FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Changing Relations

Part three of three

---

Written by Arian Mabe (Amethyst Mare)

Commissioned by Adagiodajiang

_ _

_ _

"No, no, no... Sandor... Sandor, you have to hold on!"

"Indoors..." He rasped, tongue thick in his mouth, as if he had not drunk in weeks. "Al... Alyssa..."

"Yes, Sandor?" She leaned in close, his voice very faint, though was somewhat reassured that she had managed to stop the bleeding, which was only sure to help. "I'm listening, tell me, what did you say?"

"Need...get...me...inside."

For he may not have understood the true nature of the dart, but he did understand the nature of the forest around him, his affinity with nature magic so much stronger after his encounter with the tree. After absorbing that magic, he had leaned into it even more, able to feel more and experience more in the realm of the natural world - and what he knew of the magical veins and roots running through the forest was that it would interrupt the cleansing potion, if he even had the tools with which to make one out there.

So, he needed to be away, to regain his power, to be back to his strength, for Alyssa to do...what she needed to...do...

The fox's thoughts came more and more sluggishly, but, luckily for him, he had Alyssa there to look after him, hefting Sandor up onto her back, though she lamented that she jostled him. He just about managed to swing his leg over her back, tipped forward at the same time against her human torso and back, though it was altogether a clumsy, awkward scramble: not their best work. Of course, Alyssa made it easier for Sandor by lying down on the ground, though that only made it more difficult for her to leverage her strength in getting him up onto her back, needing to twist all the way around to grab him.

"Sandor... Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetheart, come on... Settle yourself there. One leg on either side... Come on now..."

She talked to him softly and lowly as she got the saddle bags all back in place, for those needed to come with them. Her fingers shook on the straps, but she got everything buckled where it should have been, the fox returning a little more to life as he licked his lips.

"Alyssa..." He groaned, pressing a hand to the wound and yelping. "Ugh... Is there...water?"

"Yes, Sandor, here."

That seemed to rejuvenate him a little more, brightening him up and clearing his head, though the fox would never have told her just how close he was to fainting. Even though he had to trust her (and he always would) to get him to safety, he didn't want her to know what kind of shape he really was in. If he could reassure her in some way, well...that could only be a positive thing.

"Ah... That's better," he laughed lightly, though his voice still sounded weaker than it usually did as Alyssa, too carefully, started back down the trail, heading the way they had been going to get to the town. "But I'd rather...ah...refresh myself under your tail."

"Sandor!"

Alyssa would have jolted him if not for his state, biting her lip and looking back at him with a shake of her head.

"You can't joke about things like that at a time like this," she said, floundering with her words a little as heat rose to her cheeks. "Honestly... Sweetheart, are you okay? Will you be able to heal the wound? I'm taking you down now, we're going somewhere inside."

"Yes, everything's...fine, Alyssa," he said, able to sit up a little more, though he did not straighten his lower back so that his lower abdomen remained protected. "Don't worry. We'll be laughing about this all soon enough, I promise you."

Alyssa bit her lip, quite sure that that day was not something that she would ever laugh about.

"As long as you keep talking to me and stay awake, Sandor, remember that. I'll put up with anything from you, as long as you stay awake, okay? Just stay awake, stay with me."

Sandor grinned. It was as if the doe-taur was leaving an opening there especially for him!

"Ohhhh," he said teasingly, brushing his tongue wickedly against her ear just to make her jump and flinch with a breathy squeal. "If you touch the root of my tail like you did earlier again...then I'll never sleep!"

"Agh! You fox!"

But she didn't mind his teasing, laughing shakily. For maybe it was the laughter they needed as her hooves sunk into softer soil, making their way down into a valley, seemingly coming back to civilisation after travelling, but, well, not as quickly as she wanted them to. She tried to walk as carefully as possible with the precious cargo of her lover on her back, but she still jolted him, because she broke into a jog from time to time. It was hard to balance between walking carefully enough to keep him stable and keeping up a pace that would get them down to the town in time.

