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Chapter 6: Virtue and Understanding

Minetz stretches in the early hours before watchers light. Shivering in the dark attic of the workshop he takes quick account of his plans and springs to his feet. His paws thud upon the floor and cause Renno to stir.

Minetz freezes. No no no no no, stay asleep. Renno snorts and continues snoring softy. Minetz sighs in relief before he notices his next obstacle. _Oh no, his paw is covering the trap door._Taking a moment to think he tiptoes across the floor to where the old lift used to be. He peers over down into the darkness. Carefully he dangles his feet over the ledge and drops down to the second floor with a soft thud.

He holds his paw to his long soft ear... Good, no one has awaken. The only light, the orange glow of hot embers in the fireplace calls him over with a crackle.

The fireplace, elevated off the floor so it can be used to heat tools and reduce the risk of a hazardous fire, has nearly burned out from the night before. Minetz gathers some loose dry wood scraps from the second floor storage area and fuels the pit. His head rises just over the lip of the stone is the perfect height for him to blow on the hot coals. A wild spark nearly singes his whiskers. He smiles in the glow of the reborn flames.

Satisfied with his efforts Minetz stretches and yawns before making his way across the room is a second fire place identical in design. The old chimneys rise through central structure of the building doubling as its support. A dual chamber design allows smoke to circumvent the upper chamber and share a chimney to the roof for times long forgotten when the forges outside would also be lit where the chimneys begin beneath the overhang.

Minetz has never bothered to light this second fireplace. Instead its been cleaned out and re-purposed to store his food. Sealed up by a door and left open at the roof to draw in cold air in the winter time. He pulls out a pair of bowls, an empty one for himself and a full half frozen one of Tanoi stew for Kyra. He stands there holding the bowl in his paws. I hope Kyra is okay. His heart sinks, but only for a moment. No, I'm sure, shes fine, shes Kyra! He puts it down and bounds towards the stairs. A noise catches him suddenly off guard. It's faint but clear enough in his large sensitive ears. He scrapes to a halt at the top of the steps.

Above Renno groans in the loft and rolls over. But much to Minetzs delight after a few moments he falls back to sleep gently snoring.

Minetz takes his cue and tiptoes down the stairs.

Laying in the corner on the cold floor Kyra remains in the same position she fell into the night before. The bowl of stew left for her is empty though. Minetz smiles and quietly picks it up from her side. Well, shes eaten, that's good. Eating is good.

The fire on the second floor crackles as it comes to life. Minetz opens the back door and grabs a bucket full of packed snow he saved hanging from the roof of the old wood storage area.

Upstairs he takes a large metal pot and scoops the snow into it. Once full he hangs it over the fire and warms his paws standing on a stool close to the opening of the fireplace. He takes the frozen bowl of Tanoi stew and carefully rests the bowl with lid in the water to heat the contents without burning the wooden bowl.

The soft gentle silence of a dark winter morning takes over the loft. Minetz relaxes as the boiling water and steam occasionally interrupted by the crackling fire churns away. It's times like these that make him feel almost at home. Sadly it was not to last. The bells of watchers light ring in the darkness of predawn Aht'Regania. Minetz turns to the shut windows tracking the sound. He rushes to get the stew out of the pot feeling it to make sure its good and ready. Ohhh, I wanted to have this donebefore she got up! He runs balancing the hot bowl tenuously as he rounds the corner down the flight of stairs into the lower locker area.

Kyra lays motionless in the corner.

Minetz sets the bowl of hot stew down and kneels beside her.

"Momma Kyra?" softly spoken he beckons her attention. He softly strokes her hair. "I brought you some stew."

She stirs and brushes his paw away but says nothing otherwise. Afterwards she remains still staring into the corner with her back to him.

Minetz ears pivot to the upper floor. He looks back over his shoulder at the stairs alerted by the closing of the loft door. Placing the bowl on the floor he leaps to his feet. Running up the stairs he intercepts the marten before he takes a seat at the workbench hugging onto him.

"I'm so glad Kyra is back!"

Renno holds his arms out to the side awkwardly. "Okay, that's great, go hug her then not me."

Minetz scrunches up his face cutely in an act of childish condemnation. "I hug everyone."

Renno rolls his eyes at him "Yes, I've noticed."

"Besides," Minetz breaks in. "I don't think Kyra wants a hug right now. She's still down there in the corner."

Renno lets out a long concerned sigh. "Is that normal for her?"

"She never wants a hug. But I give her hugs anyway just in case." Minetz says without concern.

"That's not what I meant. What Im trying to say is..." Rennos words trail off as he walks over to the railing. He looks down at Kyra. Unable to hide his concern he asks. "Is that normal?"

Minetz contorts his face and raises his paw to his chin in a cartoonish effort to express thinking. "I guess not."

"I'm going to check on her." As Renno approaches her Kyra speaks stopping him in his tracks.

"Leave me alone."

Renno takes a moment to choose his words before speaking to her. "Did something happen on your trip? Are you okay?"

Kyra remains silent her gaze fixed on wall her back to Renno.

He gently insists. "Kyra?"

Her voice strained. "Go away."

Frustrated, Renno speaks assertively. "I'm just trying to help. You helped me remember?"

Kyra snaps back at him. "If your so concerned about it then go back to your stupid cave and freeze to death. I'll be fine right here without your help."

"Whats wrong with you Anorans. Yeah, thanks for saving me, then feeding me another person for dinner. You're a real great friend. What kind of a monster eats people."

Kyra stirs slow and stiff. The fur on her face wet from old tears. An angry piercing gaze meets Renno. "The kind with sharp teeth and claws. What exactly do you think you are."

Renno stares into her eyes not fully grasping her intent.

Kyra shifts her gaze from his face to his paws.

Renno lifts his paws and stares into them. He extends his claws and examines them.

Kyra lectures him in a low aggressive tone. "Do you think your self above nature? Are your people the prey of others? Or do you think they take what by nature is their right. What they need to survive?"

His mind races for any thread of a memory that might reveal knowledge with which to refute her. Not his past or even his so called feelings grant him an argument of any merit. Still he insists. "I 'feel' it's wrong, there has to have been another way." He looks up to find her laying as he found her with her face to the wall and her back to him.

Kyra does not rebut his claim.

Feeling defeated he gestures to her dismissively despite her not looking and returns to the upper floor.

Minetz watching from the top of the stairs shuffles his feet as Renno approaches. "We should go tell Tharen."

Renno, feeling exhausted, his stomach aching from his hunger strike. "Not Tharen, I don't want to talk to Thraen." He sits at the workbench between the fireplaces and puts his head down.

Minetz tries to plead with him. "Well, then at least eat something. I promise I cleaned the bowl as best I can." Minetz pushes a hot wooden bowl slowly towards Renno across the workbench.

Renno raises his head just enough to look over the offering. Reluctantly he concedes and accepts the meal. "Thank you."

A grin spreads wide across the face of Minetz.

Renno looks at him and raises an eyebrow.

Minetz takes it as an invitation. He runs around the table to Renno's side and hugs him.

"Okay, okay." Renno pats him on the back.

. . .

The hours from Watchers light into dawn pass in relative silence. Each one consumed by their own agenda. Renno, contemplating his plans to return home. Kyra sulking by the lockers recovering from her injuries. Minetz studying his books looking for solutions to his crude templates. The three of them share only one thing now. A single solitary desire for the silence to remain and for a while the watchers grant them this. However, as all things must come to an end, so to does the silence with a knock at the door.

Renno is the first to answer the call. He drags open the old broken doorway.

A stern womans voice first crosses the threshold "It's you." she sates.

An unfamiliar Anoran stands before him her arms crossed. The woman is none other than Kota. She looks Renno up and down examining him.

"Can I help you?" Renno nervously invites her in.

"Well I certainly hope so. Where is my girl Kyra. Has she returned yet?"

Renno looks to the corner where Kyra lays.

Kota pushes her way past Renno. "Kyra, my darling. The shipment. I have a wonderful order to fill. When can I expect it to arrive? I would have thought it to be here by now."

Kyra ignores Kota remaining motionless on the floor.

Kota stands over her. "Kyra? Are you listening? Dear?"

Kyra rolls over to look her in the eyes. "It's gone." Her voice solemn, her face covered in fresh tears.

Dramatically Kota wails. "It's gone, by Miran what happened?"

Kyra abruptly sits up propping herself up with one arm. The other grasping her ribs. "It wasn't my fault I swear!"

"Kyra, I'm going to need a better explanation than that. This is a serious matter. I'll have to shut down for the winter." Kota's tone becomes increasingly serious.

Kyra lays back down upset and indignant. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Kyra, if you're not going to tell me I'm going to have to get Keeta involved."

Kyra sits up again now crying. "It wasn't me I didn't do anything please, give me a chance I can make things better I promise." Kyra clasps onto the hem of her dress with her paws.

