“Weeeeee!”

Scarlet was as a small meteor as she happily soared into the sky above the island. Her enthusiastic twirls and wheels left trails of fire that burned fiercely before dissipating.

“Father! Look at me!” She cried, her voice intermingling with a crackling sound like a coal burned in her chest.

Standing on top of a small hill, Gorren admired the delight of his child. Scarlet’s joy was a bright, pure flame. It was like she had been born only to fly free in the sky.

Despite being confined to the earth, Argus wasn’t enjoying their first outdoor excursion any less.

Gorren had a small tract of wood deprived of most of the trees, leveled and added on with rocks and a small creek. The end result was a peaceful meadow where birds chirped and the sound of burbling water filled the air.

The little were-rat romped about almost without pause. With an intent expression, like he was on the most important mission of the world, he trotted from rock to blade of grass to flowing water; touching, sniffing, inspecting, fiddling with. He even tasted some of the things he found before Gorren told him not to!

Argus was far too shy to cry out as Scarlet did and too focused on what he was watching to remember to do it, but it didn’t matter. His joy shone through his eagerness and gestures, a soft kind of glow that didn’t need word to express itself.

Watching his children, Gorren smiled. How long had been since he had felt such pure, unfettered happiness? It welled in his heart like a spring, almost painful in its intensity.

He actually had to sit down.

Watching them being so happy made him feel that all the efforts he had gone through to set this up had been worthy, to the last drop of Mana. Having the scenery set up, the river diverted, the golems set to form a defensive line around the meadow - far enough that their presence didn’t scare the kids -, and then a lot more set up in the woods around the lake to make sure that the fewer peepers possible saw his Scarlet fly around.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had been so bone-jarringly anxious like he had been during the first moments of that outdoor. Fearing that something could happen to his beloved children, he had been looking even at the leaves with something bordering fear. And still, the expressions of absolute wonders on their faces, and now their delight; it made it all worth.

And now… now he was at peace, he was happy. Like he hadn’t been since… he couldn’t remember the last time it happened. Before his time in the Crux, before his imprisonment, before the Catastrophe. So much time had passed. More than two centuries. It felt just as long, maybe even longer. It felt like an eternity, a divide separating his old life and the new. He wasn’t the same he once was. He had grown colder, his heart had turned into a block of ice. His soul, once a lump of burning iron, was shot through with spikes that set pain as his constant companion.

Even now his pain was there, it always was, but it was muted, discarded, in a way that he never thought possible. His soul and mind, always needing something to discharge themselves over, were now the closest they could be to true peace.

A small tear appeared in the corner of his eye, and he left it there.

Nothing would ever make him say that what he had gone through was worth, but this… this was the closest it could ever possibly be.

They would be happy, he swore. He would make sure that they were, no matter what. Even if the world had to burn, even if he had to burn, Scarlet and Argus would be happy in the end.

“Father!”

Argus’s voice jolted him out of his reverie.

The small were-rat was trotting toward him, holding something in his hands. Gorren noticed that his gait was somewhat awkward like he was trying very hard not to run on all four.

“Yes?” He asked, hurriedly wiping away the tear.

Argus stopped before him. His eager expression melted into concern as he watched him. He seemed about to say something, but then he shook his head and showed him his cupped hands.

“Oh?” Gorren squatted to see.

The mouse nosed around, curious but looking very much at ease on Argus’ palm.

“Oh, he came to you?” Gorren asked.

Argus nodded, shyness mitigating the earnestness.

Gorren was quite surprised. Were-rats had a natural affinity for rodents and critters, but usually, the trait didn’t appear so quickly, and even they had to resort to various methods to attract their furred friends. But Argus wasn’t exactly a were-rat. It surely had to do with it.

“You know what is he?” He asked.

Argus nodded. “A mouse. Like.. Like me.”

“No,” Gorren corrected him gently. “You aren’t a mouse anymore. You are Argus.”

Argus seemed taken aback by that, but then he nodded quickly.

“What do you want to do with him?” Gorren asked.

Argus looked at the mouse in his hand for some moments before replying.

