FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter Six

He led Velanis through the web of streets for a time, taking her to where Aemon had situated his smithy. She'd taken off the cloak he'd given her at one point and had it draped over an arm. The day was a warm, and the combination of the fur and garment was no doubt a hot one. He cast a glance at the Sergal, her head turning as she looked around at the surroundings he was taking her through. He gave a frown at the wounds she'd gotten, his lips forming a narrow line. While they weren't significant, and she most likely done worse to the ones responsible, he still considered it some small failing on his part.

He supposed he had that Naleen character to thank for stepping in before it got out of hand. He wasn't expecting to meet a Sergal that had come so far from Nel'Vrak, but it wasn't as if none ever left. She seemed to have been friendly enough, though he got the impression she knew more than she let on.

A small, growling cough served to remind him that while he was in thought, he had still been looking over at Velanis. He blinked, finding her watching him with her head tilted.

"Sorry." He said, looking ahead down the street they were on. "So this Naleen, what did she say?"

"Talked about where'd she'd come from, and what it was like." She said with a shrug of her shoulder. "Nel'Vrak seems an... interesting place."

"Yes..." He uttered. "You'd never heard of it before talking with her?"

"No." Velanis replied to him. "My mother didn't teach me anything about it."

"Ah." He aired.

Her amber eyes watched him intently a moment before she spoke.

"Have you ever been there?" She asked slowly.

He gave a small exhale of breath. There wasn't much point in lying to her, and she seemed too curious for him to evade forever. Surely there was no harm in answering her that.

"Yes." He said.

She gave a grunt, though she didn't press any more questions on the subject as he was expecting. They went on quietly, Velanis seemingly mulling over her own thoughts as they walked, the occasional person passing them by.

"Are these people attacked often?" She asked, breaking the silence. "There are so many guards and they build such high walls."

"Not often, no." He replied. "It's as much for symbolism as it is for protection."

"Oh." She muttered. "Are there other places like this?"

"In other provinces, yes." He informed her. "Though this one will be the largest in Rindal given that it's the capital and a center of trade."

He turned his head to her before speaking next.

"You were never taught of this world beyond your clan, were you?" He asked.

"No." She responded with a snort. "My mother always tried to keep me close, she didn't like when I would go off on my own."

"Understandable for her to want to protect you." He told her. "Be thankful for that, the care of a parent is a special thing in this world."

Velanis' ears drooped a fraction, her jaw working as she heard his words. He turned and gave a small smile, pointing ahead.

"We've arrived." He said simply.

That drew the Sergal's attention, causing her to follow his pointing hand.

Aemon's smithy sat across from them, the face of the building sitting parallel with a street that theirs intersected. The face of it was a simple thing, well kept wood paneling and an oaken door leading inside. He led Velanis across the street and up to the door, pushing it open and gesturing her inside. He stepped in after her once she'd crossed over, closing the door behind him with a dull thud as the latch fell back into place.

The inside held a... robust nature to it; smooth, dark wood was present in the floorboards and walls, a high enough ceiling that his tall companion didn't have to worry about it. The front section of the shop, as it were, was effectively an open rectangular space serving to display some of Aemon's work and to accommodate any waiting to see the smith. Velanis parted from him, moving over to some of the items being displayed and looking over them with interest.

The shop was empty of persons, Aemon included. With a bit of payback in mind for all his jokes and jabs, Falren picked up a bell from where it sat on a shelf, giving it an impatient ring as one might expect from an annoyed client. The sounds of a clamor from the back of the building was quickly heard, a loud "Coming!" echoing forth. Not a second later the burly form of Aemon burst into the room, dressed in his usual thick apron. His look of urgency quickly washed away as he saw Falren place the bell back on the shelf, an amused look to his features.

"Ah, you bastard!" Aemon exclaimed with a laugh, stomping over to him.

Aemon clapped him on the shoulder when he was close, hard enough that he was actually almost knocked off balance.

"So, what brings you here?" Aemon asked with a grin. "Thought you'd have been showing your friend around the city."

"I showed her the main market." He responded, casting a quick glance over to her. "I think she had enough for one day though, so I thought I'd stop by and show her your work."

Aemon caught his glance and the subtle tone in his voice, turning to look over at Velanis as she stood apart looking over a breastplate. He seemed to have noticed the fresh red amidst her fur, giving a frown as he turned back to him.

"Something happen lad?" He asked.

