Hangover, Cemetery and Wolf

Foebe awoke gently as the morning sun began to bathe their room in a soft yellow glow.

The first thing she became aware of was that she couldn’t move. The reason was immediately obvious - Joash’s arms were around her, and clearly had been all night. Her own had slipped loose at some point and were now squashed awkwardly between their bodies.

She blinked a few times… and then noticed that Joash was staring at her.

She smiled.

“Good morning, love.”

He smiled back.

“Morning, honey.”

He started to release her, but she quickly clutched at his shirt.

“No… not yet…”

His heart jumped as he tightened his arms again. She sighed contentedly.

“Thank you.”

For a while, neither of them spoke. Foebe tucked her head beneath his chin, her tail draped over his legs. There was nothing that needed saying.

Until a dark shape blotted out the sunlight.

They both lifted their heads.

Neko-chan was staring in through the window.

She meowed once - pointedly.

Joash chuckled.

“We should get going if we’re going to head to Koekoe. Unless you’ve grown attached to this village.”

Foebe shook her head.

“Let’s go. It’s a day and a half away on a ngeru.”

He nodded and gently let her go.

They climbed out of bed, properly separating for the first time in over a day - Foebe’s promise to hug him constantly having finally run its course. They tidied the room, which took all of a minute given how little they’d used it, and made their way downstairs.

The village was still sound asleep. The festivities had clearly continued long after they’d turned in.

Outside, the cool morning air greeted them. Foebe stretched, arms raised over her head.

“I will admit… it has a nice atmosphere.”

He nodded as Neko-chan crouched nearby, already waiting.

“It does.”

Then he smiled faintly.

“It’s just a little… extreme.”

She laughed quietly, careful not to wake anyone.

“Most places in Haeata will be like this. It’s tangata nature.”

She giggled.

“You won’t find anywhere that treats me normally.”

The thought struck him hard and fast, and he acted on impulse, spreading his arms wide.

“Except right here.”

Her heart skipped as she stepped into him, pressing herself against his chest.

“Except right here.”

After a few seconds, she looked up at him.

“Let’s go.”

He nodded, released her, and followed as she vaulted smoothly onto Neko-chan’s broad, furry back. He took her hand, and a moment later was seated in front of her again. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his waist and whistled.

The great ngeru rose and padded carefully toward the village gate.

Nothing stirred.

Even when Neko-chan broke into a trot beyond the walls - then a run - there were no signs of life.

But neither of them minded.

They were simply glad to be moving forward again.

Lunch had barely passed - eaten without stopping - when Neko-chan suddenly veered hard to the left, leaving the road.

Before Joash could call out over the rush of wind, Foebe shouted,

“There’s somewhere I want to visit. It won’t take long!”

He nodded.

“Okay.”

He had no reason to question her. She was the native; he was the otherworlder. And he knew that if she wanted to delay their journey for something, then it mattered.

Neko-chan tore across the plains before finding a narrow path and clinging to it like glue. A forest rushed past, the closeness of the trees making Joash flinch, certain they’d clip a trunk at any moment.

They didn’t.

Neko-chan was a master. Not a single leaf brushed them.

They burst out the far side and the landscape shifted - hills steepening, mountains rising in the distance. Foebe’s grip around his waist tightened. The path climbed a grassy slope, plunged briefly into another forest, then spilled them out again.

This time, Neko-chan slowed immediately.

Joash saw why.

The path ended at a flat patch of grass, a natural boundary before a sheer cliff. Beyond it, the view stretched endlessly - the perfect place to watch the sun set on a clear evening.

But that wasn’t why they’d come.

Scattered across the grass, arranged neatly despite their number, were grey stones.

Headstones.

To the left sat a well-tended flower garden, vibrant and alive. They were days of walking from the nearest settlement, so tuhi magic had to be at work beneath the soil - but Joash didn’t ask.

As Neko-chan crouched and they slid down, he saw Foebe’s expression.

Neutral. Controlled. Heavy.

She moved first, gently walking through the flower garden until she selected two blooms - light blue, the same shade as her dress. Their layered petals reminded him briefly of something sharp and monstrous, but the thought fell apart immediately.

They were beautiful.

She snapped the stems halfway down. The moment her hands left them, the plants began to regrow.

Magic, quietly at work.

She turned away, and Joash followed without comment.

The graveyard was simple. Stark.

Each headstone bore only a name and a date of birth. Some stood in pairs, others in trios or more. None were alone. At the centre of each group sat a small plaque engraved with a shared surname.

Foebe stopped at a pair near the cliff’s edge.

Joash didn’t need to read the names.

She stepped forward and placed a flower at the base of each stone. Then she stepped back and stood still.

That was when he moved.

Joash came to her side and slipped an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, lifting a hand to hold his as they stared at the quiet markings.

In a few minutes they’d be back on Neko-chan, tearing across the land as if chased by something unseen.

But for now, they stood in silence.

No breeze stirred the air. The sun was too high for the moment to feel cinematic. Neko-chan lying lazily in the grass behind them ruined any illusion of solemn perfection.

None of it mattered.

It was just the two of them.

And the memories - still aching, but no longer sharp.