With disappointment at the woman's actions and a new comb in hand I make my way to the ships, a myriad of different docks used for all kinds of ships, most are not bigger than two houses together and are closer to the main area of Mer, smaller goods being unloaded, on each end of the dock are rger areas as well as rge barns for storage, only one is occupied, the ship would encompass the entire dock area of all the other boats on its side, the monstrosity has metal along its sides going the entire way back, cannons line it in rows, I watch it leave, seeing the three sails unfurl and flutter hard against the wind as it pushes against the weather.

  Unfocused, my new comb twirls through my hair as the act of it brings such joy to my nerves, It could almost bring a noise the my throat like the nulfur, my denial of such an act has been long and unforgiving, the respite feeling like an angel through my hair as the fire-jade edges effortlessly glides through it. I still miss grans comb, but the new one feels like a treat of opulence, fit for a queen, even If I still feel painful guilt at how I received it.

  I check my notes again, next stop is Mord, what a dour name, it sounds more like a fortress than any kind of dock, it could be a fortress dock for all I know? Maybe it is right on in its naming sense!

  I check my funds and see that I have twenty two rach and twelve perch, not including the 5 remaining imperial bills. Maybe I should get supplies as well once I find my own ship, make sure to have some food for the journey, to Mord should only be three days at most, two days if I’m lucky, then we can see from there.

  I start off at the left side of the docks and make my way along, each vessel going to vastly different locations, it's not until I’m close to the st of the ship, worry in my heart for not starting my journey and the sun is going down that a captain is going in the right direction, even offering a private room ‘due to his respect for the Academy’.

  “two Rach fer board ta Mord! That includes ya room, food an a pce for ya pet!” He points to my feet as he ends his sentence, and I look down in confused surprise. My, pet did he say?! Trwiip? The avart from before Is at my feet looking up at me happily, its tongue poked out from its tiny perky face. I look back up at the captain and he nods, seeming to see my look as acceptance. “We send off in an hour so don't be te!” He moves away back into the ship while I stand there shocked, staring back down at the tiny creature by my side, its tongue out as it looks up at me, its eyes wide with excitement.

  “A-are you staying with me little avart?” It tilts its head in what I can only guess is not understanding, it Tweeps at me a few times in quick succession before it starts rubbing its face against my thigh, having to reach up to get to that part of my body, the fur and whiskers on its face brushing gently on my skin as it makes countless noises.

  I-is it like me? I reach down slowly, my hands going under its arms, trying to not to push to hard against its wing membrane as I gently pull it up. It stares lovingly into my eyes, slowly blinking, its tongue poking out the front of its mouth, the same noises again, this time with purring, like a carts wheel against stone it vibrates in my arms. I bring it close to my chest and it nguishes against me, its face pushing against my neck, a single note fills my throat after another chirp a note flows from it to me, it duplicates it and I feel we are connected by our song, it feels organic, magical even, like we belong together.

  I pull them back off and look her in the eyes, “Alright little one, you're coming with me!” Twwrriip! Seeming to understand my words It leverages itself out of my grip towards me and pulls itself over my right shoulder, coming to a rest on the left side and entwining its tail under my academy clothes, by its size it would seem heavy but a lot of its size seems to be from its fur, its bones are light and bendy, they rest easily upon me without pushing me over. I feel small pricks in my skin as it does so but it seems to be doing its best to not get its cws into me, I feel it could easily impale me with how it devoured the meat earlier.

  Its head resting down from my shoulder I push my head into it, and it pushes back happily, I speak to it softly, as I would a young child “How about I call you… Prit? Like the god of forlorn winds, Purtanu, but more chirpy!” Twrrr~ It hums a low note of zy acceptance as it closes its eyes in utter rexation against my skin. “Alright Prit, shall we get more yummy meats?” its eyes open and its head pushes up slightly. Twip! Ahh yes that would bring them great interest.

  I walk back to the closing stalls, making my way around the dy that looked at me like I was a monster. I'm able to find the stall of the grout seller before, they have mostly closed up shop, all but one of their burners lighting up the st few grout. He notices me before I get too close, his eyes lighting up even further as he see’s Prit around my shoulders. “Welcome back youngin! Hah! Where’d ya get yerself an avart in such a short time?! Looks like yuv mothered it an everythin!”