"I'm sorry, but this is far to serious a matter. I shouldn't have trusted a child with such an important task."

Kyra loses her temper and snaps back at her. "I'm not a child!"

Kota jarred by the unexpected outburst reclaims her dress and takes a step back. "Then perhaps I should get the guard." she turns dramatically for the door.

Kyra thrusts her paws to the floor to lift herself up to but the sudden sharp pain in her ribs causes her strength to fail. She falls to the ground and crawls towards Kota reaching out with one paw. "No, please wait, I can fix this I promise." Tears roll from her eyes into her fur.

Kota brushes Renno aside and exists. She grabs hold of the metal ring on the door and attempts to slam it shut. Like everyone else she struggles to drag it across the floor but manages with enough of a thud to punctuate her exit.

Renno looks at Kyra sympathetically. Something must have happened while she was away, clearly she's been hurt."

"What are you looking at." Kyra glares back at him. Before he can answer she rolls back into a ball in the corner.

"Would you like to at least come upstairs? It's pretty cold down here. I could-"

"I'm not cold, go away." she interrupts him.

What's the use? Renno sighs and returns upstairs. Minetz having witnessed the whole exchange waits at the top clinging to the banister. "Come on Minetz, let's go have a seat."

The silence returns, this time it is unwelcome and awkward. Renno finds himself wearily leaning on the fireplace staring blankly into the flames. Minetz scribbles away on some ill conceived plans for his next device, but unsatisfied erases or scraps entirely sheets of paper one after another. Kyra silently thinks bitterly of all the people she blames for her situation.

Before long the silence is interrupted again. This time there is no knock. The door is violently thrust open without effort. A loud blasts through the loft startling Renno and Minetz. They rush to the banister to find Rozen standing in the doorway. His massive paw holding back the door which has at long last come free from its failing hinges.

"Kyra, By Miran Kyra, what happened to you." Rozen hurries across the room and takes a knee in front of her.

Kyra already facing him. "Rozen, it wasn't my fault I'll find a way to help Kota I promise."

Rozen grabs her shoulders. "To the wilds with Kota. What happened to you. Are you okay? Let me see." He pulls Kyra to her feet, she winces but complies holding her side. "Can you raise your arms, lets get a look."

Kyra slowly tries taking her shirt off but has trouble. She fumbles unable to pull her arm in through the sleeve.

Rozen grabs her. "Here, its in tatters anyway." He rips open the side of her shirt where she was kicked. He puts his paw around the side of her chest and feels out the injury. "Well your not bleeding but I'm sure its broken. Did you fall? Did the caravan make it?"

Kyra replies angerly. "Oh the caravan is just fine."

Rozen looks at her with a confused expression on his face. "Just fine? Then what happened?"

The tears return. "I was just trying to do my job. But this, this letch, Korzon. He lied to the inn and I had to sleep under a cart. But that wasn't enough for him-"

Rozen cuts her off furious. "He didn't!"

"No, not like that. He was drunk, he came out to relieve himself and found me and called the guards. He said I was a theif. I was just trying to stand up and defend myself and he kicked me and-" Kyra clings to his shirt. "I'll be okay I can fix this I promise."

"Calm down, tell me the rest. What happened to the shipment."

"I couldn't push anymore so they replaced me. I had to walk back alone. When I got here Rivaus said he was keeping it. The cloth and the lichen." She brushes the tears from her eyes with her sleeve.

"Lichen? What need have you for Lichen?"

"It was for Ellons. I owed him a favor."

Rozen shakes his head disapprovingly. Ellons, you shouldn't owe him a damn thing." He turns to Renno. "You, grab Kyra and follow me."

Kyra opens her mouth to protest but a look from Rozen silences her.

Renno helps prop Kyra with an arm over his shoulder on her good side. "Where are we going?"

Rozen sternly replies. "To have a talk with Rivaus." Rozen marches through the street. Through the alley towards the trade quarter. Through the back passage behind Brown Harth. He stops at the back kitchen entrance. His enormous fist pounds the door.

An an angry Ellons throws the door open but when confronted by Rozen his tone changes. "Just what do you want."

Rozen informs him. "Your lichen has been stolen. We are going to get it back." He marches down the alley without waiting for a response.

Ellons follows behind. "And just what are you planning on doing about it."

Rozen throws up his paw signaling Ellons to remain silent. Before long the party stands before the warehouse. Rivaus stands at the front overseeing his workers moving goods and taking inventory.

"Rivaus!" Rozen's voice booms and the workers come to a halt.

Rivaus spins around on his heels to see Rozen Standing in the open street. A crowd begins to form in the plaza. "What is the meaning of this." He marches confidently towards Rozen. He sees Kyra and Renno behind him. "Did you come for the goods? They are mine now, by law. Your filthy street rag of a girl is unreliable. The influence of that Thono she plays around with and," he points at Renno, "whatever that is has worn off on her. You should cut your losses now."

Rozen towers over him. "You can discuss the goods with Ellons. I didn't come for the goods." Rozen grabs Rivaus by his shirt.

Renno now can clearly see how enormous an Airet Rozen is. Even compared to the others in the crowd like Rhal. Rozen, though aged beyond his prime has a good foot on Rhal. Though he has worked as a bartender for some years now his arms when compared are still massive. When compared to Rivaus, now squirming in his grasp he is at least twice the man if not more.

Rivaus unwaivering in his temperment demands to know. "Then what did 'you' come for."

"I came for Korzon."

Rivaus pushes Rozen's arm and tries to pull away. Rozen let's him go. "My workers are none of your business."

Rozen glares a him, he grows tense. He cracks his knuckles and rolls his head but Rivaus stands defiant before him.

It is Rhal, in the background who betrays his fellow cart hand. Nodding his head towards the young Ieza Korzon.

Korzon with his back already turned to the confrontation in an attempt to escape unnoticed is no longer able to shrink away into the crowd.

"YOU!" Rozen thrusts his arm out pointing at him.

Korzon freezes in his tracks.

Rozen challenges the young man. "Come on, you're so tough, come face me. Show me how much of a man you are."

The crowd is too dense now. There is no clear escape for Korzon that would leave his dignity in tact. "Fine, your right. I am Korzon. What about it!" He marches back towards the clearing where Rivaus and Rozen stand. He sees Kyra and Renno together to the back of Rozen. "Oh all this? Over a filthy whore-"

Rozen grabs him by the throat and throws him to the ground before Kyra. "You remember her?"

Kozon rolls over and scrambles to his feet and circles around Rozen back towards the workshop. "She needs to learn her place."

Rhal raises his arm and swings at him. His mighty paw contacting Korzons face with all his might. Nearly twice as tall and more than twice his weight the blow alone makes a terrifying sound knocking Korzon clear off his feet. But a blow alone did not satisfy Rozen. His extended claws cut deep gashes across Korzons face. The kind of cuts that even through his fur are sure to leave permanent scars.

Korzon rolls across the ground a bloodied sobbing wreck of an Anoran curled into a ball moaning in agony.

The guards come running from the gate pushing their way through the crowd as fast as they can shouting.

Rozen marches his way across the cobblestone to Korzon.

Korzon rolls onto his back and throws his paws up in self defense.

Rozen steps on his chest putting a substantial amount of his weight on the young man and addresses both him and the crowd. "Is this the position of one who has found the favor of Miran? Does she favor the pathetic lecherous and violent child?" he pulls the fang toothed bracelet from Korzon's wrist and holds it up like a trophy. "Does this pathetic excuse for a man deserve your honor!?" He throws the bracelet at Kyra and Renno's feet. "Or does it belong with those who work for their keep." He glares at Rivaus. "Does your honor belong to the lawful thief? Or the honest criminal?" he points at Rhal.

The guards at last break through the wall of Anorans and seize him.

Rozen complies allowing himself to be taken into custody.

Even Ellons stands shocked among the crowd his paws covering his open mouth.

The guards hold Rozen's paws behind his back and walk him past Kyra. He effortlessly pulls his arm free and rubs her hair as he passes. She smiles at him briefly as the guards clasp desperately at his forearm trying to regain control.

Kyra pleads with the guards. "Don't take him away, this is my fault please."

Rozen shakes his head no at her and she backs down crying.

Ellons approaches Rivaus. "You will grant us our goods I assume. You know that man's wife is Keeta. You know me as well, do you not?"

Rivaus shakes his head. "To the wilds with all of you. Take your goods and leave me and my men alone."

Rhal motions to the other workers. The men collect themselves and start back to work. Before long they return with the shipments.

Kyra approaches Ellons. She says quietly. "I need to tell Keeta what happened."

Ellons raises his nose at her. "I am disappointed in you Kyra. Go home and get some rest. I will handle the shipments from here and inform Keeta."

Kyra looks down into the ground. "Yes sir."

