Under Yena’s watchful eye, Saiya applied an anti-inflammatory ointment to Zeltara’s ankle. She flinched at the cold mixture, but didn’t object. Saiya then secured her ankle with compression bandages. She helped Zeltara stand and handed her crutches. She gave them a look of disdain but accepted them.

  “I don’t know why I need to use these. I can get around fine enough,” Zeltara complained. To prove her point, she tried to put weight on her injured ankle. An involuntary wince betrayed her.

  Yena walked forward, giving Saiya a nod as she passed. The blond girl smiled at her approval. The Al’Yanda woman had her treat Zeltara all by herself. From diagnosing the injury to creating and applying the treatment. It was practice for the future. Yena knew they wouldn’t be staying here forever and wanted Saiya to be as capable as possible. As she put it, infection and disease killed more than battle did. Every group needed someone who could treat the others.

  “You will use them until you can walk without pain. I won’t have you coming back because your bullheadedness made things worse,” Yena said. Her hands were on her hips as she glared down at Zeltara. The elf valiantly met her gaze, but then buckled under the pressure.

  Zeltara, eyes fixed on the ground, said, “But I don’t want to miss training. I already had to skip today.” Yena crossed her arms, unimpressed.

  “Don’t think you can pull that on me, kid. I know for a fact that Dollanti gave all of you the day off to recover.” Yena shook her head. “That man, making you three fight a hobgoblin. We’re lucky that your ankle and the boy’s ribs were the worst of it.”

  Zeltara shot her gaze up to the older woman. “We’re doing it to become adventurers. We’ll never learn if everyone coddles us.” Yena let out a tired sigh.

  “I know, kid. But I just wish you didn’t have to do it. Children shouldn’t have to worry about this stuff.” Zeltara looked away, pink dusting her face.

  “We’re not kids.” Yena smiled as her shoulders shook with concealed laughter.

  “Whatever you say, kid.” She couldn’t hold back her laughter at Zeltara’s pout. “Now, use the crutches for another few days. Then you can walk on it. No training for at least a week. I want you to take it easy. Understand?” Yena leveled a glare, daring Zeltara to object. The elf girl nodded timidly.

  “Of course, ma’am.” Yena nodded. The two younger girls in the room could feel her satisfaction. So, intimidation would work when getting the patient to accept treatment. Saiya would make a note of that for the future.

  Zeltara turned to Saiya with a smile. “Thanks for treating me. You’re getting better at this.”

  “No problem. Now, let me help you out of the wagon.” Just then, the sick wagon came to an abrupt stop. Saiya had to grab Zeltara to prevent her from falling over.

  “Another stop order. What’s happening now?” Zeltara asked. Yena gave them a quick once-over to make sure they were okay.

  “It better not be more goblins. Those fools will probably send you out to fight those too,” Yena said before moving towards the wagon exit. Before she could make it, an Al’Yanda man poked his head in.

  He took a moment to catch his breath before speaking. “The front of the caravan! Come quickly! We made it!” Before any of them could respond, the man left. Zeltara became eager and began making her way to the exit.

  “Let’s go! I think I know what he’s excited about” She reached the exit and peaked out. She then turned to them. “Ah, could one of you help me out?” Saiya and Yena walked over and lifted Zeltara up. Together, they managed to get her outside without putting pressure on her ankle. Once they were out, the three made their way toward the front of the caravan.

  Their progress was slow as Zeltara was getting used to the crutches. As Saiya looked around, it looked like everyone had abandoned their posts. Saiya heard talking and a few cheers up ahead, showing her where everyone had gone. Getting closer, they could see Dinaro and Pence at the front of the crowd. Both were joyously celebrating something.

  Yena fondly rolled her eyes and approached to greet the two. Dinaro, in his excitement, hugged Yena and pointed off into the distance. As they reached the El’Thani family, they could hear what Dinaro was raving about.

  “Ah, I told you we were close, I told you!” The chief pointed off in the distance. Saiya could hear a sharp inhale from Yena as she found out what Dinaro was talking about. Someone grabbed Saiya’s arm, and she turned to them. Zeltara had an awestruck look on her face and pointed at the horizon. Saiya followed her gaze and looked. The sight took her breath away.

