Chapter Text
Year 1
Former college student Autumn Robbiton was living the life in Grimshire, if “living the life” could be defined as constantly running around and putting out fires for this tiny village that seemed to be a magnet for trouble. She did enjoy it here to be fair, even with the fur-biting stress that came with dealing with constant catastrophe. Here she was doing something meaningful with her life. Grimshire had given her a purpose bigger than trudging through homework as she became increasingly aware of how much she was wasting her life. She got to work with her hands, be a part of the community, and do things that actually mattered.
There were some downsides. For one she hadn't formed any deep relationships here. While she liked the people of Grimshire plenty and they liked her, she was so busy providing for them that she rarely had time to sit and talk. It was also unfortunate and deeply stressful that everything depended on her. If they starved, if the soldiers hurt anyone, it would be her fault and she could never forgive herself.
The source of her problems was Gustavo. That sniveling little coward robbed them week in and week out while striding with his nose high like they ought to bow to him for being associated with the Empress. He had no allies in the village, he was the butt of many jokes and people spoke of his visits with a mixture of fear and anger. They often called him a rat for how he ate through their stores of food, despite knowing otherwise.
Autumn had wanted to whip out the old Molotov cocktail and show him what happens when he messes with her friends, but she knew that likely wouldn’t go well. So instead she decided to mess with him, get in his head. Maybe if he got confused or flustered enough he would “forget” to come back to Grimshire. It was time for psychological warfare against the rat.
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When late spring arrived she put the first step of her plan into action. The day before Gustavo was set to arrive she haggled some imported cheese off Theo, bought a small wooden box from Wallace, and foraged the rest of the ingredients herself.
The day that Gustavo arrived she took her time getting ready. Usually she would throw on her overalls and head outside, but she put on her nice skirt and shirt, and took some time grooming her tan fur. She grabbed her antique handheld mirror, something she had found in the mines and gotten polished, and used it to examine her face. She looked decent enough, and fiddled with her bronze earrings, the last remaining sign of her life before Grimshire. Memories washed over for a moment, remembering how around this time last year she’d be putting the last touches on her makeup before running down to class with her books tucked under her arm.
She decided to wait on doing her farm chores until after she has enacted her plan. So she grabbed the box and headed down to the docks, ready for a little mischief.
She saw that Gustavo was standing near the edge of the docks, peering down into the ocean discussing something unimportant with his two soldiers. Wilfred was fishing along the other side of the docks while keeping a wary eye on the soldiers. She wore a big smile and approached Gustavo, yelling his name. The two guards turned around quickly, and he turned around slowly as if he knew this would be an unimportant conversation.
If she were trying to be polite when describing Gustavo appearance, then she would describe him as unappealing. His beady little eyes seemed to stare at everything with displeasure, and his tail looked just a little too short for his body. More importantly, his pampered hands had clearly never seen a day of honest work. His perfectly trimmed and neat fur and nails further reinforced that he had nothing better to do than obsess over his appearance. He seemed more a caricature of a snobby noble than an actual person. But she didn’t let any of these opinions show as she approached him.
“Hello, I got a gift for you!” She greeted cheerfully, and held out the box.
He squinted at her and his tail shifted back and forth in annoyance. “If you’re attempting to bribe me it won’t work.” He said in a loud, irritated voice.
“Oh no, I just wanted to show you some of Grimshire’s famous hospitality. You like cheese don’t you?” She flashed an innocent smile.
His round ears perked up in curiosity and he reached forward to take the small box, taking particular care not to touch her hands. His nose twitched for a second as he took in the scents, then he slowly opened it, his two soldiers stood at attention but curiously watched at what was happening.
Inside was a messy charcuterie board made up of thinly sliced cheese, nuts, meat, and a few dried fruits. Everything was cut into flowers, hearts, and other symbols of romance with a flirtatious note written on the inside of the cover. He looked up at her and she blew him a kiss. The realization hit him as if it were a physical blow. His eyes widened in shock and he rapidly staggered back several steps and then plunged into the ocean with a loud splash.
Several seconds of stunned silence passed. Then he erupted from the water, his arms flailing, screeching like a bird before water got into his mouth where with comical effort he tried to cough and spit out the water. The mouse’s wet fur clung to his body, making him look like, well, a drowned rat.