She had to admit, however, that it was good to hear him talking again. Maybe he had only needed a bit of time to recover from the shock. She could understand that, especially with how she had reacted when the arrow had struck her. Maybe there was something similar for foxes, but that was something that she could ask Sandor about another time. It wasn't important then.

"Think about the house we're going to build when we get there," she told him, wanting to distract the fox. "All the magical touches you're going to put on it... And I think you're going to have to put a potion mixing room in especially for me, thinking about how quickly I mixed that one!"

Sandor grinned, his hand resting on her shoulder, squeezing gently. The connection between them, even then, was sorely needed.

"Only if you touch the root of my tail like I ask you tooooo!"

Alyssa did as he asked with a huff and a roll of her eyes, though it did send an electrifying jolt through the fox's body that was very much needed at a moment when she needed to keep him upright and awake. The more he talked, the better - at least for her.

The slope was unforgiving and her legs shook, but the doe-taur pushed all thoughts of that from her mind. She would get her chance to rest, once they reached somewhere safe, but, until then, she just had to keep going. Keeping her head held high and a smile softening her face, she glanced back at Sandor and held his hand when he reached for her, laughing and even joking, as much as that sort of thing felt out of place considering all that had just happened. And yet it was needed to at the same time, reminding them that they were both still there, that they had gotten through it, one way or the other. She only wished that things had come more easily.

They would know for the future.

Twilight was nearly upon the forest when Alyssa came across the small cabin in the forest, on flatter ground with a little river running nearby and something that looked like a washing line, for drying laundry, set up in the garden. There also seemed to be a flowering garden and a herb garden around the back, though the doe-taur's eyesight was not quite as good as that of her deer ancestors. Besides, twilight (and dawn, for that matter) was the most dangerous time for a prey animal to be out in the forest, her vision at its worst at that time of day. That was the time too that nocturnal predators came out, seeking to take advantage of those that had not sought cover and protection for the night.

That was why the cabin was such a relief to come upon. She knocked on the door uncertainly, though did not expect an answer as there were no lights lit inside, whether from magical means or purely mortal ones. There were the remains of a fire pit in the front of the cabin, however, but it did not look like it had had anything burning in it either for quite some time.

"Here, Sandor... Look, we've found somewhere."

She pushed on the door, but it gave lightly at her touch, swinging inward and allowing entry. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim light inside, but she was surprised to find it all quite simple and homely inside. She didn't have time to stop and admire the décor, however, lighting a couple of lanterns with a match that she found, striking the flame so that they could at least see where they were going in and around the small, neat cabin.

"Come on, Sandor... I think there's a bed back here. I'll apologise to the owner when they come back. Hopefully, they will understand."

It was a chance that she was going to have to take, considering that they didn't have any other option, not with night falling. It was too risky to try continuing to a town that may or may not be able to look after them for the night, even if Alyssa was quite sure that she had sent a message ahead of them to make sure a room was booked at the inn that night for them. Well... They wouldn't be getting their fee for that night, at least, though Alyssa did not mind not wasting money in the slightest. She considered it fair tribute for the way that the guards had treated them, even if she suspected that that was going to become more commonplace.

Just another challenge that we can overcome... And there are still other options for us, if this town is not to be our home.

_ _

"No... Alyssa... Here is fine."

"Here?"

Her brow furrowed as she helped him down from her back, not by the end, but only in the living area of the cabin. They hadn't made it that far in, their shadows flickering and dancing on the wooden walls, but it seemed to be more than enough for Sandor as tiredness overcame him. No more did he giggle and laugh, but looked older than he was. Not for the first time, doubt stirred in her stomach. She really hoped that he had not been putting all of it on as an act for her, all to try to not make her worry or hurry. That would be like him...

"What do you need, Sandor?" She said gently, brushing the fur along the lines of his face, soothing him as she had done not long after they had first confessed their feelings for each other. "Anything. Tell me what you need and I'll make sure it is done."

