Sometimes I wished I didn't need to sleep. I enjoyed lying in bed with Vim. Especially when he was willing to whisper and talk to me through the night, about anything and everything. But these last couple nights I've been so tired that I fall asleep the moment my head hits a pillow, so he hasn't even been sleeping with me. I go to bed alone, and wake up alone.

"Dumb…!" I whispered harshly as I rounded another corner.

Just where was he…! I hated it when I woke up and he was gone. In the beginning it was understandable, since he was always busy and there was always stuff he needed to do or check on… but right now I had a very serious concern. One that wouldn't die down no matter how much I knew was ridiculous.

A part of me was terrified Vim would run off to Lumen without me. To face Light and her group. Either in anger, or because he felt I shouldn't get involved or something.

It was in truth a useless worry. Vim wouldn't do such a thing… but…

"Oh! Renn!"

I slowed a little and smiled at Fizz. The young girl hurried over to me as I glanced around for her parents. They were usually not far behind her, but this time it seemed she was alone.

"What'cha doing?" Fizz asked as we stepped up to one another.

"Looking for Vim, have you seen him?" I asked the young dog.

Fizz frowned and shook her head. "Not this morning. I saw him last night, with you, but not since," she said.

Great.

"Did you lose him?" she asked with a grin, as if it was hilarious that I could do such a thing.

"I might have. What're you dong Fizz? We're not near your kitchens," I said. We were in fact on the other side of the Cathedral, near the section that opened up out into the city proper. Where there was a massive market and stuff.

"I too have lost something!" she declared, and then glanced around for a moment… and then gestured for me to bend down a little. I obliged the girl, and she stood up closer as to whisper in my ear. "I'm looking for a date!"

"A… date?" I asked. Did she mean a partner…?

"There's a ball coming up! Next month. But it's one of the ones that you're supposed to go with a partner, and I don't have one yet," she said with a hushed voice.

A ball…? "What's a ball?" I asked.

Fizz leaned back a little and she gave me an odd look… then she softly smiled at me. "It's a party. The church holds them often; sometimes they're for the wealthy, sometimes for charities or something. This one is for the nuns and priests. It's a family only thing, but this year it was decided no unaccompanied children," she said as she explained.

Oh! Vim had mentioned those once. That he had participated at some when he had returned from his islands. Before joining the Society.

Still… Frowning at the way she had phrased it, I spent a small moment wondering if I had misunderstood… but then figured I had somehow, but wasn't sure how. "Don't they just mean that a parent has to accompany a child?" I asked.

"Nope! Coupled guests only! So mom and dad can go, but I can't without my own partner and I'm having a horrible time finding one!" Fizz said with balled up fists.

Really…? "You're adorable though?"

"Right! But none of the boys my age want to go with me! So I thought I'd check the schools, so I've been sneaking away and checking the boys there but none seem interesting," Fizz said with a sigh.

"Interesting?" I asked, I wonder what she meant by that.

I see though. She wasn't actually looking for a partner. She just wanted to go to this party, and to do so needed someone to go with. Such a thing made her seem more childish than usual.

"Yeah… I asked Angie if she wanted to find one with me too but she just scoffed at me. I swear, I don't know what a bison is but they're probably boring creatures. She never wants to do anything," Fizz complained.

Oh…? That's too bad to hear. Angie was very mature for her age, though there was no telling how old she actually was. But whenever I spend time with her Angie has always seemed like a calm and gentle person. I've never felt bored or bothered by her. "Maybe she's just not interested in such things yet?" I suggested.

"Maybe. Do you know anyone Renn? Are you going to be here? You'll go with Vim if you are, so I couldn't ask him either…" Fizz complained as she crossed her arms.

I smiled at that. "Your mom wouldn't like that anyway," I said.

Fizz paused, and then broke out into a laugh. "Right! She'd probably hate it worse than you would! So weird!"

It was.

"But… still… a young boy, huh…" I thought about, and realized that I couldn't think of a single one.

In fact there weren't many children here at all, to be honest. Fizz and Angie were the only non-human ones, though I've heard and met a few human children that were a part of the Society…

"Nope… I only remember girls," I said. "Can you go with a girl? If so maybe we can convince Angie to go with you?" I asked.

"To a church ball? You're kidding right?" Fizz asked with a stale tone.

Hm.

"You said you'd ask Vim…? Does that mean you can go with someone older? Or would be able to?" I asked.

"I don't know? But that'd be weird wouldn't it?" she asked.

Right… "It would…" I said with a nod. So even she was aware it'd be odd.

Yet going with Vim wouldn't have been…? Maybe it was because he was the protector…?