  I smile until I hear his words, before looking up at Prit “Hi uhh, what do you mean by mothered?”

  Working the burner still he looks at me with a soft smile “Some of the avart get lost from their mothers and ya can bond with them, they like those that have a musical gift and avart bond fer life, so we usually call it being mothered, not that I’ve seen too many!” He holds out a stick of grout up to the side of my neck and Prit takes off the first big chunk zily with its cw extended paw, it smacks against my neck.

  I wince at the heat before it hastily pulls it up and off me, not so zily this time, it offers it to me first with a small guilty sounding chirp of apology. I giggle and then kiss it on the forehead before humming it a tune, trying to convey that I’m okay and it’s for them. It seems to understand as it ravenously nibbles until the whole thing is gone, its tongue slips out and licks between its cws trying to get everything left and then against the spot of meat juice on my neck making me giggle a little more.

  I smile at the mane in thanks for giving Prit something to eat, “I actually didn't realise that’s what I was doing, does that mean I took it away from its family?” He shakes his head and puts the stick close enough that Prit can reach over and grab another one, this time with both paws so that it doesn't hit me.

  “Nah I’m bettin it got separated a while ago, it's not young enough that it was recent, maybe a month or so since it was born by the size of it! Anyway! What can I get ye? This ones on the house of course haha!” He feeds the st of it to the avart, such childish glee on his face as it nibbles, I can tell he's holding back from making cute noises at it.

  “Thank you so much, I’m sure Prit is very thankful as well!” Prit lets out a little zy burp before flopping its head back on my neck. “Aha we are heading off on a ship for a few days and was hoping I could get some of any leftovers or if you maybe dry any of it for ter use? I’m more than happy to pay extra for it.” He thinks for a second and takes out some wraps of Dour-grass papers, putting it onto the front table of the stall.

  “Well, I was thinking of bringing these home to the little ones, so if ye can make it worth me while… 6 piles of dried grout for 20 perch and…” He pauses dramatically, his eyes lighting up as he looks at Prit. “I get to pat yer avart harhar!” He ughs and pulls out 6 of the piles of them.

  “Oh, uhh of course haha, that would be wonderful, you could have patted them if you just asked though, I think you’ve made a friend for life with those bribes.” I hum towards Prit, asking for permission the best I can. “Are you okay with being pet Prit?” Twiip! They seem to agree zily and put their head forward, I lean over to help the merchant reach and they touch its small head and ears, glee and tears in their eyes.

  “Oh you're so beautiful aren't you~ you know, I've always wanted an avart, but they say it's the will of the gods, you can't even force one to bond. Ahh aren't ye the best furry tiny hunter! Yes ye arree~” He sighs and moves his hand away, Prit twiips happily in thanks for the food as I pull out the money for them, realising that I don’t have anywhere to actually store them, my small twine bundle not strong enough for so much meat. I shake his hand before asking if he can hold onto them for a moment while I go and find a bag. He ughs and tells me to hurry.

  Rushing around I find a stall that sells bags, perusing I quickly find one rge enough to put everything in, that even has straps for the shoulders. I pull Prit off me slowly, they struggle as I attempt to make them realise what I am doing before reluctantly sitting on the ground in a huff. Putting on the bag I feel it tight around my back, strong leather with good supports, and enough space that it could carry triple the meat that I had bought for the trip.

  Picking Prit up I run back over to the Grout Stick salesman, and he helps put another wrapping around them to stop any of the juices from leaking out and into the bottom of my bag. The rest of my things go on top and I secure everything inside the best I can, even finding small compartments for the notes and letters, not wanting to loose anything I can, even if I had remembered every letter and word on them. I pull it up on my shoulders and feel the comfort it brings, the leather straps holding tight with a furred underside barely pulling on my back.

  Twriipp! I look down and see Prit, their paws making grabby motions, asking to be pulled up, I can't say no to the tiny eyes of wanting as I bring them up to my neck. They quickly scrambles over my backside and nds head first into the backpack. I reach over in panic, worried that they will mess everything up in there, having perfectly put everything where I wanted it. “Hey hey! Don't eat all the grout! That's gotta st us a few days!” A sad twiip… comes up from behind my neck and as I turn to look I feel its wet nose and furred mouth against my cheek, pushing at my face, using it to pat itself. “Such a cheeky cutie!” I sigh in happiness at the feeling of its warmth. How could I be mad when they just want a spot to be with me. I guess we really are the same, out of our nest into the big wide world, at least we have each other. With you by my side it might not be so bad?

