The Free - Please Don't Post

[Hail.]

Prologue

"But how about your family? Your true kin? Your flesh and blood?" My ears rose and I watched the creature warily as it carried on, curious as to where this was going, but anxious to get out. I hadn't heard a being mention my family for quite sometime, and the topic of the haunting absent memory brought a pang to my chest. "I'll make a deal with you. Leave me Raven, as this body is decaying before your eyes, and I will give you your family. Your mother and father, the viscets you never knew but always longed to. The reason you started wandering, the reason you still do. You'll have them. Your life will be completed, a silver cord tied into a circle, all for the cost of a Viscet you've never truly known."

[Hail.]

Chapter 1 - Missing

A shrill cry rang violently through my ears, forcing my eyelids to open as I glowered at the source, a young rooster that had somehow climbed into my self-made hut. I laid there a moment, simply glaring at the creature, feeling too lazy to move, until I finally had enough. With a quick snap, the chicken clucked wildly and bolted from my den, leaving me with a small pile of white and brown feathers. I groaned and stretched my forepaws out before me, curling my tail upward as I did so. Xuikcho often said that I looked like a cat when I stretched, but hey, it works so why stop? After my forelegs, I leaned foreword and stretched out my hindlegs while I looked around the mess of twigs for Teeki, the small Cape Sugarbird that had been my companion since I was no more than two feet tall. The bird was resting on his bed of moss and flower petals, his idea, not mine, his chest moving rapidly as his mind explored the vast expanse of dream land. I smiled slightly and contemplated waking him, decided against it, then decided for it and gently nudged him with my nose. Teeki churred unhappily, lifted his head, blinked a few times, and stretched out his wings before taking flight only to land on my left shoulder again. Ever since day one, Teeki had a preference to ride on my shoulder, only flying when he needed to. This confused me greatly and annoyed me at first, but now I feel awkward whenever the little bird is not on my shoulder.
I jumped up the funnel that led inside of my den and crawled out, stopping at the edge and looking at the activities of the camp. Amaris was talking to Ahkema, most likely about the chores needed to be done, Raven was jogging off to hunt, Xuikcho and Kishi were wrestling while Ashitani and Kazim watched to make sure their kids didn't get hurt, Impari was rolling logs again while his serpentine companion* slept lazily on his shoulder. Naien was no where to be seen, which didn't surprise me. She was a night owl, after all. Finally, Tau and Saakali, the two visclings of the pack, were chasing the rooster madly while it clucked wildly and scrambled about, it's wings flailing in a blur of white and brown. I watched the scene play out for a moment and chuckled lightly. At least I know who put the chicken in my den.
"Hey Zíyòu, come here for a moment." I looked at Amaris, who had called out to me. She and Ahkema stood watching me, Ahkema with a rather impatient look. I slid down and landed on all fours then rose onto my hind legs and jogged to them. Amaris had her scarf, glove, and tag on, which meant that something big was happening. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm doing well. I would have slept longer, had it not been for the rooster the kids are playing with." I studied Amaris carefully. I knew her too well, though I probably have known her for the least amount of time out of the other viscets, and knew when something big was coming up. It was rare for her to wear her items this morning, and even rarer for her to start the conversation off with how I was feeling, rather than my health or chores.
"That's good. Listen, Raven's caught scent of something that keeps bobbing in and out of our territory. We can't send him after it since he doesn't know the area beyond the border..." Her voice drifted off. She was uncomfortable about asking me this, as though she felt it would be a burden too big for me to bear. I, on the other hand, was beginning to love the idea. Not only was there a chance to explore, but to also meet a new Viscet on the way.
"So you want me to go check it out? Sure, why not? I love a little adventure, it's nessicary to anyone's daily routine."
Amaris visibly relaxed, as though someone had dropped a gun they were holding to her head. "Thank you for your willingness. When Raven returns I will have him show you the most recent scent."
I nodded and smiled at her, trying to remove any doubt she felt about this mission. "Sounds good, I'll be ready when he is."
Amaris nodded to me and turned to Ahkema, who had been watching me with a stoic and cold expression*. "Just be on alert, Zíyòu. We don't know who or what it is for sure and we just need you to find out. Don't come into contact with it, don't stay longer than a minute, and don't try to bring it back. Take a look, walk away. Am I understood?" Ahkema's voice was cold, chilling almost, but that's the way it always was.
"Yes ma'am." I gave a sharp nod to her and smiled confidently. "Don't contact, don't stay, and don't bring it back. Understood." Ahkema nodded slowly as if she were uncertain about my understanding, but Amaris gave the dismissal before she could speak anything else. I turned away and jogged off, heading back toward my den for no reason in particular other than to get out of the sun. I was summer time here, and the vast expanse of trees did little to mask the heat the sun carried. As I laid down in the shade of my den, I watched Tau and Saakali tumble about happily. I didn't know how the visclings did it, sometimes. They always seemed so full of energy, no matter the weather, and always saw thing through a brighter, happier side. Even in the heat, they still bounded about wildly on all fours, racing after a rooster that we didn't even need, and it was all for the sake of fun and games.
A shadow crept toward me, and I turned to look up at its source. Xuikcho stopped and twisted her mouth into a crooked frown. "I can never catch you off guard, can I?"
I knew it was coming the instant she opened her mouth. I turned my head around quickly, just in time to give Kishi a smirk that froze her in her crouched position. "Nope."
Kishi released a huff of air and rose onto her hind legs. "We're going to catch you sometime, you know that right?"
"Then don't tell me that. If you want to spook me, don't tell me your going to or else I'll be expecting it." I smiled at her and watched as she padded over to Xuikcho with a grumpy expression. "Aw, don't worry. You'll get me one day."
Xuikcho chuckled slightly and shook her head at me. "Alright, alright. We'll stop trying to scare you now. Come on, Kishi. Let's go see what Naien's up to." The two turned away and began to jog off. Before they got too far, I decided to call out to them.
"Hey Xuikcho." She turned back and tilted her head slightly at me. "Good move." A grin stretched across her face and she stuck her tongue out before turning and jogging toward poor Naien's den with Kishi.

