Fen watched the sunset from his favorite white pine, overlooking the ocean from the top of a cliff, a salty breeze pushing his hair and clothing around. Once the sun set below the horizon, he took off his glasses, tucking them away. He watched the reds, violets, and oranges of the sky fade into twilight. He lingered for as long as the colors lingered. It was one of his favorite times of day.

  For the most part, he accepted how his normal eyesight had changed. Being blind during the day, except for his spells, was a new normal now. But he sometimes missed the daytime colors that night never had. The colors of sunset and sunrise kept him from forgetting a certain kind of beauty. Usually he watched with his best friend Liam, but this evening was a little different. He had an evening quest to complete alone—or almost alone.

  Once the colors faded and the stars came out, Fen headed up the path to the gorge cliffs, whistling as he walked. Before he got too far, Shuilong found him.

  In the last two days, Shuilong had drank several times her weight in milk, growing rapidly, which spoke of her connection to magic. And the way that her tummy had so easily filled out spoke to her neglect. That afternoon she insisted on a high degree of independence, and had caught her first mouse, half as big as her. Soon she would stalk and hunt larger prey. Shuilong, a new predator in the Oakkannu forest, would be establishing her territory.

  “Come on. We’re going somewhere.” Fen held out his hand and dipped his shoulder low.

  Shuilong accepted the invite and hopped onto his shoulder. For now, she was the size of a large kitten, the kind Fen had seen at university that lived with students. But he didn’t think she’d grow up to be a house cat. As he wondered about her size, thinking in a rather self-conscious paternal manner, she walked across his arms with feline grace before settling on his shoulder as he intended. He’d never owned a pet before, though with her magic, she was more than that. The gorge residents didn’t keep pets, and wouldn’t approve of Shuilong sleeping on his bed when the forest, her natural habitat, was right there for her to live in.

  The gorge residents would disapprove of her magic even more. Fen wasn’t prepared to discuss Shuilong’s Guardian blessing or her aether magic with the gorge residents. But keeping secrets from them would come back to bite him, he felt certain.

  The solution involved gathering more information about Shuilong. That was what tonight was about.

  He wanted to learn more about Shuilong’s origins. Kittens like Shuilong should still be with their mothers. Did her mother die? Was her mother in danger? Would she be dangerous to Shuilong for some unknown reason? He also wanted more information about Shuilong’s aether magic. He had received his own aether magic as a gift from a Guardian named Niqs. Where had Shuilong’s aether magic come from? Was aether magic seeping into Habaundance County from some other source?

  Fen’s walk took him to the spring mine and then past it to the west, taking a narrow trail half hidden by ferns and bushes. The trail didn’t climb up Mount Jacicle looming on his right, but stayed at the lower foothill elevation, winding away from the town.

  Shuilong was content to stay on his shoulder, her claws digging into his skin only a little when she needed balance. As long as Fen walked straight and steady, Shuilong remained steady enough to doze. The only sounds were the susurration of breezes through leaves and bushes. The only sights were the dim outlines of the forest trees and bushes, lit up by stars, a sliver of the moon, and the still-settling Aries magic.

  Twice Fen flared up a silver-white disk of his Gyre Gale Survey spell to scan for magic within a generous radius. He had been methodically walking through the thick forest. Earlier in the day, while his aunt watched the kitten, he had found a hint of wild Leo fire magic, which he now followed up on this evening. According to his spell, he and Shuilong were heading to the Leo fire magic. It was getting stronger with no hint of aether magic.

  Now that they were getting closer, Fen ate a granola life bar, tasting of green tea and tart celestial berries. He was approaching what seemed to be a powerful wild animal. Now with the life bar active, worst-case scenario would be fainting instead of dying.

  He continued on. Once he was in range, he sent out a Greeting spell and an Introduction spell, with a pictorial description of Shuilong. Who was the source of the Leo magic? A person? Or an animal, possibly with a Guardian blessing? Fen felt certain he had found the specific animal he wanted to find.

  A Guardian blessing an animal was rare. That blessing always included human-like sentience and active access to elemental magic. Shuilong’s magic proved that animals could contain and control magic.

  The Greeting and Introduction spells found their target, showing that the source of the Leo magic was making a beeline for him. He didn’t receive any answering spell.

  Fen stopped on the narrow path sharply enough that Shuilong dug her claws in and gave a protesting meow. Firs and hemlock trees lined each side of the path, meeting over his head. Holding still, he could hear the ocean waves far to his left.

  The Leo magic was close by. The ferns and low bushes outlined into the dim light nearby started shaking, creating a path heading straight for him. He instinctively started a Celestial Whirlwind spell for defense but didn’t cast it, more protective of Shuilong than himself.

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  The ferns a few paces in front of him shook. A mountain lioness appeared on the path.

  Shuilong hissed, then hid between Fen’s neck and hair, her breath cold on his neck.

  Fen tensed, but stuck to his spot. This lioness was the source of the Leo magic. She sat waiting for him. There was nothing but to ask.

  Fen patted Shuilong’s tail, the only part showing, while addressing the lioness. “Is this kitten your daughter?”

  The lioness yawned, showing frighteningly large teeth, and nodded. This response, as small as it was, confirmed all of Fen’s suspicions.

  “You have a Guardian blessing. Thank you for revealing yourself to me. Do you have human speech?” She could understand him. Did she have a way to communicate so they could have a detailed conversation?

  The lioness shook her head no.

  “My guess is that somehow your kitten got aether magic. You dropped her off at the reflecting pool forum because of how everyone assumes that aether magic is like Ophiuchus’ corrupted magic.”

