"You guys are the Flameclaw?!" Rula exclaimed, her shock animated her face far greater than Naya's had, with her mouth agape. "How is that possible?!"
Rula turned to Naya for an explanation.
[What is this?]
--An exceptionally rare, downright impossible thing that goes against the very laws of the world. Sure, beasts can gain sentience and even mimic speech, but they cannot ever take humanoid form.--
[And yet-]
--And yet, a case is in front of us. Not just one, but at least 2, likely more. Remember Alyssa?--
Naya remembered, purely because Alyssa was the first Beastkin she met, but maybe she wasn't a Beastkin at all. She recalled that Alyssa had red hair and red eyes, different from the Old man and Mora.
--She could still be related. Ask.--
Rula was still eagerly watching Naya as if she knew everything and would give a suitable explanation. "You're doing the thing again!"
Naya's ears twitched, and she shook her head. "I'm unsure. They should not be possible, yet..." For some reason, she felt ashamed of herself for not being able to meet Rula's expectations.
"Haha." The old man's left arm was engulfed in red flames again and quickly turned back into a human's arm. "Correct, and it is by the grace of your people." He bowed his head slightly toward Naya.
Naya's stoic face cracked a little. "How?" At this point, she wouldn't be surprised if it came out that Elves had created every other race.
--Your people dipped their hands in quite a lot of pies.--
"An Elf by the name of Soranulam, perhaps you know of her?" He looked eager for Naya's response, a deep anticipation in his eye and a hint of longing in his tone.
Naya was familiar with any Elf in a notable position in Aleria due to her mother, so it was no surprise that she immediately recognized the name. But it was not in a positive light.
Naya scowled, and her ears raised. "Soranulam, that bitch." She spat with venom in her tone.
Even remembering the name filled her with rage. That name was engrained deeply in Naya; she was the Elf competitor of her mother and frequently tried to usurp her position. But that wasn't a problem alone, though the audacity to challenge her mother was enough to make Naya hate her. Soranulam had a daughter who was a direct rival of Naya, a fierce competition made worse due to Soranulam's hunger for power.
She was also the girl Nayalisia was accused of murdering.
A throbbing, pulsating headache shook Naya, and she fell to her knees with a groan.
"Naya?!" Rula nearly stumbled with her.
Naya couldn't hear anything else around her anymore and only barely felt the concerned touch of Rula and the Flameclaw elder's shock.
So much pain. Naya couldn't even think straight; her head felt as though she was being beaten consistently.
--Nayalis- --Lia's voice was shut out.
Images flashed through Naya's mind.
Blood.
Her hand stabbed through her peer's heart, an out-of-body view as her purple-lined hand pierced all the way through.
The eyes of the girl, roughly her age, widened in terror before their light faded.
[I- I didn't do that!]
Naya screamed into her mind, to no response, as Lia's presence wasn't absent.
A moment later, she blacked out and fell to the ground.
..............
"Stop! You dare hold this meeting without me?!"
"Nayarali! You dare enter the holy chamber uninvited?!
"M-mother, I..."
"Quiet, Nayalisia, I will take it from here.
"O- ok. I don't remember, Mother, I..."
"It's alright, I know."
"Nayarali, your presence disrespects the sanctity of Aleria! If you do not-"
"Take that sanctity and shove it up your wrinkly ass! Riletoya, you bag of dust, you dare accuse my daughter of murder and drag her through the city in chains?!"
"Accuse? We have witnesses; your daughter slaughtered my own, pierced her heart like a butcher!"
"Shut up, Soranulam! The words you string together barely form comprehensible sentences."
"You... vile thing!"
"SILENCE! Nalarali, Soranulam, this is not a place for your mindless quarrels!"
"Whatever. Tell me, what do you intend to do to my Nayalisia?"
"Nayarali, Let there be no mistake: Your daughter murdered Soralan. She will face punishment, and your objection will not change that."
"Something else happened, you know my daughter would never-"
"It matters not! She will be exiled from Aleria, doomed to spend the rest of her days with the lesser races."
"I will not let that happen. If you dare send her away, I will personally rebel against your pathetic reign."
"Enough! Riletoya, Nayarali, Soranulam, we will discuss this in private. Nayalisia will wait out here for our final decree."
