Aaah...

AAAAAAH

I’m tired of this!

Ever since I told the elders about that god, everything’s been a shit-faced farce.

Everyone wanna speak, but no one really speaks.

This is not a discussion.

This is a meltdown.

Okay

Calm down, deep breaths.

Foooh, pheeeew.

...

So, to take it from the top.

Once I told them about God’s prophecy about saving the stepp.

My mom got the idea that the rest of the elders should also stay to defend it.

Which seemed to have gone down well with the other elders.

But!

What they could not agree upon is what to do with the rest of the Fauns.

And as usual, the debate had gone to two sides.

One side debating that we should only let the elders stay and let the other Fauns flee far away in case we fail.

While the other side debated that it would be suicide to send out our people without the strength and wisdom of us elders.

So we should instead use the soldiers to help defend the stepp.

In my opinion. Both sides had good points.

Something that did not help anyone as I was seemingly elected as some sort of judge.

Being told that my words became the word of God.

And God was always the highest of judges. And as I had been given the privilege to speak to him. He had therefore chosen me as his spokesperson.

Something I found rather stupid and not true.

If this was a few weeks ago, then I might have agreed

But now, after meeting that God... Not so much.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand.

As I had not chosen a side for the debate, it droned on.

Both sides arguing that their side was righteous and right.

No one backing down. Especially after I’d said that I wanted the elders to choose on their own.

Not wanting the burden of thousands upon thousands of life on my conscience.

But this indecision from both sides has taken three days already.

Making me extremely furious.

I mean, the swarm could come any second now.

And the wall is still not built.

It feels like more and more stress is put on my shoulders.

Weighing me down both physically and mentally.

...

I need a break.

I’ll take a break.

Huh, that’s a first.

Walking around the centaurs little makeshift camp. Or maybe I should call it a base?

Anyway, walking around. I find myself looking for the human.

Thoughts of fun rolling around my head, something I needed right now.

Something to bring me out of my thoughts.

But walking around, it was difficult to find her.

The only reason I managed to do so in the end. Was that I managed to find the big “manly” centaur.

Who, from now on, shall be called stupid face.

Once I saw him, I wanted to ask him about her location.

But to my surprise, I found her being by his side.

Looking very solemn, and sad.

But once she noticed me, she quickly changed expression. Giving me a wide smile and saying.

“Hey, mister Butler! Wazzup?”

I was a little caught off guard by the sudden shift in expression. Remaining silent for a second.

Before stupid face huffed in my direction, sneering down at me.

Oh, shut up.

“Nothing was just wondering what you were doing.”

I honestly answered, getting a funny look from her in response.

“Huh, are you like... Heat stroked or something?”

I was taken back at her choice of words, shaking my head slightly. Feeling rather perplexed.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ve been so focused on your work that I didn’t think you had anything else on your thoughts.”

Oh, ooooh right. I’ve been quite busy.

Face turning a slight hue of red. Looking shyly to the ground.

“Yeah, I.. Had stuff to think about... Sorry”

To which she smiled even wider, hitting my shoulder lightly as she said.

“Haha, don’t worry bout it, who doesn’t right? Anyway, I’m glad you wanna do something fun for a change.”

I sheepishly gazed up at her, still feeling a bit red on my cheeks.

“I never said I wanted to do something fun. I was jus-“

“Pppfffff, don’t be like that, Mister Butler. You gotta be honest with yourself! I can clearly see that you’re bored out of your mind and wanna do something fun!”

She cut me off, exclaiming merely.

Making me pout a bit as she managed to pinpoint my emotions exactly.

Why do you have to be so honest about everything?

But she merely ignored my pouting face. Or rather, her face turning smug. Making me furrow my brows in response.

“Soooooo. What do you wanna do?”

She said, turning her head up to look at stupid face. Making me quiver a bit as I noticed where this was going,

“I’m not riding him.”

“Aaaah, but it’s fun!”

