Project: TheirWorld - Chapter 037 - Part 2

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A Fire in the Night

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TheirWorld

“That’s enough, now,” Reili called. “Time is growing short. I thank you, child, for your aid. You have served the forest well, and if there comes a time when the forest can serve you, know that it shall do all it can. A reward has been arranged for you - all of you - between the Dragon King and myself. So long as you uphold the laws of the forest, let them serve you well.” The fox spirit, standing tall and proud, faced the fire. Tik-Tak gave Guin one last nuzzle before he joined his mother’s side.

As they started to walk, Guin smiled, hearing Tik-Tak continue to ask her questions about what was going to happen in the future. Reili really was a good mother, Guin thought as she internally praised the fox spirit for her patience.

Their white spirit forms entered the fire, and melded with the flames. In a burst, they, like the other spirits, emerged, brilliantly white and full of energy - and together they danced with the others. They danced and they danced. Though it seemed the spirits could make no sound, Tik-Tak’s little spirit came and danced around Guin and on her head, while Reili’s went about, cleansing the land. The other spirits seemed to gather to her; hers was a much brighter, more pure light.

Dawl walked up beside Guin and asked, “Is it done?”

“I think so,” Guin told him.

“The fox spirit is a peace then?”

Tik-Tak floated over to nuzzle his mother as the spirits stopped and gathered above the flames. “Both of them, it seems,” Guin whispered.

“Both?”

Simply smiling, she turned her attention back to the fire.

“Go on,” Guin said to the spirits softly. “Be free.”

Reili’s spirit nodded and bowed, and with that, they all disappeared into the night.

Everyone stood, silently watching the fire. The alarm she had set to signal that it was time for her to log off and go to bed started to sound, but she ignored it. She figured game-time woudn’t allow the fire to go on for longer than it needed to - just longer than she wanted it too; although there was a part of her that was happy that she had been given time to send them both away.

Guin sat on the ground and hugged her knees as silent tears slipped down her face. The fire sounded like home and smelled of spring. It was peaceful, calm, and quiet - and she was allowed to reflect. He’s really gone, now, she thought to herself. All that was left was the memories of the time they had spent together. The feel of his fur. His childish nature. The way he would always be so excited to see her. The look on his face when she would leave him behind...

Like that, an hour came and went, and the fire died away into embers.

Dawl, who seemed to have wandered off when Guin wasn’t paying attention, placed a couple of buckets of water by the edge of the ashes, and kneeled over next to Guin.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, he said, “You all right, girl?”

The tears on her face had long since dried, but she could still feel the streaks on her face. She nodded as she rubbed her eyes, wondering if the game made her look as ugly as she did when she cried in the real world. “They’re really gone,” she said.

“Gone?” pondered Jormund. “Not really. Their spirits have joined the Veil. They aren’t ‘gone’ - they have simply taken another form.”

Guin laughed a little as she stood. She knew Jormund’s words were meant to make her feel better, but they didn’t - not really. It’s not the same.

Walking over to the ashes, she could feel that the heat still lingered, she held her hand over it, feeling the heat and looking at the remains. Bones. Bones of all sorts were sticking up and out, in addition to bits of log that had survived. But as her eyes lingered on the greys and blacks of the ashes, they fell upon something else.

Stepping around carefully, she made out what looked to be a white fur. Taking out her spear, she used the blunt end and started poking at it. Somewhat satisfied that it at least didn’t seem like it was alive, she managed to hook it on the spear enough to lift it out.

It wasn’t just a skin. It was an equipable cloak. Guin’s eyes started to tear up again as she lifted it up. The main parts of the cloak were made of a single white fur, with the head of a sleek white fox as a hood. Around it’s shoulders was attached a second skin, that of a smaller, more fluffy fox, with its head resting on one shoulder, and its tail on the other - a face that bore quite a resemblance to the little fox she had loved so dearly. Hugging the cloak to her chest, she pulled up the tool tip.

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<<[ Fox Fur Cloak (Unidentified)]>>

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<< It appears to be a cloak made of fox fur. It looks a ragged around the edges, but the fur is otherwise pristine.>>

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Well it looks perfect to me, Guin thought as she stared at the cloak fondly - even if she felt that it was just as morbid as the tokens that the Fools of the Forest had lent to her. Dawl and Jormund looked at her with curiosity, but simply went about dousing the fire.

“What do we do now?” Jormund asked when they finished. Wise flew down onto his shoulder and cooed softly.

“You have two other quests that Lady Reili assigned to you,” Wise reminded them. Guin had almost forgotten.

“We need to find the trappers still,” Dawl said in a grim voice. “You should both head home now. I will take responsibility for them.”

“The mission was given to all of us -” Jormund started, but Dawl shook his head.

“No,” he looked at the fire. “This is my fault, and yet I have been able to do nothing but follow you and Guin around from the start because I can’t see into your world. The trappers are my world. Let me prove myself to the spirits of the forest who I have so offended with my ignorance and stupidity.”

While Jormund just stood, shifting uncomfortable, Guin smiled. “Then, we can leave it to you?” Dawl nodded. “If you need any help,” she said. “I sure that Jormund and I will do anything in our power to so. All you need to do is ask.”

Jormund and Dawl looked at one another, and exchanged a nod. These two, Guin thought, amused.

“Finish the quests as you see fit,” Wise told them, her voice warm. “When you are finished, the Dragon King will be waiting for you. As will I.”

“Thank you, Wise,” Guin said, and with that, Wise flew off into the night.

It was quickly decided that the men would walk her home. She could have gotten home faster in fox form, but she really rather preferred spending her time in thought, clutching the cloak her friends had left her in her sad happiness.