"Yes, Yialraien!"
................
Naya awoke with a start, sweat dripping from her head, and quickly raised her body.
She brought her shaking hand to her face. The hand that she witnessed stabbed through Soralan's heart moments ago.
[I... I really did...]
--Nayalisia! You're finally awake! --Lia sounded desperate and a little crazed as if she had been waiting years to see Naya again.
[Lia, I-]
Naya couldn't stop her hand from shaking. She had always believed she was innocent, wrongfully accused, and that she deserved to get back to Aleria. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Had she really killed her?
If so, even she knew she did not deserve to go home.
Her ears were drooped.
She wondered if Lia knew all along that she was guilty and would never be welcomed back and kept feeding her delusions.
--You did not kill that girl, Nayalisia! I... confess... I also don't know what occurred during the week you lost your memories.--
[Then how can you say-]
--Nayarali told me that you did not kill her. Something else happened that night, and we don't know what it was. You will return to Aleria eventually, and your innocence will be proved.--
[Mother did?]
Naya took a deep, calming breath. Her mother was never wrong, and Naya wanted it desperately to be true.
If her mother was sure she didn't do it, despite the image in her own mind of the event, Naya would trust her. She was once again assured that her mother would do what was right for her, even if she did keep secrets; the dream reminded her of that.
It took a while of calming breaths before Naya felt in control again.
The room around Naya was small, and she was resting on a simple white bed; there was a table off the corner and a single desk. She could see higher on the trees out the window, so she knew she was in one of the houses built into the forest.
--Enough of that; you'd better get out there. Rula was terrified. That girl, I think... never mind, get out there.--
She brushed off her blanket and stood up. She was surprised they treated her well, but she was concerned about Rula, given Lia's tone.
Naya sped out of the room.
When she stepped outside, she was greeted by the moon rays shining in the open space. She had been out for most of the day. A gathering of people stood in front of what Naya assumed was the Chief's house, and Rula was sitting in front of the fountain, painting a picture with an audience.
Naya lifted herself on the fence and jumped to the ground, landing with a soft thud.
She speed-walked until she reached the start of the crowd and noted that not everyone was a Flameclaw, yet many were beastkin mixed in with the humans.
The crowd watched her in shock but made way as she pushed through until she reached the front.
"Rula," Naya said.
Rula shook, and her paintbrush fell from her hands. She snapped her head back, and tears instantly formed in her eyes. "NAYA!"
She pushed the chair aside and ran up to her, wrapping Naya in a tight hug with her head against Naya's stomach.
"I was so scared!" She cried. "I thought you were gonna die!" She wept.
Naya wasn't sure how to respond, so she awkwardly placed her hands on Rula's shoulders. [We only just met; why is she acting like this?]
--This girl wears her heart on her sleeves. Remember, her family has been absent, and she spent who knows how long with a deranged killer. Plus, she sees you as her only ticket to finding her father.--
The villagers all smiled at the sight of Rula tightly hugging Naya; some were even wiping small tears of their own. It seemed the situation erased their fear of her Elven nature.
Suddenly, the door to the Chief's house opened, and out came the old man with his walking stick and Mora standing behind.
"Aw, young Naya, you're alright!" He brightly smiled.
However, Mora wore a scornful look. She likely recalled how Naya had referred to Soranulam moments before she blacked out.
Naya meant what she said, even with the memory. She felt remorse for Soralan but would never be able to erase her detest for Soranulam.
The Chief stepped closer and smiled when he saw Rula. "Young Rula has been very anxious. She defended you like her life depended on it when you collapsed. Do treat her well."
"Of course." Naya smiled at the information. She doubted Rula's combat strength, but her willingness to guard her touched her.
The Chief clapped his hands, "Alright folks, it seems Rula will be done painting for the night! Please head back to your own business!"
The crowd quickly dispersed; it seemed they took the Chief's words very seriously, even though some initially seemed reluctant to leave.
"Young Naya, I know you just woke, but we have pressing matters we must discuss."
"Yes, we do." Naya didn't forget what he said, that Soranulam was the one that aided them in becoming humanoids.
"Rula, come on." Naya pat Rula's back and spoke softly.
"Nuh-uh!" She shook her head against Naya. "Don't scare me like that again, ok?"