"Had a bit of a run in with some other Sergals, but someone stepped in before it got too out of hand. Here," Falren said, holding up the package of food, "Figured I'd bring you something. Can't expect me to not return the favor somewhat."

"Ah, well thank you." He said somberly, carrying the package over to a low shelf on the back wall and setting it down.

"Say lad," Aemon started as Velanis looked at something across the room, "Do you think the lady would let me take some measurements?"

"What for?" He questioned.

"Well, I noticed she doesn't really have much in the way of protection beyond those pieces of plate." He said. "I was thinkin' about making her some mail if she was up to the idea."

"She may not be against it... but why?"

"She's you're friend, aye?" After a moment Falren gave a slow nod. "You're a good lad Falren, and despite the fact you've told me a horse's ass about yourself I can tell you've been through a lot. I believe in helping my friends, and I may not swing a sword like you, but if I can help I'm sure gonna try."

He gave a sigh, glancing over at the Sergal as she tapped a claw against a piece of armor. Yes, despite not quite wanting it, he supposed she was becoming his "friend" in some sense.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Aemon." He said skeptically.

"Don't seem so gloomy." Aemon said, clapping him on the shoulder again. "You're among friends here, stop being so withdrawn."

"Sometimes I wonder if it's not better that way." He muttered quietly as Aemon walked over to Velanis.

***

She tapped her claw lightly against a piece of human-fashioned armor, hearing a light ring as it reverberated through the metal. Aemon's work did seem quite fine from looking at it, and he seemed well versed in his trade.

"What do you think?" Aemon asked in his loud voice.

"It looks well made." She said, turning her head and looking down slightly at him.

"These pieces are mostly stuff I made on a whim, the bulk of the work I do doesn't get to stay with me." He told her. "Would you like to see where I make my trade, little lady?"

She narrowed her eyes at him in minor irritation at the nickname he had apparently taken to giving her. She gave a huff; even with her temper it was hard to be angry at his cheerfulness, and the fact that he was so willing to provide a place to stay.

She nodded quickly at him, beginning to follow as he turned and walked towards a door at the back of the room. She looked at Falren, expecting him to come as well only to see him leaning up against the wall patiently. A frown touched her features, but then she reasoned he had probably already seen it before if he'd been taught the trade, even in passing. With that she turned back to following Aemon as he opened the door and led her through.

The first thing she noticed upon stepping through the door was the heat, the temperature noticeably higher than the one prior. The warmth clashed with the feel of cooler stone beneath her feet, a hard floor that ran the length of the room. It was moderately large, dimly lit with a low tabletop running down one wall. Aemon motioned her to approach as the door closed behind her, showing her over to a series of objects occupying another part of the room.

"So, do you know anything about smithing?" Aemon asked her.

She shook her head in response, looking over what had to be the tools he used.

"Alright, I'll give you a quick explanation then." He said with a smile, gesturing to the largest piece. "This is the forge, it's what we use to heat the metal so we can work it into the desired form."

As if to emphasize that, he grabbed a thick leather glove and swung the hatch open. A dimly glowing bed of coals greeted her sight, a fresh wash of heat spilling from the opened vessel. She didn't have to wonder why it was so hot in the room. He latched the door closed once more, moving on to the next subject.

"This is the anvil." He said, indicating a large, heavy looking object. "As you'd imagine, that's used to work the metal. And this," He continued, motioning to a water-fill trough, "Is to quench the metal in question."

She looked between the objects, tail swaying slowly as her gaze came back to rest on his features.

"Those are the simple aspects of it, but we could sit here for days explaining the finer points and I don't think that would be to your fancy." He said with a chuckle. "Now, there is something I'd like to ask you Velanis."

"Oh?" She prompted, cocking her head at the man.

"I want to size you up." He said. "Because I'd like to fit you some mail to go along with those pieces of armor you have."

Her ears twitched, head jerking back in a surprised expression.

"Why would you want to do that?" She asked curiously.

"Tell you what, you agree to it and I'll explain exactly why." He said with a grin that parted the thick hair on his face.

She gave a growl, baring her teeth slightly as she worked her jaw in irritation.

"Alright." She said quickly.

"Great!" He said with a clap, walking over to the bench along the wall and motioning her to follow.

She grudgingly complied, moving to stand near him as he retrieved a length of cord and a paper pad. He turned to her with the cord and began "sizing her up", starting by wrapping it around her chest. After writing down his self-relevant numbers he moved on to her arms, making her stretch them outward with an annoyed growl. After a time of him taking measurements and jotting them down on his pad, she was about to remind him of the deal he made.

