A puppet among researchers

Kaveh 7

Kaveh felt bad.

Wanderer has been through a lot in the last few days. Plus his past doesn't seem bright either.
He wished he could help them but Wanderer isn't the type to allow people to help him.

So they worked on the project. And Mehrak was glad to help out.
Sometimes he wonders how sentient Mehrak was.
Could he feel emotions? Or was he looking too much into it?
But didn't let the thought linger.
He had a job to do!

The ley lines were apparently unpredictable.
Which made some sense because they had an entire class of akademiks who research them.
But Kaveh, Tighnari, nor Wanderer had been to any of those classes.
But fortunately wanderer has been studying up in his free time (due to the fact that he was the only one with free time because Kaveh and Tighnari had to work)
During one of these studies he learned that it was also known by acolytes as the "holy line" or "corpse road"
personally Kaveh didn't want to think of that second one.
What was the point of that information? Kaveh didn't have a clue.
But he did learn that if you use your vision near a ley line it will amplify your elemental mastery!
There are other things that he learned but he didn't share.

The three of them worked silently but effectively.
Kaveh realized that this was what a team of scholars should be. Working together without getting in the way of the others. Unlike the team that was separated for a long time now. When Alhaitham was his friend. (Was Alhaitham no longer his friend?) So many things have Changed since then. Was he even the same person?

"Kaveh? Were you listening?" Tighnari asked.

"What?" Kaveh said.

Tighnari rolled his eyes. "I asked if you wanted to eat at the bonfire tonight!"

Kaveh looked outside the tent, he hadn't realized it had gotten so late. So he told Tighnari he would be a minute and got everything put some what away.

~

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE END?" Kaveh yelled.

It had been wanderer's turn to tell a story.
And Kaveh wasn't pleased at the ending.

"I mean the end. That's the way it went, I didn't write it!" Wanderer said.

"But there has to be more! How does the kitten plan on becoming the moon? Why did the monster pretend to be a fox? How does the moon react?" Kaveh had more questions but only asked three.

"Like I said, the end!" Wanderer said it in a way that was clear 'STOP ASKING'

"Fine!" Kaveh said defeatedly.

"That's not fine!" It took Kaveh a moment to realize collei had spoken up. "You told an unfinished story! That's not fair to those who told full ones."

Kaveh hadn't expected that from her.

"She's right, you have to finish the tale." Tighnari said.

"It has a bad ending. And a lot more pain to get to the end." Wanderer warned.

"Well not all stories have happy endings, please finish the story." Collei said.

Then wanderer continued his tale,

{The kitten wandered for years unsure of how to complete his goal.
When he met the Monster once again.
The kitten had not recognized him because he wasn't wearing his fox skin.
The monster asked the kitten "where is your family? Surely a kitten as beautiful as yourself would be missed."
"My family is dead!" Said the kitten. "And no one will miss me."
The monster pretended to consider this. Then he said, "Then join my family of misfits. We will welcome you until you aren't useful."
The kitten agreed. And joined
There were so many monsters in the group and the numbers grew in the years to come.
None were kittens like him though. So he never truly belonged.
Then came an opportunity, the moon was locked up and disrespected among the mice. Due to them claiming they were better than the moon.
So the monster and kitten moved into the mouse city.
They had almost made the kitten into the moon when the moon fought back with the help of a star and an asteroid.
After a massive fight the moon won.
And the monster left without the kitten.
The kitten was abandoned once again.}

"The end." Wanderer said as he finished.
Then walked off.
Kaveh could've sworn that he saw a tear drip onto wanderer's face.

"Was that what you were expecting collei?" Kaveh asked.

"No, I was hoping for a happily ever after I guess." Collei answered.