The humid jungle air hummed with the humming of insects. Natalie and I walked hand-in-hand along the trail, her warmth filling my palm. My eyes notice her tail twitching non-stop. And I smiled sheepishly, looking away.

  Natalie had always been rather hyper, climbing up and down trees, jumping from heights and swing from vines to get to where she wanted. Walking slowly like this with me on the ground must be too easy for her.

  "Here, Herald," Natalie handed me a piece of the Lenggang cake, smiling.

  "Uh... Thanks," I took it and ate. But wasn't as fragrant or sweet as I remembered. She ate hers too, as though unaware of my thoughts inside me.

  "Don't worry about it, Herald," She said, "I enjoy walking with you like this."

  I flinched a bit; she always seemed to know what I'm thinking. "Um... Okay."

  Natalie stopped, turning to me, "Don't be like that, Herald. You're making me sad too, you know?"

  "I-I know. It's just... You had to come down to just... Walking when you could be up there... Must be hard for you, Natalie."

  "Herald, I've told you many times," she put her other hand on her hips and pouted, "I want to be with you. Not being up there is nothing, so stop being sad, okay?"

  She leaned in and rubbed her cheeks against mine.

  I froze. The smell of her hair, like fresh grass in a hot day with a bit of that weird, musky smell of her sweat, it was... Strangely comforting.

  She gave my hand a tug and we continued walking. The jungle path was uneven. When there were ledges that needed climbing, she jumped ahead and easily pulled me up. We came to a tree with a low bough, and a thick hanging vine.

  I looked.

  It was rough, gnarly, easily for my hands to hold onto.

  I could climb it.

  I want to be able to stand alongside her.

  And the vine...

  I winced inward. A mocking voice rang in my head.

  The last time I swung, my hand slipped from the vine body and I crashed into the ground below. And to make matters worse, the other Felid children, led by Sylvester, laughed at me.

  Even now, that memory made me want to just stomp my foot and want to hide somewhere.

  As if the Reddest Night wasn't enough.

  "Do you want to try the vine again?" Natalie asked, when she saw me staring at the vine.

  "I want to... But..." I looked away.

  A sniff. And her lips tightened, her ears flattened, "You're still hurt from that time..."

  "Yeah..."

  Then she turned around and crouched, "Here, Herald... Let me carry you."

  "Huh?" I stepped back, a strange feeling making me wanting to cover my cheeks.

  I swallowed; I wasn't expecting this. All the books I ever read in the palace told me it was the boy who carried the girl. But that world was gone. Maybe... The rules don't work like that here...

  "C'mon, Herald. Let me show you my world." She urged, turning her head to look at me. Her tail flicked once.

  My heart pounded. But, slowly, I moved and stood over her. Leaned forward and placed my arms over her shoulder. Her arms closed around the back of my knees and she lifted me up.

  I pressed against her back, her hair in my face. She was warm, a little sticky from the humidity.

  We faced the tree.

  "Ready, Herald?" Natalie asked, "you'll need to hold onto me with your legs too. I need my hands to climb."

  "Ready, Nat." I wrapped my legs around her stomach.

  She didn't wobble or anything.

  Then, with a grunt, she leapt off the ground and onto the tree, the claws of her hands and feet extending and she latched on.

  Easily she climbed up. I felt her stomach harden from the exertion. But she didn't pant. There was no stumbling. She climbed steadily up.

  We reached that low bough. It was flat enough for me to sit on without falling off.

  "Let's eat here, Herald." Natalie said.

  "Sure."

  Natalie opened the pack her mother gave her and I took a piece. We ate together on the branch, watching the forest, listening to its symphony. It's not melodious like the musicians of the palace, more like each insect is doing their own thing. But it's nice.

  I took another bite of the cake. This time, the flavor came through. I breathed in, delicious and fragrant, so unique from the food of the palace.

  A squeak in the air, and a shiny blue bird came and perched nearby. It was pretty. Blue wings, white belly and a black back, with very large red beak. It looked so cute, a big head on a small body.

