The sun was finally beginning to hang low on the horizon as Kyra made her way to the bowling alley. Although she hadn’t noticed it, she had actually walked passed it on her way in along with Blaize earlier. It was a grey building, made with what looked like a slate quarry.

The interesting thing about it was that in amongst the thin slices of grey stone, were spots of colour, where someone had slipped in different types of stone. It was subtle, but it brightened up the entire feeling of the building quite a bit.

Kyra rearranged Ihaka so that he was strapped to her front before stepping through the door. The interior revealed itself to be a large spacious area with Burgundy walls, honey-coloured wood floors, a bar to the left of the doors, and over twenty bowling lanes stretching out in front of them.

It was also packed.

Kyra hear a loud “Whoop!” as she looked around. “Yeah! Right in the pocket!” Exclaimed a tall beanpole of a guy with a dark mop of hair.

“Brag when you can do it consistently.” Said an identical-looking guy next to him as he went up to the lane.

A hand appeared through a hole in the back wall, resetting the pins as the second twin took aim.

As the hand placed the last pin and disappeared, he released the ball and managed to get a strike as well.

“Can’t let you get too cocky.” He laughed.

“Luck!” Screeched the first twin.

“Hey there hon,” came a voice from behind her, “You looking to bowl a few rounds?”

“Ah, No.” Kyra blinked as a woman stepped off something from behind the bar, and then literally walked underneath the flap that most would have to lift out of the way. “Thank you. I just arrived in the base earlier today, so I was taking a tour.”

“Arrived today?” Asked the woman. She had dark hair plaited to her waist, and a Moko Tattoo around her mouth. “I haven’t heard of any convoys going in or out, the last couple of days. Wait, are you the young’un who came in with the TerraWolf?”

“Yeah, that’s probably me.” Kyra was feeling pretty awkward at this point. “Unless anyone else has come in today with another one.”

“Trust me dal’, you’re the only one who’s not in any of the large teams that have ever, brought anything bigger than an AquaRabbit back from any hunting.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to wonder about how I managed to survive that encounter myself” Kyra’s arms went around Ihaka instinctively, and the woman nodded her head in thought.

“Well, you made it here in one peace any old how. You said that you were takin’ a tour?”

“Ah, yeah. I settled in earlier. Took a little nap, and then figured I could take a look around. Not that there seems to be all that much to see just yet.”

“Ah. Well, most of what’s interesting to see here lies beyond the fences of this base, that’s true enough.” The woman held out her hand. “But I haven’t even introduced myself to you yet. How lax of me. I’m Annie. It’s nice to meet you, and who would you be.”

“Kyra!” She said as she shook Annie’s hand “Lax of me too. Sorry. I’m Kyra, and this here is Ihaka.” She indicated.

“Hi there little one,” Annie crooned as Ihaka giggled back at her. “Oh! You’re a smiley one, aren’t you!? Do you think you and your mummy would like to get a drink? On the house, first-timers welcome, with a combination of congratulations for surviving and bringing back a TerraWolf!”

“Um,” Kyra was uncomfortable again, “Yeah ok, why not.”

“Excellent!” Annie exclaimed as she walked back under the bar flap, and stepped up onto whatever platform was there that allowed her to see over the top. “What’re you having?”

Kyra perused the chalk menu hanging up on the wall behind the bar. “Would you mind mixing some apple juice with water for Ihaka, I don’t want him getting too much sugar at this age. And a glass of apple cider for me.”

“Coming right up dal’. You just take a seat if you like.”

“Thanks, Ihaka’s drink can go in here,” Kyra said as she pulled out his now empty bottle.

Taking a moment to look around as Annie got the drinks, she noticed that one of the twins was looking at her from over his shoulder as he continued to bicker with his brother.

Seemingly taking their brief moment of eye contact as an invitation to make his way over, he tapped his brother on the shoulder to get him to turn around and called out “Hey, you wanna come play a few rounds with us?”

Kyra shook her head and demurred, “I’m good thanks.” Kyra had a feeling that playing a few rounds of bowling wouldn’t be this guy's end goal, and to be frank, even if she was interested in finding some company right now, he was the wrong gender.

“You leave her alone Casper! You hear me!?” Anne snapped, as she placed the drinks down on the counter with a little more force than necessary.

Casper flung his arms into the air, “Annemarie! How many times do I have to ask you to call me Cass!?”

“Once for every time you act like an ass, and two for every time you call me Annemarie!”

“I just asked her to bowl!! How is that being an ass?”

“Oh? And how many girls have you ‘Asked to bowl’ since you started coming here, hmm? You know exactly how you were being an ass.”

“Come on! I never did anything without their full consent.”

“Hmph!”

“Just give it up man, you’re on her blacklist.” Cass’s brother clapped him on the back.

“No, if he were on my blacklist, he wouldn’t be allowed in my bowling ally. He’s on my watch list.”

Cass looked disgruntled as his brother laughed and said, “Fair enough. I wouldn’t trust him if I were you either. He is a lot of fun though.” He winked at Kyra, “If fun is what you want.”

Kyra found her lip twitching at the way he was subtlety selling his brother’s strong points to her, even as he continued to rib him.

“I’m good thanks. I have all the man that I need in my life right here.” She said as she stroked Ihaka’s hair.

The twins blinked down at Ihaka as the baby in question turned to look at her inquiringly. His mouth not leaving his bottle for even a second.

“Dude. That’s some stiff competition!”

Cass rolled his eyes “Whatever. You guys are ganging up on me.”

“It’s good for you! Stops your head from getting too swelled.” Cass’s brother reached his hand out to Kyra, “I’m Seb. Sebastian. Nice to make your acquaintance”

Kyra put her hand out automatically, “Nice to meet you too.” She blinked, “A ghost and martyr?”

