After just a few moments of thought you quell your anger. If Sam is offering them something that they may need or that may help them, in your town who would you be to them if you tried to stop that? You find the answer pretty easily. At best you would be a bit spoiled and misguided. At worst you could seem like an outright villain to the people. Especially when outwardly Sam has only committed the crime of luring your mother into what you see to be an unfavorable agreement. Those farmers you talked to were worried, but the reason they ultimately had not acted was because it was nothing particularly strange. A woman in a relationship she does not want. A family matter. It is why they told you.

You turn, hearing the door swing open, along with the voice of your sister. “Good morning.” She greets everyone in a sing-song voice. After noticing you she smiles particularly brightly and adds.

“Morning brother.”

“Morn-” You begin to return the greeting, then notice she is with someone. Sten, one of the boys from the town that you grew up with. They look close. That does not bother you, it is just a bit of a shock. Sten smiles and waves. He is helping Fiona carry herbs and has her basket hooked under one arm.

“Morning.” Sten says politely, then walks the herbs up to the counter with Fiona.

“Morning.” Galia looks at the basket closely.

“Thank you, dear.” The innkeeper looks down, patiently waiting for Fiona to separate out the various herbs that she ordered.

“What's the plan for the rest of the day?”

Fiona looks up in thought. “Oh, I don't know.” She looks to you.

“Are you planning on doing anything?”

“I wanna see the heroes training regiment.” Sten blurts out with a smirk, stepping forward to pull you into a light headlock.

“H-hey, cut it out!” You laugh and squirm free. Sten is about the same build as you, which is to say that he is not much to look at. He is nice, however. You know that about him. As he steps back to return to your sisters side you think that there could not be a more perfect candidate for her. They definitely grew up together, as well. You are all close.

“I think it's training today. I'm learning magic.”

“Woah! For real?” Sten bounces excitedly a few times.

“Last mage to come out of Chesharidge was your-” He stops jumping after he realizes what he is about to bring up.

“Sorry guys...”

“Don't sweat about it.” Fiona sighs, throwing a punch into Sten's shoulder.

“Idiot.”

“It's not a mage, it's a shaman. Also, he's not learning anything until he can learn to connect with nature.” The stairs creak as Kara descends. She is combing her fingers through her messy crimson mane to untangle it as she speaks. You look over to see Sten's jaw drop.

“B-beastwoman!” He utters uncontrollably before Fiona jabs him in the side with her elbow and clenches his hand tightly.

“Yeah?” Her ears perk.

“Good morning, miss.” Fiona smiles sweetly.

“I don't have any other reason to go out there now that my work is done, but maybe I'll come out to watch you 'get in touch with nature.'” She smiles and quickly turns to pull Sten out of the inn. You hear him complaining all the way to the door and even a little after.

“Ow, ow! Why are you being so rough? I just...” His voice trails off.

Kara stretches, her ears still twitching a little. “Oooh. I look unique, I guess?”

“Don't sell yourself short, honey.” Galia chuckles.

“You're a lot more than unique.” Kara simply nods with complete confidence.

“Anyway.” Galia leans over the counter and grins impishly.

“How was your night, you two? Beds comfy enough? Need those sheets washed?” She winks several times at you.

Flustered, you quickly answer. “Nothing happened. They need to be washed, but it's not because anything weird happened...”

“Yeah.” Kara agrees. Just as you think that she has finally gained a bit of tact, you hear her add.

“He's a bit fast, but he'll get better. He's a promising talent.”

You face goes bright red. Galia laughs and leans over the counter to punch your shoulder lightly. “Hey, no need to be embarrassed you made it. You're a man! I knew you could do it.”

“Humans gain manhood through that? It's nothing special...” Kara comments with a shrug.

Galia leans back and raises her brow. “Just uh, maybe find a nicer girl to settle down with now that you've...” She pauses, thinks of how best to say it through innuendo, then makes a popping motion with one of her hands. You do not get it.

“Okay! Thanks!” You grab Kara by her wrist and pull her out. You are still extremely flushed and will probably need a little bit to calm down.

“What's wrong?” She asks you once you are back in town, on your way to the field of flowers and herbs.

“I'm still a kid to most of them. I can feel it in the way they talk to me. I was supposed to return way later than this.”

“But she said you were finally a man.”

“She was joking. Also, I don't know if you noticed, but she was insulting you by saying your were a...”

“A?” Kara lifted a brow curiously, unsure where you are going with that statement.

