The morning rays breaking through the gap in the curtains woke me from my sleep. My paws were impotent to shield me from the light, as I opened my eyes and winced at the brightness. Sinsa was still asleep in the bed beside me, breathing softly without a care. His rosy hair was splayed out on the pillow, surrounding his head in a circle like the one's he spent so much of his life trying to create. The townsfolk could hardly pay for those spells that he spent each day carefully crafting, but Sinsa was insistent on the ease they would bring to others, and often crafted them at a loss on materials.

High quality ink was more difficult to trade for these days, which was part of why I had spent so much time trying to hunt as much game as possible. Trying to make sure I could keep Sinsa and Casai afloat. Always up before the crack of dawn to make sure...

A rush of panic finished waking me up fully. The sun was in the sky already, well past the horizon. I had missed the best time to hunt already, but I might be able to make up for it. If I went further afield, it would be a tiring trek, but...

I did my best to swing out of bed without waking Sinsa, but as I did so, I noticed my head still ached. Not like it had the day previous, but still enough to give me pause. My mana reserves had always been especially pitiable. Shortly after Sinsa had arrived in Tinsen, he had been trying to do a service for the town, and was testing the mana reserves of everyone who wanted too. I had fainted in the street during the attempt, and Sinsa had been nearly inconsolable for days. I smiled; it had been nice to see Sinsa gush about how he loved teaching the Outlander magic.

I silently padded across our room and made my way downstairs. I could hear a conversation coming from the kitchen.

"...yup, and then you flip it, we're trying to cook it evenly." The Outlander's voice was encouraging in tone.

"Like this?" Casai's voice focused on whatever task they were attempting.

I reached the bottom and turned to see the two of them in the kitchen, Casai holding a pan while the Outlander stood nearby, instructing. A plate with a partially eaten meal was set off to the side, seemingly consisting mostly of eggs.

"Fantastic, you have successfully made an Omelette!" he was smiling, and Casai turned to him to match that smile. In doing so, she caught sight of me standing there.

"Pransai, perfect! You have to try this, it tastes wonderful!" Casai had always liked helping out where she could, and one of the easiest ways for her to do so had been to learn to cook. With me gone so often, and Sinsa being intimidated by the task, she had been more than happy to learn. It had been a while since she had proudly shown me a new dish she had learned. The smile on her was exactly the same as it was when she was only 10, doing the same thing after learning how to cook venison from Myphra.

"I will be unable to take it with, but I would be more than happy to try it on my return. I am already late on this day..."

"Nope, absolutely not." Casai's voice was suddenly harsh, her eyes narrowed, and the pan in her paw suddenly held more like a weapon than a cooking implement.

"You have already lost the best time for hunting early, and you succeeded yesterday in bringing down a peryton, yes?"

"Well yes, but..."

"And Sinsa made me swear to keep you home today, and I take that seriously."

"Sinsa is too kind to..."

"And you need to show Korey around the village, he has not even been introduced to anyone yet. I have my duties to attend, so if you do not, Sinsa will be forced to shoulder that task."

I hesitated. Sinsa was a brilliant spellcrafter, and one of the kindest and most thoughtful people I had ever known. He was not, however, overly skilled at explaining concisely. Or staying confident under questioning. Or remembering to eat.

I sighed "Very well. I will show our guest around the town, and I will try your new dish, when it is ready."

The pan transitioned from weapon to cooking utensil as Casai nodded returning to finish cooking her meal.

"Thank you for being willing to show me around, I appreciate all the effort you each are going through on my part." The Outlander did his best to look thankful as I sat down at the table nearby.

"No need to thank me, it is necessary to introduce you to everyone. It would be a problem if someone thought you were from Ponpriness. I also mean to talk to Myphra about the peryton. I do not quite remember what I told her last night regarding its butchery."