“I. Am. Not riding him”

I whispered in fright, pointing at him with a sharp finger. Who, in response sneered even more at me.

Stupid, stupid face.

“Okay, erm... We can have a look round this place and see if anyone wanna play?”

I was quickly about to tell her no, but changed my mind. As I figured that only saying no would be pretty lame.

And she might get the idea to force me to ride stupid face instead.

So I yielded, shrugged my shoulders and said.

“Sure, we can have a look”

After walking for a bit in silence, human scanning for any funny-looking centaurs. Making our way through the crowd.

And as usual, the crowd was split.

Still far ways from the united and co-operating force we needed to fight the swarm.

If things continue like this, I would not be surprised if, once the actual fighting begins.

Centaurs just running off and trying to take on the swarm, single-handedly.

Although, there’s a silver lining on this task.

Quiet literal too.

As the silver centaur is one, if not the only, centaur that has a large presence and “soldiers” gathered around her.

Most centaurs move out of the way once she comes close. And she’ll win any fight that is thrown her way.

And as every day goes past, more and more centaurs seem to follow her.

But it’s still a far way for her to lead all the centaurs, nor has she shown any interest in doing so.

Seeming more than happy to just run at the swarm once they come.

A problem-solving solution she’s probably used her entire life, not failing her once.

But something that will fail her now, as the swarm is far too vast to fight by yourself-

“Hey, what have you and the elders been up to these two days?”

She suddenly asked, still scanning the surroundings for interesting centaurs but bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Uuuh, it’s been three days. Actually”

“It has? Huh... Well that makes me even more interested”

I looked at her back, glancing up at stupid face. Seeing a mighty bored look, eyes almost glazed over as he mindlessly followed the human.

Huh, even he gets bored. But then why does he follow her? I thought centaurs where free spirits. Doing whatever fancied their tickle, not going an hour bored-

“Hey, gonna answer my question?”

She exclaimed, turning around to look at me.

“Oh sorry, my mind wandered.”

I answered awkwardly. But she only furrowed her brows more, looking at me skeptically

“Eeeehm, well. To be honest, we have not done anything reall-“

“Oh so you're not gonna tell me, huh? Thinking I’m too weak to deal with it? Like I’m a small piece of glass, easily shattered!”

She suddenly yelled, taking a step up to me. Followed closely behind by stupid face.

I stared at her in complete disbelief. Eyes locked for a few seconds before I responded.

“What? No, absolutely not. Why would you ever think I would think that?

I yelled back, feeling a bit of frustration filling my voice. Something I thought I would never do against her.

And she seemed taken back at my words, taking a step back herself.

Then looking down awkwardly, shifting her weight between legs, and saying.

“Oh”

Then going silent.

Creating a very tense atmosphere that surrounding centaurs seemed to have noticed.

Coming closer to see the fun drama.

But quickly going away as the silence continued, having other things to do.

Eventually, she yielded. Saying.

“Sorry. I-I’m a bit of a wreck right now, I just... I’m sorry.”

She said, still not looking at me but making me feel sorry for her in turn

“Nonono.. It’s okay, really. I understand”

Then I took a deep breath.

“Look, I was saying the truth about nothing happening. It’s just, that’s how our political system works. And it’s very frustrating.”

I said, feeling like a little rock had lifted from my chest.

She looked up to me, seeing a faun look back in frustration.

“Oh yeah, yeah I do remember that. Sorry”

“Nono, it’s okay. But if you really wanna know. We were debating whether the elders should join the centaurs defense. Or if all the Fauns should”

A skeptical look came from her.

“Really? And that’s nothing?”

“Weeelll... We have not reached any form of conclusion. Nor does it feel like we’re even close to one. It might take days. Weeks. And that would be far too late. And we have to start building the wall, and organise a defense, and unite the centaurs and-“

“Woahwoah slow down. Hahaha okay, I understand your situation now. Why did you not tell me sooner?”

I paused at that, feeling a bit stupid.

