Gabriel sat at the fire with the others. Tyler was fast asleep by this point. The deer had been picked clean by them, with Luna and Pride gnawing on the animal’s bones. He looked around and saw that the others were looking at him. Even after being alive for more than four thousand years, he still made mistakes.

“These two may not want to say it, but you messed up today. He’s a child who was raised his whole life to fear the unknown and the ‘scary Deforchunae.’ And before you start, I know you hate that word and what it means. Understand that he doesn’t know what you’ve gone through, or any of us for that matter. He’s fourteen years old, for heaven’s sake. You should know better than anyone what effects your upbringing can have on you.” Helena said while chastising him.

Gabriel sat there, unable to find fault in her words. Helena was right; Tyler was far too young even to know what he had said. Idiotic bigots raised him, and Gabriel could not fault him. Gabriel was again in awe of how Helena’s Gift allowed her to navigate someone’s feelings perfectly. Far different than his Gift or even Marissa and Veaos’, her Gift was not suited for combat. It was highly versatile in a way that his power wasn’t. Taking a deep breath, Gabriel addressed the group.

“You’re correct, and I lost control. I hope I haven’t damaged any of the good work we’ve done to help him. Do you have any insights into how he’s doing, Helena?”

“He’s doing better. Less scared than of everyone but you, hun. He has warmed up to Veaos and trusts me a lot. You and Marissa should try and take time to talk to him. We have a while before we arrive at the closest door.”

Marissa nodded her head and then told them she was retiring for the night.

“He’s a good kid. Anybody who can recognize my greatness has to be. He might have an interest in learning a weapon. Is that alright, Gabriel?” Veaos asked.

“I want to wait till we get home before giving him a weapon. We still don’t know what his Gift is. Depending on what it is will determine whether he even needs a weapon. I’ll try and fix the damage I’ve done tomorrow. Veaos, you’re on night watch. I need to rest after being up so long.” Gabriel made his way to his bedroll and fell asleep, content that nothing would happen with Veaos on watch.

I woke up feeling refreshed and well-rested. The bedroll they gave me was far more comfortable than the floor of the wagon. Everybody else was awake and packing up. The sun has already risen, but I have no idea what time it is. None of them have a watch on them, but they always seem to wake up at the appropriate time. I stood up and stretched out my limbs.

"How'd you sleep?" Veaos asked me.

"Actually, uhh great. I've never slept outdoors before, so I wasn't sure if I would even sleep. Sorry for not helping you guys clean up."

Veaos let out a booming laugh. "You've never been camping before? And here I thought the Strakken Empire was 'the pinnacle of man.' Don't worry about chores, kid. You'll have plenty to do once we arrive. If you want something to do, come find me next time we stop."

I felt myself get angry at how Veaos spoke about the empire, but maybe he wasn't wrong. Nobody camps back home. We have parks, but there isn't any nature like what exists around me. The wilderness here feels raw. This forest has existed before me and will continue long after I've passed. It's beautiful and untarnished by people. I'm torn between my love for my country and the reality of what my life has become. I would never have seen anything like this if they hadn't 'rescued' me. Marissa came over to let me know that we'd be leaving now, and Gabriel wanted to see me. I may have warmed up to Veaos and Helena, but that man makes me uncomfortable. Marissa barely even looks at me, but Gabriel keeps wanting to talk with me. I'm afraid he's going to kill me if I say the wrong thing. I walk over to their wagon, and he's already in the driver's seat, patting the spot next to him. Everyone else climbed into the back, and we set off.

Gabriel and I rode in silence while the others talked behind us. I couldn’t hear what was said behind the curtain closing off the wagon from us. I feel so anxious, and I have no idea why he insisted that I sit beside him. Hours pass, and nothing is said between us. We’ve followed the same path, and my interest in a new environment is fading. After being around them for two days, the sounds and sights aren’t as interesting. The silence is worse than him yelling at me. I can hear a ringing that sounds like it’s inside my head getting louder. The open forest is suddenly feels constricting. My mouth feels dry, and I’m starting to have trouble breathing. A stifling panic is rising within me, and just as it’s about to boil over, Gabriel spoke.

“I need to apologize for my actions before. There’s no excuse for losing my temper at someone as young as you at my age. I have no doubt spoiled any possible impression you could’ve had of me, but I will work to fix that. My only mission in life is helping young Forchunae, like yourself, navigate this world and understand their Gift. If you let me, I will do the same for you. Tyler, I am a man with nothing but time and patience, and I’ll be ready once you want to learn what it means to be a Forchunae.”

I didn’t know what to say to him, so I just sat there mulling over his speech to me. I don’t want to believe him. I want to brush his words off as lies, but a small part of me says he’s telling me the truth. I’m curious about my so-called Gift and what it means to be a Forchunae. It’s clear that the empire lied about the outside world, so what else could they have lied about? Maybe they just didn’t know that there was a whole world full of incredible places and creatures. There’s a possibility that everyone just doesn’t know the truth. I feel like everything I learned is changing, and I’m just struggling to keep up. I have so much on my mind that I just sit there without responding. The whole day passed without either of us speaking. The following week fell into a similar pattern; we’d stop only at night to eat and rest around a campfire. I grew closer with Veaos and Helena as we got to know each other more. Marissa was much more closed off and would only speak to me if I directly asked her for help with something. Gabriel still had me sit next to him on the day rides. He kept true to his word and gave me space and time to think about what I wanted to know. As I finished my food, Helena approached me and said that we would arrive at our destination tomorrow. I figured it was time to have my conversation with Gabriel.