The Outlander nodded, looking somewhat concerned. It must be difficult to be in his position, taken from his home, and lost in a foreign land. It would not be much more than I was already doing to feed one more mouth, and he seemed willing to take the initiative on helping out, from what I had seen. Even if he was not much in the way of useful skills, we would be fine. I would make sure of it.

The omelette, as the Outlander called it, was ready quickly. Casai served it to me, and tried to return to make another, but the Outlander was in her way. "Yours is getting cold, I can make mine, and if you want, you can make one again for Sinsa when he wakes up."

She scrunched her snout at him, but relented "Fine, but I'm making lunch, and I can show you my cooking." 

He smiled at that "I'd be more than happy to." and continued to cook his breakfast.

The omelette was quite good. The eggs were prepared well, and the extra ingredients mixed in added to the dish. It did not take long for the Outlander to finish another omelette and come sit down. We ate in hungry silence, mostly absorbed in finishing the dish. When I had finished, I stood and made eye contact with him.

"When you are ready, let us take our leave, you have many people to meet."

***

***

I hadn't noticed it when I first arrived, but it was clear the town was not actually as big as it appeared. Or, more accurately, it wasn't as populated as it appeared.

As Pransai and I walked down the mainstreet, it was clear less than half of the businesses were still in service. Many of those that were not functional were also starting to fall into a state of disrepair, with thatched roofs sagging and wooden board rotting away. 

The shops that were opened seemed like the barest of essentials. The equivalent of a general store, an Inn, a bakery. There weren't many in the way of pedestrians either, though the few that we did see, Pransai made a point to go and greet.

"The more people see you with me, and hear the explanation of your situation from us and not from rumors, the better." Pransai had said to me as we had set out.

Everyone we met was a Volsew, with different shades of fur, and a few with different snout shapes, some looking more like foxes than wolves, though all distinctly canine, most wearing simple tunics. They were all, also, alarmed to various degrees at the sight of me. One young Volsew, whom I learned was named Wacord, let out a loud "EEP" as soon as he saw me, and was subsequently embarrassed for the remainder of our introduction. 

Pransai did most of the heavy lifting in the introductions, both belaying the townsfolk's immediate misgivings about me being a human, and relaying that Sinsa had confirmed that I had arrived as the result of a faulty summoning. Even though it was true, it made me feel warm that was how Pransai worded it. Truly, neither Pransai nor Sinsa could be absolutely certain that I was telling the truth, but both of them had stuck their neck out for me already. 

Everyone we met seemed mostly put at ease after Pransai's vouching, though there was still a kernel of distrust in them. That was understandable, I was a stranger. I would just have to work to prove myself to them.

Even with the many stops on the way, it didn't take long to reach our destination. A small, squat building that functioned both as the towns treasury and it's singular government building. We made our way inside and found an elderly Volsew hunched over a desk, his fur greying, his eyes squinting behind his glasses, and his focus on the letter he was writing.

Pransai and I's entering caused him to look up, and he gave a start when he saw me, his eyes widening.

"Good god's, you startled me, I nearly ruined this request. Pransai, what is the meaning of this?" his voice was creaky with age, his words more hostile then his tone.

"This Human is an Outlander, Dolend. Sinsa confirmed that he appeared near our town due to a faulty summoning. I'd explain how, but I hardly understood the explanation from Sinsa, though he was quite certain at least." Pransai's voice was level and confident throughout her explanation, much more matter of fact than when I was introduced to the other Volsew.

"My name is Korey, I arrived yesterday after being taken from my own world. Pransai found me and brought me to her home to heal me, since I had been attacked by a Roc when I arrived." I'd learned the name of the bird that had attacked me from Pransai earlier, along with an explanation of what information I should give to the village chief. Dolend was apparently little more than a glorified accountant in terms of actual power, but he was still the person who we most needed to inform about my arrival.

Dolend listened to the explanation with piercing, narrowed eyes, though whether that was from his suspicion or his poor eyesight, it was hard to tell.

"I see, so am I to take it you and Sinsa are vouching for him?" he questioned.

