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The figure started walking slowly towards her, and Jessica flinched back a step, bumping up against a tree trunk that blocked her escape. The figure reached out towards her, but didn't attack ? instead, it rested a hand gently on her shoulder and looked her over, brows arched in concern.

"Hey, are you okay? What're you doin' out here, anyway? It's dangerous out here at night, especially if you're from town and don't know your way around."

The voice paused. It was quite different from Frand's, a little higher in pitch and more hesitant, and sounded a lot more like a boy she might come across at school. She looked back at him, her eyes now mostly adapted to the forest's darkness, and what she could make out mostly seemed to confirm that assessment: someone around her age, and probably a boy, although all he seemed to be wearing was a sort of leather thing around his waist and something slung across his chest, probably a quiver of arrows.

"Are you... are you one of the wood folks?" Jessica asked, her voice soft and still tremulous with fear. Despite his dress, though, the boy didn't seem like the sort of savages her mom had said had a compound out there. "You're kinda... dressed like one..."

The boy chuckled at that. "You're hardly one to talk! I patrol and hunt about every night, so I'm used to this, but for town folk, you're not really dressed the part. I mean, most town folk who come out here to hunt or something, they usually bring a jacket, or, y'know... pants..."

Jessica looked down, suddenly feeling a bit flustered. She'd prepared her pack, to be sure, but in her haste hadn't really thought about anything else - due to Frand's edict, she'd become so used to just running around in her shirt and undies that it had become almost second nature, and she hadn't really thought to pull on much of anything in her flight...

A flight that, she knew, should still be ongoing. The thought of Frand finding her here, and what he might do if he caught her, brought tears welling back up in her eyes again as feelings of terror and despair washed over her.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" The boy asked again, seeing her distress. "You're standing here, crying and scared, unprepared in the middle of the... did someone force you to run out here? Are you in trouble?"

Jessica nodded. "My father, he... he was going to..." She searched for words, but didn't really know how to describe what Frand had done. "He's hurting my sister, and he was going to hurt me, so my sister told me to run so that only one of us had to suffer..."

As she spoke, she could see the boy's face harden, his eyes glinting with anger. He looked away for a moment, his hand retreating to his bow as though he were looking for something to hunt, but he turned back at the sound of Jessica's sniffling. He looked her over again, as though trying to come to a decision, and finally nodded.

"All right. Look, we can't just sit out here in the middle of the forest, and we can't let that guy come across us either. I know a good way to get back to our camp quickly. They don't always let people in, but if someone's trying to hurt you, well, they've gotta help out. That's one of the principles we're supposed to live by: the woods are dangerous, and you don't leave anyone behind or alone unless they want to be." He looked Jessica in the eyes again. "Will you come with me?"

Jessica nodded. The boy was probably right: despite her pack, she wasn't really prepared to be out here, and if Frand did track her down, having at least the chance of some other people to protect her would be worth it. She didn't really know the boy, but everything she had seen so far seemed to indicate that he was nothing like Frand, for whom the idea of comforting someone in need of it was a foreign concept. And given what Elizabeth had indicated Frand had in store for her, it didn't seem like there was a fate that could be all that much worse.

She hoisted her pack back onto her shoulder and followed along along with the boy, darting between tree trunks and over fallen branches along some hidden path that the boy could apparently see, but that she couldn't make out at all. For the most part, they moved in silence, although after a few minutes, the boy turned and whispered a question back at her. "Oh, by the way, what's your name?"

"Jessica," she replied without hesitation.

"Cool. My name's Aryen. A-r-y-e-n." The way he said it made it sound like Orion, which seemed to be why he had the urge to spell it out as soon as he said it. Then he turned back and they continued on, with only the rustling of leaves and the chirping of insects to accompany them.

Accustomed as she was to the darkness, the fire that suddenly flickered out between tree trunks for a moment almost seemed as bright as the sun. As her eyes adapted, though, she could see that it was one of a pair of bonfires set in a stone pit, to either side of a dirt path in a suddenly visible clearing. Between them, two massive wood-plank gates rested against a tall, thick wall made of solid tree trunks set into the dirt one beside the other, the top of the trunks cut into points. Along the perimeter, sets of sharpened branches poked out, pointed up at an angle, apparently as protection from certain types of predators: on one of them was impaled the still-intact, furry carcass of what seemed to be a feral wolf, its jaws still bloody and glinting with white teeth. Jessica started at the sight, but Aryen was quickly beside her, holding out an arm for her to grab. She clung to it, glancing around at the unfamiliar scene, as a voice boomed down from a platform next to one of the gates. She glanced up to see the shirtless torso of another villager, this one holding a spear, and looking her over suspiciously.