“I… i want that he be happy,” he confessed bashfully.

Gorren smiled at that. The were-rat had the heart of an empath. “Then you need to free him.”

“It means that i cannot play with him?” Argus’ ears flopped down.

“Who said that?” Gorren replied. “Playing with him doesn’t mean caging him. And he came to you by himself, hasn’t he?”

Argus’ expression immediately brightened. “Yes!”

“But.” Gorren held up a warning finger. “See how small he is? You have to be careful.”

Whatever clarity Argus had found immediately dissipated in concern.

“It’s not so difficult.” Gorren gestured for the dirt before him. “I show you. Put him here.”

With the utmost attention, Argus obeyed. The mouse nosed around as was put down, then sat and started to groom himself, another sign of how comfortable he felt.

“Look now,” Gorren instructed gently. “First of all, you never have to make abrupt movements. You could scare him. Secondly, always try to talk softly. Even strong sounds can scare him.” He motioned both instructions, adjusting his body movements and voice accordingly.

Argus listened intently, and then awkwardly tried to imitate him.

Gorren smiled and nodded. “Good. Now, if you want to touch him. First, you have to ask for permission. Look.”

Gorren neared his fingers toward the mouse but didn’t touch him. Instead, he stopped his hand at a little distance. The mouse paused from his grooming to peer at the hand. He nosed toward it, then, full of curiosity and without a lick of distrust, advanced to inspect it. Gorren moved a finger to stroke his fur. The mouse paused, nose twitching. Gorren repeated the motion, stroking him gently for a moment before stopping. The mouse pushed himself against his hand, practically begging for more scratching. With a chuckle, Gorren obliged.

“See?” He murmured.

Argus watched the now happily chittering mouse with an expression full with wonder.

Gorren chuckled, thoroughly amused.

“Look now,” he said. “See how i move my fingers?” For Argus’ benefit, he slowed down his movements. “See? With the thumb, nice and slow. Never with the nail. So you’re sure to never hurt him.”

Argus peered intently at each movement, then watched at his own hands. He closed them into fists, then nodded solemnly.

“Now you.” Gorren drew back his hand, leaving a disconcerted mouse to nose around in search of the blessed great scratcher.

Argus looked dismayed for a moment, but then he steeled himself and tried.

The mouse was too happy to find another great scratcher coming his way. Eagerly, he pushed his back and head against Argus’ fingers.

Gorren spied his child’s focused expression. A nurturer? His heart overflew with fondness. It was a small moment, nothing more, and still…

Argus’ expression lit up when the mouse chittered happily under his prudent caresses.

Excited, he looked at Gorren, that nodded in approval. Argus practically beamed.

Gorren shook his head, thoroughly amused.

They stood there for some time in companionable silence, Argus delighting in his new little friend and Gorren of his child’s delight.

Eventually, the mage stood up. He had been constantly checking up over Scarlet, still busy with her happy cartwheeling in the sky. Still, now she seemed about to land.

Like a small laughing comet, the child traced a steep trajectory straight toward the meadow. Gorren felt a jolt of concern at seeing how quickly she was coming. With that pace, she…!

He moved quickly, launching his mind outward to form a net. Scarlet’s slam against it felt like someone had pushed hard against his chest. Laughing, the girl tumbled into the dirt, leaving a trail of blackened and fizzling grass behind her.

Her momentum hadn’t finished yet that she was already on her feet and running.

Gorren stomped toward her, scared and furious.

“What the heck were you thinking? You could have…!”

Whatever he was going to rebuke her with, she cut him off by jumping against him, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face against his shoulder.

“Father!” She exclaimed, and laughed, a silvery sound full of happiness.

Gorren’s anger melted away instantly. He stood awkwardly, Scarlet hanging from his neck. Unsure of what to do, he cautiously circled her little form with his arms and kneeled to allow her to put her feet back down. There was a trembling in his heart, something sweet and delicate that he couldn‘t put a name on.

“Yes,” was all he managed to say, his voice somewhat thick.