"To put it simply," Aemon unexpectedly started, turning back to her, "I think the lad needs your company more then he'd admit, or even realizes."

"What...?" She asked, confused by what he meant.

"I don't know what he's told you, and if he doesn't care to tell me I won't ask." He went on. "But I do know that he stays locked up inside himself tighter than a drum, been that way ever since I've known him. He keeps a lot in that head of his, and I think it would do him good to open up."

Velanis stared at him, still unsure of what he meant. "What does that have to do with me?"

"He's more comfortable around you little lady." Aemon said with a grin. "I don't know what it is, but he's never been like that around anyone... Any humans. But I can tell with you, for whatever the reasons may be, he's a bit more at ease."

"And why are you doing," She gestured to the pad and cord, "This?"

"I'm just looking out for both of your well beings." He said.

"Ah." She uttered.

It was... strange, how much he seemed to care. She wasn't really sure she understood what he meant, and to what extent. She reasoned that in a way he was Falren's "clan" of sorts to want to look out for him, but even that still seemed strange to her.

"I have to say," Aemon said, measuring her long legs, "I've never made armor for a Sergal before. Should be interesting, though the leg pieces may be a bit tricky... Probably go for the finer weave..."

She got the feeling he was more thinking aloud then asking her opinion, so she just waited as patiently as she could while he finished. A part of her was both curious and a bit excited to see what wearing the mail would be like, as beyond the armor her mother gave her she'd never seen another Sergal in something close to full dress. That mental image brought a small grin to her features; maybe it wasn't so bad after all...

"All done." Aemon stated, writing down the last of his notes.

She stowed her imaginings away for another time, looking over at the man.

"So, do you and 'ol Falren have anything planned?" He asked her.

"I don't think so..." She responded curiously. "Why?"

"Well let me go ask him, but would you like to see how some of this gets made?"

She cocked her head at him, thinking that offer over. The heat in the room was beginning to get to her, but on the other side of things she'd never seen a smith work before. There hadn't been anyone of that trade in her clan, her mother's armor having come from... an unspoken time in her life. In the end it was a battle her curiosity won, giving Aemon a nod.

"Alright, let me just go let Falren know then and we can get to work." He said happily, turning towards the door.

She gave a frown at "we" but let it pass for the moment; it would prove interesting to see how he worked. Though, she was desperately going to need some water if she stayed in the room much longer...

***

"Falren!" Came Aemon's call as he walked through the doorway.

"Hmm?" Falren hummed in reply, pushing away from the wall he had been leaning on.

"Your friend agreed to letting me make her some mail! And," He stated boisterously, "She's interested in seeing how I work the metal."

"Is she then?" He aired, crossing his arms casually. "Well I don't see any harm in that if that's what she wants."

"Aye, but what does that leave you to do?" Aemon asked. "Probably going to spend the rest of the afternoon getting her mail started. Can't say having you stand out here twiddling your thumbs is very appealing."

"I'll manage." He replied with a shrug. "Go for a walk perhaps, give myself some time to think."

"Aye." He said with a nod. "I been meaning to ask you, how long do you think you'll be staying?"

"I'm not sure." Falren said, looking around the room. "I checked in earlier to see what kind of jobs were posted and things are quite calm; mostly just straight forward, simple things. There isn't any real rush though, Velanis doesn't seem to mind the city."

"Alright, just don't go running off too soon eh?" Aemon said with a smile. "I'm gonna go get started on the lady's mail, I promise not to let her get into too much trouble."

"I'm sure you won't." He replied. "I'll meet up later then, anything you need?"

"Nah lad, don't you worry." Aemon said dismissively, walking back through the door and closing it with a dull thud.

He watched the door close with a sigh, deciding that he would indeed take that walk. He made his own way to the front door, pulling it open and stepping out into the aging afternoon light. The sun had already passed its peak, beginning its descent through the halfway point that would eventually fade into night. The street on which Aemon's smithy sat was sparsely occupied, the occasional person moving about at the hour.

He started walking down the lane with no real destination in mind, simply allowing his feet to take him somewhere as he passed the time. He did wonder what his next endeavor would be, as being idle didn't much appeal to him. It wasn't a lie when he said there wasn't any rush however, and Velanis didseem interested in the new experience. He supposed that there wasn't any real reason to be up and on the move too soon, at least give the Sergal some time to see what the city had to offer.