Ellons looks over the contents of the crates. This would never have happened if Keeta and Rozen were more responsible. Raise the girl or leave her be. This half job is the result of a half woman, half child.

Renno picks up the bracelet from the street and looks it over. The thin firm twine band dangles from his fingertips. He examines the fangs each carved with the unfamiliar writing of the Anorans. "I think this belongs to you." He drops the bracelet beside Korzon.

Korzon still holds his face. He refuses to acknowledge Renno grasping blindly behind him at the ground where the bracelet landed as he sits in the street.

Renno passes through the dissipating crowed towards Kyra. "I guess we should be going now." He says timidly. He try's to lend Kyra a hand but she pushes him away.

"I walked all the way to town, I can walk back home from here." She storms off away from him. What is it going to take! Nothing I ever do for Ellons is good enough. The basterd. She shakes her head.Im never going to prove my self if I can't make people like him respect me. I have to find a way.

Renno catches up with her. "What was that about Ellons?"

Kyra realizes she had been speaking her thoughts aloud. She stops in her tracks and turns around angerly. "None of your business that's what."

Renno nearly runs into her and stumbles. He loses his patience with her. "You really can be insufferable you know that? I don't know why everyone seems so worried about you. Tharen, Rhozen, and whoever Keeta is all seem to want to help you and all you can do is be contemptuous and miserable."

Kyra marches away from him down the alley past Brown Harth. "How do YOU know Tharen?" The argument carries on through the alleyway out towards the main street. Their voices deadened by the snow but still loud enough to warrant the occasional stare from a passerby.

"He came looking for you. He seemed pretty worried. Oh and he was the one nice enough to tell me what is actually in the stew. Thanks for letting me know up front about that 'minor' detail."

She marches off in front of him and for a moment doesn't reply. Renno stands still in the alley as she walks away. Several paces later Kyra turns to face him. "You asked for it remember? Ellons gave you vegetables remember? Don't blame me. We don't even speak the same language. How was I supposed to know?"

She's right. I forgot. "Your right, okay, I'm sorry. But it still would have been nice to know."

Kyra glosses over his apology concerned for her own dignity. "What else did Tharen tell you? By Miran I'll join Rozen if I see him."

"He told me a lot, about the bracelets," he pauses "about what happened to your parents."

"He doesn't know anything about my parents." She responds still on the edge of shouting.

Renno waves his paw and shakes his head. "Look, its not important. Can't we just, I don't know. Start over or something?"

Kyra closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, she catches a sharp pain in her side and coughs a little. "Are you going to ask me all your stupid questions over again?"

Annoyed but still attempting to keep in good faith Renno replies. "What stupid questions? There are things I need to figure out to get home.

The expression on her face sends a clear message. I don't want to talk to you or anyone else right now. Stop.

He relents throwing up his paws and speaking calmly "Look, I'm sorry"

She crosses her arms. "You know what, lets just go back to the work shop and if you can go the entire day without asking me any more questions I'll consider it."

"Fine." They walk pass Kota's shop and continue down the street for a few moments without speaking. "What happened back there anyway?"

Kyra's head drops and she raises a paw to her face. "What did I just say?"

Renno clasps his paws to his mouth. "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

"No more talking."

Renno nods.

. . .

For the next few days little changes around the shop. The front howls on occasion through the poor patchwork of boards now sealing the entryway shut. Snow drifts in through the cracks. A slow steady accumulation has continued to blanket the town and the cold temperatures of deep winter have set in.

Kyra for the most part has kept to her self. Remaining in the storage area of the first floor in the corner. Laying down in the cold her chest against the cold floor recovering. Occasionally she calls for Minetz who brings her scraps of paper on which to write. Not once has she bothered to climb the stairs and grace them with her presence.

Minetz spends his time working away on carving smaller and smaller templates to fit more words to a page. Each resulting in a print less legible than the last. None of that seems to bother him. He remains his usual jovial self sure that the answer is just one more attempt away.

For Renno the boredom is all but unbearable. Without even his past to dwell on his days are spent laying in the loft, staring at the ceiling as if some sign from the watchers were soon going to appear and he best not miss it. His thoughts often resting on the notion of the watchers he wonders. Do I have a watcher? Would they help me? Should I pray? Have I unknowingly broken a law of the watchers? Would that count against me? Perhaps I already have.

The back door opens quietly.

Kyra rolls over slowly. Her ribs and other injuries feeling measurably better after several days rest. Her eyes fall upon the visitor and she leaps to her feet. "Keeta!" She runs over to the Ieza woman and hugs her.

Keeta embraces Kyra softly. Her fur is much lighter than Kyras save for her spots. Her hair tied into a bun is a mix of white and silver. The white a natural tone and the silver a consequence of her age. Her clothing is a simple outfit not particularly loose the kind made for kitchen work. However, it is well kept and lacks the staining one would expect from such work.

Keeta gently strokes Kyras head as she holds her. She smiles at the girl and says in a soft kind voice. "By Miran child, you're filthy. What happened to your clothes? Please tell me you've changed since you got back."

Embarrassed Kyra steps back. "No mam, I guess I should have."

Keeta sighs and shakes her head. Then in a more serious motherly tone yet gently as was her nature. "Kyra, Why haven't you returned the books I gave you from Lady Manon."

Kyra crosses her arms and rolls her eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me young lady. Your not an adult yet."

Kyra nervously replies. "Sorry. I haven't read them."

Keeta crosses her arms. "Why not?"

Kyra speaks softly at first building confidence. "I was working in the market carrying goods."

"Why?"

Kyra proudly. "Because, I need the money that's why, and besides. It's honorable to work."

Keeta sighs and says. "Kyraaaa, we have been over this. You are more than welcome to sleep and eat at White Hall. Your studies are more important."

Kyra sass's back at her. "Does Lady Manon know you're giving the books to me?"

Keeta gives her one of those stares that normally only a mother can deliver with any effect.

"Sorry." Kyra lowers her head and stares into the floor.

Keeta pats her head and scratches her ears. "Come on, besides I know the little stunt she pulled with that coin too. You won't need any money for a long time."

Kyra steps back her paw to her mouth in shock.

"Oh come now, I know everything that happens in this town. Rozen is my husband too you know. You didn't think he would have told me eventually?"

"I'm giving it away." Kyras paws clinched into fists and her gaze locked tight with Keetas.

"You absolutely are not going to give away Lady Manon's hard earned money."

Kyra begins to lecture he elder. "And just why not? Lady Manon gave it away. Miran says-"

Keeta interrupts her. "Oh no, do not start on me with that 'Miran says' nonsense. You will keep that coin and complete your studies."

"Rozen says pushing carts is good work." Kyra refuses to back down.

"Rozen is an idiot." Keeta waves her paw dismissively.

Renno can't help but laugh. Eaves dropping on the conversation from the balcony.

Keeta looks up at him for the first time and says in a polite and charming manor. "Oh, it's you, I've heard of you. Come down here and let me get a good look at you."

Renno takes a few timid steps down to the lower area before hesitating mid flight.

Keeta reassures him. "Come come, come on."

The moment of hesitation passes as he reevaluates his uncharitable position on the stranger. She did after all likely have a hand in trying to feed him even if he refused to accept. Renno resumes and joins her and Kyra in the locker area.

"My you are an interesting fellow." Keeta takes a knee getting down on Renno's level. Keeta is of average height for an Anoran however, compared to a Pine Martin the difference is significant.

Keeta grabs his ears and examines his face.

Startled Renno pulls away. He is not quite sure what bothers him more. Being touched unexpectedly, or the forward nature of Keeta compared to the other Anorans.

Keeta sympathetically. "Dear, I just wanted to get a look at you, I've heard all kinds of things. I thought you might be a Notol but I see now your quite different."

Renno speaks up. "So, you're Keeta? Rozen's wife?"

Keeta carefully examines his features gently touching his face. "Oh, that's right, you met my husband a while ago when you came into the table. That must have been quite the scene."

Renno nervously. "I met him again the other day. I was there when he was arrested."

Keeta lets go of his whiskers. "Yes, that does happen from time to time, unfortunately my husband is no stranger to the inside of a jail cell." She stands back up casually dusting herself off. "Though come to think of it, it has been some years now since the last time."

Renno moves a little closer to her. "Is he going to be okay? Aren't you worried about him? That they might take away his bracelet?"

Keeta unconcerned. "No, not in the least. If they took away his they would have to take away mine. They won't do that. Even if they should they wouldn't and I don't think even in this situation that they would even if I weren't involved."

"Really?" Renno sounding somewhat confused. "Are you that important?"

Keeta. "No, but they I'm sure they wouldn't want to explain why they did it to Meidah."

Kyra bursts out loudly startling Renno. "Keeta!"

Keeta mockingly rolls her eyes at Kyra with complete with the same arms crossed gesture Kyra used on her earlier. "Excuse me, I mean to say. 'The Honorable Arbiter Lady Anora.'"