"Well… if you can think of any let me know. There's supposedly going to be a bunch of members showing up soon, maybe I'll get lucky and one will bring a boy my age that doesn't look like warts on a pig!" Fizz said happily as she stepped away. "Later Renn!" she shouted as she ran off, not even wanting to hear my response to her crazy suggestion.

"Warts on a pig…" I whispered.

What a statement! I'd never heard such a thing before, but the meaning and implication were utterly obvious without needing to be told! I indeed could think of quite a few men, and even some women, who could have been described in such a way!

It was almost frightening how accurate it was, honestly. And for it to have come from that adorable, cheery, little girl…

"Sounds like something Vim would have said," I mumbled as I turned to continue searching for him.

Hurrying along, I slowed each time I passed a group of nuns or priests. I was wearing the church attire here, as to better blend in than my thick leathers and clothes, but I knew running around would have made me seem odd all the same.

Really. Where was he? I've checked Randle's offices, both the one above and below ground. I've checked Oplar's Mailroom, the kitchens, all around the mansio… I'd even checked parts of the underground tunnels, and the Chronicler's office.

Right now I was heading towards the orphanages, since they were along the way to Hands' office and Link's too. If I didn't find him by the end, I wasn't really sure where else to look anymore.

The Cathedral was huge, so I knew he could be anywhere. There weren't just several floors beneath the thing, there were dozens of floors above it too. And some of the spires were so big, so tall, that they were nearly castles unto themselves.

Slowing a little, I frowned and glanced at one of the nearby windows. It revealed a small garden area, not as big as the mansio area, but just a small area with flowers and grass. It was wet, since even though it wasn't raining it had been raining earlier.

They were hard to make out, since the garden area was so small, but I could see some of the towers at an angle from the window. They loomed upward, so tall and flat it was as if I was looking up the side of a massive cliff face.

I'd like to go up one of them. To see what was at the top of them. Maybe if I didn't find Vim I'd just do that.

Enjoying the idea, I eventually checked the orphanage area and found that the schools were in session. None of the classrooms had their doors closed, so I was able to quietly walk by them and peer into them. I looked for Randle and Angie as I did, but didn't see neither. I paused to listen to one of the older women give a lecture to a large group of kids, about some kind of fish from the sea, but eventually found it boring and continued on. The next classroom was quiet, with the kids all writing diligently.

Staring into the classroom, at the kids with their heads hung low over their desks… I felt a little jealous.

Was school fun? The kids looked focus, and a few looked bored, but…

Right before the teacher, an old man with a huge beard, noticed me I stepped away and left the classroom behind.

Maybe I could ask Vim for permission to sit in on one of them one day. Would it be weird?

Leaving the school and orphanage area, I eventually found myself walking down the hallway that led to both Hands' and Link's offices. I found Hands' office to be locked, sealed shut, and although found Link was available… he wasn't available enough to talk to me.

The large man had a large group of people, all loudly talking to him. They sounded like they were debating something important so I hurried away before he noticed me.

I hadn't noticed Sillti, but knew not to find that odd. The two were madly in love still, I had teased them a little over it last night and during the Society-wide meeting the night before. I was glad for it, honestly. And a little jealous too.

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They were very flirtatious and open about their love for one another. To the point that many here, not just Angie, found them to now be utterly insufferable. To the point they don't even want to look or talk to them. I suspected it was a combination of plain annoyance, this church's atmosphere, and in some cases envy and jealousy.

"I wish Vim was more open too," I whispered as I rounded another corner.

He did display his affection for me. He even openly told people he loved me, or that I was his wife… plus we did flirt, even sometimes in front of others… but there was still a part of me that felt like Vim was sometimes just a little too distant.

It wasn't his fault. I knew it was just the way he was. He was old, in a way. So old that he just took things… slowly. Calmly. He didn't rush. Not for that kind of stuff, at least.

"Rennalee!"

Going still, I turned and smiled at the young bison who had shouted my name. She picked up her pace, hurrying after me. She passed a nun, who giggled at her, and then hurried up to me.

"Hey Angie. I was just at the orphanage, didn't see you there," I said as she stepped closer.

A little too close, in fact.

Frowning down at the young bison, I wondered what was wrong as she stepped even closer, and reached up to grab at my robe.

For a tiny, impossible moment, I panicked… but then calmed down a bit as Angie's calm expression told me all was well. She was just… being odd, maybe.

"Renn," Angie tugged on my robe, whispering a little.

Oh…? Was I going to get to whisper with someone else twice today?

