#aymla

The Lamb skipped up the steps at the entrance of the cult grounds. At the top, they gestured to a pile of burlap sacks, stacked as high as The Lamb was tall. Beside the sacks sat many baskets of fruit: peaches, apples, pears, and others Aym could not name.

"The cooks in the kitchen are making lots of deserts for the festival. If there is a dessert you or Baal particularly enjoy, I would be more than happy to ask them to make it for you." The Lamb picked up a peach and sniffed it. They sighed contently before returning it to the basket.

"I don't care for sweets," Aym lied. In truth, he loved apples baked with herbs and spices in a flaky crust with freshly whipped cream, but he refused to let The Lamb know that. Besides, the cooks in the kitchen could never make it as well as his mother could. Why even waste the ingredients to try?

"And Baal?"

Aym shook his head. Baal enjoyed sweet cakes with sugary fruit syrups, but since he was traveling with Mother, he would not even be hungry when they arrived. Mother always cooked the most delicious and filling foods whenever they visited her, and Baal would have a week of it.

A small flare of jealousy sparked in Aym's stomach that he hadn't chosen to join Baal and Mother, but it extinguished quickly. It had been his choice to journey alone, after all.

The Lamb shrugged. "That's alright. There will be other, savory offerings as well."

Aym grunted, walking over to the sacks. He slipped his hands under the top one and gave it a small, test lift. It would be heavy for any of The Lamb's other, weak followers, but it should be no trouble for Aym.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" A voice cried.

Aym turned to see a small follower jog up the steps. When she came to the top, she doubled over, panting, with her hands on her knees.

He furrowed his brows. Admittedly, Aym was not as worldly as he would like and did not know the names of every type of creature in the lands, but he could confidently say he had never seen creature quite like her before.

She appeared like a bear but with a muzzle shorter and wider than any he had ever seen. She had dark fur on her round ears, arms, and legs, and patches that circled her eyes. The rest of her soft fur was an off white color.

The follower finally looked up at The Lamb and Aym with big, clear, blue eyes. Aym's heart stuttered for a beat. He'd never seen such pretty eyes before.

As The Lamb went to greet the new comer, Aym shook his head at his involuntary reaction. He would have to train his focus and fortitude after this festival ended. Clearly, he had been slacking.

"Aym," The Lamb returned with their hand on the follower's shoulder, "This is Jalala. Jalala, this is Aym. He is a devoted follower of The Red Crown and used to live here for a time."

Aym nodded stiffly. Because the follower was so short, only up to Aym's chest, she had to crane her neck to look him in the face. She made a small squeak of surprise and averted her eyes.

Her reaction to the scar that tore over his eye was not unusual. He had grown used to it in the time since he returned to the land of the living. Most folks had the tact to not ask him around it the moment they met, at least, and this Jalala was no exception.

"H-Hello," she bobbed her head, "I'm Jalala. It's nice to meet you." She spoke with an accent not unlike the one the travelers from the mainland had.

"That is what The Lamb said," Aym replied. Even more embarrassed, Jalala bent her chin down to her chest.

The Lamb clapped their hands. "Since introductions are finished..." They gestured to the pile of sacks and baskets. "Jalala, please help Aym take these deliveries from Rakshasa to the kitchen. Don't worry about the flour and sugar; Aym will take care of those."

Jalala nodded and watched as The Lamb left back to the cult grounds. She shuffled a moment, looking at her feet, as Aym sighed quietly. Even those with tact would ask him about his scar when they were alone together.

"I got it as a child in an accident," Aym said at the same time as Jalala exclaimed, "I'm a panda!"

The two exchanged brief, awkward looks before turning away from each other. Aym's skin burned with embarrassment under his dark fur.

Jalala coughed. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, still not looking at him. "Most people ask me what creature I am when we're alone. I'm a panda. I'm not from this island."

"I wasn't..." Aym shook himself. "We should get started." He spun around on his heel. In an effortless motion, he took the top sack and threw it over his shoulder. He could handle two, of course, but if he finished early, who knows what The Lamb would have him do next.

Jalala picked up a basket, holding it to her chest. Aym strode past her. He couldn't risk making a fool of himself again by trying to make small talk. This task could and would be done in silence.

Jalala rushed to keep up with him on her short legs.

As they made their way to the kitchen, Aym kept his face forward, even though he didn't know exactly where he was going. The cult grounds had changed in the two years since he and Baal were reunited with Mother. Many of the single person homes were torn down and reconstructed for multiple people. The prison had been moved farther from the entrance, near the demon summoning circle and graveyard. The crown statues, monuments to the Bishops' defeats, which once stood vigil on either side of the temple, now cowered in the shadow of a magnificent statue of his master.

Aym felt a soft hand on his arm.

