“Calm down!” Fey yells over the panicking Crimson. “Where did he land? I’ll go get him. You just stay near Kitty.”

Crimson nods and then points towards the direction Hui was thrown. Fey pulls up her black scarf and begins trekking into the forest for him. She quickly finds a trail of broken foliage and in less than a minute of following it she finds Hui slumped against a tree, his green hair stained with a mix of blood and mud.

“Alright duelist, time to head back,” Fey says. “Anything broken? Or are you just unconscious.”

Fey kneels next to him and lifts up his head. She lifts open one of his eyes to see it motionless. Dropping his head, she moves her hand towards his neck hoping for a pulse. After feeling for a few moments she lets her hand fall back to her side.

“I told you to pay more attention,” Fey says with a sigh. “…At least you’ll be a good example.”

Crimson stops his conversation with Deidra at the sound of rustling behind them, he turns to see Fey walking out of the forest with a body in her arms. Crimson quickly runs over and looks down at Hui.

“Is he ok?” Crimson says, concern obvious in his voice.

Fey hands Hui’s body over to Crimson to hold, and begins walking back to Kitty.

“He’s dead,” She says without hesitation. “Punctured lungs if I were to guess.”

Crimson looks down at Hui with sadness in his eyes. He grimaces as he walks towards the rest of his team. Mon tries to jump up and check but falls back down from pain, her anger evident but contained. Echo simply hangs her head at the news, a few silent tears leaking from her eyes.

“I’ll hold him on the way back,” Deidra says suddenly, her voice devoid of emotion. “Can you carry Mon?”

Crimson nods his head, handing Hui to Deidra.

Fey waits for a minute before clapping her hands to get the team’s attention.

“You’ve completed your objective, return to HQ and you’ll be briefed on your duties going further,” She informs them. “I want you all to take what has happened here to heart. You are never safe, you can’t let your guard down, and you will die if you do. Don’t see his death as a tragedy, see it as a learning experience.”

Before anyone can respond, Fey climbs onto Kitty and the wydran takes off. They all sit for a while, soaking in their situation.

“She doesn’t do sympathy does she?” Crimson asks.

No one responds as they prepare to leave. Echo stands with her maul, adjusting the remains of her bucklers. Deidra sheathes her sword and straps her shield to her back as she carries Hui’s body. Crimson walks over to Mon, allowing her to climb onto his back.

“I’ll be up front since I don’t have any… extra weight,” Echo says, her words chosen carefully.

Everyone nods in agreement, quickly falling in line behind her. After an hour of walking Mon taps Crimson on the shoulder.

“Thanks for saving me back there,” She whispers, her embarrassment not hard to hear. “I would have been dead if not for you.”

“Don’t you mean ‘would have been toast?’” Crimson jokes.

Mon smiles lightly at his attempt to lighten up the mood, but doesn’t manage to laugh.

“Seriously though, don’t mention it,” Crimson continues. “We’re a team, we have to look out for each other.”

“Now more than ever I guess.” Mon mutters.

“Now more than ever.” Crimson agrees.

After another three hours of walking the team enters the door of the HQ. Crimson turns to look at Mon to see she has fallen asleep, her head in the crook of his neck and her tail curled around his waist. He sighs in defeat as he walks towards their room, until he remembers Hui’s body. He turns to see a janitor taking Hui’s body away as Deidra and Echo walk up to him.

“What are they going to do with him?” Crimson asks.

“No idea,” Echo admits. “Bury him, or burn him I suppose.”

Crimson sits for a moment, deciding whether or not to follow the janitor. After a few seconds of contemplation, the weight of Mon on his back convinces him to head back to their room.

“I’ll head back to the room with Mon and patch her up,” Crimson decides. “What do you two intend to do?”

“I’m going to the forge, best place to think,” Echo answers. “That and I have some designs to build.”

“I need to secure some ingredients, after that I’ll be heading back to the room,” Deidra comments. “I will report back to Fey when she returns, so feel free to turn in for the day.”

With that the remaining members split, each of them in varying levels of mourning.

Crimson arrives at the door to their room, its sleek handle seeming just a little dirtier than before. He attempts to open the door with Mon still on his back but finds it difficult, just as he goes to wake up Mon a janitor passes by and opens the door for him. He nods in thanks at the cloaked individual and steps inside. He lays Mon face down on her bed and begins unwrapping the haphazard bandaging on her back. After removing it he looks up to see the janitor now standing in the room, in its hands is a medical bag.

Crimson smiles and reaches for the bag just for the janitor to yank it away. The janitor makes a shooing motion to Crimson and sits down next to Mon. Crimson shrugs at its behavior and heads to the fire pit in the corner and begins heating up a pot of water, all while keeping an eye on the janitor. In a mere ten minutes the janitor stands from its position and walks out the door, not bothering to even gesture to Crimson.

