The change in topics had been so sudden and we were all still reeling a bit from the intensity of what we just heard. Edorin snickered. “I’ll give you a moment to think about it. I almost forgot. Any questions?” We looked around at each other. Primarily stunned. Keokin raised his hand.


    “How would you kill Bháis? Does it have any weaknesses Captain?” Edorin paused.


    “I’m wary to tell you because I do not want any of you to think you can or should try to kill it.” Edorin said, slightly squinting.


    “I don’t plan to Captain. I just want to know in case we run into that monster.” Keokin replied. Edorin sighed and nodded.


    “Good, nice instincts on you. Well, it is a spider, albeit a massive and cunning one. It’s main method of hunting is entrapment or surprise. It hates fire from what we can gather from the encounters. The only groups that ran into Bháis without casualties avoided it using fire, the more the better, one or two torches won’t do. It also has an exoskeleton like all insects. Meaning its skeleton is on the outside, but if you were to cut open the soft abdomen, its organs would leak out and it will die eventually. Which is much easier said than done. Other than that, be overly cautious and wary when you see webs.”


    This thing sounds legitimately terrifying. Even spiders the size of a hand are more than enough to freak me out. But this thing is seven feet tall! Céírde rose her hand slowly, a slight shake to it.


    “Yes Céírde?” Edorin asked.


    “I was wondering, you said forty-two Agers have been killed by Bháis, is that true or do you think it is more, Captain?”


    “Well, I don’t know the exact number of Cianíans that have been killed during the Aging in total. It’s been going on for centuries, so I wouldn’t know that. But from Bháis?”


    Edorin stopped talking and thought for a moment. “We aren’t positive about how old Bháis is, but we do know she has killed at least forty-two Agers over the three hundred and sixty years she has been known to exist. I would wager there to be much more we don’t know about. If it weren’t for its weakness or fear of fire, I shudder at the thought. At first, Agers didn’t know to avoid her, but when they started avoiding her or trying to fight back, more were killed and Bháis started traveling through several different areas, expanding her territory.”


    That was a hard thing to accept. Forty-two young Cianíans had been killed and eaten by a massive spider. That sounds like a terrible way to go, especially when hearing in detail how it happened from Edorin’s story. But was Bháis the only unique creature like that on the Island? I raised my hand.


    “Yes Croí?”


    “Are there any other beasts like Bháis on the Island? Reputable creatures that we should steer clear of? What are their weaknesses or habits? Captain.”


    “Good question Croí. Yes, there are. There are four more creatures that are significantly more dangerous than most. They are marked in your book.” I looked down and immediately opened my book, flipping through the pages looking for the monsters.


    There. There were several pages dedicated to them. One was Scáth Ard (Sk-aw-th Aw-rd) a six-legged creature that stood more than eighty feet tall. Each leg was nearly as thick as a tree trunk and disguised to look like one. Its legs acted like spears, and it specialized in rough forested terrain. The mouth was small for a creature of this size. Why though? With it being that size wouldn’t it just swallow things whole? I looked through the notes to learn why and found it near the bottom of the page. It would catch its prey by poking them with the spear like tips of its legs and take them somewhere private before draining their blood, then crushing their bones and body until they were small enough to suck up and swallow whole.


    Apparently, a Provider had watched the creature do this to several animals. Before then nobody knew what happened to the Cianíans that it had taken. This creature lived on an Island to the west of the one we would visit but could apparently migrate between the two using its long legs. It would lay splayed out and float across the water or walk across the ocean floor when possible.


    There was also a snake called a Bharc (Vaw-rk), so massive that just its head would measure at around three feet long. What even is a snake? Oh, I’m in the creature section now, there are many snakes, and a giant worm called the Ciorcal Fiacla (Care-kul Fih-uh-cluh). Ok, so the ones that are marked as unique end with the Scáth Ard. I was interrupted by Klintock asking a question.


    “If we were fortunate enough to take out one of the Unique, how would we prove we had killed it Captain?”