"Aryen. I see you, but who is this? You know this is not a place for outsiders."

"I know," Aryen replied. "But she is in danger, scared, and in need of our help. We can't turn her away."

"That's not for you to say," the guard replied, even as he looked Jessica over more carefully. "Then again, it's not for me to say, either." The guard waved, and one of the wooden gates began to swing open. "The guardian's still in his office. Take her there as soon as you get inside. Whether she stays is up to him."

"I understand and obey." The boy nodded towards the guard in an oddly formal way, and the guard nodded back. Aryen began to walk forward, and Jessica, still nervously gripping his arm, walked alongside.

She looked over at Aryen as they walked through the gates and into the compound. Illuminated by the bonfires, she could now make out more details of him. He looked to be a forest wolf by nature, with short black fur mixed with flecks of silver and orange, with a slightly foreshortened muzzle and close-swept ears. He really didn't look like a savage: his fur had collected a few leaves and small twigs from the journey back, as her own certainly had, but it was glossy and well-brushed; while he looked a bit on the skinny side, with more sinew under his fur than Frand's bulky muscle, he looked well-fed.

Once they were past the gate, Aryen walked over to an area along the wall with a number of hooks, clothing and wooden equipment hanging off some of them. Extricating his arm from hers, Aryen reached back and removed the bow and quiver of arrows, hanging them carefully on a set of empty hooks. Then, to her surprise, he unhooked the loincloth as well, brushing it off and hanging it with equal care. He turned around, completely naked, his fuzzy sheath poking out from between his legs, and Jessica couldn't help but flush with embarrassment. Aryen didn't seem to notice her reaction, though, and started to walk on as though nothing was amiss. "C'mon, we'd better get you over to the guardian before anyone else starts to wonder why you're here."

Jessica followed after him, still feeling embarrassed, her eyes inexplicably drawn to Aryen's figure in motion, especially the parts that would normally be hidden. The warmth on her face seemed almost like it was beginning to spread lower down, but there was still enough adrenaline and fear coursing through her system for whatever the other feeling was to continue asserting itself.

Instead, she glanced around, taking in the compound as they walked. It was a mixture of sturdy-looking, angular tents, with frames of carefully-bent branches keeping large spans of tanned and painted deer hide stretched taut between them, and cabin-like buildings, made up either of logs stacked up on their sides, or what looked like hardened mud and clay. In the center, there were a few other areas enclosed by fences similar to those that encircled the compound, and interspersed between the buildings were more stone fire pits, some with spits or cooking pots hanging over them, and all still burning brightly.

They passed a few people walking along the path, and all of them appeared to be naked as well, with the exception of one loincloth-wearing man heading back towards the gates. Jessica couldn't help but goggle at them a bit: she was by now used to wearing less clothing, but it seemed odd to see people going about their business while wearing none at all, and not seeming to even care.

She halted quickly when Aryen stopped in front of one of the log cabins, knocking sharply on the wooden door. A moment later, a deep, booming voice rang out from inside.

"Enter."

Aryen swung the door open, and they stepped inside, to a halfway-surprising sight. The room inside, while still looking rustic, looked more like her principal's office than anything else. There were a few paintings hung on one of the walls, mostly abstract landscapes, along with a series of framed degrees. An antique-looking lantern hanging on the opposite wall provided a flickering light. The center of the room was dominated by a hand-carved, lacquered wooden desk, upon which sat sheafs of note paper covered in clusters of cursive writing, and partially obscured behind it was the stock of a hunting shotgun leaning against the wall. Off to one side was a low couch, upholstered with more deer hide, and to the other, ensconced in a similar armchair, was the office's sole occupant, who stood to greet them.

The man who proffered his hand for her to shake was solid, at least as tall as Frand, with similar dark-grey fur, and a prominent sheath that couldn't completely hide the pink tip that poked out the top of it. Jessica glanced at it and gulped in fear, thinking suddenly of Frand, and wondering what the man was going to do. Unlike Frand, though, the man didn't look intimidating: instead of Frand's oftentimes harsh glare, kind eyes looked back at her from behind a pair of old-fashioned, wire-rim spectacles perched atop his muzzle. And, when she nervously extended her hand, the man's hand grasped hers gently, almost weakly, and quickly released it to return to his seat. He gestured over to the couch, and Jessica and Aryen were soon seated across from him.

