"So, where should we go first?"

  The question was half posed more to Dominic than Rou, who was just kind of existing at the moment. Having fallen back into the life of 'stuffed animal' that he had been while young for his mother, he made no effort to complain.

  Naturally not all memories of his previous time was about, but as of yet, he was content.

  "Well, we were told somewhere between those two places and in that direction, but it's quite a ways to search."

  They both stopped to look at Rou who looked back at them and asked softly, "Yes?"

  Both sighed, as if expecting more. Right, he was a child, he was only telling them what he'd been told by Affection.

  "He talked about a bad fang. Maybe we should start there? Guess I'll…"

  "Wait, Dom, if a fang really is bad, perhaps I should be the one to reach out? Ask the Claws and Queen if they're aware of any Fangs out and about?"

  Dominic walked over and offered Shiela an affectionate kiss. "You always were the smart one." Though with the two staring at each other that way, Rou reached up to tug at his father's shirt. "No hugging. You'll squish me."

  –

  As Rou listened to the two souls within him chuckling at his teasing, Shiela bit down on her forearm and activated her rune.

  "Anyone listening?"

  A few moments later, "Yes, identify yourself."

  "Shiela Erial. Yes, that relation. No, please do not inform her." the claw on the other side snorted softly in amusement. "As you wish, this is the Claws after all, not the mage corp. What is it?"

  –

  "...well, I cannot claim to know much about the movement of the Fangs, but the commander and his new second-in-command are out for some reason. At least, that's what I overheard from one of the maids who saw them leave. Want me to ask the commander if she knows?"

  "Please. It's difficult to explain, but if need be, the Queen may be able to answer better. I should think she trusts me enough that I have no untoward intentions."

  "Yes, yes, I'll get back to you when I know more."

  And with that the rune deactivated and Shiela casually healed her arm with light magic.

  'Dear, are you able to -'

  "I'm not your dear, stop calling me that."

  'You love it, quit lying. I can hear your tail wagging down here.'

  "It is not!"

  'Then what is that thumping sound?'

  "THERE IS NO THUMPING SOUND, WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

  Rou stuck his tongue out at the sky briefly when he noticed his parents were too busy looking off the other way.

  'Are you able to tell if there's anyone else in that area I was worried about? Or going to, or from there?'

  Affection took a moment before saying, "Well, there does appear to be a caravan of sorts making their way between the towns at the moment. From the capital in your general direction, though they probably won't go as far as your village. Other than that, I'm not going to scour everything."

  'Any monsters? Spinebears, maybe?'

  "How do you even… yes, actually. Just the one, seems to have taken up residence near the path I assume you and your parents are going to use. How do you even know what one of those are?"

  'Mmm. Sorry, not sure, it just popped into my head suddenly. As something I should worry about.'

  "Mmm…"

  A soft noise to get his parents attention, the two glancing at him as he pointed. "Affection said spinebear that way. Also, between villages, caravan."

  Dominic looked in the direction Rou was point. "Of course one of those damned things is that way. Think we should go around?"

  Shiela seemed to agree.

  "Spinebear bad. Hurt someone, yes?"

  Both of Rou's parents sighed as the immediately got what he was suggesting.

  –

  "Great, it's a prime." The two adults stood a ways away, looking into the distance at a large beast that Rou was also looking at, that currently looked to be asleep.

  "Prime?"

  "Spines on the head too. I can't kill it. Magic doesn't work. Let's go around." Rou's father tapped the boy's head to show where the spines were, indicating normally they weren't.

  "...punch it?" Rou insisted softly

  Shiela, of course, giggled at that notion. "Sorry sweetie, we're strong, but not that strong."

  "Dad says you're the smart one. Smart." he motioned his hands at her as if telling her to think, using 'simple' words.

  Shiela laughed. Well, it was true, she was, hugging Rou and doing a little dance as he seemed to recall that off line. After all, she'd had a horribly demanding education that she escaped from, but it was far more pronounced than anything Dominic ever had.

  "We can't go up and over either, it will notice us and give chase. We'll have to go far back and around. Damn."

  "Dad, lean down?" Dominic seemed confused at Rou's instructions, only to walk over to him. "Spines here, yes?"

  "Yes?"

  "Look up?" He did, only for Rou to poke his throat. "No spines. Mom and me up and over. Spinebear looks up. You punch it?"

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  "..."

  "..."

  Rou looked at his parents as they looked at him. "Did you think of that, or did Affection?"

  "Me."

