Misstep?

Two hours before dawn, we decide it’s time to leave the safety of our hideaway.

    While most of the cats go one by one in a peculiar line to the depths of the cave, Duxie heads towards the entrance. Tyffeon and I follow suit.

    Outside of Oweynagat, we cross the path of a few more feline creatures who return to their den. One holds a mouse, hanging from its jaws. Another holds a kind of frog with horns, hanging from its jaws.

“They seem to be back from their chase.”

    A third big one holds a small owl, hanging from-

“HEY, WHAT?!”

    At the sudden exclamation, the cat’s hackles rise and, releasing his prey, he hurriedly disappears into the cave.

“Amako… Can’t you refrain from screaming while we attempt to be discreet?” Tyffeon scowls. “I’d prefer if we could make more than a few steps before getting caught.”

“Sorry-”

    Glancing at the abandoned prey, I step forward. As I kneel near it, I observe with disbelief the bubble inflating, deflating from its beak… It’s… just asleep?

    I reach out to take the small owl in my hands. So soft… Her feathers are cream-coloured, with a touch of hazelnut.

    The bubble bursts. The sleepy owl opens her citrine eyes, glancing at me.

“That’s now that you wake up…” I muse, kind of concerned about her survival instinct.

    The owl merely blinks, observes me for a long time, and only then does she softly hoot.

    That’s playing at my heart strings…

“Are you ready to go?” Duxie calls, waiting a few steps ahead.

“Yes!”

    Standing up, I turn to follow them, keeping the little owl with me.

“I’ll call you Awa.”

    Awa doesn’t protest, her eyes still mid-open.

    As I reach Tyffeon’s side, he raises an eyebrow.

“You should avoid giving names so casually.”

“If I keep her with me, she needs one.”

“You’ll have problems if anything happens. Any named creature is under the responsibility of the one who gave it.”

    What a killjoy. It’s true that not so many animals have a name in this world – or at least not one holding a meaning – but even being aware of the mechanics, I can’t help. Though, usually, it doesn’t matter in most cases since the creature has to be enough aware of itself to use its benediction. Meaning it has to have a sufficient level.

    While we leave the hollow, Duxie glances back at us.

“From here, do your best to walk in my tracks. As long as you do so, your presence will be concealed. Nobody should notice you.”

    Once she warned us, Duxie begins to trot in the direction of the north. Her paws leave bluish prints in her wake, a sort of glistening powder floating around.

“Convenient.” Tyffeon notes.

    Cautious to follow her steps in single file, we hurry behind Duxie, venturing into the valleys. Two hours should be enough to reach the outskirts.

***

    Inspecting my satchel as we walk, I make sure the scenario is still there, afraid it might have disappeared or something.

    Reassured, my fingers linger there. Brushing an inner pocket. As I finally reach inside, I take out of my bag what occurs to be a golden-brown pendant, shaped as a pocket watch. In its middle, a sort of Sun is carved. Undulating rays cut into the metal. My fingers clench slowly around it.

    A precious memory I keep for so long now…

“What is it?” Tyffeon’s voice awakes me from my daydreaming.

    I quickly raise my other hand, waving it as if to dispel his curiosity.

“Ah, nothing. Just a souvenir from my world.”

“Mmm.”

    As he focuses back ahead of him, I finally decide to put the pendant around my neck, giving it a light pressure. If I ever again have to leave in a hurry, I may not have the time to retrieve my belongings. Better to keep it where it would never leave me.

“Do you miss your world?”

    At his question, I blink. Well, I guess that it’s normal to be a bit curious, even for him.

“There’s not really anything to miss from my world.”

“Nothing? Is this such a wrong place?” He glances back at me. “Didn’t you leave behind your family, friends?”

    I purse my lips. If there’s one question I’d gladly have avoided, it’s exactly that one. But saying I have none? I don’t want his pity.

“Sushis.”

“Sushis?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Yes. That’s a dish from my world that I used to cook each time a new volume of my favourite mangas was published.”

    To my words, Tyffeon does the only reasonable thing he can do. He frowns.

“What are you even talking about..?”

“Neheh, such a shame you don’t know any of this.” I chuckle. “Mangas are wonderful stories told with drawings and-”

    Wait a minute.

“Oh no…”

    Tyffeon seems about to say something when I cup my cheeks in horror.

