Defiant Fate, Ch. 4: Awakening

CHAPTER 4
AWAKENING

When one has descended to the rocks,
One has but two options remaining:
To cease one’s existence entirely,
Or to trust fate and continue.

"Hey."

The word fell into eternity, lost within the dark abyss.

"Hey!"

The second word quickly joined the first, forgotten and unheard.

"Come on, get up."

The words resigned themselves to a similar fate until suddenly, the last of them gained the tiniest foothold among the darkness.

"I know you're still alive."

Slowly, the words ascended tirelessly to the light as it accepted them into its warm embrace.

Strell's eyes opened lazily. He turned his head to the side to find himself face down. He was soaking wet, but he didn't particularly notice the cold. Had he been fully awake, he would have noticed a slight headache, but no such feeling came to him. While too fatigued to make an attempt to get up quite yet, he was able to move his eyes around to survey the area. It was an unfamiliar location. Perpendicular to the direction his body was pointing, a beach sprawled over a large area. To the left, the shore met with the Opal Sea. The tide lazily went about its rounds, in and out, minute after minute, oblivious to the obstacle presented in its path lying on the shore. To the right, the beach turned into grassland, with trees a little further away.

Strell inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. He propped himself up slightly with an elbow, closed his eyes and shook his head out. Many grains of sand released their grip they previously had on his hair. He then mustered enough strength to roll himself onto his back and sat up. His headache, once muffled by his weariness, flooded into his brain. He placed his palm on his forehead, rubbing it, in an attempt to soothe the ache. Slowly, but surely, the memories of the previous day came back to him. He sighed mournfully, as he came to terms with the notion that his memories were of reality, as he looked out towards the sea to which he had pledged his life only the day before. It appeared that the sea was not ready to reclaim him yet. He wondered to himself what the reason was, and could do naught but wish that the sea could tell what it knew. Something was not yet complete. Before he could think any further, the familiar voice resounded from behind him.

"You're awake. Good. I was beginning to get worried."

Strell became wide awake instantly in a reflexive acquisition of fright. He rolled over to the left to get further away from the source before coming to rest and peering at what had created the oddly soothing voice. His eyes began at the base. There were boots there, but they were mostly hidden by a very long, black trench coat, with a purple outline. He followed the coat upwards. It continued along the rest of the body, seemingly never ending. He eyed blue gloves protruding modestly from the armholes, but still nothing identifiable. Strell followed the coat further up. It merged with a hood as it came to the collar. The hood was pulled over the head, which–

Strell recoiled in shock and shifted backwards on the sands of the shore. The head– it contained something unlike anything he had ever seen before. Its face contained all the features that a face should – eyes, nose, a mouth, and hair – but it was clearly not like other faces he had seen. To be specific, this face appeared distinctly catlike. Its eyes, its nose, and its mouth, along with the fact that it was covered in fur – all would befit a feline, but here it was, placed upon a bipedal figure. The cat-like creature did, however, lack whiskers, and it had what appeared to be a bandana tied such that it covered the view of one eye. In addition, its revealed eye did not resemble that of a cat; it looked human in nature. Upon the creature's forehead, a reddish item glinted under the sun that could reach it – it appeared to be a jewel of some sort. Strell's mind ached in an attempt to reconcile this highly unusual sight. He raised an eyebrow, but found himself at a loss for words. The creature smiled – at least, it was what Strell thought was a smile – and extended a hand. It appeared to wish to help Strell to his feet. Strell paused for a moment, unsure of what to do, and then took the hand, shakily bringing himself to his feet.

"Er, thank you," said Strell, unsure of what else to say.

The creature nodded. It continued smiling.

"Um, I'm Strell. Nice to meet you." Strell's voice contained a noticeable hint of uncertainty. His second sentence sounded more like a question than a statement.

"You looked like you needed help. Where do you live?"

Strell became visibly upset at the question and looked towards the ground.

"Where's your family?" asked the creature.

"I..." Strell looked to the side. "I have no family."

The creature looked at him quizzically.

"There are only two reasons why someone would say that," began the creature. "Either the family in question is dead, or something else happened that the person would likely prefer not to talk about."