  I pointed at the bird, "Hey, Nat, look—"

  Splat!

  A small green fruit splattered against the bark of the trunk next to us. And the bird flew away.

  "Ah!" The sour juice hit my eye. For a moment, I couldn't see properly, but I heard the sound of kids laughing. I knew those voice. And my heart dropped into my stomach inside me.

  When I could see, a bare-chested Felid boy in white pants me stood on the branch over us. His wild, greyish-purple hair flowed down to his shoulders, bangs cut straight across his brows and two thick tufts hung from his temples. His bare chest was lined with a thin layer of fur and so was his lower stomach and legs. Tribal markings marked his toned arms.

  "Still hanging out with the tailless runt, Natalie?" Sylvester said, his eyes narrowing at me.

  Natalie's tail puffed, she stood up, "Leave him alone, Syl!"

  Seeing them made me want to curl up. Whenever they'd find Natalie with me, trouble follows. I had tried to fight them a few times, but even with Kaelen's training, I never won. Sylvester threw me like a doll.

  "You stopped playing with us ever since you found him, Natalie." Moy said, her voice full of hurt.

  I turned. Moy was perching on the branch behind us. A Felid girl older than us, her body toned and slender. Her hair was wild like her brother's, reaching her waist. She wore a long white dress with a side-slit, and a crop top.

  I looked around, they've got us surrounded. Sylvester and another Felid boy with a runny nose in front, and Moy with another fidgety Felid girl behind. Our only escape is the thick vine hanging down to the jungle floor near us. The air seemed to buzz with hate; and I could feel it pressing against us front and back.

  "That runt is not him, Natalie. You know that." Sylvester said, pointing a clawed finger at me.

  Natalie froze, even her tail stopped moving.

  Him? Who's him? Do I look like someone they know?

  This is the first time this had ever come out.

  Natalie's hands clenched, "Don't call him that, Sylvester! He's sad and alone, and I don't want anyone to be sad anymore!" Natalie said, her teeth baring.

  Sylvester took out another fruit from the pouch beside his loose grey pants and tossed it into the air, smirking. "He doesn't climb, doesn't hunt, and he's weak. He'll never be one of us!"

  With a flick so fast I couldn't see, he slung the fruit straight at me.

  ZIP!

  TWACK!

  Natalie caught the fruit before it hit my face. Felids have very quick reflexes.

  "See? He can't even catch it."

  I saw the small green thing in her hand, a calamansi.

  "You don't accept him just because he's not like us! If you won't have him, then I'll be with him!" Natalie stood.

  "How could you betray us, Natalie?! We were good friends!" Moy cried. "This is our world! He's an outsider!"

  "I'm not! I just want all of us to be together!" Natalie shouted.

  The atmosphere began to tense. I could feel this isn't going to end well. The other kids, following Sylvester and Moy's lead, fished out their calamansis from their pouches. I watched their shoulders trembled, their feet digging into the branches.

  "You'd choose him over us, Natalie?" Sylvester bared his teeth. "How—"

  "NATALIE! Run!" I pulled Natalie and ran towards the vine.

  Vine!

  The last time!

  But it's do or die now!

  "Rrragh!"

  I jumped and grabbed the vine with all four. I felt it, it's roughness. I closed my arms and legs around it. I shut my eyes and let myself fall, feeling the heat as my palm grazed against its fibers, hoping for a good landing.

  "H-Herald!" Natalie called.

  I hit the ground and rolled. Natalie landed beside me.

  "You won't get away with this!" Sylvester snarled, his voice rising a cat-like scream.

  The limes rained down on us. Each one of them threw with all their strength. A few hit me and burst, the juice splattering. I covered my eyes.

  "Herald, this way!" Natalie grabbed my arm and we ran. I had only one eye now, it was difficult to run. From the corner of my sight I saw the two children land and gave chase, while Sylvester and Moy moved along the branches.