Scarlet drew back, her arms still around his neck. She beamed, her cheeks flushed with excitation and happiness, her eyes sparkling with merriment.

“Thank you, Father!” She squealed and hugged him again. “Thank you.”

Gorren patted her lightly on the back, that feeling melting his heart. Words wouldn’t come out, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter at all.

Argus trotted to join them. He barely managed to open his mouth that Scarlet jumped to him, squeezing him into a bone-crushing hug.

Gorren took the moment to steady himself.

He watched them, poor Argus squeaking and flailing under Scarlet‘s enthusiastic hugging.

They had both grown, even if in different ways.

Scarlet’s features had given up their old angularity in favor of softer, humanlike curves. There wasn’t any trace left of her original doll-like exterior. She had also grown taller. Now, someone ignorant of her origins looking at her would think her a wiry child between twelve and fourteen years of age. Her eyes were a fierce red, so vivid it seemed to smolder. Her mane of fire had turned into hair the same color of her moniker that looked like flames had been spun into threads. Her skin was bronzed with a hint of gold, like someone that had passed her life under the sun.

The fury that had always been with her was gone, replaced by a merry smile and a boundless joy. Gorren wasn’t fooled though. In those eyes, there was always a defiant look, of a kitten with the heart of a tiger.

The only thing she wore was a short tunic the same color of rust. No matter how much his Gremlins had tried, she refused to wear anything else, be it even shoes or a simple hairband. She seemed to like her freedom to be as vast as possible, and she left her hair go disheveled and wild. Her feet were covered in dirt, and her tunic already showed countless singed marks.

As in anything else, Argus couldn’t have been more different.

The small were-rat hadn’t grown taller as much as larger, putting mass everywhere until he was a chubby little thing. Still, it wasn’t just fat that held him up. Argus was a wiry little thing just as much as his sister, even surprisingly strong for his size. Gorren had seen him in action, as distasteful as the memories were, but even when not angered, Argus could pack a mean punch. Once, his father had seen him break the wooden headboard of his bed by mistake. He could have reached Scarlet’s neck without a problem, but his habit to walk slightly hunched and his fidgeting manners made him appear shorter and frailer than he actually was.

His fur had turned to a bright white, with the only different spot being the silver gem embedded in his forehead.

Maybe out of fear for his own strenght, the were-rat moved slowly and hesitantly, looking and sniffing around where his sister had already taken off. His natural shyness was always there; he had been only too eager to accept the clothes provided to him by the concerned Gremlins, so much that in the end, he had looked like a walking sausage of cloth. The heat of summer had been needed for him to peel off the layers from himself, and even then he did so only reluctantly and to Gorren’s exhortations. In the end, wearing a pair of large shoes, a simple tunic and a pair of trousers, the were-rat looked much more comfortable than the sweaty mess he had been. Gorren wasn’t surprised that he didn’t need only his fur to keep him covered. Despite being tight and soft, Argus’ fur seemed to keep him cool when it was too hot and the opposite when the temperature plummeted. A magical effect that only added to the strange nature of his strange son.

“Let him go now. You’re suffocating him.” Gorren gently patted over Scarlet’s head.

The girl watched Argus’ congested face, then beamed at Gorren.

The old man felt something melt in his heart. Smiling gently, he patted her again.

Scarlet practically glowed with happiness. Still holding a gasping Argus, she clutched him to herself with a hand and hugged Gorren’s leg with the other. Like that, she hugged them both tightly, laughing at the top of her lungs.

Gorren stiffened for a moment, then relaxed, his expression softening. Even Argus, still somewhat struggling, smiled shyly.

There were no words. They just stood like that, grateful of being with each other, Scarlet’s happy laughter rising into the clear summer sky.

Yes, Gorren thought, moved, all the efforts… worth it.

Eventually, they separated.

“Look.” Gorren gestured for Scarlet to come.

The girl crouched, watching with curiosity the mouse Argus was cautiously playing with. The little were-rat gave her a series of timid glances, his way to invite her to join in the fun and to express his happiness with his new little friend.