Strell stayed silent. The creature's face became more serious.

"Judging by your current location and the apparent means with which you arrived here, I'm going to guess that it's the latter."

Strell said nothing.

"I won't ask. I know these things are difficult."

Strell looked up.

"I'm sorry; I know that this is going to sound rude..."

The creature looked at Strell.

"Go on."

"What... are you, exactly? I'm sorry, but I can't say I've ever..."

"Oh. Yes. I'm sorry."

The creature pulled back the hood to reveal triangular ears protruding from either side of its head, enabling the jewel in its forehead to shine brightly under the sun.

"I am – that is to say, to my best knowledge – what you would know as a wert."

Strell's face displayed immediate shock and fear. He took two steps back in a subconscious, defensive action.

"A wert? That means... the Storm!"

The wert's face looked puzzled.

"Not all werts are part of what I suppose you would call 'the Storm'. In fact, most aren't. Most live a peaceful, secluded life, away from humans."

Strell caught himself. He nodded slowly.

"Er, yes... yes, of course. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It's natural, I'm sure."

Strell began to calm down.

"It's just... I'm glad you're not... you know."

"Oh, I didn't say that I'm not. In fact, I'm quite sure that I am."

Strell took another step back. The fear returned.

"What!? But why did you..."

"Well, it is, of course, never a good practice in life to prolong stereotypes. They only perform two tasks: giving someone expectations that are too high or contaminating one's mind towards another living creature before any justification has ever been presented." The wert shook its head. "Neither is particularly beneficial to have."

The wert scratched its chin thoughtfully.

"The werts of the world are most certainly not here to defend themselves, so it seems only prudent that I do it for them. I understand all too well what it's like to be misunderstood."

Strell could not stop himself in time from what he would say next.

"But how can you live with yourself!? Destroying families, ruining lives, burning livelihoods... how can you do that?"

The wert seemed slightly surprised at Strell's emotions. He sighed, and a nearly undetectable forlorn shine appeared within its eyes as it glanced to the side.

"I don't know what's happened in your past, but I can only imagine the pain that you have suffered under."

Strell looked at the wert intently. The wert looked back towards Strell and then looked towards the ground.

"I'm sorry. My presence is causing you more pain than I can remedy."

The wert turned to the side.

"I'll go."

The wert turned away from Strell and began to leave.

"Hey! Wait! Where are you going?"

"In your mind, I have done something unforgivable, have I not?"

"I– but– you don't seem..."

"I can't say what I've done, but if it will give your mind peace to go, then I will go."

"No, wait. I– I'm sorry, it's just..."

"It's just?"

"I don't know."

The wert smiled.

"Perhaps I previously said more than it appeared that I was saying."

Strell looked at the wert with a puzzled glance. The wert continued talking.

"In time, perhaps it will be clear."

"Wait," Strell said while still thinking about what to say next. "I don't think I ever got your name."

"My name?" The wert appeared puzzled at the use of the word. "I'm not sure I understand."

Strell blinked in confusion.

"You know... your name. What people call you when they want to get your attention."

"Oh, yes, of course. Werts never particularly need to refer to a specific wert, and if we do, it's obvious who we're talking to. We're simply us. We are who we are."

Strell was puzzled at this idea.

"Doesn't it get confusing?" he asked.

"I suppose it might for those who are not werts, but I am not among that group of entities, so my knowledge is likely largely insufficient."

The wert smiled.

"You are welcome to give me a name, if it would help you."

"Me? But your name is special. It's who you are."

"What is your name?"

Strell was caught off-guard with the question. He had not expected it.

"Er, Strell. I'm Strell."

"Would Strell become a new person if Strell were not Strell?"

Strell scratched his head for a moment as he attempted to understand the nature of the question posed.

"No, I suppose I wouldn't."

"And likewise, I am who I am, and I am confident that I know who I am."

"I... think I understand."

"Don't be shy. It's all right."

"Well..."

Strell looked intently at the wert. The immediate first item that he had noticed was how feline the face of the wert appeared. He felt that this would be an appropriate point on which to base the name. The only item remaining was to make a name out of it.