  There was a tree. Not like the thousands of dead husks Saiya had long become acquainted with, but an actual living tree. It towered forty feet high, its heart-shaped leaves rustling in the wind. Its brown bark was unblemished by the cataclysm that overtook the world more than a month before. Surrounding the tree were dozens of bushes and shrubs. All of them were in similar states of good health. Finally, wild grass encompassed the ground, making an unnaturally straight border with the wasteland.

  Then, though it was hard to see because of the distance, Saiya could make out a bird circling the tree. The avian was carefree of the world’s current troubles. It flew a few laps around until landing on a branch. Another bird soon joined it as they sat side by side. Movement caught her eye, and she saw a quadrupedal animal. It grazed for a moment, eating the grass before taking off away from them until it vanished out of sight. Saiya thought it might have been a squirrel, but she couldn’t be sure.

  “It sounds amazing,” Zeltara muttered. Saiya glanced over to see her friend still staring off toward the horizon. Her ears made an occasional twitch, reacting to the noises ahead.

  “You can hear it?” Saiya asked. Zeltara nodded.

  “Just barely. I have to concentrate even to hear the slightest whisper from here.” She then looked at Saiya. “I had gotten used to how silent it was out here. All that noise is now almost unfamiliar. The only reason I can even hear that far away is the lack of anything here. Even the people’s murmurs nearby are almost too distracting.”

  It always fascinated Saiya to listen to Zeltara talk about her hearing. To learn more about elves. There hadn’t been many back in Urada, only Selossa and Zeltara herself as far as she knew. Her friend never seemed to talk about it despite taking some amount of pride in her race. Maybe she can ask more about it later.

  “Zeltara! Saiya! What’s happening?” Kaztos’ voice rang out behind them. Zeltara flinched in surprise at the sudden shout. Interesting. She should have been able to hear him coming. Maybe her concentrating like that blocked out other noises. Saiya noted that for the future. Both turned to see Kaztos and Euronar arrive from the rear of the caravan.

  Euronar nodded to both of them. “We were patrolling behind the caravan for any goblin stragglers when we saw it stop. Is everything okay?”

  Before either of them could answer, Dinaro waved his eldest over to him. “Euronar! Please come over here. I was right! Those goblins were a sign, yes?” Euronar gave his father a fond smile. He gave them a nod goodbye before heading over.

  “May I know what has everyone so cheerful?” Kaztos asked. Saiya wordlessly pointed her thumb toward the horizon. His gaze followed, and she got to see as Kaztos’ expression filled with realization. A massive grin overtook his face. “Fantastic! Amazing! Incredible! We finally made it!” He reached forward and gave both of them a bear hug. Zeltara accepted it with a smile while Saiya struggled to escape.

  “Let go of me Kaztos, right now!” After another moment, he did. She leveled him with a glare that she hoped to be intimidating. Unfortunately, her efforts were for not as Kaztos seemed unbothered.

  He turned back towards the horizon, happy to keep looking. Saiya found her gaze going back to the tree. While she couldn’t track where the birds were now because of the distance, just watching the branches and leaves gently sway was satisfying enough. The entire caravan spent a few minutes soaking in the sight. Their long and harsh journey had finally borne fruit. They were no longer trapped in a wasteland, doomed to wander forever. Now, a new world opened up before them.

  The moment ended when Dinaro called out. “Everybody, please listen.” All eyes turned to the chief. “It has been a hard journey, and we no doubt have longer to go. But now is a time for celebration. So, we will spend the next two hours traveling to reach these new lands. Once there, we will stop for the day.” He then grinned. “Tonight, the caravan is having a feast! To celebrate how far we’ve gone and to honor those who have fallen along the way.” The crowd cheered. Zeltara and Kaztos joined from beside her. “Thank you! Now, back to your stations. The sooner we start, the faster we get there.”

  The crowd dispersed, and Dinaro made his way to the front wagon. Pence looked to walk over to them, but his father grabbed his hand. They could hear Dinaro mention Pence could talk to his friends later. The last thing they heard was the younger boy’s complaining. Saiya heard footsteps and turned. Yena, followed by Euronar, approached them.

  “Saiya, you’re done early today. I’ll have others help me cook.” Seeing her nod, the older woman turned to Zeltara. “You'd better not work. I want you to stay off that foot.” She raised her hands in defense and nodded nervously.

  Euronar said, “You’re done for the day too, kid. Enjoy some time with your friends.”

  “Thank you, sir!” Kaztos said. Euronar nodded as both El’Thani took off. The three found themselves alone at the front of the caravan. Zeltara positioned her crutches to walk.