He smiled faintly, lifting his hand to stroke her face.

"It's okay, everything's okay now that we're here, we're safe, we're inside. You can relax now. But I need...you to stay close to me. We've got what we need, I think, in the packs. You'll have to check, my dear."

That was something that Alyssa was more than happy to do for him, glad to have something to occupy her mind, a purpose of sorts that could take up her attention. With Sandor lying down on the floor, she scooted in close to him so that he could use the deer part of her body as a pillow, though the saddle cloth that Elder Ron had given them was still in place. She didn't mind that, if it gave him something more to settle against.

The cabin was a spot of peace amongst terror, breathing more easily and slowly, though Alyssa could not afford to let her adrenaline fade and drop, not yet. She had to take care of him, for it was still quite a serious wound in Sandor's abdomen. The only saving grace there was that he did have ancient magic flowing through their veins, from a magical mishap with the old evil of the tree, but that still seemed like it had been such a long time ago. It was not in the immediate concern and, as they had survived it, despite the trauma, it had given Sandor more than a few small benefits that allowed him greater resilience than many of his kind and other mages.

Still, he was not invincible and she would do well to remember that. Maybe there was more still that she could do for him.

Sandor snuggled in close to her on the left side of her body, half-forcing her due to his position up against the wall, though Alyssa did not complain. It was almost securing in a way to be held there, as he was hugging her back despite not being able to do so fully, not at that time.

"Trust yourself, Alyssa," he breathed. "I know that you know the potion. I have faith in you. I always have faith in you."

That made her blush more than any lewd commend and, so she would not have to say anything aloud, she reached back to link her fingers softly with his, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Without saying anything at all, she could at least let him know that she was there for him.

Always.

The fox closed his eyes, breathing more evenly and deeply, taking fuller breaths. At least it seemed that none of his organs had been affected, which was the best outcome that either of them could have hoped for. He squeezed her hand, a small smile pulling at his lips. Sleep begged him down, darkness enveloping him.

"Don't forget..." He whispered, fading quickly in exhaustion. "The...dendrobium orchid..."

"Sandor?" Alyssa fussed, eyes wide, fearful once more, grabbing at him. "Sandor? Don't go to sleep! You said you were going to stay awake for me!"

She shook him, even though she knew that she really should not have.

"Sandor? Sandor!"

But he was gone, passed out - which no one could blame him for. For it had been a long, tiring, excruciatingly gruelling day and he could not even access the mana within him, his magical reserves so very severely depleted that they could not be restored. She shook him harder and harder, sweating profusely in her fear for him. She didn't want to be left alone to do everything - she couldn't do it all herself! No! That could not be, he had to stay with her, he had to stay awake!

And yet there was no getting him back without mixing the potion that would soothe the effects of the dart from him, though she still did not know what it was that had cut off her lover from his powers like that. Alyssa cursed under her breath, blinking traitorous moisture from her eyes, fumbling for something to wipe her eyes with. And yet there was nothing and the tears, which were there due to stress and frustration more than any kind of true upset, fell freely.

Damn it... Damn them all! At least Sandor had been able to tell her that his magic was inhibited, though there would always be potions for that, considering the magical entities that were out in the world that could do similar.

She'd hated seeing him crumple, falling, his eyes wide, wheezing, hands clasped around his shaking staff as if it was the only thing, at that time, that was possibly keeping him upright, somewhat. He'd looked weak, even if it had only been a few moments before he'd collected himself enough to speak to the guards, to make sure that she was okay, to do all that he could to stop her from charging into the thick of things. Alyssa trembled. That wasn't like her either, not at all, but she'd had to do something, had to try.

She took a deep breath, settling herself, brushing the tears from her eyes with the tips of her fingers.

"The potion..." She said to herself, using the spoken word to focus her mind. "Think, Alyssa... You must focus."