Nightfall came with no sign of Raven, and things began to get stressful. Amaris was seen in and out of her den, moving back and forth from Naien and Ahkema. She kept shaking her right paw as she passed as though it were covered in water. Not a good sign. Amaris had a quirk of doing that whenever she was stressed or something had gone wrong. I didn't know much of what was happening or what to do, so I watched as Naien and Ahkema left the camp togeather, the only two viscets with a source of light that will never faulter. When they left, Amaris approached me hesitantly and laid down in front of me. "Alright... Raven didn't come back..." Her voice was shaken. She was uncertain, stressed, and a little scared. I understood why though. She was the alpha, the leader and protector of a pack of twelve and thus had responsibilities not only to the others but to herself as well. It was a heavy burden. Even more so when one went missing. "I sent Ahkema and Naien to find him...but I told them not to leave the border..."
"I don't think he's in the border." I knew Raven, too. He was quick thinking and followed a strict schedule. If he wasn't back when he was supposed to be, he wasn't in the territory.
"I know... But I need to make sure, and right now they're my best bet..." She didn't look at me, her eyes were locked on a lady bug that climbed up and down the same blade of grass over and over again.
"Call them back."
"What?" Amaris lifted her eyes to gaze at him with a curious and suspicious gaze.
"I'm going to go look for him. I've spent enough time out in the dark to know how to navigate through it, and I'm the only one who's been constantly out of the territory. I'll go find him and be back before the sun rises."
"I can't let you do that." It was a lie. She was thinking about it, he could tell by the way her eyes looked. A hazy fog coating the red, giving it a pink-ish sheen.
"Yes, you can. Amaris, send me. If something happens to me, I'll send Teeki back."
"And if something happens to Teeki?"
I laughed. "Nothing will happen to Teeki. That birds immortal."
Amaris didn't smile. "Alright... I'll call them back. If you aren't back and if I don't see Teeki by sunrise, I'll look for you myself."
"Sounds like a plan."

Zíyòu's Footnotes
serpentine companion - Teeki likes Impari, but hates the snake he brings with him. Because of that, Teeki often flies off when Impari comes nearby, only to return after Impari leaves. We played a game once where Impari kept coming close and walking away. Teeki kept flying off and returning before he let out a frustrated squak and began pecking me.

Ahkema's Expression - Ahkema never really seems to be happy and always has a look on her face like someone had just said the worlds dumbest thing. It's her natural expression though, so it's best not to think too much of it.

[Hail.]