Scarlet didn’t wait for Gorren’s instructions, nor asked for his permission. Humming with curiosity, she extended an arm and touched the happily chittering rodent with a finger.

There were a startled squeak and the smoky scent of burned fur. The mouse was in Argus’ hands, scrabbling and squirming while the were-rat juggled frantically to keep him from falling.

Scarlet laughed.

“That’s fun!”

Argus managed to stop his little friend’s squirming by cupping him between his hands. He looked mortified.

Gorren frowned. “Mh.”

At his gesture, Argus handed him the mouse, and stood watching, eyes anxious.

Scarlet watched with uncomprehending amusement.

A small jolt of healing magic had the mouse’s fur and skin cured. Another one toward the mind had him somewhat calm down. The small rodent slumped in his palm, little chest rising and falling quickly.

Gorren handed him back to Argus, which took him with a mix of absolute attention and reverential awe. Father really could do everything.

Gorren watched him settle down, holding the startled mouse with extreme carefulness.

“Scarlet,” he said, and lunged.

The pinch wasn’t brutal, but still enough to have the still smiling girl jump with a squeak.

“Ow! What the heck?!” She barked, grabbing her pinched arm. She blinked at her reddening skin. “You pinched me!” She said, outrage and anger intermingling.

She glared at Gorren hard. “What’s the big idea?”

Expressionless, Gorren looked at her for a moment. Then, he chuckled.

Scarlet gaped, not believing at what was happening. Her face turned red with anger. She was so angry that she actually raised her tiny fists like she was about to start swinging.

Confused and scared, Argus just clutched his mouse, without a clue of what to do.

Quick as it had come, any trace of hilarity disappeared from Gorren’s expression.

“Why do you get angry?” He asked calmly. “Didn’t you just do the same?”

Scarlet paused, frowning deeply. One could almost hear the little gears turning in her head as she struggled to understand the meaning behind those words and to keep her rage in check at the same time.

Realization dawned on her face, followed by disbelief.

“But he’s just a mouse!” She protested, jabbing a finger toward the little creature that Argus still held.

Scared and confused by the sudden turn of events, the were-rat clutched his small friend to his chest, his gaze alternating between his sister and his father.

Gorren arched an eyebrow, folding his wiry arms before his chest.

“Did it hurt you?” He asked.

Scarlet blinked, surprised by the question. Any lingering anger fled her, chased away by confusion.

“Yes!” She replied with annoyance, but there was uncertainty in her eyes.

“It’s because you can feel pain,” Gorren explained patiently. He pointed at the mouse Argus was holding, making the small were-rat flinch. “He can feel pain too. Even if he’s just a mouse.”

Scarlet flinched. She looked at Gorren, meet his steady gaze with one of surprise. Then, she turned to Argus and his mouse. She opened her mouth, then closed it. A frown appeared on her face.

Gorren’s eyes narrowed with amusement.

Gesturing, he had them both gather up to him.

“Be it an animal or a person, they feel pain if you hurt them.“ He had Argus pass him the mouse.

The poor little critter was still scared out of his mind, and he needed some gentle coaxing to move. Still, the moment he stepped over Gorren’s healing emitting hand, he immediately took courage. With a grateful squeak, he slumped over the calloused palm, soaking on the life-giving energies like it was sun over his tiny heart.

“They suffer, and wounds are left.” Gently, Gorren put the tip of his finger close to the scorched mark left on the mouse’s skin.

There was a small flash, and the singed mark disappeared. The mouse let out a confused squeak and started to scratch the now healed skin.

Gorren gently regarded his children.

“This wound is easy to heal, but not all are like this,” he explained. “Some remain for much, much time. Some never go away.”

Scarlet and Argus, that listened and watched intently, nodded, quicker the latter, somewhat slower the first.

“Don’t inflict pain if you can do otherwise. Never inflict it out of amusement. You become uglier if you do.”

He looked at both intently. Argus nodded seriously. Scarlet looked somewhat doubtful.

Gorren snorted. “Sit. I have a story to tell you.”

The duo was surprised. They looked at each other. A story from Father? Oh boy! They loved it when he told them stories!