That day, something changed. But Alyssa did not know what it was that had changed as she took the materials from her pack, the little wooden bowl, the mortar with which she could grind up the herbs, the activating agent that would liquefy the potion. Everything came together easily, no sound in the little cabin other than the lanterns burning, eating at the wood and fuel, and her grinding away until the potion sparkled and fizzed into a white potion that, in a way, was as pure as Sandor's fur. Carefully, she poured it into a drinking vial - well, it was only a little beaker, but it would do to hold it to his lips.

Crumbling in the dendrobium orchid, not a usual ingredient, but she had to trust him, the potion settled, the surface as still as a forest pool on a summer's day. She exhaled. It was ready.

"Here, Sandor... You have to drink, tilt your head up now, my love..."

She had to do it for him, though made sure that she supported his head, massaging his neck gently to incite him to swallow. Some of the potion spilt, trickling around his lips and to the corner of his mouth.

The fox exhaled, eyelids fluttering, though they remained closed.

"Ah..." He breathed. "My...beautiful doe..."

"Yes, Sandor," she murmured, squeezing his hand, though it hung limply against her. "I'm here. Just drink the last bit."

"What a life-giving body... My doe..."

Hm? That was strange... He spoke as if he had not heard her, though the fox seemed to be in a state that she did not recognise. It was wrong and it set her on edge, as if she was truly the prey creature all over again, out in the wilds facing down a predator. His eyes were dark and Alyssa had to look away as his lids lowered, closing his eyes.

They weren't the eyes of her beloved fox, a slight smile on his muzzle that did not belong there. It was not a soft smile, more like the kind of smile that came without any emotion behind it. If she had not known any better, the doe-taur would have said that it was not her lover lying there, but someone else entirely.

She tried to shake it off, but the edge of the uncanny could not be denied, the sense that her fur was standing on end, that something was not right. Sandor's muzzle was too smooth, too expressionless, not even twisted in pain or strain. His body was cold and she swore that she didn't even see his chest rise and fall with breath.

She leaned in close, though didn't feel comfortable there, not even as the faintest wisp of breath tickled her ear. Or did she imagine it? Something tightened around her chest and she drew back, shivering a little.

Yet when her eyes met his once more, a rush of relief poured over her like a vat of cool water - for his eyes were open once more, those beautiful, beautiful blue eyes like chips of crystal. She smiled faintly, trying to ignore the shakiness of her heart, but, in his eyes, there was only pure longing. It was the wrong time for such a thing and, in that moment, the meaning of those words that had seemed out of place came clear as she scoffed faintly and rolled her eyes. It was only half-hearted at best though.

"Sandor, you really should not be thinking of such things right now," she murmured, afraid to raise her voice anymore. "Just rest."

But his eyes were unfocused as he slipped his hand out of hers and rested it over her heart. There was no desire in there, not sexual desire, and she blinked, confused. Had she misread things? He rubbed her chest lightly and the stirring of unease pulled at her mind.

"Wait, Sandor..." Her tail twitched, attention turning to his abdomen. "A healing potion... For your abdomen..."

That was an easier one and one that already came pre-prepared in the pack, which she was grateful for. She didn't want to spend too much more of her time thinking and trying to work through things in her head, instead tugging away his bandages and grimacing at the wound. At least she didn't have to look too closely at it either in the flickering light of the lanterns, but the moment she sprinkled the potion on it the fox's bloodcurdling shriek of pain cut through the cabin.

"Aaaaggghhhh!"

"Sandor!"

She clung to him, murmuring apologies, all as her beloved fox curled in on himself, shaking as if he had been cut to his very core. She held him and she soothed him, all through his heavily laboured, snatched breaths, nose tucked down as far to his chest as it could go. Yet his eyes cleared from their haze, sanity once again returning to his vision, though exhaustion ran through the fox.

"Oh..." He breathed. "I see now..."

