After Tallow got her kiss on the cheek, they gathered back around Jack’s body.

“Should we leave him?” Hector asked after Helia gave the body a good kick to the side.

“We might have too,” Mercy said. “We made a lot of commotion near the border, so we’ve probably attracted some attention.”

“From the clans?” Hector asked.

“Yeah. More specifically…” Mercy looked at Helia. “The Stonetooth clan.”

“Oh…” She turned back to the mountains. “My brother, is he safe?”

“He’s with the others,” Hector said. “He should be safe. Everyone is accounted for.”

He looked at Jack’s body.

“We’ll leave it here so that Jun can find him,” Hector said. “I don’t like him being so close to the wagon.”

Tallow ran up to the two horses and slapped both of them in the hind legs.

The horses neighed and started moving away from Jack’s body, further into the grasslands.

“I’ll find them,” Tallow said to the rest of the group.

“Let’s go, before they send someone to investigate,” Mercy said. “Who knows how they’ll use this incident in their favor.”

They left the scene and Mallory led the group back into the forest.

Stewart was pacing around the unconscious bodies of Gina, Jules, and Dot, unaware of the approaching group.

“Return my sister safely!” Stewart demanded to an unavailable audience as he swung an imaginary sword. “Or you will once again face the wrath of-”

Helia came behind him and covered his eyes with her palms, giggling.

“Aw, Helia, I already told you, that’s not funny-”

He gasped with realization and turned around to his sister.

“Helia!”

He grasped her and lifted her up, spinning her around as Helia’s small giggles turned into full-on laughing.

“You’re alive! You’re safe! You’re unharmed-”

He stopped when he saw the bandage on her shoulder.

“You were hurt!” Stewart exclaimed.

“I was stabbed!” Helia screamed. “It was exciting!”

“Too much excitement to me. I was assaulted in the face… twice, but-”

“I’m fine, Stewart, and I’m glad you are too.” She grasped his face. Jon saw that Stewart’s eye had turned purple, and so had part of his cheek.

Stewart suddenly let go of Helia and ran to the others, dropping onto his knees in front of them.

“Oh, thank you, oh thank you so very much!” Stewart said. “You’ve all done so-”

“Get up,” Hector said. “Come on, Stewart. You know it’s not like-”

Stewart stood up and hugged Hector, even kissing him on the cheek.

“Thank you!” he yelled.

Hector groaned, pushing Stewart away.

“I guess it's genetic,” Tallow said.

Jon was happy to see Hector disgruntled about something not life-threatening again.

“Guys,” Mercy said, her tone serious enough to draw everyone’s attention. “I don’t mean to be a buzzkill, but we have to return soon.”

“It shouldn’t be that serious,” Hector said. “It was just a dispute.”

“Actually, Hector, under different circumstances, probably,” Mercy said. “But, the clans are particular about public displays of strength. Not just that, but I’m from the Ninja clan, so if they did notice any displays of strength-”

“Which they definitely did,” Tallow interjected.

“Then they might look at it as a clan issue regardless,” Mercy finished explaining.

“That’s ridiculous,” Hector said. “We can just explain it had nothing to do with them.”

“Ridiculous?” Mallory asked. “Hector, we’re in the King’s Gaurd. That’s the whole reason we exist, to deal with ridiculous border stuff!”

“The clans are notorious hard-asses with these things, for lack of a better word,” Mercy said.

Hector groaned. “Helia, Stewart. It’s time.”

“The clans don’t like to have their time wasted,” Mercy said. “You guys have to get ready.”

“Are they saying what I think they’re saying?” Stewart asked. “The clans?”

“Yeah,” Helia said. “We have to meet them, but Stewart… I… I don’t know… I-”

He put his finger to her lips.

“We can discuss this once we meet with them,” Stewart said. “We got this far. We at least need to respect what’s been done to get us this far, okay? We’ll decide then.”

“Okay…” Helia nodded. “Let’s do that.”

