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Chapter Text

The dire wolf form suited her. Kagha had always felt comfortable in that body, perhaps even more so now that the path forward was for her alone to tread. She knew her exile was of her own doing. Halsin had offered her a chance to stay at the Emerald Grove, to start anew as a novice, but somehow that seemed worse than a life of solitude. She could not bear the looks the other druids gave her. They distrusted her, or worse, pitied her. They spoke about her behind their hands, whispers that followed her every step. Better to be alone and at peace with nature.

If only there were anything peaceful about the Shadow-Cursed Lands. Kagha's feet had carried her there, the fire of curiosity driving her forward. The moment she'd arrived, she'd understood that the stories had not done the awful place justice. How could they? After all, anyone who came close enough to appreciate the shadowlands in all their horrific glory did not live to tell the tale. For a druid, the place felt like a collar that was too tight, a noose that slowly choked away air from the lungs. The trees and grass were withered, dead or barely clinging on. Animals were practically non-existent, save for crows. Nature still found a way, though, in the form of spores and fungi, mosses and vines. It would take more than a curse for the Oak Father to abandon his domain.

She spent three days in the Shadow-Cursed Lands in order to get a sense of the place. The shadows didn't seem interested in her so long as she was in wolf form. When she felt them creeping up on her, she allowed magic to infuse her fur and made herself glow like the bronze-gold specter of a majestic fey creature. The glow kept the shadow monsters at bay.

On the evening of the third day, her eyes caught a flash of greenish light in the distance. A scent of strangely familiar power filled her nostrils, and she stiffened. She would know druidic magic anywhere. She could think of no good reason why another druid would be in this forsaken place. Perhaps they had been kidnapped by the cultists? Either way, her paws were already carrying her toward the source of the magic before she had time to consider other routes.

She stopped when she saw movement. Slinking beneath a rocky outcropping, she peered out. A clearing had been made, whether naturally or otherwise, between a trio of dead trees. In the center of the clearing stood a small figure - a halfling, Kagha guessed. The figure's hands were glowing green. Before it, a slim and terrifying shadow creature rose up nearly ten feet tall. The creature was swaying side to side, a green vine of power twisting around it in a stranglehold. For a moment the creature struggled. Then, with a bone-chilling cry, it dissolved.

The halfling stumbled back, hands going dark. Kagha's sensitive ears heard a moan as the diminutive druid fell to their knees. Concerned, Kagha emerged from her hiding place and padded forward. Perhaps the shadow monsters had managed to injure this stranger after all.

She blamed the darkness for her failure to recognize the girl. The darkness, and her own preoccupation. She was barely three paces away when she realized her mistake. The "druid halfling" was neither druid nor halfling, but a child. A tiefling child, moreover, with devil's horns and gray skin tinged with lavender. Kagha's heart sank as she recognized the red hair. Of all the hellspawn brats in the world, why was it her luck to run into the very girl who'd gotten her into so much trouble in the first place? This was the little imp that had stolen the Idol of Silvanus, the one she'd very nearly ordered Teela to send to an early grave. Kagha had no idea why the girl would be out in the Shadow-Cursed Lands alone, or why she would be wielding druid power. She exhaled a huff of exasperation, then froze as the little girl looked up in surprise. Their eyes met and she saw fear in the girl's gaze. But to her amazement, the girl did not attempt to run. Trembling, the child rose to her feet, her eyes not leaving the wolf's. Her hands sparkled briefly, but whatever power her little body held, it was now well and truly exhausted. The girl took a deep breath. "If you're gonna eat me, please do it soon, because I'm getting cold."

Indeed, she was shivering in the damp night air. Kagha wondered whether hellspawn were ill-adapted to colder weather. It would make sense, given their origins. There was something intriguing about how the girl stood, the boldness of her even as her limbs shook with terror. Kagha took a step nearer, lowering her body closer to the ground in an attempt to indicate she meant the child no harm.

The girl observed her without backing away, though her breathing was short and shallow. Kagha took two more steps until they stood nose to nose. Still, the girl had not backed down. It was impressive, Kagha had to admit. Making a quick decision that she hoped she would not regret, Kagha sat on her hind legs like a common dog might and made a soft whining noise, tilting her head. This drew a slight smile from the girl. "Well, I'm guessing that's a 'no' on having me for supper, then," she said. "Can I... pet you?"

Kagha lowered her head and the girl gently rubbed along her neck. "You're softer than I thought," the child said wonderingly. "What are you doing out here? Do you live here?"

Kagha did not attempt to reply, but merely nudged the girl as if to say, "You first".

