Glistening skyscrapers. Shouting street vendors, fliers in hand. Metallic carriages called 'cars'. And bright flashing traffic lights.
In the haze of the dream, this could've easily been dismissed as something bizarre and surreal in a world led by magic, reincarnation, and powers. Yet, deep down, he knew this wasn't a simple dream as he watched, yet again, how the person before him trekked to his job haggardly.
While waiting for the red light go green to cross the pedestrian, Girtro stood beside the person who could not see him.
Thin frame, and dark circles beneath his eyes. Girtro worriedly looked at the person, unable to help.
Are you even sleeping properly? Have you eaten anything since the last I've dreamt about you?
Far from his usual smiles and bubbly appearance, the Girtro right now couldn't even lift the corner of his lips. He watched the other person take out a smaller metal mirror that was white at one side and black at the other. It lit up and the person used both thumbs to tap on the black screen.
Girtro took this chance to commit him to memory. He didn't even know this person's name and yet…
If anybody was to ask him a few months ago if he had someone he liked, he'd have laughed and confidently said no. The thing about Djinns was that even getting a lover would be included in their prophetic dreams. However, Girtro wasn't sure whether this was a type of dream manipulation accidentally done to oneself, a prophetic dream of the very distant future in some part of the world, or maybe a mix of both.
It confused him to no end the first time it happened. He never forgot his dreams, thus the face of this man haunted his memories. He was powerless to stop these dreams. Much more powerless to stop himself from caring about him.
The more he dreamt, the more he threw himself to the pit.
The man pocketed his phone and struggled to hold tight his belongings when he saw the people around him starting to walk in the corner of his eye.
As he passed by Girtro and left, everything, including 'the man', disintegrated into fine sands of different colors, whirling and dancing towards a direction until the image completely changed to an environment much more familiar—a forest.
Girtro stiffened.
His eyes opened wide, staring at the blue cloudless sky. Beside him, Theo was carrying two plates of breakfast to share with the sleeping him. While Theo drank a cup of coffee, he looked at Virgil busily cooking while gently waking others up like a diligent little missus. So when Theo looked back to see Girtro had sat up abruptly with no sound, Theo choked on his cup and burnt his tongue.
"Ah, fuck, goodness Girtro, would you not do that?!" Theo complained.
"Kill the fire", Girtro quietly said.
"Ah? But Virgil's still cooking. I even brought you a pre-taste ah."
"Kill the fire", Girtro yelled, his voice calling everyone's attention.
Serena's three direct Zetas, or highest ranking warriors were the fastest to take action. Jacques threw the bedroll and ran to grab the pot while Virgil stood still, baffled. Ivan shifted into his wolf form and dug a lot of dirt to cover the fire quickly, as splashing water would have given rise to more smoke. The last of the three, Lyric, walked over to Girtro.
"Who did you see?" Lyric seriously asked.
"Vihan Ashraf."
A subtle expression flashed on Lyric's face. "What's he doing sending his damnatus pup", he muttered. "When and where?"
"Half a day, maybe even less. I saw their pack running past the crossing of Sitlas River a few days ago. By the looks of it, they're heading northwest. Eventually, they'll meet us and we won't be able to hide our scent."
"No, it'd be too late to hide our scent. Have you not noticed the change in the wind's direction because of the coming of winter?"
A human Ivan walked over. "What's that spineless stultus (idiot) doing out here? Ego havent sed cum prandium! (I haven't had breakfast yet!)"
Jacques rolled his eyes behind his back.
Lyric, "Let's hope he's just passing by and that they haven't caught up to any of our plans."
"And if they catch us", Krael asks, coming over to discuss who this Vihan was, while Vera helps Virgil distribute and pack up the food and utensils so that everybody can eat while they walk.
"I'd rather not imagine the consequences of that", Ivan shucks in air between his teeth.
Vihan and his travelling companions may not have known Krael and the others, but having traveled for many days together, they have at least a trace of their wolves' scent. It was impossible not to get questioned when these faces have never been to Lycan Kingdom. They'll most likely be brought in for questioning, and that's already looking at the positive outcome.
"Let's head east for a while", Krael suggested.
Jacques, "Is it fine to delay your arrival?"
"It's fine. At least it's better to take more time to get there rather than getting caught", Krael said, accepting the bowl of food from Vera who came over with Jacques.
"It's decided then", Ivan claps his hands and everybody rushes to pack up their belongings and bedrolls.
"Girtro, you okay? You've been quiet since earlier."
Girtro glanced back at Theo, then smiled the way he always did, easing Theo's worries.
"Ah~! Why the heck is Vihan in a hurry ugh~ How am I gonna enjoy breakfast like this?!"
"If you're worrying about that, then I guess you're fine." Theo shook his head as he left his friend to ask Virgil if there was anything else he could do to help him.
Taking a deep breath in, and then releasing it, Girtro watched his foggy breath rising.
There's no need for impatience, he tried to convince himself.
There is a reason attached to all circumstance, and a time for every action. I just need to be steady in this present time.
"It might be too late to head east", Girtro quickly packed everything within the minute and grabbed his own food bowl, walking and talking at the same time.
"What do we do then", asked one of the Zetas.
"Where's the map?"
"Here", Theo presented as everybody lined in a circle to participate without being prompted.
"Let's take this detour here, but still go south to where mountain entrance to Inferis."
"Won't Vihan and his guard pack catch us?"
"They will."
"Wha—" Theo casted his confused eyes at Girtro, only to be interrupted by the quiet Jacques.
"We'll split."
Girtro points a finger at him, "Exactly. The Zetas will head northwest ahead of Vihan and his group. Then take a detour of Jurell Forest to get to Selkie Loch. Once you pass through Kelfer Arch, you're safe. They won't chase you so near Lady Amani's territory."
"You don't want us to accompany the rest of you to Inferis", Lyric said, reluctance in his voice, but this person was a higher up and a trusted person by their Alphas in their pack. It might be extremely weird to other Lycan-kind to respect someone that does not even belong to any of their social rankings, but they knew that ability, loyalty, and personality were for the most part, the determining of rankings in their unique pack. Girtro may be a non-Lycan, but Lyric was entrusted with this duty to escort and protect them. He, as well as the other two Zetas, could no easily agree with this plan that screamed of dereliction of duty and order.
"Let's find another way—I'm against this plan", Ivan spoke for the three of them.
"If they find us, they won't do anything to us. We'll be in more danger if they find us with you", Girtro insisted. "If we meet and they find your scent on us, we can just brush them off as having encountered a pack of Lycans while coming back from hunting at the borders to Jurell. They won't know us because we're all new faces to them."
Ivan, "Not Theo. Didn't Theo have a guard for a step-father before?"
"What if one of the guards are familiar with Theo's face, what then?" Jacques asked grimly.
"…That's something I'm willing to bargain", Girtro responded after a while.
Theo points his finger at himself. "Excuse me, um, yeah hi, can we not bargain with my life? I'd like to keep living, yes? Please?"
Girtro smiled brightly at him, "It's okay~ They won't find you~ It's going to be fine~" Then he turned his head away and added, "Hopefully~"
With disbelief in his face, Theo watched as Girtro convinced everybody and execute the plan. He stood here still for a few moments until Virgil pulled his hand, a sympathetic look on his face.