Chapter 2 - When the Moon Claims Its Throne

Ahkema stormed into the camp and marched up to me. The flames on the candles that rested on her horns shown brightly and danced violently with every step. I braced myself for what was to come, knowing that she wouldn't be happy about my plan. "You idiot!" Louder than I expected. I flinched slightly and glanced about, worried that she might wake someone. Behind her, Naien slipped into camp, took one look at them, and padded toward her den. "You think you can find a black and grey Viscet in the pitch dark?!"
"He has some blue and white..." I know, I know. I had to though, it's fun to mess with her.*
"You know what I'm talking about! How do you plan to see?! Something could leap from the shadows and take you out!"
"That's why I have Teeki."
"Teeki! That pathetic feather coated chicken is not going to help you!"
Teeki churred unhappily and ruffled his feather. "Feather coated chicken? Chickens already have feathers."
Ahkema snarled in rage and began to step toward me, preparing herself to give me a whack with her tail. Before she could, Amaris jogged over and snapped at her. "I authorized him to go, and he has confidence that he can do it. He's the only one who's been past the border more than once and he knows how to navigate darkness." Her tail flicked about and her mane stood on end. Ahkema snarled at her and glowered venomously. This wasn't uncommon to see. Ahkema always had ambition to be alpha but never was able to, so she often tried to rebel against Amaris, which led to near out breaks of violence between the two, but never amounted to anything more than snarls and snaps. Finally, Ahkema backed down with a grouchy snort and walked passed me, shoving me with her shoulder as she marched to her den. Amaris released a heavy breath and I watched as her features returned to normal, her mane slowly lowering back to its ordinary possition and her tail resting on the ground. "I'm sorry about that."
"Don't be. This is why your alpha*." I gazed at her encouragingly, hoping she would understand what I was saying.
Amaris remained quiet for a moment before turning her gaze to me. "Are you ready?"
"I'm always ready for an adventure." I bounced slightly, excited to get moving and to solve this mystery.
"Be back by sunrise."
"Or send Teeki if something goes wrong."
"I don't want to see Teeki first, Zíyòu." Amaris frowned sternly.
"Woah there, Amaris. Your inner mother is showing."
Amaris sighed and smiled slightly. "Just be safe... And bring him home."
"Will do, Alpha. I'll see you in the morning." I turned away before she could say another word and sprinted off passed the tree line that marked the center of the territory. There was no need to inform Xuikcho or Kishi of my journey, after all I plan to be back by sunrise. I weaved passed the rocks that hovered in the grass like icebergs and hopped a fallen log. Everything had a weak green hue to it as my eyes filtered the lowest amount of light and reflected it back, revealing things that would be hidden to the average eye at night. Finally, two tall boulders that were tilted toward eachother like a gateway cut through the darkness like the fins of a shark as I neared the border of the territory. I slowed to a stop and sniffed about, searching for the familiar scent of Raven. Ahkema and Naien's scents were stronger here, but beneath them I caught scent of him. A moment later, I caught his trail and took off after it. It wasn't long until his scent became meddled with another's. I paused and sniffed at it, trying to tell if it was sour or sweet*, but unable to distinguish the two scents. I snorted in frustration and carried on with my pursuit of the scents. Teeki bobbed slightly on my shoulders, his head raised as he examined the area around us.
I kept running for what felt like hours as the moon took its place at the top of the sky, dousing the earth in its pale silver light that did little to battle the devouring darkness that seemed to seeth from every blade of grass. The scents faded and came back in an inconsitant rhythm showing points where they stopped for some periods of time before carrying on with wherever they're going. Raven's scent was almost gone now, weak and pathetic like a worm writhing in the sun. Perhaps that was a harsh metaphor...
Teeki screeched at me and I turned just in time to see a flash of silver fly at me and feel the wind of the object brush my cheek as the flying silver object rushed passed where my head was. I slowed to a stop and lowered myself, keeping my ears high as I surveyed the shadows around me, waiting for something to move. I stood stiff for several moments, waiting for a sign of its location, but receiving nothing instead. Well, except for what happened an instant after my guard lowered. Leaves rustled behind me and a heavy blow was delivered to the back of my head, sending me down into the dead leaves and grass of the undergrowth. I groaned and tried to get my paws beneath me, my vision blurry and blood roaring in my ears. Paws stopped in front of me for a moment, then another blow came and everything faded to black.

