The journey had taken ten nights but the detour was sorely needed. The trial was relearning how to walk, adjusting balance, and receiving lessons on this world’s edible flora. The forest felt endless, but Ivory and Ebony were confident on where to go. I suspect divine guidance. Ivory knew where the best berries were, while Ebony was quick to alert us to any approaching beings. We would always step out to evade them.

  On day seven, an elderly woman crossed our path. She did not see us, as Ebony and Ivory pulled me up into the trees the second they sniffed her out.

  She wore a simple cloak for the cold, her eyes squinting with a wary glint. Her hair was a dimmed ginger, matching the browns of her clothes. The boots she wore had belt-like attachments to walk on uneven ground. This woman hadn’t stumbled once.

  If I had to guess, she’s been down this wooden path thousands of times. The stare of something unknown might be alerting her habitual instincts. The warning of difference in an otherwise normal ritual. Did she feel the goosebumps from being watched?

  I witnessed the elder pause, shake her head, then bring a hand to her mouth. In the pause of stillness, I was able to hear her begin to chant.

  “Almighty Nine, protect this foolish one from harm. We did wrong, but allow us to repent in living through life…” She renewed walking at a more driven pace. A woman on a mission.

  She had looked human, if not for the long, sharp ears. Not fluffy, but similar to the ‘classic elves’ found in fantasy video games.

  “What do you call them?” I questioned the twins as they allowed me the grace to climb down the tree bark. I left deep claw marks; another trial to fix in a day's time. “If not humans?” The sensation of claws in wood wasn’t too detrimental in feeling; I could handle it. Letting my body weight swerve and drag down the trunk was fun!

  “Dullings,” Ebony reasoned with a casual roll of the head as he also reached the ground in a swift drop. His black hair easily fell back in place. “They lost their magical shine, they’re dull.”

  The name sounded childish, but a small part of me found it fitting.

  “Rocks can still shine,” Ivory whispered as he kicked off the remaining snow from his clothes and fluffy ears. “It just takes a bit of time.”

  I think of moonlight on rocks, of sunlight on wet stones, and find myself agreeing with a silent bob of the head.

  By day ten, the forest finally recedes, and Dulling-Made roads appear. It doesn't take much longer to find the entrance to a kingdom, the gate wide and open, guarded by what I assume to be armored guards. Their gazes are cold as people line up to provide money and slabs of stamped wood, allowing entry.

  Those in the line seem miserable, trembling in the cold while the ‘check-in’ pace lay stagnant.

  Life of the normal truly is inconvenient.

  With a low click of the tongue, Ivory and Ebony followed my cue to evade the line entirely and walked straight into the surrounding dense foliage. As if replicating the days Ivory and Ebony taught me how to stealth, we silently made our way around the gate and to the long-standing wall.

  The barrier is made of rough cobblestone. It was quite tall. I slap a hand onto protruding stone, tracing the texture with the strength of newly grown claws. I leaned in to Ebony, and then shot him a thumbs up.

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  With an amused twitch of the lips and perk of wolf ears, Ebony began scaling up the wall. He scaled as if he were rock climbing, my own claws itched to follow.

  Instead, I twisted to face Ivory. He hadn’t made any movements since Ebony went on ahead. A small pebble dropped from the sky, a cue to be followed after I address my muddled thoughts and worries.

  “Is this doable for you? Is my decision too unreasonable?” I had to make sure. Ivory’s counterpart back home had been horrible at athletic performance.

  “Don’t let your fears cloud your judgments, Shepherd. I was created to help, so I will help.” Ivory’s fluffy white ears lowered. “Do you think I can’t?” He sounded softer than usual, hurt?

  For two seconds, my gaze flicked to Ivory’s pale eyes. His vision channel will not follow my movements directly, I studied Ivory and his habits these past several days.

  My stomach felt like curdled milk for the instinctive bias. I tore my gaze away to the rocks.

  I mustn’t be so horrible.