  “Let’s go. I’d like to be off my feet before the caravan starts moving again.” Saiya and Kaztos agreed. The three made their way to the tinker wagon. They sat riding on the back as the caravan started forward again. The sudden shake had Kaztos wince as he clutched his torso.

  Saiya asked, “Are the ribs doing any better?” Unlike Zeltara, Yena only needed to give Kaztos a quick examination when they’d returned yesterday. Fortunately, his ribs hadn’t sustained any severe injuries. He was still on light duty for the next few days.

  “They’ll be right as rain soon. The hit wasn’t as hard as I thought.” To emphasize the point, Kaztos lightly slapped his chest. He then flinched at the impact. Saiya rolled her eyes at the sight.

  “Sorry that you got hurt, Kaztos,” Zeltara said. “If only I hadn’t fallen like an idiot.” Kaztos put a hand on her shoulder.

  “None of that now. You can’t plan for everything. I don’t think any of us expected the hobgoblin to be that smart. I’m more than happy to protect you when you falter.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Saiya said, “This was on all of us, not just you. One of us should have spoken up about how dangerous that maneuver was. We’ll remember for the future.” Zeltara looked between the two of them and nodded.

  “Thank you. Though, it probably won’t be the last time I’ll get somewhere high up with my grapple.” Zeltara then looked at her shoes in thought. “Maybe I can make something to secure myself better in the future.” Kaztos gave her a pat on the back.

  “That’s the spirit! I can’t wait to see what you come up with. For now though, how about we talk about the battle? That way, we’ll know what to do in the future.” Saiya watched as both went over their fight yesterday. She interjected occasionally, but was happy to let them talk.

  The three of them pass the next hour in quiet conversation. It made Saiya happy just to relax like this with friends. The Saiya of two months ago would have never been able to imagine this. She had been all too happy to spend her life alone. But Saiya knew that deep down, despite her hurt, she wanted to connect with people again. Kaztos and Zeltara just gave her the push needed to do it. Now, she was close to people for the first time since her parents died.

  Just thinking about them brought an old pain back. But it felt strangely duller than before. Less intense. Before, she did everything to avoid remembering her parents. That didn’t stop them from infiltrating her thoughts, but Saiya still tried. She tried to avoid thinking about it even after meeting her friends. It was different now. She found thinking about her past to be possible again.

  Saiya knew that Kaztos and Zeltara were curious. It was obvious from the questions they would occasionally ask. They realized that something in her past haunted her. When Saiya was getting to know them, she attributed these attempts to almost like an attack. Back in the orphanage, many of the kids would at first ask, but then some would demand to know. They almost felt entitled to learn the truth, no matter her feelings on the subject. It was a shock when Kaztos and Zeltara respected her privacy.

  As Saiya became closer to them, it became apparent that they wanted to know at first to get to know her better. But once they knew her past was a source of pain, they asked to try and help her. Not for any personal gain, but for her. Perhaps others before them shared the same goal, but they were the ones who stuck around long enough to have a chance to accomplish it.

  Perhaps it was time she shared some things with them. Something to allow them to share this burden with her. She knew now that they would gladly take it. Yes, that would be best. Saiya considered talking to them now, but saw how happy they looked. She didn’t want to ruin that.

  The wagon bumped, and Saiya could tell that they’d reached the plains. They left the wasteland behind as soft grass passed them by. The calming scents of nature had replaced the dusty scent that had dominated their life for a while now. Saiya could hear the rustling of nearby trees and the buzzing of a few insects. Small animals chattered from a passing bush. Zeltara had been right. The sounds of nature could be almost overwhelming after so much silence. She let out a relieved exhale, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders.

  Not even twenty minutes later, the wagons came to a stop. The three of them dropped to the ground and stared at the grass below their feet. Saiya’s breath felt heavy as she crouched down and settled a hand onto the ground. The blades of grass almost tickled as she waded her hand through. Nerve endings fired through her fingertips at the sensation. A sense of peace washed over her. Saiya lowered herself to the ground and sat upon the reward for their struggles.

  A soft thud brought Saiya’s attention to her friends. While Kaztos similarly caressed the blades of grass, Zeltara saw fit to plop face first into the ground. Her breathing seemed unsteady, likely overcome with the elation of their accomplishment.

