The sun started to set and the caravan stopped at a rest stop cleared out along the road. Fires started, tankards of ale passed amongst the members, and stories passed around. Ronnie and Dan recounted how they fought the Fume Knights and Commander Dredge. 

The group errupted in laughter and jeering. “Commander Dredge is a joke!” Word laughed. “Nothing compared to real Fume Knights. But at least you held your own.” 

Dan wrung his paws together. “But I killed one.” 

“You can’t let that get to you,” Word said as the rest of the group moved on to their own stories of Commander Dredge. “You fought in self-defence. Can’t really hold it against you, yeah?”

“But,” Dan’s mind grasped for words as pearly tears flowed down his face. 

“The rules around here verses our home are night and day. Its kill or be killed. Oof!” Ve paused as Perry plopped on ver lap. “Me and Perry here have had a rough time of it, but you learn quick. Puppets are adaptable.” Word gave Perry a hearty few pats.

Dan scanned about for Ronnie and realized he wasn’t anywhere around. Trembling, Dan stood and tiptoed around the roucous group of merchants. 

He slipped over to the animals grazing about. He spotted Ronnie talking with Sage, who was walking him through how to brush down the donkeys. Sage laughed at something Ronnie said.

Dan retreated instead to the tents where his and Ron’s tent remained. Images of the knight getting burned alive in their armor replayed over and over.

The image of Good Neighbor appeared in his head. There was that episode about grief and working through emotions. It flooded over Dan’s mind, letting him sob in the comforting, quiet voice of Andre. 

He must have fallen asleep, because at one point Andre called him up on stage. Dan leapt up, unsure what to do, and walked up the stage to join Andre dipping his toes in a small pool. 

“Welcome, Dan. I heard you had some recent experience … in killing another living being.”

Dan focused all his attention on the pool.

“Remember Rook? We had an episode to help his victims, but now I believe it is time we have an episode to help you.”

“M-me?” The waterworks were already turned on. Dan’s tears  soaked his fur. 

“Of course! Did you forget already? We are a rehabilitative people. We believe everyone deserves a chance to find their way back into the fold. If Rook hadn’t killed itself, we would have worked towards a better future for it. Once we found a way to help it medically and psychologically, we would have had Rook take the place of the killed. And be their family members as a way to atone.” 

Dan sat cross-legged next to Andre, sniffling and trembling. “Oh, right.”

“I can sit here all day if you need it. We all need a good cry when the feeling strikes us, right?” 

“Yeah,” Dan answered and his shoulders relaxed as the sobs came forth. Andre put an arm around Dan’s shoulders and Dan hugged him, crying into his yellow and blue fur. 

As Dan’s crying slowed, Andre asked, “I think you wouldn’t have killed that human if given the chance to redo it, right?”

“Knock him out, anything,” Dan added. 

“Mm. Perhaps using non-lethal magic is warrented from now on?”

Dan nodded. 

“Why don’t you show us some of your magic! Let us see what you can do!” Andre motioned to someone off stage and a huge puppet wheeled out a sparring dummy. “Let’s see some of that non-lethal magic!” 

He jumped up and shouted, “Yeah! I can do that!” 

Sleep spells, snowballs pelting it, binding spells or spells for tripping, a few that whipped up their clothes to make them stumble or startle - a whole toolbox of abilities he could use instead! 

“That’s rehabilitation, Dan. Remember - no one is beyond help. Just because you’re in a new world doesn’t mean you can’t show them our ways.” 

“Thank -” 

Dan woke when an arm drapped over him. He jumped a little and settled in when he realized it was Ronnie sleeping soundly next to him. At some point, Ron had snuck into the tent.

Dan rolled over and watched him sleep a moment. Ron half-0pened one eye and smiled. “Hey, babe,” he whispered.

“Hey.” 

“I couldn’t find you. You okay?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Hmm.” Ron’s eye fluttered closed. “Good.”

Dan snuggled closer to his husband and curled there.