The Wolf, the Butterfly, and the Kraken

Chapter 52

                                                              Maisey

I sat with Kroser and Torl. "I think I would like to see Finton as it is now. I went there once, with Father. There was a small merchant boat there. He bought me a candy, and mother some colored cloth."

"It is not the same child," Kroser told me. "Many warriors live there. Do you not fear them?"

I laughed, "Nope. I am part warrior, sort of, since Torl is a warrior."

Kroser looked at Torl, and then at me. "It takes a lot of work and discipline to be a battlepack warrior. You are a child."

He was so old. "Don't you ever get curious about things?"

"Sometimes," he admitted. "But I have learned when to be cautious. I think your Sire and Mother would tell you to be cautious."

Finally, something was working for me. "My parents are dead. They can't tell me anything anymore. I would like to visit Finton. I know it won't be the same, and that is why I want to see it now."

He grumbled something about stubborn females. "Take it up with Apin. Maybe he will take you with him."

I grinned, "You are brilliant!"

He chuffed at me, ruffling my hair, "Go play little battlemistress."

I hugged him, and went to find Lieutenant Apin. My legs were weak still, so I used a cane that had been fashioned for me. Apin was at the ferry, getting ready to go. "Lieutenant!" I tried shouting to him, but like the rest of me my voice wasn't too strong either, and he didn't hear me.

The ferry pulled away as I slowly approached. I pouted for a moment. Everyone was busy with patients and camp duties. They wouldn't notice if I went to Finton. Apin was very focused on moving the boat upriver as I told Torl, "Shh, let's follow him."

Torl picked me up, and walked up the river after the ferry. No one noticed. Not even Apin, who tied up at the dock, or the warrior who greeted him, and showed him somewhere.

I was curious. Finton did not look like it had. There were no Venerans in sight. It smelled a bit fishy, but not like before. Mostly it smelled of Lycants. And there were lots and lots of those. Torl set me on the dock gently with my walking stick, then climbed out of the river to stand beside me.

Then we were noticed. Many awful feelings washed over me. Revulsion. Anger. Disgust. Fear. My weak legs crumpled. I felt ugly, and cried. I heard warriors muttering about sorcery as tears fell from my eyes. I felt battered from all around, except from one person.

He bent down before me and said, "You must be Maisie, the brave." His voice was warm and sincere.

"I-I just wanted to see F-finton again."

He hummed thoughtfully, "Does Lieutenant Apin know this?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I tried to catch him, but the ferry moved faster than Torl and I."

Vam

She was a small bit of a thing. A watercaster, like Joann, like Oshie. She hadn't raised her head once, talking to the planks on the dock. I looked at the warriors around us. They feared what had become of Torl happening to them. "How many years old are you?"

"Five." She sobbed, "I'm so ugly!"

I blinked. "What makes you ugly?"

"Huh?" She looked up at me with sky blue eyes.

"What makes you ugly?" I repeated. Then I turned to all the warriors in the area, "What makes this 5 year old child ugly, who fought valiantly against moonpox alongside Torl so hard that his spirit came to her as an element? What makes that ugly? I find it beautiful that Torl's spirit wants to walk with you. So, what makes you ugly? Is it the length of your hair? I can't get mine to grow that long."