"...Leon."

"Is that a name?"

Strell nodded. The wert smiled.

"Then I am Leon. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Strell smiled. It fit.

"Likewise."

Strell extended his hand. Leon looked at it.

"What is this?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm used to dealing with humans. It's customary among humans to shake the hand of someone you have just met."

Strell realized that his statement could have been construed to mean that he didn't like dealing with those who are not human, and kicked himself for not putting his sentence in more diplomatic terms. Leon took no notice, however.

"Is that so?" asked Leon. "Well, then..."

Leon took off his gloves and put them in the pockets of the trench coat, revealing furry, humanoid hands, with claws at the end of each thumb and finger. Leon extended his hand and shook Strell's. The hand was warm and comforting, and Strell felt at ease in Leon's presence. He could not quite say why, but what he had previously taken to be the cause of all of his heartache was now helping him forget it for at least a moment, though he did not expect to ever fully forget what had transpired the night before. Leon spoke again before he could pose any further questions.

"Do you know where to go?" asked Leon.

Strell looked at Leon, unsure of what he meant.

"I don't know if I follow."

"You didn't seem to want to talk about where you live. I'm asking if you know where you're going next."

"I..." Strell shook his head and averted his eyes from Leon's. "No."

Leon scratched his chin pensively.

"Well, that is not exactly a good state to be in," said he.

"I'm sorry," replied Strell.

"Apologies are in order only when fault is determined."

Strell said nothing. Leon broke the silence.

"Well, I'm not sure what to do. It's just that those where I come from would probably not like the thought of a human with the knowledge of where they live."

"Why not?" asked Strell, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, first and foremost, werts are not exactly trusting of humans."

Strell clenched his teeth from behind his lips to avoid saying something yet again that he would immediately regret.

"No offense," remarked Leon.

"None taken," replied Strell.

Leon thought for a moment.

"I suppose," he began, "that I could blindfold you and lead you there, then ask them about it. We're quite particular on consensus decisions before doing anything, you see. It's just the way we work."

Leon looked at Strell.

"That is," he continued, "if you don't mind."

"I think there are very few things that I would mind at this point," said Strell.

"Well, then..." Leon reached into the pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a bandana identical to the won he wore to cover his left eye. "If I may."

Strell nodded and closed his eyes. After a moment, he felt across his forehead the slight pressure of something tugging inwards against his face. It quickly wrapped itself in a circle around his head until the pressure accumulated at the back of his head as Leon tied the knot. Then, his mind slowly adapted, and the feeling began to subside. Leon's voice sounded from behind him.

"Okay."

Strell opened his eyes, but his view did not change. All senses were still present save for the darkness that now appeared in front of his eyes where there once was a vast array of colors, from the tan of the sands to the green of the grass and the brown of the tree trunks. Even if it were the case that he knew he could trust Leon completely, it was still a sensation that gave him a feeling of uneasiness and vulnerability. He did not like it, but he knew he had to accept it, given the alternatives. Leon's voice sounded again.

"Here, I'll show you the way."

Strell saw nothing, but could feel Leon's hand wrap itself around his hand. Leon gently pulled on it to indicate to him that he should follow. He was nervous, but cautiously took a step forward. His foot reached the ground without a problem. He took another step, and again successfully found the ground.

"That's the way," came the voice of Leon from somewhere in front of Strell.

It was not long before Strell was walking, albeit at a drastically reduced pace than his usual walking speed. Leon's hand guided him in the direction that he should go, although he still was forced to manage a few stumbles every now and then. For the next ten minutes he walked in this cage of darkness, unable to perceive the broad nature of where he was heading, only able to understand the general idea of where each step was meant to land. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer roughly halfway along the walk, he broke the silence.

"By the way, I had a question relating to this bandana," said Strell. The two stopped walking for a moment.

"What is it?" asked Leon.

"I couldn't help but notice that you were wearing one of these over one of your eyes. Is your eye hurt?"

