Her next memories came in flashes. She could feel being carried into a tent and her shoes being pulled off. Old, firm hands began cleaning the blisters in her feet and then bandaging the wounds.

“… grandmother…” Little Ant gasped.

“Hush. Drink this.” Old Badger said.

Grandmother helped her drink something warm and sweet and sleep claimed her. It was a relief to sleep without dreams. When she woke up, Old Badger was sitting next to her. She expected her to scream and shout at her. Telling her what a fool she was for ignoring her orders. She would have preferred it to what she did instead.

He put her paw on Little Ant’s cheek.

“Are you alright?”

When she felt grandmother’s smooth fur on her cheek and heard the worry in her voice, tears welled in Little Ant’s eyes.

“… grandma…”

Grandmother held her close to her chest.

“Its okay. Its okay, Little Ant. It will be okay.” Old Badger said and looked her in the eyes: “Tell me everything.”

When Old Badger looked at her, it felt like grandmother reached inside her mind pulled out the root of her pain. She could see it in all its ugliness and the words started pouring out. She told her everything. How Sparrow and she had snuck out. How the corporal had been waiting for them. How… the skin-changer bear had eaten Sparrow. Stealing his shape and knowledge. Old Badger took all in. Like she was draining the pain from her.

Once Little Ant had told her everything, Old Badger closed her eyes. She kept them closed like she could not stand to see.

“… grandmother?”

“This will not stand.” Old Badger whispered.

Little Ant rubbed her paws.

“What can we do?” Little Ant asked.

Old Badger scratched her brow and then lit her pipe. She inhaled the sweet smoke to calm her nerves before speaking.

“Little Ant. Listen to me. Past the Wyrd Stones in the land of men, lives a lord. Viscount Cassio de Rossi… and his advisor.”

Little Ant stared at her in horror.

“You… want to ask tall people for help?”

“There is no shame asking for help. I will write a letter and you will deliver it.”

“… me?”

“Yes. For Sparrow.”

“… for Sparrow…”

If it was for her mentor… she would do it. Even ask help from tall people.

She was never alone on her sickbed. Her parents kept her company mostly but when they needed to rest, Old Badger would play dice with her.

But she could not rest forever.

Thanks to Old Badger’s ointments, Little Ant could soon walk again. Once she was back on her feet, she was given Old Badger’s letter and sent to the lands of men. To Garuccia. But it wasn’t crossing the border between kingdoms that she was thinking about. Her mind kept revolving around Sparrow.

Her mentor… the man who had taught her to track, hunt, and fight. She’d had to sit outside his tent for three nights straight before he had agreed to make her his apprentice. He had been so gruff at the beginning but after she had proven herself, he had become her friend.

And now… he was gone. Gone forever.

Little Ant dried her tears and kept pushing forward.

Finally, she arrived at the Wyrd Stones. Two great rocks rising from the ground, planted there by two great kings a thousand years ago to mark the borders of their domains. There was a flickering light when the portal between worlds opened to her and Little Ant crossed the Wyrd Stones, leaving The Wyrding behind and entering Garuccia.

A shiver ran down her back when she stood in Garuccia. It felt all wrong. she couldn’t feel any magic in the air. It all seemed so faded. Like she had entered a world gasping its final breaths. Just one look was enough. She could not stay here. She would deliver the letter and return home. And never return to this awful place.

Moving as quickly as she could and following grandmother’s directions, she arrived at Cassio’s mansion in two days.

The mansion was a monstrous thing built from stone and wood. It looked more like a prison than a home. How could anyone rest in a place that imprisoned you? A home was something you took with you. It wasn’t something that chained you down. Even being built by the ocean didn’t make it feel any more welcoming. This lord was a man owned by his property. He was tied down by it.

Which raised the question… how was she supposed to deliver the letter?

It was getting dark, and the sun had almost disappeared. If she tried approaching that horrific house, she was sure it would eat her whole and never let her go. How could she…?

Little Ant spotted a stone on the ground and a plan came to her.

She wrapped the letter around the rock and found a window with light coming out of it. She could make out the silhouette of two men sitting inside, drinking, and talking while played a game of some kind. After weighing the stone in her hand, Little Ant took aim and threw the rock.

The window was shattered into a million pieces. A terrified yelp came from inside and someone dove down for cover.

“What the hell?!” Someone roared inside.

A tall man with broad shoulders rushed to the window and glared outside.

“Who threw that?! Guards! Scout the area! I want them found! Sal! Bring me my rifle!

Little Ant was long gone when they began looking for. Heading back home.