The early morning mist clung to the ground as the village slowly stirred to life.
Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, carrying the scent of bread and firewood. The soft hum of human voices filled the air, mixed with the occasional bark of a dog or the clatter of tools.
"Zesh," Clara called out without looking up, her voice firm but kind. "You've been pacing all morning. If you want something to do, I have chores that need doing."
She was busy kneading dough for the day's bread. The rhythmic slap of her hands against the soft dough filled the room with a comforting sound. She had know the two beasts names from Ayin.
Since morning, no, dawn, Zesh had been prowling at the edge of their small yard, his dark fur bristling as his sharp eyes scanned the villagers. Every movement made his muscles tense, every curious glance from a passerby a potential threat. Her sister, in contrast, lay curled near the fireplace inside the hut warmly.
As Nakan sat cross-legged on the floor nearby, carving something from a wood, he could hear her gentle steady breaths with a rhythm that signaled recovery.
Zesh didn't respond, his eyes fixed on a group of villagers gathering near the well.
He turned his head slightly, his expression hard.
Nakan, oblivious to their conversation, held up the half-carved wood to Ayin, now vaguely resembling a wolf. "What do you think? I'm making this for you!"
…
Later that morning, Clara handed Ayin a small bundle of herbs wrapped in cloth.
"Here," she said, her tone gentle but practical. "This is for your fever. You'll need to chew a little each day."
She smiled faintly. "You've been through enough. I'm not about to turn my back on someone who needs help, beast or not."
Zesh's lip curled at the word "beast," but he held his tongue.
Nakan bounced to his feet. "Hey, want to come with me to the market? Mom said I can sell some of the carvings I finished!"
Zesh immediately stepped closer, his tail flicking in irritation.
Ayin nudged him lightly.
The market was a chaotic whirl of colors, smells, and sounds. Stalls lined the village square, their wooden counters overflowing with goods—baskets of fruit, bolts of fabric, and tools glinting in the sunlight. Villagers bartered loudly, their voices rising above the occasional bray of a mule or clatter of a cart.
Ayin stayed close to Nakan, her pink fur was too conspicuous obviously. But thankfully, Zesh had been able to convince her to not clean herself, and as a result, her pink-darkened fur almost blending into the shadows of the bustling crowd.
Yet she still felt exposed, every glance from a human setting her on edge.
"Don't worry," Nakan said, grinning up at her. "They're just curious. Most of them have probably never seen anything like you before."
Ayin admitted.
"They are," Nakan said with a shrug. "But that's only because you're amazing."
Ayin blinked, surprised by the simplicity of his words. He dragged her to his stall, a modest wooden table set up with his carvings. Most were small and crude, but they carried a certain charm.
"Come on, sit with me!" he said, patting a spot beside the stall.
Ayin hesitated but settled down, her eyes scanning the crowd warily. Nakan began calling out to passersby, his youthful energy drawing a small crowd.
"Look at this!" Nakan held up a carving of a bird in flight. "Handmade, sturdy, and it brings good luck!"
An older woman chuckled, examining the carving. "Good luck, you say? What about that creature beside you? Looks more like trouble than luck."
Ayin stiffened, but Nakan laughed.
"She's my friend! And she's the one who inspired this piece." He held up a small wolf carving, its head tilted in a curious pose.
"Really? It's good, boy," the woman examined it while asking, "So what kinda magical beast are you?"
"You know?"
"Who wouldn't, boy?" she chuckled, "almost everybody talked about it, that Clara had been hiding two beast inside her house. So? You're not Monve the foot of misfortune, right?"
"Oh? Telepathy? That's rare," the woman didn't even tried to hide her surprise, "It's that, a kind of beast, feline like you who brought plague wherever they go, thus their title, the Foot of Misfortune. So what are you? Pink fur, feline…"
The woman thinking expression made Ayin heart beating fast in fear, but thankfully Nakan stood for her.
"Please don't ask, mam, it's…" he repeated what her mother had told him to say in situation like this, "Their had been hunted by Eltsopa.. and their family also…"
"Ah, how rude of me!" the old woman quickly apologized.
Maybe out of guilt, the woman bought the carving, and Ayin felt a strange warmth spread through her chest.
Meanwhile, her brother had reluctantly joined Clara in tending to her small vegetable patch behind the hut. He moved awkwardly, his large paws unsuited for the delicate work.
"This isn't so bad, is it?" Clara asked, glancing at him.
Zesh muttered, his tone sullen.
Clara wiped her hands on her apron, her expression thoughtful.
Zesh scoffed.
"You've met the wrong humans, then," Clara said simply. She handed him a basket filled with weeds. "Take this to the compost pile. Maybe you'll find something worth trusting out there."
Zesh took the basket begrudgingly, muttering under his breath.
The afternoon passed in a strange rhythm. Ayin and Nakan sold carvings and laughed over small jokes, after all she is a magical beast with telepathy so obviously she get popular fast, while Zesh helped Clara in stony silence.
When the market began to wind down, a group of older boys approached their stall. They eyed Ayin with a mixture of fascination and unease.
"What's that thing?" one of them asked, pointing.
"She's not a thing," Nakan said firmly. "She's my friend."
The boy group leader sneered. "Looks like something that belongs in a cage."
Ayin flinched, her head lowering.
"She's not dangerous!" Nakan's voice rising. "She's kind and smart—smarter than any of you!"
The boys laughed, but before they could say anything else, Ayin straightened, her calm but resolute voice resonate inside their brain.
Her telepathic words seemed to ripple through the air, startling the boys into silence. They exchanged uneasy glances before slinking away.
Nakan looked up at her, his grin wide. "That was amazing! You scared them off without even moving!"
Ayin smiled faintly.
"Well, you did. And they deserved it."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Ayin and Zesh found themselves alone by the edge of the village. The fading light bathed the trees in a golden glow, and the air was quiet except for the occasional chirp of crickets.
Ayin looked at him, her gaze soft.
Zesh growled low in his throat.
Ayin countered gently.
Zesh didn't respond immediately. He stared at the far west, the fiery colors blended with his scarlet eyes.