"Ah, right," said Leon. He continued and resumed walking. "No, it isn't that. Werts belonging to the Storm are... well, different from other werts, I suppose. We tend to have a heightened feral instinct compared to that of humans. The bandanas that we all wear are something of a self-inflicted handicap in that it impairs our sense of sight and takes away our depth perception. It puts us in a place that we would prefer to be."

Strell didn't quite understand what Leon meant. Leon stopped walking, and his voice got softer and more somber. Strell wished he could see Leon's facial expression.

"My thoughts sometimes frighten me when I leave it off..."

Leon said nothing for a few seconds. Strell perceived nothing. After a while, Leon spoke again.

"I'm sorry. It's difficult to explain."

"Don't worry about it," said Strell.

Leon didn't respond, and just began walking again. Strell followed closely behind Leon. He walked in darkness for another five or six minutes before Leon stopped him

"Wait here," said Leon. "We're almost there. I need to talk to them."

Leon's hand left Strell's, and Strell could hear Leon's soft footsteps slowly fade away until he could near nothing further. He looked around. No matter where he placed his eyes, the darkness continued. Somewhere above him in a tree he heard the soft song of a bird, perhaps serenading its soul mate, or perhaps in the process of finding one. To his left the sound of a small creek could be heard, its waters lazily gurgling down its path towards nowhere in particular. A gentle breeze picked up suddenly, chilling him down substantially and helping to dry his still wet clothing. He stood largely motionless for minutes on end, having nothing to do without sight but simply experience his surroundings. It occurred to him that he could have taken off the bandana, but he didn't know when Leon would be back, and figured that it would not be a good idea to do so.

More time passed than he had expected. Finally, the familiar footsteps of Leon returned to audibility. He heard Leon speak as his footsteps grew louder.

"Okay."

"They're fine with it?" asked Strell.

"I told them everything I knew. I doubt they're completely comfortable, but no one raised a serious objection."

Strell felt Leon grab his hand again.

"Here, this is where to go," said Leon.

Strell felt himself being led as he was before for a little while longer. He felt some leaves crunch underfoot as he walked. After a short walk, Leon stopped once more.

"We're almost there. There's a ladder down here. Watch your step."

Strell crouched down and moved his hands along the ground. After feeling a lot of dirt and leaves, he finally found something sturdy. He spoke to no one in particular, unsure of Leon's exact location.

"Is this it?"

Leon responded.

"That's it. Go ahead; I'll follow you."

Strell felt around some more to determine the shape and location of the first rung of the ladder, and then grasped it with both hands. He closed his eyes instinctively, despite the fact that it made no difference whatsoever, and then swung himself around, finding a suitable lower rung with his feet. Slowly and carefully, he made his way down the ladder, rung by rung, until ground beneath his foot prevented him from finding the next rung. He got off the ladder, but didn't move, having no clue what his surroundings looked like. Above him, Leon's voice was heard.

"Could you back up a little? You're in the way."

"Oh, right," responded Strell. "Sorry."

Strell backed up a little, finding no walls to resist his motion. He was a little worried about finding another hole such as the one he had just gone down, or something else where he could fall down. He could hear the faint sound of water dripping and fire crackling, but beyond that, he heard nothing for a moment. Then, in front of him, the sound of Leon's motion down the ladder could be heard. All sound but the fire stopped briefly before Leon's voice filled the void.

"All right, I think this is far enough. I'll take the blindfold off."

Strell stood silently. For a second or two, he heard Leon walking behind him, and then he felt the sensation of the pressure behind his head loosen. As the loosening of the pressure continued around to the front of his head, he looked around to see his surroundings at last. He was in an underground cavern, with the ladder he had come from immediately in front of his face. As he turned his head to see other angles of the cavern, he could see several wall-mounted torches along the walls, evidently to provide light. There were a few puddles on the ground below stalactites where water periodically dripped off of the point. Before he could survey the scene any further, Leon spoke to him.

"We should go to the others. They're expecting us."