Zíyòu's Footnotes
Messing with Ahkema - okay, okay, I'm normally not like this around others, but it's so much fun with Ahkema! I do, however, know when enough is enough and am always ready to weasel myself out of any danger I get into through this, though Amaris often beats me to it by coming to my rescue.

"That's why your alpha." - I personally believe that an alpha is someone who should be calm in every circumstance no matter what happens and is able to resolve conflicts without violence. This is why I admire Amaris so much, as she is more than capable of handling mutiny and chaos than any Viscet I know to this day.

Sour or Sweet - I distinguish good and bad creatures through their scents. Cruel animals have a sour scent that stings my nose, and kind animals have a sweeter scent that still burns my nose, but hurts a little less.

[Hail.]

Chapter 3 - Free Fall

Red attacked my eyelids in a series of squirming, violent waves that caused my eyelids to twitch wildly until I cracked them open. Light rushed at me all at once and the colors in front of me blurred into a mass of green, blue, and yellow. I groaned and sat up slowly, my head pounding like a timpani drum. I opened my jaw crookedly and felt the pop followed by a slight creak* and sighed in relief. Finally, I forced my eyelids open further and gaze around me as colors parted from eachother and formed solids shapes of grass, trees, bushes, and the sky painted with silver clouds. I was exactly where I was before I was consumed by darkness, which is a good sign. I checked my necklace, happy to see that it was still intact with all eleven feathers, and looked to my shoulder, expecting to see the tiny brown lump of feathers, but instead seeing only the gold and green markings on my fur. I frowned and looked around me, thinking that he may have just landed somewhere else, but there was no sign of the little bird.*
I grunted and forced myself up onto my hind legs, staggering slightly before regaining my balance completely. "Alright Zíyòu, let's do the run down.* First things first, what was I doing? I was searching for Raven and on the trail of his kidnapper. Second, where am I?" I looked up at the sky, squinting as the sun beamed down on me. "East of the territory, probably a few miles out. Third, what happened? There was a flash of silver to my right, a distraction, and then received a blow to the back of the head, which knocked me down. Them paws stepped in front of me and I got another hit. Paws... What color?" My mind raced as I tried to recal what color they were, though all I could think of was a slate grey from the shadows that coated us. "Grey... If the shadows made them grey, they're either silver or white. Alright, now we know the basics. It's time to get moving." I began sniffing around me trying to pick up the scents that were there before. Raven's was gone, faded with the dark mist of night, and my attackers were absent, most likely covered somehow. Raven's kidnappers, however, was still there, weak, but there. I immediantly took off after the scent as I pursued the target. Trees fled from my vision as I passed them and bushes began to merge into a steady stream of green. I pressed onward until a small warning rang in my head, telling me to stop. Remembering last time I ignored it*, I slammed my paws into the ground and skid, stopping just short of a cliff and sending some pebbles over the edge. I panted heavily and leaned over slightly gazing down at the abyss below, thank the voice quietly in my head. "Alright, punk, where'd you go now?" I flicked my tail and began sniffing about. The trail went right over the edge, but I wasn't quite dumb enough to jump down. I laid on my belly and rested my paws on the cliffs edge, leaning my head over and studying the area below. Mostly a steep drop off, except for one little platform that would have been hidden had it not been for the possition of the sun. What luck!
I quickly shimmied to the edge and aimed my self before sliding off. Mid-air, the though struck me that this platform might not hold my weight, and then I landed. It was a heavy landing, and had it not been for my instinct to buckle my legs and let the force of the blow through me I might have a broken leg or two. Once I was on the platform, I took sometime to gaze out at the scene before me and whistled. It sure was beautiful. The cliff side was barren of any vegetation on my side, but on the other it was decorated with vines and trees with trunks that bent toward the sky. Bushes sat, their roots burrowed into the cracks of the cliffside, and birds swooped from tree to tree, singing happily. "If only Teeki could see this..." The thought of my friend returned my mind to the mission at hand, and I turned away from the lovely wall, focusing on the barren half of the canyon. Behind the platform, a hole had been formed artificially and bore the scent of Ravens kidnapper. I took a deep breath and braced myself for the unknown before stepping into the dark abyss.

Zíyòu's Footnotes
No sign of Teeki - I really wasn't too worried about this. Teeki is tougher than me and knows what to do if something goes wrong. Plus, he was there when I said I'd send him back if something happened to me, so it's likely that he went back to camp.

