FSE

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Chapter 1

Kindle

The summer day was fresh, and the smell of fresh foods and late summer fill the market. It has been fifteen years since Hayla had passed away and Hesh has grown agile and strong, at the expense of becoming a mischievous troublemaker. A rather bustling section of the city was louder than usual as shouts coming from a bullman who owned a vegetable vendor in the market district can be heard.

Hesh is running down a congested market street with a tote in hand, he had pocketed some fresh produce from the owner who is now in pursuit of him as he rushes through the street,

"Stop thief!" the bullman cries out, face seething with rage as he barges through bystanders carelessly in his chase. Hesh is quite swift for his age and his parkour had become the stuffs of legend through his rambunctious actions, so there was much ease in keeping his distance from the pursuer.

"You're too slow gramps, You probably never ate your veggies and that's why you can't keep up!" Hesh cackled back at the enraged bullman as he paraded through the street, overcoming the obstacles like a gymnast. Flipping through tents and stalls, knocking over wicker baskets stocked with goods, he wildly sprinted on without a care as to what the onlookers endured from his troublesome deportment.

Several minutes of running go by and Hesh looks back to see the owner no longer in sight, he figures he must have lost him to the masses or got tired, and not focusing on what's ahead he rams into a sturdy figure. The beastman was a quite heavy weighted but equally muscular panda, as they collide Hesh topples onto the ground, dropping the stuffed satchel of veggies and its contents.

"Ack! S-sorry bout that..." Hesh scrambles for his bag but the panda stops him before he can grasp the thin straps

"Hey are you alright? Let me help you with that" he picks up the tote and places the scattered greens into it then hands it to Hesh with a charismatic smile. "Thanks..." Hesh says hurriedly, he hardly had any friends and no one really took notice of him, most adults just scorned the pup and isolated him while others that were the same age tormented him for being 'different'. The panda looks at Hesh quizzically as he snatches the bag from his hand and begins to make his way.

The young ursine watched him trod off deciding to wait till he is out of sight just out of pure caution, the husky looks somber with his ears flat and body haunching forward like some elderly figure. Sure enough, just as he is about to fade from line of site, another bulky figure grabs hold of Hesh by the chest and draws him to the nearby alley, the panda catches sight of the appalling event.

The street was in a part of town few passed through being littered with trash and other useless debris that rolled along with the wind's current including several torn planks of wood from houses due to previous storms. The figure attacking him was none other than the vendor owner from earlier. He grapples Hesh's ragged shirt and yanks him up using hardly any effort, with a face still red from his frustration

"Got ya now thief!" the bullman gives a dry smile shading his anger in a malicious grin.

The panda starts walking closer careful to not draw any attention as he closes in on the conflict, and manages to get close enough to be within leaping distance. Hesh whimpers out to his assailant

"Let go of me!". He helplessly dangles in the air holding on to the Bulls trunk-like arms of which are now tense and straining being sure his grip is solid on his prey

"No, you stole from my store you mangy mutt!" the bull exclaims, with renewed spite he grabs hold of Hesh's throat with constricting hands, he seems to have lost control of himself staring at the canine with irritated eyes

"You deserve this." he groans out puffing through his nostrils and into his face, it's warm and humid. Hesh cries out in pain, scrunching his body inward from the lacking oxygen. The alley is lifeless with nobody there to offer aid and perfectly shaded from the sun or curious eyes.

"Who gives you the right to judge?" Hesh says with a dry smile looking straight into his eyes.

"I give it to myself! You shit stained filth!" the bull tightens his grip, strangling the writhing young canine clearly irked by the bold statement.

"No one has the right!" Hesh wheezes out the words as air begins to leave his body, his grip on the bull's arms quickly waning from his dwindling consciousness. The bovine is unrelenting though, refusing to release his hold.

"S-stop! No one has that right!" Hesh yelps as he's being choked, his vision beginning to blur and blacken as if darkness was holding him hostage. Suddenly Hesh's eyes burst into flame, his right eye is a glowing bright white flame, and the other darker than the bottom of the ocean with tethering shadows as it fringes from the corner of his eye like wildfire.

The bull brandishes a knife aghast by this "Y-You're a monster! You'll be better off dead!" he snarls out thrusting his dirk towards Hesh's gut. Just as the blade pushes forth a heavy thud is heard, and he stops almost immediately with the tip just barely prodding into Hesh's diaphragm.

The panda he ran into earlier had clocked the bull dead on the back of his skull with a thick wooden plank rendering him unconscious. As he plops limply to the ground Hesh hits the earth as well coughing for air whilst clenching his struggling throat, the panda looks at him in curiosity but not out of fear seeing his conflagrant eyes. Hesh, with tears building in his eyes like a dam that had been destroyed looks back at him.

"Are you gonna be ok? Why are your eyes like that?" the panda says in a benign manner reaching out his paw to lend a hand. Hesh, frightened and confused, smacks the paw away and scrambles back up quickly before running off into the dusky horizon, leaving the sack of stolen vegetables and a trail of tears behind at the ursine's feet.

Hesh ran as far as his young feet would let him and decided it best to go some place quiet, separated. The windmill was a spot Hesh loved to visit at the top as it had a view of the city and the ocean behind it, along with the fact that hardly anyone went to the top to enjoy its spectacular view. There were two ways to the top of the mill, the most common for Hesh is the ladder that was found behind the building that ends with a small hatch to flip open, at the top of the structure was a balcony that wrapped the girth of the mill's peak. With his eyes still inflamed he climbs to the top and peers out to the settling orange sea. He cries alone in the warm evening light, the wanting of a friend needed and no one there. The feeling of entrapment begins to surround him filling the lavish scene with a gloom that only emotion can elicit, he feels boxed inside himself tucking his legs and head into his chest in solitude. A quarter of an hour passes on before he hears some footsteps from behind him, only one ear perks up naturally in response to the sound while the other stays pinned.