“I'm pretty sure she likened you to a hooker. A whore.”

“Oh.” You wait for it to sink in with her, but it does not seem to. “You think that would make me mad?”

“Sorry. I sometimes forget you are infallible.” You groan.

“Is that another insult? I'm not inflallable or whatever.”

You stop and look at her. “I can see that. You have your blind spots. But what I'm saying is that nothing really seems to affect you.”

“Oh. There's stuff that makes me mad, obviously.”

“Like what?”

“Seeing animals on leashes or with collars kinda makes me mad, but I get that humans are different and accept it. Beastfolk in collars makes me mad, and I have a harder time accepting that, but I know how to control myself.” She looks down, rubbing her chin.

“Being called an animal isn't an insult to me, but the way I know humans mean it makes it one.”

You offer a knowing smile. “Because you think using 'animal' as an insult is demeaning to them.”

Kara grins and tussles your hair. “I've known animals that are way smarter and nicer than humans.”

You are sitting in the field cross-legged, waist deep in flowers. “We have to be in the field? Fiona will kill me if I crush some of her herbs.”

“I'll kill you, too. Focus.” As she says that, it catches your eye that Sam is watching from the window with a smile. He waves. You choose to ignore him.

“Focus...” You close your eyes.

“Breathing. Just like we practiced.” Kara explains. You begin breathing just like she told you. Slowly in through the mouth, then out of your nose.

“Good.” She coos. After a few minutes of just that she adds.

“Now place your palms to the ground and imagine breathing with them.”

“Breathing with them?” Your eyes are closed but you make a confused face that she must have seen, because you feel a hard flick to your forehead.

“Ow!”

“Not air, obviously! But it's the same feeling. Breathing through your hands, but without the exhaling. Just keep it in, whatever comes.”

You take the poor instruction and attempt to place your palms to the ground so you can breath through them.

“I don't feel anything.” You say at first, then you feel her hands on top of yours. Her breath is on your neck, so you know she must be close, but you choose not to open your eyes and interrupt the lesson.

“What are you-”

“I forget humans don't usually do this, but I can help you feel what it's like so you can do it yourself.” As she explains that you feel a sensation that is very much like breathing. Something through your palms and up into your arms to spread through your body. The feeling really is like the relief of taking in a deep breath, only it is not in your lungs it is in your muscles, your head and even your stomach to an extent.

“Well, anyway, it's like that.” She releases your hands and as she does, all of what you are feeling begins to just sort of dissipate.

“Focus on trying to feel that for yourself. That's what we're doing exclusively until you get it. Oh, open your eyes now.”

“Sure.” You open your eyes to see that the plants around you are now well above your head.

“How did-”

“It's magic. You pull it from the ground and when you release it, it returns to the ground and finds a home. This is what human and elf magic can't do. Sustain itself and the land.”

“There's got to be a drawback.”

“There is.” She looks at you seriously.

“Humans and elves are too stupid to get why it's better. That's the drawback.”

“I guess, if you ask them they'll say it lacks raw power.”

“Okay...

“On a brighter note, I'm pretty impressed. You're making all the right choices. Normal humans couldn't be the type of person you're being right now. Makes me think you might actually be able to be happy.” Kara explains that in a way that is both complimentary and depressing, as it reminds you that you are, according to her, destined to be unhappy. It was quite the thing to say to someone. No sugar-coating. You almost forgot that prophecy. You are at least able to muse that you are on the right track so far.

“What do you wanna do?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, do you wanna throw yourself into training completely or take some time out to be with your family and friends each day?” The way she asks does not make you think that it is a trick question. She seems serious.

“What's the right answer? The result of each choice? You know that, right?”

“Not perfectly, but I got an idea.” She answers honestly, but does not seem intent on telling you.

“Could you let me know?”

“The question is to your character. Knowing the answer cancels out anything you could gain from making either choice.”

You sigh deeply. “You're saying that the earnest answer I have to that question is what affects my future?”

Kara smiles, looking a bit impressed. “Knowing and making decisions while knowing makes you a completely different person. Different results.”

“If knowing changes me, why did you tell me I'm going to be unhappy?”

Kara's brow furrows. “Because... That was also a question to your character.” She looks up at you sadly.

“Being able to continue on the same stream after knowing the possible results was something important. I wanted to give you the choice to try and salvage happiness, away from this life.”

“But it wasn't a choice for me...”

Kara smiles. “I know. Isn't that interesting? Like I said. A question to your character.”