Renno's lifts an eyebrow. "Why would the Arbitor get involved?"

"Well, to be quite honest. I grew up with her. We were friends, and after her mother died and the capitol was moved away she gifted Whitehall to me." She closes her eyes and smiles fondly reliving some long forgotten moment of her childhood. She chuckles softly and looks right to Kyra. "I used to pick on her for being boyish when we were very little."

Kyra recoils in horror.

She pauses a moment to reflect. "It all changed after the war. When Mieda became Arbitor she declared she would lead from the newly built palace. Back then anyone could just go talk to the Arbitor or the Chieftans if they so pleased.Sorry, I don't mean to remissness."

The wind picks up and howls through the cracks in the front door. Renno spins around for a look. When he turns back to Keeta still mildly distracted he mistakenly asks. "I don't understand she just 'gave' you a building?"

Keeta looks at him with mild disapproval.

He backpedals apologetically throwing his paws up in his defense. "I didn't mean to be rude, but, that can't be the whole story."

Kyra interrupts them. "He does this, he asks a lot of questions." This is the first thing Kyra has said to Renno in days.

He turns to her. "Well I'm sorry, I don't remember anything and I don't know where I'm at. I didn't bother you for like three days give me a break."

Keeta turns to Kyra and scolds her, "Kyra, be nice to your guest." and addresses Renno. "There is always more to the story. To answer your original question. 'Am I that important.' I run the hostel known as 'Whitehall' and I own The Table." she pauses and bites at one of her claws subconsciously as she thinks. "I suppose I run that too until Rozen is back." clearly having some difficulty upon reflection she pauses again to collect her self.

She continues. "As you may know, or I suppose perhaps not. We Anorans sleep, eat, pray, and bathe together as a community. I try to treat everyone even the dishonored with dignity and respect because in a way, they are all my children. I have a responsibility to them and they repay me with their respect. And yes, I'm sure particularly some of the younger Anorans find it intimidating that I know the Arbitor on a more personal level than most."

Her words reach him with a certain weight. This is a woman who truly believes in what she says. "Couldn't you just have Rozen released then?"

She laughs. "I could pull a few strings but honestly, he's probably happy to consider him self a martyr. He will get his trial. They will find him guilty but with honor and I'll have to pay the guard captain some amount of coin that I'll just get back from the council come tax season."

"Oh I..." Renno is at a loss for words his mind lingers on the concept of 'tax season'. Not that the phrase 'tax season' carries any specific weight with him. It simply serves as a reminder to him of how little he really knows of the Anorans and their way of life.

Satisfied with her explanation Keeta turns her attention back to Kyra. "Anyway, I must get going. The preparations for dinner start soon. But first," She takes out some worn but still in tact clothing from her bag. "Take some of that coin you got from," She emphasizes the next word in her sentence. "'Lady' Manon and get a bath. You can't go over there like that."

Kyra takes the clothing from her paws. "What's this?"

She places her paw on top of the stack and gently pushes them into Kyras embrace."I salvaged them from the lost and found. It's to replaced those rags you reduced your old clothes to."

Kyra holds up the shirt before discarding her badly torn one and trying it on. "It's too big."

Keeta grabs the edges of it and pulls it down properly onto her shoulders. "Hush, you'll grow into it."

Kyra frowns but leaves the shirt on. The starts to untie her skirt but stops and looks at Renno. "Well go on, get out of here!"

Renno hesistates to say or do anything.

Kyra picks up a sandal and throws it at him. "Go!"

Renno is taken by surprise. "Sorry I don't know, you changed in front of me before I don't know what the rules are."

Kyra pushes him towards the stairs. "Just go!"

He throws his paws up. "Alright, sorry."

After Renno returns to the workshop Keeta privately speaks with Kyra. "That wasn't very nice. You're just trying on new cloths."

"I just don't want him to be here right now."

"Why?"

"I just-" Kyra closes her eyes tight in pain as she bends over to pull her new skirt up. "I just don't okay?"

"Is it because you got hurt?"

Kyra ties her skirt dramatically rather than respond.

Keeta presses the issue. "It's because you wanted to help him, and now you could use his help instead. Isn't it?"

Kyra looks up at Keeta surprised by her insight.

Satisfied with herself Keeta continues. "Oh yeah, I know just how you are. Be nice to him. You have both been through a lot and you could use another friend."

"Hes not even Anoran." Kyra says.

"So? Your friend's with that Enozen boy as well, and what about Minetz?" Keeta not letting her off the hook so easily.

"That's different. Minetz needs me. He's just a child."

Keeta gives Kyra a long stare. "And is Enozen a child?"

Kyra and Keeta are now locked in an extended stare down. "We're not supposed to talk about that."

"Who's listening?" Keeta gestures to the workshop above. The banister is empty.

Kyra wraps her feet and ankles putting on her sandals. She takes a stab at sounding casual. "Anyway that's not the point. I mean Renno isn't one of us, hes not from around here. Some day he will leave. I'll help him find his way home and that will be that. I'll probably never hear from him again."

Keeta rests her paw on Kyras shoulder. "You don't know that. Just be kind. Let him help around here and you can help him later in the spring."

"Fine." Kyra, defeated, relents knowing she can't argue with Keeta for long. How can anyone justify doing so much for someone rather than letting them do what they can on their own? Does she want me to look bad in front of Miran? This much Kyra knows to be a lie of her own making and the thought leaves her mind leaving behind better sense. Kyra steps forward and hugs Keeta again. "Thank you."

"Okay dear, come now, take some of that coin Manon gave you and get a bath. You need it. Oh, and one more thing. What's this about you changing in front of him before." Keeta dawns a devilish smile.

Kyra frowns back at her and whispers harshly. "I found him and we were caught in a storm. We were just trying to dry off its none of your business."

Keeta smiles. "Im just teasing you, go on get your bath."

Kyra nods and runs up the stairs to grab her money.

Keeta calls out up the stairs. "Renno!"

He leaves his seat at the work bench and looks over the banister.

Kyra pauses on the way up the steps and looks back at Keeta with intrigue. "Come to the table after watchers rest and I will answer all your questions."

Renno nods.

Keeta addresses Kyra who is still lurking on the steps. "Your welcome dear, now run along and get your bath. Manon will be very upset if her books are not back by watchers light in the morning."

Keeta lets her self out and the trio are left to settle affairs among one another.

Renno stops Kyra on the way past him to the storage room. "Look hey, we got off on the wrong foot, I told you the other day I wanted to start over. I uh, are you feeling any better I guess? You seemed pretty hurt."

She hesitates before answering. "It's fine I guess. It's probably going to hurt for a while." She feels her side.

"Can I feel? I never felt a broken bone before. Or at least that I can remember."

"No you can not just 'feel' what's wrong with y-" she stops abruptly Keetas words echo in her mind. "Fine, you can feel. It's not like it matters I'm getting a bath anyway."

Renno puts his paw on her side very gently.

After a moment Kyra steps away from him. "Okay I think that's enough."

"You really hate outsiders don't you."

Kyra genuinely shocked. "No of course not. What makes you say that?"

_Seriously?_Renno thinks to himself? "What? Gee where do I start? You don't seem to want anything to do with me or Minetz especially if it involves something as simple as getting a hug from the little guy." He points over his shoulder at Minetz who is happily drawing away plans for a new invention. "He really thinks the world of you."

She tilts her head to the side and flicks her ears. Her tail now subconsciously sits nested in her paws. She looks over at Minetz for several seconds before answering. "I don't I... It's hard to explain. Other people, you know. I mean. Minetz.. I'm sure you noticed there's just no foreigners around here. We don't do well with the outside. I just... Look I'm sorry." She calls over to the little Thono. "Minetz come here."

Minetz leaps out of his chair and comes running over. "Momma Kyra?" he smiles and stands between them.

Kyra bends over and picks up Minetz hugging him then holds him up off the ground with her left arm while he clings to her shoulder. She looks at Renno. "You too, come here."

To Renno's surprise Kyra reaches over and pulls him in the motion however over extends her capabilities and she doubles over dropping Minetz and she gasp's in pain.

Renno leans in close and grabs her by the arm. "Kyra, are you okay?"

She puts her paw on his shoulder and he helps her back to her feet. "Yeah, I just tweaked it. I'll be fine. You know how you can help me?" She smiles at Renno mischievously. "Keep that one busy and out of my fur." She points to Minetz.

Mintetz balls his paws up into fists of excitement while Renno stands terrified. Without warning Renno receives his hug, not from Kyra but from Minetz.

Kyra smiles and holds back a laugh. "I better go get a bath before Keeta comes back." Kyra grabs her coin and rushes down to locker area.

Renno calls to her. "You cant leave me like this, help me get this 'thing' off of me!" He struggles to pry Minetz away.