  “We did it,” Kaztos said. His voice was the softest Saiya had ever heard it. “We really did it. After all of that, we’re out of that terrible place.” Like her, Kaztos sat on the ground. He then lay back and stared up at the sky. Zeltara turned over and joined him. Her clothes had some grass stains on them. Saiya joined in, and the three lay on the ground with their heads next to each other.

  They could hear cheers around camp, likely from the Al’Yanda celebrating. Their journey wasn’t complete yet, but now it had become bearable. The dread caused by the possibility that they might be some of the last living things in the world was gone. They had found life, and it was abundant. Saiya ignored that and instead watched the clouds with her friends. Interestingly, because of the sun’s new redder hue, it made the clouds appear orange-red. Almost like it was sunset.

  “Hey, you three. It’s time to get up,” an Al’Yanda man said. Despite his gruff tone, there was a small smile on his face. “We still need to get camp set up. The feast isn’t going to start itself.” Saiya and the others scrambled up from the ground, ready to help build camp.

  It was routine at this point to set up their campsite. The one point of annoyance for Saiya was stopping Zeltara from helping. Despite the earlier warning, she seemed all too willing to ignore orders and hurt her ankle more. Her continued pouting at the back of the tinker wagon while she and Kaztos worked, made it more worth it. Saiya had to learn how to do Zeltara’s normal jobs, since she was usually cooking at this time. Fortunately, Kaztos was happy to lend a helping hand.

  Unlike other nights, they moved the chief’s tent away from the center of camp. In its place was a bonfire, with a long table being assembled beside it. Saiya marveled at the adaptability of Al’Yanda storage seals. There’s no way they’d have brought long tables with them otherwise. Kaztos had been called to help before they’d finished setting up camp, leaving Saiya to do the rest. Zeltara got revenge by giving vague and confusing instructions on how to set up their campsite to her. After the second time she’d messed up pitching the tents, Saiya threatened to steal Zeltara’s crutches and tell Yena she’d lost them. She became more helpful after that.

  All too soon they assembled their camp, and Kaztos had returned. Although there was still an hour of sunlight remaining, the bonfire had already been lit. Food was being added to the tables as everyone gathered at the center of camp. Saiya wasn’t sure who was helping Yena cook, but they made a lamb stew with sides of bread, assorted fruit, some cheese, and a pudding dessert. While usually not excited about food, she could admit that the feast was enticing. Except for a few people sneaking bites of food, Zeltara being one of them, everyone sat down at the long tables and waited for the festivities to begin.

  The sun had set on the horizon by the time everyone sat down. The three of them sat at the end of the table across from two Al’Yanda men poking fun at each other. Saiya believed their names were Shi and Li. Just as Yena finally sat down with her family, everyone prepared to dig in.

  “Attention!” Everyone turned to Dinaro, who had stood up. “I would like to say a few things before we begin.” Several people grumbled at having to wait. He waited until they stopped before continuing. “Now, I would like to dedicate this feast to everybody here. We never would have made it without all your hard work, yes?” A few shouts of agreement rang out. “And not just those who are here, but also those who gave their lives to see us get this far. Let’s honor them too.” Cheers rang from the table. “I know that it’s been hard, but take this as a new beginning. We have a new world ahead of us. A new land to travel through.” Some cheers sound. “A new land to trade with.” More cheers. “A new land to make our fortunes!” The entire table erupted. “Let the night’s festivities begin!”

  Speech finished, Dinaro grabbed some food and began digging in. The floodgates opened, and the entire table devoured their meals. Saiya kept to herself while Kaztos and Zeltara talked to others seated around them. Instead, she focused on enjoying her meal. By the time most of the table had finished, the sun had set, and the festivities started.

  Apparently, the caravan had instruments stored away somewhere. Someone brought out a lute, a drum, an ocarina, and a few other instruments. Some Al’Yanda played them as others danced. One thing Saiya could say is that while the Al’Yanda had their talents in trade, music and dance weren’t among them. The introduction of alcohol at some point made things worse in that respect. While everyone looked to be having fun, Saiya wanted no part in joining in. Though watching Kaztos try to dance was entertaining, to say the least.

  Zeltara sat beside her, watching the festivities. Saiya could tell that she had wanted to join in but couldn’t because of her injury. Still, she must be enjoying herself if her content expression had anything to say about it. Saiya could see why. Watching everyone having fun together brought a smile to her face, too.