The soldiers howled with laughter as they watched their boss flail in the water. Autumn started laughing so hard she couldn't breathe with her hands planted on her knees. She didn’t- she didn’t expect him to react like that! She expected anger or confusion, maybe getting a little flustered. He fell off the dock! She saw Wilfred’s mouth hanging open out of the corner of her eye, an ignored fish tugging on his line.
Gustavo splashed around, yelling angrily for someone to help him, but the three of them were too busy laughing to be able to do anything. Several other villagers heard what’s going on and poked their heads out doors, a brave few sneaking closer to investigate. Wilfred ended up being the one to go over and grab one of his flailing arms. He pulled him out like he was a very floppy fish, gently dropping him on the pier. He didn’t even acknowledge Wilfred, looking first to the villagers in the distance then to the soldiers who had just barely regained their composure. The glare that he gave Autumn has the same animalistic fury as the Ferals she saw when the provincial capital fell.
“Look- I’m sorry I-” She said in between breaths.
“Arrest her!” He shrieked.
She heard the beginnings of Wilfred protesting, but she bolted too quickly to hear exactly what he says. It took the soldiers a few seconds to compose themselves long enough to make chase, giving her a head start. She had seconds to figure out a plan. Both her and the soldiers were rabbits, so any advantages she might have due to her species would be negated. While she was decently fast from running away from authority figures as a child, she’s gotten out of practice as an adult. They were weighed down by armor, but she was also wearing a skirt which she had to hike up to run. So both of her hands were not usable unless she stopped or slowed down. Her biggest advantage was that she knew this town and the lands around it.
So clutching her skirt tightly she ran to the left, spotting several other villagers watching out of the corner of her eye, not taking the time to register their reactions. As long as she could make it to the marsh she knew she could lose the soldiers.
The wind was blowing right into her face and the sun was blinding, she squinted and Just. Keeps. Moving. The sound of the clanking armor behind her was getting closer and closer as sweat trickled down her fur. Her feet hardly touched the ground during her hopping sprint and her critters got spooked and ran to the back of the penned area in terror. The dense foliage and muddy grounds of the marsh got closer and closer. There were fewer and fewer steps left until she reached it but they were gaining on her. Just a little further…
Finally!
She burst into the marsh, the smell of musk a friendly punch to the face. The ground here was untrustworthy, and the little solid ground was covered with fallen tree limbs, rocks, and plants. But she knew these grounds well from her times fishing and foraging here. The middle of the marsh was her new obstacle course, and she bounded from solid ground to solid ground with just the perfect lift without pausing. One of the guards made too daring of a leap and tumbled into the water. He struggled to get out, his heavy armor weighed down by mud and tangled up in reeds.
The second soldier was still behind her, but she had a little more room to breathe. Could she make it? It would be tight but still possible, maybe she should- Kai! The Lynx was crouching behind a rock, a spear strapped to his back and claws extended. He couldn’t have known what was going on but he had his eyes on the soldier like a predator about to pounce. She gathered the little strength she had in reserve and speed ahead to give him the space he needed. The moment she was out of the way, he leapt in front of the soldier, forcing them to come to a skittering stop as he blocked their way.
With territorial snarl and spear in hand Kai shouted in a ferocious voice “Leave now!”.
That rabbit soldier turned tail and ran. The soldier that had gotten stuck in the mud, seeing the foe that lay before him, similarly fled. Their armor clanked loudly as they ran back the way they came.
“Th-” she coughed and took a few seconds to catch her breath “Thank you.”
“It was nothing.” He paused for a moment, watching them scurry away "Why were they chasing you?”
“I flirted with Gustavo and he sent his soldiers after me.” She pulled some plant debris out of her paws nonchalantly.
Kai blinked several times and looked at her with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, his usual aloof composure shattered “You what?!”
His reaction provoked a feeling of awkwardness in her. His feline eyes examined her as if he’s reassessing everything he knew about her. Regret hit her. Maybe that was a little bit stupid.
“I gave him one of those romantic charcuterie boards, you know with the hearts and everything. Then he got shocked and fell into the docks. He sent his soldiers after me because...well he didn’t specify but he was pretty mad.”
