Throughout the whole bizarre conversation, the three Icchorians left behind stood among the tree branches silently observing. They had stiffened at the question posed by the male guard, and could see how it had stumped their leader so. As they watched Layrion enter the house, signaling them to stay where they were, no sound escaped them as each was lost in their thoughts. Ammy opened her mouth several times, snapping it shut with a click as her thoughts raced over what had happened.

At last, it was Yggdrasil who broke the silence. “The little girl Alina reminds me of you Rune.”

Rune snapped his gaze to Yggdrasil in indignation. “What?! That small weakling?!”

“With the pride of a mountain and ego to match. Yes.” Yggdrasil laughed as he dodged Rune’s angry swipe. Ammy couldn’t help the smile that tugged at her lips watching the two. It slowly dissolved as her thoughts turned back to the conversation.

“She does realize we can’t stop drinking their blood. We need it to stay in these forms.” Her soft statement sobered the two males.

Rune’s gaze tightened. “We shouldn’t have too. We do enough just taking on their forms. We could easily kill them all in our Beast forms and be done with it.”

Ammy crossed her arms. “Then kill each other as the Lust consumes us? You know that is foolish.” Rune averted his gaze, quiet under her soft reprimand.

Yggdrasil sighed, sitting down against the trunk of the tree. “We might as well wait for her to speak with them. If there is anyone in this world to stop the war- it’ll be your sister.”

At his words Ammy smiled softly again, turning her gaze back to the hut Layrion had entered.

It was nearing dawn when Layrion emerged and bid the Humans goodbye. She swiftly disappeared into the trees, quietly passing beneath where she knew her sister and friends waited. They fell in step quickly behind her, Ammy indicating a location deeper into the woods where they would be able to find cover from the coming sun. No words passed between them, but it was apparent that Layrion moved more freely, as if a burden had been removed from her shoulders. The four settled down in a shallow cave, Rune and Ammy making sure the entrance was covered before settling around the fire Layrion had lit. They were all silent for a moment, before Layrion spoke.

“They are willing to learn about us, and I them. We’ve agreed that there are many misconceptions on both sides about each other, and that if we ever hope to attain peace we must first learn about one another.”

Ammy nodded. “But they are one group, a small fraction of Humans. The Hunters of Leben Festung will not take our presence lightly.”

“True, but we have discussed it and decided it is better that the Hunters there do not know of our interaction for the time being. They have informed me of the patrol schedule for the Hunters in the area, it it not often that they make their way to the village. The people here do not travel outside their immediate area, and when they do, they will not speak of us.”

Rune snorted softly. “And how can we trust them? You said it yourself, you would be quite the prize for the Hunters, perhaps they just want to use you to gain favor.”

“Marinel wants her child to grow up without fear. If we are what inspires fear in Humans, then having Alina grow up to know us would erase that fear. She will see us as friends...as equals.”

Rune huffed. “Equals? Hardly Layrion. Listen to yourself. We live longer than them, we are stronger than they could ever hope to be. We were here first. This is our land.”

Ammy sat up, ready to silence him when Layrion held up her hand. “You are right in everything you say Rune. But why should we be entitled to the control of the world? We need them. We should be protecting them, living alongside them.”

Yggdrasil tilted his head. “Noble words, but Humans have hardly accepted us with open arms.”

“Exactly. They draw blood as much as we do.” Rune spat.

Ammy spoke then, addressing Rune in a soft tone. “What did the Originator say to you Rune?”

The brunette stiffened, averting his gaze from the other three. He was silent for a long time. “He said…..that he wanted peace for our race.”

Ammy nodded, as if she knew he would say that. “As he has said to me. And this is our chance at peace. What do you have in mind sister?”

Layrion stirred the fire, her single golden eye bright in the light. “I want to know them. Forge a friendship that only we can create. I will claim my right as leader of our clan, take my father’s place on the council of Elders and hold the influence I need to change things. I am not so arrogant as to think I can do this alone. I will need the support of all of you as well. If you truly long for peace, I am willing to hear your council on these matters.” She looked to each of them, awaiting them to finish their own thoughts before answering.

It was Ammy who answered first. “I follow you wherever you go my sister. As we have always done, we shall continue to do.”

Yggdrasil stretched lazily. “I’ve already told you my thoughts on your future. I am here until the end.”

Rune was silent for longer. “I don’t know what the Originator is thinking...and you for that matter. But I do feel like there is something happening here bigger than ourselves. Always has been. I want us to see the light and walk the path we are more than worthy of being on. As much as I hate to admit it..you are on that path. I will follow for now.”

Ammy rolled her eyes and sighed but Layrion nodded. “I appreciate all your support. Our first concern needs to be a place we can call our own. I have thought about us going back to our homeland Ammy, but I feel we need something more centralized. While I am at council, I want you to take Rune and find any information you can on possible locations that can be our new home. It should be large enough to house many of our kind in both forms, but secluded and hidden so that we can live in relative peace. Search the old records, I will be able to give you access once I have taken our Father’s place.”

Ammy nodded, her mind already thinking of the possible titles she could read through to gather the information. Her eyes were alight at getting access to the private records that many Elders collected and hoarded at the Great Library. Layrion smiled, knowing her sister would be pleased to even be in the same room as the collection, and Rune should be suitably pacified getting to accompany her.

“Yggdrasil, you are the only one of us that has traveled far to the east, correct?” He nodded to her question. “Once I am instated, I want you to travel on my behalf to the clans there. We need to build our relations with clans outside our own.” She stopped, blinking several times. “I should probably ask if you two…” She indicated Yggdrasil and Rune. “would like to be part of our clan.”

There was a silence for a minute before Yggdrasil laughed, deep and loud, hand clutched to his chest. “My Lady I am offended you do not already see me as part of your clan! If it was not readily apparent, I have no clan of my own but yours.” He smiled. “If you will have me.”

Ammy and Layrion both smiled. “Of course. You are poetic when you want to be.”

Rune sat silently, turned away from the three as they talked. Ammy eyed him. “It is not a decision you have to make now Rune. And we will still be happy to have you as our ally if not a clansman. Please think on it.”

He nodded, still not turning to them as he watched the darkness of the cave opening. “Then it is decided. We will leave at nightfall to go to Közép Otthon to see the council. Please rest now, I will take first watch.” Layrion stood, moving to the mouth of the cave, that was just a bit lighter with the rising of the sun. The other three settled, Yggdrasil and Ammy murmuring of what they would need once they reached the capitol.

Layrion smiled, reflecting on the revelations of that day. A significant difference from where they were earlier that night, in the shell of a battlefield sowed with blood of both races.