"Um, the kitchen is this way?" Jalala nodded in the opposite direction Aym had been heading. With his ears down turned, he followed her past the shrine in the middle of the grounds, near the gardens, to the kitchen.

The kitchen bustled with activity. Followers chopped beets, pumpkins, and cauliflower on tables set up outside. They scraped the cubes of vegetables into pots at their feet. Near a roaring fire, some others lopped the heads off fish, plucked the feathers from small birds, and gutted squirrels. When they completed their work, some of the meat was taken into the kitchen itself; some was tossed into vats of marinate, while the rest were placed on a grill grate over the fire.

Jalala went to the front of the kitchen. She called in, "Hello? Disciple Lena?"

"What is it? I'm very busy--" A shrew popped her head out with an annoyed expression that faded when she saw the basket in Jalala's arms. "Oh! The delivery is here!"

Lena rushed outside the kitchen. She wiped her sweaty face on her apron. She took the basket from Jalala, balanced it on one hip, took one of the peaches, and examined it with a critical eye.

After a moment, she nodded. "They'll do." She handed the basket back and gestured to the followers chopping vegetables. "Take the fruit over there. Juty will know what to do with them."

While Jalala left to deliver the basket, Lena turned her attention to Aym.

Aym remembered her. When he lived in the cult, she had not been a disciple, though, but she was head of the kitchen then, too, running the cooking and food production of the cult with the strictness of a Silk Cradle Drill Sargent. She made sure meals happened at the same times everyday, each recipe followed to the letter, and no one took more than their share.

"Oh, you've come back, eh?" She sniffed. "Well, at least, you're earning your keep. Take that flour into the kitchen. The rest set here." She gestured to a spot near the kitchen wall. "Take the first sack of sugar inside as we--"

"Disciple Lena!" Another follower called from the kitchen. "The thief stole a loaf of bread again!"

Her shoulders fell and she let out a heavy sigh. "Scratch that, bring two flours inside."

---

Aym and Jalala took several more trips back and forth, but barely made a dent in the delivery. Finally, Jalala sat on the steps, breathing heavily.

"Let's take a break. Just for a minute?" She asked, holding up one finger. Though Aym was no where near tired, he agreed and sat a few steps up from her.

As he gazed over the grounds, he wondered when Baal and Mother would be there. The festival was in two days, so they had plenty of time. The Lamb had invited Mother personally a month ago, and she, inturn, requested that her sons be invited as well.

"They said you two are always welcome to come visit!" Mother had laughed, setting a bowl of hearty stew down in front of Aym. "Their heart is filled with such kindness!"

Aym and Baal had exchanged a look behind their mother's back. No matter how kind the Lamb seemed, neither of them could forget the ferocity of which The Lamb battled for control of The Crown in The Gateway.

Mother had a few stops to make before heading to the festival. She offered that both boys may stay and travel with her. Baal agreed, but Aym decided against it. He loved traveling with Mother and Baal, of course, but he found Mother's business matters extremely boring.

Baal enjoyed making friends and hearing others' stories, but Aym preferred action. He liked to travel into the deepest depths of the lands and face off against the beasts that lurked there. He liked defeating the remains of the Bishops' cults and spreading the word of The Red Crown, even if it rest on the brow of an unworthy host.

So he decided to make his own way back to the cult grounds, a much faster and more direct way than the curving roads Baal and Mother followed.

Jalala cleared her throat. "So, The Leader said you used to live here? I didn't know we were allowed to leave." She quickly added, "Not that I would ever want to leave Paradise, of course!"

"My recruitment was under unusual circumstances," Aym said, fiddling with the skull shaped clasp on his robes.

He could still remember the feeling, right before he was returned from the life beyond. A tugging at his neck, like a collar, pulling him through the endless numbing darkness of death to the sounds of voices chanting and the flicker of candle flames, then the sudden squeeze of the world after's creatures fighting to pull him back.

"Oh," Jalala twiddled her fingers, "mine was too."

He doubted it, but nodded for her to continue.

"I was trying to find this place, Paradise, with my friend Rinor, when a large skull monster, creature, thing attacked us! It planned to sacrifice us to the Bishop of Silk Cradle, um, Sh...Sher..."

"Shamura," Aym supplied then spat at the ground to remove the taste of Master's vile imprisoner from his mouth.

Jalala cringed, scooting away from where he spat. "Yeah, them, but before the monster could sacrifice us, The Lamb swooped in and saved us." Her eyes sparkled. "They were so brave and cool."

Aym scoffed. He was far braver than The Lamb. The Lamb didn't need to fear death, sloppy as their control over it was, while Aym had to fight hard in every battle to stay alive. He knew he was much cooler, too, just by virtue of his service to Master.

"And besides saving us, The Lamb brought me back to my big brother," Jalala continued. "He was the one who told me to come here. I knew I missed him, but I didn't know how much until I saw him again."