She didn't press him, stroking his head, soothing him, letting the healing potion do its work. Only the fox knew inside how it restored his connection to his mana, everything lining back up as it should have in the first place. For him, it was like suddenly being able to breathe easily when there had been something half blocking his windpipe before - still allowing him to breathe, yes, but not fully and functionally, not easily. It was enough to hinder his physical function and leave him lost, his mana as much a part of him as the blood that flowed through his veins. He could have done without the intense pain that the healing potion had brought, however.

The nature magic inside him had been linked to him, forever, by the tree, his dominant form of mana, and he exhaled as the plant's healing magic did what it needed to. With that running through his body, he no longer had any need to worry about the blade that had cut his abdomen, nor how deep it had sunk. It was hardly something that Sandor, to be fair, wanted to linger on.

Slumping against Alyssa, he relaxed, a small smile pulling at his lips. But his ears pricked, eyes flickering open wide once more.

"Alyssa... There is -"

But the fox did not get the chance to complete his sentence as the door to the cabin swung open without any warning - well, without any warning to someone with a keen sense of hearing. A black and white fox dressed in a long cloak that covered most of his clothing and body stood there, seemingly surprised to see them there, though his gaze was guarded, reserved. His tail flicked, revealing the blue ring on it, the flash of colour drawing Sandor's eyes.

"Good sir," Alyssa said softly, taking the lead while Sandor was still recovering and giving a respectful bow of her head. "I am so sorry for intruding on your home at this late hour, but, as you can see, my partner was gravely injured by the Order Guards. There was some misunderstanding... Bandits attacked us."

She faltered, not knowing how deeply into that she should go - was he friend or foe? But the fox did not seem to be reacting at all to that, a light tilt to his head, lips pressed together but not in a way that suggested he was grimacing. There was no menace in his posture, though Alyssa's tail quirked and twitched nervously, the doe in her anticipating danger. It was not as if she ever grew out of that, after all, not at all that easily. The prey side of her would forever be there, anxious to warn her of potential danger and threats.

"I understand, little doe-taur," the fox said, surprisingly gentle in his tone. "I only returned so swiftly from gathering fungi, the ones I need glow in the dark, you see, with bioluminescence of their own, due to the screaming. Are you wounded? I have supplies..."

"No..." Sandor smiled weakly and raised his hand, though was not quite able to muster up his usual charm and poise, not the same fox that he had been on entering the forest to travel earlier that day. "That is quite alright, your kindness in allowing us to be here, if only for a while, is very much appreciated, thank you. I'm sorry for causing a disturbance."

It was a weak kind of apology, but it felt like the only kind of one that he could give at that time, his breathing shallow, energy taken up by the magic that needed to go deeply to work inside him. It took a lot of energy for that, kind of like when he shed his summer coat of fur and grew a new, thicker one for winter - that always left him sapped of energy too and it was a similar kind of lethargy that clung to him then too.

The fox ignored him, though he could not have been more different to Sandor with his black and white colouring, walking to a shelf at the side of the room, where a small kitchenette appeared to be. It may have been a small cabin, but the fox appeared to have all the homely little comforts that he needed there, enough to make himself food and a flat slab of metal over the hearth for cooking, along with a hanging pot. That must have been for boiling, Alyssa thought to herself, though she'd gotten so used to cooking at home with little stores of magic that mages had practised bundling up for use by the common people, those that could not use magic, that she thought herself a little out of practice. To heat with a magical flame, after all, was much swifter than using one that was struck with friction or from a piece of flint.

"Here," the fox said, bringing a small box, the items within pungent and pulling at her nostrils as if the scent was trying to claw its way up inside. "These should ease any lingering pain, though I daresay you would still be screaming if there was something deeper at work there. May I see?"

Alyssa hesitated, squeezing in closer to Sandor, but, lying as she was, she was not in any kind of position where she could get between him and the fox, much to her distress. Sandor nodded quietly, bowing his head in peaceful thanks. Sometimes, he knew, trust had to be given first for it to be earned too. That was the way of trade, he had learned from his parents, but the trade, in the end, had to be equal for it to be fair.

