Chapter Thirteen - Renn - Questions After Dinner

     We sat near the fireplace, and honestly it was getting a little too warm. Lughes had fed the fire a little too much.

Crane had already gone to bed, and Lughes was just now walking up the stairs himself. I noticed the way the older man ascended slowly, and not just because he was a little drunk.

His age was starting to take its toll on him.

I sat a little farther from those who were left. Amber sat next to Vim, only a few feet from each other. The both of them sat a little closer to the fireplace, and were sitting in silence.

Lomi was already asleep. Lying on Vim's lap, curled up. I could see her grip on Vim's shirt, grasping it as if her life depended on it. If not for her gentle snores I'd worry she was having a nightmare.

"First time I've ever met one of you that was younger than me," Amber said gently.

"You're older than you are, it's your anger issues. Ages you," Vim said.

Amber glared at him, and I knew he had just offended her.

The fire crackled, and it drew my attention. The pit was deep, and the logs weren't that big, but for some reason I always worried the flames would ignite a fire. Even though there was brick all around the fireplace, and there was no carpet or rugs anywhere near it.

"How many were lost this time, Vim?" Amber then asked.

My ears perked up, and I sat up a little.

"I buried twenty five," Vim said, speaking as if he was talking of the weather.

Amber sighed, looking away to the wall nearby. Going lost in thought.

Although it should surprise me that a human was so... bothered by hearing of our kind being lost, it somehow didn't. She was a good person.

"Twelve last year. Too. That's a lot lately, isn't it? Is someone hunting us?" Amber asked.

"There's always a hunter lurking in the shadows," Vim said.

Studying him, I watched the way his eyes lingered on the fire. What did he see in the flames? He spoke so evenly, so firmly... as if he wasn't affected by what he said at all. But I knew the truth.

A man that didn't care about such things wouldn't have noticed the embossed symbol on my pants. Wouldn't have put one and two together so quickly.

He might be callous, but he was still emotionally vested in these people.

Plus...

Lomi shifted, and Vim glanced at her. Although he didn't smile, I did notice the way his face relaxed a little. His expression was a little more calmer. He gently rested his hand on her back, and she swiftly went still again, falling back into a deeper slumber.

Yes. This man really was a protector. A guardian.

"Is there... is there another village of foxes? For her?" Amber asked softly, as if afraid to wake her.

"Not a village. But there is a family, a few weeks from here. I'll take her there and see how it goes," he said.

"Hm... it's odd, but I guess humans do it too. Distant relatives and whatnot," Amber said.

"It is odd. But far too many of our kind don't feel comfortable living with different types. Not everyone is like Crane and Lughes, able to put up with each other," Vim said.

"They barely put up with each other as it is," I said.

Amber glanced at me, and I realized by her look that she had forgotten I was even here.

Vim though smirked a little, and I somehow knew it wasn't because of what I said... but because he had noticed Amber's slight shock.

"They're better than most. A few decades ago I had to settle a dispute in a village in the north. Ended up having to let them wage war. It was annoying as hell, and so I hated going there because all it did was piss me off," Vim said.

"Wage war?" I asked, trying to understand what he meant.

"I mean that literally. The two families waged war with one another. They had three battles, to settle their differences," he said.

"You mean actual fighting, don't you?" Amber asked, telling me she hadn't known of this either.

"Five died. Three to the family of bears and two to the wolves," he said gently.

"And... they still live together? In the same village?" I asked, surprised.

"Not only did they still live together, they lived in harmony. In fact last time I visited they had a wedding, between the youngest son of the bears and a daughter of the wolves."

I was too shocked to say anything, but Amber wasn't. "See! Not even humans are that crazy. Though I guess that is the better of the many consequences," she said.

"So some say," Vim agreed.

"I thought there weren't many predators left?" I asked.

"There isn't. You misunderstood me. I spoke of what happened after their war, not what happened recently," Vim said softly.

My eyes went wide, and I noticed the way Amber looked away, down to the floor. She had already known. Or maybe had already understood.

"They're gone," I said, not asked.

He nodded. "Have been for years. Not long after that wedding, a hunter showed up. It kidnapped the children and used them to influence their demise. By the time I arrived they were all dead," he said.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I sat back, unable to sit up straight anymore.

"How can you say that so lifelessly?" I whispered as tears fell.

"If I sobbed each time I spoke of the past, I'd have no time to live for today," he said.

"Sounds patronizing, coming from you," Amber said with a flat voice.

Vim shrugged, saying nothing more.

I hid my face, covering it with a hand as I silently tried to control my tears and emotions.

This was going to be difficult. Not just tonight, but from now on...

"You're a gentle one, Renn," Amber said softly.

"No. I'm not," I said honestly.

I was far from it. If I had been, I would have been long dead. Wouldn't have lived to adulthood, even.

For a few long moments they were silent. Letting the fire drown out the sounds of my light crying.

It didn't take me long to regain composure, and although a little embarrassed... at the same time I wasn't. It'd be rude to the ones I cried over to feel shame over the tears I shed for them.

At least that was what I told myself.

"Who... who was the hunter?" I asked after I was sure I'd not wake Lomi with the volume of my voice.

"They're gone. They'll not bother anyone again," Vim said.

"That wasn't what I asked," I said.

Vim's eyes met my own, for the first time in a long time. Probably since we had spoken to each other upon returning with the food earlier. It was a little odd that it had taken this long for him to look at me again.

"Renn..." Amber spoke softly, but I ignored her as I held his gaze.

"If she was still alive... what would you do?" he asked me.

"I'd..." I started to speak, but Vim's expression changed. Suddenly he was glaring at me.