The Run Down - As a viscling, I'd often hit my head on something hard and fall unconscious. A few times, I would forget where I was or what I was doing after I woke up. Now, I do a run down, where I recall what happened before the blow and assess the situation at hand.

Ignoring the Voice - I heard a small voice in my head when I was wandering with Xuikcho before she was shot. It told me to stop and turn away, but I ignored it and... The outcome wasn't pretty.

[Hail.]

Chapter 4 - The Parted Trail

The cave was cold and damp, water dribbled down from the top in a constant pattern, falling into ever growing puddles. Moss coated portions of the wall closer to the water and squished beneath my toes as I ventured into the darkness. Seventy five paces in the cave and I began to wonder how deep this went. The ceiling have begun to narrow toward the floor, forcing me to walk in a hunched stance while it scratched at my back and ears. A bat shrieked and flew of in a flurry of leathery wings and fur. I paused a moment to watch the skittish creature before carrying on with my journey. My foot fell into a puddle that was deeper than expected, and I fell to all fours with a grunt. I took a moment to stand, not because of injury or pain, but frustration. Exploring a tiny, damp, dark cave without my trusty companion was not really something that I hoped. In fact, it was absolutely dreadful.
I grunted and pulled my foot from the hole, shaking it to remove some of the water, and rose to my hind legs, remaining hunched slightly. I sighed heavily and carried on with the slow pathway. I had forgotten about the scents, though I didn't much care anymore. I was focused on avoiding the cobwebs and misleading puddles that laced the cave like mines. After sometime of marching along, the ceiling rose from its pushing height to a more comfortable one, one higher than the entrance at that.
I stopped and straightened, my back popping in relief. The new cave was taller with a paler stone color and free of dripping water or cobwebs. The walls were smooth and perfectly dome-shapped as though someone had carved it out. At the center of the cave, a pillar rose from the ground, narrowing in the center and growing broader at the top and bottom. I inhailed and cringed at the intensity of the two sour and sweet scents that smacked me violently. They were here, that was a fact.
I didn't move for a moment, unwilling to worsen the panging in my nose. After a few deep breaths from my mouth, I stepped into the dome-shaped cave and looked around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for the incredibly smooth walls and perfectly placed pillar. I slowed as I reached the pillar and studied it before slowly circling it. I watched the stone as it curled in a continuous circle. My eyes caught onto a figure nearby and I took a second glance at it, jumping a good foot in the air when my eyes locked onto it. A faceless Viscet. It's body was big, but not in the way of muscle or fat, but height. It was tall and lean with a powerful tail. It stood erect with a quiet intensity that flowed from its core like a nuclear power generator. It stood in silence, turned to face me as though it were staring at me. A chilling feeling trickled down my spine and made my fur stand on end. When my gaze was finally able to glance away, I caught sight of Raven's limp body, thrown into a heap in the corner. The faceless Viscet caught my gaze and began walking toward me. "Zíyòu. You finally came." It's voice came from everywhere and no where, inside me and away from me. It was my voice and it wasn't at the same time, as undefined as the creatures face.
"I just want Raven." The creature continued walking toward me, swaying slightly as its paws sought the ground. From here, I could see the details of its face better, though I wish I couldn't. It's entire body was coated in a thin layer of skin that was pulled tight. On its face, the skin sunk into the hollow of its eyes and covered its nose and mouth, the outline being the only sign of their existence. It's body was worse off. Each bone was visible along with every bump and twist of the muscles. It's stomach was shrunken with starvation and the skin bulged over intestines. From its spine, the mane rose stiff and tough to the point that it looked more like stone than fur.
A chuckled vibrated around him and I felt my muscles tense. "Perhaps a deal will strike your interest?"
The creature stopped two feet from
me, it's hollow face sending chills into my bones. "I just want-"
"Raven, I know. But how about your family? Your true kin? Your flesh and blood?" My ears rose and I watched the creature warily as it carried on, curious as to where this was going, but anxious to get out. I hadn't heard a being mention my family for quite sometime, and the topic of the haunting absent memory brought a pang to my chest. "I'll make a deal with you. Leave me Raven, as this body is decaying before your eyes, and I will give you your family. Your mother and father, the viscets you never knew but always longed to. The reason you started wandering, the reason you still do. You'll have them. Your life will be completed, a silver cord tied into a circle, all for the cost of a Viscet you've never truly known."
I fell into silence, the energy leaking from me as my gaze slowly turned to Raven's limp body. The face that had always been painted with a worrying smile, eyes that had a comforting life in them. He was the only one capable of calming Ahkema, of calming anyone. He hadn't spoken much to me, but he was kind and cared a lot for the other viscets, though it seemed as though he was mostly ignored. He always seemed sad, as though he knew he didn't belong and was just trying to force a smile for those around him. Teeki didn't like him much, but Teeki hardly likes anyone.
"What will it be, my friend?"
I slowly turned my gaze back to the creature. My family. The viscets I have never know but have always longed to. The beings that haunted my dreams, that caused a pang in my heart whenever I saw a happy family. The viscets that left or lost me as an egg and never came back, the ones I had been searching for as a child. The ones that gave me life. Whose actions molded me into who I am now. My parents. My mother, my father.
"Your times running out, Zíyòu."
"I've made my desision."
The creature seemed to take on a happier appearance, a prouder one full of confidence. "I knew you'd choose that."