Those romantic charcuterie boards were pretty popular in the university she had attended prior to coming to Grimshire. She'd given and received them before. It was now occurring to her that that might not be common around here, judging by Kai's reaction.
Kai stared at her for several seconds, not visibly responding. Then he deeply sighed and turned his eyes back to the path “You could do better.”
“No I-” She made a sound somewhere between a cough and a laugh “I was just messing with him. I don’t have actual feelings for him.”
“Good. Try not to get yourself in any trouble in the future. The village needs you.”
She nods “I’ll be careful.”
Kai looked around the marsh and crossed his arms defensively. Autumn tried to wipe off a little bit of the grime that’s caked the bottom of her skirt, but it seems like it will need a good wash. He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.
“Take shelter at our place, at least for a little bit. Let the heat die down.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Think nothing of it.” He uncrossed his arms and looked out to the two entrances to the marsh, before gesturing in the direction of his home.
He follows behind her, his ears fully perked up, eyes scanning the trees, with the disposition of a looming bodyguard. She feels an odd sense of comfort at being under his watch, like she’s his little empress.
—-------—-------—-------—-------
The inside of Kai and Tano's place was a quiet and warm little pocket away from society. There was always a fire going, one that she tended to now, and there was always food (mostly fish and meat unfortunately) being prepared on the counter or in the pot. The endless baskets were a testament to an art that also valued practicality. One was half done, abandoned as Tano chatted with both her and Kai.
Tano gestured dramatically “It was hilarious! Kai you should’ve been there he was drenched-” He laughed “The tavern folks will be telling that one for ages.”
Tano was the easier of two to talk to, and his peppy nature meant he was great if you ever needed a little energy. He also had a great smile, one that could brighten anyone's day.
Kai had his arms crossed and was leaning against the wall beam, keeping a wary eye on the window. Autumn sat slowly poking the fire as Tano animatedly talked to her “I’m not sure why he wants to arrest you though, you didn’t do anything illegal or even wrong.”
“You overestimate his moral compass.” Autumn said with a smile.
“It’s simple. You hurt his pride, so he decided to-” Kau froze “Someone’s coming. Quiet.”
He darted to the side of the door, out of the way of the window, his movements both quick and quiet. Autumn froze, and Tano started quietly creeping towards the door as well. Kai stood still, his ears twitching. Then he breathed a sigh of relief “It’s just Theo.”
He opened the door to see the little racoon in a nice clean suit and tired eyes “Is Autumn here? Oh hello!” His head poked to the side and spotted her.
“I’m doing ok boss.” She said with an exaggerated grin and a lazy salute.
Kai moved out of the way and Theo entered, wringing his hands nervously. “Well the good news is that I was able to talk him down and you’re no longer going to be arrested. It should be fine for you to go home now.”
She can only imagine the chaos that erupted the moment that she left. Luckily she's sure that she'll be able to hear about it later. Today was certainly one for the stories. It's a good thing that everything resolved relatively calmly.
She breathed a sigh of relief and looked to him “Good, I got plenty of things that need to get done.”
“Yes, last Percy checked we didn’t have enough food for the defender’s ration.” Theo’s eyes darted to the side, as if thinking.
“I have pretty much everything I need, I just need to put it in the root cellar. Although I might do some fishing so the carnivores have some options for tonight.” Autumn stood up, brushing off her skirt and stretching her arms.
“That’s great!” Tano said, then went to work on his basket while Kai continued to watch the conversation with mild interest.
Theo paused for a few moments, wringing his hands more aggressively “Look I know you didn’t mean any harm but you really need to reserve your pranks for people who currently aren’t threatening the village.”
“Like what she did with Rusty?” Tano’s smile widened “The look on his face when he realized it was saltwater! Ha!”
“Rusty still hasn’t unbanned me.” Autumn lamented, the old goat wasn’t bad but he seemed to know she was trouble from day one.
Theo sighed “I’ll tell Rusty to unban you. But please promise me you won’t antagonize Gustavo again.”
“Don’t worry Theo, I won’t mess with him again. I’ve learned my lesson.”
It would be unfortunate to drop her plans for psychological warfare, but it was probably best for now.