That was a feeling Aym knew well. He had missed his mother since the day he and Baal were taken from her. When The Lamb brought him back to her, his heart nearly burst with joy and longing for her embrace.

"I have an older brother as well, Baal." Aym replied.

"Aym and Baal..." Jalala repeated, her brows furrowing a moment before her eyebrows shot up. "Are you Ms. Forneus' son?"

Aym tensed, shocked that this little creature knew his and Mother's relationship.

At his reaction, she frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry. When I was traveling with Rinor, I ran into Ms. Forneus. She gushed about her sons, and I thought she said their names were Aym and Baal, too. I must be mistaken."

"You are not," he said, a little too quickly. "Forneus is indeed my mother."

"That's wonderful then!" Jalala smiled, and Aym felt his temperature rise. "Your mother is a very kind and amazing person."

He nodded, about to speak, when he noticed the smoke from the kitchen curling into the sky. He pushed himself off the steps.

"We should get back to work."

After he had another sack of flour on his shoulder and she another basket in hand, the two made their way down the steps. At the bottom, Aym coughed into his hand.

"What exactly did Mother say about me?" He asked. "When you met her, I mean."

Jalala giggled, a cute, musical sound. "Well, alright, I'll tell you, but it's a little embarrassing..."

---

The Lamb slumped down against the side of the temple wall. They wiped sweat from their brow. The festival seemed like a good idea a month ago, before the chaos of preparation. For every idea that went right, two more went wrong.

A fresh chunk of bread was shoved under their nose.

"I do not miss dealing with all this." Narinder dropped the bread into their lap. He took a large bite out of a half eaten loaf.

The Lamb took the bread and nibbled on it. As a god, they did not need food or drink anymore, but the action itself was a comfort to focus on for a moment.

"It will be worth it for the festival tomorrow." The Lamb lifted the bread up. "They all will have so much fun and make such good memories, they will never want to leave my flock."

"Not all of them," Narinder replied idly. He pointed with the loaf.

Aym with a sack over his shoulder and Jalala with a basket in her arms waited for a group pushing several overloaded wheel barrows of fire wood some ways away. Once the final wheel barrow had passed, the two continued their delivery.

The Lamb shrugged. Both Baal and Aym's mother and past master wanted the boys to have the freedom to forge their own paths, and The Lamb respected that, allowing the boys to come and go as they pleased.

It had been a long time since Baal last visited, and Aym never visited by himself, so when Forneus asked if she could bring her children with her, The Lamb agreed.

"Have you spoken to him yet?" They asked, chewing on another bite.

"For only a moment," Narinder said. "Without Baal around, Aym reverts quickly to his past role, and I would rather not have him following my every move, so I sent him to you."

"Ah. That's why he was so agreeable earlier."

The two continued to watch Aym and Jalala carry their cargo to the kitchen. Even from a distance, The Lamb could tell the two chatted cheerfully with each other. Aym laughed at something Jalala said as a big smile spread across her face.

They seemed to like each other. And weren't they about the same age? The Lamb wondered, if Aym had a special friend there, he would be more likely to visit? And if he visited more often, The Lamb could make use of his strength. And...

Narinder flicked the Lamb's ear.

"I do not care for the expression you are making towards Aym." Narinder narrowed his eyes. "It is your scheming expression."

The Lamb waved him off. "Scheming? Me? Never. I was just thinking, don't those two make a cute couple? Forneus told me she thought Jalala and Rinor were sweet girls when she met them, so she would approve if the two had a little case of puppy love with each other."

"Do not insult Aym's fine feline heritage like that." Narinder's tail flicked irritably.

"Kitten love then," The Lamb corrected. "But, come on, Nari, they're cute, right?"

He grunted. "I suppose, but I still want you to leave him alone."

The Lamb rolled their eyes. "Fine, fine, I will leave him alone." They stood, brushed the back of their fleece off, and shoved the rest of the bread in their mouth. "I have to go check on things. And you"  they pointed at Narinder, "and to stop stealing bread from the kitchen. Lena is gonna figure out it's you one of these days and make you eat gruel for a week."

Narinder took a large, slow bite before he turned and walked away.

---

Jalala collapsed onto the bed in her shared home, exhausted. It had taken the rest of the afternoon to deliver all the fruit, flour, and sugar to the kitchen. Her legs ached from what felt like the thousand leagues she walked.

At least Disciple Lena gave Jalala and Aym an extra scoop of stew in their bowls when they finished. She wasn't sure if Disciple Lena did that out of gratitude or because she gave everyone who had worked on festival preparations extra.

Though tiring, the day itself had not been a bad one. In the morning, she helped arrange flowers for the festival decorations until The Leader called for her to help Aym.

