Taiga pulled his legs from the blanket, setting socked feet against the wood floor. His knees and ankles cracked and snapped, bubbles of pain popping in them. But his joints struggled with the movement, resisting their bends and stretches. He needed to move, even if the cold nipped at him the whole while.

  He slid a sweater over himself carefully, pulled a second layer of trousers on, and buckled his cloak into place. Then, he grabbed the stones from beneath his blankets, booted his feet, and carefully made his way towards the door.

  In the hall, the windchill mostly missed him, beating against the side of the guildhall most protected rather than whirling through the veranda and into the hall. Though his joints and limbs protested, he made his descent as quickly as he could. ‘Quick’, he knew, was an overstatement, as even a turtle could surely outpace him.

  Little noise echoed through the hall. Most mercenaries were either retreated to their rooms or out on missions. He appreciated it today, despite usually enjoying the liveliness, as he didn’t care for the gawks and looks he received as he struggled with basic tasks.

  He found the sofa around the firepit, depositing the stones and sitting as close to the fire as possible. Its warmth flared within him, and for the first time since leaving his bed, he breathed. The warm air filled his insides, and slowly but surely, it relaxed the tension from him.

  “How are you doing?” The voice startled him, Taiga’s senses asleep. He turned, seeing the commissioner come up to him.

  “Ah.” Taiga blinked at him, realizing this was the first time he’d seen him not behind the counter. “Been better.”

  The commissioner nodded. “Mouse said you have a chronic illness that flares in winter.”

  Taiga vaguely recalled Mouse bringing flatbread from the commissioner to the room. He’d been too ill to eat it then, though Mouse enjoyed it. “Thank you for the bread before. It was delicious.”

  The man smiled, and only now did Taiga realize that when he did, the commissioner’s whole body did as well. For how rugged the commissioner appeared, he took well to joy. “In winter, I always bring a few home for my sister to eat in the evenings. They’re the highlight of her days in the dreary cold.”

  Taiga nodded at the information. The commissioner held out a cloth for Taiga. He hesitated, his fingers not fond of leaving the immediate vicinity of the fire, but then reached out and accepted them cloth. Warmth soaked into his hands. He opened the cloth to reveal two pieces of flatbread, still steaming.

  “Thank you,” Taiga said genuinely. He tore a piece off and nibbled on it. He wasn’t overly hungry, but he hadn’t eaten in nearly two days. And, well, the warmth was ever so tempting.

  “I’ll get you something hot to drink.” The commissioner smiled wider at the acceptance before hurrying to the kitchen.

  On his way back, someone from the guildmaster’s office called for him. He left the tea with Taiga before attending to his work. Taiga took it gratefully, sipping on it and watching the flames dance within their confines.

  When he finished the tea, Taiga returned to the flatbread, holding it near the fire to keep it warm. Boots thumped loudly before someone latched onto him, knocking Taiga into the side of the sofa.

  Taiga turned to Mouse, who wrapped his arms tightly around him. “You finished your mission already?”

  Mouse didn’t respond, only squeezing him tighter than comfortable, and Taiga tapped an arm a couple times to tell Mouse to loosen his grip. He did, but otherwise didn’t move. Something must’ve happened.

  “What’s wrong?” If Taiga recalled, he went out as a favor to Field. He was decent enough, and Ku, friendly as ever, was with them. So nothing should’ve theoretically happened. Unless Telania went with them. He hadn’t heard she’d be going, and thought he’d warned her well enough. But perhaps not.

  “I hate humans.” Mouse buried his head into the nook of Taiga’s neck.

  Taiga ran a hand over his back, thankful Mouse’s warmth seeped from him so readily. Taiga gave him a hug, and let Mouse cling to him for as long as he needed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

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  Mouse said nothing, and so Taiga sat in silence. Once Mouse calmed enough to pull off him, Mouse studied him with furrowed eyes. “Why are you out of the room?”

  “My arms and legs were locking up. I needed to move a bit.” He didn’t know how he planned on getting back to his room though, so he’d stayed on the sofa in front of the firepit longer than he’d originally intended.

  Mouse adjusted to sitting beside him, a hand of his wrapped around the cloth of Taiga’s cloak. Clingy, today. Taiga paused, watching Mouse’s fingers. Something definitely happened.