    “It’s outlined in the book but each one of them has their own specific trophy. Take that with you as your proof. I should mention that if you bring home a false trophy and Agers are killed by the creature you claim to have killed, you will be sent back until you bring back the creature’s entire body.”


    Makes sense, you would be the cause of their death being as how they would be expecting that creature to be dead. And you yourself might also die which would be fitting. I raised my hand again.


    “Full of questions aren’t you Croí? Good. Go ahead.”


    “What is the rest of the group supposed to do with the duties of someone who dies? Like say for instance that I die. Does someone else take up the mantle of Guardian along with their own? Or is the title split among the rest Captain?”


    “Good question. You would split the title among the survivors. If someone with a specified and unique title is killed, that title must be passed to a single individual that the group deems most likely to succeed. Make sense?” I nodded.


    “I don’t get it Captain.” Jael said, raising her hand. Edorin sighed thoughtfully.


    “Ok. Say that Keokin dies. There is only one Leader, and it is an immensely important job. So, it must be passed along to someone who can undertake it. Preferably a Guardian, or Support, as there are multiple people in those positions. Make sense?”


    “Yeah, I think I get it Captain.” She said with a nod. William raised his hand. Edorin motioned for him to speak.


    “Why are there multiple Guardians and Supports? Is it because we’re expected to die? We’re expendable? Is that it?” Edorin paused, his eyes slightly narrowing. Williams eyes widened and he quickly added.


    “Captain. Is that it? Captain?” Edorin kept his eyes on William as he answered.


    “Well, technically each of you has an equal chance of perishing, whatever the means may be. The Guardians job is to be the shield of the group. What do shields do? They take hits and protect the wielder. So, yes, the Guardians are the most likely to die, but a good shield can take a multitude of blows before caving in. A good shield that is wielded properly can last even longer, and there is more than one way to divide up who takes the hits. Everything about this is designed to make you all work as a team. None of you are less important than the other, but one or two of you do have a definitive say in the actions the group takes. Any more questions?” Keokin raised his hand.


    “Am I allowed to appoint a successor to my duty? Or is that strictly something to be done by the group Captain?”


    “Good question Keokin. Yes, you can, but it’s better if when you do, you talk to your group about your choice. In my opinion, I wouldn’t name a successor for at least the next few months.” Lánn put her hand up, this time just barely above her head in a timid fashion.


    “Yes Lánn?” Said Edorin.


    “How are we supposed to defend ourselves? Because I don’t know about anyone else here, but after hearing those stories, the training from the Public Center just doesn’t feel like enough. How do we defend ourselves? How do we not die Captain?” Edorin looked at her as he addressed her question.


    “It’s going to take us a little over three months to get to the Island. During that time, we will be teaching you a few things about combat, building on what you know already. Not to mention nearly all the games that you kids play are designed by the Aged to help you all train while having fun. Most of you have learned and trained at the Public Center. I’m sure that at least a few of you know a thing or two about combat.” He looked at Klintock, Flint and me for a moment. “Which you are to share with the group. Anyone else?”


    I had a question to ask, one that I’d been wondering for an awfully long time. But I was scared to ask it, so I just kept it to myself. William spoke up instead.


    “So that’s it then? You give us a few books and expect us to just know what to do? Your group had these books too, and they still died. What’s keeping us from dying? Captain.” Edorin let out a small sigh.


    “You are, and the rest of your group, and the knowledge from these books, and the knowledge imparted to you by me, my crew, and your fellow Agers.” I couldn’t hold my question in anymore, I wanted to know.


    “And what’s the point? Why do we do this? What’s the point in forcing us to do all of this? It seems like we’re almost guaranteed to die in horrible and gruesome ways and there’s absolutely no point, other than we’re supposed to. There has to be a substitute for Aging that won''t kill us all...Captain.” Edorin sighed deeply before answering.


    “There are no known substitutes. Sure, we could give you plenty of training. Rinse and repeat tasks like scale this wall faster and faster or hit this dummy over and over, but that’s not what the Aging is about. The Aging is about developing the mind, as well as the body.”


