The Jackal's Song
Chapter 8: Diverging Paths

Despite what he said, Hake was obviously enjoying the walk through the Peace Garden. Originally planted after the Red Crusade, the corner of the castle green had become an impressive collection of botanical oddities from every part of the world, including rare pepper plants from the far-off Swordfish Isles and all manner of jungle flora from Bat'yan. The jackal looked on with interest, stopping to smell the flowers and inspect the leaves."Father would be impressed by some of these. I'm surprised how healthy they are," Hake remarked, his eyes wide with fascination.

"The merchant council employs a small circle of druids to maintain the garden. Expensive, but it's hard to argue with the results," Senu replied, watching his brother's reactions.

"Indeed. Some of these plants are preserved from the old world. The Seelie would be pleased to see them in a place of honor here," Hake said, bending to examine a particularly vibrant flower.

"I thought so too. Even a small city like Shimmer Bay has its surprises. Does it help you see why I want to stay?"

"I'll admit, I can see the appeal. I'll have to sketch a few of these to take home."

"So, how is Mother?"

"Oh, you know. She's Mother. She's been in a terrible mood since you left."

"And the others?"

"They're fine. Everyone is fine. The family is still thriving. Dad's been playing some version of Three Acres War with a couple of other artisans."

"And what about you?"

"I'm a full magistrate now. It's a good job for me. There's almost no crime in Feyspring. I barely have to do anything."

"Sounds boring."

"Oh, it is. Exceedingly. But it means I get to take my time with little errands like this."

"It was good seeing you again, Hake. I'm glad we got to spend some time together."

"Yeah, it was nice. If anyone asks, tell them I tried harder to convince you to come back. I would, but I know it won't make a difference."

"Fair enough."

They reminisced about childhood games and long nights spent finding stars and tracing constellations. But eventually, Hake needed to leave for an "appointment." The way he said it made Senu fairly certain the appointment was with his bed at the Royal Stag, but he let it stand.

"Take care of yourself, Senu."

"You too, Hake."

***

The next few days were a mix of the strange and the familiar. Hake and Eirik watched him perform at the Royal Stag, and he felt some of his experiences of the last few days showed in his music. It wasn't technically better, but the passion seemed to show through, and the crowd reacted more, especially when he incorporated some of the graceful dancing he'd used in his encounter with Liora, who had also started performing several nights a week.

One evening, after a particularly well-received performance, Senu found himself alone in a quiet corner of the tavern. He was wiping down his new lyre when Andrus sauntered over. The dragon had been absent during the last few performances, and Senu had appreciated not having to deal with his provocations. It seemed his luck had run out in that regard. There was something odd about Andrus's movement—less fluid than usual. If Senu didn't know better, he'd say the dragon looked tired. He also noticed a strong herbal aroma wafting from Andrus. Had he been injured?

"Well, if it isn't everyone's third favorite rising star," Andrus sneered, his voice dripping with venom usually kept concealed under a layer of frivolity.

Senu looked up, forcing a calm expression. "What do you want, Andrus?"

The dragon leaned in closer, his eyes narrowing, breath hot with anger. "You think just because you've had a few good nights everyone will forget you're the worst performer here? I'm tired of looking at you. I'm tired of hearing you. And I want you to know your days here are numbered."

Senu bristled but kept his voice steady. "Are you drunk? Leave me alone."

Andrus smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Don't get too comfortable, Senu. Accidents happen all the time." He shifted slightly, wincing as he did.

Senu's eyes flicked to the movement, noticing a dark stain under Andrus's tunic. "Are you hurt?"

Andrus's expression hardened. "Mind your own business, jackal." He straightened up, his tail flicking with irritation. "Just remember, I warned you."

With that, Andrus turned and walked away, leaving Senu with a lingering sense of unease. He couldn't shake the feeling that the dragon's threat was more than just empty words. They'd never been friends, but the hostility between them had never been this open. Worse, as the night went on, he noticed the other performers were deliberately avoiding him. Even the bartender wouldn't make eye contact. Senu didn't fully understand what was happening, but he recognized that something had shifted.

The atmosphere in the Royal Stag had grown colder, and Senu felt a gnawing anxiety creeping into his thoughts. Conversations halted when he approached, and whispers seemed to follow him around the room. It was as if an invisible barrier had been erected, isolating him from the camaraderie he once enjoyed. He tried to push the feelings aside, focusing on his music, but the usual joy he found in performing was tainted by the pervasive sense of dread that seemed to only increase as the days passed.

In the meantime, Hake spent most of his evenings at the large casino near the riverwalk. Senu shared meals with him, and they sometimes spent time walking through the city. The time with his brother was a comfort after so much time away from home. Meanwhile, Eirik became a frequent but pleasant distraction. The elk was insatiable, but Senu found that his own desires were a match. When he and his delving crew finally left for Al'ar, nearly a week after the fortress, Senu was disappointed. But he felt like their time together had helped him to grow.

"I promise to write as often as I can," the elk said as they hugged one last time at the docks.

"Take care of yourself, Eirik. I'll miss you."

Eirik held him a moment longer, then pulled back to look him in the eyes. "You're strong, Senu. Keep pushing yourself, and you'll figure things out."

Senu smiled, touched by the elk's words. "I hope you're right. And you... stay safe out there."

The elk grinned in that cocky way that made Senu's breath catch in his throat. "Always. Besides, I've got my crew to keep me in line."

Senu's ears faltered, but he forced them upright. "Lucky you. I guess I'll just have to manage on my own."

Eirik's expression softened. "You're not alone, pup. Remember that."