Kyra had come across the meaning of the name Sebastian as she was looking for a good name for Ihaka.

“What can I say, those’re the names our mother gave us.”

“The original meaning of Casper is treasurer.” Interjected the miffed sounding live Casper.

“Sorry. It’s a cool sounding name.”

He gave a devilish smile, “I’ll forgive you if you agree to a date with me.”

“I don’t think I owe you that much for being surprised at your name.”

Annie gave a guffaw, as Seb covered his mouth and tried to be a bit more subtle about it. “She has you there man.”

The twins, who gave an excuse of feeling a bit tired and needing to take a break, came to sit down next to her to chat for a while.

Kyra managed to learn quite a bit during that chat.

For example, the fact that the together the twins headed a relatively small group of hunters, nearly 60 people in total, who called themselves the Tuis after the native New Zealand bird.

Now that she knew to notice, Kyra saw that the iridescent colours of the Tui’s dark green and purple feathers could be seen in the wrist bands that the twins were wearing. As well as wispy strings of white coming out here and there, to represent it’s white tufted bib that the Tui was so famous for.

Sebastien also gave her a rundown on the biggest groups that had begun to form in this last month or so. “Right now the biggest and most notable groups that you want to be aware of are one, of course, the military,” Seb explained “Two, the Crouching Tigers. They have close to 1000 members and tend to be the most domineering. Three, the Dancing Dolphins. They are run by four quite truly formidable women.”

At this point, Cass gave a quite disgruntled snort from the side, which made Kyra wonder if he had tried —and failed— to hit on one of them.

Seb carried on as though he didn’t notice. “They’re the Crouching Tigers' biggest rivals, and tend to be the only ones who can, or will if you count the military, give them a what for when they step too far out of line.

As a result, a lot of women who came through without any family or such, have joined them for protection not just outside of the gates.” He gave Kyra a significant look.

“Thanks for the tip.” She acknowledged softly.

“Well,” he cleared his throat, “last but not least, the Haast’s”

Kyra blinked, “As is the extinct eagle?”

“That’s the one,” Annie interjected as she poured drinks for some other customers.

“Yup.” Seb continued, “They are the third-largest group, and tend to think themselves above what they call ‘petty politics’, but they act lofty enough.”

“I guess they think of themselves as looking down on the rest of us, just as though they really were eagles.” Snorted Cass.

Later on, the topic of Military patrols came up. Kyra mentioned that she had found it odd that she hadn’t seen any kind of security since she had gotten here.

“Oh, they’re there all right.” Annie grunted, “Don’t know who they think they’re foolin’. Hiding up in trees outside the gate, and walking around in plain clothes in here.”

“Plainclothes patrols? Why would they bother?” Asked Kyra.

“Beasts me dal’. All I know is that either way they’re not to be messed with. Sure the military is technically still under New Zealand government jurisdiction. But who on earth is out here to reinforce that?” Annie’s eyebrows arched high, “Nobody but the military, that’s who.”

The twins snorted in agreement.

Still later, Kyra asked about the lack of shops.

To which the three of them snorted and Seb said, “That’s because the cost for setting up a shop and paying the taxes on it are only just a few coppers shy of being absolutely prohibitive.”

“Everyone just does private transactions.” Cass gave two air quotes with his fingers.

Their conversation came to an abrupt halt as the twins started making noises about getting up and having a few more rounds. Casper seemed to take this as his cue to try his luck again with Kyra, and, deciding that enough was enough she said, “I appreciate the flattery and the determination Cass, but I tend to prefer my partners more with upper accessories then lower accessories, if you get my meaning.”

Immediately his face became hard.

“Obviously, you don’t,” He said, glaring pointedly at Ihaka who was playing with his Kiwi plushy.

“Not that it matters,” Kyra sighed, “But biologically speaking, Ihaka is my little brother.”

“Whatever. I’m going back to bowl. Thanks for making us waste the last two hours talking to you.”

“Hey!” Snapped Sebastien, “Speak for yourself.”

“You coming with me or what?”

“I’ll join you after I’m done apologizing on your behalf.”

“She’s the one who pretended like she wasn—”

“Finish that sentence, and I’ll deck you myself!” Sebastien pointed his finger at his brother.

As Casper stormed off back to an empty lane, Sebastien gave Kyra a helpless look and said, “He was raised by our mother.” As if that explained and excused everything.

“Seriously though.” He said, “It was nice meeting you, Kyra. Hope to see you around again. And I’m really sorry about that oaf.” With that, he turned to join his brother. Slinging an arm over his shoulder, the two seemed to get into a heated discussion about something, and Kyra was fairly certain that she was glad that she could not hear what they, or rather what Casper, was saying.

Shaking her head, she turned back to Annie and her second glass of cider.

“You all right dal’? I swear that man just doesn’t understand when he’s about to go way over the line sometimes. He has been getting somewhat better though.

In fact, I’m rather certain that Seb brought him here mostly to get him away from that mother he mentioned. Didn’t give Cass much of a choice about it, it sounds like.”

“Is she religious?” Kyra asked.

“Neither of them have ever talked about her in detail, so I can’t say for certain. But I’d put money on it being yes.” Annie’s eyebrows arched up into her hairline again. “Any old how love, if you’re interested in joining the Dolphins, I’d recommend going around the 19th building for brunch one day. Around 10 in the morning. That’s when they have their get together, and Kaitlyn cooks for the whole lot of them.

I had a bite of one her pie’s once. To die for! No exaggeration! Even if you weren’t wanting to join for the solidarity, you’ll be joining for the regular access to them. I tell ya!” She winked at Kyra.

“I might just go and check it out, actually.”