  Both of his parents had the same 'huh' expression. Well… amazingly he wasn't wrong. Dominic had been thinking about how he'd kill it by himself, and assumed he couldn't, but if Shiela and Rou went up and over, it probably would stand up and get pissy with them being so close.

  "Let's give it a try love? I'm fast enough to run, and you're safe enough up there. Still remember how to jump around with my wind?"

  "Been a while but yes."

  –

  This was his first time getting to watch either, or in this case both, of his parents fight. At least that was the impression Rou got as he rather eagerly watched the going-ons. Sure, he might not remember, but something deep inside suggested this was the first time he got to see this. But somehow it also seemed familiar. Had he seen them fight in his previous life?

  Shiela waited until Dominic cast a wind spell beneath her and she leapt up high into the trees, nimble enough to hop through them with the light aid of the magic. Naturally it was no anti-gravity magic and she had to put in effort, but she also used her own fire magic to flick a few fireballs down at the Prime Spinebear below to get its attention.

  The Prime roared angrily and stood up, looking up and around and challenging whoever or whatever was there with a powerful posture and sword-sharp claws on its paws. Naturally, though, its spines were all topside. Otherwise it couldn't very well move around now could it!

  Before the Spinebear could try and right itself, using wind magic in a few layers, Dominic slid across the ground at a low angle, not even making noise, before leaping up to knee the beast in the chin. It toppled backwards, and Dominic followed along with a kick off the air, pouncing the overturned Prime and beginning to rather furiously lay into it with - like his units name - fangs and claws.

  It was a rather gruesome sight all told, something Rou hadn't expected from someone he thought just 'punched' things. But indeed, Dominic, who was at half the height of the Prime Spinebear - really a third at best - kicked away as his teeth and muzzle were covered in blood, revealing that he'd took a chunk of flesh from the perfect tender spot and the monster quickly began to lose blood. It tried to chase after Dominic, but with his wind magic he was able to play keepaway long enough that the bloodloss caught up and…

  It finally fell over with a slump.

  "Let's wait it out a while." Dominic spit and made a nasty face as if trying to get the blood off his tongue, clearly not enjoying the taste. "A normal one might be done by before long but a Prime? Not a chance am I risking that. Hell, thing might be able to patch its neck up for all I know."

  Shiela stayed up high, sitting on a branch and watching with Rou held securely in one arm. Not that he wasn't already tied to her, but Shiela was as cautious as ever.

  Of course, Rou giggled as he watched his father look quite grossed out, peeling his shirt off carefully with his claw tips to try and keep things to a minimum before tossing it aside and realizing he'd have to have a bath after this.

  He totally went overboard.

  Was fairly sure he could have dealt with a normal Spinebear with his punches alone, but he wasn't risking a Prime's toughness.

  They all sat there about ten minutes before he heard in his head a familiar voice.

  "It's dead. I want a spine. Get me one."

  'Yes dear, but how would I even get it to you?'

  Having heard the 'dear' enough, Affection didn't even respond this time. "I'll think of something or another. Hold onto it, maybe it'll be useful for you, who knows?"

  Rou patted his moms hand and said, "Affection says it's dead."

  "Well, if Affection says so." There was a certain dismissive cattiness in Shiela's tone, still not quite content with the idea of her one and only baby somehow being at the beck and call of Affection. But she'd never be mean about it. Just… lippy and spiteful.

  When Shiela landed near Dominic, Dominic had already returned to grab his own pack and had carefully plucked out the sprayer, giving himself a rather pronounced wash off while also having kept staring at the downed monster while doing so. Seeing his wife and child, he raised up a little and started to ask before Shiela pointed upwards.

  "It would seem it's dead." Naturally she began to look her husband over for any hint of an injury, even raising her hands to inspect his lips and mouth, casting healing magic on him just in case. "Sadly the hero gets no kisses. You'll need a couple more rinses before you're clean enough."

  Dominic snorted before laughing as Rou jumped in verbally. "Kisses! I'll take them."

  His eyes and nose scrunched up as his mother kissed him atop the head a few times. "Can I keep a spine? Two?"

  Rou's parents looked at him, then the bear before his father said, "Sure I guess. If you promise not to –"

  "It's too sharp! Seriously, he'll hurt himself!"

  "He has to learn somehow!"

  The ever traditional standoff between these two. 'It's safe' 'It's dangerous'.

  "I want."

  Both of his parents sighed as Rou's stubborn streak seemed to have grown.

  –

  After Dominic dressed again, the three began to walk through the woods back in their original direction, using magic to get a ways away from the Prime's remains before anything else that was in the area went to take a look.

