Ares’ ears twitched. He looked out into the distance. He couldn’t see anything and the night was soon approaching. He looked to see his other allies but none seemed to have been bothered by the whistle. Could they not hear it?

“Hey, uh… Emerli. I’ll be right back okay? I’m taking a walk,” Ares said.

Emerli gave him a peculiar look as though she knew he was about to get into trouble but he managed to deflect such a thing with a smile.

“No, no… I’ll be back, alright?” He ruffled her hair and then made his way. He didn’t keep any obvious weapons on him at the moment, but he did wonder just who exactly or what exactly had whistled.

Was it something only he could have heard for a reason? Was it Levi? Peros? Was it another entity? Or was it something the beastfolks could not hear because it was designed against them?

Such a thing frightened Ares. It drew a chill deep within his bones. Such a thing could be quite dangerous. Although perhaps there was a way that they could form something that humans couldn’t hear… that sounded like it might end up getting him killed. Still it may be best for Rivea.

He stepped on a twig and snapped it. He stopped and then looked around. “Is anyone around?” He asked. He had walked for a short time, not even ten minutes.

He couldn’t hear any movement around him, though heard something quite muffled far away. So he continued to move and then walked closer and closer towards the sounds.

Eventually he heard the muffled sounds get louder until he was beset by some arrows, though they did not reach him. Instead they landed on the ground ahead of him.

He threw a look back and couldn’t see his group as he had gone around a cluster of rocks before he looked ahead of himself again.

“I come in peace. I am King Ares, Master of Waters, Kin of all Riveans.”

There was a slight rustle and a figure revealed themselves. Their robes covered them head to toe and was in the general colour of the current scenery.

“King Ares. I am Mortea the Silent.”

“You speak rather loudly for someone called the Silent,” Ares said.

“It is not my virtue.”

“I can see that.”

“What brings you here?”

“I was just wondering who was nearby.”

“It is I.”

“Alone?”

“No.”

“Alright… what are you doing here?”

“It is our business.”

“That’s fair. Do you have anything you need of myself and my friends?”

“No.”

“Alright well then…” Ares turned around and walked off. “Good luck.”

The other person remained silent and still before they disappeared. Ares wondered who they were. He’d need to speak wi-

An arrow whistled by and he turned to look at it. It disappeared and he looked out to see some movements though it was difficult to see. They didn’t send anything else out to him but he returned back to his camp whilst being on high alert.

“Hey Kask, I need to chat,” Ares said. Kask and Ares went to a little corner. “I met someone called Mortea the Silent. He had a group with him and they were nearby. They are pretty antagonistic and shady so keep an eye out in the night.”

“Mortea the Silent?”

“Yeah. He, or she, was dressed in this garb. Head to toe, I could only see their eyes. Similar to Leonta’s guards.”

“A Silent. That is ill tidings indeed.”

“A Silent?”

Kask nodded. “They are an elite force, almost mythical. They travel together to complete a prophecy.”

“What kind of prophesy?”

“The kind to assassinate someone.”

“Oh…” Ares stared down into Kask’s eyes. “Are they here to assassinate me?”

Kask remained silent for an uncomfortably long time. “I don’t know.”

“Well shit.”

“I will inform the group.”

“Alright you go and do that…” Ares looked out once more to where he had heard the whistle. He crossed his arms and then looked back to his own group deep in thought. He’d need to be way more careful.

“You need to stop walking out by yourself,” Azzo said.

Ares turned to look at he catman who had offered the King a puff of his leaf. He took a long puff and then sighed out.

“I’ll do that.”

“It would be a great loss if we lost our King.”

“Yeah, yeah… I know,” Ares said. He needed to take far more responsibility for his actions. He needed to think them through. Even adding in Yinyin wasn’t the best idea really. Still he didn’t regret it, and he wouldn’t. “What do you think of Yinyin?”

“She is fine.”

“Fine?”

“Fine,” Azzo said. “If you decided to bring her along then I don’t have anything against it.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Most of us have realised that you probably have thought things through. There’s one reason or another you do something and so far it’s worked out for us. If it begins to fail then we’ll let you know.”

“Thanks Azzo. You’re… you’re much wiser than I anticipated.”

Azzo looked up to Ares. “You have done a great service to my family. I am here to repay that.”

“Your family?”

“Mala and her in. We are related.”

“Related how?”

“Ash is my half brother.”

“Oh. Damn. That’s cool.”

“Cool?”

“It means… good. It’s a good thing.”

“Is it good I am related to them?”

“The knowledge of it is good. I should probably know that.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t it good to have more knowledge?”

Azzo remained silent for some time. “Perhaps it is. Some are cursed with knowledge. Be careful you do not become one of those.”

“I’ll do my best,” Ares said.

Ares took watch with Yinyin and Yipyip. Yinyin half lay beside Yipyip and looked out to one side as the hyena looked out to the other.

Ares took a third of the sight for himself, though kept his awareness out to see if he could hear anything.

Soon his shift was over and he returned to the tent. Emerli looked up at him as he entered and then crawled over to cuddle beside him.

He was a little confused but let the woman rest her head against his chest.

“Good night Emerli.”