With a snap of Passi’s fingers, the crowd seemed to explode. Spreiban scattered in every direction. As the crowd dispersed, Passi bowed es head to Cali. “Honoured one, I, like my kin, have preparations to attend to. We shall speak again before the celebration begins...” Passi paused and stared pointedly at Fen and Nog. “Alone.” The final word was spoken with an intensity that gave Cali goosebumps.

Passi’s tone didn’t leave Cali with the illusion she was being given a choice about this meeting. “Of course,” Cali replied.

Satisfied, the greying spreiban turned and departed, leaving Fen, Nog, and Cali in the rapidly clearing square. Cali shot Fen a look, her eyebrow cocked, as if to say: are you going to explain what’s going on? Despite their physiological differences, Cali was pretty sure the point got across because moments later, Fen held a finger to es lips then gestured for her and Nog to follow. As she fell in behind em, she thought: e better offer some answers at their destination. Thus far, everything at the enclave had only raised more questions.

Eventually, Fen stopped outside of a well kept, moderately sized dwelling near the edge of the enclave. Unlike many of the other buildings, this one was simple in coloration and unadorned. On the way here, they had passed other buildings that were similarly sparse of ornamentation, but the brightly coloured buildings outnumbered them five to one.

After Fen and Nog entered, Cali crawled through the three-and-half foot tall doorway. Besides being short, the doorway was also a bit narrow; thus, Cali had to angle her shoulders and hips to avoid getting stuck. Despite the petite entrance, there was enough space inside for Cali to sit, or crouch, comfortably. Standing would likely be impossible. If this was going to be a pattern in the enclave, leaving expediently was a tempting proposition.

Within the building, a dozen spreiban dressed in plain work clothes silently stared at her. It was... unnerving. Cali almost preferred the clamouring crowd from earlier. Fortunately, the moment passed quickly when one of the older spreiban spoke. “What are ya?”

The blunt question seemed to open the floodgates; all at once, a multitude of spreiban voices spoke simultaneously. After several minutes of pandemonium, the room was silenced by a loud knocking sound. All eyes turned to the door, which stood ajar and empty. There had been no new arrival. It took several moments before the confused spreiban located the source of the knocking. In the corner, Fen was banging a wooden cup against the table. E glowered at the gathered spreiban. “We have not much time, and we’ll get nowhere like this.”

Around the room, some spreiban heads hung with shame, while others flushed with embarrassment— the pale white of their bark turning golden.

Fen turned to face Cali “We’re all excited to lay eyes upon kith. Just as you have questions, so do we. Forgive us.” Fen, once Cali had nodded her affirmation, turned to face the group again. “This is Cali, I found em trapped in a cysug branch. Cali, these are the Auld, the wise ones, and friends I mentioned earlier.” Some of the spreiban visibly straightened at the compliment. “I really didn’a expect this mess. Passi‘s lackeys and the Auld have never seen eye to eye, but the enclave has always been calm, despite...” Fen trailed off when he noticed Cali staring at em in confusion. “I suppose you’re a bit confused.”

“A bit,” Cali admitted. “This fheadhain business, do I look like a fheadhain?” This was her opening to get some answers; understanding the situation in the enclave seemed the most pressing concern.

While Fen searched for an answer, a bulky spreiban with enormous antlers interjected. “E does. Es visage is just like the primeval’s painting. I’ve seen it.”

This caused the room to erupt into indignant chatter. At least it gave her time to think. That explained why so many spreiban were calling her fheadhain, but not why Fen and the Auld were resistant to the idea.

Before Cali could formulate another question, Fen’s voice cut through the din. “It’s not as simple as Del said. Not even the primeval ones ever saw the fheadhain. We’d be fools to mistake a painting, however old, for the truth. We all know that the fheadhain were powerful spirits. That they shaped the very face of Llyr. A fheadhain would nay be caught in a cysug branch, the very thought is sacrilegious.”

Cali was pretty sure she’d just been insulted, but it did give her a better frame for understanding the situation. Fen and the Auld viewed calling her a fheadhain disrespectful. Still, the disagreement between Passi and Auld felt bigger than a quibble over terminology. “And somehow Passi fits into all of this?”

This time, it was Nog who spoke up, “Before you arrived at the enclave, one of Passi’s followers told the guards that Fen was bringing a fheadhain.”

The revelation brought about a chorus of angry muttering, which died out as Nog continued talking. “After —when we were walking towards the leisternig platform— I heard more of them, they were in the crowd, declaring em to be fheadhain. I kept my eyes and ears on the surroundings, just like you told me to, Fen.” Nog’s wide eyes were fixed on Fen, looking for affirmation.

Affirmation, which Fen delivered, “Good job pup, good job indeed. I did’na expect Passi to be so bold.”

The Auld were outraged, but Cali was left wondering, what was even the point of spreading the idea that she was fheadhain. Passi must stand to gain something from the situation. Cali could inquire when she spoke with Passi later, but asking the Auld seemed likely to provide an interesting, if biased, answer. “What’s the point of all this, what is Passi hoping to achieve?”

It was Del who responded first, es voice loud and angry. “E seeks to change our way of life, dishonouring tradition and the vold-oaths.”

