A Safe Approach
(Nick's point of view) Night eventually came, and I had recovered from my relentless sobbing. The fox had apologized to me, and I dismissed it, saying, "It's no problem. I know that I'm a horrible anthro. I've been working on that, actually." Later, around a campfire that the fox created, we learned that his name was Feir Pyrolight and he learned our names. I was visibly uncomfortable near Feir, and he noticed. I heard him sigh and he folded his ears back. "I really am sorry, Nick." he said, "Will you forgive me?" "I'm not sure if I can forgive myself for what I've done in the past few months, honestly." I replied. "I've been having flashbacks of my brother. Memories I had completely forgotten. I wonder if he thinks about me too..."(Gary's point of view) I blinked the tears out of eyes for fear of missing the chance of watching my brother. When they introduced themselves to Feir, Nick's name was said, and it was then that it hit me. I've been watching my necromancer of a brother in an arena, and I didn't care about him all that much. I now looked at him, and all I saw was the goung wolf holding that fish. Was he thinking about the same thing? "You know," Nick said, "one certain memory that resurfaced was this one day he and I spent at the lake outside the city. I know the Pinnacle is watching, but I don't care. We fished all day, and weren't catching anything. I was just about ready to give up until I felt a tug on my line. It took a full ten minutes with Gary's help to get the fish onto the beach, and it was the happiest day of my life. I've never experienced more affection from my brother. He said he was proud of me. Why could I ever say to someone that loved me that much that he didn't care?" Nick's voice was shaking, and he was beginning to cry. I began to cry too. Something then came to me. Were we linked? I recalled a memory from further back, to see if he thought of it too. This memory was another favorite of mine. It was a few years before the fishing memory. Our parents had gone out, and were late getting home. Nick was scared, so I entertained him to keep his mind off the absence of his parents. I was sure they were okay, so I focused on entertaining Nick. We played any games I could come up with, which was predominately anything that I could make up within five minutes. Nick, thankfully, loved these games. He thought they were the best things he'd ever played, and I was happy that I could spend time with him. We stayed up well past the time that Nick should have been in bed. This was a great way for us to bond: breaking the rules our parents had set. I watched the screen while recalling the memory as Nick suddenly stopped crying and looked up, staring into the distance. Tears began falling from his eyes and, as the memory finished,
he began crying anew. He leaned against Feir whom was startled by the sudden outburst.(Nick's point of view) What is happening? Why is my mind haunting me with these flashbacks? I cried against Feir's shoulder as my mind practiacally broke. I don't know what to think anymore. "Uh, Nick? Are you okay?" Feir asked, confused. I sobbed harder as I realized that Feir was actually shpwing concern instead of disgust, "I miss Gary so much! I wanna go home! I wanna hug him again! I don't like it here!" "Nobody likes it here, Nick." Friz said. He was up in a tree, staring into the distance. "Ghast, the Druid Twins are on their way here. Be gentle." "You know me." Ghastillo said. "No I don't." Friz and Ghastillo had come up with a plan to make good relations with the four anthros who haven't joined us yet. So far as we knew, they didn't exactly have emotional stuff to appeal to like everyone else here.(Gary's point of view) So it's true. Nick and I have a link. Why? What purpose is there for us sharing emotions or pain? What is the reason for any of this? I can't help but feel as though there's something coming. Somthing important. Something inevitable. Something I'm a part of. Weren't the anthros talking about a prophecy? Something about fixing the timeline. Our government's unholy tendencies and the prejudice against anthros is obvious, but is it really so bad that time travel is needed? Is time travel even possible, as Timler seems to be able to do. I've not witnessed it myself, so I've not really the evidence to prove him right or wrong. The reports said that déjà vu became more frequent with him around, and he was impossible to catch. It leads to the question of: Why did he let us catch him? Surely he wouldn't have been so unobservant to let it happen, right? And what's Regir's deal? He can willing change his own and other people's ages, and was able to fix Timler's mind by touching their heads together. That's all I saw, anyway. Nick, I knew, was scared. He regrets practicing the dark arts, and the last thing he wants is to be important. Problem is, he's only alive for the reason that he is important. The camera then changed to show the druids walking blindly through the forest, holding one another's hand. Twins always baffled me. At least, the ones I met. They were always near inseparable and could practically read each other's mind. The druids seem to have this ability. Is it the same as the link between me and Nick? Worse, if Nick dies, will I follow suit? If his heart stops, won't mine? I was suddenly terrified at the possibilities. The camera changed again. It showed the two weather vanes. I never learned their names fully. I wasn't hardly able to listen to
the introduction of names, hence why I didn't realize my brother was in there. The older one was calming the smaller one whom was hyperventilating. So much for entertainment. If action is what you wanted, Harold, that ran out a while ago. The camera went back to the group of six, but I didn't need to watch anymore. The alcohol was taking its toll on my coherency and I was beginning to have trouble seeing straight as I looked away from the window. I made my resolve then and there. I was going to persuade my way into that arena, and I will embrace my brother again if it kills me...(Nick's point of view) I fell asleep before I learned if the druids were friendly. It was only when I actually drifted off that I realized how hungry I was from refusing to eat anything all day. Maybe that's how necromancers get so skinny. No, stop it. You are not a necromancer anymore. Arguing with yourself, are we? I heard in my head. It was the demon that followed me around, and I was not happy to find him there. I hope you enjoyed those flashbacks. They will get much worse, and there's nothing you can do about it. I must've scowled in my sleep as my distaste for the demon showed. Get out of my head. You don't own me. Not anymore. Getting noble, are we? I heard. Need I remind you the debt you're in? I smirked. If you want your soul so badly, you'll have to come get it from me while I'm awake. I'm sure it won't be a problem for the mighty soul flayer. I put sarcastic emphasis on almost every word in that statement. I was sick of him. If that's a challenge, He said. I accept...