Jalala rolled to her back, holding her pillow to her chest. Her cheeks went hot. Maybe not at first, but Aym ended up being a joy to talk to. She smiled, remembering the embarrassment on his face when she told him what his mother had said about him and the pride in his voice when he talked about his brother. She promised to introduce Aym to Yarlen and Rinor at the festival while he promised to introduce her to Baal.

Rinor pushed open the flap to the shelter. The smell of sweat and lumber clung to her as she flopped next to Jalala.

"Tired..." She moaned. "I think next year we should just eat raw vegetables. No firewood required."

Jalala gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. No matter how tired she was, at least she hadn't ended up assigned to the lumberyard like Rinor.  Rinor pushed herself up and slowly crawled to the bucket of water in the corner. She dunked a cloth into it and began washing the dirt and grime from her face and arms.

"So," she dragged out the word, "you had to make deliveries today, huh?"

Jalala propped herself up on her elbow. "Yes. Mr. Rakshasa brought bulk ingredients for the festival. We had to run back and forth at least a dozen times."

Rinor paused, the cloth on her arm. "'We'?" A sly smile crossed her face. "Do you mean you and that boy?"

Jalala frowned. The lumberyard was pretty far away from the entrance and kitchen. How had Rinor seen them? Her mouth shaped into an 'o' as she realized Rinor must have been in one of the teams delivering firewood to the kitchen. Though, it was unusual for Rinor not to say hello. She must have been too busy.

"Yeah, that was Aym." Jalala picked at a loose thread of her bed roll. "He is one of Ms. Forneus' sons."

"No way!" Rinor wrung out the cloth again, leaving the once clean water a yellow-brown color. "Is he the older one who brought back a beast to be a pet or the younger one who chased a bird fifty feet up a tree and got stuck?"

"Younger." Jalala laughed. "Baal is the older brother. Aym was really nice. He let me rest, even when I knew he wasn't tired at all." She sighed. "He's really strong, too."

Rinor patted the saw dust from her hair before crawling back over to Jalala.  She poked her in the side.

"Nice, huh? That's good, but....Well, I didn't get a good look. Is he cute?"

Jalala pushed her hand away, then sat up properly. "Why do you care?"

Rinor tapped her nose. "Nosy." She shook Jalala's shoulder. "Now answer! Is he?"

Jalala hugged her pillow, blushing. "A little, yeah."

He was handsome, in a boyish sort of way. The scar on his face scared her a little at first, but she soon grew used to seeing it on their many trips back and forth.  He had broad shoulders and long limbs, which shouldn't match well, but somehow, looked well proportioned on him. His fur was a dark gray, only a few shades lighter than Ms. Forneus' black coat, and thick. She never got to touch it, but it looked silky and smooth.

Rinor squealed in delight. "Jalala has a crush! How adorable!" She announced in a sing song voice.

Before Jalala could defend herself, Yarlen pushed open the door. He stank of dead fish. Poor Yarlen had been assigned to taking the fish bones and whatever other scraps of food Disciple Lena decided against saving for broth to the compose heap.

Rinor reeled back, holding her nose while Jalala pulled her robes over hers. Yarlen's shoulders slumped.

"Is it that bad? I stopped smelling it a few hours ago."

Jalala nodded. A quick wash like Rinor did would not rid her brother of the stench. He groaned then quickly stepped inside just to grab a new change of clothes.

"I'll go drop these clothes off at the laundry."

Rinor called, "You can try dunking yourself in the fountain, too!" as he left.

---

Narinder strolled through the evening air, enjoying the silence that began to over take the grounds now that everyone had headed to bed.

He had avoided doing any of the preparation work during the day by virtue of never staying in one place long enough to be recruited to help.

He turned his gaze over to the kitchen. The fire for cooking meats had died down to embers after dinner completed, but the fire inside the kitchen still glowed. He could not sneak in and steal a midnight snack tonight. That shrew Lena already suspected him of stealing bread, and he knew The Lamb would give her permission to feed him gruel if he were to be caught.

Narinder took the final chunk of bread he stole and popped it in his mouth. A thousand years of imprisonment, and sometimes he wanted to enjoy the yeasty taste of bread. There was nothing wrong with that.

In the dying light, Narinder spotted a familiar feline shape walking across the grounds towards the temple.

He had not spoken to Aym for more than a few moments when he arrived before shooing him off. It was not that he did not care to hear the boy's tales of his battles and travels, but Aym still had not yet broken his habit of falling in step behind Narinder when they walked together, nor his habit of glowering at anyone who dared near his ex-master.

While Narinder did enjoy the occasional privileges that came from his past station, being guarded was not one of them.

Maybe after a day of hard work, Aym would be too tired to act as his servant, and they could have a normal chat.

Aym stared up at the twinkling stars above him. Aym's ear twitched as Narinder neared. The boy tensed for a moment before his gaze fell from the stars to Narinder.

Narinder raised a hand in greeting as Aym's posture softened.

