The morning of the caravan saw Freya and Muk enjoying breakfast with their combined families. They had started out from the Chin-Hwa residence right after first light, taking Muk’s mother over and for nearly an hour, they ate, drank, and told stories about home.

“And then, Freya showed up, swept me off my feet - I felt like a princess- and saved the day,” Muk said to the awestruck Kayli.

“That wasn’t exactly how it happened,”’ Freya said, “But I’ll accept it. All honor is due to me of course, with a bit to River and Grandpaw.”

“Thanks to him, we were able to hold off the Marquisate,”’ Muk said, holding a giggling Bard.

They paused for a second.

“Freya…leave?” Kaylia said.

“Yes, Kayli, I have to go.”

“Freya…return?”

Freya bit back a tear.

“I… maybe.”’

“Freya return?”

Muk put his arm around Freya.

“Freya return,” he said.

“Pwomise?” Kayli said.

Kayli was new to the idea of promises, but she had already used them to devastating effect among her immediate family.

“I promise,” Muk said, not knowing the pit of vipers he was dancing into.

“Yay! Freya return!”

Kayli then, as mouse pups are wont to do, sprinted off around the chickens.

“You’re going to leave a chicken here, right?” Faolan said.

“One, because she’s a bit younger and traveling is dangerous. The other four will go with us,” Muk said, looking to Freya for confirmation.

The pen, once full, was open as the five remaining chickens milled about.

“‘I’ve offered to bond the chicken to one of you. Just say the word and I’ll give it the ranger bond,” Freya said.

Faolan looked to his wife, then to his son.

“If Hem would accept, he would be the one that could use it the most. It could be a part of his office. Having a trained war beast would be invaluable…”

Across the way, Hem was speaking with the other Lady Chin-Hwa. He waved.

“If he’ll accept, then yes. When I return, I’ll see about others.”

“When, not if?” Her father replied.

“Correct.”

“It would make your mother and I happy to see you, Freya, but you’ve done so much for this family already that I couldn’t ask any more of you. Still, I… I’ll miss my daughter.”

“Dad! Not in front of my husband.”’

“‘Oh hush, A father’s love is boundless. You just try to stop me from hobbling across the city to give you the most embarrassing hug possible when I hear you’ve come home.”

“Daaaad!” Freya smirked, before hugging him.

“It’s true, all of it.”’

They embraced.

“Mom, I… I don’t know if I’ve told you this, but I have to go,” she said, their paws placed gently on top of each other, “I know we’ve butted heads before, but…”

“Freya, I know you’re heading to the…look, I know, oh little mouse.”

“I left you a letter also, mom,” she said, holding back tears.

“Of course you did. Now you’re going to go make me proud.”

They stood there for a long time, neither one wanting to do anything but exist in the moment.

“Before you leave, though, I do have one question for you.”

“What is that, mom?”

“Freya return?” Her mother said in the most childish voice she could muster.

Freya’s sad tears joined the happy ones as she left them shortly after the sun rose.

“You know, not everyone gets to leave their home with this much, and still asks for more,” Muk said.

“Two Kapis!” The mouse behind the counter said, “And four chicken buckets!”

Around the way, the farum employees pulled the buckets to feed the beasts. She’d paid in advance, letting them know that today they would be early. The farum staff, not wanting to enrage their best client, obliged.

“We’re going to miss you, Miss Uki,” the serving mouse said.

“It’s Miss Chin-Hwa now, or so my husband would have me believe, safe to say, I think that Ranger Chin-Hwa will have no issue taking my old name now.”

The serving mouse grinned.

“Thank you for this,” Muk said, his dry sardonic grin spreading to the now hyperactive chickens. Each slurp was music to his ears. They were on the south side of Yellowrock, and before he knew it they were going back north, to the well established parade grounds he knew so well from his past life.

The jolt from the Kapi woke him up. He could have used that a few years back, but now? It was just business as usual, albeit with a deep thrumming of excitement. The ranger bond did far more for him than any cup of liquid.

And now, it was telling him that he’d arrived more prepared for this movement than for any other similar travel he’d ever done in his life.

It would never be the same, but then again, it never could be.

“Freya, let’s go make history.”

“Oh, you melodramatic mouse, we’re just going on a long trip to school.”