Caell’ian, Human Realm

  Caell’ian looked around the forest clearing outside the cave. It looked somehow different from how he remembered it. Did the Veil sometimes open to a different part of this world? No, that wasn’t possible. The scouts had confirmed they always came out in the same place, no matter where they entered the Veil. Maybe things had changed since his last visit with his mother. After all, two centuries were a long time in this world.

  ‘I thought you said they have only one sun. Why is it so bright?’ Tormandor asked, squinting uncomfortably.

  ‘Their sun is stronger than ours, and their moon feels weaker. But you’ll get used to it soon.’

  Tormandor didn’t look very convinced and moved under a tree.

  ‘It is beautiful. So wild and irregular,’ Halliena commented. She looked excited like a little girl.

  Caell’ian smiled at her. ‘Just wait till you see the animals,’ he said.

  ‘What about the humans?’

  ‘They look pretty much like us. Well, more like the Low Fae. But I haven’t seen many of them. Mother only allowed us to observe them from a hiding place. We were not supposed to approach them. They are just as wild as nature here, and their dwellings are very primitive.’

  They proceeded through the dense woods, marvelling at the unfamiliar sights, scents and sensations. Caell’ian had to stop Halliena from tasting various berries and flowers since he couldn’t remember if they could have adverse effects on Fae. Against all advice, Sandor tried a small green fruit and spat it out immediately.

  ‘Disgusting. Bitter and tart. No wonder they eat animal flesh here if their fruit tastes like that. Maybe we could try that? Danghe’llan told me that one has to burn them first or something. Or was that humans?’

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  ‘You will not try to eat humans!’ Alean’or ordered him.

  ‘Fine, fine. How about those? They look a bit like oversized one-tailed whisps.’

  ‘I think those may be dogs. They are a bit like whisps but come in different shapes and sizes, and humans keep them as pets and guards. I don’t think they are edible.’

  Sandor looked at the animals sceptically. The creatures’ heads were held high, their ears pricked forward in alertness, and three pairs of eyes gleamed with an intense golden light that seemed to pierce through the darkness of the tree shades. Their jaws were lined with sharp, gleaming teeth as they started to growl.

  ‘Those humans must really be wild if they keep things like these as pets. They don’t look very tasty either. Maybe one has to burn them to get rid of the fur?’

  ‘I think they are planning on eating you rather than becoming your dinner,’ Tormandor commented, drawing his sword.

  ‘Don’t,’ his sister said and put a hand on his arm. Her hands formed spheres of silver glamour energies as she approached the animals. The magic settled around the beasts, who stopped growling and slowly sank onto their back haunches, regarding her with something akin to curiosity. Halliena patted the biggest one on the head and said, ‘They are pretty. But they smell really bad and their fur is nowhere as soft as that of a whisp.’

  ‘Oh, I remember. Those are the wild kind of dogs they call wolves here,’ Caell’ian admitted sheepishly.

  ‘That’s interesting, but we need to continue. We cannot get distracted by every new creature we find on the way,’ Alean’or warned.

  ‘I wish we’d been allowed to bring our battlekin,’ Sandor grumbled.

  ‘We cannot risk such valuable beasts. Who knows what they could eat in this place that would disagree with them? But there are animals called horses here. They are smaller and slower, but maybe we can find some of them,’ Caell’ian suggested.

  ‘Do they just walk around for anyone to pick them up?’ Alean’or asked sceptically.

  ‘I think it is better if we walk. We can see more of the place if we proceed on foot,’ Halliena chimed in, still looking around in fascination.

  ‘Hey, look at this. It’s like a little sylvan,’ Sandor called, picking up some elongated, narrow animal. It was the length of his arm, and it started wriggling and hissing.

  ‘Those are snakes. They may be much smaller than sylvans, but some of them are just as venomous. Leave it be,’ Caell’ian told him.

  Sandor attempted to throw the unruly creature away, but it snapped at his wrist and tried to bury its two sharp fangs into the vambrace of his armour. He shook it off and said, ‘I hope you broke your teeth, beastie. Serves you right for being so unfriendly. I hope those humans are less hostile.’