Alone, scared. Constantly struck by fear and terrified to go out into the dark of what the common folk now called 'night'. Raeverns plan to create a time of rest had failed and instead, unknown creatures that had once only existed in the shadows of the deepest darkest parts of peoples minds, now had the ability to move freely and terrorise all. The people called out for Lucis to save them from the horrors and filth that now writhed in the pitch black darkness. Sadness and fear had now been birthed into new gods but no solution.

She had only made surviving more difficult and rest impossible.

One day, while looking downcast into the earth, wishing desperately to undo all that she done. Lucis came to her. Her hands gently cupped the birds head. It felt like the very touch of first light on a new morn. Raevern marvelled at the unparalleled beauty and kindness of Lucis' eyes. “Why small one? Why do you look so broken?” Her voice tickled her senses. “Before you would look up and marvel at me, and now your gaze is downcast,” she spoke, sadness somehow dimming her light, “do you no longer wish to look at me? Is this why you smothered my light in your shadow?”

“N..no! I merely wished... wished for rest! For others to rest! To sleep easier so that when we woke, we could be glad of you all the more!” Raeverns eyes pleaded with the God. Lucis chuckled, her light once again beamed gloriously. “So that was it!” She smiled, “Dearest one! How clever you are! If you can think of that, then surely you can think of a way to ease the burdens the night places upon the land?”

“I... me? But I ruined everything!” Raevern cried. But Lucis merely chuckled as she disappeared into blinding light.

Raevern spent many days- as they were now called- and many nights pondering the predicament she had created. Until finally, an idea! If it was Lucis' light that drove the creatures away in the day, then it would be Lucis' light that would drive them away at night! Raevern once again gathered her fellow ravens and gave to them one command, “go forth and pierce holes into my cloak of shadow!”

And so they did.

And so, stars were born. The creatures were not driven away completely but they were driven away enough that the people could rest. They were so thankful in fact that their combined joy made Raevern into a god anew. She acended to the heavens where she could finally be with her love, Lucis and from their love were the moon gods, the 'Four Sisters' born. Proof of the two's undying love.

If Kal were to describe it in one word it would be seedy.

She looked around, wary, observing. Muscles flexed and tensed. The room was flooded with low red and pink lights. Small booths for dining and drinking lined the walls with a round stage in the centre of the room. Silk fabric flowed from the ceiling creating a sensuous ocean of blues and purples. Brightly patterned brocade danced leisurely in an imaginary breeze, stirring the sparkling mist that enveloped the air. It carried with it a scent of jasmine that tickled her nose.

Sultry and hypnotic voices beckoned as sirens sung to strange uncanny music, both familiar and unfamiliar. Virtuosos in music, they could capture and enthral the senses. Kal could sense that if she wasn't careful, she would drift off. Off into a world of her own mind and quite possibly never leave. Twas a delectable dangerous game indeed. Nymphs danced along with poise and grace. Their limbs flowing and bending in ways Kal had thought impossible. With each twirl and pirouette, magick flowed from them, causing flowers to grow and rainbows to form.

Fae and witches of all types were here. Some dressed... provocatively. Not that she could talk, but the employees of this particular bar were leaving even less to the imagination. Despite trying to remain cold and composed, Kal flushed as a nymph brushed passed her. Her hand ever so slightly brushing her shoulder sending a shiver down her spine. Kal had never the time for romance and they couldn't find it in them to be casual with someone. This had left her naive in all things romantic. A sharp jab to the ribs shocked her.

“Don't know why you're worried, you can take everyone here if you had to,” Lero whispered.

“TH... THAT'S NOT... umm... appropriate,” Kal said back- half shouting then half whispering.

“Huh? You don't think you could take 'em in a fight?” Lero cocked their head.

Kal's face burned in embarrassment. Mortified she responded, “Ye.. yes. But it's not appropriate to be talking about fighting right now.”

