Their group had changed drastically. Perhaps at first, it is not that there were many, not even including Kali, Blanche, and her partner, Ark. However, the pack was so numerous that they ignored how to behave with them nearby. After a few directions to Braunah, she sent several of her explorers to go ahead on the road in case they could encounter any new obstacles.

“I guess it’s not such a bad idea, isn’t it?” Blanche said, more encouraged to see that they were continuing their journey. “At least that way, we can be aware if someone tries to attack us again.”

Even though neither Finnian nor his friends were confident of that, they could not have decided much more either. By losing the advantage of a small number, not to mention that the wolves were far bulkier than those present, any elthean could detect movement if they were nearby.

“Our presence goes almost unnoticed,” Leith said.

Even he noticed how their essence suffocated them. The lupine smell, a mixture of land and nature, with a touch of energy that reminded the dogs of his world, was where they walked. However, that they could not perceive them with their magic implied that they were collectively protected in a way that they could not understand.

“It may be because we are with the pack,” Aer said, as concentrated as the rest as finding the answers.

“Maybe we can find out later how they do it,” Ead said.

“It could be vital from now on,” Rune conceded.

Because if he learned in the Galya that even he, despite the magic that protected him, could be found, the more resources they had at their disposal, the better they would go. After his initial meeting, the morning’s early hours were no longer strange, reminding him in a superficial way of The Jungle Book. Maybe Braunah will leave them their space, although they were not far or near at all until that stopped.

They were informed that they had entered an area that suffered more than they came from. While in the Ellery’s, they had the opportunity to see a dominated territory, and outside the Galya, someone trying to conquer it, they found the consequences. Burned land, forests consumed by fire and land desolate by more than confrontation. However, far from finding it empty and lifeless, they saw a small group of elthean, each more different than any of those who went with them.

As big as the wolves, perhaps more, the one that stood out was a mixture of a tortoise with ankylosaurus of green and brown tones. It almost camouflaged itself without problems, or it would be so if it were not for the fact that on its shell, there was a small island that was out of tune with its surroundings. Rocks, trees and berries were there; as it was their garden, the soil did not suffer from his footprints despite his size. It was almost as if they were in harmony.

“He moves with the earth,” Aer explained when he saw his face in amazement. “That’s why we barely noticed him. He is one with its element.”

That answered a couple of his questions, although they did not take long to see other elthean who accompanied him. At first sight, they resembled him with ostriches but with arms with wings folded behind them. They also did not have a beak, and their head was covered with ridge-like feathers that followed them on their back. There were at least ten scattered around the burned ground. They were the so-called “regrowers” because they were in charge of fixing the areas most affected by fire, battles, or other problems.

“It’s their way to take care of everyone and hopefully those responsible for new forests,” Ead said.

“How do they know where to go?” Finnian said.

“They glimpse it,” Rune said.

“They feel it inside,” Leith added.

“And the tank protects them?” Finnian said.

“It’s more of a dinosaur with pots on top,” Blanche murmured.

She was not misguided at all. They constantly worked, aware of their surroundings, but without allowing themselves to be interrupted.

“We’re going to help them,” Finnian said, rubbing his hands.

“Do you mean it?” Blanche said.

“Why not?” Finnian said, pursing both eyebrows. “Or are you going to tell us more things about what you have lived in Elthea?”

He didn’t like the hints, and that one was well away from her. She was not very chatty the hours they had been walking, partly because of the new fellows who were not far away. However, even Finnian knew that Blanche was not behaving as usual. They were outside, only they would have the strength to protect themselves, and confidence should go in both directions.

Blanche oversaw him as if she danced between answering what was going on in her head or not. Her eyes were surprising, perhaps because he had no hesitation in saying what he thought.

“Would you include me in your ‘telepathic conversation’?” Blanche said, raising an eyebrow.

“Would you do it?” Finnian said.

Her silence, however, was the answer he needed. Perhaps they were close tomidday, even with many hours of sunshine ahead that would not be bad for them to use wisely. However, as Ead intervened, it was a unique opportunity from which they would learn many things, something that even the wolf did not hesitate to sign up.

“Perhaps our appearance makes many not trust us, but that doesn’t stop us from helping with what we can to make Elthea a better world,” Braunah said.

“Our powers not only allow us to fight,” Aer said, as close to him as others, “Even though many choose to use them that way.”

Like technology or any aspect of life, magic could change a lot depending on how you were employed. He might not plan to spend a morning or afternoon like that, but it turned out to be different from walking from here to there with his herd of bodyguards. While Braunah ordered them to form a perimeter and ensure no one interrupted them, interacting with the replanters was different. At first, they were less talkative; they did not refuse to receive their help, even if they could not work at the same level.

The “tank” was the first to draw his attention, although he did not need to use his voice or any act that his senses could capture. Instead, his heart came into contact with Finnian’s, making him release a sigh. His energy was different from his comrades: He was not fiery as Leith neither as lively as Rune or joyful as Aer, but quiet, peaceful, serene, and so powerful that he could crush him if someone were to hurt them.

“Star, why do you want to meddle in our affairs?”

“Do you need a reason to help someone?” said Finnian.

Perhaps he was not disinterested. He was curious, like any other, for that new elthean who worked their magic. He was only eleven years old; there were many things he ignored and doubted that he would never stop learning, but the opportunities came and went, and he just wanted to make use of what he had in the best possible way.

The great turtle remained immobile with brown eyes that shone in green, aware that opening to another elthean could put them at risk. But he had agreed, as did the others in his group.

“How... ?” Blanche babbled beside him. “How did you know they would accept our help?”

“I had no idea,” admitted Finnian, “but when things go wrong, we can only expect everyone to bring what we can.”

“You’ve changed,” Blanche said. “You’re not the same boy you knew about Earth.”

He ignored whether he was right, if those weeks Elthea made him a different person, mainly because of his family’s mysteries that he could not answer there. That’s why, instead of answering her, Finnian smiled, shrugged his shoulders, and joined his new colleagues.

“Come on, there is a lot of suns left that we can take advantage of,” exclaimed Aer, as fast as fists clashed and as enthusiastic as he was.

Perhaps they had a mission, a quest. Everyone there would have more important things to do. However, in that present where others were working to take care of their world, why not get their hands dirty and help in whatever way they could? Why on Earth, his home, couldn’t things be that way? They were supposed to be in the same world, in the same “boat”, to be exact.

Then, after a quick look at the elthean present, so different that they were, but with the predisposition to contribute their granite of sand, enough to see Blanche and remember the reason. Power. Anyone wanted to have it, and everyone used it as they preferred, many for their benefit.

“I don’t know what your reservations are, nor if your experience has been so bad that you can’t talk about it,” said Finnian, holding one hand at the other Signer. “We are here both for one reason, let’s make Elthea a safe world again.”

An act. As with the alasdair, with the trolls, or Finnian expected, it could happen with the wolves. The words were carried by the wind, although they could be as sharp as the swords. He had lived surrounded by them by his parents and the importance of their work. Now he understood much of what they referred to.

The silence returned to Blanche, observing his hand later on to him. He knew first-hand how complicated she could be; being “queen” at their school did not turn her into a bully but into someone with whom he preferred to keep the distance. Now it was not an option, and both knew it.

“It’s not that I have many alternatives. Am I wrong?” Blanche said, suddenly looking to the ground during healing.

“Oh, come on. It will be fun. How many of our class have lived such a thing?”

No one they knew, but that was the best, right?