She calls back to him. "It's too late now you're on your own." Kyra, mistakenly turns to the front exit. Shelooks at the patched up door no longer able to be opened. I swear, he is never going to fix this door. She shakes her head and slipsout intothe back alley.

Back inside Minetz balances a tall stack of books on his paws. He fumbles to push them up onto the workbench dropping one of them. It hits the floor on its spine making for a dull thud.

Renno carefully picks up the book and looks through the pages of cryptic symbols.

"Oh, its going to be so much fun. You got to learn to read now. Kyra's the boss, she said so, oh it's going to be great! I bet you could build all kinds of things. Just like me, but bigger cause your bigger, your not as big as Kyra. How tall do you think Kyra is? She's way taller than me. I bet she'll be taller than Keeta one day. Wouldn't that be scary?"

Renno looks up from the book at the little Thono who has now climbed onto the stool and clasped the edge of the book with his paws to get Renno's attention. "Yes?"

"It's upside down you know." He snatches the book from Renno's paws and spins around with one foot. Not for an instant considering the chance he might fall off the stool. He lets his legs out from under himself and lands seated and pulls out a sheet of paper. "The important thing is counting the lines. Like this" He begins to draw on the paper a few sets of lines from right to left. "See how the first one is just a line? And the second one is two lines."

Renno ponders if he can get away and spare himself this conversation. Ultimately he relents. "It looks like a crooked line to me."

"No no no, that's wrong. Its two lines connected at the top." Minetz pokes at his crude markings.

Renno studies the paper.

Minetz continues his explanation. "There are twenty numbers. I bet you didn't know I can count all the way to twenty. I can count to like a hundred. You know how many numbers there are? I don't but I bet there's lots.

Renno stops him. "To the point, how does it work?"

"Yes, well, you see, every letter has one more time till you get to five lines. Then you start over but with an extra line underneath." He draws several zigzag lines from right to left then on the sixth line a single vertical line with a line below it. Like an inverted letter T.

Renno scratches his head. "Are these letters or numbers?"

"Both, use a dot after each word. Two dots if the word has a pause, and three dots before and after numbers."

Renno shuffles around uncomfortably. "Is this really necessary? I probably already know how to read my own language."

"Actually, probably not. Anorans write a lot but Kyra says the Tanoi don't. They say even the Thono don't read or write that much. When I go back home when I'm older ill be the best reader ever."

Renno looks down at the paper in his hand again. "Why do they write so much..." You don't really want to hear 'his' answer to that question do you? "You know what? Nevermind." He looks at the paper. "So when you get to eleven what happens?"

"You start over again with a line on top instead and at sixteen you put a line on top and bottom." Minetz scribbles down all twenty letters in succession.

Renno studies the paper. "That's actually quite simple. I guess. So, um whats the difference between a letter and a word?" His voice low embarrassed by his ignorance.

Minetz sequels with laughter. "You don't know what a word is?"

"I know very well what a word is." Renno half shouting stands up slapping the paper to the work bench.

Minetz holds his ground only allowing his ears to retreat back flat against his head. "Kyra said you have to be nice to me."

"No, Kyra said I had to keep you busy." Renno settles back onto his stool.

Minetz frowns but continues. "A word is made up of a bunch of letters and each letter has a sound."

"Minetz I'm sorry." Renno looks up from his paper at Minetz.

Minetz snaps quickly back at him. "It's fine."

"It's not fine I shouldn't yell at you."

"It's fine."

Renno reiterates his point. "It's not fine I'm just very frustrated. I want to go home but I don't even know what home is. I mean who knows? I could be a criminal on the run. I don't remember anything at all, even after a week."

Minetz gets off his stool and hugs Renno's Leg.

"That's not necessary come on." He tries gently to pry him off. After a brief moment of resistance Minetz lets go of him. "So, why do they write like this?"

"Kyra says they used to scratch on wood with their claws. But now they just write with ink."

Renno tries to copy some of the writing and smears the ink across the page getting it in his fur on his right paw. "Wouldn't it be easier to write the other way? From right to left?"

"Oh." Minetz starts flipping through his stack of books before picking out two of them and putting them down in front of Renno open to some unspecified page of text. "They do! But only sometimes. See?"

Renno examines the script. "They look the same."

"No no no, look at the lines. The ones that lean left read from the left. The ones in the other book that lean right read right."

Why in," he stresses the name, "Mirans name would they write it both ways?"

Minetz points at Renno's paw.

Renno instinctively raises his paw initially to object to whatever nonsense answer Minetz was bound to give but catches himself. He examines his paw and the ink smeared into his fur. "Oh, the ink. That's why. Isn't it."

Minetz nods. "Keeta taught me that. She says Lady Manon taught her. Lady Manon knows everything."

"I'm starting to think you know everything." Renno looks over his shoulder towards the stairs recalling his encounter with Keeta earlier. "So does Keeta come here often?"

"No, only when Kyra is being bad. Which is all the time actually. So she is here a lot."

Renno lets his head fall to the workbench smacking it unceremoniously overwhelmed by the youthful logic of Minetz. This sentiment would carry them through watchers rest spending the afternoon repeating the same lessons about sounds letters and words. The practice complicated by the translation magic causing a difficult mismatch between what is heard and what is written.

Renno sets down the ink pen and looks at his name scribbled multiple times across a sheet of paper. His writing sprawled illegibly over some old diagrams Minetz assured him he no longer needed. The results do not strike him as satisfactory.

Freed from his concentration Rennos ears perk up. The building moans and creeks and a cold air creeps in along the floor. "Do you hear that?"

Minetz puts a paw up to his ear and leans dramatically. The building creeks again and one of the locker doors slams shut below. "It's windy out."

Renno gets up from his stool and walks to the banister. A wave of cold air hits him. Below on the first floor the poorly boarded front door fails to contain the wind. Small drifts of snow build up in the cracks near the floor. "We really need to fix that door."

Minetz shuffles his feet on the cold floor. "I know. But I can't fix it alone."

"Can we light the other fireplace? Just for tonight?"

Minetz scrunches up his face. "We can't. I keep the frozen things in there. See the door I made? It works really good. Kyra was impressed."

"Yes, I see, very nice. But seriously, the door. Try help me try to push it shut then?" He waves Minetz over to the stairs as he descends to the lower level.

The two of them try their best. Pushing it with their shoulder trying to get it past the seal.

Minetz gives up and slumps to the door his back against it. "It's no use. The metal bands that hold the wood together are too lose. The door is crooked now. I gotta rebind it then put new hinges on."

Renno holds Kyra's torn clothing in his paws. "We can shove this in the cracks for now find me something to stand on."

Minetz nods and returns with a split log from the wood pile out back.

Renno tucks the cloth into the cracks holding himself up with his claws embedded in the door frame. He pauses a moment. The bells. The toll of watchers rest rings out through the town faint against the wind. "Gotta go, Keeta is waiting for me."

Minetz blocks the door to the alley. "Bring me back riolets if you can!"

Renno reties his shirt tight to keep the wind out. "Im not asking her for food."

"Pleaaaaaase?"

"No."

Minets strains his voice even harder. "Pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase?"

"No, I don't have time for this. I gotta go."

Minetz relents. "Okay, but if I starve it's all your fault."

Renno rubs the top of Minetz head flopping his ears over. "I'll do what I can." He steps out into the alley. The breeze through the ally causes Renno only some discomfort once he reaches the main street the situation changes drasticly. Sheets of powderized snow and ice torn free from rooftops blast him in the face. He raises his arm to shield himself from the cold. His eyes squinting he stumbles his way down the street. His Anoran clothing, meant for the indoors even by their standard are not nearly enough to keep the wind from penetrating his fur. Trying to shield himself he mistakenly walks right into a Rohean woman with her child.

The woman pulls the child close to her and takes a step back. She lets out a disapproving. "Hmph" as she shields the young one from Renno. Over her mothers forearm the child smiles at him staring intently with fascination.

Arriving at The Table Renno recalls the scene he made last time. He pauses at the corner of the building. However, the dark narrow alley leading around it seems particularly uninviting. He takes a moment to look feeling shame that he is expected to walk around back.

At the front door a young Anoran woman hangs new lanterns replacing the old dim ones low on fuel. She notices his presence and turns to him. "It's you." she says.

It takes Renno a moment to realize she is talking to him.

"Come on, this way. Don't bother going around." She waives him to her.

Much taller than Kyra the woman is dressed more like the children with long sleeved shirt, a hood, and long pants. Although in this weather most of the Anorans Renno did manage to see through his squinting eyes were much more dressed than before. I guess they aren't totally immune to the cold after all. He thinks to himself as he approaches her.

She puts her paw. The gesture catches Renno off guard. Cautiously he accepts taking hold.