Quickly, they were on the ground, ready and intent and eager.

Mouse on his palm, Gorren sat cross-legged. He closed his eyes, taking a moment to re-order his thoughts. Then, he began.

“Long time ago, in a land far far away, there was a rabbit living in a forest. He was small but hard-working, and all his time he passed putting aside food and enlarging his burrow. His mate, you see, she was pregnant and would soon give birth. That was why he needed to make supplirsi and make room.”

An awe-filled expression appeared on Argus’ face. Scarlet turned pensive.

“So he worked. He cut bundles of grass and filled leaves with nuts and berries, and then he brought them to his mate, that couldn’t move from his bed. It was tough work, but he was happy because he was providing for his family.” Gorren mimicked a worker happily going to work, making them both chuckle.

“One day, he had just returned home and was busy moving dirt around when he heard someone calling him angrily from outside.” Gorren’s voice took a hoarse, rough tone. “Come out!, he said. Come out, rabbit, or I’ll break your entrance and close you inside! Scared, the rabbit stepped outside. And waiting for him, there was a wolf.” Gorren lifted both hands, fingers curled into hooks. He bared his teeth, and his eyes seemed to glow. Both children imagined an angry beast waiting out of the door. They both shivered.

“There you are!, the wolf snarled. I heard that you’re putting food aside and working to enlarge your house, is that true? Scared by the big wolf, the rabbit said that yes, it was true. His mate was pregnant and he needed to prepare things for his children.”

“Well, said the wolf, now your house and your food are mine! Get your mate and get out!”

Both children blinked in surprise. Why was the wolf saying that?

“Why?" the rabbit asked. Gorren took a humble mien, mimicking the scared rabbit. “You’re a wolf. You don’t eat berries or leaves and don’t live underground. You eat meat and your house is under the stars. What could you ever do with my food and my house?”

“What i do with it doesn’t concern you, little rabbit. Look, these are my fangs and these are my teeth. I am big and strong, and you are small and weak. Get out or i will rip you to pieces.”

Argus took a sharp intake of breath. Scarlet frowned.

Gorren raised both hands in a helpless gesture. “The wolf was right. He was big and strong, too strong for the rabbit to resist him. And so, the rabbit took his mate by hand and together they left their house and food.”

With Gorren’s words to lead them, the children saw the couple make their way through the woods, the mate of the rabbit struggling as the pregnancy weighted over her.

“The rabbit should have chased the wolf away!” Scarlet exclaimed, jumping at her feet.

“He would have if he could,” Gorren replied. “But the wolf was too strong for him.”

That took the wind out of the child’s sails. Sullen, she pouted hard.

As Gorren continued his story, the two children found themselves seeing the rabbit build another burrow and amass more food. He had to work twice as hard to compensate for what was lost but still, he did, because the birth of his children loomed close.

And then, the wolf came again; and again he demanded of the rabbit to leave house and food to him.

“Not again!” Scarlet jumped at her feet.

“But why?” Argus asked. “He already had the other house with all its food!”

Gorren shook his head. “The wolf couldn’t fit in the house, and couldn’t eat the food of the rabbit. He had just left it all to rot.”

Argus covered his mouth with his hands.

“Wait, what?” Scarlet was almost trembling with rage. “But then why?”

“Because he could,” Gorren explained simply. “Because he was big and strong and the rabbit was weak and small. The rabbit couldn’t stop him and couldn’t hurt him. And taking the rabbit’s things made the wolf feel even bigger and stronger, even if he had no use for it.”

“But the mate of the rabbit! The babies!”

Gorren shrugged. “The wolf didn’t care.”

“He didn…!”

“He didn’t care!?!?” Scarlet jumped up and down. Furious, she swung her little fists like she could hit the offender. “Coward! Bully! Bad!”

Gorren continued.

The rabbit, being unable to chase away the wolf, left even the second house with his mate. This time, they couldn’t go far, since the female rabbit was too tired to walk. It was cold, and the wind bit at them like the wolf’s teeth. They stopped, and the rabbit dug another burrow. This time, he made it the deeper he could and hid the entrance beyond a bush. Working as thrice as hard as before, he managed to find enough food for the winter. The wolf searched for him but since the burrow was deep and hidden, he couldn’t find him.