  “You know, it’s amazing to see,” Zeltara said. Saiya glanced over and noticed that Zeltara wasn’t paying attention to the party anymore. Instead, she was looking right at her.

  “What is?” Zeltara brought a cup to her lips and sipped. Saiya hoped it was nonalcoholic. Handling a drunk Kaztos would probably require both of them. Having to handle both of them by herself would be impossible.

  “How much you've changed. In the last month, you’ve really come out of your shell.” Hearing that surprised Saiya. She hadn’t changed in who she was.

  Shaking her head in denial, Saiya said, “I’m not sure what you mean. I’ve just gotten to know you better. You don’t see me going out into that mess to party.” She pointed at the mass of drunkenly dancing people in front of them.

  Zeltara laughed. “I didn’t expect you to. You’re not one to enjoy all that excitement. You prefer things quieter.” She leaned back against the table. “But the Saiya I’d met would have never stuck around to enjoy herself. She’d probably be in her tent trying to get some sleep. You may not be at the center of things, but you’re still enjoying this in your own way. You’re more willing to be around people now.”

  “I still don’t like being around people.” The protest sounded weak even to her. Zeltara raised an eyebrow at her.

  “When we first met, you wouldn’t even talk to Kaztos and me unless we almost forced it out of you. Now? You talk more than I ever would have thought possible. You’re just a girl of few words, that's all. Hell, you put up with Pence, and I know he annoys you like nothing else.”

  Saiya hummed, conceding the point. “I guess I see your point.” She probably had only a dozen proper conversations during her time in the orphanage. There hadn’t been much of a point in her opinion. The orphanage didn’t have celebrations like this. And any they had, Saiya would just hide in her bedroom. She also hadn’t been to a town festival since before her parents died.

  “But it’s more than that.” Zeltara’s voice brought her out of her musings. “Something’s lit a fire under you. Ever since you’d gotten out of that funk a few weeks back, you’ve been driven. More than I’ve ever seen you.” The question of why lay unasked in the air.

  “I think I’ve finally found something to work towards. Something that is worth fighting to achieve.” Zeltara looked at her, surprised, not expecting an answer.

  “Really? And what’s that?” She asked. Saiya thought about answering, but decided against it. How could she explain her dream was seeing them safe and sound? Especially when they had such grandiose and personal dreams. Zeltara wouldn’t understand. But how should she respond? A sudden urge to get revenge overtook Saiya. She turned and gave her friend a wry smirk.

  “That... is a secret.” Zeltara gaped at her for a moment before doubling over in laughter.

  After taking a moment to recompose herself, she said, “I guess I deserve that. I’ll get you back for that soon.” The two lulled into a comfortable silence as they watched the celebration. Kaztos had to be drunk, seeing as his dancing was more of a continued stumble at this point. Saiya wondered whose idea it was to give someone that young alcohol. Though perhaps it was a normal thing for the Al’Yanda, seeing as Pence was continually tripping over people as well.

  “I never imagined that my life would end up this way. This is the happiest I’ve been since my parents died.” The words left Saiya’s mouth without a thought. She almost couldn’t believe she had said them.

  Zeltara seemed surprised too as she turned to stare at her. The two exchanged eye contact until Zeltara leaned back in her seat. “What were your parents like?” The words were hesitant, as if she shouldn’t be saying them. Saiya could understand why. Any inquiries about her past seemed to make something in her shutdown. A pain deep inside that would come and take her voice away.

  But this time, the pain didn’t come. Instead, perhaps for the first time, Saiya found herself wanting to answer. She wondered why. Maybe because it was just Zeltara. There would be no judgement, no useless pity from her. Or maybe enough time had passed that it no longer hurt as much. Saiya wouldn’t go into everything tonight, but maybe she could talk about the good times. Either way, she finally talked.

  “My parents... They were very loving people.” Zeltara stilled. Though her eyes were on the festivities, Saiya could tell that she had her attention. “They always wanted to have a big family, but after complications with my birth, Mom wasn’t able to have more children. That made them very doting and protective of me.”

  “How so?” Zeltara asked.

  “Anything that I could ever ask for, they would give it to me if possible. Dad would regularly come home from work with a new toy. Mom always baked my favorite sweets. They’d tell me stories of their youth, of how they travelled the world before settling down. Though I didn’t go to school, both of them would teach me what I needed to know.” Zeltara scratched her chin in thought.