In the warm glow of the lantern lit room there is hardly a spot left for any stray Anoran to occupy anywhere if they hope to be seated. This time they pay him much less attention. Many look, but the fact he is being lead seems to dissuade them from making a scene.

This time a band of musicians occupy the small raised platform under the staircase. The band is comprised of four members. The most ordinary is a male Ieza playing a stringed harp like instrument. Paws and claws work in unison to make a wide variety of sounds. Beside him another Ieza Anoran plays a much smaller stringed instrument, a sort of Lyre.

Renno hardly takes notice of these two members his attention drawn to the singer. Counting her long slender ears she is barely taller than Kyra. A female Thono sings in a soft but high pitched tone. The words of the song come across to Renno in the Thonos native language, untranslated. The syllables are soft and flow smoothly from one to the other. Though he can't understand a word he is left with a serene feeling. The composition of melodies having a grand sweeping trend to them but are punctuated by short punchy accents from the lyre allowing the song to still have a homely folk like sound to it. The language is nothing like the much more rough and guttural language spoken by Kyra when he first met her.

A Thono? Here? At The Table? After his experience last time this wouldn't have even made the list of things he would not expect to see being omitted for being too implausible. Beyond her in the back the fourth member of the ensemble nearly escaped Renno's sight. This band member was different. Smaller than Renno the final member, a drummer, playing a wooden drum with slats cut in it to make a variety of tones when struck. This member of the ensemble was a new species to him all together. They had a pointed nose, long white whiskers, round thin ears with little fur, and a narrow fur-less whip like tail. The tail in particular being put to good use tapping the floor to keep time with the other band members.

Renno caught frozen in his tracks feels a tug from his host.

Once past the stage the young woman leading him calls out. "Mother that Notol you called for his here."

Keeta leans out from the doorway to the kitchen. She waves the pair over to her. Once in the kitchen Keeta corrects her daughter in her familiar kind tone. "Thank you dear. He's not a Notol. Please tend to the guests in the dining hall, we have much to discuss."

The woman nods and departs the kitchen closing the door behind her.

Renno looks around the kitchen, unlike Brown Harth there are few Anorans staffing the kitchen, only about three or four by his count. Most of them tend to large steaming pots of stew. Each of them stirring and pouring bowls when called upon by the bartender through a small window.

Keeta invites him to sit a small table for two out of the way around the corner in a secluded area. "So, you made it all the way here. I expected Kyra would have brought you in."

"No mam." He nods his head to her. "Kyra never came back from her bath."

"Don't be so formal. Come, talk to me. Tell me about yourself." She sits sideways in her chair her back to the wall and the table to her right. She leans closer to him with her legs crossed completely and totally relaxed.

Renno looks around the room and hunches forward to speak candidly across the table at her. "I um, I lost my memory. I told everyone my name is Renno, but-"

Keeta chuckles and turns to face him. She picks his paw up off the table. "Renno, there is nothing to be afraid of. Just talk. I don't bite I promise."

A brief moment of terror passes over Renno as he recalls the conversations with Tharen on the topic of food causing him to recoil pulling his paw out of her hands.

Keeta smiles at him and returns her arms to her side of the table, resting her head on her paw. "I don't mean anything by it. Just an expression."

Renno finds her demeanor disarming. "Okay, sorry. As I was saying. I don't even know if Renno is my real name. It just felt right. That's all I really know."

"Really now? Kyra has told you nothing in all this time?" Keetas skepticism is targeted at Renno rather than Kyra.

"That's not what I mean. Kyra told me pieces but I don't have a complete understanding of my situation. She told me I'm in a place called Attria. Tharen told me about the bracelets and about..." His eyes dart about the kitchen and his ears pivot towards the cooks. "You know, about the food."

She leans forward ignoring the implication of his last statement. "Then tell me. If you know all that what is it exactly you want to know?"

"Well, you don't know what I am do you?"

"No."

"And so I suppose you don't know where I'm from?"

"No."

"And I don't suppose there's a known cure for memory loss?"

"There isn't." Keeta remains ppbeat yet brutally honest. It is not her intent do disappoint Renno but little can be done to avoid it in these matters.

"Then I suppose," I suppose I didn't think what to ask before coming here. Why did I let my self believe it was going to be so easy. That I would simply, walk into the front door and just move on with my life. "Then I suppose Kyra was right."

The confusion is genuine. "Really? About what."

"That I would be stuck here for the winter."

Keeta finds this satisfying, in large part due to Kyra making an astute observation rather than encouraging Renno into a dangerous journey.

"I need to understand how to survive."

The lack of context catches Keeta off guard. "In the wild?"

Renno can't help but let out all of his concerns in a disorganized fray of thoughts as they come to him. "Tell me. What is this place? I mean really. What is going on here? Why does everyone hate me so much. Why is Minetz living in an enormous workshop. Why do you have Thono on your stage. Why aren't you more worried about Rozen? Why won't Kyra let anyone help her? What happened to her parents? What happened to Minetz's parents? What is the whole story behind you and Anora? I need to understand!"

Keeta grabs hold of his paws with both of hers. "Just calm down. I'll explain everything as best I can. Just, one question at a time."

He freezes. "Okay."

"Good, 'Where are you?' lets start with that?"

Renno nods.

"This is the Anoran territory. We don't define our nation by any official title. Our land has remained largely uncontested. Very few other species could live here even if they wanted to. Outside our territory others call us 'Aht-'," She struggles for a moment to get the words out in a way they would remain untranslated. 'Aht'rha Torin Ve' or Cats of White and Black Markings. Sometimes they simply refer to the region 'South Attria'. We consider all Ieza, Rohean, and Airet, to be 'Anoran' and all the territory occupied by each tribe to be under our collective protection.

Renno cautiously interrupts her. "Kyra told me most of this."

"Yes, perhaps, but I want to make sure you understand completely. You want to travel away in the spring don't you?"

Renno nods.

Keeta traces out on the table a basic triangular shape lightly scratching the rough surface with her claw leaving a thin outline. "Our most defined border is the White Forest far north of here. There we border the Tanoi. Slightly west of that is the tribe lands, and the rest is ocean. It's a fairly large peninsula, with the west and south covered by nearly impassible mountains."

Renno mutters. "Tanoi."

"Yes, the Tanoi also occupied much of our territory south of the forest in ancient times. Some still live in the area to this day, actually it might surprise you to learn even more have been moving into the area since the war. It's believed over the years the different species have been retreating into smaller and smaller territories leaving large portions of the continent to the scattered uncivilized tribes too suborn to see the way the world is going." He taps her finger on the map to the northwest. "The wildlands."

"I thought you said the Anoran territory was uncontested?"

"It is." she states confidently.

"Then what about the war you mentioned?"

A distant cheer rises from the dining hall as one song ends and another begins.

"Well you see, the war was never over territory. By now you know, I assume, that the Tanoi are more than just our neighbors. They are our food."

Renno firmly slaps his paw down against the table top. "But why?"

"Why? We can't survive without them, without meat. We can eat plants for a while, but eventually we get sick. I couldn't tell you why the watchers made us in this way. We are not alone either. The Bhanta, Ahttan, and Torine all eat meat as well. The Tanoi, and others like them such as the Thono, Notol, and Leah say its because we enraged the watchers and they cursed us. That the we were the first to murder and this is our punishment."

Renno shakes his head. "Is it true?"

She rolls her eyes and falls back in her chair. "By Miran don't ask me. I couldn't tell you if any of it's true. Miran's teachings say nothing of a curse. It's a myth as far as I'm concerned."

A moment of silence befalls them as Renno collects his thoughts. The mirth and music of the dining hall a soft murmur emanating through the building. The warm damp atmosphere of the kitchen, that soft homely feeling you get wrapped in the smells of an old wooden structure envelops him. "You never did explain the war."

"Well yes, the war... As you can imagine the Tanoi do not particularly like being eaten. They decided under the 'Burned King' that they would be better off without us. We were a young nation then, we are still a young nation. So they tried to rid themselves of us."

Renno shuffles around uneasily in his chair. "I..." What can I say really? I can understand why the Tanoi would feel that way, but I can't believe they would go to such lengths. "So what happened?"

"What happened? War happened." The warm expression Keeta normal exhibits now vacant from her face. "We were totally unprepared, we didn't even have a formal army yet. We are natural hunters the idea of being invaded by the Tanoi was simply not considered a possibility. The tribes had been living in peace for at least a generation at that point."

She turns her paw upward and curls her claws exposing them. "But war, on the scale of the kind the Burned King brought to us, was something we never experienced before. Sure, the tribes fought among each other before but the Tanoi- You have to understand they out number us in population ten to one, possibly a hundred to one or more even. Their territory is vast and stretches all the way north to the great divide."