Leon walked further into the cavern, and Strell followed. Strell was not quite sure exactly what to expect. While he had grown accustomed to Leon, he could never quite shake all of the warnings that his mother had given him over the years. He could not understand why he was trusting Leon, especially at this stage. If he had explained to someone else that he was willingly going to a place that no human knew about, and that in this place lived allegedly terrible creatures that all humans feared, he knew very well that he would have been called insane. However, he knew of nothing else he could do, and at this point, he half felt that death would not be a negative event.

Leon turned a corner along the path, around which Strell went next. There, he suddenly saw those who Leon had referred to as "the others". Around a fire, within a large cavern, there sat many who looked as Leon did. Strell counted exactly seven of them. Their faces were shaped and organized differently, and the colors of their trench coat outlines were different, but the resemblance was unmistakable. They possessed mixed expressions in reaction to the arrival of Strell. Some appeared friendly; others appeared apprehensive; others still appeared as if they weren't particularly sure what to think. One spoke up with a stern voice.

"Is this him?"

Leon nodded.

"Yes, this is him."

The wert looked at Strell and narrowed his eyes before speaking again.

"Why are you here?" asked the wert to Strell.

Strell was taken aback by the question. He had not expected hostility. He stammered for a moment before replying.

"I... I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Why?"

"I..."

Strell looked away, clearly showing pain in his attempt to answer the question.

"Strell," began Leon, "if you're going to stay here, I think you owe everyone a full explanation of what exactly it is that's going on."

Strell was silent for a moment, and then reluctantly nodded. He told them everything he knew: how his crops were all burned; that his parents had instructed him to rob Vincent's mansion, but knew he would be caught; that Vincent did indeed catch them; and that Vincent had Jake killed. He kept it was short as he could, as he preferred not to think about what he was saying as much as possible. When he was done, he simply became silent, staring at nothing in particular.

"Pah!" scoffed the wert who had spoken before. "Selling out their own child for money? How human of them."

"What!?" exclaimed Strell.

"I'm sorry," said Leon. "He has never trusted nor liked humans."

"There was someone," began the other wert, "who I cared about deeply. She was killed by you people when she was defenseless." The wert glared at Strell. "I'm letting you stay here out of benevolence, but don't think I'm going to trust you."

"But I haven't done anything..." said Strell.

"I think that by 'you people', he means humans, Strell," said Leon.

"But I can't help who I am!"

"Not my problem," said the other wert. "My problem is that there is a human standing right in front of me, and this is my way of dealing with it." The wert shook its head. "I need some air." It got up and walked out of sight.

Leon shook his head.

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

"It's okay," said Strell, "I half feel like I deserve it."

"People deserve what they deserve because of what they do," said Leon, "not who they are."

Strell's face obtained a melancholy look.

"He's not the only one who had someone taken from him by a human," said Strell, quietly.

"But he is not the human who lost something," remarked Leon. Leon shook his head. "I've tried to explain it to him countless numbers of times, but it doesn't work." Leon sighed. "Of course, I can understand where it arises from. I only wish that he didn't think there was something fundamentally different."

"I'm not sure what you mean," said Strell, puzzled.

"I recall exactly what your reaction was when I told you that I am what you call a wert."

"Oh, yes... I'm sorry."

"I'm not mentioning this to look for an apology, but an explanation. From what I have knowledge of, that's essentially what most humans think, is it not?"

"Well... yes, I suppose." Strell looked a little guilty. "My mother always warned me about the Storm. Nearly ever day, she did. Told me that they're vicious creatures that steal everything they can and attack humans ruthlessly." Strell looked up and realized who he was talking to. "I mean, uh, not that it's true, er, but, you know..."

Leon shook his head.

"In truth, we do steal from humans. That much is true. But we're not feral animals. I would never intentionally hurt someone innocent, nor would I ever kill anyone, regardless of anything else. Nor would anyone else here – including the one who just left, regardless of how spiteful he can often be. Recall when I told you that werts in the Storm are different than others. The difference is, in fact, that we're carnivorous. We're not made to eat plants. Other werts are the opposite – that's why the others are able to simply stay away from humans. This, however, is an unfortunate trait when combined with our reluctance to hurt anything else. I couldn't kill a forest creature if I tried. So..."

Leon shrugged.