"Good evening."

"Yes! Good evening, Ma—Lord Narinder." Aym caught himself, though saying Narinder's real name caused a small cringe to cross his face. Narinder let the mistake pass with out comment. He went to Aym's side then craned his neck to look at the sky.

"It is nice, is it not?" He gestured to it.

"It is." Aym agreed. "Mother taught Baal and me how to identify the constellations, so we would always know how to find our way while we traveled." He pointed to a cluster of stars, connecting them with his finger. "That's the twin fish. It raises in the East this time of year."

Narinder narrowed his eyes at the stars, frowning. "Twin fish? Hmm. I learned it was one of the Old Ones, a founding goddess of some kind or another. That constellation included that dim star there as well, though." He rubbed his chin.

"I'm sorry. I think I can see a lady up there." Aym squinted his eyes at the stars.

Narinder's tail flicked irritably. He snapped, "If twin fish are what you see, then that is fine. After a thousand years, I am not surprised that mortals draw different lines between the stars."

"Apologies," Aym muttered. When he was embarrassed, he looked even more like a small child to Narinder, with his ears lowered and his eyes averted.

Well, since he was already embarrassed, Narinder decided now was his time to pry.

He knew The Lamb well after all this time. They already had a plan in motion to exploit some loophole or another in their promise to leave Aym alone.

Narinder needed to know, at least, how annoyed he should be at them.

He waved his hand dismissively. "Enough of the night sky for now. Tell me, what menial task did The Lamb assign you?"

Aym's ears perked back up. He puffed out his chest as he spoke: "I carried bags of flour and sugar to the kitchen. It took no effort, of course, with how strong your training made me."

Narinder nodded. "If I recall correctly, did that one monochrome bear not also help carry things?"

"She's a panda!" Aym corrected, a little too enthusiastically. Seeing Narinder quirk one eyebrow up at his reaction, Aym coughed into his fist and replied, "I mean, that is what she told me. She is a panda. Her name is Jalala."

Narinder gestured for him to continue, keeping a close eye on his face.

"Oh, well, she carried baskets of fruit since she isn't as strong as me. She even needed more than one break, but Mother always says if someone needs a break, you should let them rest." Aym smiled to himself. "She was fun to talk to, and she liked my stories I told her. And!" He turned, his eyes shining. "She didn't even ask about my scar. Everyone asks about my scar after a little while! I don't think she even cares about it."

Narinder did not doubt that. There were enough followers with scars or wounds that never healed quite right that most people there were desensitized by such things.

Though, being used to scars did not make anyone less curious about them. Narinder himself had asked about the scar not long after the boys were gifted to him.

"That is quiet a scar you have there," Narinder remembered saying, drawing his skeletal finger over his own eye. "Pray tell, child, were did you acquire such a thing?"

Aym had nervously spun his staff back and forth in his clenched hands. He swallowed hard, opened his mouth, but no words came out. Beside him, Baal held out a hand to their new master.

"It was an accident when he was very young," Baal offered. "He--"

"I did not ask you." Narinder sliced a massive hand between the two, obscuring their view of each other. "I asked him. Speak."

Aym started to look to his side, to peak through the gaps in Narinder's bones, but Baal quickly shook his head, then gestured to the god before them. Aym took another breath and slowly hissed it out between his teeth.

"I, uh, I got it when one of Mother's customers got upset," he explained, his voice shaking and ears pinned to his head. "He, um, didn't like Mother's prices, and tried to steal from her. I tried to stop him by grabbing his robe."

"He attacked you, did he? An adult knifing a child; truly, those Bishops have let the world fall into such horrid corruption." Narinder interrupted, mostly to watch the teenager before him squirm uncomfortably.

"No, I mean, yes, I mean, ah...he pushed me. The person who stole from Mother's shop," Aym continued, his tail wrapping around his ankles. "I fell back into a barrel, and a knife fell from the barrel top and..." He made a slashing motion over his blind eye. "I haven't been able to see out of it since." With a sudden burst of confidence, he stated, "But I'm a good fighter! I swear I am. I don't need my eye to be of service to you."

He had then bowed deeply and that was when Narinder began to appreciate the gifts he had been given.

"And you did not ask her anything rude?" Narinder wanted to know. Unfortunately, he had not been able to offer much training to the boys in the way of tactfulness, as they had only the occasional vessel as visitors. It was something he had planned to do once free when he ruled over the lands, though that plan did not work out.

"I don't think so." Aym's tail wrapped around his ankles. "I hope I didn't. What if I did? How would I know? I don't want to have insulted her. She's so nice and sweet and pret...te...te-teal! Her eyes! They're teal, well blue, really, but I've not seen many people with eyes like that either!"