  “That explains why I can’t ever remember you from school. It’s not like there were many kids attending, so I wouldn’t have missed you. Why didn’t you go?” Saiya shrugged.

  “I was sickly as a young child. Apparently, the birth had been hard on me as well. My parents didn’t want to risk their only child to the outside world. They never let me go outside without one of them. We lived on the outskirts of Urada, so I didn’t see other people very often. It was lonely, but they were everything I could have asked for.”

  Zeltara raised an eyebrow and looked like she wanted to say something. But then she shook her head and said, “Well, they sound like very loving people. I’m glad that you have fond memories of them.” Saiya nodded.

  “Yeah, I still wish that they were still here.” It was surprisingly nice to talk about them. Saiya hadn’t felt this light in a long time. She thought of a way to repay Zeltara. “Would you like to talk about your mother? From what I could tell, she’s gone too. I’d be willing to listen.”

  Saiya expected several reactions, but laughter wasn’t one of them. Zeltara turned to her and said, “My mother’s not dead, at least as far as I know. She ran off when I was two. I can barely remember her.” Saiya blushed in embarrassment.

  “Oh, do you know why?” She wanted to groan. Why did she ask that?

  “I think Dad knows, but he never told me. I know we take a lot after each other. We’re both a bit wild, and I’m a free spirit like her. My guess is that she just wasn’t ready to settle down with a family.” Zeltara’s expression became wistful. “My few memories of her tell me she was kind in her own way. Quite a loud mouth too. I don’t know. My memories from back then are blurry.”

  Saiya put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Maybe we can find her out here. You could ask her why she left.” Zeltara snorted.

  “Yeah, after I get done kicking her ass for leaving us. Dad still hasn’t fully recovered from it. Probably why he wanted to keep me so close. Not that it worked.”

  “I’m sure he’d be proud of what you’d done so far,” Saiya said. It was an empty platitude, but she didn’t want to see that conflicted look on Zeltara’s face.

  It didn’t seem to help. Zeltara let out an exasperated sigh. “Who knows? I went and left him just like she did.” The two fell silent. An uncomfortable mix of emotions hung over them. Saiya was content to continue watching Kaztos make a fool of himself when Zeltara nudged her. “Hey, no need to get down. I’m glad that we could share this with each other. Be happy that we were able to get that off our chests.” That helped bring a smile to Saiya’s face. Sure, the conversation had been heavy, but it had been a relief as well.

  Zeltara sprang up and grabbed her crutches. She turned to Saiya and asked, “How about we both go and join in the fun?”

  After looking at the disorganized chaos, Saiya shook her head. “You want to join in on that? You’d injure your ankle more for sure. And I want no part in that excitement.” Zeltara smiled.

  “I agree with you on that. But don’t you want to experience some of it instead of watch? We can dance with each other at the edge of the group. That we can go at our own pace and still have fun.”

  Saiya wanted to say no, and she should. But she didn’t want to ruin the mood and thus gave her reluctant agreement. “Fine. As long as we don’t drink. I’d rather not end up acting like a fool.” Zeltara let out a cheer, and they both made their way towards everybody.

  Like Zeltara said, they settled in a few feet away from the crowd. It let them experience the terrible instrument playing and singing while also staying outside what Saiya considered the danger zone. Despite being sober, they managed to dance even worse than the drunkards. Between Zeltara’s ankle and Saiya’s reluctance, there hadn’t been any hope otherwise. It was loud. It was awkward. And it was one of the best moments of Saiya’s life.

  They had fun at their own pace for an hour before they went to bed. While today hadn’t been the most physically demanding, the high emotions from earlier left both tired. They slipped away from the celebration without anyone noticing them. With how drunk everyone was, chances are nobody even noticed them arriving. Kaztos and Pence never approached them, too caught up in their own fun.

  Both returned to their campsite and exchanged goodnights. Saiya crawled into her tent and laid on the bedding. The thin cloth walls did little to stop the noise from outside. Even so, fatigue got the best of her, and she closed her eyes. It felt good sharing a small part of her past with Zeltara. It reminded her that there had been good times. Memories that needed to be cherished. While too uncomfortable before, Saiya could now think back on those memories.

  As her mind drifted off into slumber, Saiya remembered. The cozy cottage that she called home. Her father’s booming laughter after a good joke was told. The warm hugs her mother used to give her. When sleep finally claimed her, it was with a sense of peace Saiya thought had long abandoned her.