  “A test then,” I told him, with respect to all he already taught me. “Climb the wall on your lonesome, and you’ll earn my trust.” And then, the grip on my beating heart will ease.

  Ivory smiled, a shine to milky eyes.

  Then, in a blur, Ivory was scrapped up the rocks in calculated hops. Rather than needing to check the wall corners every five seconds, he instinctively pushed himself upward and used his claws to grip. It’s as if Ivory were half-hare, half-squirrel.

  I have a nasty feeling those two will outshine me in this world.

  I am…Pleased.

  The better they are, the less likely I’ll have to stretch to extremes to protect them.

  Ivory and Ebony, they were my brothers of this world. My responsibility.

  I will be the best Shepherd if it means I can hoard them by my side.

  Digging my claws into the rock, I attempted to copy Ebony’s technique. I wasn’t as agile as Ivory to do what he can, but slow and steady has worked for countless others. There was always a freeing feeling to handle a task by yourself.

  I made it to the top of the wall without breaking a sweat. My reward was a gust of refreshing wind and the confetti flying through the air. I blink the flashes of colors out of my eyes.

  Noting Ebony sitting on the top of the wall, and Ivory equally alert, I studied the celebratory sight before me.

  Colorful paper in place of streamers, grilled food toasting the air, and salivating my mouth. This city was preparing for a festival! Dullings were busy putting up decorations, while others carried materials, or stocked for festival food. Several high places lay a banner with written characters, but I could not read it.

  The language looked like a mess of symbols to me. It hurt to look at, so I turned to the various stalls being set up, as well as a structure similar to a wooden stage, pulled by a carriage.

  The road within the city led on ahead to a castle in the distance.

  “The food smells appetizing. Why are there no guards on this side of the wall? The lack of heartbeat is vivid.” Ivory voiced above the clamor below.

  “I suppose one can’t be too careless when a party is soon to be afoot,” Ebony replied, but even he was uneasy. “You wouldn’t expect someone to climb a wall this tall without high risk of injury.”

  “Or,” I chipped in, collected and pondering. “The extra heavy-lifting had to be deflected elsewhere.” I allowed my tongue to lick smooth fangs trapped behind lips. “It means Kazo’s wards are unruly.” Perfect, that must mean these Dullings still have fight left in them. “Ebony? Ivory? Stay together and investigate. Get the full story. I’m going to scope around the city myself.”

  It’s alright. It’s fine. The two were better at functioning in this world than I was. They would take care of one another while I solved this puzzle.

  The twins bowed, but I swear, Ivory looked particularly proud of himself.

  Coming into a personality so soon, huh? Good for him.

  “Alright,” I swallowed, and animal ears must be expressive because I can feel my own lowering by an inch. Dread mixes with the rotten milk. My stomach ached further. “Good luck.”

  With that, I leave them, running on softer steps, as well as keeping to the edge of the wall. My cloak covered most of myself, so even if I wanted to do sightseeing, it wouldn’t be an issue. Thankfully, Dullings have the same nasty habit as humans, never looking up.

  And so, I graduated from wall running to roof hopping.

  I’m not too fond of feeling tile, rock, or otherwise against the soles of my mint fur-covered feet. Every jump was miserable.

  By the time I neared the castle, I am able to detect several more guards surrounding the main entrances. Within seconds, I latched onto the side of the castle wall and waited. When there hadn’t been any scattered movement down below, I slowly began to scale. Up and up I went, until I reached the very top of what I assumed to be a flat roof. My feet landed on soft grass under sunlight.

  Not a hint of tile. Perched on the column of the castle was a garden.

  Flowers in full bloom. There were a couple of familiar bushes Ivory had previously brought to my attention. It was a tucked-away haven of luxury in a green space.

  Awe died out when my ears caught the quick beat of a heart, and I whirled to see a middle-aged Dulling in a bold blue dress. She held a fan to her mouth, and her dull emerald eyes narrowed with alarm.

  “Beast,” The fitted stranger declared with a weighted rasp. “Why have you come?”