Spirit Animals - The Ten Keepers: Book of Extras

TEASER - The Ten Keepers: Epilogue

Technically, you couldn't become a Greencloak if you don't have a Spirit Animal. But Keepers of Greenhaven who were considered Heroes of War, sort of gave them an exception to that rule. Which is how Zoron, Hope, and Zoey were still able to find Greencloak-related duties to keep themselves busy with. Of course, the more high-risk missions weren't something the trio, or any of the Keepers for that matter, were eager to revisit any time soon. Instead, they opted for humanitarian services, like helping to rebuild homes from the still-recent wars and collecting donations for displaced people.

Currently, they were taking their lunch break outside a nearby restaurant in the city, talking as they watched the city life bustle around them. Zoey, in particular, hadn't been talking much, seemingly lost in thought as her gaze seemed fixated on something in the distance.

"Everything alright, Zoey?" Hope spoke up, "You've been a little quiet."

"Oh, well..." Zoey hesitantly looked at Zoron, "It's... nothing- well it's not nothing but I don't want to ruin the mood." 

"You can tell us," Zoron reassured.

Zoey let out a smile, "I know, and I will. I promise."

The older two exchanged a glance but decided to let her be. The remainder of the day went by smoothly until it was time they went to their separate homes.

"You up for soup, Zo?" Zoron asked from the kitchen, rifling through some ingredients.

"Er, that sounds nice," Zoey answered, his brother unaware of how she nervously leaned on the kitchen counter.

He frowned, mumbling the next bit to himself, "Seems like we'll have to stop by the market tomorrow..."

"What do you think about travelling?" She asked out of the blue.

"Well, it's not like I don't like it," was his answer, pulling out ingredients for soup before heading over to heat up a pot full of water, "But, I think I'm more content on putting that behind me."

Which was understandable.

"Irene seems to be travelling quite a lot," Zoey went on as Zoron busiedly prepared the soup.

"Yeah I mean, I guess we all have different ways of... coping," he mumbled as he started adding in the ingredients, "But if it helps her, then that's great."

"...what if I said I wanted to travel too?"

Silence.

"And move out for a while?" She elaborated.

Zoron looked up to meet his sister's gaze: nervous, but determined. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm not ready to put it behind me yet," Zoey explained, hesitant but willing, "I'm not ready to just... settle down and if that works for you and Hope, that's fine I just- personally for me I just don't think..."

Her voice trailed off and she looked up to her brother, his eyes sort of unfocused, fixated on something else and she's scared- scared that he might take it the wrong way- but she needed to say this.

"...I don't think I can keep sitting here, at peace for the first time in years while everyone else hasn't figured it out yet," she puffed out a frustrated breath, "I mean, we've barely heard anything from Jef and Ivan, Irene wants to deal with things alone and I feel like we're losing Eilene! It's so clear that there's still so much in the air certain people need to talk about but they're not-"

"I know, Zoey," Zoron finally spoke, "but you need to remember that it's not our business."

"I know it's not our business. I know that... but I feel like all I've been doing here is just waiting for something and I don't even know what it is I'm waiting for," she pressed on, "but I don't want to find out when it's already... too late."

"So what do you want to do?" The question came out harsher than intended, "You want to leave?" Zoey flinched, and he sighed, softening and just really lost, "I just... I don't understand how you can just choose to leave? We're in a stable place, we're safe and-"

Zoey cut in, "And I'm grateful that I've still got you and dad and Hope who's just a few minutes away to turn to whenever I need it. And I'm grateful we have a roof over our heads without having to worry about where our next meal is and that we're still alive after all of this." Zoron was about to speak again, but Zoey pushed on, "And I know it's not my business to butt in with everyone else. But I feel like, as their friend, I need to make sure that there's at least someone else who's just there because Tellun knows if there's any time we need it most, it's now."

"Zoey..."

"But I can't do that when I'm too far away and I just feel like I have to at least try and do something," Zoey looked at her brother, eyes pleading, "I need to do this. I want to do this. And if you're worried I can't manage-"

"I'm worried because you're my sister."

Silence filled the room for the second time, her heart clenching at the pained look in his eyes.

"The first time we've been separated for longer than a month, we had to split to look for the compasses," he rasped out, "We haven't reunited for a few minutes before we were thrusted into another battle. The same battle we died in."

She knew it. They all knew it too well.

"There were so many of them and you called my name and I see you surrounded but I was too far away," Zoron's voice cracked, "I wish I could forget about it but I still see it so vividly and I- ...I don't know what I'd do with myself if that happened a second time, Zo, I can't..."

A sob broke out through the room and before he knew it, Zoey had barreled him into a tight hug, sobs racking through her body and maybe he started crying too.

Moments passed, they didn't know how many but eventually it was silent. And perhaps they used those times to rethink. Because Zoron spoke up.

"I don't want you to go. Maybe I never really will... but I can't force you to stay here either," he pulled away from the hug, looking straight into just as tear-filled eyes as his, "So you need to promise me that when you go out there caring about everyone else, you don't forget to care about yourself." He softened at the last bit, "Because I can't do that until you come back home, okay?"

She felt the tears welling up again as she quickly nodded, "Okay, I will. I'll come back home."

He studied his little sister some more. "You promise?"

"I promise."

And maybe a part of him will never really believe it. Never really will accept it. But he sees the look in her eyes that pleads for him to believe something so-

"Okay."

-he's going to try. For her, and for himself.

SPIRIT ANIMALS - The Ten Keepers: Epilogue

==========

This is just an excerpt of PART 1: STARTING OVER

Centered around the perspectives between Zoron, Hope, and Zoey.

Set after the events of  The Final Prophecy Series (unfinished)

- - -

There's no set deadline (though I'm aiming for June). Progress is slow but PART 1 is more than halfway done.

The story is mostly just going to give the Ten Keepers the closure they (and I probably) need. Concerning the Final Prophecy Series, it's very likely I won't be finishing it as I've lost the motivation to do so, but I do want to give the original Ten Keepers an ending.

It's going to contain lots of angst and serious discussions and just sorting things out and how to cope after all they've dealt with so uh... yeah, it's gonna be something I guess?