Narinder covered a smile with his hand. He hated to admit it, but The Lamb had been right. Aym and Jalala did seem like a nice couple, and Aym certainly liked the young lady. Narinder wondered if she liked him back, though. Had Aym, in his time returned to the mortal world, experienced heart break or even romantic love? Was he even mature enough to understand the implications?

Narinder hummed to himself as he mulled how best to proceed. He knew he didn't have to proceed at all. Aym was no longer his charge, and he had no desire to take the role of sagely master back up again, but Narinder had had Aym and Baal as his only company for so long, and they in turn had been loyal to him right until--and after--their final breaths, he felt as though he ought to offer some sort of advice.

"I am sure you did not insult her. That said..." He put a hand on the younger cat's shoulder and squeezed. "Do not...jump into anything too abruptly, even if it feels good at the time."

What sound advice he gave--short, straight to the point, and not embarrassing for either party to hear or say. If Aym did not hurry into a relationship with the little panda before he truly knew her, he could not have his heart broken. Simple as that.

Aym furrowed his brow. He went to open his mouth, but Narinder cut him off with a flick of his wrist.

"You should get some sleep." Narinder nodded to the temple, where guests often slept. "You will be asked to help with something else tomorrow, I am sure."

Before Aym could wish Narinder a good night, Narinder turned on his heels and walked away, proud of his excellent and straight forward advice.

---

Rinor crept away from her shelter, quiet as the dead, and guided by the light of the half moon. She knew, of course, if Jalala or Yarlen woke up, she could make the excuse that she needed to use the outhouse, but she had been ordered to be sneaky on this mission!

As she tiptoed past the shrine, she heard talking. She stiffened and pressed herself against the cool statue. Under the watchful stone eye of her leader, she peaked out towards the voices. She squinted.

Disciple Narinder stood next to someone Rinor couldn't make out. Whomever they were, they were taller than Disciple Narinder. Disciple Narinder placed his hand on the other person's shoulder for a moment before turning and walking away.

The other person waited for a bit before they went inside the temple. Once the temple's door shut, Rinor rushed across the open expanse between the shrine and the leader's tent.

Her legs yelled in protest. They had already spent the whole day running loads and loads of wood from one place to another, and now she expected them to carry her that far, that fast?

<i>This is important!</i> She thought to her legs, pushing herself a little faster.

She doubled over near the leader's tent, rubbing the tops of her thighs, promising her legs it would all be worth it.

"Rinor?"

She jumped as Leader stepped out from their tent. She used honoring her god as an excuse to fall to her knees in a bow.

"Great Lamb, I did what you asked of me!" Rinor looked up at them with bright eyes. The Lamb grinned at her. They held out their hands to help her up, much to her hidden disappointment. They ushered her into their tent. The earthy smell of her holy leader filled her nose as they gestured for her to sit down on a pillow.

Rinor took a grateful seat while Leader sat cross legged in front of her. They leaned forward with their hands on their knees.

"Tell me, what did you find out?" Their eyes sparkled as they asked.

"You were definitely right!" Rinor vibrated with excitement. "Jalala really does like that guy! She kept going on and on about him, well, until Yarlen came back in, anyway." Rinor wrinkled her nose as the memory of Yarlen's fishy smell came back to her.

"What did she say?" Leader clapped their palms together and pointed their finger tips at her.

"Um, Jalala thinks he's cute, really nice but just a bit awkward, and really strong," Rinor explained. "While Yarlen was changing out of his stinky clothes, she told me she hopes she gets to dance with him at the festival!"

Rinor wondered if Jalala knew how lucky she was. It's not everyone who had their god play matchmaker for them.

As she hauled herself towards her shelter early that evening, Leader had grabbed her by her arm and pulled her aside. Rinor would never say no to her leader's request, but especially not a request that was for the betterment of her best friend's life! This Aym fellow better be as good as Leader and Jalala claimed.

Leader chuckled. "Wonderful! Simply wonderful! Thank you, Rinor." They stood. "Now, sneak back and remember, this is our little secret." They put their finger to their lips.

Rinor stood and started towards the door when the tent flap opened. Disciple Narinder looked down at her, one eyebrow raised. He stepped around her towards Leader.

"Lamb, there is a topic we ought to discuss," he said, idly picking at his claws. "You need not sleep, so I know you have time to speak."

"Just because I don't need to doesn't mean I don't want to. Unlike you, I still have dreams," The Lamb playfully countered.

"Oh, hush, little godling," he snorted back.

It never ceased to amazing Rinor that Disciple Narinder could talk so casually to their god. It was almost like the two were old friends. Rinor hoped one day, if she ever earned the title of disciple, she, too, could walk up to the leader's tent at night for a chat the same way Disciple Narinder did.

Leader rolled their eyes. To her, they said, "Rinor, go, have a pleasant night."

Rinor took only a single step out into the cool air when Leader put a hand on her shoulder. They asked her, "As a reward for your investigation work, what job do you want to do tomorrow? You don't need to be in the lumberyard."