"Me? No, I'm not from here," the girl told her. "I'm just looking for mom and pops. They... they're lost. We got separated during the attack. But I'm sure they're here somewhere."

Kagha felt an odd sensation in her chest. She didn't know the girl's parents, though she'd thought many unkind things about them and their child-rearing abilities. She did know that the little girl was the first living humanoid she'd met since entering the shadowlands. In her few days within the bounds of the curse, she'd encountered nothing but corpses. The likelihood that this child would ever see her parents again was very slim.

She considered for a moment. The child undoubtedly wielded druid magic, though how she'd managed to come by such powers Kagha couldn't fathom. Perhaps she could convince the child to tell her, perhaps not. Regardless, those powers were not enough to keep the girl safe in a place where every shadow could be deadly. She would die soon, alone and afraid. The thought was not a pleasant one. For all Kagha had once railed against this child, calling for her imprisonment or death, it now seemed impossibly cruel to leave her in the woods fending for herself. They were not far from the edge of the shadowlands, maybe a day's journey. Perhaps, if Kagha could lead the girl there, a traveler could take her on to Baldur's Gate or back to Elturel. What the girl would do alone in an unfriendly city, Kagha didn't know, but anywhere was better for a child than here.

She'd been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed when the little girl had drawn closer, but she suddenly realized the girl was hugging her around the neck. The tiefling child's face was buried in Kagha's fur, her body shaking from exhaustion, cold, and hunger. It was nearly midnight, and Kagha had a feeling the girl hadn't allowed herself to sleep since she'd lost her parents. A wise choice, given the surroundings, but not something anyone could maintain for long.

Gently, Kagha freed herself from the girl's grasp, then lay down in the dirt and looked up at the girl expectantly. The girl sat and leaned against the wolf's side, her knees drawn up to her chest. "You're nice, for a wolf," she remarked. "Nice for anyone, I guess. I'm Arabella, by the way. I don't suppose you can tell me your name, but I think I'll call you 'Russet'. My pops says that means red, and you've got red hair just like me."

Kagha smiled inwardly, unexpectedly pleased by the name. Her own fiery red hair often showed up in different forms when she took wild shape, and her wolf's coat was brindled reddish and darker brown. The girl - Arabella - must have good night vision to be able to discern colors in the low light. She nuzzled the child, urging Arabella to lie back against her. Arabella needed little invitation. She was already nodding off, and in a matter of minutes she was dozing, her body sprawled across Kagha's side. Careful not to wake the girl, Kagha curled her wolf form around Arabella so as to provide as much warmth and shelter as possible. She had no intention of sleeping herself, not when she knew the shadows might come after them. But she was used to all-night vigils. One more wouldn't hurt her.

Breathing slowly, she sank into meditation and prayer.

Chapter Text

Arabella slept soundly, her breathing slow and rhythmic as she nestled against Kagha's side. It was oddly soothing to listen to, and Kagha found herself breathing in time with the girl. When at last Arabella began to stir, Kagha abandoned her meditations and focused instead on the child. Sleep had returned some color to Arabella's skin, though her pigmentation made it hard for Kagha to know what was healthy and what was pallor. Her eyes were bleary from sleep, but quickly brightened as she noticed where she was. She sat up and looked around to get her bearings, then met Kagha's eyes. "You stayed with me," she said wonderingly. "I didn't know if you would."

Kagha inclined her head, and Arabella smiled. "You're no ordinary wolf, are you, Russet? You're smart. You can understand me."

Cautiously, Kagha nodded again.

Arabella's grin widened. "I knew there had to be someone good in this place. Not everyone can be evil and twisted, right?"

Kagha tried not to think about what the girl might say if she knew the true identity of her wolf companion. The last time they'd met, Kagha had most certainly acted the villain. She hoped Arabella never learned the truth about her. It would be painful to see that admiration in her eyes transform into fear and hatred.

Arabella rose to her feet, looking around. "I think I came from that way," she said, pointing northward. "Mom and pops should be somewhere that way, I think. Or maybe that way..."

She paused, uncertain. Kagha rose and nudged the girl's shoulder, then pointed her nose southwest towards a group of distant houses. She recalled a ruined village beyond which the darkness lessened and the curse grew less violent. If they could pass through the village unharmed, they might be able to make it out of the shadowlands by nightfall. Arabella looked in the direction she was pointing. "That way? Alright."