With nowhere to run he just stayed there motionless almost gargoyle-like, the panda he ran into earlier approaches

"Hey you left your bag, I thought I'd bring it to you..." he looks intently to Hesh holding the satchel of fresh greens he left behind on the street

"What does it matter? Why are you following me!? I'm obviously some beast or freak! Spare yourself the trouble, get lost. You don't want others to associate yourself with me" Hesh shouts out his response with a frail voice and tightens his self embrace.

"I thought it was something important, I figured you stole it without ill will and you looked lonely so I thought I'd keep you company." The young bear spoke the truth, Hesh had stolen the food to bring home for the family because they couldn't afford the simple luxury of a warm home cooked meal, even with a small crop outside their home that predominantly consisted mainly of autumn harvest due to the soil being too poor for edible vegetation. Hesh finally turns to meet his gaze and responds

"I wish I didn't, the world looks at a thief or ragged poor man and immediately they are the bad guy. Always base things off the first impression, they simply condemn them on the spot..." He pauses for a moment letting his eyes sink to meet the well kept wood floor they were on and continues

"So it would be best if I just continue on my own, no one will want to take the time or sacrifice to understand" he swells up again wincing his eye lids to withdraw the waterworks. A hand placed in front of him halts the tears for a while more. The black and white bear gently laid his free paw on him letting the sack drop on to the porch

"Well let me be the first! My name is Rowen, Rowen Fairmoore!" he smiles at Hesh waiting for his reply. He had no friends, at least not up until this point, the reply was like waiting through purgatory. Hesh opens his palm and grabs Rowen's hand gently returning eye contact

"I'm Hesh Lucer, you're the first to actually try-"

before he finishes his sentence Rowen wraps arms around him. Tears flowed like a river now and onto Rowen's shirt, he clamps his eyes shut sealing the supernatural sight from view. Rowen is warm, more warm than he was imagining as he is embraced, locked and secured within his strong arms. The smell of salt and autumnal spices is rich in Rowen's fur and shirt reminding him of fall. Oddly a while ago he felt trapped inside a box, and now Hesh feels surrounded by something more worthwhile and substantial, something full of meaning, he doesn't fully understand what it is yet, but he welcomes it with open arms and heart.

A soft chuckle escapes Rowen as he speaks again

"You're different, but that doesn't make you a monster or a freak people are just scared of difference. Besides, I think it's kinda cool." They separate from each other's arms and Hesh opens his eyes again the light and dark flame out again plain as day, he smiles a bit abashed by his statement.

"You really think that? I dunno what it is or why it happens all the time, others seem to know more than I do about it, but nobody will tell me" he says with slightly pursed lips almost down to a whisper. Rowen leans over to him "I don't know anything about it either, they just don't know you, that's why they are scared of it" he replies smoothly.

Rowen waves an arm pulling Hesh along to go into the mill through the second entrance

"Come on I'll give you some food to take home and some medicine" he proceeds down the mill and Hesh follows closely. He feverishly accepts and thanks Rowen for the generosity as he enters.

He walks through a door that opens up to a bedroom from the balcony, a small fireplace in the central pillar that runs up along the entire mill burns heartily spewing its warming glow to them as Hesh runs up to a bed that was on the right side of the door as they enter.

His eyes light up and plants his palms on it squishing the doughy material with his palms "W-whoa is this what a bed is like!? It's so soft and warm!" Hesh exclaims with a smile spreading on his lips. Rowen tilts his head rather humored and asks "Have you never seen a bed? Everyone has a bed, well those who can afford one. My dad tends to get the really good quality stuff"

Hesh shakes his head and answers him "No, I live on a old bunk bed Dad made of wood and some straw stuffing. Same for the pillows, I got the top bunk and Kirin takes the bottom, she has a fear of lightning" He chuckles a bit.

Rowen repeats "Kirin? Is she older or younger?" he asks placing a log into his personal fireplace before taking a seat next to Hesh on the mattress. The question seems to slay his smiling expression, making a face like he swallowed a pill a tad too large. He takes a second and Hesh responds

"Kirin and I are the same age, we were born at the same time, but mom died right after our birth. Dad says she had a condition that could not be fixed"

Rowen dips his head in respect for his loss "I am so sorry to hear, I had no idea, if it's any consolation, my mom died a long time ago too. He said the same thing." Hesh shakes his head and smiles again "It's alright it was a long time ago, I am sure they wouldn't want us wallowing about it now" he reassures. A question pops in Hesh's head though amidst the conversation.

Getting up from the bed he looks around the corners of the bedroom and a closet that was next to his cot "You mentioned your dad earlier, where is he at? He wouldn't want a stranger roaming in his home I am sure, you have to properly introduce me to him sometime!" He grins a bit to Rowen. Rowen himself can't help but return the expression, it was infectious and hard to resist "Well that sounds great! We should meet each other's dad's then! Mine is out of town and will be back later tonight due to an important meeting" He coos cheerfully swinging his legs and holds out a hand staring to Hesh with fire filled eyes of his own, figuratively speaking.

"Promise?" Rowen askes with a chip in his voice. Hesh toothily smirks and slaps his hand into the shake and grips it firmly

"Anything for a friend" he responds laughing at the end of his sentence. They make their first promise shaking their balled hands. "Come on I'll get your food and medicine packed up and you can take it back" Rowen says gleefully ushering Hesh to the kitchen downstairs. Hesh has finally made his first friend, Rowen rummages through the many cabinets within their pantry. The room itself is polished and well crafted out of cherry wood with the floor a intricate garnet and white tile pattern