“Oh... ok.” Lero looked away, unbothered. Kal breathed a sigh in relief. Completely oblivious to any danger, Lero started chowing down with voracious appetite.

A few of the customers eyed the three with caution. Hal had suggested the duo remove their badges before entering. It seemed to be the correct decision. She recognised a few faces from wanted posters. Now wasn't the time to act. Not with Lero with her, the risk was too great. She turned her mind to Hal who was also drooling, not over the food but his favourite waiter. Now sat on Hals lap, giggling and whispering sweet nothings into the boggarts ear.

“So,” Kal started, “As I was going to say before-”

“Could you pass the brown sauce?” Kal didn't break eye contact as they passed Lero the sauce.

“We're investigating a range of burglaries and small crimes- looks like they're connected somehow,” Kal went on, now with Hals attention.

“What's that gotta do with me young 'un?” He responded, twirling his waiters hair.

Kal leant forward in her seat, “well, the great tree that you oversee is right in the centre of it all. You noticed anything weird lately?”

The waiter giggled maniacally, “Hun, the whole place is full of weird things, it would be unusual if there weren't.”

“Hmmmm.... actually, now that ye mention it...” Hal said, scratching the hair on his chin. “There's been whispers of a creature lately.”

“A creature?” Kal dodged another plate of food Lero had ordered as she moved forward in her seat, “What do you mean? There are a lotta creatures in this city.”

“Nahhh, not this 'un. It’s a strange ‘un. It’s been seen aye, but aint been seen doin’ a whole lot.”

“What kind of description is that?” Kal said, completely confused. How bizarre. Hal went on.

“My friend Jimmy, was ermm… ‘borrowin’ a besom when it approached ‘im.”

“Pffft... ‘borrowing’,” Kal scoffed, “is that what we're calling grand theft auto now?”

“Do you want me to continue talkin’ or not lass?” Kal grunted a yes in response before Hal carried on. “Well, it walked right up to him and asked him why he were ‘borrowin’ that besom,.” Hal gestured. “Jimmy aint the type to enjoy spectators mind you ‘specially ones who ask too many questions, so he obviously got a bit defensive didn’t he? So, he threw a punch as is his usual response and BAM,” ‘Hal’ punched his palm, “He woke up on the floor a few hours later with a big ol’ shiner”.

By the time Hal had finished telling his tale, Lero’s plates had piled absurdly high. Without dropping a beat however, Kal merely leant to the side to continue her questioning.

“What did the creature look like?” Kal asked- notebook full of musings and thoughts.

“He didn’t really see much of the thing, but he said it ‘ad large pointed ears, a big pointed grin and...”

“And?”

Hal widened his eyes with his gangly fingers, “wild eyes...”

Kal sighed at the lack of information as Lero munched, “Yeah, put it on Boss here's tab - she won't mind." Small pieces of food fell from their mouth as they spoke. Without turning her attention away from the interrogation, Kal pulled out her favourite coin purse. It was small. Comically so in her large hands at least. She emptied the contents onto the bar and a disgruntled sirenfly fell out after the pile of coins. It bounced onto the surface before it went flitting away, yelling obscenities. 

“Well, that’s all I got for ye,” Hal said, “now if ye don’t mind young ‘uns I’d like to get back to me evenin’!” His eyes became lecherous as he looked the giggling waiter up and down.

“Of course, thank you for your time Hal, if you think of anything else, feel free to contact me.” Kal stood up and went to leave before realising Lero was still sat at the table, licking sauce from their plate. Evoking a wine from the greedy witch, Kal grabbed Lero’s hand and dragged them out of the seedy establishment. She sighed at how complacent Lero had been throughout the whole situation- how could they be so oblivious to danger? A small part of her had began to feel... protective of them?

“It’s... a Seelies duty to guide and protect...” Kal muttered, shaking her head.

“Huh?”

“Oh.. nothing. Let’s get going.” Kal said, leading the pair outside. The fresh air caressed her senses, ridding her of whichever sweet and sickly enchantments were floating about.