"I am Keoshi," the stranger said offering his hand for Sandor to shake and then, notably, Alyssa too. "I would break bread and eat soup with you, but I fear that you may need rest more than you need sustenance right now. Would you like to rest here for the night? There may only be one bed, but it is sufficient enough for one at least."

The fox smiled sadly, though there was a flicker of humour in his eyes too that Alyssa was relieved to see.

"There is not usually more than one here in the cabin, you see. I am ill-prepared for guests."

"That..." She glanced at Sandor, lips pressed together. "Thank you, Keoshi, that is very kind of you. We are grateful for your hospitality. It has been a very...trying day. I am Alyssa and this, this is Sandor."

She didn't feel the need to introduce him as a mage. After all, Sandor's staff was dropped on the floor - close and within reach if he needed it, but, well, he was hardly in any condition to draw on his newly accessed mana reserves when so much of it was going to healing himself. But the doe-taur knew still that it gave him comfort to have it close, as always, and left it near, just in case he needed it.

"He may have the bed then," Keoshi said, ignoring Alyssa's protests about the blood and staining. "No, no... I assure you, a little blood is not to be worried about. Trust me, it looks like you have had enough trials that it is warranted from me."

Alyssa breathed a little more easily then. The fox had a calming presence about him and, even though she had already gotten herself and Sandor through the danger, she was grateful to have someone else there, someone who knew what they were doing. He helped her wash her face and tend to her wounds, for there were scratches from the undergrowth on her body that she had not paid due mind to before. The herbs, as much of a reek as they came with, worked quickly, pounded and ground into a salve, and she eyed up her arms with a fresh respect for him, pleased to be more comfortable. It was funny how such a little thing as comfort could become so important after such gruelling times, though she kept her giggles, born from tiredness, and smile back from Keoshi.

Best not to quite let that side of exhaustion show that night, she thought to herself.

There was not enough room on the bed for two to sleep comfortably, in the back of the cabin in a little private room, but there was more than enough for Sandor to stretch out. And it was him that would need the deepest of sleeps as he recovered, giving his body the best possible chance to let the plant and natural healing magic do its best work. That, at least, made Alyssa feel a little better, for she was sure the wound would look an awful less fearsome come morning. It had surprised her, at first, how he had recovered a lot more quickly with that magic working without him actively having to think about it, but she had grown a little more used to it in the years that had since passed.

He was not invincible, however, and that day only proved just how dangerous their lives were.

Alyssa gulped, vision blurring, though she blinked away the tears. There wasn't time for them, not that night, even though she did not even know how late it was.

With Sandor resting and Keoshi having retreated to make himself a place to sleep in the main living area of the cabin, before the fireplace that he had stoked to a roaring blaze, she slumped to the ground, putting the top half of her body on the bed. That, at least, was comfortable for her as she cuddled in as close to her fox as she could, eyelids heavier and heavier.

"Goodnight, Sandor."

The fox was already out cold in dreamland and the doe-taur was swift to follow him.

The next day looked brighter. Sandor was up and on his paws even before the doe-taur had clambered to her hooves, looking a lot more himself again, though perhaps a little embarrassed that so much ill had come to pass the day before.

"Thank you for being so kind to us, Keoshi," Sandor said, sitting at the small table in his living area with him while Alyssa went through their bags, lamenting that some of their short-term supplies had already been used up. "Here... I want you to have this. You didn't have to let us stay here, especially when we were in such a state of distress and had practically just broken into your home. But you've shown us great kindness that others have not so far."

It was only money, but money went a long way for those that were living quiet and simple lives for themselves. Keoshi shook his head and, of course, as was the way, tried to say that it was not necessary at all, but Sandor insisted.

"No, no..." He said, folding Keoshi's hand back over the money when he tried to return it, though Sandor was not all that surprised to find the other fox reluctant to take his money. "You've earned this, simply by being kind to us. And Alyssa, I'm sure, would want you to have it too."