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Autumn returned to her farm and continued on with her day, prepping food, fishing, and doing a bit of foraging. She put more than enough food in the root cellar, while trying to not look in Gustavo’s direction. She thought of plans for tomorrow, she thought she’ll cook some food early in the morning and once she’s done with her chores she'll go to the mines. She had some ideas for farm expansions but she’ll need more metal first. Her coal supply was also running low from running the smoking hut constantly to meet the endless demand for preserved food.
Feeling content with her upcoming plans, she started to unwind for the evening. The critters went to sleep peacefully, and the townsfolk returned home from the tavern and went to bed, filled with new joyful tales. She brewed some tea and just sat and enjoyed a little peace and quiet.
Just as she was fishing off her evening tea she heard several voices and footsteps outside, then a loud knock at the door. With a slight drowsiness she walked to it and pulled it open to reveal Gustavo, grinning like a cat who's just caught its prey. Theo stood awkwardly to the side while several bunny soldiers stood behind the two of them.
“Good evening little rabbit. It seems you didn’t meet your quota, so we’ll be taking the rest from your home.” He said with a hint of delight in his voice.
“I’m sorry about this.” Theo tried to look her in the eye but couldn't.
It took her several seconds to process this “What?!” She shouted with indignation.
“Now, get out of the way so we can collect.” He started to approach but stopped when he saw that she was not moving out of the way.
"No, I counted it earlier today, there was more than enough.” Her voice quickened and her eyes darted around in panic and confusion.
Theo spoke up “I saw the same thing when I checked it an hour ago and Percy also checked it earlier today. Look, how about we check it together and-”
“Silence lesser rodent.” Gustavo told Theo curtly before turning his attention back to Autumn, one of the soldiers roughly grabbing Theo’s arm.
He snapped his fingers and two soldiers brandished their spears, their spearheads flashing in the moonlight. The soldier holding Theo moved both of them out of their way and Theo fretfully looked to Autumn before he was pulled away.
Gustavo wouldn’t actually order them to attack her… would he?
Gustavo held his hand out and approached her with an intense intent that Autumn didn't understand. Not wanting to touch him out of fear of consequences she backed up several steps. He continued forward, a smug smile on his face until she backpedaled almost to her bed’s footboard. He held out his hand for her to stop, then moved his hand to his right slowly, commanding her to move. Her ears were pinned against her head tightly from both fear and rage, and her muscles were coiled up tight like a spring. His eyebrow raised, and he gestured for her to move to the side again. He doesn’t even need to, he has plenty of room, he’s just enjoying this too much. She stared at him, her hatred stubbornly keeping her feet in place, their eyes locked like two rival beasts about to lunge at each other.
“One… two…”
She darted several steps to the side as he demanded. She stomped her rabbit feet several times, unable to contain her rage. The rabbit soldiers jolted in surprise but Gustavo just seemed amused.
He took another step closer, leaning just a little forward “It looks like the little peasant girl is finally learning her place. Now, stay.” He drew out the last word, like one would talking to a pet.
She could break his ribs easily. Rabbit kicks were very powerful, and one of her brothers had accidentally done just that to a neighbor. Imagine the kind of damage she could do when she was actually trying. The world may finally be free of him. But the consequences, oh the consequences. The soldiers would kill her, and even if she escaped unharmed the village would be destroyed. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t do it.
Gustavo gestured to the soldiers, and the front two rushed in, going through her storage first, then moving to check her bed and the cooking station. She never had upgraded her little shack into an actual home, she was too busy. There were some windows and the painting Logan gave her, but that was the only real decorations she had. The rest was various chests, shelves, and hanging storage along with her cooking station. Everything else was outside, which the other soldiers were busy pillaging.
Gustavo took his gaze off her for just a moment to examine her dwelling, then wrinkled his nose in disgust “What a sad excuse of a home.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t expecting any guests.” She said the last words with more than a hint of anger as she saw the soldiers in the background shoving her prized mushrooms into their bags with little regard for the effort it took to pick them.
“Autumn please don’t escalate the situation.” Theo pleaded from outside, despite not seeing what was happening.
Not even looking at Theo, she responded through gritted teeth “I think the situation is already pretty escalated.”