    He interlaced his fingers beneath him as he squinted. He looked like he was weighing his words. “We are Cianíans, we are marked as the only ageless race on Edon. None of us will die from the advance of time, only external forces can extinguish our lives. However, this longevity comes at a cost. Our minds do not develop as quickly as other races with less time on their hands, which leaves us vulnerable as a people. Though, there is a way to quicken that development. Harsh experiences. Harsh experiences will force our minds to adapt and overcome, provided we receive the proper treatment. This is where Leola would come in, and why her duty is so incredibly important. We Cianíans handle traumatic events differently than other humanoid races. If properly guided, it makes us stronger and wiser. If not, we fester and fumble.”


    There was a small pause, as he chose his next words, and we digested what he’d said. “We are a newer civilization, and we have been receiving many glances from the other races of the world, being poked, and prodded with minor battles, wars, and skirmishes to test our strength as we develop. As such we need to increase our numbers and the effectiveness of every single member of our society. The Aging, when done right, provides us the specific benefit of adulthood. This enhances the capabilities of our minds and allows our bodies to grow to reach their peak. That’s why we go to the Islands. That’s what this is for. We could let everybody just grow leisurely, sure, but then they would be less inclined to become Aged, and we would be left with a large population of, essentially, undeveloped naive youths. We need more Aged if we’re to keep our kingdom safe and prosperous. There is something else. But I’m not sure if you kids would understand...”


    He squinted, mouth slightly open, then continued. “Think about it kids. We could die in the next storm, capsized by a rogue wave, or surprised by any number of creatures from the deep, and the danger only increases as we get further into the open ocean. My point being that this entire planet is full of monsters, creatures and people that can and will kill you. Training alone isn’t going to ready your body and mind for that. That’s all the explanation I’m going to give to you for now. When you return, you are free to ask the Elders if you still don’t fully understand.”


    I still don’t fully understand. But I guess that’s as much as I’m going to get from anyone. It''s better than I’ve had for a long time, so I appreciate it, just still...whatever. I’ll just accept that I’m more than likely going to die. Maybe I can at least help one or more of the others get home. I didn’t have any more questions for him besides that. Seeing as no one else spoke up for a few moments, Edorin spoke.


    “Now, I’m guessing that none of you have any more questions, so I’m going to move on to fraternization.” He paused and looked around at us for a moment. “All right then. First things first. Physically intimate relations between Agers are more than definitely discouraged. This being the type of relationship that could end in Agers favoring one or more members over the others.”


    What is he talking about? What does he mean by ‘physically intimate’? Does that mean don’t touch each other? What about hugs? Everyone else was nodding as though they completely understood what he was saying. Am I the only one that doesn’t understand this? Again? Seriously?


    “Second thing. We encourage that each one of you get to know every member of the group as intimately as you can without being ‘intimate.’ Learn what their likes and dislikes are, what their childhood was like, how many family members they have, everything. This will help you all to grow closer, which will lead to you all, hopefully, being keener on helping each other out.” William raised his hand. Edorin pointed to him. “Go ahead.”


    “Why are intimate relationships forbidden Captain?”


    “If a relationship that you have with another Ager compromises your ability to think clearly, you must be relieved of your duties. I’ll put it this way, I sincerely encourage you all to become friends, not lovers. Make sense to all of you?” It makes sense. If you liked one more than the other, you would be more inclined to follow or pay more attention to the one you like, over what is right or efficient. Like I would be less likely to listen to William than anyone else. Not sure what a lover is though. “If there aren’t any other questions then I’m going to move on.” He paused for a moment, seeming a bit more impatient than before.


    Nobody had any questions. “Next reason then. Because it complicates things unnecessarily, especially if there ends up being a baby, and it severely clouds judgment. Any other questions?” Nobody moved. Baby? Where would a baby come from? Babies come when you get married. At least that’s how it worked with my sisters. “Good.” Edorin continued. “Now on to your equipment.”Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    Edorin grabbed my pack and started pulling things out of it and setting them on the table. “The most important things in here are these.” He pointed to the vials of red gelatinous stuff, and the two stones. “This.” The red gelatinous stuff. “Is called healing concentrate. When someone receives an injury that is severe, but not fatal, apply some of this onto the wound. It will drastically accelerate the person’s natural healing factor.”