Helia and Stewart turned to the group.

“We’re ready,” she said.

“Follow me,” Mercy said.

She walked ahead, where everyone followed.

They left the forest again and walked forward towards the mountains.

“Here.” Mercy stopped walking. The others did as well.

Already, Jon thought he could make two shapes further in the distance.

“Be careful,” Mercy said. “They’re probably gonna try to intimidate you, to see how you react. If you start a fight, then they’ll use it as an excuse to hurt you and claim a victory for themselves.”

“I’d like to see them try,” Hector said. “I mean-”

He changed his answer when he saw everyone’s exasperated faces.

His face flushed and he coughed advising as many eyes as he could. “I won’t let that happen again.”

“Look at you, Mrs. War Minsiter’s Daughter,” Mallory said when everyone stopped paying attention to Hector. “You understand a lot more of the subtle politics of crossing over borders than you understand.”

“My father’s a glorified diplomat,” Mercy said. “I’ve been around… with and without him. I just never had the freedom to fully explore.”

“We could have really used you on the King’s Guard,” Mallory continued. “Someone with your knowledge-”

“The King’s Guard exists to protect people like her,” Tallow said.

Mercy frowned.

“Not that I meant anything by that,” Tallow added quickly. “It’s just the facts.”

“You’re right,” Mercy said. “I’m a part of it, but…”

She looked at Stewart and Helia, who achingly watched on their tiptoes the oncoming figures while whispering to each other.

“It’s to protect people like them,” Mercy said, “from people like me…”

“We’re here to protect anyone, no matter who they are,” Hector said. “That’s our job, and that’s what we do.”

Mallory silently applauded behind Hector’s back.

“Thanks, Hector,” Mercy muttered.

The figures were still too far away for Jon to completely make out. What he could tell about them was that they were both very tall and were each carrying a spear that was taller than them.

“Are they… wearing anything?” Tallow asked.

“What do you mean?” Hector asked. “Why would you ask that?”

Jon understood why Tallow asked once the figures came more into view. They were wearing both arm and legwarmers that were furry as if they were made out of animals. They also wore a large headdress that seemed to be made out of the same animal, and loincloths that looked to be some sort of leather.

Even closer, Jon saw that their faces were covered in the skull of an animal that had a large snout from when it was still alive.

That was about all they wore.

“Don’t they get cold?” Stewart asked.

“With all of that padding?” Mallory asked. “Hell, if I looked like that, I’d probably walk around wearing as little clothes as possible too.”

Both Hector and Tallow snorted.

By padding, Jon assumed that Mallory meant muscles. People on the farm wore large clothes all the time, and even some of the really strong farmers didn’t have many muscles to show. The most Jon had ever seen exposed on any person was somewhere between Jules and Lestor. At least until Jon was close enough to see the middling body fat to muscle percentage.

Jon began to feel a little intimidated and self-conscious. Maybe this was what Mercy had meant.

“You’re embarrassing me, guys… ” Mercy said.

Helia slapped Hector on the arm playfully. “Relax, you look fine.”

“I didn’t say I looked like anything!” Hector said, flustered.

“I think that these are the first truly threatening-looking people I think we’ve encountered,” Stewart explained. “However, we’ll need to do something about that outfit as soon as we get to the other side. Warmers, in the sun?”

“Well, it’s not like they’re wearing anything else,” Tallow commented. “I suppose they have to keep warm somehow.”

“We haven’t even gotten through the border yet and you’re talking about changing their outfits,” Helia muttered. “Really, Stewart?

“Are we gonna really talk about their outfits as they casually approach us?” Mallory asked.

“Of course, I’m gonna casually talk about what they're wearing!” Tallow said. “I can understand not wearing armor, but they're not wearing anything. They can get all of their bits chopped off-”

“What I wonder is if the women all around bare-chested as well,” Stewart interjected.