Del’s explanation was continued by Fen. “As the eldest spreiban, who has not yet become a primeval one, Passi heads the enclave council. But e lacks the support needed to change enclave law. However, if e had a fheadhain’s support, many of the council would side with em. ”

The wheels in Cali’s head started turning. Her goal had been to escape the UMC and set up a comfortable life in Llyr. Right now, her main impediment was the lack of civilization. The enclave was rustic, boarding on quaint; she wanted more than it could it offer. A city. But if she could shape the development of the enclave, she might be able to bring civilization to her, rather than going to it...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of chimes and Fen’s voice informing her that, “‘Tis the call to gather, the celebration will begin soon.” E fixed her with an intense look, before continuing, “Passi will use you to change things. You mustn’t let em.”

Cali smiled her sweetest smile. “I’ll try.” But, behind her back, she’d crossed her fingers in the liar’s sign. A rough plan was already taking shape in her mind, but she’d need to meet with Passi before she could hammer it into anything specific. Cali hoped the spreiban was half as clever, and ambitious, as the Auld thought she was.

After the chimes began, the Auld dispersed. The spreiban drifted away, alone, or in pairs, over the course of several minutes. Cali found their attempts at clandestine behaviour amusing. As much as she hated to think of Vale, she couldn’t help but contrast the Auld with the well-oiled machinery of his operation. If the Auld were faced with the UMC’s Constabulary Force, she doubted they’d last five minutes before every single one was caught.

Eventually, the entire Auld had filtered out, leaving just Cali, Fen and Nog in an empty room. Fen sighed. “We’ll take you to Passi. As much as I don’t like it, es right to speak with you is law. Be careful.”

Without another word, Fen led Nog out the door. Cali followed behind the pair, her egress from the building a great deal more challenging than theirs. Once she’d managed to extract herself, she followed Fen. Their route diverged before the leisternig platform. Cali was instead led towards a large building that reminded her of a cross between a church and a cottage. The double doors were large by spreiban standards, standing five-and-half feet tall. Cali would only have to duck a little to enter.

After they reached the building, her escorts made themselves sparse. She was alone. Cali suppressed a chuckle. For all that the Auld seemed to distrust Passi, they seemed unwilling to interfere directly, which would make things easy.

Cali took a moment to straighten her clothing —stiff with dried ichor— and collect her thoughts. She doubted Passi would have any information about the location of kith settlements. Asking might even prove dangerous if Passi’s plans depended on Cali remaining in the enclave. Passi was only, potentially, useful if Cali wanted to modernize the enclave. Her objective was to determine if that was a viable plan.

Objective firmly fixed in her mind, Cali rapped on the doors. They swung open, near instantly, revealing the older spreiban behind them. Had e been that anxious to receive es guest? Cali thought she saw subtle signs of tension on her host’s face. Since their first meeting, Passi had changed. E now wore a finely made white robe with intricate golden embroidery, and es antlers were decorated with strands of pale aquamarine gemstones. The gems were finely cut, the clothes expertly tailored, and to Cali’s eye, the outfit looked well chosen. This spreiban evidently knew how to make an impression. It was a striking contrast to the members of the Auld, who had been dressed in dirty, muted brown and green work clothes.

Passi looked her up and down, nose wrinkling with disgust. The first words from es mouth were, “Those buffoons, did they forget all hospitality in an effort to spite me?” Words that were far more honest than Cali had expected, given Passi’s earlier facade.

However, the spreiban regained es poise quickly. “Honoured fheadhain, I am shamed by the incivility my kin have displayed. Though you ought to be an honoured guest, certain members of the enclave have sought to humiliate you and drive you away. They are scared. Please forgive their ignorance. You are in need of a bath, alas the celebration will start soon and we have much to discuss. We shall speak while you bathe.”

Passi wanted her to... what!? There was no way. Cali refused to have this conversation in a bath, naked. It felt far too vulnerable. If Passi needed her to be clean for the celebration, which e evidently did, then Cali would use magic. She’d hoped to avoid doing so, at least, until she had a safe place to test side effects, but Cali didn’t know when, or if, she’d be alone with Passi again. She couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

Cali barely had to think about the cleansing formulae before it took effect, its use was practically second nature. The resinous ichor that had covered her clothes and flesh was vaporized, along with the sweat she’d worked up trying to break free. Even the steps and doors were soon pristine. In fact, everything within a one-meter radius of her was spotless. Cali allowed the magic to fade away, grimacing as she felt pins and needles begin to manifest in her arms. At least the side effect was the same as before, no surprises.

It was then that Cali realized, Passi was staring at her, mouth ajar, expression fixed between disbelief and wonder. She’d thought on a world like Llyr magic would be no big deal; had she made a mistake? Damn! Keeping her magic secret had always been so important, to mess up by revealing it, intentionally no less, was unthinkable. Foolhardy. Pig-headed. The insults for herself just kept coming. She should have known better, just because she was outside UMC territory didn’t mean that magic was common, nor revealing it safe.

Soon Passi’s mouth started moving, at first what came out weren’t words, but incoherent excited noises. Eventually, e managed to piece together words, “You... you can use the ancient magicks.” Es expression had shifted, what before had been feigned reverence, was now all too real. Cali even saw tears of joy rolling down the spreiban’s face.

Despite es advanced age, Passi’s expression reminded Cali of a child. Any cunning plans the spreiban had concocted were melted away by the presence of a being e thought nearly divine.

Damn it, ancient magics!? This was a colossal fuck up. Passi was staring at her with veneration. Before the spreiban had merely declared her to be fheadhain, but now e believed it. Cali felt a chill to her very core —zealotry— the prospect was horrifying. Yet, in the back of her mind, a thought bubbled to surface; would being worshiped be so bad? Cali batted the thought aside. She needed to head this off before it spiralled out of control.

Chimes resounded once more, the insistent sound reminding her of the urgency of her situation. She needed a plan.