Rinor's legs cried out in joy.

---

The master sat on the ground next to Aym as he told tale of one of his latest battles. He jabbed his spoon forward as he spoke of how he countered the blade of one of The Yellow Crown's followers before spinning around and dispatching them with a slash to the throat.

"Impressive." Master pulled the meat from his breakfast's fishy bones. "I appreciate you going out of your way to cull Heket's remaining followers. My dear sister is rolling in her grave." He cackled.

Aym beamed with pride. "I'm only doing as expected of me. It would be wrong of me to allow a heretic to live. Only The Red Crown can be worshiped in these lands."  

Master nodded in approval as he tossed the last of his meal into his mouth. Aym followed suit, slurping up the last of his leftover stew. Master craned his neck to look up at the sky, not unlike he did the night before. Aym copied him, gazing at the pale blue sky.

Master hummed. "It's going to rain." He pointed towards the horizon where heavy gray-green clouds gathered. "I think it should go to the east, though."

"If it rains, will the festival be canceled?" Aym asked, his tail flicking nervously.

Originally, he had not cared much about the festival. He came because Mother asked him to and because it was an excuse to see his master, but after his afternoon working with Jalala, he found himself excited for it. He wanted Jalala to introduce him to her brother and best friend. He wanted to introduce her to Baal. He wanted to eat the food with them all, even if it wouldn't be as good as Mother's, and play games and, maybe, even dance with...

His face flushed.

Master shook his head. "Probably not. It may be delayed or taken into the temple, but after all the work The Lamb has put into it, I doubt they would cancel it."

Aym sighed in relief. "Good." When Master looked at him with an unreadable expression, he quickly added, "I would hate for all my hard work to go to waste."

Master nodded. "That is true, I suppose."

"Aym!"

The two cats' heads jerked up as The Lamb trotted over. They smiled a little too brightly for Aym's taste, and he clenched his fist, his face twisting into a grimace. Master patted Aym's arm, soothing the fur that bristled up.

"Good morning, Lamb," Master greeted. He turned to Aym and gestured his hand towards the Lamb.

Aym reluctantly muttered a "morning" to them.

"And a good morning to both of you." The Lamb bobbed their head. "Narinder, do you mind if I borrow Aym from you again today?"

Master waved his hand. "He is not mine to give or take. If he wishes to help you, he may."

Aym felt a small pang in his gut. He knew Master didn't mean any harm saying Aym was not his anymore, but it still hurt a little.

The Lamb put their hands on their hips. "Well, that's true." They turned to Aym. "Aym, could you run an errand for me?"

"Perhaps," Aym replied coldly. "What is the errand?"

They rocked on their heels. "It seems that I forgot to ask Rakshasa for some spices. Lena needs them for a recipe. Normally, I would go track him down myself, but," they gestured to the ongoing festival preparations around them, "I can't really leave right now."

As Aym started to decline, The Lamb continued, "You won't be alone, of course. I'm sending Jalala as well."

Aym's heart skipped a beat.

Master snorted. "Oh, so you want him to go as her guard? Is that all you can think of him as?"

The Lamb chuckled, rubbing the back of their head. "Maybe a little bit. Rakshasa hasn't gone far, only a few miles towards one of his usual spots in Anchordeep, but I would feel better if someone with a little battle experience under their belt went with her." They turned that too bright smile to Aym, and he felt like a spotlight was on him.

He swallowed. "Only Lord Narinder has more experience than me." He bit down on his tongue. He hated calling the master by his real name so casually.

"That may be true, but I have no desire to play escort." Master stood, stretching. "Besides, I am out of practice."

Aym twisted his spoon in his fingers. He hadn't been trying to convince Master to go; instead, he had simply pointed out a fact. Out of practice or not, Master held strength and power that any mortal--or The Lamb--could not even imagine.

"I can go," Aym agreed.

The Lamb clapped their hands. "Excellent! I will go get Jalala and meet you at the entrance." The Lamb spun around and started off, humming a tune.

Master rolled his eyes. He took the empty bowl from Aym without asking.

"I shall take these to the kitchen," he said as he stepped away. He paused a moment, then turned back and met Aym's eyes. "Remember what I told you. Look before you leap, child."

Aym reached out, both to take his bowl back and to stop his master from leaving him with such cryptic knowledge, but Master had already disappeared into the crowd preparing for the festival.

---

Jalala wrung her hands nervously as she followed behind The Lamb. They knew she didn't like to leave Paradise, especially not on her own. It took her months to find it the first time, and she had almost lost her life so many times in that short period. Even small trips away by herself made her shake with nerves.

"I wrote down what you need to pick up," The Lamb said, handing her a slip of paper. "Mace and cardamon."