"Hunt them? Kill them? You'd kill someone who has no real relation to you?" he asked.

"They killed a whole village, didn't they?" I asked.

"Did you know anyone in that village?"

Hesitating, I wondered why he was testing me like this. What was he doing it for?

Vim sighed, and his right foot shifted a little. Skidding along the floor, his sock made an odd sound as it rubbed the smooth wood beneath him. "Most cats live alone. Hunt alone. Usually they don't even stay with their mate, even after children are born you know?" he then said.

"We may be similar to what we are, but we're not actual animals," I argued.

"Some are, maybe," Amber whispered.

Vim shook his head. "Ignore her, she was talking about me."

"I knew that," I said. It was obvious from the way she had glanced at him as she had said it.

"I was," Amber said with a proud nod.

He frowned, as if offended. Not at Amber's statement, but the fact I had not only known but possibly agreed with her.

"It was a woman?" I asked.

"Is that so strange? Women can be rather ruthless, I mean look at her," Vim said with a nod to Amber.

She scoffed.

"Why did she hunt them?" I asked further.

Instead of answering, Vim sighed and looked at me. He no longer looked... accusing, but I could still see the annoyance in his eyes.

"She wanted revenge," he then said.

Hesitating, I wondered what to ask next. I had not expected that answer.

"Exactly. The one who hunted them, was in turn the one who had been hunted. She had lost her whole family to the wolves, a few years prior," he said firmly.

My mouth went dry; as I realized why he had acted the way he had when I asked him about her.

"Gosh," Amber groaned, looking away. As if suddenly sick.

"It's not that rare of a story," Vim said.

"Wait... wait... so... was she... was she a part of the society?" I asked, and knew my answer before he even nodded.

"Why would they do that?" Amber asked.

"Why would the wolves hunt boars? Why would a boar get revenge? Why does a fish swim? Why does a bird soar?" Vim asked.

"Don't so melodramatic Vim, I don't like it," Amber complained.

"It's the truth. Most of it was instinct. The wolves who had hunted her family had been outcasts, but members of that family all the same. She simply got her revenge. And because the bears were now married into, a part of that very family, they also fought back. They also stood their ground. They lost."

Vim told the story as if he was talking about the recent harvest, or fishing trip. His voice told no emotion, and his face had a rather serene expression.

"How... how many have we lost like that? To our own kind?" I asked.

I feared the answer, since it was so close to my own.

"A good portion. Most die from humans. Either a village burning them, thinking they're some kind of monster or demon, or the church. Others die from being alone. Getting hurt or sick, and not trusting anyone or anything to help so they just wither and die somewhere, far away," Vim said.

I groaned, and bent forward to rest my head on my hands. I felt as if I was suddenly exhausted. As if I could feel a looming headache, the worst I've ever had.

"Humans are the same, Renn. My own father tried to kill my mother," Amber spoke up softly, with a hushed voice.

Looking up at her, I found a gentle smile on the normally stoic girl. She looked as if she was... seeing herself in me.

"Cruelty is cruelty. Doesn't matter where it comes from," Vim said.

"I too lost family to family," I said to her. I couldn't bring myself to say more.

Amber gently nodded, as if to say she understood.

"None of my family killed each other, we were normal unlike you crazy people," Vim then said.

A groan mixed with a sigh as Amber and I shared our sentiments. It was obvious he was just trying to make the sour conversation a little lighter, but since he spoke in that plain tone it made it sound heartless.

"Are... is there a village? Of people like me?" I asked him. I didn't want to change the conversation, but it felt awkward to say anything else after hearing Vim's poor attempt at humor.

"Cats? Well... maybe. As I mentioned, your type usually stay alone. Wanderers. I've met a few. Maybe not exactly like you, based on your patterns and colors, but I've met similar. South, near a large set of lakes and waterfalls, is a smaller village. There is a family of cats there, but they're... well, not what you are," Vim said, genuinely seeming honest.

"Not what she is? What's that mean?" Amber asked for me.

Vim shrugged. "They're more simple. They're probably something smaller. It's hard to tell, I mean... most don't have many features. Look at Lughes, based off his beard you'd think him a sheep. Yet he's a mountain goat. Yet the only reason we know that, or that I do, is because I saw his parents. They had more animal like characteristics than he does," Vim said.

"I see. But they are similar, at least," I said.

"Yes. Close enough that if you'd like to meet them I'd allow it. But don't be upset when you find they're still different, all the same," Vim said.

"You're such a jerk," Amber grumbled.

Vim tilted his head. "What'd I say that was rude?"

"It's just... the way you are. Shut up," Amber looked away, to the fireplace. As she did I noticed that most of the logs were now embers. If we wanted to keep the fire going now was the time to add another log.

"Which one of you wants this thing?" Vim asked, gesturing to the girl on his lap.

"I'm not ready for a daughter, as much as I'd probably enjoy it," Amber said. A little too seriously.

"Daughter..." I tried to imagine it. Could I?

"Hardly think sleeping together for a night makes you a mother," Vim though corrected us as he sighed.

"Oh. I'll happily sleep with her," I said, standing up.

"Good. She slobbers all over and I hate it," Vim said, likewise standing.

She didn't wake even as he hefted her.

"I'll see to the fire for the night. Goodnight Renn," Amber said, waving.

Leading Vim up the stairs to my room, I excitedly opened the door.

"She won't scream when she wakes up without you, will she?" I asked as he laid her onto my bed.

"Why would she?" Vim asked gently, and then with a nod he turned and left.

"Goodnight," I said to him.

He paused upon leaving my room, and before he closed the door behind him he nodded. "Goodnight, Renn."