She closes her eyes. "Aht'Regania was the capitol in those times. The Tanoi marched across the white forest south into our territory. They did take heavy losses especially at first. One on one they are no match for us. We are superior in this way to them. We have the teeth, the claws, the agility, and the mental fortitude for violence. But in terms of sheer numbers they outmatched us."

Keeta looks away from Renno towards the back door to the alley. It seems as if she could peer right through it out into the city. She sits and stares thinking back on her life. "They reached Aht'Regania in early winter. You have seen the buildings around town have you not?"

"Yes?" Renno sounding meek unsure her aim feeling somewhat intimidated. Worried that he has hit a nerve and asked a question she is uncomfortable answering.

"The city was built at the dawn of the nation, which was just a little over a century ago. We have learned to build stronger and large structures from cut stone since then. Everything you see that is cut angled stone is rebuilt from the damage left by the siege."

Renno thinks back to his first night in the town. The realization of just how much damage, nearly every building having some amount of restoration done to it begins to sink in. The entire top of the wall. Nearly everything was touched in some way. Something about her story has gripped him. For now the questions about his past can wait. He feels he must know more. Perhaps it is that he has never heard a war story before, at least none he can remember.He clears his through and presses onward despite his fears. "Yet your peoplesurvived?"

"We did. The wall limited the Tanoi to fight at the gates. There the numbers could be controlled. I wish it could be said the walls were built to protect us, but originally that was not the point. They were built as a windbreak, to protect the town from storms. You saw what the weather was like out there. Regardless, they served the purpose and when it became clear to the Tanoi their actions only served to feed the city they retreated. The built catapults and began to bombard us. In those days there was no defensive position on top of the wall. We had no way to fight back. At night men would form raiding parties and assault the camps in the hope to bring home food. They were often unsuccessful. The Tanoi fortified the gate on the outside. Other times the men would climb over the wall but couldn't manage to get back in with bodies before being caught and slaughtered. Many people began to starve to death."

She pauses to take a deep breath and collect herself, her voice strained and cracking. "But then the winter wind and storms started late into the siege. The Tanoi began to freeze to death. Once it was clear they were weakened the citizens took arms and killed them. Killed them by the tens of thousands. I wish I could say, it was because we were stronger. That we fought with honor against immeasurable odds. But no, most of the Tanoi left alive were too weak to fight. Many tried to surrender, but after everything that lead up to this point.

She wipes a tear from her fur before she continues. "As we broke the blockade it became clear the Airet had brought their own army from 'Coast of Gails'. They joined in the assault. As I said before, few species are made for the cold as we are. The Tanoi are not designed to travel quickly in the snow. We do not farm the lands as they do, they were low on food, shelter, everything. Meanwhile our militias grew stronger every day feeding on the slain. To this day if you walk into the meadows in the summer you can find evidence of the bloodshed. The bodies were collected for food, but their tools, their weapons, and armor were all left behind. Their High Seer had failed them. Lead them to their deaths, and after what they set out to accomplish. There would be no quarter given by the Anorans who fought back. Then, as now, I can only have pity for the Tanoi."

Renno now beside himself makes the connection in his head. "You lived through it didn't you?"

"Yes, I was 15 at the time, Kyra's age forty years ago. I lived here in the city. I have my entire life."

"What happened after that?"

Keeta now more collected speaks with more confidence. "Well, we rebuilt the city the Tanoi High Seer known now as 'The Burned King' was caught and put to trial. After his execution Kiana and his son Gethon reached a peace treaty."

Renno speaks up. "I don't mean to be rude. But I have to know. How could there ever truly be peace if you have to eat them to survive?"

"The terms of the peace, put simply, stated that hunting of the Tanoi would be outlawed, so long as the Tanoi provide us with enough meat to survive. They can meet this demand by whatever means they choose to provide it. As to the rest of your question about what happened after the war. There was a time of peaceand rebuilding until Kiana died. Meidah took over as Arbitor and moved the capital north."

Keeta pauses tapping her claws on the table contemplating the events of the past. "Then the plaguehit. The city never really recovered after that. Everyone either died or left for the new capital. That'show your little friend Minetz ended up where he is now. There is nowhere else for him to stay. There is no need for that old building. Anyone who wants a space for engineering has many other better options."

"How did Minetz end up all alone?" Renno asks.

Keeta gives him a blunt answer. "His parents were traders from the far west. They were hunted and killed. Illegally might I add."

"Illegally?"

Keeta looks directly at Renno. Her expression tells him the next part is to be taken quite seriously. "Yes, even when hunting was legal, and for the Thono it still is, there are still rules. Never take an only child. Never take both parents. Do not over burden a single village. Do not attack merchants, traders, bards, diplomats, and other travelers abroad for business or political purposes."

In a rare moment of clarity Renno grasps the purpose. "I guess it doesn't pay to eat the people who want to trade with you."

Keeta smiles warmly. "I'm glad you understand. I was afraid you wouldn't."

Renno scratches at the table nervously. "What do you mean by that."

At first Keeta seems to ignore him and asks. "I hope you don't mind but I have taken the opportunity to have some vegetable soup made."

"So, you know." Renno answers nervously.

Satisfied her point has been made she still clarifies. "Tharen told me."

"Right," he sighs "Tharen."

"Renno, I'm not going to pretend you should just accept the way we are. The way the watchers or nature made us, whatever you choose to believe or not is fine. But do, at least try to understand. We don't get a choice in the matter. Is it wrong we must sentence other to die so that we may live? Perhaps, but is the answer really to sentence us to die for something we have no control over?"

Renno strains to come up with an answer rapidly tapping his claws on the table he lunges forward but stops finding no words with which to express a satisfactory argument. On the surface it seems so clear, without the Anoran's or other predators so many more would get to live. How many must a single Anoran eat in a life time? But then he remembers Kyra, Tharen, Rozen, and the other he has met so far. Those that have been kind to him. Do they diserve to die? _No._Of this much Renno is certain. There must be a better way.

Keeta stops him. "It was a rhetorical question relax. So tell me, what else did you want to know?"

Renno collects him self and settling back into his chair. His expression drains away staring down at the table he speaks softly. "Why does everyone here hate me so much?"

"Oh dear," Keeta reaches across the table and grabs his paws with hers. "I'm sorry it feels like that. I know, it has to be difficult to understand, especially without your memories. The people here, it's not their fault. We are an isolated nation. A young nation. A nation who's contact with the outside has brought us plague and war. After everything we have lived through... The people here learned one of three things. To fear, to hate, or to empathize with the hunted. Far too many learned the first two."

Unsatisfied with her explanation he brings up his main point of contention for the last few days. "How does that apply to Kyra. She didn't live through the war. Kyra from what I understand saw little of the plague as well. What's her excuse?"

Keeta sighs and leans back into her chair and crosses her arms, her gaze drifts away into the ceiling above. "Kyra deserves a better life than whats written ahead of her. Her honor was effectively stolen from her. I didn't know her parents very well but I understand they were good people. Kyra wants to be accepted. So she looks to the nation, to our customs, to Miran. She puts too much concern on the 'idea' of what an 'Anoran' should be, rather than on what a good person should be. I don't mean to say she isn't a good person, she is. She's a hard worker, and if you ever catch her alone with Minetz you will see her differently. But I'm afraid as her sixteenth birthday closes in..." her words trail off and she takes a moment to collect her thoughts. "After my own daughters, I really thought I could help Kyra."

Her sincerity has eaten away at him. Guilt washes over him for having pressed the issue. "You don't think you can help Kyra?"

Keeta shakes her head. "It's out of my hands now, shes at that age where she needs to make up her own mind about who she wants to be."

Renno is taps his claws nervously. "Can I ask?"

Keet looks at him. "Ask what?"

"About your daughters?"

For the first time in the conversation she seems caught off guard. "I suppose I shouldn't have said anything."

"You don't have to talk about them if you don't want to." He fears what tale of heartbreak might lay hidden. Did they die in the plague? He wonders anxiously.

She smiles at him reassuringly. "It's nothing too serious."

Renno hardly hears the words but its enough to snap him back to reality. "Oh, I was worried."

"Don't be I have made my choices and things have gone well enough for us."

Renno being for too timid to push the subject sits silently hoping for at least a brief distraction. His mind clouded both by his hunger and by his new found knowledge. Keeta, unwilling to oblige this unspoken request and sits quietly across from him. Distant applause saturates the silence.

Keeta raises her head and looks around the table towards the dining hall as if she could peer through the kitchen wall. "It would seem the performance has ended."

Renno leaps at he opportunity to move to a lighter subject. "So tell me, why do you have a Thono here? After everything I have heard and experienced so far this is the last place I would have expected to see something like that."

"The Thono are known for their singing voices. They often travel the world as bards."

Renno says jokingly. "Kyra had me taken to this underground chamber where I swear I was nearly drowned. Ever since I could understand everything. Why couldn't I understand the singer on the stage?"