After watching it leave Crimson walks over to Mon, examining the janitor’s work. Crimson immediately notices a lack of blood on the bandages, along with the bandages leaving no room for air to get to the wound. Essentially perfect for the wound. Crimson shakes his head at the janitors’ seemingly endless number of skills as he sits back down near the fire pit, intent on letting Mon sleep.

After an hour of waiting the door opens to reveal Deidra with a basket in her hands. She walks into the room and heads towards her bunk, glancing over Mon as she does.

“Will you be using all of that water?” She asks as she puts the basket down.

Crimson shakes his head and steps away from the fire pit giving Deidra full reign.

“What do you need it for?” Crimson asks curiously.

“I wasn’t planning on doing this today, but I think we need it,” Deidra says with vigor. “I was always taught a feast helps heal the heart.”

Crimson walks over to her and tries to peer in the basket, just for Deidra to move her hand in front of his eyes.

“No peeking,” She orders. “We are waiting until Mon wakes up and Echo gets back, we only have a few hours till night so it shouldn’t be long.”

“Are you sure they’re going to want to eat after today?” Crimson asks. “I can see what you’re trying to do but it may not be the best time.”

Deidra shakes her head dismissively as she drops a handful of ingredients into the pot.

“I was taught that any noble death should be celebrated by a feast,” She confirms. “It is the only thing we can do for him now.”

“I understand that but don’t you think we sh-“

Deidra slams her hands into the table, startling Crimson slightly.

“I will do this alone if I have to,” She declares. “I may not have known him long but he was still a warrior… and a warrior deserves the proper send-off.”

Crimson sighs at her stubbornness but nods nonetheless. He sits in one of the chairs next to the fire pit and pulls out the knife he’s grown accustomed to. Its dark sheen giving him a weird sense of comfort.

As he stares at it his eyes become drawn to the hooked tip. His finger unconsciously begins prodding it, pressing until the skin is close to being pierced. Before the knife can taste blood a hand snatches it away. Crimson whips around to see Fey peering at him.

“You only knew him for a few days, didn’t think you’d try and cut yourself over it.” She says, holding the knife a safe distance away from his reach.

“One, that’s cold,” Crimson says with a slight bit of anger. “Two, that’s not what I was doing.”

Fey shrugs as she pulls up a chair, handing the handle of the knife to Crimson as she does.

“Sure… just don’t make me regret giving that to you.” She orders.

“Got it,” Crimson says with a roll of his eyes. “Why are you here anyway?”

Instead of answering she just points towards Deidra.

“I invited her, it seemed rude not to,” She admits. “She did help me collect the ingredients after all.”

“And I’ve never been one to turn down a meal.” Fey adds.

“Fair enough,” Crimson concedes. “Did you see Ec-“

Interrupting his sentence, Echo throws upon the door. In her hands is a large box of gear.

“Oh, Hi,” She says with a nervous smile. “What’s going on?”

“Food.” Fey says bluntly.

Echo nods, setting down the box near her bed.

“I’ll wake up Mon then.” Echo announces.

Just as she goes to wake Mon, she can see purple eyes staring at her from underneath the blanket.

“What are you doing?” Echo asks, only using her vibrations on Mon as not to alert the others.

“I’m going to scare Fey…” Mon whispers back. “Don’t rat me out.”

Echo shrugs as she walks back to the table. Fey looks at her with a confused expression, Echo just shrugs and points back to Mon.

“Won’t get up,” Echo lies.

Fey sighs as she stands and begins walking towards Mon’s bunk. Instead of shaking her awake, Fey hammers her fist down into the blanket.

“That was the worst ambush I’ve ever seen,” Fey says with a disapproving look. “I knew you’d be awake at the mention of food.”

Fey walks back to the table, the others staring at her in surprise. A few moments later Mon rolls out of her bunk, nursing a nice bump on her head.

“Next time…” She says sinisterly.

Fey just rolls her eyes as she leans back in her chair.

“You say that every time,” Fey mocks. “You’re supposed to be a rogue and yet you can’t perform a simple prank.”

“How am I supposed to ambush you when you know where I am!” Mon whines. “It’s unfair.”

“Fair is for the dead.” Fey responds.

Mon pouts as she sits next to Fey, the smell of the food ceasing her arguing.

“When will it be ready?” The eager rogue asks, her stomach rumbling.

“Now actually,” Deidra says as she passes a plate to each of the people at the table, along with a cup of tea. “Do enjoy, it tends to be a bit spicy so be careful.”

Crimson grabs his plate and looks down at it, his face contorting from surprise to horror and then back to surprised. On his plate was. . . a heart… with some various sides. He looks around seeing the same expression on everyone’s face, even Mon seems hesitant.

“So, Kinslo I guess,” Fey says, taking a bite of the heart as she does. “Hertaque, a meal best used after the loss of a comrade. And nearly exclusive to the Kinslo culture. Got to say I didn’t expect that turn.”

Deidra goes white at the discovery, her happy expression disappearing. Fey looks up to see her distress and smiles.

