Mirae Walkers

Chapter III

Keoni was walking home after taking care of one of the manor owner's plants. It was her main source of food. She tended to their gardens, and they fed her lunch.

Caste, however, hadn't eaten anything. He'd stayed hidden in her house for the whole day. She half expected him to leave while she was out.

Keoni turned into the library. Ryley wasn't at the counter. He was probably restocking some shelves somewhere in the library.

Keoni withdrew her finished book from her bag and pushed it onto the counter, waiting.

It wasn't long before Ryley returned to the desk, and his face lit up when he saw her.

"Hey Keoni," he said, "Finished already?"

She nodded silently as he collected the book and placed it on the small cart next to him.

Could she trust Ryley knowing that she was now hiding someone on many wanted lists?

An instant answer came: yes. She'd known him as a close friend for many years now. Especially judging by how he stood up to the hunters yesterday.

"As it turns out, those Mir-Hunters were actually chasing a Mir-Cognate." She said ominously to him.

"Really?" Ryley asked. "How do you know? Did you see them arrest someone?"

She laughed a little. "No, he took shelter in my apartment while trying to get away. He's still there."

Ryley was shocked. "And you know for sure he's a Mir-Cognate?"

"Positive."

Ryley gathered his thoughts for a moment. "Well, can I meet him? I promise I won't turn him in for the prizes they're offering right now."

Keoni trusted him. "Sure."

Ryley followed her outside where it was a short walk back home.

She unlocked the door and opened it. Keoni didn't see Caste anywhere.

Did he leave?

"Caste? I'm back." She called softly.

No reply.

She started walking towards the kitchen, looking in her living room along the way. She didn't see him in either location, which worried her. Where is he? She wondered. Ryley seemed just as confused as Keoni, looking for someone as well.

Her bedroom. Of course! If she was injured and in a non-hostile environment, she would find the most comfortable place to rest and recover. She made a beeline for her room and looked inside.

As she had guessed, she saw a big gray lump of fur sprawled among her sheets, lightly snoring in the strange position he was laying in.

Ryley came up behind her, trying to be silent but her ears still picked up the slight thumps of his hooves even on the carpeted ground.

"Wow," he very expectedly started, and Keoni knew exactly what he was going to say. "You find him in your house and he's already this comfortable in your bed?" Which earned him a well-deserved smack from Keoni as Ryley softly giggled.

She tentatively walked towards Caste's sleeping form, trying to plan out her explanation to him about Ryley in her head. She gently shook his shoulder, earning a grunt and a grumble from him, his eyes still closed. He drew his limbs in, trying to find a more comfortable position.

"Caste."

He groggily pulled the blankets and sheets over his head, trying to go back to sleep.

"It's the afternoon."