"It's not often that we get visitors here, and never so late at night." Inside, the man's voice was still deep, but calmer. "If Aryen has brought you here, though, it must be important. For someone so young, his judgment is almost always impeccable."

The man turned to look directly at Jessica. "Perhaps introductions are in order. My name is Dr. Benoit Argente, which comes from holding a doctorate in anthropology, and is part of the reason why I am considered the leader, or guardian, of this enclave. May I have your name, then?"

"J-jessica," she managed to get out in response, still halfway-intimidated by the man's presence, but beginning to calm a little from his careful demeanor.

"A classically modern name, that, derived from the archaic Yiskah of ancient times, if I'm not mistaken. One of the many bits of trivia my education provides." Benoit leaned in closer, looking her over carefully as the other had done. "Still, something of a fish out of water here. To come to us so late, though, and so obviously scared, means that your presence here before me is likely one wrought of desperation. Perhaps you could fill me in, Jessica, on the events that have brought you here to our doorstep."

Jessica explained the situation as best she could, and while she couldn't properly describe exactly what Frand had done to her sister, Benoit's face hardened in much the same way Aryen's had, and by the time she had finished the man looked decidedly grim.

"I am sorry to hear that you have had to endure such an ordeal," he replied, after a grimacing pause. "It is something no free, living thing should have to suffer, and goes strongly against our principles. In such a situation, I can see no choice but to offer acceptance and sanctuary here, should you wish it, but it is not as simple as that. This is a unique place, with a unique people, and if you are to live here you must live by rules that are in many ways different than the world you may be used to. If you are interested, I will explain them as best as I can, and then you can decide whether abiding by our culture is an acceptable price for sanctuary."

Jessica nodded. As long as it was better than what Frand had in store, it would surely be acceptable, at least until she could figure out what else to do.

"Very well." Benoit gestured around the room, but seemed to mean the entire camp as a whole. "This encampment is a unique sort of experiment, in a way; it is, in fact, a revival of the practices and beliefs of the ancient cultures who once called this place home. Sadly, those original tribes are long extinct, their descendants diluted and intermingled with everyone else within our modern world. That being said, anthropology has always been an interest of mine, and while earning my doctorate, I spent much time abroad working alongside many indigenous cultures, and grew to have a phenomenal respect for the purity and simplicity of their way of life, and their intimate connection with the harmony of the natural world. Upon my return, and upon learning just how much our native cultures here had all but faded into history, well... for a while I was heartbroken, but from that despair came the idea to preserve and revive what was lost. And so, this encampment was born, as a place for like-minded individuals to live in the traditional way, and to keep that rich culture and heritage alive amidst the homogenizing influences of modern life. The government agreed; and so this, and a half-dozen more, are now federally protected cultural sites, allowing for the formation of new tribes to honor that heritage led by those with at least some native blood. While my fur, unlike Aryen's, may not immediately advertise it as such, there is some background on my mother's side, so I was allowed to be the cultural and spiritual guardian here."

"Of course," Benoit continued, sounding slightly irked, "the government would not allow for a complete return to the old ways, and nor would I ask them to, or anyone who would live here. There was bad to go along with the good in the original cultures, of course: few lived to grow old, and danger was around every turn. So, some concessions were made. Behind one of those fences in the middle of the camp, hidden from obvious view, is a concrete-block building that houses toilets, showers, and taps for treated water, to ensure proper sanitation and prevent disease. Children who grow up here are required to have a basic, modern education alongside tribal teachings, hence Aryen's excellent command of our modern language; we are also visited regularly by clinicians who ensure that everyone is vaccinated and receives proper care when required."

"Beyond that, though, we choose to live as the natives did, and where possible we do away with the trappings of modern life. We eschew clothing, in favor of our natural fur, except when needed for a specific purpose, and everything that we use we make ourselves. I spent many hours over the course of a year carving my own desk, and I've had a hand in building each of the dwellings that shelter within our walls. We follow the ancient, ancestral rituals, and while I cannot command anyone's own beliefs, participation in those rituals is something in which we must all partake, in order to fully experience the native culture and return it to this world."