  He gave the untouched flatbread in his lap to Mouse, who took a bite from it the moment it touched his hands. Taiga chuckled a bit, and they sat in the quiet, listening to the embers flicker about, fighting for dominance amongst the flames.

  A few voices came in from under the arches, and Taiga turned to see Field, Ku, Telania, and a couple other mercenaries enter the hall. Field spotted him, smacked Telania lightly, and started towards them.

  When Field came around the sofa, he looked over Taiga. “How, uh, are you feeling?”

  “About how I look.” Taiga replied, eyeing his companions standing an awkward few paces away.

  “Well, you look terrible.”

  Taiga let out a raspy laugh that choked pain through his throat. At least Field was honest. The man waited for Taiga’s coughs to subside before continuing. “Tel was out of line earlier,” Field told them both, looking at Mouse, “and she wants to apolo…”

  Field turned, looking for his friend. He spotted her by one of the dining tables, arms crossed over her chest. He left them, walking up to her, and they proceeded to argue-whisper for a couple minutes. Then, having won, Field returned with Telania in tow.

  “She wanted to apologize for her words,” Field said, more confidently than he probably should have.

  “Yeah, I…” Telania looked towards the ground, huffing. “I’m sorry, I guess.”

  Not good enough.

  “You know, Telania.” Taiga cracked his neck to the side, feeling Mouse’s fingers grip around the cloth of his cloak more tightly. “I thought we’d come to an understanding. Was I wrong?”

  She flinched, eyes softening. It was in times like this, Taiga appreciated the calming and neutralizing effect his magic emanated. The pressure of his magic tightened with his will, and for now, he could use it to keep her in line. “You’re not.”

  “Then were our understandings different?”

  After a moment, Telania looked up at Taiga, subdued. “No.”

  Taiga nodded. “Good enough for now. Your sorry means nothing. So don’t let it happen again.”

  Field blinked between them. After a few moments of clear confusion, he just nodded, happy the issue was settled. “Anyways, I wanted to update Mouse and, since you’re here, get some insight.”

  “Something happened after Mouse left?” So Mouse abandoned the mission before they finished, hmm? He tapped Mouse, catching his gaze. Mouse sighed, sitting up.

  “Ehh, well. I don’t know what Mouse told you.”

  “That we were investigating a possible demon den.” Mouse replied, leaning into the sofa.

  Field nodded, and Ku replaced Telania as she returned to where the other two mercenaries waited. “We fought a few demons, thanks to Mouse’s help.” Ku seemed quick to make sure Mouse was dutifully noted.

  Taiga appreciated the insight, since Mouse told him nothing. “Understood. And after that?”

  “The tunnel was steep, going twenty or so meters down across maybe thirty meters. Which we found odd. So we looked around a little more,” Field paused before continuing, “and well, we found three more of those tunnels. They were all over the place.”

  “Yeah, those guys,” Ku pointed to the companions Taiga didn’t know, “got spooked, so we returned. But I bet there’s more of them.”

  “Tunnels…?” Taiga thought on it. What were they for? “And you’re sure the demons dug them?”

  “Yeah,” Mouse nodded, “the claw marks and footprints were pretty obvious.”

  Why would demons be digging tunnels throughout the woods of southeastern Winolin? It made no sense. And tunnels aside, it meant the demons acted with intention. With plans. And that was concerning by itself.

  Mouse and Taiga made eye contact, and he knew they both thought the same. The attack on the wall was organized, too. Unlike what normal demons were capable of.

  “It’s good you returned.” Taiga said after a few moments.

  “Why?” Ku blinked, an eyebrow raising.

  “Because,” Taiga sighed, “that’s beyond the scope of a simple mission. You need to notify the guildmaster and make her aware of the situation. She’ll be put in control and, should things go south, she’ll be the one to bear responsibility.”

  “South?” One of the other mercenaries, a long-haired fellow with a long coat, joined the conversation.

  “Like another attack or if they venture into the city.” Taiga pressed a finger to an aching forehead. Mercenaries certainly weren’t licensed based on their critical thinking skills.

  “He’s right.” A voice from to right of him startled them all. Coming out from behind the kitchen, the guildmaster leaned against the wall. “This is something to come to me about. And I’m listening, so talk. What have you found?”