That did bring up the question of how long she intended to stay though, as he didn't have any idea of what she planned to do. He rather doubted she would part from his company so soon, but he didn't know what her continued presence implied. He didn't mind having her along, and certainly it didn't hurt to have another pair of eyes at your back, but he wasn't sure if she wished to walk the path he followed.

He gave a grunt. Time would tell what came to pass; he'd learned quite well that you couldn't predict what fate had in store for you. With that he pushed his thoughts to the side, looking at the street ahead blankly as he walked on in silence for a time...

***

"Hey-!" A voice abruptly yelled to the sound of something hitting the ground, rousing him from his mindless walk.

A mocking laugh soon followed those words, causing him to look around carefully. It seemed his feet had decided to take him away from the trade district and into the common living areas of the city. The change was noticeable, mostly in the fact that the buildings here weren't so... lavish, as represented the abundance of shops and trade in the higher districts. He brought his attention to the street around him, glancing around until his gaze fell on the source of the exclamation.

A woman appeared to have tripped and fallen to the stones, just now climbing back to her feet to collect some of the strewn items no doubt belonging to her. The next subject his gaze fell upon disproved that first theory though, as it rather seemed she'd _been_tripped. Tripped by one of the Sergals standing nearby, his laugh serving to ground that. The woman seemed to say something to the male, to which he simply laughed once more and gave a provoking gesture, causing the woman to turn and walk off angrily.

He studied the Sergals, figuring that they were all male, or that at least one of them was. The three had varying shades of blue and black fur, averagely tall in comparison to others he'd encountered. They had no discernable marking, just wearing simple loincloth-like garments around their waists. What did catch his eye, however, were the recent looking cuts on the Sergal who'd just tripped the human. Even from his vantage point a stones throw away he could tell they were nasty things, deep cuts across his snout and down his chest, crusted over with fairly fresh looking blood.

Before he could think it through his feet were already in motion, closing the distance towards the group. They noticed his deliberate approach as he drew nearer, turning to look at him with fresh amusement from their recent exploit.

"Want something, Human?" The closest one said with a sneer.

"Where did you get those wounds?" Falren asked, the question out of his mouth on its own volition.

The Sergal stared at him hard for a moment, before replying with a scoff. "A female with too much spirit in her to lift her tail."

"Was she wearing some red cloth around her shoulders?" He questioned flatly, already certain of the answer.

"As a matter of fact, yes." He replied with a snort, looking back at his companions. "What, has she taken to laying with human males instead?"

His hands unconsciously clenched, the muscles in his jaw working as he felt a spark of anger. He wasn't sure why it made him so angry, but anger or no, old habits demanded some retribution for their slight. And for once, he was inclined to indulge old habits. His mind was clearly aware that all he had were his fists and the knife in his boot, but that had never deterred him before.

With not a single sign of warning he swung his arm at the Sergal, clenched fist connecting with the side of his jaw. The blow jerked his head to the side, causing him to stagger back in both stunned shock and pain. The male whipped his head back, vocalizing a loud snarl as he jumped at Falren. He dodged the outstretched claws, sidestepping and driving his fist into the Sergal's side. He gave a grunt, half doubling over as the blow knocked some of the wind from him.

His two companions had processed what was happening before them at this point, stepping up with growls of their own. He kicked the back of the lead's legs, knocking him to a kneeling position before he turned on the other two. He lunged at one, ducking below a clumsy swipe and quickly laying a few quick punches into his torso. He grabbed the winded Sergal by the arm, yanking him to the side to send him sprawling on the stone paved street.

He jumped aside after that momentary grapple, feeling the wind of the other Sergals claws slashing where his neck had been. He whirled to face him, just in time to avoid another aggressive slash from his claws. Falren backpedaled a few steps as the Sergal tried to press him with hasty swipes, until he saw an opening and caught one of his forearms in his grip. The male tried to wretch his arm free, quickly changing his approach after he failed to do so by tackling into Falren's chest.

He gave a grunt as his back impacted the hard stones, the Sergal above him attempting to snap at him. Falren didn't allow his jaws a chance to find purchase, jerking his head up into the Sergal's descending jaws, his forehead connecting with the end of his snout. He gave a startled yelp of pain, recoiling his head away. While he was briefly distracted by the blow Falren drove his fist into his ribs, knocking the Sergal off him and jumping to his feet.