“Thank goodness,” Argus breathed.

Scarlet was the only angrier. “He tried it again!”

Winter came and snow fell. The rabbits were forced inside. After some time, the mate of the rabbit gave birth to two pups.

The rabbit was very tired from his work and couldn’t eat his full since he hadn’t managed to amass enough food. Still, he wasn’t sad, since his mate and his children could eat well. When they asked if he was hungry, he lied and said that he wasn’t.

Time passed and winter went away with it. The poor rabbit, tired and hungry, got sick and was forced to bed.

“Oh…” Argus looked almost about to cry.

“Oh.” Scarlet’s arms flopped down, her expression one of disbelief.

Concerned, the two children asked their mother why was their father sick. She told them about the wolf, and the two times he had forced them to go away and leave their food, of the rabbit’s stubbornness and indefatigable work. The two children were furious about what they heard. They decided that they would punish the wolf for his wickedness.

With this in mind, they left the burrow and went in the forest. Still, they thought, the wolf was big and strong and they were still rabbit. How they could defeat him?

Well, where strength couldn’t go, cunning would arrive.

Scarlet jogged on her feet out of excitation.

Argus clasped his hands tightly together, eyes alight.

Led by Gorren’s voice, they saw the rabbits go into the forest and dig a hole. They pushed a big rock to its rim and covered it with the dirt they had excavated so that one could see only a big mound of earth.

As they were working, the wolf came.

“What are you doing?” He demanded to know.

“There’s a treasure down here,” they said. “If you help us taking it out, we’ll give you half of it.”

The wolf smirked, showing them all his teeth. Greed took him. “Half? If there’s a treasure, it’s mine now. Leave or i will maul you both.”

The rabbits faked being saddened and reluctantly agreed.

Eager to get the treasure, the wolf jumped into the hole.

“Where’s it?” He asked.

“Down there, right at the center,” the rabbits instructed, and slowly moved behind the rock they had hid.

They gave it a mighty push and the rock fell into the hole together with an avalanche of dirt, burying the wolf inside.

“Here!” The rabbits said. “Now it’s yours, treasure and hole. Have fun with it!”

And after that, the two returned home. In time, their father got better and they lived happily ever after, forever together.

“Yeaaaaa!” Scarlet jumped up and down, pumping her tiny fist in the air. “That’s what you get, you asshole!”

Even Argus was pleased by how the story had ended. Still, he somewhat hesitated.

“What about the wolf?” He asked.

“Who knows?” Gorren shrugged. “Maybe he still there in the hole, or maybe he managed to get out and learned his lesson.” He smiled fondly at both. “Did you like the story?”

They both nodded earnestly.

“What have you learned from it?”

Scarlet and Argus exchanged a glance. “Well…”

Gorren waved with his hand. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll tell you.” He watched them firmly. “These lesson i want you to take from it. First: there’s great value in honest work. Take pride in what you build using your own hands. Second: family is important. Defend it. Third: being stronger and bigger doesn’t mean you are free to trample over others. Don’t inflict pain if you can avoid it. Always think of the suffering your actions could bring. Fourth: there will be people that will don’t care about it and will try to bully you. Stand against them. Even if they are stronger than you, it doesn’t mean that they are invincible.” He tapped his temple with a finger, smiling. “Cunning can carry you where strenght can’t.”

Argus and Scarlet frowned, struggling hard to retain those words. They nodded slowly. They felt that they had just been given a great lesson, one they shouldn‘t forget.

“That said, shall we try again?” Gorren extended his hand. The mouse on his palm nosed around, back to his curious, comfortable self.

Scarlet hesitated.

“Maybe he too has a father and a mother to return to?” She asked, glancing somewhat demurely toward Gorren’s face.

Eyes narrowing with fondness, the old man nodded.

“Maybe.”

This time, there was no burn and no pain, only a happy chittering.