“Come on, I’ll walk you back to your home,” Kal stated.

Lero huffed in response, “Why do you insist on walking everywhere? It’s…. Exhausting...”

“It’s good to get a different perspective,” she replied, the scars around her prosthetic arm itched. Kal sighs, “I certainly got a different perspective on you. How can such a tiny witch eat so much?” 

“Well I haven’t eaten since yesterday.” Lero stated, hands on their hips. As if it were obvious.

“Yesterday!?” Kal shouted, spinning around.

“I tend to get a bit absorbed in my work.” Lero shrugged.

How was this witch still alive!?

How was this witch even still kicking? No sense of danger, no common sense and absolutely no concept of taking care of themselves. Kal sighed again, exasperated. Just as the thought had crossed her mind, Kal sensed something, or rather a lack of someone. Where the heck did Lero go!?

“Huhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhu....”

“Ughhhh, please don’t tell me that eerie noise is them,” Kal turned her attention to where the creepy laughter was coming from, and there they were, down by the river entranced by some creature?

“Ohhh what an extremely rare specimen you are huhu!” 

“What on earth is that?” Kal asked, joining Lero by the river where they were... laughing?

“A Pot Bellied Glowy Grog!” Lero exclaimed, an air of... was that excitement in their voice?

“You’re lying… there’s no way it has a name like that.”

“Hmph Fine… then it’s… Clarice” Lero smiled, genuinely, “and they’re coming home with me. Hmmm, this isn’t their natural habitat?” Scarlett threatened to conquer Kal’s face. Trying to hide this recurring feeling, she held the back of her hand in a helpless attempt to push it down, to hide it.

What the heck... They know how to smile?

“Y... you know you need a permit to take lesser fae from their environment...” Kal stuttered.

“Well it’s a good thing this isnt Clarice’s environment then isn't it?” Lero stated, matter of factly. But the smile remained as they marvelled at the creature they had found. Kal was not a fan of it. It looked... stupid? Its round stomach glowed with every croak, its tongue stuck out from its mouth awkwardly. The creatures eyes seemed to be at constant war over which direction to look. Then it was the creatures limbs- short and stubby. How did it survive? What did it eat? Plantlife? It had to be, there was no way this creature was eating others.

Cough

“I noticed that... about a lot of the others you had in your home... why do you think that is?”

“Hmmm... dunno!” Lero replied, checking the Pot Bellied Glowy Grog over.

“You... don’t know? You must have some idea? It looked like you’ve been investigating it for some time...”

“Well I do have some hypotheses of course, but I’m not gonna draw any conclusions yet.”

“Ok, and?”

“And what?” They cocked their head to the side, “Oh... you wanna know what I think?”

How could this witch be so intuitive and so... well not at the same time? Kal shook her head in disbelief, “Of course I want to know! It could be linked to the strange goings on!”

“That’s a possibility but it’s a huge leap, what evidence do you have?”

“Well, I don’t really have anything concrete- just call it...” Kal knew she was going to regret this, “Intuition...” Now to wait for the mockery.

But it didn’t come.

“Hmmm... is that so?” Lero said, half heartedly.

‘W-well when you think about it, there really is a large amount of strange goings on around here, talk of a creature, a spate of small scale crimes seemingly carried out by the same person, and now I have lesser fae being found outside their habitat,” Kal explained, arms crossed and pacing.

“Hmm... I guess.” Kal looked over to Lero.

“You... you’re not even listening are you?” Kal sighed. Lero was far too enthralled with... Clarice?

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Kal reached for the notebook Lero had written notes in. Maybes there was something she missed? Maybes Lero picked something up that she didn’t...

“Lero... would you like to explain what this is?” Hand on hip, Kal hung the small notebook in Lero’s face.

“Notes?” Lero averted their gaze.

“Notes huh? Funny, looks a lot like a drawing of me labelled with the word ‘STINKY’!”

“N...notes...”

Kal sighed. How many times had she sighed now?

She was losing track.