    That’s amazing! I had no idea that stuff was so important. “However, it can’t heal all wounds, as in the case of our Assist.” Leola put up her hand.


    “How would we know if an injury is too severe? Or if it’s severe enough to use that Captain?”


    “That is a tricky question.” Edorin responded. “Some injuries may not look severe, but improperly treated they will fester and become infected, and other wounds depending on the creature, may be laced with deadly poisons, in which case the healing concentrate must be ingested.” Leola still looked a little puzzled. “I’m betting our Aid Lanaea (Lawn-ae-yuh) will be able to help you with that later.” She nodded understanding.


    “Next, is the Lochloin (Lock-linn) stones.” He grabbed the two circular stones I’d been curious about earlier and held up the white one. “This one is specifically for liquids. What it does, is test them to see if they’re safe to drink. If a liquid is poured onto it, and its color changes to red, that liquid is lethal. If green, it will cause discomfort. If it remains white the liquid is safe.” He looked around at everyone. “Why don’t we all empty our packs, and I can move around the table and explain everything easier.”


    Most of us carefully emptied the contents, but William, Lánn, and Jael dumped theirs out quickly. “Right, and this stone.” Edorin held up the green and blue stone. “Is for testing foods. If placed upon the stone for ten to thirty seconds, the stone will change colors. If more blue than green, it is safe. Black is lethal. Red is potentially lethal. If more green than blue it means it’s edible, but you may be taking a chance at getting sick.”


    He picked up my knife. “For those of you unfamiliar with this, it is called a knife.” Some of us chuckled and he gave a wry smile. “This little barb on the end of the blade is called a gut hook. It is used to open up the skin of an animal, making gutting easier.” Oh hey, that’s convenient. “This is what’s known as a whetstone, it is a stone that, when slightly wet, will allow you to sharpen a blade. My crew can teach you this later if needed.”


    Next, he went over the hatchet and the rope. He explained the compass and the hygiene materials as well. He explained that the empty vials were for collecting samples, and that the empty paper was for a note to take back home which we would write later. The book of empty paper was for sketching and recording creatures, plants, and other oddities. The black and green powders were dangerous. The green one, if mixed with fire would create a toxic cloud. The black one when mixed with anything but the glass it was contained in would corrode and eat away whatever it touched.


    The other guardians had pretty much the same gear with little exceptions. Klintock had three grappling hooks, and Jael had tools specifically made to aid in improvised weapon making.


    Edorin moved on to Leola’s pack. There were at least two dozen rolls of bandages. A tourniquet, which Edorin explained as a tool to cut off the flow of blood to a damaged area. Lots of needles and very thin thread for stitching. Some tools that looked very sharp and small. He told her she could learn how to use them from their Aid later. She also had a single small vial of green healing concentrate, called Verdant. It was only to be used under the direst of circumstances. There was also a small book containing information on many of the plants and wildlife of the Island that could prove useful.


    Céírde’s pack had a little bit of everything it seemed, just smaller quantities. She also had a spyglass, a few extra containers for water, and some carpentry tools.


    William and Lánn’s packs were almost double the size of ours, each containing separate things. William’s pack contained a large and small cooking pot, as well as two large skillets, each designed to fit perfectly into the other with little to no wiggle room. There was also an assortment of other cooking utensils, tools for skinning and gutting, chopping firewood, sewing supplies and even more carpentry tools.


    Lánn’s pack had a large amount of thick rope and some clothespins attached to thinner rope, some tools, like chisels, that were designed for chipping into stone, as well as breaking open the shells of larger armored creatures, lots of cylindrical containers of seasonings, and many empty containers for more seasonings, or ingredients, and last was leatherworking tools.


    Keokin’s pack had a map of the Island, as well as tools for reading distance. There was also a stone, which apparently would shine brightly in dark spaces. He also had a short wide bladed single edged sword. Edorin said it was a short sword they called a Sealgair, the same one that the Leader had from his story about Bháis.