"Yes, we will be responsible for him, and will provide him with permanent residence at our home until further notice." Pransai answered.

I did my best not to look shocked at that, at least not while in front of Dolend. I appreciated them letting me stay the night, but allowing me to live with them permanently was more than I could have possibly asked for. I didn't have anywhere else to go, but still, I didn't want to be any more of a burden onto them than I already had been. It was clear Pransai especially was working herself to the bone, and both Sinsa and Casai had already done so much.

Dolend nodded and wrote something down. "Very well, Korey shall be added to our register, if you have no further business, good day to you."

Pransai nodded and walked to the door, and I followed. I could feel his eyes following me out the door, but I didn't look back.

Once we were out I tried to get Pransai's attention. "Pransai, you didn't have to..."

"Next, I need to talk to Myphra." I wasn't even sure if she had heard me, and she started quickly to the next location.

Almost immediately we found another Volsew walking along the street, and Pransai once again started introducing me.

I lost my opportunity to easily segue into my thanks due to that, but it wasn't long until we had reached the butcher. It was a short stone building, and seemed to take up more space than most of the other businesses that were still open. Pransai lead the way inside, and I followed close behind.

A small bell rang as we entered the doorway to the small shop.

"Hullo, and what is it that's entered my shop?" A voice rang out from a back room

Pransai answered back. "It is I, Myphra."

"Ah thought ya' might be makin' your way down today. Ya' didn't exactly give me much direction in how ya' wanted that peryton." her voice carried a thick accent, though it was still entirely understandable. 

"Yes my apologies. I mean to remedy that. I believe I had asked about how your farm was doing last eve as well, though I do not recall the answer." There was the smallest hint of shame in Pransai's voice, something I hadn't heard before.

"HA! I wasn't imaginin' ya' were keepin' ahold of much of our conversation. Ya' looked about ready to pass out standin' up, which'ould be a sight to see." the sounds of something slapping down onto a table in the back accentuated her hearty laugh.

"It hasn't been easy to manage the old gal' with so few hands, but I'll be in the grave before I let her go under. If the conflict 'ould just letup, my people might come back. Those who're still kickin', anyway." Her tone became a tad somber at that last bit, though she quickly recovered her lightheartedness. "Course, there'll still be plenty of grain this season at least. Panic for tomorrow can wait for its arrival." The sound of footsteps preceded her arrival from the back room.

She was a mountain of a woman. Nearly a head and a half taller than either Pransai or me, with arms thick enough around to mistaken for a tree trunk. She wore an apron splattered with fresh blood over a brown tunic, with leather pants and black boots covering her lower half. Her fur was light grey with her paws stained red from her recent work, matching her red bandana that covered all the top of her head except her two ears that stuck out.

"Wyverns bullocks, who've you got with ya' there?!" 

"He is an Outlander. Sinsa confirmed..." Pransai began.

"Are ya' absoulutely certain?" Myphra cut her off, speaking with an intensity none of the rest of the townsfolk had met Pransai with.

She stumbled for a moment over her words "Y-yes, I found him hurt, and brought him back to Sinsa yesterday."

"Go- Nice to meet you, I'm Korey." I tried to sound unintimidating and not at all suspicious.

"Hmmm..." Myphra seemed unconvinced.

"Well, come show me how you'd like the peryton minced up. Your friend can wait out here." Myphra started back into the other room, and Pransai shot an apologetic look at me and followed.

Myphra left the door ajar, so I could still see and faintly hear they were arguing. Several moments went by with me trying not to eavesdrop, but then Myphra spoke loud enough for me to hear briefly. 

"Y'all sure you ain't been takin' in by this feller? I love Sinsa and ya to death, but'cha can be a buncha' saps sometimes. What if he's here on spyin' duty? Ya' have to least have some hesitance before lettin' him sleep in ya'lls house." It was loud enough for me to hear. Myphra's eyes flitted over to gauge my reaction.

