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“I really do not see why I cannot stan-AAGHH!”

Venyran screamed as he attempted to push himself up from his bed. He writhed on the ground in agony, face scrunched up, his horns scoring cuts into the dirt. I reached down and did my best to hold Venyran still, bucking with him as pain took its ravenous course through him. I knew he shouldn't have tried to get up, but what do I know. I felt hands push me aside as Of Falling Leaves said

“Release him, human.” I fell off to Venyran’s side. I pushed off the ground standing with an earthen fury.

“Don't you tell me- what are you doing to him?!” I shouted and reached forward as Of Falling Leaves put a cloth with some purple substance on it on Venyran's mouth. Venyran continued to buck and roll as she tried to keep the cloth on his mouth. I watched in shock as they struggled. Gradually, Venyran began to shake less and less, coming to a complete still a few minutes later. Fear and fury started to grip my heart when Of Falling Leaves stood and said

“Relax, human, he's asleep.” she said. True enough, I saw the gentle rise and fall of my love’s chest as Venyran slept.

“What did you-”

“A sleeping draught. It will allow him to rest while his body heals.” Of Falling Leaves interrupted.

“Why can't she let me finish a damn sentence…” I fumed mentally as I stood up. I looked over at Venyran and saw that his face was still curled a bit in pain. I crouched down next to Venyran and exhaled deeply, closing my eyes. We had been in Crashing Branch for three days now, and Venyran's condition hasn't seemed to improve.

Venyran was still in Of Falling Leaves’ tent, off to the western side of the ‘village’. It was difficult to label this location because they claimed the whole forest but only lived in this village.

I shook my head as I considered our predicament. The village elders allowed us to stay under the premise that we do not disclose the existence of Crashing Branch. Rain and I tried to explain that since the war has started, it wouldn't be long until they were discovered by either nation. The elders didn't budge. So if we came back without an adequate explanation, Venyran and I would be charged with desertion. But I couldn't settle my mind with disclosing the truth and condemning the village.

“You really love him, don't you human.” Of Falling Leaves murmured, snapping me out of my dilemma. She was looking at me from under that stantler mask, rose buds painted on the tips. I tried to ignore the fact she wasn't wearing any clothes. All of the people in Crashing Branch tended to wear enough leather straps to do their job and that's it. Hers had various pouches across her waist filled with herbs and a knife sheathed on her left forearm. She was holding up the blankets where Venyran's wound was and had pulled back the cloths, exposing the wound.

“Yes. I do. We're mates for life.” I said, locking a gaze with her own. I wanted her to know without words that this dragon was mine. She huffed.

“Relax, human, I have a partner myself.” She said, turning away and inspecting the wound. It was stitched shut, packed with some white poultice. It was hard to see from my position if the wound was healing, but Of Falling Leaves nodded in satisfaction, repacking the wound and covering Venyran again. I felt the frustration build up again as she reminded me of my species. I took a deep breath and tried to plan out what I wanted to say.

“Look, Of Falling Leaves. I am very thankful of the care you have provided and continue to provide for my mate. But can I ask you to stop calling me human? My name's Merrick, and I would love to know more on why you were named the way you were.” She considered me for a moment, gauging me before replying,

“No.” I snapped my head back a little at the short retort. “You do not come from the trees, you are an outsider. An outsider that may have doomed my home to extinction. The only reason I have ‘taken care of’, as you put it, of this Venyran is because he is sacred. You are a offgrowth that needs to be cut off.” My heart began to burn with rage, my face turning red. I began to shout when Of Falling Leaves put a finger to her mouth.

“Don't. You'll wake him.” I closed my mouth and my resentment bubbles inside of me.

“How dare you use Venyran as leverage against me? I have done my best to be friendly to someone who saved my boyfriend's life, but you continue to be cruel to me. If I am an ‘offgrowth’ as you put it, why don't you cut me off and be done with it?!” I snarled out quietly, deadlocked with Of Falling Leaves. I could tell she was starting to get frustrated too, her tail swishing back and forth and she locked her arms in front of her.

“Our law of guests is the only thing keeping you safe here. You would be wise to not test how far that protection extends. Now leave. I have a patient to attend to.” She said, waving a hand and bending back down to Venyran. I huffed and stood up, grabbed my glaive off the wall, and left the tent with the tent door flapping in my exit. I took an angry deep breath outside, closing my eyes and attempting to control my anger. I gripped my glaive to the point I thought it would snap.

“You are agitated, Warrior Merrick.” I opened my eyes and saw Rain standing in front of me, his dual blades sheathed at his side. He was wearing his mask, of course, detailed with purple and blue swirls. It was a beautiful mask, befitting a beautiful male. He was a gray wolf with the characteristic purple and blue streaks down his body. Throughout the streaks were raindrops. He had black leather straps holding his holsters for his twin blades. He was a little taller than me, his colorful tail lightly brushing the ground. Rain was muscular in all ways, a defined six pack on his abdomen. There was a beautiful deadly grace to him.

“What gave it away, Where Rain Falls? Are you going to call me a human too?!” I snarled.

“Peace, Warrior Merrick. I came to check up upon you.”

“Just call me Merrick.” I started with an exhale. “And I'm sorry. Of Falling Leaves winds me up easily.”