    Sable’s pack contained several more of the clear containers, skinning utensils, and tools that could be used to bind objects of value together. She had a large pouch in the middle of her pack that was empty, which was to be filled with things found along the way. She also had a short bow with twenty arrows bound together, a large knife, climbing picks, four torches, another light stone, spyglass, and a cloak.


    Flint had three books and several pencils for writing, as well as more containers for samples, dissection tools, magnifying glass, and a large empty storage space.


    Each of us had a small, lightweight personal tent attached to the bottom of our packs.


    Edorin took a long deep breath, exhaled and said. “Alright. That’s everything. Any final questions before I leave?” We all looked around at each other. Most seemed overwhelmed by all the information they just received. Klintock spoke up.


    “You mentioned creatures that could kill us in the open ocean. Is that common Captain?”


    “If you’re out in the middle of the ocean by yourself and bleeding then it is. However, in this ship or just swimming around? No. There have been many journeys back and forth from the Island over the centuries, and only a handful of ships have gone down. We almost never know why they went down. I figure the age of the Leviathan was a contributor though. That beast took more than its fair share out of the sea before the Antilek (Awn-tea-leck) took it down. Nearly wiped them out to do it, but they did it, so I hear.”


    “Antilek Captain?” Asked Céírde, looking up from her notes.


    “Yes. The Wave Breakers. Their top half looks somewhat like us, but their bottom half is fish like. They’re amazing and fearsome creatures from what I hear. Not to be trusted or trifled with. I’ve also heard that they can walk on land in disguise. Not sure that I believe it though.” Whoa. Those sound weird. I wonder if they have scales on their face. Do they have hair? Are they fast? Do they eat us? Would we eat them? Ew no way. Klintock interrupted my thoughts.


    “Leviathan? What is that? Are there any more of them?”


    “A legendary creature thought to be myth. It was so big, that its mere movement caused tremendous effects on the weather. It could swallow ships whole. I never saw it directly but heard the creak of the ship as the ocean swelled to accommodate its size as it moved beneath us. I couldn’t tell its true size. Only that its wake brought tremendous waves and storms that nearly crippled our ship. When we got back to port, I stayed there for years. Two ships that went out during that time never came back.”


    He seemed to be far away for a moment, then he lightly shook his head and continued. “As to there being more than one. Not that anyone knows about, but there are legends of creatures like it, or similar in size. We must consider them to be real now because the Leviathan was a legend too, up until one hundred eighteen years ago when one woke up and almost wiped out the Antilek. Luckily, however, we haven’t had to worry about anything like that for a while, but there are still creatures large enough to tackle this ship, or at least try. I wouldn’t worry though. We haven’t seen anything we couldn’t limp away from in all the...” He thought for a moment. “Fifty-seven times I’ve made this journey. Any other questions?”


    “Have you ever seen an Antilek Captain?” Lánn piped in. She was excited, a large smile on her face and her eyes were practically sparkling.


    “No, I haven’t, but after we lost two ships to the Leviathan, the Antilek sent an emissary to the King and told him they had killed it. Whatever they said must have convinced him. Nobody was thrilled by our losses, or the fact that there wasn’t anyone to blame. It took a few years for things to settle down, and nobody’s heard from the Antilek since then.”


    “Oh… ok.” She said, looking a little disappointed.


    “Anything else?” Edorin asked. This time nobody spoke up. I had several questions, but I didn’t really want to speak up for fear of saying something that might make me sound dumb.


    “Very well then. Good questions, all of you. I’m glad to see you’re all eager to learn. Now me and Zanataz will leave all of you to speak amongst yourselves. Keokin, come find me or Zanataz when you’re done.” With that, he and Zanataz left. We sat in silence wondering what to do next, or what to say after all of that. Lánn was the first to speak.


    “Does anybody else kind of feel like they need to throw up again?”


    “Actually.” Leola started. “I do feel a little queasy.” Both were looking down at the table in front of them with wide eyes.