"Ok."
"Promise?"
"Yes, I promise."
"Good." Rula let go and wiped her eyes.
Naya felt a little heartbroken at the sight of her dried tears. Naya decided she would have to rebuild her indestructible image to assure Rula that nothing could take her out.
"Let's go." Naya reached down and took Rula's hand in her own.
Rulla sniffled and nodded, tightly gripping Naya's hand.
"This way." The Chief turned and walked back to his building.
Naya followed. She looked forward to learning more about Elven influence in lands outside of Aleria, even if it was from someone she hated.
Similar to the Chief's home in the Rella village, this one had a long horizontal table in the middle of the first room. Doors behind the table led to what Naya assumed was the living quarters, and stairs lined both the right and left sides. Naya could see many other rooms on the floor above.
The Chief sat in the middle of the table, and Mora moved to take a position behind him. She glared at Naya the whole time, and Naya considered if she should be put in her place for the attitude.
--Regardless of your personal feelings, you did call the person that granted them this form a bitch.--
[She definitely did not do this for them out of the kindness of her heart. ]
--Probably, but they don't know that.--
"Now, then." The old man looked toward Naya after she took a seat. "You seemed to speak of Soranulam with animosity. I don't presume to know your history, but she is our savior, Naya."
"She called her a bitch." Mora scowled.
"Silence." Naya met her scowl with a glare. "Your so-called savior is just an idiotic extremist."
"Watch yourself!" Moral shouted.
"You seem to forget how easily I could dispatch you, Flameclaw." Naya coldly said, her tone matter of fact.
"I'm-"
"Enough, Mora." The chief pat her arm. "We just need her to explain herself."
"Yes." She clenched her teeth and dipped her head.
He looked back to Naya and sighed. "What do you mean by those words, Naya?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. Soranulam wants nothing more than to bring the world to its knees before the Elves."
"While I find that... disagreeable, it does not remove her kindness shown to us." He didn't look like he believed what Naya said.
"She specializes in beast experimentation; you were just a test for her, no doubt." Naya snorted. "If you were even considered successful, she would have brought you back to Aleria."
"How dare-"
"At the bottom of my heart, I knew such a possibility was likely. But to hear it from you directly..." The Chief interrupted Mora.
The Chief didn't look too surprised, though he couldn't stop a sad frown from forming. But, Naya would have found it an even greater surprise if the Chief, who had seen Soranulam in person, didn't know how she was.
Soranulam was the most outspoken Elf against the isolation. From what her mother told Naya, Soranulam wanted conquest. She desired to rule the vast world and not be isolated on a small island separated from the other continents.
The Chief shook his head. "I'm afraid we have nothing more to discuss. As much as I'd love to hear good things about Soranulam, I do not detect falsehoods from you."
Naya cocked her head. "There is still the matter of my quest. It would not have been issued had there not been a problem."
The Chief's expression morphed into a smirk. "I'll be honest with you."
The Chief paused, and Mora took that as her cue. "We are taking over the rest of the villages in the Forest!"
Rula looked at her in shock. "What?! So you are bad!"
The Chief shook his head and lightly chuckled. "No, no. We simply desire more land; the forest is a wonderful home."
Naya scoffed. "Expected. You may have a human form, but your behaviors are still the same as when you were a wild beast."
The Chief's calm facade cracked, and he scowled at her. "Do NOT call us Wildbeasts." He growled a beastly, deep growl, and a speck of red flame spewed from his mouth.
Naya sardonically chuckled. "This is good. That's how you should act; you are just a failed Soranulnam experiment. Now, I don't have to feel remorse bringing your corpse back with me."
The table before suddenly Naya burst into a roaring red fire, but she was already moving.
She grabbed Rula by the hand and launched herself backward, using the sturdy table for propulsion.
"Ah!" Rula yelled as she flew back with Naya like a ragdoll.
Mora looked at the duo with an enraged, beastly expression, and her teeth began to revert to their sharp form.
Red fire leaked from the Chief's hand; he had been the one to instantly engulf the table, unable to control his emotions.
Naya eyed them both. "Wild. A mindless beast that seeks domination; I will happily reteach you your place in this world." She kept her mocking smirk. "I've always wanted to fight one of you."