  A fruit zoomed past my eye. Miss.

  We ran, and ran. I tripped over a root. Natalie pulled me back up, her sharp nail biting into me. The fruit continued to hit us.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  "Stop it! Sylvester!" Natalie cried, shielding me.

  "Then leave him!" He roared back.

  "Why can't you accept him like I do?!" Her voice rose into a scream.

  A fruit hit her in the shoulder.

  "There's no point, Natalie! Keep running!" I shouted, pulling her arm.

  They chased us, but they didn't close in for a fight. They could, but didn't.

  "Oh no!" Natalie gasped.

  We skidded to a stop. A large ditch stretched before us. There were vines hanging over it. We froze... Breathing hard, heart pounding.

  It wasn't a big drop, but enough to hurt badly. And it was far. Natalie could easily jump across. But I'd need the vine to make it.

  I looked left. The ditch stretched far into it.

  Then right, the same.

  Only one way left.

  I could hear Sylvester's voice getting closer to us.

  Natalie pulled my hand, "Herald, this way. Hurry!"

  I stood my ground, "No." I said it before I realized I said it.

  I had enough. Of being weak. Of being helpless. Of being the reason why Natalie had to suffer.

  "Herald?" Natalie glanced nervously between me and the path where our pursuers would eventually appear from.

  I took two steps back, eyes fixed on the vine. I could hear myself breathing. For a moment, Natalie's calling seemed to fade out. All I hear was my heart, and my breath.

  If it's that far... Then I'll need about...

  All the training I done with Kaelen flashed before me.

  "Live."

  Mother?

  With a roar, I sprinted and jumped. I caught the vine and hugged it hard with my hands and legs. I had to scream through my teeth just to press the fear down.

  The wind was in my face. A tightening, clenching feeling in my stomach. Then, when I felt the momentum begin to slow, I let go.

  And crashed, rolled and laid flat on my back. I heard my own gasps. I saw branches and leaves. And the base of the trees.

  I made it.

  An embarrassing sound escaped me. But I was smiling.

  Natalie landed in a crouch beside me, "He-Herald! You did it!"

  I laughed, my voice shaking, "I think I did."

  We saw Sylvester and his gang appeared from the trees on the other side, but they stopped chasing us. He said something to them and they retreated back into the trees.

  Phew!

  We were safe... For now.

  ---

  We didn't know whether Sylvester would return or he had given up chasing us. But we retreated further into a forest until we felt safe enough.

  We stopped at a place with many large kapok trees, the roots high enough to hide us. And nearby were banana trees with overripe bananas. The smell should keep us hidden.

  We settled into a small nook between two tall roots. I leaned back against the curve, the tension easing away from me, and safety slowly seeping into me. Natalie settled down beside me, tail wrapped around her leg. We leaned into each other, then our breathing slowed.

  We were hot and sweaty from all the running. But it didn't matter. We were safe and together. The heat and the stickiness actually comforted us.

  For a long time, we didn't say anything. But from the way Natalie kept staring at her feet, I knew she was very hurt by what happened.

  My mind went back to what Sylvester said.

  I'm not him.

  Him.

  Who?

  I must look like someone they know.

  I glanced at Natalie.

  All this could've been spared for her if she had left me alone. I'd be training with Kaelen, she'd be hanging out with her friends, we'd be strangers and all would be well. But that's not what happened.

  She chose to be with me even though it meant getting fruit thrown at her.

  The question that had been bothering me all this time came again: Why? What for?

  I looked up to the canopy. Sunlight peeking in from where the leaves were less. Just looking at them was comforting.

  "Hey, Natalie?"

  She leaned in closer, tail uncurling from her leg, "Hm?"

  "Why?"

  She tilted her head.

  "I mean, why do you do this for me?" And I told her how I thought about what happened.

  For a long time, she didn't say anything. And I didn't push.

  Her weight lifted from my arms, and she looked away. For a moment, I thought I saw tears.