"So, to stay, you will need to agree to abide by our rules. You will need to divest yourself of your clothes and modern possessions, which will be kept safe should you decide to go at a later point. You will learn a trade and have a job, and you will do it to the best of your ability to keep our society running. You will participate in our rituals, and treat all others here with you with kindness, reverence and respect. Failure to do so will mean that I will be asked to cast you out, and I will have to comply. Follow our rules, though, and we will welcome you here and provide you sanctuary for as long as you need - or a permanent place among us, should you desire. Now that you know what being here will entail, do you think you can give me an answer?"

Jessica looked back at him, still somewhat apprehensive. Most of it seemed okay, but... removing her clothes was still making her nervous. Frand had already removed enough, and his intent had certainly been malicious - what did they intend with her that she had to be completely naked? "W-well... do I really have to take off all my..." She trailed off, shivering.

Benoit leaned forward, looking at her with concern. "Oh... I should have realized before. Your father... he made you take off your clothes in order to do bad things, yes?"

"Y-yes..."

"And again, I am sorry you had to suffer. Unfortunately, there are some amongst my tribe who would have issues with you going about clothed, especially in items that are reminiscent of modern life - they would see it as apostasy, and while I do not agree in all cases, it would make your being here with us a problem. I could tell you that there is no one here that would ever harm you in that way, and that for those used to seeing each other in the fur there is no shame or undue interest to be caused by it, but given what you have seen believing that might not come easy. Although... perhaps in this case, we can agree to a compromise until you feel more comfortable here."

Benoit got up and walked over to the desk, pulling out one of the drawers and fishing around in it. "Yes, this will do for now." He came back up with another sort of loincloth, similar to what Aryen had been wearing, although the flaps of leather in front and back were slightly smaller, cured to an off-white color. "I will make a special exception and allow you to wear this, for now, but you will have to remove your other clothing. Remember, you are a creature of the forest above all else, and so long as you have your fur, you are never truly naked before her." Benoit tossed it over to her, and she caught it, turning it over in her hands. "In any case, you need to choose what you want. I will not turn you out this night even if you refuse, but if you do you must go when the light returns tomorrow."

Was there really a choice, though? There were two, but one of them was something she couldn't dare to think about. It was true that she didn't know what might lie in store for her here, but she knew that there were at least two people here who would protect her from harm. If she was taken back home, though, she knew that there was no one who could, or would, do so. It was different, but the only way she could be safe would be to stay.

She nodded toward Benoit. "I'll stay," she said.

Benoit smiled in approval. "All right, then. I'll stow your pack here; strip and put that on, and I'll show you where you'll be staying tonight."

Benoit turned to Aryen and began to ask him about the hunt. Jessica blushed, thinking about changing in front of two males... but then again, how could it be any worse than wearing panties, which Frand surely knew every stitch from staring at them so much? Jessica shrugged, taking off her shirt, and the panties quickly followed suit when she realized that the two of them had barely even taken notice of what she was doing. She set the loincloth into place, with one flap hanging down across her butt and the other in front of her crotch, tying the leather cord in place. It still felt a bit more like being naked, with nothing resting between her legs and her crotch open to the air, but it at least provided the barest sort of modesty. She stood up, looking over at the others, who now took notice of her, but not in Frand's ogling way - Benoit merely nodded, and Aryen smiled happily, seemingly pleased that she was, for now at least, one of them.

They exited the cabin and began walking along the path back towards the gate. There were even fewer people out now, but those that did actually seemed to take less notice and interest in her now that she was wearing almost nothing at all. Some of the fires had also died down, and a few of the tents and cabins now had thin wisps of smoke wafting out above them. Further up, the sky sparkled with an ocean of stars, far more than could be seen amidst the lights of the town. It was almost reminiscent of the camping trips she'd taken with her sisters as a child, looking up from her sleeping bag and marveling at the glittering expanse. Back when Frand hadn't had so many problems... She shivered, but not from the cold. What she wouldn't give to have her old father back, her good father, and a family that just worked. Frand was bad, though, and Naomi was hopeless, and Elizabeth was trapped, and she was here - safe, away from all of that, but still scared, and still worried. What would happen to Elizabeth, now that she was the only one left? She could feel tears building up again, and she tried to shake them off and put on a brave face. That only held until they were just past the gate and heading to a row of tents, though. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the gate guards stiffen, and then shout towards someone below. The voice that came back, low and angry, was one Jessica knew all too well.

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE!" Frand's voice boomed out from behind the fence, and Jessica cringed back, feeling suddenly and horribly exposed. Then, Benoit was grabbing her by the arm, his eyes grim and determined.