“Don’t expect others don’t know of your ways, and don’t share them too openly or you’ll give yourself away,” She advises. “You’re lucky your mutation is useless to me.”

Deidra visibly relaxes at the response, her expression still troubled but less so.

“You do make this well though.” Fey adds.

Crimson looks between the two, surprised at Fey’s deduction skills and at her actually eating the grotesque meal.

“How exactly are you eating that?” Crimson asks.

Fey looks at him with slight annoyance.

“Let me give you a bit of advice,” She says, cutting off another piece of the heart. “When a woman cooks… eat.”

Without another word Fey takes another bite of the food, almost as if she was eating steak. Mon and Echo both taking bites as well. Crimson looks away from them and back to Deidra, just for to be staring at him.

“I will gladly return the favor from the berve,” She says with a slight edge to her voice. “It will probably taste better if you eat it yourself though.”

Crimson steels his nerves and cuts a piece of the heart off, and takes a nibble off the side. After a moment of clarity Crimson finishes off the piece and goes back for more.

“How do you make a heart taste this good!” He says with a full mouth.

“Well it usually tastes really good either way but the mark on our neck makes it taste just a bit better I’ve learned,” Deidra says with pride, and a hint of sadness. “That and I’ve gotten used to making it.”

Eventually the group finishes off their meals and Fey stands up.

“While this has been fun, I have other duties to attend to. But before I go I want to alert you all to your next couple months,” She says. “You all will be here to train and grow as a team for the next month. Use this time to become a unit and to make sure no more incidents occur.”

“Why only a month? Another test?” Mon asks, sipping her tea as she does.

“No, due to your performance today some of the older members think you all should be used as a field team,” Fey reports. “It’s rare this happens so I hope you all take it seriously.”

“So you’re punishing us?” Echo inquires.

“No, this is more of a reward,” Fey corrects. “This will give you all more opportunities to receive mutations, money, resources, weapons, and plenty of other things that will help you in your travels.”

Crimson huffs as he places his empty tea cup on the table.

“So instead of being punished for getting a teammate killed, we’re being rewarded for it?” He mocks. “Seems wrong.”

Fey thwacks him on the back of the head, eliciting a hushed curse from him.

“You all managed to survive an attack from a berve and an arasonia with minimal casualties,” Fey reassures. “Arasonia’s are known to take down veteran Butchers and Sirens, and yet most of you survived. Whether it was a stroke of good fortune or a show of skill doesn’t matter.”

“So what exactly will we be sent out to do?” Deidra questions. “Bounties, job requests?”

Fey leans against the doorframe as she readies her explanation.

“You will be given the freedom to take requests from the board, but your main objective is doing work for the higher ups of Stena. Sometimes it’s hunting troublesome monsters, hunting fugitives, or simply checking on members that haven’t returned well past when they were supposed to,” She says. “You will be the Hounds of Stena, until you become full fledge members or die.”

“So we’re pretty much glorified soldiers?” Echo asks, sipping on her tea at the same time.

“No, you have a lot more freedom then that. You will just be given tasks every once in a while,” Fey confirms. “It won’t be anything too difficult, I do have some sway on the missions you’ll receive. If you do get tasked with anything beyond what you’re capable of then you’ll be provided backup.”

Fey sighs at their reaction and walks back to the table.

“This is essentially a trial by fire,” Fey admits. “It had to happen to someone and unfortunately you all were good enough to be chosen.”

“We weren’t the first of these ‘Hounds’ I assume?” Questions Crimson.

“You assume correctly, I used to be one of them.” She answers.

“Did it work out for you?” Echo asks. “I mean if you had a choice would you have still done it?”

Fey sighs as she steals Mon’s tea, distressing the girl slightly.

“It definitely helped me get as powerful as I am now, I’d be nowhere near where I am if I wasn’t chosen,” She says. “But I won’t lie, it cost me more than a couple people.”

“Great, we’re going to die,” Crimson says as he lets out a hollow chuckle. “Well, this second life sure was a blast. Glad to have met you guys in it.”

“You’ll be fine if you aren’t stupid,” Fey snaps. “I’d still say your position is better than dead, and that goes for all of you.”

Everyone sits in silence at the response, knowing it to be true. Seeing the talk done, Fey stands up and heads towards the door. As she closes the door behind her she turns back and addresses them once again.

“You all have a month to be ready to fight anything the world tries to kill you with,” She says with a grin. “Use that time wisely and if you need any teaching in the art of killing things, you just have to ask.”

With that she closes the door, leaving the team in an uncomfortable silence.

“I suggest we work on your swordsman ship as soon as possible,” Deidra says to Crimson. “But first… I’m going to sleep. I’m uncharacteristically exhausted.”

“The mutations will do that to you, the more you get them the less they’ll exhaust you,” Mon explains. “For some reason I don’t feel anything when I drink anymore.”

Everyone stares at her before they all break off to their bunks. Mon eventually shrugs and heads to her own bunk.