"We do what we do mainly simply because we see no other choice, not because we want to. We never chose to need to steal from others, and likewise, you never chose to be a human."

Strell spoke up, confused.

"But, then, why? Why is there all the fear of the 'terrible' Storm?"

Leon nodded.

"The answer to that lies in the one single wert who ever obtained what you called a 'name'. We know him as simply 'Obsidian'."

"What about him?"

"He led a band of werts who were very different from those in this room. They were carnivores like us, but I daresay that they were likely the way we were intended to be. It would be very convenient to assume that he was simply making accidents, but it would become very apparent to any onlooker before long that he was purposely killing those from whom he stole, often in a sadistic manner. His followers never took lives, but they did nothing to prevent him from doing so. We eventually severed all ties with him and banished his group. We could not bear to watch it any further, but our nature allowed us to do nothing further about it. In retrospect, our reputation is probably at least somewhat deserved, as we simply stood by while Obsidian ran rampant."

"So, you're saying that all of that which we thought was the Storm..."

"Yes, it was highly likely that it was Obsidian's doing. But Obsidian and his group looked exactly like us. There would be neither any way to tell the two groups apart simply by looking at them nor any way to tell Obsidian apart from any other wert."

Strell was finding this all rather difficult to take in at once.

"It is a normal self-defense mechanism to evaluate the level of danger any given item poses to oneself. Since Obsidian was the most well-known wert to humans, it became probable that any wert a human saw was likely to be Obsidian. As such, humans naturally associated werts with Obsidian. It provided a very effective method for self-defense, but, of course, it contained side effects relating to relations between humans and werts."

"Are you honestly trying to say that all of this is because of one small band of werts?"

Leon shook his head.

"It's unlikely. There are other reasons, as well. I'm sure that there were at least a few people who had unfortunate things happen that were, in essence, their own fault, but then blamed it on this faceless entity known only as 'the Storm'. It's quite a convenient thing, really: it cannot defend itself, so anyone can blame just about anything on it, and no one will be able to tell that person otherwise. As the terror of the Storm grew larger and larger, I'm sure that it likely became more and more of a scapegoat for people's own shortcomings."

Strell appeared sad and guilty.

"And I went right along with it..."

Leon shook his head.

"Everyone did. I would imagine that less than one in a thousand people actually invented any of the stories that frightened people. The rest simply had no reason to ever doubt it. This brings me, at last, to the wert who just left." Leon nodded. "His only direct encounter with a human resulted in the death of someone he cared about. Hence, he has no reason to believe anything but negative thoughts about humans." Leon scratched his chin thoughtfully. "You had nothing to do with anything, and I can only hope it is not too late."

Strell appeared confused and bewildered.

"I'm sorry; it's just a lot to take in."

"Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to believe all of it."

"So, are you saying that the one who burned my family's crops... was Obsidian?"

"It could be. I have no idea where he is now. I would not put that past him, although it would seem odd that he would do that without stealing anything."

"I'm sorry."

"You apologize an awful lot."

"I don't know what else to do. I feel so horrible having thought such vile things about the Storm and about werts in general. It's all so complicated."

"Just as you experienced and held stereotypes and prejudice, so have those on our side. I hold nothing against anyone, as no one would do something if they did not feel it to be right." Leon gestured towards himself. "I am a wert only to the extent that I match the physical description of others who are given the same name, and I am part of the Storm only to the extent that I am here with others who are also given the same name." Leon shook his head. "No title or classification bears any weight in determining who one actually is; such a determination lies in you and you alone."

Strell smiled.

"You know an awful lot, Leon."

One of the other werts, a female, finally spoke up, giving Leon a break.

"He should, you know. He's one hundred and seventeen years old."

Strell was shocked.

"One hundred and seventeen!? How is that possible? You don’t look that old..."

Leon laughed a little.

"Werts tend to live longer than humans do. I suppose I don't even really think about my age all that much."

Another female wert spoke up.

"By the way," said she, "who is Leon?"

Leon nodded.

"Oh, yes. As you know, humans give themselves names to call each other by. I told Strell here that he could give me one, if it would help him remember me. I suppose that that is what he felt was best."