The pair set out slowly, Arabella sticking close to Kagha's side. Kagha assumed the girl would be scared, but apparently the presence of a wolf protector was enough to allay any fears Arabella might have had. After barely a minute of walking, Arabella began to chatter. Kagha listened patiently as the girl recounted everything from her childhood in Elturel and her favorite colors, to her adventures with the refugee children of the grove. An unsavory tiefling child named "Mol" featured heavily in those tales, and Kagha wondered whether Arabella's parents had known how much influence Mol was having over their daughter. Kagha was interested to learn that it was this same Mol who had ordered her little band of followers to steal the Idol of Silvanus. "I didn't really steal it, though," Arabella said blithely. "I got caught, and then I was almost eaten by a wicked witch's snake!"

Kagha shivered slightly, but Arabella didn't notice. "Funny thing is," she continued, "After I touched the idol, I felt this weird tingly thing in my fingers. Then, when I got here, it was like magic just sprouted out of me. I didn't learn how to strangle those shadow creatures with my vines, I just knew it. I thought magic had to be learned out of books and stuff. But not this magic, I guess."

Kagha looked at the girl sidelong. She'd never heard of an idol granting magical powers, but she'd definitely heard of awakenings - moments when a magic-wielder's latent gifts dramatically emerged during some important event. A man with no trace of power might find himself capable of throwing fire in the heat of battle, or a seemingly ordinary mother might suddenly move at lightning speed to catch her falling child. Most mages with inborn power learned of it very young, and were trained in it accordingly, at least among elves. Kagha's own magical studies had begun at age five, after a magic tester had deemed her talents suitable for training. Apparently, tieflings did things differently.

Arabella changed the subject, unaware of Kagha's musings, and began to talk about her favorite foods. This reminded Kagha that neither of them had eaten in some time. She could wait a while longer, but Arabella needed sustenance for the road. They'd reached the edge of the abandoned town, and Kagha stopped, raising her nose and sniffing the air. Scents poured in, and it took her a moment to sort through them all. Then she tugged on Arabella's tunic and led the girl toward a crumbling house. The door was swinging half off its hinges, and it was easy to slip inside. Kagha went straight to a barrel and nudged it, then looked expectantly at Arabella. The girl crossed to the barrel and prised off the lid, then stood on tiptoes to look inside. "Potatoes?" she said, bewildered. "Why-- oh!" Her eyes lit up. "But I can't eat them raw. Is there a way to make a fire?"

She skipped over to the bare hearth. "Flint's here, but no wood." Her eyes darted around, landing on a rickety chair. "There! Help me break it up, Russet!"

Kagha grabbed one leg of the chair in her teeth and Arabella grabbed another. Together they tugged and wrenched until they had torn the chair into pieces small enough to fit in the fireplace. Arabella stacked the wood in a pile, then picked up the flint. "I saw one of the grown-ups do this once," she said, frowning in concentration. "You hit it, right?" She tried several times, but nothing happened. "I must be doing something wrong," she mused. "Is there a trick to it?"

An idea occurred to Kagha, one she hoped would not backfire on them. Sidling up to Arabella, she nudged the girl's hand toward the stack of wood. Arabella looked at her, confused. "Is it stacked wrong?"

Kagha shook her head, circling the girl and nudging her other hand toward the fireplace. Arabella looked from the wolf to her outstretched hands and back. "I don't get it. You want me to touch it?"

Patiently, Kagha tugged the girl down until she knelt before the fire, her hands still outstretched. Arabella frowned, looking at her hands. "Touch the wood... but what I need is fire..." She blinked. "Wizards make fire."

Kagha nodded her head. "But..." Arabella said slowly, "I don't know the magic words." When Kagha simply looked at her, she shrugged one shoulder. "I guess it doesn't hurt to try."

She extended her hands toward the fireplace, fingers splayed, and shut her eyes tight. Her fingertips sparkled with magic. "Make it fire..." she whispered. "Make it fire. Make it fire. Make it--"

Flames shot from her hands, engulfing the wood and sending a wave of intense heat back at them. Arabella yelped and scrambled away. The flames raged for a moment, then died down to embers. The entire wood pile had been consumed. "Hells," Arabella breathed. "Did I do that? Really?"

Kagha nodded. Her suspicions had been correct. While the spell Arabella had used to strangle the shadow monsters was druidic in origin, the girl was capable of more. Her innate magical ability was not limited to nature spells. She was a young sorceress.

Arabella sighed, looking at the charred flakes that were all that remained of the wood pile. "I guess we're going to need to find a second chair."