  The lioness yawned again and nodded.

  “Ophiuchus is dangerous! You should not have left her there.”

  The lioness flipped her tail and made an odd roar, mimicking Shuilong’s roar with aether frost.

  “There is nothing wrong with aether magic,” Fen insisted, disgruntled, especially when Shuilong startled at her mom’s roar. “It’s not naturally corrupt. In fact, the true evil is leaving your daughter to rot in danger.”

  The lioness snorted.

  “Well, come on, examine me. Do I bear any signs of corruption? I’m sure you can tell how long the aether magic has settled in me.”

  The lioness’s ears twitched. The lioness walked around him, which was very nerve-wracking. Once she completed her examination, she plopped down in front of him, laying on her back and showing him her belly.

  “Okay, you’re convinced I’m not corrupt. The aether magic doesn’t doom your daughter. Why don’t you take her back? She’s too young to be left alone, and you’re her natural mother—hey, stop that!”

  Shuilong disliked Fen’s words, and bit at his ear, hard enough to draw blood. He scratched behind Shuilong’s ears and she settled down. He pinched his ear and whispered a quick Airweave Mend spell.

  The mother lioness got up from laying on her back and walked towards Fen. He tensed and the whirlwind reappeared in his hand. But the lioness showed no aggression. She stuck her head near Fen’s hand like she wanted to be petted too.

  Fen let the spell fade away, placing his hand on the lioness’ head. Now that introductions were over and he had more information, he found anger upwelling from deep, remembering the neglectful state he had found Shuilong, and in such a dangerous place.

  A System message appeared in his view, off to the side like usual.

  Labata assigns Xing Fen Feng as caretaker to daughter.

  Shuilong made a chirping sound.

  The System message updated to:

  Labata assigns Xing Fen Feng as caretaker to daughter Shuilong.

  “So you’re Labata?” Fen asked. “I don’t think this is appropriate.” He went through the motions to unassign himself as caretaker. He had never been in a caretaking role before, and it shouldn’t be entered into lightly.

  The System didn’t allow the requested changes. A message popped up.

  Reason for reassignment: Labata inadequate provider.

  Fen’s heart ached at how hard Shuilong’s first week of life must have been. The mother lioness growled and the kitten nipped at Fen’s ear.

  “You have a point. I did name you.” Fen sighed. His paternal instinct from earlier kicked in. He had come here in part for Shuilong’s safety; that’s what he wanted and he would continue to play an active role. He scratched behind Shuilong’s ears and ruefully accepted the assignment.

  He had taken this long walk to find the mother lioness, unsure of what he’d find. Now that the holes in his knowledge were filling in, he found that while he had approached this meeting thinking it practical to reunite a kitten with her mother, he, in fact, was too protective. Fen kept his hand on Shuilong’s head.

  “Can you tell me anything about how Shuilong received aether magic?” Fen cast a quick Zephyr Survey spell. While he hadn’t found any aether magic so far, he wanted to try one last time up close. As far as he could tell, the lioness didn’t have a drop of aether magic.

  Labata stuck her head under his hand again. She didn’t have human speech or the finesse of human spells to transmit information, but she had enough magic to brute force images to Fen.

  Her pregnancy with Shuilong had not gone well. Shuilong was sick inside of her and both of them would pass. The lioness had accepted this and had found a cave to rest in peace. Niqs had found her and said that the coastal forest still needed its huntress for balance. His healing grace infused Shuilong with his aether magic, which allowed the ambient Pisces magic to impress itself on her cells, giving her a soul. Niqs had wanted to heal the lioness too, but she had growled, not wanting to be tainted by the strange aether magic; she already had Leo magic, which was part of why Niqs was attracted in the first place. Niqs had not been offended by her refusal, but had laughed and left her to heal in peace. The kitten had roared with aether frost within hours of her birth. As soon as the lioness was well enough, she had taken her kitten to the ruins of the Pisces temple, as she thought that was the correct place for an animal with aether.

  Fen clenched his jaw. Labata had abandoned Shuilong, left the kitten defenseless in such a dangerous place as in Ophiuchus’ lair. He didn’t pretend to understand a predator’s instincts, but such a decision felt like more than neglect.

  He exhaled with a hiss. Even if his main class was a Priest, it wasn’t his place to judge nature’s cruelty. Labata wasn’t a mindless killer, and the balance of the forest had to be kept. That didn’t mean he had to like it, but for now, he would let Labata be.

  Shuilong purred on Fen’s shoulder, rubbing her head against Fen’s, her response to the turmoil she could sense in his tenseness and silence.

  “Thank you for meeting with us,” Fen said coldly, not trusting that he could offer any further respect. Shuilong hid from her mother under Fen’s hair.

  The lioness bowed goodbye, disappearing into the ferns.

  The walk back home passed in a blur as Fen got lost in his thoughts. Shuilong climbed down to be held in his arms.

  Fen had received the information he had gone looking for. Discovering that Niqs was the source of Shuilong’s aether magic was a relief. There wasn’t another source of aether magic, which was for the best, but Niqs interceding twice in Habaundance County within three years was unheard of. The only thing that made Habaundance County special was Ophiuchus and the ruined reflecting pool forum. With Mayor Zedock’s death, Minerva’s disappearance, and Val’s appearance, the balance of his home was being thrown off. It felt out of Fen’s control, and he didn’t know what else to do. Niqs had been handing out gifts and would expect them to be used.

  For now, it was time for some sleep before sunrise.