Not a moment after he stood the leader was on him, making him raise a forearm to swat aside a slash aimed at his neck. He felt the claws meet his skin but paid it no mind; that was something to worry about when the fight was over. He dodged aside as the Sergal leapt at him, grabbing one of his outstretched arms and using his momentum to hurl him towards a building's wall. He went sliding across the stones and Falren closed the gap in an instant, drawing the knife from his boot. The Sergal climbed to his feet with a growl, but before he could react Falren slammed him against the wall, pinning him there as he raised the knife to his throat.

The Sergal glared at him, his lips raised to bare his teeth. "Well? I'm sure it would please your pet to no end."

Falren stared at him, his hand squeezing the knife's hilt tighter. As much as he wanted to, he was well aware that there would be consequences for such an act in the city. So instead he removed the arm used to pin the Sergal, keeping the knife blade against his throat as he pulled free the fine chain from under his shirt. He raised the pendant so that it was visible, presenting it to the glaring eyes of the male.

"Does that mean anything to you?" He said calmly, watching the Sergal.

As he looked over the amulet before him, the fearful recognition that dawned in his eyes was enough of an answer for him.

"Then I don't need to tell you how fortunate you are to be alive." Falren said to him coldly. "But if I ever see you again, or you try anything else with that female, I will kill you. Slowly. Understand...?"

The Sergal nodded as vigorously as he could with a blade at his throat.

He removed the knife, stepping back but keeping the three in front of him. The Sergal stepped away from him, moving to join his companions as they quickly made their way from Falren lest they invite him to make good on that promise. He watched them go with a stern gaze, the anger he'd felt slowly ebbing away now that its source had at least been shown their place. As much as he tried to avoid exhibiting that piece of his past, sometimes its influence was useful.

A burning sting reminded him of the claws that had raked his arm, raising the limb to inspect the wound. The swipe had bitten deep into the meat of his upper forearm, angry red lines that trickled lines of blood to drip to the ground. He gave a grimace. It would need to be tended soon, and with that in mind he started his way back up the street. He'd been walking for a few hours before that little run in, the day growing late. Velanis and Aemon were no doubt close to finishing up, so he may as well go back and meet up with them.

***

"Hand me those tongs, would you?" Aemon asked her.

Velanis did as he bade, handing him a par of iron tongs that he then used to removed a glowing piece of metal from the furnace. She watched as he quickly placed it on the anvil, looping the hot ring through its brethren before delivering a precise swing of his hammer that completed the link with a clang.

They'd spent the last few hours creating what would be her mail, Aemon allowing her to help with the simple tasks as the links of mail slowly took shape. It was a slow, painstaking process to her, the act of melding together the rings of armor. But despite that, it was intriguing to watch its creation, and Aemon certainly seemed content in his work.

She picked up a skin of water that Aemon had given her shortly after starting, pouring some of the liquid into her maw. It was the temperature in the room that got to her the most, the heat forcing her into a pant just from standing there. She didn't know how the man could stand it, but then his smooth skin probably didn't have the same effect as her fur. She watched as Aemon pulled another heated link from the coals, sealing it to the rest with another strike from his hammer.

"So tell me, what is 'ol Falren to you?" He asked her as he placed another ring of metal into the furnace, bringing her back to reality.

"What do you mean?" She asked, cocking her head at him.

"I'm just wondering, because you're the first person I've ever seen him bring along." Aemon said. "He usually tends to stay away from people if he can help it, never mind actually keeping company with them."

"He... helped me." She stated dumbly.

"Aye, but what makes you stay with him?"

She gave a frown, ears twitching. When she thought about it, she wasn't really sure. She did feel a bit indebted to him for helping her the way he had and for giving some guidance. That and she couldn't deny she was... curious about him. There was also something peculiar, something strange, that made her feel comfortable, she supposed. She was usually restless, or eager to be doing something, but that feeling had been pushed to the background lately. Maybe it was because this was all something new to her.

"I'm don't know." She responded, not really sure how to explain it.

"Ah well, don't worry about it." He said with a shrug, retrieving the now glowing metal. "I was just curious is all."

She gave a grunt, watching him hammer the piece of metal together. It was hard to put words to something she herself didn't even completely understand. Perhaps time would help her with that, though she never did have the patience to wait around in hopes of something happening. She gave a huff; impatience or not, Falren was very... _cautious_in what he told, and she doubted he'd be quick to talk even with her jaws at his throat.