Seemed I was. I bent a little, and smiled happily as Angie went to whisper into my ear. Unlike Fizz though, she didn't whisper into my human ear, but instead whispered a little above it. To where my hat was. To whisper into my proper ears. It told me that Angie was more in tune with our non-human selves than Fizz was. Even though Fizz was stronger and thicker in the blood than Angie. Angie couldn't open the gate to the mansio, but Fizz could.

"Is it true?" she whispered.

"What?" I whispered back.

"That Randle is leaving? Being banished?" Angie whispered with an even quieter voice.

I frowned for a moment, and wondered why she was asking this. As far as I had been told, Randle's banishment… his attacking of Light and the subsequent fight and bloodshed, had happened weeks ago. In fact Angie and I have spent some time together recently these last few days. Not just during the member's discussion the other night either. We've had several meals together, and she's even showed me her office at the orphanage. Though in reality it was a shared office with the other teachers.

Why ask now? And not these last few days?

I nodded carefully, since I wasn't sure what to think of what was happening. "Yes. I'll be honest I don't agree with it myself, but yes. He raised his hand to another member, she defended herself and although called for his banishment did so only of here, Telmik, and of the church. Not the Society, though," I said gently.

Angie leaned back a little, but I remained a little bent forward. Just in case she wanted to whisper some more.

We were relatively alone in the hallway… but like the older nun who had giggled at her earlier, there were people around us. I could hear footsteps and voices, though they were a hallway or two away from us, or in other rooms nearby.

"I don't understand, Renn. He's a spineless coward. He'd not attack someone!" Angie said sharply.

I smiled gently at the young girl who suddenly looked absolutely worried.

Did she think it was all a lie…? Even Vim believed it happened. And he knew Randle better than most did, I think. Even if he didn't want to admit it.

"Even the spineless stand for something, sometimes, Angie. And Randle himself admits to it," I said.

Angie's bottom lip quivered for a moment, and then she sighed and looked down at our feet.

Hm…

Did she care for the man…? It seemed so.

"Have you… not talked to him about it, Angie?" I asked.

She shifted a little, half nodding and half shrugging. "He told me he was banished, and will have to leave before winter's end. But he's been so busy and…" she mumbled.

I see. Has he been ignoring her, maybe? Randle did seem a little… ashamed. Even when I spoke to him he did so only gently and only answered questions. As far as I was aware the only person he's actually been talking to with in any real depth was Vim, and Vim wasn't telling anyone what they had spoken about.

Poor girl. I reached out and patted her on the head. She kind of glared at me as I did so, like usual not caring much for the touch of people. "A lot's happening right now… do you want to go find him with me? We can force him to sit and talk to us if you want," I offered.

Angie's glare softened a bit, and she sighed at me. "No… it's fine. I need to… consider things, now, instead," Angie said.

Consider…? "Consider what, Angie?" I asked.

"Everything."

Pulling my hand away, I hesitated a bit. Angie's eyes had gone a little cold, as had her tone. And not because I had been messing with her hair.

Bending down a little more, I crouched a bit as to look her in the eyes. The young bison blinked, and actually smiled a little at me as she noticed me do so.

"Just know Angie… no matter what happens, Vim and I will always be on your side. No matter what you hear, or even what you believe… know if you ever need any help of any kind, you need only ask. You'll get it," I promised to her.

The young bison studied me for a moment… and then gave me a sad smile. "I appreciate that, Renn. Unlike the others I don't blame my family's deaths on Vim. I know he would have saved them had he been there, or known about it. But… my fear is not for myself," she said.

A little stunned, I nodded slowly as I held her gaze. Her statement was not too surprising. I had known for some time that many blamed Vim for the more recent deaths and losses of our members. And not just of Angie's family, too. But what did surprise me was Angie's confidence.

Angie was far more mature than I had thought, and I had already thought her mature as it was!

"What do you fear then…?" I whispered, since I heard footsteps behind me. They were distant still, but I didn't want to risk it.

Angie shifted, and I noticed the way she glanced over my shoulder. She had also noticed the people heading our way.

"The children. They're all human."

I slowly nodded. Right. The ones in the orphanage. "Yes…?"

"I overhead one of them. A tall lady with white in her hair of black. One of the ones who banished Randle. Claiming the era of humans was to end soon," Angie said quietly.

Frowning deeply, I nodded gently as I absorbed what she was saying.

A tall lady. With black hair, that had white in it.

Landi's sister maybe…? Landi had a white stripe in her eyebrows and hairline… But… "Era of humans…?" I whispered that odd term.

In essence it was. Even Vim considered it to be their era, and not ours. We didn't have the numbers anymore, so it made sense.

But…

It was to end soon…?