"I'll remember," Senu said, his voice shaking slightly. "See you soon, Eirik."

"Be well," Eirik replied, giving Senu a final, reassuring kiss before stepping back onto the ship.

As the vessel pulled away from the dock, Senu watched until it was a distant speck on the horizon.

***

Later that afternoon, Senu visited Terrance at his home in Saltspray Grove. It was a two-hour walk from the north gate, but the late spring weather was still pleasant enough that the journey was invigorating, even with the significant humidity. The wolf seemed to have settled back into his normal routine, and Senu found him hard at work in his field, plucking weeds from around his crop of carrots, beets, and parsnips.

"Terrance!" he called, waving a hand.

The old wolf looked up, battle-scarred muzzle wary until he recognized him. "Ah, Senu, good to see you!" He glanced around, then pointed towards the edge of the yard where a rack held several tools. "Make yourself useful and grab a hoe."

He nodded and retrieved the tool before joining the wolf in the field. It was familiar work, albeit in a different format. The hoe wasn't quite long enough for him to grip comfortably, but he managed. For a time, they worked in companionable silence, but Terrance eventually broke it. "Thanks again for what you did for Marco. I know the delvers did most of the work for the others, but you saved Marco, and I want you to know I won't forget that."

"The only reason I was there was because I was desperate for money. I mean, all I did was stumble across him."

"And you dropped everything to get him home. That's not something everyone would have done in your situation," he said matter-of-factly. "It makes me glad to know you."

"Thank you," he said, still feeling he didn't deserve the praise. "I'm glad to know you too."

"If you ever need anything, you let me know." After the cold treatment he'd received at the Stag of late, that offer of support left a warm feeling in his chest and he couldn't help but smile.

How have you been doing? Any residual problems for you or Marco?"

"Marco hasn't been sleeping well, but that's to be expected. He was in that damn fortress for three days. He says he doesn't remember anything, and I'm glad for that, but I suspect some part of him does."

Senu nodded, considering. "You know, jackals have some power over dreams. I'm not great at it, but Hake, my brother, is one of the best."

The sound of Terrance's hoe striking the dirt could be heard a few times before he spoke again. "Would you be able to send for him?"

"Actually, he's in Shimmer Bay, at least for another day or two. He was supposed to bring me home, and he's dragging his feet about returning to my parents empty-handed."

"You think he would come out here to help Marco?"

"He might. Especially if he's looking for an excuse to delay his return."

"I wouldn't want to cause trouble for him."

"Don't worry about that. Hake is lazy, but he likes helping people. I'll check in with him."

That evening, Senu had dinner with Hake and eventually brought up Marco and Terrance. The older jackal agreed without much protest, and the pair visited Terrance the next evening. Hake did seem to make some progress in clearing some of the trauma in Marco's mind, and Terrance and his wife expressed their gratitude in the form of a homemade chicken dinner that was better than anything either of them had had in Shimmer Bay.

On the walk back to the city, Senu decided it was time to address another matter that had been on his mind. "Hake, there's something else I need to talk to you about."

"What's that?" Hake asked, glancing at him curiously.

"While Terrance and I were waiting for the delvers outside of the Dungeon, we were attacked by two foxes who were apparently cultists to the Red God. They had communication disks powered by Seelie magic. Jackal magic."

Hake's expression grew serious. "Communication disks? Are you certain?"

"Yes. Eirik insisted on handing them over to the guard, but they were definitely crafted using our techniques."

Hake stopped walking and turned to face his brother. "This is serious, Senu. If cultists have access to our technology, it could mean a lot of trouble. Did you find out anything else about them?"

"Not much. They were dressed as messengers of the guard, and they attacked us without warning. We managed to fend them off, but it was a close call."

Hake frowned, deep in thought. "I'll need to report this to the elders when I get back. Stolen jackal technology is disturbing enough, but in the hands of cultists... it could be disastrous. I'll need to leave for home tomorrow."

"I'm sorry. I should have brought it up earlier. There was just so much going on; I've been distracted."

"It's fine, Senu. You told me, and that's good enough. But something dark is brewing out there. Even that wolf pup's dreams had the feeling of tension about them."

"You're worried about me."

"Yes." There was no hesitation.

"I'm old enough to make my own decisions, Hake. Even if something happens to me, you should know that I don't regret leaving Feyspring. I need a life that's more than sitting around playing games and telling stories."

"You could always be a diplomat. Mother keeps saying that we should have more contact with the larger cities."

Senu snorted. "Not likely. We both know that's not me."

Hake smiled. "I suppose not. But I'm not convinced this bard business suits you either. Are you sure you wouldn't prefer a less... unconventional approach?"

"I need to live true to myself."

"Fine. But if you keep up with this, especially if you end up delving again, be careful. I won't always be there to heal you."

"I know. Thank you. And thank you for coming all the way out here."

"Hey, it's not like I was doing anything else."

They reached the gate and entered Shimmer Bay, the sounds of a bustling nightlife washing over them. "I take it you're going back to the casino since this is your last night?"

The jackal chuckled. "I'm going to clean them out."

"Good. If anyone deserves to win big, it's you."

Shortly after dawn the next day, Hake left. They had a brief farewell at the north gate, but Hake couldn't resist one last jab. "You sure you don't want to change your mind and come home with me?"

Senu shook his head, smiling. "Not a chance. But thanks for caring enough to ask one last time."

Hake grinned, pulling his younger brother into a tight hug. "Be safe. And remember, we're still out here if things get too tough."

"I know. Take care, Hake."

As Hake turned to leave, he paused and looked back. "I believe in you, Senu."