    Céírde was putting her notebook down with the pencil on top of it, then took the pencil back as the swaying ship tried to roll it away. She sighed and looked around the table. William just sat there leaning back in his chair, feet up on the table as he looked at the ceiling. Keokin was studying the maps in front of him. Sable was excitedly mimicking how she thought she would use the climbing picks from her pack. Flint reached over and grabbed a book of creatures, flipping through the pages. Klintock was staring off into the distance, his elbows on the table, fingers interlocked against his mouth and chin. Jael spoke.


    “I think it’s actually worse than everything I’ve heard about it. How insane is that? Usually, you expect the ghost stories to be exaggerations of the real thing. But this? How do you even try to fight something like that?” William scoffed.


    “I’m guessing with swords and spears. Which is what they should’ve given us. Not all these tiny knives and a little hunting bow.”


    “It’s a laminated short bow actually. Recurve style.” Céírde piped in.


    “What?” William questioned; brows pressed together as he looked at Céírde.


    “It’s a recurve short bow. Made to be small, powerful, and accurate in the right hands. Usable from near any position, on horseback, in trees, or on unsure footing. Not just a hunting bow.”


    “Oh, and that’s supposed to be better? Yeah, no thanks. It’s puny! What is that supposed to do against anything bigger than a rat? Especially in her tiny hands.” I remembered the words of Kixas when he was first teaching me how to throw a punch. ‘It’s not about brute strength little brother. It’s about precision and speed. Strength comes later. If you can hit the right spot, you can bring down most anybody.’ I wanted to say something. But I didn’t figure it would make much of a difference, so I went back to looking at the creatures in my book. Creatures. More like nightmares. William spoke again.


    “Speaking of puny. Croí.” I was startled to hear my name and looked up at him. “Yeah you. Give me your pack.” He started reaching over the table towards my pack. I quickly grabbed it and pulled it onto my lap. He looked surprised at first, but that quickly turned to anger, and he gritted his teeth.


    “I said hand it over wimp!” William yelled. Keokin sighed. I didn’t move, mostly out of fear. “Fine then I’ll come over there and take it!” He started moving over to me, but Keokin, Klintock and Flint all stood and looked at him, ready to fight.


    “Oh, that’s cute. Guarding the guardian? Don’t you get it? If you need to protect him, he can’t protect us.” William spouted as he glared at me through the others.


    I feel so awkward right now. I really don’t want to fight; I just want to study the creatures and try to get a handle on this. Maybe he has a point. Maybe I’m not meant to be a Guardian and the Elders got it wrong.


    “I don’t know about the rest of us, but I don’t feel comfortable with you as a guardian. You’re too headstrong, aggressive, and selfish.” Keokin said looking down at William.


    “Agreed.” Klintock spoke up. The others nodded. That’s also a good point. And everyone else seems to agree oddly enough.


    “Alright fine, how about this? You.” William pointed at me. “And me.” He pointed back at himself. “One on one. Winner gets that pack.” I shook my head. I don’t want to fight. His eyes narrowed at me, and he growled.


    “Come on William, back off and sit down.” Keokin said. William looked at Keokin, furious.


    “I’ve had enough of you talking down on me you, scrawny arse…” William trailed off as his fist struck Keokin’s nose. Keokin’s head jerked back, and his shaggy hair flew around his head from the impact.


    Klintock and Flint reacted immediately, each grabbing an arm and wrestling William to the ground, pinning him on his back. I closed my book slightly but didn’t really know what to do. My body just froze. Everything happened too quickly for me.


    Leola got up and ran around my side of the table to Keokin and pressed some of the gauze up to his nose where it was bleeding. William was still pushing, shoving, and cursing at Klintock and Flint, trying to get off the floor. Keokin stood up and grabbed the gauze from Leola, keeping it under his nose.


    “Thank you.” His speech was inhibited from pinching his nose to stop the bleeding, sounding more nasally.


    “Yeah, no problem.” She said, stepping aside. Keokin walked over to William on the floor and stood over him.


    “Are you done yet?” Keokin asked.


    “Of course not. I’m getting that Droch (Draw-ck) pack!” William struggled more. Keokin sighed.


