Sion the Shifter

“We’re soon going to reach Pike Village,” said Sho. “I can see the high rock from here, and then we will be safe.” 

“Will there be an inn there?” asked Ewen. 

“No… but the people usually offer me refuge when I go through,” said Sho. “That is, if I arrive there, and it’s too late to travel to the next village. They are very lovely people.” 

Sion, still in his shifter form, was trotting alongside them. At first, Sneeze had been a little uneasy by his hulking bulk in his shifted form, but she had since then come over to sniff his hide tentatively and seemed to have calmed down. Dancer, on the other hand, seemed to have never been scared of him, as if he knew, intrinsically, that he could dash away at any moment and far our of Sion’s reach. And while Sion had never see an elkin other than from far before, he had no doubt that Dancer could do just that just based on their reputation. 

“But we won’t be stopping there today,” said Sho. “We will see the village right around the next bend in the road.” 

“No inn…” muttered Ewen. “So that means that you had to sleep on a cot of fur, or maybe even on the ground...” 

“Mostly on the blanket I bring with me.” Sho patted the rolled up mat that was packed on Sneeze. “That’s why I got it.” 

“Your work is so hard, sometimes,” said Ewen. 

“Not really, I’m used to it, it’s you that— Oh, by Amirlyn!” 

They had turned around the bend of the road and the village had come into sight. And, right where the first house of Pike Village would have stood was a blackened, smoking heap. Sho stopped Sneeze while Ewen - followed by Sion - went to investigate. There were still a few house, but it seemed some had sustained some damage as well, and the first house had definitely been set on fire. 

The moment Ewen was near enough, he jumped down from his mount and went to touch what remained of a smoking, blacked beam which laid across the path. 

“This is recent,” said Ewen. “Last night at the earliest.” 

“Obviously,” said Sion. 

“Obviously,” repeated Ewen, parroting Sion’s tone. “Wow, aren’t you sassy?”

“You’re the one to talk--” 

“Hello?” called a voice. 

A woman was walking towards them, carrying a child with another trailing after her. The kit on foot seemed a little scared by Sion, who was still in his shifted form. He figured it might be rude, so Sion shifted back despite the pain. 

“This house was under attack by a lycore,” said the woman. “It compromised the structure of the roof, and when it felt down the fire in the fireplace set everything ablaze.” 

“This could have been the lycore we met this morning,” said Ewen. “Lovely lady. Would rather never talk to her again.” 

“You’ve met the lycore?” 

“Serena!” said Sho, finally catching up with his friends. “Is everyone all right?” 

“Shotle! Oh…” she seemed saddened. “I wish I could say yes.” 

“That’s Bedor’s house,” said Sho. 

The woman didn’t answer, she just lowered her head. 

“No…” said Sho. “What about the children?” 

“They didn’t make it out… The lycore attacked in the middle of the night.” 

“Hate those bastards,” said Ewen. “I should have burned her harder when I had the chance.” 

“And the other houses?” asked Sho, gesturing to one which had holes in their walls and the front door forced through. “Are the people all right?” 

“They escaped as the lycore was trying to force her way in. She only caught one more… Ifrit… He survived, but—” 

“Lead me to him!” said Sho. 

Sion looked at Sho with surprise. This was unlike the gentle, soft-spoken forger he had known up to this point. On his face was a bleak determination. 

“If he’s hurt, I’ll heal him,” said Sho. 

“This way,” said Serena. “This was, he’s in my home. Quickly…” 

Sho dismounted and followed her, leaving Sneeze with them. It seemed that she somehow sensed that a lycore had passed through this village, seeing how she was nervous, so Sion took her bridle just in case she would try to bolt. 

“Isn’t he handsome when he gets like that,” said Ewen after Sho had disappeared inside one of Pike’s village’s homes. “This is one of the reasons I love him.” 

“I’m sorry?” said Sion, astonished. 

“I love him. He’s kind, generous, brave, sensitive, and adorable. I’ve known him since we were young.” 

“You two are together?” asked Sion. He hadn’t had this impression since they had met, but he’s only known them since yesterday and this morning; he could have missed it. 

“No, not yet,” said Ewen. “I only realised recently, so I’m waiting for a very special moment to confess.” 

“Then— why tell me first?” 

“Because you are going to be travelling, apparently, with Sho for a while, and you will be doing so more than I, who has other duties to attend to. I just want to make it crystal clear that he’s mine and I saw him first.” 

“We’re standing next to a house that just bruned down in a lycore attack. Is now really the moment to be thinking about this sort of stuff?” 

“Yes, yes it is,” said Ewen. “Because I’ve been wanting to tell you this all morning and this might be the last time we are alone for days. Because, knowing Sho, he’s going to want to stay here and help defend the town, so we are going to help him do just that. Or at least I will, if you won’t stay, but if you do, I just want to make sure you don’t go around, catching feelings. That would be embarrassing when they aren’t returned.” 

“Wait, Sho likes you back?” 

“Of course he does. He just doesn’t know it yet, just like me up until recently. I told you, we’ve known each other for a while now.” 

“But he hasn’t— Confessed?” 

“Why do you want to know?” Ewen, agitated, got right up into his face. “You better not be thinking of stealing him from me, or I’ll roast you alive like I did with that lycore. You might think you’re big and strong, but I could burn you to a crisp in an instant if I wanted.” 

“Calm down!” said Sion. “I never asked that, I was just confused.” 

“Stay confused and stay out of my way, Sion,” said Ewen, taking a step back. “I’m going to see if Sho needs me.” 

Ewen stormed off, following the way the woman, her children and Sho had gone. Dancer trotted after him and stopped near the house he entered, leaving Sion alone with Sneeze. 

“What a selfish jerk,” said Sion to Sneeze. “Can you believe that?” 

She snorted. 

“I bet someone let their looks get to their head,” added Sion. “I’ll just ignore him. Who cares if he wants to confess to Sho? What an idiot. And there is no way someone like Sho likes someone as selfish and angry as Ewen… right?” 

She snorted, and started to pull on the bridle because she wanted to go taste the grass. He let her, and stayed outside until someone came to fetch him.