  …

  “There be Mord ahead! Docking proceedures!” A screaming enters my ears, jerking Prit and I awake, she yawns, poking her tiny head out between my naked breasts, having happily made a home there st night, restricting my movements and making it hard to get to sleep at first, the calming noises and notes it pyed eventually sending me off to sleep as I automatically hummed the notes back at them.

  After a few minutes I push myself up, taking Prit with me, holding her gently as she went back to sleep, her purrs resounding against my skin. I found out that she was a she on the night of shipping out. One of the sailors approached me with a drink in hand asking to pet my avast, letting me know that from their body they were definitely a ‘gerl’, you can tell by the lighter fur under the chin, men have a darker fur and are very unhappy with you touching their ears, ‘gerls’ on the other hand loved it. I was quite grateful and Prit enjoyed their gentle touch, although he tried flirting his best at the same time until I hummed a note of discontent making Prit nip at their fingers. A much easier way of deterring men than freaking everybody out that they had a Camity on board and much more enjoyable.

  I slip into my outfit while trying to not wake Prit, she seems to be a grumpy waker, she tosses and turns in my grip in discontent for letting her go, chirping to give back her warmth. “No no we have to get up and get packed! We are going to be leaving the ship soon and I want to see what the town looks like from the sea!” Chhhrrrrppp… Prit crumbling into the bed in sleepiness, grumbling about unfair work conditions through its malcontent chirps.

  After a few minutes of making sure I'm ready, combing my hair, straightening my clothes, I get ready to leave the cabin, turning to my unhappy little fluffer. “Alright stay here then, I’ll be back in a few minutes to collect the rest of our things so you can get yourself a morning snack!” With an excited chirp behind me I turn to leave out the door.

  The wind instantly batters me as I close the door, the sunlight just coming in over the horizon, I find myself agape at the majesty of the fortress we are heading towards, and yes it was indeed a fortress, aptly named the monstrous workings of crumbling stone rise to meet us as the glow of light smashes headfirst into it. It's old, very old, maybe even before the time of the fall. In front of the fortress lies a town, behind all that lies an endless forest, the sun barely touching inside it, the dock extends for quite a while and what looks like shipwright stations lie at each end, repairs on the way for one of them, a rge ship has been pulled all the way onto the shore and flipped onto its side, workers hurrying too and fro like cassin beetles.

  Due to the size, multiple sea passage ships are docked and constantly loading and unloading, making sure they are ready for the voyage, the men look rougher and more acclimated to the sea than the men on my current ship. The old and withered look they give out to the sea makes me feel that they would rather live on it than nd, where my current crew are more than happy to not be on the sea as much as necessary.

  After checking out the town from a distance and getting my fill of the view I enter back in the room, Prit has disappeared from the bed, the only sign of their being in the room is the happy chirps coming from my bag, ruffled noises and their tail fpping up and down against the top of the bag. “Ohh I wonder where my tiny little rascal has gone!” A tiny chirp of sneakiness comes from deep in the bag as her tail slivers inside.

  “She’s not under the bed!” I flip the covers a little bit, just enough for her to hear. A tiny muffled Tr-triip… comes from the bag “She's not under the bnkets?!” Tiiwwwwp… “Is she in the bag?!” As I approach the bag Prit jumps out to scare me, her whole body spread wide showing off her stunning furred membrane between her shoulders and her tiny paws, as she connects with me I move back from the weight of her attack, her seeming to have gained a lot of weight since we first bonded. “Ahh you got me Prit!” She chirps happily in having won our game of hide and pounce as I spin her around holding her close to my chest and kissing her on her wet little nose.

  “Your my beautiful little avart aren’t you! Alright, Let's find a carriage to Glendor, It should only be a day's travel by carriage but it says that Glendor is a big ocean fishing town, think of all the different types of meats we can find!” TWIIP!? Prit chirps way too excited at the prospect, her understanding of nguage seeming to increase everyday, as well as the varying sounds she seems to be able to sing to me in understanding.

  “Onwards to food my little Prit!” I yell, her body disapearing back into the bag as I sling it over my shoulder, since meeting her my life has been full, knowing I am not alone on this journey has made it possible to keep going.