"What do you think about Falren?" She asked, looking at the smith curiously.

"What do I think about him?" He said with a chuckle. "Well, he's a good lad, loyal to his company and friends, even if he wouldn't exactly call 'em that." Aemon looked at the partial mail across his anvil. "He's got a lot of weight behind him though, I can see that much. Doesn't talk about it, and I don't know what it is, but it's there. I don't know if he has any family, but he's never said a word about them if he does."

He looked at her with a sad kind of smile in place of his usually merry appearance.

"But that's just my own opinion, I can't really speak in confidence about what he keep inside that head 'o his. Never done me a wrong though, and to me not much else matters than that." He said.

"Has he ever talked about someone called his 'master', or teacher?" She asked slowly.

"No, no he hasn't. If he spoke to you about that then he's already told you more about himself than he has me." He replied, looking out a nearby window. "My has it grown late, time flies when you're working."

She glanced over at the window as well, looking out into a darkening world.

"Suppose it's time to get everything finished up and head on back to the wife." Aemon said, beginning to replace his tools to their spots. "Falren should be back soon too if he isn't already I'd imagine."

She gave a quiet grunt, moving to help him put away his tools.

After his implements had been set back on a series of hooks in the wall, and the furnace choked until it would be needed again, Aemon did one last quick check. Finding everything to be satisfactory, he then led the way to the door out into the front room. As much as she'd have like to see the mail continue to take shape, she was more than happy to take a break from the hot room. Aemon stepped through the door and she followed behind, the cooler air a welcome relief.

It was dim in the front room now, but there wasn't much point in creating a light source when they would be leaving anyway. She looked around the room, spotting Falren in the evening light leaning up against the spot on wall as if he'd never left. She was about to give him a greeting of her own, but Aemon being the exuberant person he was beat her to it.

"Hello lad!" He called to him as they walked over. "Staying out here in the gloom I see. Did you stay there the entire time?"

"No, I went for a walk." Falren replied distantly.

She sensed something not quite right with the way he said that, as if there was something he wasn't mentioning. She stepped closer to him, taking a small inhale through her nose. What she smelled made her frown, ears twitching.

"Why do you smell of blood?" She asked with an odd twinge of worry, standing in front of him and giving an inspecting gaze.

He gave a grunt, pushing away from the wall and walking towards the front door. She quickly moved after him, Aemon following with a perplexed frown on his features. Falren stepped through the door and out into the dully-lit street, some of the lanterns having been lit for the nightfall. She followed him, ducking through the doorway and looking him over in the somewhat brighter light. She saw the source of the scent then, his right forearm wrapped tight in some blood-tinted cloth.

"Falren...?" She said slowly.

"Oy, what in the hells happened to you?" Aemon said, his eyes now too seeing the cloth around his arm.

"Don't worry about." Falren waved without much care for it.

"I've known you for nearly six years, when you go for a walk and come back with bandages on it's a bit hard to not be a little concerned." Aemon said. "Did you get that wound taken care of at least?"

"Not yet, I'll take care of it back at your home." Falren stated.

"Alright lad..." Aemon said, clearly not happy about it but knowing an argument wouldn't get anywhere. "Let's get back quick then and have that cleaned up."

They walked the stone streets in the silence of coming night, a taste of tension in the air from Falren's unspoken encounter. It actually wasn't long before they reached the area of Aemon's home, his choosing of den placement allowing him to be close to his shop. There was a warm glow coming through the windows of the house, Melan apparently having tended the home in his absence. Aemon was the first to enter, leading the way over the threshold with a greeting to his mate.

She and Falren stepped in after, closing the door on the world outside as she stood in the familiar room of their den. Aemon had his arms locked around his "wife" in a hug, letting her go after a moment as they both stood there inside the door.

"Welcome back Falren." Melan greeted with a smile. "And Velanis. How was the city?."

"It was, ah, different." She said, casting a glance at Falren.

"Melan, could you boil some water and fetch some bandages?" Aemon asked shortly after their greetings had been finished.

"Bandages?" Melan questioned, confused. "Are one of you hurt?"

"Falren got into a bit of trouble." He replied, gesturing to the cloth around his arm that had darkened a bit with time.

"Oh!" Melan said at the sight of that. "I'll be right back.

She quickly scurried off, leaving the three of them as she went to procure the items.