She was right, I hadn't done anything to deserve the level of trust or effort they had already put in for me, let alone what they had promised. I had done nothing substantial to show that I deserved to be here. Two cooked meals did not equate to these kind people dropping everything to help a stranger whom they knew nothing, truly, about.

Pransai bristled in a way I hadn't seen before, her eyes narrowed to slits, her volume raising well past the whisper she had been maintaining earlier.

"He has lost everything, and was more than half dead when I found him. He has done nothing to be deserving of your suspicion. At every opportunity presented to him he has attempted to do something for me and Sinsa and Casai. He has been present for two meals and insisted on cooking both of them, whether out of guilt or obligation. He spent a day learning from Sinsa, who had nothing but kind things to say afterward. He taught Casai how to make a new meal just this morning, and is the source of a smile on her brighter than I have seen in many months. You don't know what it is like to lose everything you care about in life, how it ways on you afterward. And even then, he still did that for others. Do you truly mean to question that!"

Myphra threw her hands up, her expression showing that she hadn't been ready for that from Pransai.

"I ain't meant no disrespect, I'm just wantin' to make sure you and Sinsa are okay. I'm sorry I struck a nerve, you finish markin' how ya' want it prepared, I'll leave ya' to it for a moment."

Myphra closed the door as she left, and came to stand awkwardly near me.

"Sorry about that, was tryin' to see how you'd deal with me pressin' ya', but Pransai didn't take that well." she wrung her paws as she talked, further staining them.

"You're right though, Pransai was exaggerating about what I've done. I can't do enough to make up for what they're giving me." 

"I might've gone too far..." Myphra seemed genuinely apologetic.

"I want do be worthy of what she said though." I cut her off. She had hit through to the heart of what I believed to be the problem, and I wouldn't let her apologize for being right.

"You had said you were struggling on your farm without enough workers, right? I might not be the strongest, but I'm better than nothing if you really are lacking people right now."

She looked me up and down, taking note of my very average at best physique and low stature.

"Alr..."

"And according to Sinsa, I have a very large mana pool, and he already taught me the basic spells and how to power a circle that he makes."

"How much is 'very large'?" she asked.

I ducked my gaze, I'd only gotten through the intro to magic from Sinsa, and he seemed like he might exaggerate how impressive it actually was. "I'm not sure on the exacts, I filled three measuring circle's, but Sinsa didn't want to waste more supplies on making more, so at least that much."

She raised an eyebrow at that."At least three? With that I'd be able to finally use all those spells I've bought from Sinsa over the years..." she started muttering to herself, seeming to be going through a list of things as she looked up at the ceiling.

Finally she seemed to finish whatever she had been considering and looked at me again. "Alright, ya've twisted my arm, I'm sure I can find a way to make use of your help, and your mountain sized mana pool."

Thank goodness. I would actually be able to start paying back some of the good I'd been shown.

She smiled, "Though how're ya' plannin' to negotiate yourself a wage if ya' just got here? You even know how the currency works?"

I shook my head. "Pransai and Sinsa and Casai are already giving me a roof over my head, and food. It seems like you care about them, so if I'm able to provide any benefit to your farm, I'd like you to just pass that benefit along to them however you can."

She stared at me a moment before sighing loudly "Great, another exhaustin' member of that household. If that's what ya' want, I can make that work fer ya'." She stuck out a paw to seal the deal, then realized it was covered in blood and wiped it off on her apron before offering it again.

I shook her paw as Pransai came out of the back room. She seemed to have cooled off while Myphra and I had been talking.

"What are you shaking hands for?" she questioned as she padded over to us.

"Welp, your guest here's just got his self a job. A real sweet talker he is." Myphra smiled at her.

Pransai met her gaze with mild suspicion. "You are not taking advantage just because he is new here, are you?"

Myphra feigned like she was offended "Of course not! Really though, he's just wantin' to help ya'll out, and it let's me keep an eye on 'im."

Pransai looked back at me, her eyes softening a tad.

"Thank you. There is still much to do today, let us go, Korey."