Two fireballs hit its left flank as two sparks hit the boar’s right flank. Lily dashed towards the boar, and I noticed tears on her beautiful face. The hog shook off the attacks and kept coming. Blood exploded from the boar, and it flipped over. The blood leaked off what appeared to be an invisible shaft before the shaft dissolved.

“I loathe killing, but I could not let either of you two younglings die,” Trillium announced. “You two owe me more than just ice cream now.”

Lily and I spun at the sound of her voice. “Elder Trillium!”

“Thank you!” Lily said before spinning back towards me and crashing into my face. “Stupid! Stupid, stupid Jase!”

“I love you too,” I said reaching up and taking my crying familiar into my hands. I dropped and sat on the ground to comfort Lily. We both calmed after a few minutes. “Thank you elder.”

“You’re welcome,” Trillium replied. “Are you two, ok?”

“I…I think so,” I answered as I kept sending reassuring feelings to Lily. She was doing the same to me. “Elder how did you know we needed help?”

“I sent her a message when I saw how stupid and brave you were being,” Lily answered.

“Indeed, she did. Lily is growing quite capable when it comes to network communication,” Trillium said. “I have high hopes for her.”

“Oh?” Lily asked.

“We’ll discuss your future when you’re ready and not before then,” Trillium replied. The other pixies that had accompanied the elder laughed.

I sat Lily on my left shoulder and gently patted her legs with my index finger. She got the hint and didn’t say anything to the other pixies. Trillium smiled.

“We should do something with the boar,” I said getting to my feet.

“What do you propose?” Lily asked as she leaned into my neck and hugged me.

“I suppose we let Mitch dress it,” I answered. “I’ve always like ham, tenderloin, bacon, and sausage.”

“Gross!” the pixies screamed.

“That’s a solid plan,” Trillium said after she got over being grossed out at the prospect of meat being eaten. “Humans do have different nutritional needs than we do.”

“Elder, how did you puncture the boar like that?” I asked. The thought had been bothering me since I calmed down.

“I formed the air into a spear,” Trillium answered.

“We can do that?” one of the other pixies asked.

“In time with enough experience and skill,” the elder answered. “We will help you get the boar to the village.”

“So, candy and ice cream as payment?” Lily asked.

“That will do for a start,” Trillium replied.

“Would you want some mead too?” I asked.

“That would be acceptable,” Trillium said after thinking it over. She smiled. “It’s not the same as certain nectars, but it’ll do.”

*

“Halt! Oh, it’s you,” the guard at the gate said. “What do you want?”

“Yeah, it’s me and I have something for Mitch,” I replied. I wondered when Stonecroft started putting a guard on this gate. Most didn’t use it. I shrugged off the thought as it really didn’t matter.

“What could you possibly have that the butcher would want?” the guard asked.

“Just a boar,” I answered. Was he blind or dumb? I was dragging the 200-pound beast on a travois the pixies had helped me make from some branches. We had levitated it to the tree line so I wouldn’t have to drag it far.

“How did you kill that?” He asked after staring at the boar dumbfounded. A hawk screeched above us. I assumed it was his familiar.

“With the help of friends,” Lily answered. The guard’s eyes widened as he stared at my familiar first and then the hog again.

“Look, this thing is heavy. Will you open the gate?” I asked.

“Uh…yeah,” the guard answered. He quickly opened the gate.

“Thanks!” Lily said for me as I started pulling the travois through the gate. “Mush Jase!”

“Ha Ha, you’re hilarious.”

“I know!” Lily replied as she landed on my head and sat down.

“Hey. Can I ask you a question?” the guard asked.

“You just did!” Lily happily pointed out. The guard frowned.

“Sure,” I replied.

“My name is Jansen Beers. My father owns the tavern,” the guard said.

“Ok…”

“Anyway, what are your intentions toward Trinity?”

“Nothing,” Lily answered. Jansen frowned.

“Lily is correct. I don’t have any intentions for Trinity,” I said. “Sure, she is pretty, but we mix like oil and water. As long as she stays off my land and leaves me alone, I’ll do the same.”

“Really?” Jansen asked.

“Yeppers! Jase believes in live and let live,” Lily chimed in. She then pointed at the boar. “Well, most of the time.”

“Good to know,” Jansen said. “Want some help with that?”

“Nah, I got it,” I replied. “Thanks though.”

*

“I don’t even want to know how you killed this beast,” Mitch said looking at the boar.

“Good. We don’t want to relive the story,” I replied. “Same deal as last time for processing it?”

“Yeah. I’ll take a third as my fee,” the butcher answered. After a short pause he said, “You could sell the rest instead of keeping it.”

“I’ll just keep it,” I said.

“I know you gave some to Henry Farmer, but don’t you have a lot of the beef left?” Mitch asked. “Aren’t you worried about spoilage?”

“I have a big house guest,” I replied.

“Right. I forgot about the cougar.”

“Ha! Nobody can forget Sara,” Lily said. “Speaking of Sara, we should get home before she starts worrying.”

“Good point,” I agreed. “Mitch, will you deliver the pork?”

“Yeah. It’ll be a couple days though.”

“Alright. We’ll see you then,” I replied. “Thanks again.”

*

“Fisher, do you have a moment?” a large man asked as we neared the gate.

“Uh, yeah,” I answered.

“That’s Van Hunter” Lily helpfully informed me.

“It’s nice to meet you Mr Hunter” I said after he introduced himself. There was something about him that seemed to command my respect.

“Just call me Van,” Van replied.

“Ok. What can I do for you?”

“Do you have anything for gas?” Van asked.

“Like acid reflux?” I asked.

“Yes. The burping is getting worse, and Ama has examined me saying my heart is fine.”

“Hmmm. I don’t have anything in stock, but I could make a potion out of some peppermint leaf, lemon balm, and either mustard plant or greater celandine,” I said after thinking about it.

“How much would you charge?” Van asked.

“Don’t want to go to Trinity?” I asked.

“Already been.”

“Her treatment didn’t work?” Lily asked.

“Don’t know. I haven’t tried it yet” Van answered.

“Ah. You’re shopping around for the best price,” Lily said. Van just grinned in answer.

“Maybe 5-10 cents a bottle,” I finally said.

“Boy, you don’t have much business sense, do you?” Van asked.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Trinity charges 20 cents a bottle for her treatment.”

“Oh.”

“I’ll give you 10 cents for a bottle sense that is the high end of your range,” Van said. “When would you have it ready?”

“Tomorrow afternoon” I answered after thinking about it.

“Will that cat of yours let me and Meagan past your fence?” Van asked.

“Sara isn’t my cat and yeah, she’ll let you through as long as you stick to the path,” I answered.

“Is Meagan your wife?” Lily asked.

“No. She’s my daughter” Van replied. “She has taken an interest in the cougar.”

“I’m not sure Sara would be willing to bond with a human,” Lily said guessing what Van was hinting at. “She is used to her independence.”

“Oh,” Van said.

“But that is for her to decide,” Lily added and smiled at the hunter.

“We’ll see you tomorrow,” I told Van. We shook hands and left the village.