That quieted Keoshi a little, but he had the kind of face that meant that Sandor was never quite sure what he was thinking. It was only something, in that instance, that benefitted him, however, for Keoshi had already proven himself to be more than something of an ally. Why, he had not even minded that Sandor had gotten blood on his sheets in the night, from the bandages that had been covering the wound. That they had slipped in the night, as his body healed itself with the powerful nature magic flowing through his veins, was not something entirely unexpected from Sandor.

"Well, please know that you can always call on me whenever you are in need," Keoshi said instead, his lips quietly smiling, though he did not show his teeth as he smiled, as light as his eyes were. "It may not be obvious already, for my workshop and forge is around the back, but I am the best crafter and, of course, weapons merchant in town. Whereas I am sure that you, as a mage, do not usually require such weapons, perhaps they may now be useful to you, considering the Order Guards."

Keoshi seemed to put that as delicately as he could and Sandor nodded, grimacing.

"Yes... I see what you mean."

Alyssa, however, was keen to get into the bounds of the town, feeling safer there than out in the open amongst the trees where, to be fair, many predators were lying in wait for little does like her. She'd heard a wolf howling in the night, which had done more than enough to set her on edge, though had not wanted to worry Sandor with such a small thing. In his weakened state, even he would have been able to fight off a feral wolf, though it was hardly the sort of thing that Alyssa wanted to take any chances with.

Their arrival into the town was quiet, though they received sidelong looks and hushed whispers, Sandor's arrival expected. For once, however, more eyes were on the fox than they on the doe-taur, something that set her on the back hoof, unsure how to take things. As a lower-class citizen, still technically by the reach of many, she blended in more easily while a mage was something to be stepped back from and watched carefully. With the Order Guards about though, maintaining order amongst the mages, there was a cautious sense of peace about matters, though Sandor already knew just how far they would go in the bustling, vibrant town.

They had enough to focus on to keep them busy, however, their first port of call being to erect a home for themselves. Their belongings would turn up a day later, Alyssa had arranged, though the materials for the house, which could be erected by most mages that had studied the basics of architecture, even if it was not their speciality, had already been delivered ahead of time and were waiting on an empty plot of land, bordered by trees. Even though it was closer to the town and other buildings than their old home had been, Alyssa smiled. It would be theirs and that was where the difference in the homes lay.

The house went up smoothly, Alyssa directing and fetching the materials that she was able to carry on her own, some slung over her back and balanced there, though they did not attract too much attention, the home set in a quiet part of town. With a timber frame, Sandor used his magic to bring it all into place on the flat, levelled ground, strengthening the joins with magic rather than nails, the walls filled in and an exterior surface painted. Even the flat tiles for the angled roof, better to allow rainwater to run away easily, were simple to place, though he did begrudge just how painstaking it was to place every tile.

The inside would need decorating, but that was something that could be put for another day, Sandor refreshed in terms of his mana after resting, but still needing to allow his body to recover. Moving home, much less with all the trouble they had had, was difficult enough at the best of times and rest was much needed.

*

The next day, however, found Alyssa at Keoshi's workshop back outside town, finding her way there easily with her tracking ability to retrace their steps. It was something, a non-mage skill, that she had been honing and was particularly pleased with her quiet progress. Of course, Sandor knew where she'd gone, though he had to finish the inside of the home to what they had agreed, fitting the kitchen out with the materials especially to make a suitable place to cook and eat.

Making her way around the back of the cabin, which seemed lighter and friendlier than it had before, Alyssa knocked on what she presumed was the workshop - larger and with a stone build, though a wooden door greeted her.

"Keoshi?" She called out, stepping inside. "Are you here? It's Alyssa, the doe-taur."

"In the back!"

She followed the sound of his voice past a shop with racks of weapons and tools, all ready for sale, right to the back where the fox sat, sharpening his claws. The rasp worked across his claws, bringing them to a delicate point that most likely benefited him in his work, though the sound still made the tiny hairs on the back of Alyssa's neck stand up, shuddering.