[Hail.]

Chapter 5 - Family

I looked up and smiled at the twin boulders that leaned toward eachother forming a gateway. Ahead, sweet scents fluttered happily in the wind, gently brushing past me and welcoming me. "Come on, we're almost there." I began to jog, the two viscets behind me following closely. Excitement flowed through my body as we neared the tree lines at the thought of how happy everyone one would be when I introduce them. Sure it might be a bit awkward at first, but everyone was going to be so happy! I leapt the bushes and landed in the camp, staying close the the border so the two viscets that accompanied me wouldn't ruin the surprise. "I'm back! Everyone, come here! There's someone I want you to meet!"
Amaris was first, sprinting up to me with a stern gaze in her eyes. "What happened to sunrise?!"
"I sent Teeki back, didn't I?"
"Yes." Xuikcho walked over with Kishi close behind. "He's been attached to me ever since." I laughed at the sight of Teeki curled up on Xuikcho's head like a tiny feathered hat. At the sound of my laugh, Teeki's head sprang up and he looked about excitedly before his eyes caught me. Without hesitation, the little bird took flight and began circling my neck rapidly, churring in excitement. Finally, he stopped in front of my face and stared at me before giving me a hard peck on the nose and flying to my shoulder, nestling up happily. "Okay, okay, I guess I deserved that." I looked up at the others as they made their way over, excitement making it hard to stand still. When they were all here, I tried to hold back a dance of joy and spoke up. "Now, I know I went to find Raven-"
"Where is he?" Ahkema glared sternly at me, clearly impatient and unamused by my game.
"I'll get to that. So, I found him with this creepy Viscet that was hairless and had no face, and-"
"No face? What?" Tau cocked her head at me from her position on Kazim's head.
"Yes, no face. Now, as I was saying-"
"Oh quit stalling, I'm sick of waiting." I turned around and glared grumpily at Raven as he stepped over the barrier and smiled at everyone. "I'm back."
Excited cheers broke out and my pack rushed foreword to greet him happily. Raven smiled and thanked everyone, expecially Ahkema. I stood to the side with a big grin and cleared my throat. "That's not all."
Tau's eyes grew wide with fear. "You brought the faceless monster here!"
"What!? Goodness, no! No no no! That thing dissolved into dust after I rejected its offer. I brought someone else. Everyone, meet Tonbo! I found her on my way back and Raven thought she would make a great addition!" I smiled happily and watched as Tonbo carefully manuvered passed the bushes, her long leopard-like tail swaying carefully behind her. When she was passed them, she looked up and smiled sheepishly at everyone.
"Hello... I'm Tonbo..."
Everyone remained silent for a moment. It wasn't long, however, for it to be shattered by a squeaking Tau. "She looks like a dragonfly! Can we keep her?!"
Amaris chuckled slightly and walked up to Tonbo. "Hello, and welcome. Let me show you around." She led Tonbo off to give her a tour and the others followed her, all except for Xuikcho. "So, the faceless monster made you a deal?"
I nodded. "My family or Raven."
Xuikcho's eyes widened. "Why'd you pick Raven? I don't mean to be harsh, but... It's your family. You could have met them!"
I nodded with a smile, watching my pack laugh after Tau managed to scare Tonbo. "I know. The thing is, I already have my family. Their all right here."