Sasha
I like to think that I've seen almost everything. But, as we travelled through the villages in Stetriol, I realize that's wrong. Sure, I've seen the luscious forests of Eura, the wild savanna of Nilo, the stunning cities in Zhong, and the perfect-painted mountains of Amaya, but I've never seen the darker side of the world. That's what I see now, walking through the barren streets alongside my team. I see poverty, in the shambles of buildings. I see hunger, in the eyes of the children that sit in the alleyways. And, perhaps most of all, I see fear, in the quickened paces. In the wary glances and hushed whispers that follow us through town after town.

"I just don't get it." I said to Zay one morning, as we walked through the gates of yet another village. "How could the Devourer– and the Greencloaks, for that matter– let this happen?"

"Every country has its scum." She answered. "We're just not so good at hiding ours."

"That–" I started to say, but she suddenly stopped. "Zay?"

"Don't." Her teeth were gritted together, eyes focused somewhere across the street.

"What...?" I slowly followed her gaze. There was a couple standing across the way. Though their backs were turned, I could tell immediately that they were her parents.

"Sasha? Zay?" Tyler and the others had paused. "What's the holdup?"

"I thought you said we were specifically going to avoid Zay's village." I hissed to him, reaching out toward Zay as I did so.

"Well, since we had to take a detour..." Tyler trailed off. "Why?"

"Because–"

Zay shook off my hand and moved away, in the direction of her parents. Her fists were clenched, her jaw set with what I could only think to call anger.

"Zay, wait." I tried to grab her again, but she avoided me.

"Are those who I think they are?" Navia, who had come up silently beside me, murmured in alarm.

"If you think they're her parents, then yep." I stepped forward, cautiously following Zay. Navia cursed under her breath and followed me, her hand drifting toward the spear strapped across her back. I palmed the hilt of my sword as well, feeling the tension rise in the air. Zay stalked ahead of us, her face a mask of unreadable turmoil.

The woman, Zay's mother, turned and froze as she recognized her daughter. She reached for Zay's father's arm, tugging it slightly. He turned as well, the confusion on his face slowly hardening as he realized what he was looking at.

Navia and I sped up, walking just behind Zay as she strode purposefully toward them.

"Zay?" The woman's voice shook slightly as we came closer. "Zay... you're alive."

"Mom, get away from him." Zay planted herself assertively in front of her parents, not even flinching as her father flung a disgusted look her way.

"Don't listen to what she says." Her father snapped, roughly shoving his wife back. He stepped right up to Zay, so close they were almost nose to nose. "When you ran off, I hoped you'd gone for good." He snarled.

Zay held eye-contact, her breath hardly hitching. "That was my plan." She hissed right back.

"Then why are you here?" Her father glared at us. "And with Greencloaks, no less." I looked toward Navia, distressed by the fact that he knew what we were.

"I'm fighting for Erdas." Zay answered, her voice trembling with barely suppressed rage. "Against my own brother, who is–"

"A better child then you ever could've dreamt to be." Her father rumbled, his lips curling away from rotting, blackened teeth. I nearly gagged. "And fighting for our side. The side of glory!" He laughed, though it was an ugly and spiteful sound.

"Is there glory in death?" Zay seethed quietly, her tone rising with each word. "Is there glory in betrayal? Tell me, Father, where is the glory of being shot by your own people? By your own army!"

He stood silently, staring at her. I suddenly became aware of the scene we were causing. I reached out to Zay, but she ignored me.

"Is there glory in breaking all laws of nature? In binding yourself to an unwilling partner? Is there glory in fighting a battle that will tear apart all of Erdas?" Zay continued, her voice raising in pitch as she did so. "Tell me, Father, tell me! If it is so glorious to die, why haven't you done it yet?!" She spat the words at him, chest heaving. The sun glinted off her eyes, showing the tears gathered there. The tears that she held back, that she refused to let fall.

Her father stepped back, alarmed.

She advanced, stepping directly into his space. "Because that must be the glory that Zarlo is feeling right now. That must be the reason why I stand here, on the right side of a battle that my own people started." Zay took a deep gulp of air and glared deep into his eyes. "That glory? It killed your son." She whispered finally, a single tear falling down her cheek.

Her father's eyes grew unfocused as he tried to process all she'd said.

"Zay..." I grasped her arm, pulling her back toward me. This time she obliged, shoulders slumping as the adrenaline rush left her body.

"Zarlo..." Her mother's voice was soft, her lips white and trembling as she struggled to meet her daughter's eyes. "He's gone?"

Zay gave a slow nod, sorrow washing over her face. "Mom, I–"

"Shut your mouth." Zay's father came back to life, his beady eyes glittering. He squared his shoulders and stepped toward Zay. "You're no daughter of mine. If you ever so much as think of coming back to this place, I'll kill you." He spat at her feet, then turned and stalked away.

A tiger-like growl rumbled in my throat and I made to step after him. Zay put an arm out to stop me, her face eerily calm. She caught her mother's eyes, sadness crossing her face. I'll come back for you, she mouthed, but her mother shook her head and trailed away behind her husband.

They vanished from sight before long and slowly Zay dropped her arm. Her shoulders slumped slightly but she looked... relieved?

"That was probably either the stupidest or the bravest thing I've ever seen." Navia commented as she turned toward Zay. Her gaze searched her friend's face, but Zay let out a chuckle that seemed to reassure her.

"I'm going to side with stupidest." Tyler had joined us, fury and concern warring on his face. "What in Tellun's name were you thinking?"

Zay opened her mouth, but our guardian shook his head. "Never mind. What's done is done. But we've drawn too much attention to ourselves. Come on, we'll get off the streets and discuss it inside." He started walking down the cobbled street.

I glanced at Zay and Navia, who both shrugged, then followed him. I caught Zay's hand and gave her a side-long glance. "What were you thinking, by the way?"

She pursed her lips. "I... kinda wasn't?"

Navia giggled softly. I threw her a playful eyeroll. "Nothing at all?"

Zay frowned, "well... it was kind of a spur of the moment thing." She let her eyes trail the ground for a second, deep in thought. "To be honest, I think I wanted something. Like how you made up with your father?" She glanced toward me.

I winced, embarrassed by the memory. "Oh, uh..."

"You wanted closure." Navia interrupted, her eyes brightening. "To clear your conscience."

"Yeah, I guess." Zay half-shrugged. "Closure. I mean, if we don't come out of this, it couldn't hurt, right?" Her voice was soft.

I felt my throat close. If we don't come out of this. If we die. "Yeah, it sure couldn't." I answered quietly, almost wistfully. We might not come out of this. The thought circled my head as we walked into the inn and to our rooms. Closure couldn't hurt, could it? After all, if we fail, we'll surely die. Might as well clear our consciences while we still can. The idea made me feel sick, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get it out of my head. No time to say goodbye.

Well looky here, an update!
I'm currently thinking of trying to arrange a schedule where I write all week then publish on fridays, what do y'all think?
Thanks for all the support guys!

Also, if you want more spirit animals fanfics to read, you should check out delicatesss's book! It's awesome :)