(Kasm)

Kest ran to the newest door to get inside, frantically kicking it while shouting, “Mother! Someone! Help!” She paused briefly in her kicking to readjust the boy that was slipping off her back. As she went to kick the door again, it opened. “What are you-” a child identical to Kest answered the door. The child wore the same black undershirt and boxy purple tunic, their straight black hair was cut in the same short, perfectly symmetrical cut, and on their face was the same plain black mask with only eye holes as a facial feature. Only the child’s voice could distinguish them from the thousands of other children in the Kasm territory.

“He came out of nowhere! Just fell from the sky right on top of me!”

When the child, who Kest could distinguish from the voice was Pit, didn’t immediately get out of

the doorway, Kest pushed her way through forcibly. Pit stumbled, “Hey! What do you think you’re doing? Don’t bring strangers into the castle!”

“He fell from the fucking sky! He needs to go to the infirmary.” Pit grabbed Kest’s arm, yanking her back as she tried to move forward. She whirled back to face them, “Let me go!” She shouted... then shuddered. She could feel Pit’s cold glare behind their black mask, through the slightly curved downwards eyes that let nothing through.

“You can’t just do as you like, damn retard”

Kest’s spine stiffened and her hands dug into the thighs of the boy on her back. But she bit back the desire to fight back, “What’s so wrong with taking an injured kid to the infirmary?”

“He could be a Fol spy!”

“Does he look Fol to you?” Kest snapped.

Pit put their hands on their hips and responded haughtily, “Are you so fucking stupid that you think a spy wouldn’t alter their appearance?”

“He’s just a kid though! Why would the Fol send a kid into enemy territory.”

“Cause morons like you would underestimate them, duh.”

Kest stamped her foot and opened her mouth to retort, though it wasn’t obvious to Pit with her mask on her face. Before she could speak her retort a cold, mature voice spoke above and behind her, “Pit. Kest.”

Pit straightened, pulled his feet together, and bowed while Kest turned on her heel, “Mother!” She exclaimed, not bowing out of fear that she’d drop the boy.

The chief of the Kasm tribe stared coldly down at her daughter and adopted child, hands behind her back, mask hanging from the sash around her waist. “You’re not wrong to be cautious Pit... However, whether suspicious or not, we do not leave children to suffer in this house.” Kest scoffed but covered it up with a cough. Chief Bok half-turned, keeping her eyes on Kest as she tilted her chin up, “come Kest, bring him to the infirmary.” She fully turned, striding through the castle halls towards the infirmary. Kest half-jogged to keep up with the long strides of her mother.

Chief Bok led the way into the infirmary, stepping aside once inside, “The doctor seems to be out. I’ll go find him, lay the boy down on the bed, Kest.” Chief Bok left Kest alone with the boy in the infirmary. Kest did what she was told, letting the boy flop off her back onto the bed then arranging his limbs in a way that looked comfortable. She removed her mask and hooked it on her waist sash.

“Just cause Mother had you bring him to the infirmary doesn’t mean you’re right.” Kest turned back towards the doorway where Pit stood, mask off and tongue stuck out.

Kest rolled her eyes, “Whatever.”

A weak, clammy hand grabbed Kest’s wrist. Kest looked down to meet the black, tear-filled eyes of the boy. He opened his mouth and in a weak voice croaked, “Where...?”