Natalie

She should have been long gone. Nothing stopped her from doing just that except… overhearing Andrew’s talk with Gracie gave her pause. He indirectly told her to stay put and listen to what Gracie had to say. She could have ignored it too and gone back to the inn, but a part of her felt that had she done it then it be like proving his point. The point that Andrew whispered in her ear had its claws on her now.

“Maybe you’re right,” He’d said, “but between us, I think you’ll regret abandoning these people more.”

Her stubbornness wouldn’t allow Andrew the satisfaction of leaving before she heard anything.

Stupid, idiotic fool! Talking as if he knows what she’s thinking. Acting as if this situation was different to the one that lost Natalie her own family. Can’t he see that she’s doing all this for his sake? How could she make him understand the pain of knowing that he might never see his loved ones again? Couldn’t he understand she did all of this to stop him from sharing her fate? It’s not like she could change his mind overnight. He was stubborn once he got an idea in his head. And so here Natalie was, crouching against the street lamp, her mind half-listening as Andrew finishes explaining his story to Gracie.

“If I take you at your word, then the wolves are not here to harm us!” Gracie said. Natalie pushed back another urge to go to the inn and leave Andrew behind. He deserves as much after the nonsense he’d talked into her ear.

Andrew had told Gracie of his own personal accounts when escaping the wolves. Most of which Natalie knew already. What took place after he separated from them, however… Natalie’s ears burned to pick up every word. He spoke of a giant wolf approaching him. His own strength, unable to even cut through its thick mane, the sheer power it displayed. It could have killed him instantly, but it did not. Instead, Andrew mentioned how he passed out from a sudden and strange migraine. His retelling almost left her head reeling. He did not even so much as a hint to her that something strange happened back there. She wanted to hold it against him until she recalled the day they were having. They had a lot on their plate, and no sooner had they made it here than those things have become more complex and troubling. This only made Natalie more certain that fighting this village’s battle was a bad idea. Dying for a cause that does not save Andrew’s mother was foolish. How was she meant to face his mother if the alpha king had been in the mood to rip and tear him to shreds?

He of all people should know that. He snapped when she brought his mother into question. His boastful act at the tavern was just bravado. So why? Why was he so eager to ruin his life?

“Then tell me, why are you so sure now?” Andrew asked Gracie. Things fell silent for a while until one of them sighed and scraped the wall with what Natalie guessed was a boot.

“In yesterday’s battle, the backup to our rear failed to cover us.” Gracie began. “They were meant to keep our main group from being surrounded as they focused on fighting the big one but—”

“-but the demons killed before they could?” Andrew asked. Gracie must have shaken her head because Andrew then said: ‘What then?’

“The wolves came rushing in from their direction. They attacked people and demons indiscriminately. It was chaos.” She said. “I thought as everyone else did. That our guardians have abandoned us, it was only after we retreated and found the rearguard that I was unsure. They were ambushed, as we thought. Wolves killed two of them, but most of them just laid there unconscious.”

“The giant demon poisoned them with gas?” Andrew said.

“They all had their masks on, and when the medic team found no poison in their system. Whatever took them out left no physical affliction.”

Natalie’s mind drew a connection to something she’d seen in part isolation.

“Haven’t you asked one of these afflicted people what it felt like?” Andrew asked.

“All who passed out are still under the effects of whatever spell they had done to them. Medics are trying to rouse them, but so far, nothing is working.” Gracie said.

Unconscious people. Natalie was certain now. She’d seen them gallivant around the village already. That pulled back accounts of the family at the hospital entrance.

“You think it was the wolves that knocked them out,” Andrew said.

“Not just any wolf, the wolf. Griffin must have been there.”

Those unconscious people had family and loved ones, too. A knot grew in her gut, the less ignorant she was to the surrounding events.

“If they are just sleeping, then why haven’t they woken up already?” Andrew asked.

“The better question right now is why didn’t you pass out? What makes you so special?” Gracie said.