The female wert responded, smiling.

"Can I have one, too? I like the sound of yours."

Leon looked at Strell.

"Strell?"

Strell was a little uncomfortable, just as he had felt when naming Leon.

"Uh, well, er," he stammered, "if she wants one, I guess."

"Me, too!" said a male one.

"I'd like a name, as well." said the first female wert.

It became apparent that all of the six remaining werts wanted names. Strell felt very awkward, but became more comfortable with each name he gave. He began with the first female wert who had asked for a name. She seemed perky and energetic. Her eyes seemed sweet and kind, and her face contained a smile as Strell looked at her.

"Mia."

The next wert Strell considered was the first male wert who wanted a name. He seemed to be the youngest of the bunch. He seemed a good match for Mia in terms of personality. He had bright, wide eyes.

"Saff."

The third wert needing a name was the second female who had expressed interest in one. She seemed more reserved than the first, and had an air of confidence about her. Her eyes appeared ready for anything.

"Jess."

The fourth was another female wert. She looked like an older, knowledgeable wert. There was a sparkle of brilliance contained within her blue eyes. Her eyes matched the color on her trench coat. She looked at Strell intently, as if to say, "Enlighten me."

"Skye."

The fifth was a male wert. He seemed to have a problem with impatience. His eyes looked at Strell as if to say that he should have been the first to receive a name. He watched Strell intently, to be able to quickly react to the name when it came.

"Tristan."

The last was another male wert. He appeared to have a casual demeanor, and did not react much when Strell finally looked at him after looking at the other five. His eyes had a lazy tint to them, and he had a very slight smile on his face.

"Marlon."

As the six werts began to get used to the new names that they had just received, Strell smiled. He hadn't really thought about what would come from his giving the group names, but it had the distinct effect of making the cavern feel a little more like home.

However, after a while, once Strell had just about forgotten he existed, the angry wert from before came back into sight, satisfied with his stay before. Strell looked at him. The wert didn't look back, and simply sat back down, looking at everyone in the room but Strell. It occurred to Strell that the wert was purposely ignoring him. Strell swallowed and then spoke.

"Um, sir?"

The wert glanced over to Strell out of the corner of his eye. Strell continued.

"I'm... sorry I have to be here."

The wert rolled his eyes before replying.

"That makes two of us."

The unnamed wert turned away. Strell sighed, and decided to give up for now attempting to get through to the wert.

The next few hours passed fairly uneventfully. Strell began to partake in idle conversation with the werts to whom he had just given names. He never tried to talk to the unnamed wert, however. He somehow got a sense that it would be an ultimately futile effort at this point in time. The werts shared some of their food with him, although he would have preferred some vegetables mixed in. It satisfied him for the time being, however. He had his clothing dried by the fire as the meat cooked. Through the passing hours, the denizens of the cavern began to get more and more tired. He turned to Leon.

"Say, Leon," he began.

"What is it?" asked Leon.

"Er... I just thought of something. Where do you sleep in here?"

"Oh, that's right. I hadn't thought of that. We just sleep on the ground. It doesn't bother us."

"I suppose I could give it a try."

"Oh, no, no, don't worry about that. Just give me a second; I'll see what I can do."

Strell watched as Leon got up and walked out of the room. After several minutes, he returned, with a very large bundle of leaves and sticks in his arms.

"Oh, Leon, no," said Strell, "you didn't have to..."

"You're our guest, Strell, and we want to make you feel welcome."

Strell eagerly watched as Leon arranged the leaves and branches to form a makeshift bed. Leon spent more time than he thought was needed arranging everything just so, but he still felt grateful to Leon for what he was doing. Leon finally got up and gestured towards it.

"It's not much, but I hope it's good enough," Leon said.

"It's more than enough, Leon," replied Strell, smiling. "Thank you."

Everyone residing within the cavern then lay down and proceeded to drift into a quiet slumber. Strell was the last to fall asleep, as he could still not get his mind off of the events of the previous night, but eventually his eyes gave out, and he too fell fast asleep.

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Leon