    “Is that so? You were the one that invoked Drochrath (Draw-ck-raw-th), so now you have to deal with the consequences.” He moved around to William’s head and took off the bandage, allowing the blood to drip to the floor next to William’s head. A small smile crossed my lips.


    Invoking Drochrath, Goddess of Misfortune, Aebhsean’s twin sister, was never a good idea, and it always seemed to blow back on the one who uttered her name, as well as those around them. And with Drochrath being the opposite of my favored Gods, it always felt like a personal insult when someone invoked her.


    “Calm down William.” Keokin said, his voice back to normal. He slowly inched the dripping blood closer to William’s face.


    “What the Saol?! Get that away from me!” William yelled at Keokin as he struggled.


    “Calm down William.” Keokin said again, calmly inching closer.


    “Alright! Alright!” William stopped struggling and lay still. Keokin put the bandage back up to his nose.


    “Good. Now sit down. It’s time to talk.” His voice was once again impaired by the gauze. Klintock and Flint waited until William was sitting before they themselves sat. Keokin winced and groaned a little as he blinked and moved his nose around.


    “Now then.” Said Keokin, struggling to make his voice sound normal. “Let’s introduce ourselves.” It was kinda funny to me the way he acted like nothing was wrong. “Why don’t we start with you?” He motioned to William. William just groaned and sighed. “Come on. You owe me.” Keokin said, pointing at his nose. William grunted again and sat upright in his chair.


    “Fine. Should I start with my name, or can I skip that?”


    “Use your name.” Keokin said.


    “Fine. I’m William Donnell. I am the son of Andain (Awn-dane) and Nalana (Naw-lin-uh) Donnell. I have a little brother, and sister Gareth (Gaw-reth) and Demain (Deh-mo-een) Donnell. Then there’s my woman, Channa (Kaw-na).” Jael groaned and rolled her eyes. What does he mean by ‘my woman’?


    “Oh, that’s cute.” Lánn chimed in excitedly, holding her hands together to one side of her smiling face. “Do you love her? Are you two going to get married when you get back?” Married? Love each other? Does that mean he’s courting her? William looked startled but almost immediately went back to his gruff exterior.


    “We haven’t decided yet on any of that. But I mean if things keep going like they are, then…” He trailed off.


    “That’s so sweet!” Lánn giggled with a slight squeal. Klintock interrupted.


    “Yeah, yeah. What else William?” William cleared his throat.


    “I don’t know.” Keokin spoke first.


    “I have a question. Why can’t you just be Support?”


    “Yeah. And why do you want Croí’s bag so bad?” Sable asked. William rolled his eyes.


    “Because I’m not a mother or a caretaker. I fight. It’s what I’ve always done. So, I know I can do it. I would be useless for cooking and cleaning. Just like Croí would be useless in a fight. He’d be great for a distraction for whatever beast came for us as he cowered in the dirt, we all heard and saw him crying, whimpering like a little bitch yesterday. You can’t seriously tell me that you think that leaky little girl is someone you trust to protect your life and limb.” Jael groaned with frustration.


    “What is it with you and calling him a crying girl?! Like that’s some terrible insult, it’s basic and pathetic. It shows more about you than it does him. Besides, I’ve seen my fair share of boys crying too. Keep it up and I’ll make sure you’re one of them. You cod swallowing shite polisher.”


    “Because girls cry all the time over stupid shit. And I question his manhood.” William answered smirking, then he added. “And you know I’m always ready for you to try it, little girl.” He grinned, looking at her with his fists clenched, like he was hoping she would hit him. Keokin, ignoring this, looked me over, than spoke loudly to draw attention.


    “What about it Croí?” He asked, the attention shifting from the potential fight to what my answer would be.


    “What about what?” I asked nervously.


    “What do you think? Do you want to switch with William? Or do you want to keep your pack?” I do want it. But do I deserve it? Is William right? He might be the better choice.


    I quickly looked at the faces of everyone around the table. They were all focused on me. Looking at me like they expected me to say something special, or like they want me to give it up. I couldn’t tell. Jael was the only one not looking at me, she was glaring at William, itching for a fight. I started getting really confused, I couldn’t think, so I just picked up my bag and put it on the table.