Another Way

Chapter 35: Solidarity

Despite sensing Spark's unrest following her unwilling chat with Root, Sue tried her hardest not to acknowledge it—or, Duck forbid, react to it. She was expending all the willpower she could scrounge up on remaining calm even as she replayed the exchange to herself, a task that grew harder and harder with each repetition. She heard, saw, and sensed the switch inside the badger at the end; he'd gotten an idea, she knew it. What kind of idea, or how dangerous it'd be for everyone involved in this ongoing mess? No clue.

No clue, no comfort, no relief. Only the knowledge he had some sort of one-up on her in mind, hidden until it was revealed at the worst possible time, undoubtedly.

As usual, really.

Unamusing as the thought was, it wasn't wrong, either. Trying to analyze what had happened in a more rational way revealed very little concrete, which both helped and didn't. He was a bigot, sure, but it certainly felt like he wasn't the type to ever get his hands dirty. The same held true for Solstice's family, if what she said was to be believed. Even if they conspired together to launch a smear campaign of sorts, a good chunk of Moonview would visit Newmoon today. They'll get to see the creatures there as people and former neighbors as opposed to light-hating beasts, undermining Root's efforts.

The conviction she, the builders, and some others had for helping Newmoon wasn't universal, sure, but most villagers were closer to it than the positively murderous hatred she felt from some of the Pale Lady's most fervent worshippers. Sue had a very hard time imagining them getting whipped into the same hateful fervor that led to the night kin's exile the second time. And, without that, any violent plans Duck's devotees may have had were doomed to fail.

Not something she'd ever want to verify the hard way, though—

"S-Sue?" the fiery kit beside her whimpered, catching up to her. Sue might have been managing her fears decently well, but it was clear Spark wasn't doing too hot in that regard, and the constant aching sure wasn't helping either.

They didn't have a lot of time, but they were also quite close to where the path to Newmoon began. She could spare a moment to check up on her very first friend in this wild, magical world. Putting on her least flaky smile, Sue crouched beside the kit and offered her a hand. "What's up, Spark?"

The kit took her time coming up with a response. She first opted to take up the comfort she'd been offered, nuzzling the sides of her snout against Sue's soft, green skin. Every time her pointy fingers brushed through the lil' fox's yellow and white fur, another piece of fear flaked off and drifted into the ether, soothing the emotional trembling—and physical discomfort—in the girl's body. "Scared, Root," Spark eventually replied. Putting her emotions to words immediately brought some of their edge back, but her friend was there to help.

Brushing the short fur along the kit's back and head brought both of them comfort, giving Sue time to think of what to say. 'Me too' would be honest, but wouldn't help Spark's fears any. 'He won't do anything' would be way too confident, cocky even, for her liking—not to say the fox would likely see through that assertion in an instant.

Which left a different reassurance. "No matter what he does, we won't let him hurt anyone—especially Pollux." Sue's words made the lil' fox shudder, at least initially. Not having her fears be offhandedly brushed off as silly, dispelled out of her consideration outright, forced her to grapple with them more than usual, something she still struggled with. At the same time, being comforted that they would be alright, even if the worst-case scenario came to pass, had more effect on her than she expected, taking the edge off the horrors her little mind kept siccing on her.