The two of them searched the cottage and found a pile of ruined books, along with a broom that Kagha snapped in half with her teeth and a loose bit of old shelf. This time, Arabella stood further away before casting her spell, and the resulting stream of flames did not incite a raging inferno. Grabbing a stick, Arabella speared two potatoes and held them over the fire. "How did you know I could do that? Make flames happen?" she asked Kagha, rotating the potatoes slowly. "Could I always do that? And why would the druid's idol make me do flames? Druids are all foresty, they don't like flames." She shifted her grip on the stick so as to get the back side of the potatoes closer to the heat. "Maybe if I'd said I'd burn the grove down, they'd have let us stay," she mused. "Or maybe that would have just made them madder. I don't see why they had to go and start that ritual in the first place, though, just to keep us out. It's not like they were using that part of the grove anyway. At least when that big druid elf came back, they stopped trying to make us into goblin food. But I don't think we'd have left in such a hurry if we weren't all a bit scared he'd change his mind, or put the snake witch back in charge."

She lapsed into silence. Kagha watched her, heart heavy. A minute later, the girl removed the potatoes from the flames, blowing on them to cool them down. Once they were cool enough to touch, she slid them off the skewer and bit into the smaller one. A grin spread across her face. "Mwonderflul", she said with her mouth full. Swallowing, she held the second, larger potato out to Kagha. "You should eat too, Russet. We walked a long way."

Touched, Kagha took the potato daintily in her teeth, then swallowed it whole. Arabella giggled. "Wish I could do that. Mom gets mad when I don't chew enough, though." With that, she went to the barrel and retrieved another two potatoes, spearing them happily and holding them in the fire.

Chapter Text

An hour and six roasted potatoes later, they emerged from the house with their stomachs full. They'd only gone two steps when a thin black snake, no doubt startled by the arrival of strangers, slithered across the stones. Arabella screamed and leapt back, clutching at Kagha's fur. "Snake, snake," she said hoarsely. "Kill it, please!"

Kagha, recognizing the snake as a harmless, venomless creature, pushed the snake gently into the bushes and out of sight. "No!" Arabella cried. "Now I don't know where it went! Ugh, I'll never sleep again." She shivered. "I hate snakes."

Kagha, who knew exactly where the girl's fear of snakes originated, merely nudged Arabella along the path and away from where the snake had vanished. Guilt gnawed at her, stronger than ever. She'd learned enough about Arabella in the last day to know that the child was brave, resourceful, and able to hide strong emotions. Seeing the absolute terror in her eyes, hearing her voice shake, Kagha began to understand just how much damage she'd done to the girl's mind in their brief confrontation at the grove.

As they neared the edge of town, Kagha felt her hair stand on end. Up until now, their path had been suspiciously clear, with only whispers of darkness around them. Now the air hummed ominously with power. They had just reached the gatehouse when something audibly snapped. A dozen towering shadow monsters appeared, and with them, a dozen more black vines that whipped about, trying to impale them on thorns. Kagha knew immediately that they were outmatched. Even in her elven form, there was no way she could take on so many and hope to live. She looked around frantically and spied the tiniest gap between two vines. Praying to the Treefather for safety, she grabbed Arabella by the tunic and practically threw the girl up onto her back. Then she took off, running back in the direction from which they'd come. The darkness followed, a tidal wave of evil. Kagha sprinted out of the town and into the woods with little sense of where she was headed. Her only thought was of getting herself and Arabella away from the darkness. There was a light up ahead, a strange dome of translucent white that she'd seen from afar and avoided, thinking there might be enemies there. Now she made straight for it. Living enemies were still better than shadows, and perhaps they would take pity on Arabella even if they cut Kagha down.

Her lungs were burning, her muscles seizing up as she approached the bridge that led to the white dome. A tendril of darkness wrapped around one of her back paws and she stumbled, nearly throwing Arabella. Thankfully the girl's arms were clutched tightly around Kagha's neck. With little grace, Kagha careened through the white barrier and fell to the ground, skidding to a halt on the cobblestones. She instantly realized they were surrounded. Armed fighters had their weapons drawn, and archers had arrows leveled in their direction. Kagha did her best to hide Arabella from their sight, but to no avail. "Is that... a child? On the beast's back?" she heard one soldier ask.

"Looks like another tiefling," a second soldier remarked.

"Let me through."

This voice, heavily accented, belonged to a pale elf with wild gray hair and sharp eyes. Exhausted as she was, Kagha could still feel the crackle of power within the woman. This was a druid, of that she had no doubt. Moreover, she could tell that the woman recognized Kagha's true nature as well. The woman's attention lingered on Kagha's wild shape before she turned to Arabella. "Child, are you hurt?"

