“So… Gole, are there any weapons you’re skilled with? Besides your teeth and claws, of course.” Poole asks, breaking the heavy silence hanging over the group as they travel on a stone road towards the rem’s town of History.
The path is wide enough for the alterna to walk comfortably without stepping off the path, and maintained so that there are no gaps in between the rocks for Erve to get her hooves caught in. All around the adventurers sits a forest, green and full of plant life. There are no other animals to be seen, and nothing but the wind stirs the leaves and branches of the trees and bushes. Overhead, the sun shines down on the group, its golden rays being broken each time the travelers pass under trees.
Gole snorts at this and says,
“You mean like the other alterna? Yeah, I was taught how to use a bow and arrow. No, I’m not especially good with it since I was ousted from the alterna race before I had much time to practice. Any other questions?”
“Could you teach me?” Trouse asks hopefully, and the alterna stops dead in her tracks.
“Get off,” she orders coldly, and Trouse blinks in surprise,
“Wha- “He begins, but Gole harshly interrupts,
“You heard me. All of you, off.”
Thigi goes pale, but obeys the feline, helping Onewe dismount after her.
“Gole, you can’t be serious.” Poole says as he raises his eyebrows, and Gole rears up, causing Trouse to fall off her back,
“Can’t I? I’m not just some pack mule or something to poke and prod at with your questions!” She roars furiously as she turns to face the entire group.
Surprised, tears begin to form in Trouse’s eyes as the feline shreds her Providence Cloth shirt and drops it on the ground. Then the alterna twirls and springs into the trees before anyone can stop her. The trees rustle slightly to show her passage through them, but nothing can be seen of Gole. The glishen moans mournfully, and a shocked silence falls over the group. Thigi helps the tearful Trouse to his feet.
“I made her leave,” he says quietly, his voice watery as he looks up at Thigi despondently, who wraps him in a hug.
“No, no Trouse. She just needs some time to herself; she’ll meet us in History,” the girl says comfortingly, and Onewe weakly lays a six-fingered hand on Trouse’s shoulder in an attempt to soothe him.
Gently, Thigi leads Onewe and Trouse over to Gutu and Erve. Silently, Poole reaches down and takes Trouse’s hand and pulls him up onto the horse behind the glishen, who enthusiastically displays a small, mechanical cat toy that wiggles its ears at him. Trouse smiles back faintly, despite his tears, and Thigi leads Onewe to Gutu, who still has the doub girl tied onto his back in a sitting-up position. Thigi assists the humor in getting on the dog’s back, and then climbs up behind her.
“To History, then.” Poole says grimly, his voice lacking any emotion.
“Shouldn’t Erve have followed her?” Trouse sniffles as the glishen turns back to playing with the cat toy, and Poole grimaces.
“Erve is a special horse. She understands anger when she sees it, and she knows when it would be death to follow.”
“Never trust a wrathful alterna. They are not natural.” Seehea adds on, and Trouse leans his head on the glishen’s back wearily.
Wordlessly, the party commences on the road once again, lacking the big feline to lead them towards their destination.