“Now now” Gustavo wagged his finger at her “I think you should listen to the man in sad clothes, things can certainly get a whole lot worse here.”
They’re touching her cooking implements, and she's forced to just watch as they take the best of her cooking oil and honey. They combed every inch of the place, putting their hands all over her things, everything she’s worked so hard to earn and keep. She had so little, and they treated it like a free for all. And that’s just what she can see here, who knows what’s going on outside.
He’s within kicking distance. You just have to-
No, not a good idea. You can’t be selfish now. It won’t be just you that suffers if you cause trouble. Just get through this and you can figure out a plan. Remember what you were taught about managing your intense emotions. Inhale…exhale…just breathe.
It felt like forever, the soldiers searching thoroughly as if they just know she’s hiding something good in her house. The two finally returned to Gustavo, who has been keeping his eyes on her almost this entire time.
“Did you think you were getting out of this without getting searched? Who knows what you have hiding on you. Arms up, now.” Gustavo ordered, pointing at her like it wasn't already apparent who he was talking to.
She physically recoiled from Gustavo, stomping her feet “You keep your rodent paws off me you-”
He flinched back “I would never soil my hands by touching a peasant girl!” His face shriveled in disgust.
He gestured to his soldiers and they approached. She held her arms out, trying to calm her breathing as her ears clung against her head for dear life. Mercifully it didn't take them long.
She heard the sound of heavy boots outside her door, it seems like the other soldiers have finished taking everything outside. They looked at Gustavo.
“That’s everything, now back to the ship!” He yelled.
The soldiers left quickly, carrying off all of her food but Gustavo lingered behind, his eyes on her “Well?”
She wasn’t sure what he wanted her to say, but it probably was some form of groveling.
“Is this all!?-” She pauses for a second to get her tone under control, then restarts “Is this all because I flirted with you on the docks? Look I- I was just messing with you a little then. I mess with people in this town all the time. If you really were bothered by it that much, then I’m sorry I-.”
Her anger was creeping back into her voice, so she clamped her mouth shut before it got any worse. His smile fell and his eyes narrowed, processing her words. Then realization hit and his eyes widened and eyebrows raised “It was a joke? That wasn’t genuine!”
“Yes I… Why did you sound offended by that?”
“I didn’t.” He said as if denying an accusation. After a few moments of intense eye contact he abruptly turned around and left without a glance back, his pace rapid and strides long.
What did he mean by that? He couldn't possibly….
She felt exhaustion hit her suddenly, and the thought that had started to form fades away. In the past five to ten minutes so much has happened that she’s got nothing left to give. The adrenaline has finally worn off and her body was reminding her that she’s supposed to be asleep.
She heard Theo’s quick and light footsteps coming up to her side. His ear twitched and eyes narrowed in anger as he spoke “After I paid him so much he goes and does this…it’s unacceptable. Are you ok?”
Not wanting to get into it, she simply responds “I’m fine given the circumstances. Are you alright?”
He made several grumbling sounds of frustration that vaguely sounded like a yes and shoved his hands in his pockets. He began pacing rapidly back and forth, muttering to himself furiously. He stopped just so he could kick a small rock.
She looked out at her drying racks, empty and several toppled over. The door to her smoker had been broken open, and the crops she was letting go to seed have been yanked out. She’s going to have to do inventory to see if any food was left and if any non food items were taken. Given how the soldiers were acting, she suspected that the answer to those questions were no and yes respectively.
“I will go and inform Percy. I wanted to get him but Gustavo dragged me off so quickly I didn’t have a chance to wake him up.” He stopped pacing.
“We have to do something. We can’t just let him walk all over us, not when he can just decide to do this at any time he wants.” She gestured to her pillaged fields.
He stared up at the night sky, contemplating something “I agree, but I don’t know what we can do that won’t put us all in danger. If there was an easy option to deal with this I would’ve done it already.” He sighed “Hopefully this won’t go on much longer. The plague and rebellion can’t last forever. If... if we can just outlast it then we’ll survive.”
“We can’t know anything about the future for sure. At minimum we need some kind of backup plan.”
“I will talk to Percy tomorrow and see if we can come up with something. For now just focus on feeding the town. And try to get some rest.” He looks back to her with barely concealed worry.
