Eldan squirmed on his seat, noting how hard it was against his rear. Next to him, Sahili tapped the ends of her tail against the cold surface of the rock slab. It's been a while since he woke up after being patched up by the healer they summoned. It was a different one, but she took a look at his hand, frowned, and told him to avoid undoing the stitches again.

Well, it wasn't his fault today was a disaster upon disaster.

The gates swung open, the metal grating against its hinges. It reminded Eldan where he was—the Natura satellite camp in Telsbury. His consciousness returned in the infirmary, finding himself on a standard bed with white sheets, surrounded by Gylka, the healer, and the soldier who led the rescue platoon in search for the raslione, Kyra.

When they were certain he wouldn't keel over should he stand, they led him to a cubical room enclosed with thick stone walls. It was hard to believe they were still in the middle of the forest with how...solid and cold the surfaces were. It's been a while since the soldier, going by the name Officer Rakrana, disappeared past the corridor guarded by yet another railed gate. The first time Eldan saw it, it blew his mind. A gate within a closed room? That's new.

Officer Rakrana told Eldan to sit on a three-legged stool and wait for the briefing to finish so they could talk about what to do next. When Sahili whined about wanting a seat, the officer had to haul a slab of rock from the camp's front lawn. Since then, Eldan had memorized the white paint slathered over the walls, the number of chips on the ceiling, and the number of metal pipes the gates sported.

Relief flooded Eldan's gut as the familiar gait of the officer and his mop of floppy dark hair passed through the gates. "So sorry for making you wait," he said, stopping in front of Eldan and shoving his fingers into his hair. "The briefing has just finished. I should say that Syvine Rovalen is not pleased."

That's a mild way of putting it. They obviously haven't seen his mother get beyond angry.

"Well, she could yap all she wants. The Grand Regal isn't likely to let Kristem Rovalen off without a heavy penalty." Officer Rakrana braced his hips and sighed. "Do you need someone to accompany you home?"

Eldan opened his mouth to answer when an entire entourage of footsteps and haughty faces whizzed past the gate. "What do you think you're still doing here, runt?" his mother asked. Her hair stuck up in various directions, and her clothes were rumpled. She has had an eventful afternoon like he did.

His mother scoffed. "You're not worthy of our name." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Starting now, you don't have the right to use the Rovalen name. You're a disgrace and in no way my son."

Officer Rakrana stepped forward, seemingly in Eldan's defense. His mother didn't give the soldier a chance, sidestepping him and making her way towards the exit. On her heels, Eralin, Rikiel, and Tanni trotted with caution. All three refused to meet Eldan's gaze. It was only until they were out of earshot that Officer Rakrana crouched in front of Eldan.

"Sorry about that," the soldier said. "Tell me if you need anything or if you need to go home. I just...I need to attend to a more pressing issue, which is the trafficked creatures and situating patrols by the cities' borders. Rest assured the Grand Regal will hear of this case."

"Thank you, Officer," Eldan said. "In more ways than one."

Officer Rakrana heaved one last breath before ruffling Eldan's hair. "Hang in there, lad," he said. "And it's not a crime to be an elika keiju. Remember that."

Eldan watched the soldier turn a corner and disappear deeper into the stone-walled camp. Within a few seconds, he was alone with his familiar. "Well," he said aloud, more to himself than to Sahili. "That's that."

In a span of a few hours, he had just lost his family, his home, and his name. His father hated him, his mother refused to look at him or recognize him, and his siblings were too ashamed of him and the disaster he let the entire clan witness. And Eldan wasn't a kaviste keiju after all. The months and years spent training to be one seemed like a complete waste. He was an elika keiju, and for that reason, he was cast out. Like he was nothing. Like he didn't matter outside of his synnavaim.

He felt a soft touch caress his cheek. It occurred to him Sahili had climbed up his lap, placed her paw on his shoulder, and rubbed her head against the hot tears streaking down his face. Something broke in his heart, but it was immediately repaired by the kindness she had given him. If anything, Sahili was more of a family than Eldan's blood-kin had been.

"I'm okay," he whispered, running his hand down her fur. It always calmed him, the softness of it. "I'm just a little upset. That's all. It'll pass."

Sahili meowed, letting Eldan wrap his arms around her. She stayed still even as he failed to stop the sobs shaking his shoulders. They hunkered against each other for what seemed like eternity, and when Eldan had calmed down, she mewled again.

"Sorry," he said, wiping his face with his sleeves. He probably looked disheveled now. A homeless boy with only a young krou for company, sitting in a Natura base after being dumped by his blood-kin, was hardly an image that'd please the general public. "And thank you. I really needed that."

What do now? Sahili asked, meeting his gaze. Her slitted eyes had now rounded to black discs with no sunlight shining on them. It made her look a lot less intimidating and...cuter. Family?

Eldan shook his head. "I'm not going back," he replied. What's the use of trekking back to an unloving mansion who expected impossible things out of him? His mother said so herself. He wasn't a Rovalen, so it's up to him to get a name for himself. That's what he should be doing next. First—discover everything he could about his newfound synnavaim. Second—travel around the island to see things he hasn't seen before. And three—never leave Sahili on her own again.

Never again.

A whole new world waited for them, and now, he has the freedom to reach for it. He didn't fight the smile creeping out of his lips. He scratched Sahili's chin. "What do you say?" He asked. "Let's go on great adventures, shall we, Sahili?"

She yowled, her glee washing over Eldan.

It's all he needed.