"I didn't expect to see you back here so soon," he said, dusting himself off and standing with a smile. "What can I do for you, miss Alyssa? Did you need something to set up in your new home?"

She took a deep breath, steadying her fluttering heartbeat, though it did not help as much as she would have liked.

"I need a weapon," she said simply, maintaining eye contact, not wanting him to doubt her. "I don't ever want to be in a position where I can't defend Sandor again, when there's a danger that he can't fight. I know he may choose weapons later too, for protection, but this one will be for me, to start... Training too, if you may offer it."

The fox eyed her carefully, though there was respect in his gaze as he appraised her, the doe-taur simply waiting. She'd done a lot of waiting in her life and, in his workshop and business, he was the expert in his tools of the trade.

"I think I have just the thing," he said with a wider smile than he had offered before. "I do not provide training, but I can provide some pointers, direction. A friend of mine, however, has been teaching the youngsters and may be able to set something up just for you..."

Feeling more in control of her own fate than she had in a long time, Alyssa followed the fox, feeling the weight of a weapon, a knife to test out first of all, in her hand for the very first time.

*

Sandor sat at the old table that they had had sent over, smiling as he ran the flat of his hand over the wood. It was good to have something familiar and comforting there, especially after everything that had gone on. Their furniture had been delivered and he had set it up to what he thought was an alright configuration, especially the new pieces that Alyssa had purchased to send along with them, but she would likely change it when she was back. That was something that the doe-taur had more of an eye for than him.

Yesterday, however, troubled him, propping his chin up on his hands. He did not care for his own state, but...it mattered what he had felt and seen when he woke up once again, remembering everything in stark detail. For after he had had his access to his mana confused by the Order Guards, he had not woken up in his usual state of mind.

Hunger. That was one way to put it. Raw desire, like sexual desire, only more powerful still - and a need to devour. It had been all-encompassing when he had woken that morning, staring at the doe-taur slumped on the bed beside him. Even then, as horrific as it was, he'd wanted to eat her, to sink his teeth into her, ravenous after the draining and replenishing of the mana that he trusted so heavily.

He sighed, rubbing his head. It was a disconcerting feeling, one that he wished he could put from his mind. But it was not something that he had wanted to keep from Alyssa, not even then, even if it might have set her on edge, made her fear when, really, he never wanted her to fear him. Hunger...like that... No, he would keep it inside, where it belonged. He would need to, if he was to continue. But Sandor didn't know why it felt like there was so much saliva in his mouth, why his eyes lingered on Alyssa in a new way, as if he saw the flesh and bones of her.

Dendrobium orchid had been needed for the potion, of course, but he'd known the risks too. With a pain-making element in the orchid, it could have been used to focus, to clear his mind, to lock onto the pain above all else and keep himself awake if survival needed to take precedence. He only had not expected to react as he had.

"It's fine..."

He growled, shaking his head. But what would have happened, he wondered, if Alyssa had been too late? If she had been later than she had been, though none of it was her fault?

In the deepest, darkest reaches of his mind, the screams of the doe-taur, a figment of his imagination, curled forth, sinking claws into him, writhing and shrieking, bloody images rudely forcing themselves into the forefront of this mind.

"NO!"

Sandor slammed his fist into the table, cursing and grabbing at his head, shuddering in place. No, no, no... He couldn't let that happen, had to keep control, had to uncover the truth of that ravenous hunger, that vicious need to feed.

But should he tell Alyssa? They'd always shared everything with each other. His eyes slid to his staff, blinking moisture from them, thinking it over.

In the end, he kept the secret, tucking it in beside his heart where it would not harm anyone. Or, at least, that was what Sandor hoped.

"It should be fine..." He told himself, clenching his jaw so hard that the muscle at the corner, the hinge of the joint, ached. "I can handle it. I can handle this. I cannot have any harm come to her...or strike fear into her. Not anymore."

Their time in the new town, after all that, seemed to be becoming more challenging and frightful than even the fox and the doe-taur could have anticipated.