“Now I’ll never be able to know how these mangas end… Noooooooooooooo!!!! Will Arthur be possessed by the demons??!”

    As I squirm in despair after realising that my world did hold some kind of value which I am doomed to be deprived from now on… Tyffeon casts a judgmental look at me. Rude.

    Awa, until now peacefully perched over my shoulder, awakens with the burst of a bubble, frantically beating her wings.

    I’m so caught in my misery that I don’t notice Tyffeon has stopped until bumping into him.

“Ughh, why did you halt?” I ask, rubbing my poor nose.

    As his only answer is extending an arm towards me, keeping me from making any move, I lean to the side, tilting my head to see better.

    Duxie has stopped as well, her front paw hanging mid-step over ground, grass blades blown by the wind all around.

    Following their gaze, I finally notice multiple silhouettes forward. The sight makes me stiffen.

    They are here, looking for us. A handful of Daoine Sidhe.

    Seems that Erlkœnig has decided to send a few of his people to check the area, after all. The good point was that there were only three of them.

“From then on, don’t make any sound.” Duxie warns. “Settle for following me closely.”

“Wait! Shouldn’t we rather take a detour?” I suggest.

“Nothing guarantees that we wouldn’t meet another group.”

“There’s really no danger in doing so?” Tyffeon whispers.

    Duxie gazes back at us, her emerald eyes glistening.

“Are all the Two Paws so distrustful? I am your guide, don’t forget it. As long as you don’t step out of my track, they wouldn’t know if you stepped right before their whiskers.”

    And on these words, she resumes her walk, not letting us the opportunity to make any other complaint.

    As we approach the group of Daoine Sidhe, they take a few steps all around us, inspecting the area. We make no sound, and I can’t help but hold back my breath, afraid that it would betray me.

    One of the elves heads in our direction, but his pace remains unchanged. He stops for a while, gazing at Duxie. While he can’t see the ones she guides, it doesn’t make her invisible. But, after a while, he resumes his inspection of the area.

    Here, the lowlands become less verdant, the unevenness of the landscape tends to disappear. There’s really nowhere to hide as we get closer to the outskirts.

“Over there!” A Daoine Sidhe voice calls.

    My heart misses a beat. Did they see us? A benediction which countered Duxie’s had betrayed us??

    But as my eyes seek the origin of the voice, I realise the Daoine Sidhe isn’t turned in our direction.

    The other elves hasten to join their comrade, and we’re too focused on the voice to notice the one which crosses our path. Tyffeon tries to step back but…

    Too late.

    The other elf shoves him, making Tyffeon lose his balance.

“No!! If he missteps they’ll see us!!”

    Stepping instantly forward in the bluish track, I press my hands against his back, praying for it to be enough.

    The other Daoine Sidhe, his hair not longer than mine, stops in his tracks. Slowly, he turns his head. Of course, he felt the collision.

    Luckily, it was enough for Tyffeon to keep his balance. But… will the other really buy it? His gaze lingers on us. He turns towards us, making a step closer.

    Tyffeon puts his hand over his sword’s hilt.

“A goblin!!” The voice calls once more.

    He pauses. The short-haired elf turns away from us, finally refocusing on the voice he follows.

    I sigh.

“That was close.”

    Not wishing to stay longer than necessary, we resume our walk.

    As I glance at the elven figures, it’s in time for me to catch sight of the tiny greenish body sent flying through the air with a kick.

“What are you doing? Keep walking at our pace.” Tyffeon scolds.

“Err… Maybe we should knock them out, after all?” I ask, forcing myself to match their rhythm.

“Why?” He raises an eyebrow. “They did not notice us, so we have no reason to interact. Let’s benefit from the fact that they’re focused on that goblin to put more distance between us.”

“Mmm…”

    Of course, that’s an opportunity that serves us well.

    As we keep moving forward though, I can’t help but steal glances at the group. They almost joined the tiny goblin, and one of them brandishes his axe.

    No one can see us. If I keep on my path, nobody will ever know. Whatever I am aware of, whatever I choose to do.

    This reminds me of that myth from my world… what was it called again… The ring of Gygès? Something like that.

    I clench my teeth.

“I can’t.”

    Before Tyffeon nor Duxie have time to gaze back at me, I pick up a sprint, leaving their track.