“I fought a duel for a can of grape soda?” Andrew said. He sounded so flippant about it. How can he be so casual when-

“-Between us, I think you will regret abandoning these people more.” Natalie’s face became flushed with frustration. More fool him if he can’t adjust his priorities on saving his mother.

“Don’t all families deserve a chance to be saved?” The other, her younger self, said. Natalie grunted at the question as if being hit. And as much as she wanted to rebut that other voice in her head, a part of her had to admit that maybe Andrew was right, maybe a part of her wanted to help this village, but that was the naïve side of her. Even if she helped these people, if something were to happen to Aqua Falls in the priestess then…

I can’t be at two places at once.

“So you’ll ignore this problem like everyone else does?”

But if I don’t ignore this, then Andrew’s mother could die!

“Can you really do so with a clear mind?” Natalie slid down against the wall, sympathy winning out over cold logic. Because no matter how much she thought it through, her heart could not help but defy her reasoning. She was doing this for Andrew, for his mother, but…

“...I think you will regret abandoning these people more.” Natalie swallowed the lump in her throat. Natalie heard sounds of distant footfalls down the street. Other people were approaching.

Some walked past where Andrew and Gracie stood as they talked among themselves. Natalie saw several people go past with eyes straight or heads deep in contemplation, as if resolving to meet the headsman’s axe. Some walked with a sense of purpose, whilst others simply looked ready to be done with the suspense. Most of all, however, almost all of them looked tired and ready for bed. Natalie recognised some of them from the gathering and although they passed mere inches from the corner, she kneeled by. Most of them didn’t even notice spit here or there. The others who did spot Natalie looked at her with the apprehensive sight of recognition. The uncertainties of what she was getting masked with either a hunter’s discipline or a clear look of indifference or hostility. She was the one that brought the storm, the one somehow able to control the very thunder clouds themselves. It was also apparent that some of them still held bad blood from the proclamation to not lift a finger to help them. One man stood out to Natalie. He was one of the people who sat at the round table in the tavern. A bold man with an outrageously thick red moustache. He gave her a look of contempt as he spotted her sitting in the corner. Well, she couldn’t say that the feeling was one-sided. Although she felt some kind of way about the man as well, Natalie was far too tired to make a show of it.

“You still up?” A man’s voice sounded. He came from where Andrew and Gracie were talking, making Natalie activate her angel sight to peer through the foundation of the building before her.

“Master Shepherd, listen! I think I know why the wolves are acting as they were!” Gracie began, only to be cut off.

“It’s you…” Shepherd said.

“Hi again, old man,” Andrew said, amusement dripping from his tone.

“You know master Shepherd?”

“I know he’s a sour old goat,” Andrew said.

“I saved him from being eaten. You could learn to be more grateful.” Shepherd said.

“Like I said, I didn’t ask for your help.” Andrew sniffed.

“And no thanks to you, my food was almost ruined.”

“So much for your peace of mind,” Shepherd just snorted before moving the questions onto Gracie

“Our next meet up is in ten hours,” he said.

“You saved him?”

“‘Saved’ is too strong a word,” Andrew mumbled.

“And yet you still involve yourself in our affairs, even though I specifically told you not to,” Shepherd said.

“Guess I’m going through a rebellious phase,” Andrew said.

“Foolishness,”

“I have my reason for helping, so rest easy. You won’t owe me anything.” Andrew said.

“I see, so your demanding friend pulled you into this web.”

“I prefer the word ‘we’,” Shepherd chuckled at this.

“Oh, I bet, undisciplined fools. You two are as bad as each other.”

Natalie turned to see him give Gracie a long stare. Gracie just stood there with her head bowed. There was a feeling of concentration about the posture that Natalie could not place a reason to.

“And now you are pulling my pupil into your ‘rebellion’.”

“I was the one who reached out to him. He’d seen something that might be huge!”

“Then work out what it is as you get some rest.”

“There is no time for resting, master please if you just listen to what I have to say then you could-”

“-There’s food on the table. Best eat it before it gets cold. Is that understood?” Shepherd said, he was deliberately speaking over her. Natalie could see that she grew frustrated by it.