“Ew, Stewart!” Helia said. “I’m curious too, but I don’t want to know that my brother wants to know that!”

“I’m a little curious myself,” Tallow added. “I don’t wanna know the answer, but I’m curious.”

“I don’t think we should be talking about the customs and cultures of another land without learning more about it first,” Hector said. “That's rude.”

“That's the first smart thing you’ve said this year,” Tallow said. “I haven’t even known you the year and I believe in that statement.”

“That is very world-minded of you, Hector,” Mallory remarked. “I have to agree with Tallow on that one, and I’ve known you the entire year.”

Jon could now see that the two people were vastly different in skin tones. One was white, almost pale, and the other had darker-toned skin, more so than both Jon and Mallory.

“Guys, make sure to let them approach us,” Mercy said to them. “It’s respectful. And we don’t want to cross the border by accident. Especially since I’m from another clan.”

“We are letting them approach,” Hector said. “I don’t know why I don’t just approach them-”

“Hector!” Mercy chastised.

“I could watch them approach for a little longer,” Helia remarked.

“Helia!” Stewart sighed. “If it’s nasty for you, it’s nasty for me!”

“So this is your life?” Tallow asked Mercy, “Staring at half-naked men the entire time?”

“I could agree with that!” Helia added with glee.

Hector groaned.

“Now, Helia!” Stewart said, “His lips tightening as he tried to hide his embarrassment. “It’s not right for you to objectify other people in that way.”

“You mean like you objectify Tallow when she’s not looking at you?” Helia responded.

“Oh, I notice,” Tallow said. “I ignore it.”

“You mean, you allow it to happen,” Mallory said.

“Shut up!”

Jon felt Mercy reach out for his hand.

Jon nodded. Apparently, talking was how the others dealt with their anxiety. Not Mercy, though.

“Wish me luck,” She said.

Jon nodded.

The men were now within walking distance.

Mercy began to walk forward as well, but Stewart immediately jogged past her, reaching into his shirt and pulling out the rolled-up parchment as he approached them.

“Hello and Salutations on this bright early, morning, uh, afternoon!” Stewart said. “My name is-”

The man light-skinned man on the left extended staff to the side and pushed Stewart out of the way.

“Hey!” Mercy extended her blade. “Watch it!”

“I suppose I can wait my turn…” Stewart said as he nervously watched the two men.

Jon still couldn’t see their faces, as the shape and shadows of the masks obscured most of what was underneath, even the eyes.

“Ninja." The dark-skinned one on the right said. “You have caused much attention to be drawn to you.”

“Oh cry me a river!” Mercy said, flourishing her blade. “We were here for a separate purpose that doesn’t include you! Now, I already know your little game when in trying to start a fight with me but trust me, I just finished kicking ass, and I’m all fired up for some more! I know we’re outside the border at this point, so try anything and I’ll make sure that the rest of the clans will know where to pick up the bodies!”

“You threaten us, little ninja?” the light-skinned one asked in a heavy accent Jon hadn’t heard before.

“It’s not a threat!” Mercy readied her blade in both hands. “It’s a promise.”

Jon felt the air shift. He heard the clanking of armor and the movement of limbs as the others began to prepare for a battle.

“Oh no…”

The dark sinned one on the right suddenly shook violently in place while he snorted.

Both men bowed back into laughter, their voices losing their ominous edge as they peeled back from the confrontation.

“...Why are you laughing?” Mercy asked, still frustrated, but also extremely confused.

The dark-skinned man spoke again, this time, his voiceless tempered as he mocked Mercy’s threat.

“I- am- Mercy-" he said in a poor imitation, “and I just kicked lots- of- ass!”

The two men laughed harder.

“How do you know my…” Mercy’s anger subsided making way for apprehensive intrigue. “Is that… Damien?”

The dark-skinned man raised his helmet and gave a bright smile. His face was a lot friendlier than what Jon imagined.

“Hello, Mercy," he said in a homely manner.