"If you'll excuse me Aemon." Falren said after the woman had left, taking a step across the room.

"Aye... but I do expect to hear what happened." The large man replied, giving Falren a firm stare.

Falren gave a hum, moving off down the hallway towards the stairs leading above. Velanis watched him go, disappearing behind the wall. Aemon gave a grunt, shaking his head after he'd left.

"He can be stubborn as an ass sometimes." He remarked. "No sense in dwelling on it though. Are you hungry Velanis?."

"No." She replied, ear giving a flick. "I ate plenty earlier."

"Had a taste of the markets did you?" Aemon commented with a chuckle.

She gave a grunt in confirmation, ears perking at the sounds of Melan's scurrying feet as she no doubt collected everything. Not a moment later the woman reappeared with a small tray, rolls of clean cloth and a pot of steaming water balanced on it. She stopped in the room with them, looking around for Falren.

"Where'd he go off to?" Melan asked.

"Retired to his room for the night I imagine." Aemon replied with a shrug.

"I'll take it to him." Velanis offered, butting in and causing Melan to look at her with a quirked brow.

"Well alright then, just make sure he cleans that arm good." She said, passing the tray into her claws.

She took the tray and its contents, carrying them to the stairs leading to the second floor. There was a low lantern shedding soft light into the gloom when she reached the top, stepping over to the room Falren had been given. She balanced the tray in one arm, moving her hand to the door's latch before she paused, lifting her hand to knock quietly instead. She heard Falren call a consent, resuming in opening the door and ducking through, closing it behind her.

A candle burning on a small end table next to the bed cast a flickering light in the room, the world outside the near window having faded into the blacks and purples of night. Falren sat on the side of the bed, the ruined sleeve of his shirt rolled up and the dirty bandages he'd had on removed. She moved into the room, setting the tray down on the table.

"Hello." He said, directing a silver glance up at her.

She looked down at him, inspecting his arm in the candlelight. The wound consisted of three angry, deep lines on his upper forearm, making her to give a frown. She grabbed one of the cloths from the tray, dunking it in the hot water as she knelt in front of him. He gave her an odd look as she reached out for his arm, making to start wiping it down.

"I can take care if it on my own." He said to her insistently, trying to dissuade her.

"You did it for me, now I'll do it for you." She replied with a snort, taking his arm and pulling it out so she could clean it.

"...Alright." He said with an exhale, relaxing his arm in her grasp.

She wiped gently over the wounds, washing away the blood that had begun to cake there. He didn't flinch or make any movement of pain as she rubbed at the slashes, just watched her as she set about her own task. The dried blood slowly wiped away, leaving the fresh lines of the cuts to slowly seep. She reached over and took a roll of the cloth, moving to wrap the dry bandages around his arm. Falren made her pause though when he moved a hand to his belt, removing a small jar from a pouch.

"May as well use some of this." He said, taking the lid off and beginning to apply a small amount into the wounds.

She waited until he was done, taking the cloth and starting to loop it around the area.

"What happened?" She asked as she bandaged his arm. "These look like claw marks..."

"You'd be right about that." He said, flexing his hand and letting out a breath through his nose. "I went for a walk to pass the time while Aemon was giving you a demonstration. I, ah, came across what I suspected were those other Sergals that you... ran into before."

"And they attacked you?" She asked, cocking her head at him.

"No." He replied, working his jaw. "They were messing around with another human in one of the lower districts. One of them had some nasty cuts on him, so that led me to thinking they were the same. I confronted him, and he more or less confirmed that... It made me angry..."

"So you attacked them?" She pondered. "Why?"

Falren gave a sigh as she finished wrapping his arm, tying the loose ends of the cloth together.

"If someone attacks one of my... friends, it's a slight to me as well. Call it honor if you wish." He told her with a frown. "And, well... that's about it."

She gave him a strange look at that last part, but ignored it for now.

"What did you do to them?" She asked curiously.

"Fortunately for them this isn't the place to go leaving bodies in the streets, so they're still alive, if a bit more beaten up then when you last saw them." He said with a grunt. "They won't be foolish enough to try anything again though, you can be sure of that."

"Oh..." She mouthed, amber eyes looking level at him where she knelt. "Thank you then, I suppose."

"Of course."

"We'll have matching scars now though, won't we?" She remarked, cracking a small grin.

"It was either that or my neck." He said with a dry laugh.

"Well I'm... glad it wasn't that then." She said hesitantly, standing to her feet.