“Not hungry,” Gracie said. She sounded… rebellious. Shepherd, in the meantime, sighed to himself. Natalie did not have to be there to know that they had this interaction several times now.

“We will talk about this later,” Shepherd said. Gracie bit her lip a while before replying.

“Where are you going?” Gracie said. Shepherd was already on his way toward Natalie by now.

“Having a word with Yome,” Shepherd said.

“You know they’d listen to you if you spoke up, right?” Gracie said. That made Shepherd stop mid-stride to look back at her.

“Perhaps,” he said.

“So then, why won’t you fight them on this decision?” Gracie said.

“We all have our roles to play, kid. I no longer have a say in such things.”

“You need some fancy title to do the right thing!”

“You do if you want to keep your head,”

“They are just creatures trying to do the best they can to keep honouring their pledge! Are you really ok with what they are about to do!?”

“Things change kid, in every passing of the torch, this is true.”

“But you dropped the torch yourself!”

“I let it go the moment they invited the sentinel in here,”

“And now sentinel gone and you still refuse to come back!”

“That's because the council has already set their sights on a new torchbearer,”

“Who is it?”

“Some young fool I’d imagine,”

“And you’re ok with them just waltzing in and taking your place without a fight?!”

“At some point, the old hands have just got to let go of the torch so the damn thing doesn’t fall over from both parties trying tug it to and fro.”

“And what happens if they are the ones who drop the thing, anyway? What happens if they are given control at the worst possible time and ruin everything?”

“We are not the first place in the world to lose favour with its guardians. Things might be different, but we will survive as long as we accept these changes.”

“You sound just like Sawyer,”

“Is that so?” Shepherd sounded amused by this. “I hope you’re not giving him too much trouble.” Gracie shook her head as she looked away.

“No, but the council is fair game, right?” she asked. This got a good chuckle from Shepherd.

“You didn’t hear that from me,” he said. That put a reluctant smile on Gracie’s face. “Did Sawyer tell you what position you’re in?”

“Same position as yesterday,” Gracie said. Shepherd nodded.

“You better be sleeping by the time I get back.” With that, Shepherd walked on towards the corner Natalie was hiding behind. He did not seem all too surprised to see her there. In fact, Shepherd just gave Natalie an amused snort before moving on. He made it sound like he’d expect her there and found amusement in seeing his proof. Determined not to give him the satisfaction, Natalie maintained a neutral face. When he was gone, however, Natalie couldn’t help but feel the heat forming around her face.

The hell am I still doing here? Kneeling back down, Natalie caught the glimmer of something moving in the darkness. Two green orbs barely visible in the dark street slowly made their way towards her. Before curiosity made Natalie use her angel sight, the figure emerged from the alley on the other side of the street to reveal itself. It was a black cat.

With its tail pointed up, the cat tentatively made its way towards Natalie. It must have been watching her from the shadows for some because it approached with a sense of familiarity. Compelled by its earnest curiosity, Natalie let out a hand to stroke it.

“So you will talk to your friend?” Gracie asked.

“Word for word, remember, just like I said.”

“Tell her that if not for the village, then do it for me,” she said. Natalie’s eyes widened at hearing this.

“Why you?”

”I just get the feeling that she was mostly mad at the grownups and how they speak as if they know everything. It maddens me, at least. I will not pretend like I know everything, but what I know is that before anything, we must protect our home. Our differences on matters can wait.”

“You think she will join you because she also hates those people at the table?”

“I just got the feeling that she was fighting someone that wasn’t really there. If picturing everyone there as a problem, then maybe… I don’t know. I just wanted to understand where all that came from.” Gracie trailed off. Andrew took a moment to respond, as if in deep contemplation.

“I’ll let her know your side of things,” he said. That answer alone seemed to perk Gracie up as she smiled and nodded.