  Her tail twitched. And her ears went flat.

  Then, they stood up. And she turned back to me, her sky blue eyes meeting my dark brown ones.

  "Because..." Her voice shook a little, "You're my friend, Herald." And she forced herself to smile, despite the wetness of her eyes.

  Somehow, I don't think she's telling me the whole truth. Then again, I'm not telling her my whole truth either: about who I really am.

  "Natalie..." I held her hand, "I like you, but also don't want you to be sad. If this is too hard for you, you can go back to them. I have Kaelen with me."

  I have Kaelen with me... If I had water with me right now, I'd wash my mouth twice.

  Natalie shook her head, that white patch on her right bangs swaying as though daring me to continue, and glared at me.

  "Herald..." Her voice was tinged with a growl.

  I swallowed. That look in her eyes... Fierce. Determined. It made me regret ever even mentioning it.

  "Forget I said anything." I quickly looked away.

  We huddled together in the nook until we've calmed down; till our hearts steadied. The sun was beginning to slant from the canopy. My playtime would be over soon.

  Natalie stood up.

  "There's something I want to show you, Herald." Natalie tilted her head, smiling. The awkward silence from before gone.

  I rose, "Alright."

  Natalie led me to a place in the jungle I've never seen. It was more ancient, like it's been around for a long, long time. The trees were gnarlier and bigger. The roots were more dense. The ground mossy, full of mushrooms of strange colors, some of them glowing in the dim light. The vines here bloom with bright flowers. And the leaves... Some are purple.

  Even the air here feels different. Drier, like Lumina dry.

  Yet, there is a trodden path that leads somewhere.

  "What... Natalie, this place is brimming with magic." I said, taking in the foreign jungle.

  My eyes saw some green sigils pulsing on the trees, underneath each one is a green crystal fixed into a frame made of sticks and vines.

  Environment altering wards.

  A magic user is here.

  "Natalie, where are we going?" I patted her shoulder as I caught up with her ahead.

  "Secret, Herald." Natalie said with a grin, "Almost there now."

  From her face, I could tell we're headed to some place safe.

  We arrived at a spacious clearing where an ancient, banyan tree stood, one lone giant away from the other trees.

  Surrounding it was a garden that was clean, tidy and colorful compared to the green, brown tropical rainforest around it. There were flowers and plants of red, blue, yellow, purple. Among the plants I recognized were the Bunga Telang, the flowers Natalie gave me a year ago, and a unique five petaled red flower with a rod growing out of the center which Natalie called the Hibiscus.

  In the middle of the garden, between the small gate of the fence and what looked like an entrance at the base of the banyan was a well. With a roof. And around it was large vases storing water.

  "Who lives here?" I asked, smelling the pleasant mixture of floral scent: sweet, sharp, milkish and honeyish.

  It suddenly reminded me of Mama's garden in the palace.

  Ma...

  "My teacher." Natalie said.

  "Of what?"

  "You'll see."

  Natalie pushed through the curtains and I followed behind.

  "Juno~!"

  Nobody answered. But I heard a slow, constant grinding sound.

  Grrrk... Grrrk... Grrrk...

  The space under the tree was large, dimly lit by lantern and the golden rays of light coming in through the gaps in the bark walls. It's cool, magic-controlled air, smelled of dried herbs and medicine.

  And there, by the large cauldron, was a table with a Felid with long silvery hair. Long tufts of fur grew from the tip of her ears. And her tail was long and fluffy. Leaning against the table was a gnarled staff, with talismans hanging from it.

  She sat by the embers, grinding something in a mortar and pestle.

  I stood at the doorway. She turned at Natalie's approach.

  "Natalie, my dear child." Her hand reached out and patted her head.

  "Juno, I brought Herald." Natalie said, tail curling.

  Now, her amber-green eyes turned to me. And held me with a strange, powerful gaze. Somehow, I felt she could see through me.

  "Ah... A pleasure to finally meet you, young prince."