“Well, I didn’t wanna bother you”

“Don’t be stupid Mister Butler, you could never bother me. We’re friends!”

She said happily, easily, giving me a toothy smile.

Saying a single word that might mean nothing to her

But made my heart go light, and world a little brighter.

Yeah

Yeah we’re-

Friends.

So I sat down, speaking about all that troubled me. Feeling like a heavyweight were lifted from my shoulders.

Sharing a burden that I thought to be mine alone.

A few hours passing, with a confused looking human later.

I was finally done telling her all my problems.

Feeling mightily refreshed.

She had gone silent for a second, processing all that I had said to her

“Sooo, if I understand everything correctly. God has told you to defend the stepp from this swarm, right?”

“Yeah”

“And for you to build a wall?”

“Yeah”

“And on top of that, there’s a lizard army coming here too”

“Yeah”

“There’s also the problem with uniting the centaurs.”

“Yeah”

She went silent, looking down, then up at me. Then back down, repeating the action for a whole minute.

Then her eyes lit up, and a small smile crossed her face.

“Well then, why not let the lizards fight the swarm?”

...

I was left stunned.

“What?”

“Yeah. The main problem with the swarm is that it’s never-ending. Always getting stronger, as long as there is food around, right?”

I sat silent for a few seconds, answering her skeptically

“Yeaaaah?”

“So we need to kill the swarm by using either force or wits. And making sure that every single rat is dead. Right?”

I stayed silent, only nodding in confirmation.

“Wits is hard here, as there’s only grass and mud to use. So why not use force? Using the lizardmen against the rats, then swooping in once their fight is over and destroying what’s left.”

She happily stated, ending her plan with a well-placed fist to the ground.

I remained mute, staring at her with disbelief.

I quickly shook my head, looking at her with big eyes.

“Okay. No. We can’t do that. For one, how do we make them fight when they are obviously chasing us? And two. How? How would we do that if they can clearly see us? It’s not like we can hide.”

Her face turning smug, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

“But you’re wrong.”

“I’m wrong?”

“Yeah, you’ve been building our hiding place ever since day one.”

Once again, my stare turned to disbelief.

“THE WALL?”

I shouted while leaning forwards, quickly leaning back as I realized how loud I was.

She ignored my sudden outburst and simply yelled back

“Yes!”

“Bu-but.. What? How do you think we could hide in the wall? Everyone won’t fit, nor would they just ignore a huge wall in front of them.”

“Hahaha, noo stupid. We won’t hide in the wall. We’ll just trick them to the wall, then let them fight each other inside it. Both the Centaurs and the Fauns we’ll be a long ways away, waiting for the fight to end. Then swoop in.”

My mouth fell, mind going haywire.

Nonononono, that’s impossible. That would not work, there’s so much that could go wrong.

It’s impossible....

…

Or is it?

I closed my mouth as I started to think

And I mean. Really think.

Going through the scenario several times

Thinking of different ways this could play out

How everything could go wrong

How everything could go right.

And my eyes lit up, staring at the human with a wide smile.

“That could work! You’re a genius!”

I yelled out, almost jumping at her with excitement. Giving her a big hug

“Hehehe, yeaaah people sometimes say that. Or do they? Huh, when I think about it. I think you're one of the only ones who’s called me a genius, mister butler.”

But I ignored her little self-doubts, pushing her away from the hug as my thoughts were filled with ideas.

It could really work.

Although, we would have to add more parts to it.

We would need a token force at the walls to entice the enemie.

Trying to lure them to opposite sides so they might not recognize each other.

Then we’ll need the support of the centaurs for this

And the elders.

Not even adding how disastrous it could go if both sides were to work together.

Aaaah, so much to do.

Even more work!

But I found myself feeling at peace.

The last of my weight lifted from my chest, from my shoulders.

Once an impossible task

Turned possible.

A tangible solution within reach.

Making my steps easier, and my mind firmer

I know what do to.

I can do this...

We can do this.