Autumn didn’t sleep a wink that night.
—-------—-------—-------—-------
Suffice to say the village was furious upon hearing what had happened. It wasn’t just that what happened was wrong, it was the realization that they truly were at the whims of Gustavo and the army. It brought the village together, with everyone contributing in their own way. Some offered help or their services to Autumn for cheap, others donated materials or food, and others reduced or even eliminated the amount of food they took from the root cellar through various means. Through their combined efforts they were able to keep the village from starving and meeting the army’s defender’s ration. Each time it was a close time, but each time it was successfully completed.
Then just as she regained her footing, the pirates came. They were so much worse than the soldiers, at least the food from the soldier’s tax was (probably) going to a good cause. The pirates were just straight up robbing them, there was no doubt about it.
The pirates themselves also unnerved her deeply. Whenever she came near they always stared at her as if she was a savory piece of meat. Once she saw one of them sniff the air near her and then he licked his lips. She avoided them where she could and never missed a defender’s ration, although the town had to go hungry for a few nights.
During that time she speculated about his fate, but knew he was probably dead. Probably. Greyfang certainly implied it, but he never outright specified. She certainly wasn’t go to ask him, that felt suicidal. Similarly the town was convinced that he was gone. He was rarely spoken about, with most people having moved on to worrying about the pirates and the winter. She moved on with them, since no matter what he was out of her fur for good now.
—-------—-------—-------—-------
They had survived the Ferals.
The few days after emerging from the church felt like emerging into a new world and being born all at once. The crisp and cold air felt healing as it travelled down her lungs. The big streets and open fields where everyone could spread out and move as they pleased felt as grandiose as a palace. Her old bed used to feel lumpy and stiff, but now after weeks of sleeping on a hard floor it felt like it was made of clouds.
The sentiment seemed to be popular. Sure there was some sadness: important things had been destroyed, animals had died, and there was the lingering knowledge of what happened to Pawtown. But there was something new in the village, hope. Those who had torn through the world with their teeth were unable to stand against them.
Most people didn’t want to work, doing what they needed to and nothing more. Instead they spent their time enjoying the company of others and their newfound freedom and safety. Rowan and Gruff went around fixing houses one by one completely for free. Autumn donated plenty of building supplies to them and ran around foraging and fishing for fresh food for the empty root cellar. Plus she was happy to be able to do things again. By the Sunrise festival the worst of the physical damage had been fixed, and the hollowness in everyone’s cheeks was starting to vanish.
The festival itself was a simple affair, a few tables with food atop the mountain and some lanterns placed around to keep the place alight in the dark hours. There also was a campfire, around which people laughed, told stories, and roasted food. The sun set, people played games and talked with each other under the light of the stars. It was very cold out, but between the fire and each other’s warmth, it didn’t feel that bad at all.
Percy stood up on a tree stump, and made a short speech. It was during this speech that Autumn realized that it had been a year since she arrived at Grimshire. She didn’t remember that boat ride at all, and barely remembered her time arriving. She remembered the boat horn and being carried out of the cold air and put into a soft bed with blankets but that was it. It felt so distant, like a bad dream the next day.
He proposed a toast, both for Autumn’s first year at Grimshire and for surviving the Ferals. Per tradition, Rusty served this year's new brew that he had been saving for just the occasion and everyone toasted and drank.
It was a strong deep red wine that was dry with flavors like elderberry, rosehips, and chicory. It was a fruity drink with plenty of spice and just a hint of smoke. Or at least that's what she was told. It just tasted like wine to her. She wasn't a big fan of alcohol but she would drink some wine at a celebration out of tradition.
Perhaps the most surprising moment of the night started when Kai accidentally snuck up behind her. Standing a little too close to the edge and clutching a bottle of cranberry juice, she had been leaning over the water looking at a fish when she heard his voice. Startled, she stumbled forward and almost pulled a Gustavo. Kai grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her to her feet effortlessly, saving her from a dreadful meeting with the water.
“Kai! I’m so sorry I didn’t hear you coming. What did you say?” She smiled at him, in a jovial mood from the party and the small amount of wine in her stomach.