“Thanks,” she said. As she turned to jog halfway down the road, Gracie turned back around to Andrew. “I’ll make her a gas mask as well!” Gracie said. “It’s the least I can do as thanks.”

“I think she’d like that!” Andrew said. With a fervent nod, Gracie ran around the corner, leaving Andrew alone to scratch the back of his dreadlock hair. Natalie sighed in resignation to all she heard. Reverting her eyes back to normal, she distracted her swimming thoughts by stroking the black cat that purred up against her leg. Now that she knows enough of what’s going on, how can she say no?

Andrew came around the corner just then and leaned against the wall beside her. Conflicted by everything she heard, Natalie avoided looking at Andrew’s face. She clenched onto her knees in the effort to do nothing more than just continue to stroke the cat.

‘Did you get all of that?” Andrew asked, his arms folded as he looked directly ahead.

Damn this guy!

“You knew I would stay,” she said. Andrew shrugged. He knew exactly what he was doing. She wanted to continue being mad at him. Instead, Natalie felt a mix of relief and an additional worry take over.

Could I also carry this burden? Her hand froze in the mid-stroke at that thought.

“I can’t…” she trailed off as those feelings changed and expanded in her chest. Just the thought of speaking life to those words laboured her breathing. Andrew was right. She wanted to help these people.

“Whatever demon they are having trouble with, I’m sure we can help kill it. We won’t be fighting on our own either. The entire village is working to solve this problem. All we are doing is speeding up the process. The sooner we deal with this problem, the sooner we can get back on track to reach my mother.” Andrew said, “I’m kind of relieved now that I’m committed. Forgot the last time we’d fought alongside other people, kind of like being in Null again.”

But what if I fail them? What if-

Static shock jumped off her finger and zapped the cat’s nose as it curled in to sniff her hand. The interaction made it scurry back into the shadows. She’d lost control of her whirling emotions. Although she knew it was her fault, Natalie could not help but feel a little hurt at the cat’s retreat. For it to keep its distance because of her actions.

No, it’s better this way. Collecting herself, Natalie stood up and fixed Andrew with a glare. Andrew’s face went from one of concern to a slight shock.

“Fine, I’ll help,” she said. Her voice was more composed than she felt. “We’ll clean up here, get our boat, and reach your mother.” Andrew nodded.

“According to Gracie, things might not be that simple. For one, the demons summoned here seem to be tougher than your average. I’m guessing they are mostly actives if not hyper actives. Then there are the wolves. If they jump into the mix, people will split between fighting off them and the demons. What side do we go with if that happens? I hope Gracie is right about the wolves. It would mean fewer complications for us at least… Natalie?” It was then that Natalie realised she had been glaring at Andrew for a while now.

“Complications, huh?” she said as she folded her arms with a raised eyebrow. To be frank, she was rather annoyed with him.

“Yes? You were listening to what Gracie said, right?”

“Oh, I was listening,” Natalie said as her eyes narrowed further, making Andrew frown. It took his confused face for her to note her own actions. Just what was it she was getting upset about? Letting out a breath, Natalie shook her head before looking off at nothing in particular.

“You have a point. And I hope she’s right too. Just don’t get attached,” she said. Andrew’s mouth opened and closed a few times like a goldfish before he slowly nodded. Feeling flustered, Natalie moved on towards the Inn. She did not look back to see if Andrew would follow. Hearing him catch up and fall into step by her side, however, allowed Natalie a sigh of relief.

“Glad that we agree,” Andrew said. Natalie gave a noncommittal grunt. “Now we just wait on word from Flynn and Sophie,” he sighed.

“Did she tell you her plan?” Natalie asked.

“Nothing concrete, just to find out what’s going on around here. We had little else to go off until then.” Andrew said. “And besides, beyond offering her help, what else can they really do?” Natalie shook her head at that.

“If it’s Sophie, then it won’t be that straightforward,” Natalie said.

“Na, you have a point,” Andrew frowned before shrugging soon after, “Well, as long as it does not hinder my travel back home, I don’t mind. I guess it’s all in the air until we hear from them.”