Jalala frowned. She didn't know what either of those were. Wasn't mace a weapon? She wanted to ask about them, but kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to sound like a fool in front of her holy leader.

As they neared the entrance, Jalala noticed Aym. He leaned against one of the large rock walls with a bladed staff by his side, looking up at the sky. Her heart skipped a beat. He must be waiting for Ms. Forneus and his brother to show up.

Jalala hoped she would be back in time to clean up before they arrived. Ms. Forneus had been so kind to her and Rinor when they met. She found them lost in the edges of Darkwood and offered them a ride on her cart. Rinor and Jalala stayed with the motherly cat for a week or so, helping her package her wears and set up her shop. Her sweet nature reminded Jalala of the grannies in her old village. How they would pinch her cheeks and pat her head, telling Jalala what a darling child she was, then slip her treats when no one was looking.

Baal, though, she only knew of through reputation. Ms. Forneus had spoke of his wanderlust and friendly attitude.

"I believe he could make friends with a stone statue," she had told her with a laugh. Everything Aym said yesterday just reinforced this notion. He was a strong fighter, Aym claimed, and could hold his own in a fight, but Baal would rather talk things out when he could.

Jalala hoped Aym and his family would like Yarlen and Rinor when she introduced him to them as well. She told Yarlen after he came back, still smelling slightly of dead fish, about the planned introductions. He seemed happy about finally being able to thank Ms. Forneus for the help she gave his little sister

The Lamb stopped, and Jalala nearly ran into their back.

"And there is your escort," The Lamb said, gesturing to Aym.

"'Escort'?" Jalala yipped.

"Of course," The Lamb flashed her a smile that made her cheeks burn and set a soothing hand on her shoulder. "I would never send you out without someone to protect you, and Aym here is the best person for the job."

Aym pushed himself from the wall. He walked towards them with the confidence of a man who just won in the fight pit. He gave a small nod to The Lamb then turned to Jalala.

"Good morning," he greeted; his good eye seemed to sparkle at her, and the blush under her fur deepen.

The Lamb chuckled and clasped their hands together. "You two better head out. It's supposed to rain a lot in that direction, and I doubt either of you want to get caught in it."

As The Lamb left her and Aym alone, Jalala decided this was either going to be a great day or one of the worst days of her life.

---

The Lamb found Narinder hiding in the graveyard. He rested his back against the mausoleum where the other disciples were entombed. He plucked a flower, spun it in his hand, then tossed it over to a nearby gravestone.

The Lamb picked up the tossed flower and set it on Trebre's grave. They gave the top of the stone a few gentle pats before returning to Narinder.

He looked up at them with a bored expression.

"How did it go?" He asked, shuffling out of the mausoleum shadow into the sun.

"I've sent them off," The Lamb proclaimed, taking Narinder's vacated spot in the shade.

Warming the shade was about all The Lamb expected he would do that day. Narinder claimed not to like parties or festivals, so he rarely helped set them up, but a century with him freed from his chains, The Lamb knew better. The ex-god of death enjoyed a lively get-together and feasting as much as any other, no matter how aloof he tried to be about it.

Narinder picked at the dirt under one of his claws. "Truly, I hate being part of your schemes, but if it makes the boy happy..." He trailed off with a shrug.

"I'm sure this will work out for both of them," The Lamb agreed, still excited about their secret motive of having extra muscle around the grounds.  "After all," The Lamb bumped their shoulder against Narinder's, "this was your plan."

They had been surprised when Narinder showed up the night before, right after Rinor came with her report, and said he now wanted to take part in The Lamb's matchmaking plan.

"He does seem to enjoy her company, and the girl, at least, is one of the ones I do not find terribly annoying," he had explained after they shooed off Rinor. "Not that it matters what I think for his life, but of the girls his own age here that he could court, the little panda is the preferred one. Besides, I gave him some excellent relationship advice." Narinder's tail was lifted with pride. "He will be just fine no matter what happened."

Narinder then suggested the best way to ensure the two young people actually liked each enough to peruse a relationship was to send them on a boring, menial task alone together.

With the sun on his face and his eyes shut, Narinder snorted. "I cannot take all the credit for it. Kallamar used to play match-maker with his followers all the damn time." He held out his hands in front of him as he spoke. "Two would just show up at my door with a letter saying 'Use them as free labor for a day or two and send them back with something. I do not care what.'"

He held his forehead in his hand, laughing. "It was so annoying, but, by The First Ones, did it work."

The Lamb smiled softly. How strange it was the ways he spoke of his siblings now that they were gone. Sometimes they wondered if he actually missed them.

"If this works as well for me as it did for him, then I'll have to keep this plan around for the future." They patted Narinder's leg before standing up. "I need to check on the lumberyard. They're down a person today. If you would like to come help..."

Narinder scoffed, "Nope." and pretended to fall asleep.

---

AN: Ah, young love!