  She could.

  My chest knotted strongly inside me.

  Her voice was a bit raspy, gentle caress, but one that carried weight. Like how Mama and Papa spoke inside their Throne Room.

  "He's just Herald, Juno." Natalie said, jumping in front of her.

  "Is he now?" Juno said with a smile. She rose and reached for her staff.

  "Come here, Herald. Let Juno see you." Natalie beckoned cheerfully.

  She already saw me, Nat. You just don't know it.

  I walked to her, keeping my eyes down.

  "You're left eye is hurt." She said.

  I looked up. She was right, it was still sore from the lime juice. But I was afraid to say how it became like that.

  "That Sylvester threw lime at us!" Natalie said, tail puffing again.

  Juno let out a low hum. Then, she reached into one of the many pockets of her robe and took out a small glass vial of clear pink liquid.

  She cupped my chin and lifted my face, her touch just like Mama and Ollette's. A drop of pink dropped into my eye.

  Immediately the soreness disappeared. I blinked my eyes. I couldn't believe it. Magic, here.

  It's different from Lumina. There, hands glowed and pain disappeared. There were magic circles, runes and glyphs. Here, it was potions.

  "It's Alchemy, Herald." Natalie said proudly, standing so straight for a moment she looked like Kaelen, "Juno's our village healer and shaman."

  "So you know magic, grandma Juno?" I asked.

  "Not magic in the way you know them, little prince." Juno said, gesturing to the shelves of ingredients stored in clay and glass jars. "I read the stars, and I brew medicines from plants to heal those in pain, from the normal to the magical."

  I looked at the elderly alchemist's hideout. Shelves and cabinets filled with jars. At one wall was a wooden board littered with scratches that made a map of constellations. Near the opening of another wall was a basin with sigils around it, presumably for sky-reading during daylight.

  "So that blue and green potion... That was from you too?"

  Juno nodded.

  A warm, tingly feeling welled up inside. Last year... She was already there. I wanted to cry.

  "Th-thank you..."

  Natalie came beside me, "Juno's teaching me alchemy. When I grow up," she turned to the elderly shaman, "I want to a great healer just like Juno. So that no one will have to suffer anymore."

  No one will have to suffer anymore...

  That echoed in head.

  Natalie... You don't say that if you don't know pain...

  Natalie tugged my arm and we went to another lower table. This one was just right for her height, and messier. Roots, barks, flowers, powders were scattered all over. A small mortar and pestle and a scale sat at a corner.

  She showed me her alchemy works, all stored in little jars of clay and glass. Some well done, bright red or orange colors. Looked drinkable. Some others... highly suss... Blackish, purply, murky...

  I'm not drinking those.

  "Wow, Natalie, you made all these? You're amazing!"

  She blushed, swaying, "That's cause I have a great teacher, Herald."

  I saw a parchment with doodles and picked it up, "And this is your current work?"

  Natalie nodded, "Enn... It's a..."

  She seemed a little embarrassed. I blinked at her, hoping she'd tell me what it is.

  "A potion for broken hearts..." She finally said, looking at me.

  "For me?"

  "Well... ." Natalie purred, her cheeks reddening. She nodded, then said, "and for us... And everyone too."

  Peace filled my heart.

  "Natalie..." I held her hand, "Thank you."

  And she nuzzled my neck.

  From the cauldron, Juno watched us quietly.

  Natalie beamed. She bounded to a shelf and came back with another mortar and pestle. "Let's make some potions, Herald! I'll teach you!"

  "Alright, Nat!"

  ---

  We sat down together at Natalie's low table, each a mortar and pestle. Juno brought some roots for us to.

  "These are Alistaves," Natalie explained, holding up the root, "When you make it into a potion, you can train all day and don't get tired!"

  "Wow! That's useful!" I quickly put the roots into my pestle. The thought of no more tiredness and soreness pushing me to hurry.

  "Yeah! It'll be great for your sword training with Kaelen!"