“Of Falling Leaves can be a bitch.” My eyes bulged as I started to laugh. Rain started to laugh too, his wolf jaw cackling. Our raucous laughter filled the trees and echoed throughout the forest. We laughed for a moment before sighing.

“Oh I needed that.” I said. We were standing in the medical tent’s clearing, which I've figured out to mean their living room. Apparently the people in Crashing Branch liked to live with their bedrooms as small as possible and have everything else outside. The clearing extended for another fifteen feet with a simple table, chairs, and a fireplace for cooking. Idealistic for camping, I suppose.

I also took another look at Rain. He rested his hands on the hilts of his swords.

“Would you like to go for a walk, Merrick? I would like to be more hospitable than others in my home.” He said, glaring past me. I looked behind me and saw the tent flapping shut. I smirked a little.

“I would enjoy that, Rain. I've been cooped up for too long.” I stepped forward and joined Rain as we walked away from Of Falling Leaves’ tent.

We walked forward deeper into the village, me on Rain’s coattails. I started to feel smaller as we walked through the tall trees, their looking presence shrinking my confidence. The villagers' gazes made me feel even smaller, their scrutinizing eyes scorning my skin.

“Ignore them, Merrick. They do not understand how to treat a guest properly.” Rain stated loudly, causing several people to turn away and scurry off.

“You seem to have a lot of power here, Rain.” I noted. Only the children stayed to gawk before they were hurried away by their mothers. Funny enough, the children were clothed with simple tunics, and they were not wearing masks.

“I am a Bladedancer. There are only two of us in existence: my master and myself. To offend us is a terrible insult.” Rain said

“Only two of you? Why?” Rain sighed.

“Because the path to becoming a Bladesinger is long and extensive. It's taken me forty winters to get to the level I'm at-”

“Wait, you're forty?!” I interrupted. Rain was in the best shape of his life for forty! He stopped and turned to me, his brows undoubtedly furrowed.

“I am…forty winters?” He said in a confused, matter-of-fact statement.

“I'm sorry!” I blurted, feeling heat gather at my cheeks. What I would do to have one of their masks on now. Rain shrugged.

“It is of no matter. Come, we are nearly there” Rain said, starting again. I hurried after him.

“Almost where, we look like we're in the same…” I trailed off as I beheld the most magnificent pond I ever seen. The water was blue like the sky and had a diamond's sheen to its smooth surface. It was maybe a quarter of a mile wide in the middle of the forest canopy. Above was a clear blue sky with the sun radiating down to add to the pond’s luster.

“It's beautiful…” I murmured, entranced. I thought of Venyran and thought how much I'd like to share this moment with him. Rain filled his role well, taking in my reaction and smiling.

“This is the Pool of Korran, the pride of our village. It was here where he saw an enormous branch fall into this very pond and decided to build a settlement here. That branch is still at the bottom of this pond to this day.” He narrated, gesturing out.

“Korran…you sang that when you saved us, right? Who was he?” I asked, turning away from the spectacle before me. Rain sighed deeply, taking a moment before he replied.

“Korran was the first Speaker of the Elders for Crashing Branch. He grew up around this area, known for his mischievous nature and great strength. Under his tutelage the village grew to great strength and prosperity.” Rain shook his head slowly.

“Then one day he disappeared. No one could find him. We searched for months and found not a trace. His brother, Sutan, was infuriated with Zugonia, sure that it was them who was responsible for the vanishing of his brother. Since then we have been recluse, cutting off all contact with the outside world.” I nodded contemplative.

“How long ago did he disappear?” I asked. Rain looked out over the water.

“It was long before I was born. Long before my mentor was born. We still look for signs of him to this day.” He responded. I could tell the way he stood now that this was a deeply personal issue for the village. This wall of strength seemed to crumble when discussing this folk hero.

“He must have been a great leader.” I murmured. Rain nodded. He pointed to a pedestal off to the right of us saying,

“See for yourself.” I walked closer to the pedestal

It was a small basin of water with every species around one massive dragonkin on the far shore. Behind them were four tall trees, the species in line with the trees.

“So that's the Order of the Trees and why Venyran is sacred…” I thought, peering at the figure for Korran. He was similar to Venyran, same build and height. But his horns formed one loop and he had a massive sword on his back as he knelt. All of the figurines were made of clay, so I couldn't tell his scaletone. I was peering closer at the other figures when I heard grass rustling and the quiet steps of someone running. I went to grab my glaive but Rain held a hand, staying my blade. From the path we took earlier came a small hivekin child, her bee eyes staring at me from a distance.

“What is it, With Silent Wings?” Rain commanded. She was wearing a green tunic, her little wings popping out around her back. She stopped staring at me and looked at Rain.

“Where… where Rain Falls! The elders want to speak with you and…him.” She whispered timidly. Then she turned and ran back into the village.

“Guess this was unavoidable…” I said, taking a deep breath. I figured I'd have to appear before the council and explain myself, but it intimidated me to appear before them. Rain walked over to me and placed a gentle hand on my back.

“We shall figure it out, Merrick. My mentor is on the council, so we'll have one voice on our side.” Rain encouraged. Now it was my turn to shake my head.

“I don't know. The odds are stacked against me right now. But I guess we'll figure it out.” I said, placing a hand on Rain’s back. Together we walked back into the village, God's only knowing what was about to happen.