Keeta smiles and leans on the table casually. "The language a song is written in is considered important. The best bards are never treated at the wells. Because of this most Thono are not exposed to it until a much older age. Minetz, as you might then imagine is a rare exception. Once it became clear he was stranded here I arranged to have him exposed. It was, difficult."

His ears perk up. "Difficult?"

"The decision to expose him, and convincing that miserable old bastard to let him in."

Renno stifles a laugh seeing Keeta break her polite demeanor so abruptly. "You know that reminds me, do people really fear you. Earlier when you were at the workshop you made it sound like you were important. You even said you knew the Arbitor."

Keeta holds her paw up in the dim light and looks at her bracelet. "My family used to held the position of Ieza Cheiften. Even when we are not in power we have always held positions of significance. When my father died he upset my family and left the majority of his wealth to me. My brothers were furious. I have done little to change that. They invested in the capital while I invested in the rebuilding of Aht'Regania. They have put money into the palace and guard while I have put my money into the people. Giving them food and shelter and keeping my doors open when I can to the poor and honorless. My brothers are loyal only to the tribe. I am loyal to the Anoran people."

She laughs for a moment. "You should have seen their faces when I married Rozen. Don't misunderstand me, I love my husband I do, but even if I didn't it would have been worth it just for the look on their faces." Keeta smiles and nods her head a moment she embraces her self with her arms and leans back in her chair. The unsettling feeling of loneliness washes over her briefly as she acknowledges to her self that Rozen has now been in jail longer than she expected. "I really should look into the situation going on with Rozen."

A meaningful sense of friendship begun to develop between them. Keeta's kind manor doing much to put Renno at ease that it isn't simply a facade of kindness as she has upheld her demeanor and promise to answer all his questions.

Relaxed he asks. "Did Rozen fight in the war?"

Keeta breaks the mood between them. "No, hes not quite old enough for that. His father was killed in the war however, so he left home to work and support his family. They died in the plague."

"Oh I see," I should have known better than to ask again about the war. He looks up at her. She seems unbothered now. Renno on the other hand, can't help but feel guilty. Hearing about others that were not so lucky to survive as he now assumes he has.

Keeta continues talking. "He has our daughters to worry about now. I think he is at peace with that."

Renno can't help but ask for a second time. "You mentioned your daughters earlier."

Keeta takes a more proactive stance on educating Renno. "Ah, yes, that reminds me. It's not something you asked about but you should know about the tribes."

"Kyra told me great deal about the tribes already, about how they f aught, about how Anora united them." the pieces start to come together for him and he sits forward his eyes wide. "Your family was chieftain? Does that mean they would have been there?"

"Yes, quite correct but that's not what I want to talk about. I wanted to tell you about the 'stained'."

"Stained? What does that mean?"

Keeta waves to the kitchen staff, who up until this point seemed not to be paying them much attention.

One of the staff comes to see to her needs.

Keeta politely asks him. "Please, get my daughter, tell her I would like to see her."

The cook nods and wonders off without saying anything.

Keeta smiles and leans close to Renno, and says in the most collected and kind voice Renno would have the pleasure of hearing since his memory was lost."Please, for your own good, I would like you to eat."

"Okay," he lets out a long drawn out sigh. "I guess it's no use is it."

She reaches across the table and messes with his hair. "Good, I don't need a son to look after as well. You come here any time and I will have something made for you."

Nervously he asks. "And what would you like in return."

"Oh well, I actually hadn't planed on anything. I already make food for Minetz so I thought if I was alreadygoing to take the ire of the dining hall for that I would spare anyone else the trouble. But, if you insist, there is someone I owe a favor and it would be quite something to have you pay the debt for me."

Renno looks at her smiling, something tells him she is being a little less honest with him this time. "Well I don't have any money."

Nonchalantly she leads him into her plan. "You won't need any money, I just need to know how good you are at climbing."

Excited to prove himself he takes the bait. "Climbing is something I feel I can do quite well."

Keeta reaches forward and takes his paw. "Excellent, before watchers light go to the town square. You will see men gathering around one of the smoke stacks. Tell them your there to ice break and that I sent you."

Renno nods in agreement.

Stepping around the corner from the kitchen the young woman Renno had met on the way in makes her presence known. "Yes mother?"

"Ah, Meidah, come here. Say hello to Renno."

She nervously comes closer. "Hello."

Renno looks up at her from the table she's still dressed hood, cloak, long sleeves and all.

"Meidah," Keeta gently grabs hold of her arm. "would you mind showing him."

"Mother!" She recoils pulling her arm away from Keeta.

Her mother insists. "Come now, please, I want him to learn."

Meidah rolls her eyes at her mother but complies with the request. She takes hold of her sleeve and pulls it up exposing her fur. The pattern on it is a mix of spots separated by stripes.

"Thank you dear. Now, if you don't mind go gather the vegetable stew I had made."

Meidah nods.

Keeta takes her paw and holds it to her face and kisses her knuckles. "Thank you dear."

"Yes mam." Meidah bows courteously to them and heads off to the kitchen.

Once she leaves Renno asks Keeta. "So that's what it means to be stained?"

Keeta explains to him in a tone bordering on sarcasm. "What it means to be stained is that you have no tribe. No affiliation. You are unable to be relied upon to side with your fellow country men."

She frowns and expresses how she truly feels. "It's ignorant. It shouldn't mean anything. We are united as a single Anoran nation. But, you know how it is, the old ways die slowly. Meidah is considerably more self conscious about it than her sister. The customers are always either too curious or rude about it. You know they type, or maybe you don't having lost your memory. Some people just can't be helped and make crude remarks just loud enough to be heard."

"That's awful." Says Renno.

Keeta self satisfied in the defense of her daughter. "Yes, I suppose it is. But that is why I help them anyway. To set an example. To show the people that there is a better way and for the most part, they respect me for it."

"That's why they look at you as a leader?" This is the third time Renno has asked this question.

Keeta looks at him with skepticism sure that shes explained it enough times now. "That, my wealth, my family name, and my friendship with the Arbitor."

Renno is left feeling somewhat embarraced scratches his head and smiles. "The Arbitor, isn't her name Meidah as well?"

Keeta laughs out loud. "I was waiting for you to realize that. She was so angry. It's normal for us to name our children after the Arbitor or Cheiftans. I don't know if you noticed this yet but her mother was Kiana, I am Keeta, you know Kyra, and Kota. It's not a coincidence."

He hadn't noticed. "Heh, I guess your right."

Keeta sighs. "Things have changed so much. I think I mentioned this before but I feel I must explain. Kiana nearly every day would come to the square and feed the birds. She would just sit and talk with anyone who wanted to see her. The children loved her, she would pick us up and tell us wild tales of monsters and great warriors of the past. I remember," she laughs. "this one time in the spring a kid threw a snowball and missed his friend. It hit her right in head and she lost her balance and fell into the fountain pool. He came running over in horror. When he got close to help her up she pulled him in with her. We all jumped in together and played in the warm water."

"The Arbitor. Played in the fountain. With the children?" Renno both skeptical and shocked.

"Yes, she was just another person like anyone else in town. Even the chieftains were little above the common Anoran. Of course it's not like that anymore."

Meidah returns with the soup.

Renno reluctantly takes his first bite. He tells him self _Behave!_but finds he can't help but relentlessly consume the well cooked meal.

"Don't tell me, 'it's the best soup you have ever eaten.' That would be the starvation speaking, let me know in a week or so when you finally get bored of it." Keeta smiles and enjoys the moment.

Renno nods back at her and continues eating, now more slowly.

Keeta stretches and yawns. The noise from the dining hall has died off quite considerably. "So tell me, any more questions?"

He swallows whats in his mouth and asks. "What happened to your friends mom? Ki- er, um, the old Arbiter?"

"I-" normally quick to answer she pauses as the question sinks in. "Well, she became I'll and died suddenly." Keeta stares off into the distance. Her words faint, lacking the commitment she had shown earlier.

Renno starts to see a pattern. "Why do I get the impression there's more to that story as well?"

Keeta shakes her head. "That's all I'm going to say on that subject, if you want to know more you will have to ask Meidah herself."

Renno smiles. "Me, ask the Arbiter? Like that's ever going to happen. I suppose it doesn't matter anyway."

Several minuets of quiet pass. They each shared uncomfortable truths with one another and forged a bond. They let the moment live on taking comfort in each others presence and the knowing that there is at least one other person who shares with them some small vulnerable part of their experience. Renno's bowl is empty and the kitchen has wound down to only a single worker cleaning.

Keeta is first to break the silence."Renno?"

"Yes?"

"Do me a favor would you?"

He confidently says. "I know show up in the square early in the morning."

She leans on her paw and looks away from him. "No, not that. It's about Kyra, just do me a favor and let me know if I need to be concerned."

He nods.

She turns to him. "Good, now get some rest you're going to need it."