She felt all the nagging questions wanting to be answered again, but she wasn't sure if now was the time to go asking them. She shifted from foot to foot, glancing around in indecision.

"You want to ask me something, don't you?" Falren said abruptly, looking at the bandages on his arm. "Well, ask."

She stared at him, jaws parted in surprise. It took her a moment to collect her thoughts and decide what to even ask, for she got the feeling he wouldn't be inclined to answer _every_question she had. After a bit of thought, she settled on something that she had been wondering about for a time now.

"You weren't raised by other humans, were you?" She asked, watching him curiously.

"No, I wasn't." He said with a chuckle.

"And your 'teacher', he's one of my kind yes?" She inquired, to which he gave a nod. "You said he found you as a hatchling, but how does a human child be found by a Sergal? What happened to your parents?"

"You're asking things that even I don't know the whole answers to." Falren responded, gazing down at the floorboards. "My master never said the exact circumstances to how he found me, I don't think he really thought it significant; what was done, was done. But if I had to guess, I'd say whoever my blood parents were aren't of this world any longer."

"Oh." She said quietly, tail twitching behind her as she stared at him. "I'm sorry to have asked."

"It wasn't your doing." He stated simply, silver gaze turning to look up at her. "It's hard to miss something you never knew, anyway. He raised me and taught me everything I know, so in that sense he was just as much my parent."

"I... never knew my father, either." She said with a frown. "My mother raised me as far back as I can remember. She never said what happened to him, I don't think she liked to talk about it."

"Sorry to hear that." Falren said.

She shrugged, giving a sad kind of smile. "Can't miss something you never knew, right?"

Falren gave a hum. "Where were your mother and father from?"

"I don't know." She replied. "But... now I think they were from Nel'Vrak, and maybe that's why she never told me about it."

"That would make sense, it can be a very dangerous place." He supplied. "You do seem more akin to those from that region as well."

She flicked her tail, shifting her gaze to the burning candle. A pool of melted wax had formed at the base of its holder, signifying that a deal of time had passed.

"I'll, ah, let you sleep now." She said. "Maybe we can talk again sometime?"

"Perhaps." He said. "Sleep easy Velanis, and thanks."

She nodded, picking up the tray from the stand and moving back to the door. She pulled it open, stepping out into the hall and making her way down the stairs to the bottom floor. Aemon was sitting at the table with his wife, sipping at a mug in front of him. She walked over and placed the tray on the table, the man setting down his drink to address her.

"How is he?" He asked her with a look.

"He is fine." She said, idly smoothing the fur on an arm. "The wounds were a bit deep, but I cleaned and bandaged them."

"Did you then? Surprised the lad let you." Aemon said, giving Melan an amused expression. "Did he say what happened?"

"Yes..." She said slowly. "He, ah, found those males that had tried to claim me and... fought them."

"Did he?" Aemon asked, raising his brows.

"He said it made him angry." She told him, fidgeting with the cloth around her shoulders. "And that I wouldn't have to worry about them trying anything again."

"Ah." The man said in understanding, casting his wife a grin. "Taught 'em a bit of a lesson then, he did."

"I suppose." She said with a flick of her ears. "I'm going to sleep now, I think."

"Say little lady, would you like to come watch me work on your mail some more tomorrow?" Aemon asked her before she made to leave.

"Ah, maybe." She said, tilting her head. "I'm not sure if Falren has anything planned."

"Alright, just let me know or stop by if you want." He said with a smile. "Get some rest, sure was an interesting day."

She gave a snort of approval, turning and making her way back upstairs. She walked to the room given to her, opposite Falren's, and ducked inside. The inside was dark as usual, pale moon and starlight drifting in from the single window to bathe it in a faint silver. That light was plenty for her to make her way around, she didn't need an additional source of light when she'd be sleeping anyway.

She sat on the bed, the coverings seeming to have been changed in the time she was away. She spotted her armor and sword resting on the chair in the room, Melan apparently having moved them as well. She fell back on the bedding with a groan, resting her head on the pillow as she faced the window. She was tired now, her little encounter earlier having left her a bit drained. She gave a sigh, settling into a comfortable position. Sleep would leave her feeling better.

She wondered how long they'd be staying in Amara, but she supposed she wouldn't mind if they stayed for a time longer. And as her mind drifted off to the realm of sleep, she thought that maybe Falren would show her more of the city, she imagined she'd enjoy that...