  "Sure! Let's make them!"

  I pressed the mortar onto the root, but they're pretty tough. Natalie told me to pound them first, break down the hard skin before grinding. It worked.

  For a while, we didn't speak. The only sound was the continuous grrrk... Grrrk... Grrrk from our pestles and the crackling of fire under the cauldron. Juno was sorting her pantry at in the corner.

  I had always been afraid of quiet. That's when the screaming and the red colors would come back. But here... I was doing something, Natalie was beside me. It was another kind of quiet.

  A nice, comfortable one.

  Natalie was concentrating so much her tongue stuck out from her lips. She looked a bit funny like that. By the time I'd finished turning my roots into powder, she was on her third batch.

  Even as worked, I could feel my mind clearing up. My hands didn't tire.

  "Some herbs release their powers only when they are crushed, little one." Juno suddenly appeared beside me. I've been concentrating so hard I didn't realize she moved, "The power is is wrapped up in its skin, once we break the wrapping down, the power comes out."

  Juno ran a gentle hand over our heads, and rested them over our shoulders. "We are not that different."

  She held my gaze. Her amber-green eyes gentle, wrinkled from age, but still strong. I think she's comparing me to the root. But... I don't get it.

  Power is wrapped up inside... I'm sealed...

  Only when crushed... Does the power come out...

  Crushed...?

  Do I have to die or something?

  And I felt a jab on my nose. Natalie was laughing.

  "W-what did you do?" I asked.

  She dipped her finger into her powder and reached over, drawing on my cheeks.

  "H-hey! Natalie!"

  She bowled over, laughing till she clutched her stomach. Juno also laughed. I looked around the room and saw a mirror.

  I had gold dust on my nose, and three lines on each cheek.

  "Natalie! You don't even have whiskers!"

  "Boys do! When they grow up they get beards and lots of fur!"

  We eventually finished our task, bursting into laughter every now and then. Juno had taken the powder to a corner. And so, we two sat quietly in the sunlight by the gap in the wall. Natalie's eyes caught the sunlight and glowed.

  I looked. They looked like how our Wingly eyes would shine when we channel our Ruach. Our hair would shine too.

  Magic...

  Will I ever return to that world? To who I really am? Kaelen seemed to think so...

  But it's been a year. This seal is still so strong. I can't do anything about it.

  I think Kaelen wanted me to be strong, whether the seal breaks or not.

  "Seeing you, Herald,"

  Natalie's voice brought me back. I looked at her.

  "Made me realize there is an even bigger world out there." She looked out the opening in the wall towards the sky, "It's not just Ibis and this jungle..."

  She stared out into the distance... Longing in her eyes. Then she took my hand.

  "Herald, when we grow up, let's go see the world together!" Her hands shot out wide, "We'll go on big adventures and help people everywhere! Won't we, Herald?"

  Seeing her like that... So full of hope and energy, I want to go to. Suddenly, the Reddest Night felt far away.

  "Yeah, it's a promise!"

  For the first time, sword practice this afternoon didn't seem so bad.

  And as if on cue, Kaelen appeared at the doorway of Juno's hut. My heart dropped a little, but not that bad anymore. Natalie's ears flattened a bit, but she smiled.

  "Herald, time to go." His voice was flat as ever.

  "Yes, Kaelen."

  I stood up, but Juno went ahead of me.

  "A moment, guardian." Juno said, placing her hand gently on Kaelen's arm.

  I arrived beside them. The three of us stood there.

  "The cub cannot hunt when his heart is full of fear." Juno said, "You must first tend to the den."

  Silence. I saw Natalie's tail swished once from the corner of my eye. Kaelen didn't say anything. His eyes travelled between me and the shaman.

  Then he turned to leave.

  "Herald."

  I waved goodbye to Natalie and Juno and followed him out.

  I don't know if he understood what Juno was trying to say. I don't even quite know what she was saying.

  Was my heart full of fear?

  Fear…