fact that everyone who saw the little white fox had to stop and pet her delayed the group even further. The fox loved the attention and Matt swore she was prancing after a while. That is, until she was distracted by something else.

The slitted eyes of the kit were drawn to a spider which had built an elaborate web in a nearby bush. The staring match only ended when the kit sneezed, blowing the spider away and startling everyone including the fox. She shot Matt an inquisitive stare, as if to question ‘who did that to her’ through their link.

Matt found himself with endless patience. If a week ago someone had told him he would watch a baby fox take an hour and a half to make the typically much shorter trip to the post office, he would have laughed at them.

Now he just felt the curiosity flowing across their bond, and trust in the fact that he would keep her safe as she stuck her nose into everything she could reach.

The display led Matt to picture a hazy memory of staring at the stars one night with his parents. The details were lost to him but the sensation of their care and love was still clear. He remembered asking them the names of each constellation, and their patient answers to his repetitive questions.

An idea for a name popped into Matt’s head. He looked up and saw bright blue skies, but could still imagine the stars hidden behind the veil of blue. He smiled and sent a query to his fox.

She liked it.

Aster liked her name.