  Their solution for Rou? He got to hold one, but it had a hunk of wood stuck on the tip to ensure he didn't poke himself. This, of course, was quite funny to Rou but he appreciated the effort regardless. There was a few more spines that the two had harvested, filling up a knapsack that was tied to the back of Shiela's pack, with intention of selling them and earning some extra coin.

  And maybe getting more on the return back to their village, assuming they could probably send it with their general store owner on any capital trips to sell in their stead.

  –

  "Shiela, still there?"

  The rune on Shiela's arm lit up. "Learn anything?"

  "Yes. I spoke with the commander, and she the Queen, and she the King, and it would seem that the Fang Commander and his new second-in-command indeed headed in the direction of those villages. Something about reports of some kind of heritage site or something found deep in the woods. Normally they'd send a few scouts but the second-in-command seemed to think it might be dangerous and suggested the two of them make heads or tails of it as a precaution."

  "Shiela's husband here, is Jarek still the Fang commander?"

  "Oh? Yes, yes he is."

  "Who's his second, and what does he look like?"

  The woman promptly described someone that caused Rou to tense up, something even his parents noticed. He seemed… uncertain, but scared as the second's description was given. The two looked at each other, but didn't say anything, Shiela gently stroking Rou's head.

  –

  A few days and nights later, the two eventually arrived at the first village. Asking around, no one had seen any visitors come and the caravan hadn't showed up yet. Dominic went to speak to the local hunters and trackers and informed them of the Prime Spinebear carcass, mentioning if they wanted to deal with it they were welcome to a portion in pay.

  Probably better for all but the Erials' didn't have the time or methods to actually do it themselves beyond burning, and that was a risk in a forest.

  The three stayed the night in an inn room, enjoying the bed and quickly falling asleep.

  The next day, they set out again after a quick breakfast.

  –

  About a day later they finally came across the aforementioned caravan. Driven by a carriage tool of sorts that pulled it with magic, the tool was stopped and a couple of guards jumped out, raising spears. "Who are you?"

  Not threatening, but still cautious, even with a woman who had a child. Not all bandits were scrupulous enough to not use a kid as a shield and all knew it.

  "Me and my wife, and kid. Ex Fang, and Claw respectively. You wouldn't happen to have a couple of Fang passengers, one by the name of Jarek would you?"

  The guards seemed surprised before a tall hare leapt out of the wagon and landed in front of Dominic.

  "Well, look who it is, it's been a few years. …and the kid managed to come out safely, both him and the wife. Fancy that."

  Shiela and Dominic exchanged their greetings, Jarek even coming over to hug both of them and offered a preserved candy towards Rou that he seemed to have in a chest pocket, only for Rou to indeed see a familiar face.

  The canine 'Commander' of the Fangs from his past life's memories. Not all memories were there, but one that was there was the sight of the Claw commander beheading the fellow, blood everywhere, and Rou getting sick immediately.

  Why the grown Rou inside the child was shaking he couldn't quite say. Maybe it was the child's body interacting with his memories, but all three there saw it as the canine walked up.

  Dominic promptly reached out and pushed the second of the Fangs back with a flat palm to his chest. "You're scaring him, not sure why, but stay back."

  "How dare you put your hands on me!" he began to draw a rapier before the tall hare turned and boxed him right across the nose. "There's a child there, are you mad? He's one of us and you were indeed scaring the kid. Have some sense and step back."

  Shiela coddled Rou and as the tensions lowered slightly, Dominic finally began to explain why they were looking for them.

  –

  "Well, if your kid is able to stand being around Elios there for a while, I certainly don't mind. Wouldn't mind your help anyways. I can't use magic and he's about as useful for it likewise. Fire, wind and light would sure be nice."

  "Rou?"

  "I'm okay. …sorry." and hug around Shiela, only to whisper softly. "He's… the bad fang. But not… the scary thing. Not… not yet." Shiela hesitated before standing up and walking over to pat Dominic.

  "He'll be fine, I don't think it's too dangerous. Let's go with them."

  Knowing her well enough, hearing her ever say something isn't dangerous was an immediate sign. Not only was it dangerous, but she knew it, and that was all Dominic needed to know about the second. But she also wouldn't say to go with them if she wasn't sure.

  But what surprised both Rou's parents? Was how Rou stared at Elios. Held the Prime Spinebear spine with both hands. Whatever was it about Elios that Rou not only recognized, but was that afraid of? And why would a child look at someone like they wanted to kill him here and now? He may be three, but Dominic and Shiela both knew what their sons normal, happy expression was like.

  This wasn't that.