Kai seemed like his usual rugged but handsome self. He wore a fur and leather vest on top of his usual clothes, which left his arms free to the elements. The gorgeous violet color of his eyes had always mystified her, and they examined her with concern, a familiar feeling.
“Pay more attention to your surroundings next time, if you were in the wild a Predator could’ve snuck up on you.” He crossed his muscular arms, arms that built from years of protecting his brother from ferocious Predators.
“Yes I know, you tell me all the time.” She waved her hand dismissively, having become used to his concerns by now “So, what do you need?”
His ears flicked in annoyance “How have you been eating? You’ve been regaining your strength and energy?”
“I’ve been doing fiiiiiine. I’ve eaten plenty of food and I’ve got enough energy to dance. You need to liven up a little, this is a party after all. Want some juice?” She held out the bottle to him for a few seconds but he shook his head.
He seemed more relaxed, but was still tense “Keep it up. You lost a lot of weight in the siege. I-” He pauses “You are our farmer, we need you at full strength.”
She nods, still relatively unconcerned “So, how’ve you been?”
“Busy.” He looked away
She took a second to look around. A few people had started a card game, Logan and Tano were stargazing together, and Prudence was still missing (probably getting a few more treats for the party). Not much had changed in the past minute or so and nobody seems to be paying attention to them.
“Is there any reason in particular you’ve checked on me twice today?” She waved her bottle vaguely towards him “I’m not against talking to you, I just think it’s a little weird. Or did you forget that you already asked?”
He looked back to her and shook his head “I didn’t forget.”
Ever since the siege he had been checking up on her daily, asking about her health and if she’s been eating as well as the state of her farm. Before the siege their interactions were frequent but brief, unless it was a special occasion like a festival or a birthday. They liked each other plenty, they just both had a lot going on. So this was different than she was used to, especially because she knew he wasn’t checking on anyone else in the village.
“Well I appreciate the thought, but you don’t need to be worried about me.” She took a sip of the very tart cranberry juice
“Given your past history I think I do need to worry about you.” He said curtly, clearly frustrated
Autumn felt something in the back of her mind, like when the sky darkens and the wind picks up. A storm’s coming, but it’s not a storm, it’s a memory coming to destroy her good mood and party atmosphere. She’s been trying to evade it for the past few days but Kai seems insistent that she remembers it. This conversation needs to change direction, now.
She looked away from him, then back with a smile “Kai, be honest with me, are you interested in me?” She fluttered her eyelashes slightly.
Kai froze, his frustrated stare turning into a puzzled look “What are you talking about?”
“I mean…” She took a few steps forward, until she was very close to him, making excessive eye contact with him and hardly blinking. “You just seem really obsessed with me, but you're also really awkward when it comes to talking to me. Maybe you want to tell me how you feel but you're not sure how to. Or maybe you're too nervous to do so.”
Kai looked around as if expecting an audience to be staring at him, then back to her “What’s happening?”
“I'm just letting you know that I think you're handsome and that your attempts to care for me are very cute. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She lightly touched a paw to his chest, a blush blossoming on his cheeks, then she retreated to another section of the party.
Flirting was always so fun. A friendly display of wits, and even a harmless sparring match in the right circumstances. But she especially loved flirting with guys who were not used to that kind of attention. Their flustered reactions were always so funny and cute. She had a feeling Kai wasn’t used to that kind of attention and it seemed she was right.
As for Kai, she didn’t see him the rest of the festival, whether he hid in a corner or left she wasn’t sure. She hoped he at least got to see the sunrise, it really was beautiful.
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She had a lot of fun during the celebration. Percy tried to ask Adaline on a date, but got nervous and bailed. She laughed really hard for the first time in a month. Jack and Poppy chased her around and she chased them back until they were ready to pass out. Willow showed her some of her art, then she watched Prudence and Gruff hold hands and talk with each other sweetly (will she ever find love like them?).
The stars blanketed the sky that night and the morning dawn welcomed them into the new year, a better year. She relaxed and felt at peace, the most peace she has felt in a long time. She really needed this. After all the disasters, Gustavo, the pirates, the siege, she just needed some time to not worry about any big crises for a while.
Surely this perfect night would lead right into a perfect year, she thought to herself naively.