"Get in here, quickly," he said, pulling her towards the entrance to one of the tents. "Aryen, rouse some of the warriors. This man may be dangerous in a modern way, so you have my permission to use the crate." Benoit then hurried off, as Jessica half-ran, half-stumbled, into the tent.

The interior of the tent was largely circular, with a small fire filling the stone circle in the middle and a starry hole towards the top for the smoke to escape. Seated on fur and hides around the fire were a half-dozen women, naked with their breasts bared, doing something with stone awls and billets of leather. They glanced up as Jessica ran in, and the closest one to the entrance, a matronly one with soft eyes and light grey fur, set aside her work and opened her arms. Jessica half-fell into her lap, shivering and sobbing, and the woman's strong arms encircled her, pulling the girl close to her chest. Holding her close, the woman began to sing softly, a low tune in a language Jessica didn't recognize. It wasn't enough, though, to drown out the shouting voices coming from outside.

"I know she's in there! Hand her over!" Frand's voice was shouting, followed by Benoit's calling out from above.

"The girl has asked for sanctuary here, and it is what she shall have. Begone! You are not meant to be here!"

"Screw you, ya fucking loon! She's mine, and I'm not gonna let her be sheltered by a bunch of savages!"

"I am sorry, but she has asked-"

"I don't care what she asked, you fucking savage! She's mine! She belongs to me, and you're gonna hand her over right now!"

"As I said-"

"Fuck you! I'm her father, goddammit! She is my daughter, and I'm not letting a bunch of fucking spearthrowers have their way with her! She's mine by right, and you'd better bring her out, or else!"

"Or else what?" Benoit's voice was followed by the sound of several shotguns being chambered. In response, Frand let out an incoherent howl, followed by an even more incoherent tirade of swearing and threats. It rose in intensity and was accompanied by several hard thumps against the gate, enough that Jessica could hear the wood reverberate in protest. The thumps, though, came to an end when Benoit yelled something amidst the screaming, and a second later a loud report sounded from above. For a few seconds, the thumping and yelling halted, giving way to an eerie silence, and Jessica almost wondered whether someone had actually shot Frand down. Soon, though, his swearing returned, although a lot of the bluster had gone out of it; soon, it began to fade away, along with Frand's stomping footsteps as he retreated back into the forest, along with his repeated threats of returning to settle things however he had to.

Jessica stayed pressed into the woman's arms, shivering and crying, as the woman gently stroked the fur on her back and did what she could to calm her. A few minutes later, Benoit stuck his head in the entrance, the shotgun from his office held in one hand.

"Did she hear all that?" he asked, and Jessica could sense the woman nodding above her. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. He's gone, now, and I can see that everything you said about him rings true. I don't know what he plans to do, though. If he comes back with a weapon, we will do what we have to. If he comes back with the authorities, though, and demands we return you... I don't know. I am not as familiar with the laws of the outside world as I once was. You are probably still considered a minor child, but above the age of possible emancipation. Law or no law, though, I can't let you return to that man. That would go against our- against my principles. I don't know if it will work, but I'll do everything I can to protect you."

He looked up just a bit. "Layeye, are you all right with her here?" Jessica felt the woman nod again. "Okay. Jessica, just try to get some rest. We'll deal with everything else in the morning, but for now, you're safe." Jessica heard him turn, and then his footsteps faded away.

Jessica cuddled closer into the woman's embrace, her tears and shivering eventually abating, and she closed her eyes and buried her face into the woman's fur. Layeye cradled her, rocking her back and forth, and continued to sing the low, strangely comforting melody. Eventually, Jessica felt the fear at hearing Frand's voice begin to bleed away, and she was finally able to close her eyes and relax, although sleep was a long time coming. She was safe, for now, but Frand still knew where she was - and wouldn't stop until he had her back. Maybe Benoit and the others could protect her, and she had to hold out hope that they could, but that safety would be fleeting if Frand had his way. And then there was Elizabeth - while Jessica might be safe, her sister was still subject to Frand's whims. It was a bad thing to think, she knew, but Jessica couldn't help but feel angry that the shotgun blast hadn't struck Frand down, as it meant that Naomi, and Elizabeth, were still in danger. Frand had left angry, and in that state, there was no telling what he could do.

Jessica had done what her sister said. She'd fled, and found at least some safety and hope - but at what cost?