"I didn't understand it either. So I looked it up in the library and asked Flexa about it, a really old nun who can't walk anymore. Era in that context means rule. Basically today is the era of humans, because they rule the world," Angie said, explaining it to me as if she had just found upon a great secret no one else knew.

I nodded slowly as my ears fluttered under my hat. Angie was suddenly more expressive than ever before! She had a furrowed face, and her hands were in front of her, with wiggling fingers as if she wanted to do something with them but didn't know what to do. She looked cute; though it worried me how scared she seemed to be.

"So to claim that it's the end would mean…" I added for her.

She nodded briskly. "That new rulers would come into power. And it'd not be human ones."

Although I couldn't imagine how humans could be brought that low in today's world, I decided to entertain the idea for a moment since Angie was taking it so seriously.

"And that scares you, Angie?" I asked.

"It means the children are in danger! If they want to kill them all, they'll start with them! And without Randle here, how can I protect them against people who want to slaughter them! When I can't even protect myself!" Angie spoke quickly, and although with a hushed voice also squeaked a little in strain as she grew even more emotional. She actually stepped forward a bit, nearly bumping into my knees as she did.

"Right…!" I felt my own heart thump harshly as Angie stared at me with terror filled eyes. She looked more terrified now than she had that night at that inn. Near her home, and those raging fires. When she had been abandoned by that human who had found her on the side of the river, unconscious.

Angie nodded quickly, making small noises as she did. She looked like she was about to cry, which almost made me want to cry with her.

This was why she was worried for Randle. She saw him as the only thing protecting the children.

How was someone so young so motherly?

And how had I not thought of this before…?

Maybe this was another reason Vim didn't want to recklessly confront Light and the rest… because he knew that, like these children here, far more than just our members would then become at risk. They would then be in danger. And it would unroot and sow discord in so many different ways…

It wasn't just here in Telmik, or the churches. Lumen was the same. Lumen's Society, the Animalia Guild, employed thousands of people. Those were families. Innocents.

Did we, us non-humans, really have the right to so greatly impact so many?

Did anyone? Or anything?

Taking a small breath, about to say something, I heard the sound of small whispers and laughter. The people behind us were near enough now that they would soon be able t o hear us whispering, especially with Angie being so emotional.

We couldn't have this conversation here.

"Come on Angie. Let's go tell Vim about this," I said as I stood and held out my hand to her.

Angie took it, but hesitated. "Why…?" she asked.

It was my turn to hesitate as I stopped myself from turning and walking. "Why not…?" I asked. Why wouldn't we tell Vim such important information?

Hadn't she just said she trusted him? That she knew he'd not abandon her and her family? Even though others claimed he had? I wish I knew who was telling her such things, though…

"They're not members," Angie stated.

For a small moment I couldn't comprehend Angie's words… but then I realized exactly what she meant.

They were human. Children, yes, but human nonetheless…

And… she was right.

The orphanages were run by the church. By Randle and our people, sure, but not because they were our children. From what I'd been told about them, the children themselves were not members. What happened was as the children grew up, as they were taught and examined by those overseeing them, those like Randle picked out the ones who could be trustworthy and useful. And only then, after proving themselves, did they actually become members…

So technically…

Angie was right.

So in her opinion, her view, asking Vim… the Society's Protector, made no sense.

Because he protected us. Only us. No one else. Ever.

The realization made me sick, since it meant that this has likely happened countless times throughout the years.

How many other members have worried, panicked, and maybe even got hurt or died because they had not believed Vim would have helped them? Not because they hadn't trusted him, or thought him capable, but simply because they thought he'd not do so even if they asked? Because it had not concerned the Society proper or its members?

"Only a couple are picked in each group-year, Renn. At best only a handful are chosen! This year only three are being chosen, and they all went with Light and the rest to Lumen, the rest here aren't members!" Angie said quickly as the nearby nuns approached.

Feeling a little tired all of a sudden, I nodded. "I know. It's okay. Let's go find him anyway," I said, trying to hide my real concern as I smiled and waved to the nuns who walked past.

They waved back, more so to Angie than me, and we were left alone.

Odds are they had simply thought we were sisters or something. Maybe mother and daughter. Angie wore a similar robe as I did, though her color was different.

"Okay… but I'll cry when he tells me not to worry about them and that he won't help," Angie said with a weird groan as we started walking, hand in hand.

"So would I," I admitted.

Angie glanced up at me, so I looked back at her.

Squeezing her hand, I smiled down at the bison. "So let's make sure he doesn't say something like that, okay?" I suggested.

Angie stared up at me, and then her eyes grew firm as she nodded.

"Mhmkay!" she said, a little childishly.

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