"N-no," Arabella said, picking herself up and dusting off her tunic. "Russet outran all the monsters."

"I see." The elf raised an eyebrow and looked at Kagha. "Very impressive, druid."

"Druid?" Arabella frowned, looking confused. "But she's not a druid. Druids hate tieflings, and she's been helping me, keeping me safe."

"Interesting. You will have to discuss that point with her, then," the elf answered, not looking away from Kagha. "I can assure you, however, that this wolf is most certainly a druid in wild shape." She leaned forward, addressing Kagha. "I am Jaheira, druid. My Harpers and I use this inn as a base of operations. We welcome strangers, but only if we know who they are. Regain your gods-given shape, and we can offer food and shelter for you and the child."

Kagha looked at Arabella, torn. Her body longed for rest, yet she couldn't bear the thought of revealing herself and watching Arabella's affection turn to fear. She met Jaheira's eyes, silently pleading with her to understand. The elf did not budge. "Transform or leave us, druid," she said sternly. "It's that simple."

Heart aching, Kagha rose unsteadily to her feet and turned back toward the bridge. "No!" Arabella shouted, sounding panicked. "Please, Russet, don't go! I need you!"

This was enough to halt Kagha in her tracks. Arabella deserved the truth, painful as it was. She did not need one more person to vanish from her life. With a final look at Arabella's earnest face, Kagha let her wild shape lapse. The wolf seeming vanished, leaving her an ordinary wood elf once more. She risked a look at Arabella, and saw that her worst fears had come to pass. Arabella was staring at her with a mixture of disgust and suspicion. "You!" she exclaimed. "Why?" Before Kagha could answer, Arabella shook her head violently. "No, nevermind. Just leave me alone!"

The child turned and ran into the inn, disappearing through the doorway. Shoulders tight with misery, Kagha stared after her. The gray-haired elf cleared her throat. "Well, it seems you two will have a great deal to talk about indeed. But first, come inside and we'll get you cleaned up."

Numb, Kagha followed Jaheira to the door of the inn. There she froze. The inn was full of tieflings, many of which she dimly recognized from the grove. All of them turned to stare at her, their expressions curious or wary. Kagha took a step back and felt Jaheira grip her arm. "Into my quarters, little druid," the older elf murmured. "Follow."

Jaheira steered Kagha through the sea of watching tieflings until they reached a bedroom in the far corner. Jaheira ushered Kagha inside, then closed the door behind them and looked at the wood elf with her elegant brows raised. "That was more excitement than we've seen in days, and considering our surroundings, that's saying something."

Kagha did not acknowledge the remark. Her mind was busy seeking escape routes. She needed to leave, now that Arabella knew the truth, but the tieflings would never allow her to just walk away. She'd nearly gotten all of them killed. Yet if she left, could she be sure one of the refugees would take care of Arabella? Perhaps the girl had friends or--

"I'd like answers, if you please."

Startled, Kagha looked over at Jaheira, who was regarding her sidelong. "Odd to see an elven druid accompanying a tiefling child. Even odder for the tiefling child not to know the identity of her companion. Care to explain what's going on, and why everyone in the inn seemed to shrink from you as you passed?"

Kagha winced. "Why don't you just ask them, if you want the story?"

"I intend to," Jaheira informed her. "But I thought I'd give you a chance to tell your side of things first."

"There's no need," Kagha said. "Whatever they tell you about me, you can safely assume that the truth is worse."

"Really?" Jaheira's brows arched. "And here I thought there were many sides to a single story. Forgive me if I have a few more questions, but I'm not accustomed to shape-changed druids charging into my inn with children riding astride them. Given that our tiefling visitors have just come from the Emerald Grove, my guess is that you hail from the same place." Kagha nodded, and Jaheira crossed her arms. "They seek Baldur's Gate. Do you?"

I--no, I don't," Kagha answered tightly. "I came to these lands for reasons of my own. I did not intend to encounter any of these tieflings again."

"Interesting. And the child? How does she factor in?" Jaheira queried.

"I found her while in wolf shape," Kagha explained. "She was lost, wandering alone. I tried to bring her to the edge of the curse, but the shadows ambushed us. We barely made it here alive, as you saw."

"A kind deed, rescuing a child in a darkened forest." Jaheira clicked her tongue. "Yet why does she run from you, her savior and friend?"

"In the grove, I..." Kagha swallowed. "I was no friend to her. I tormented her, terrified her. I nearly killed her. Thank the Oak Father I was brought to my senses, or every tiefling in this inn could have died."

"This is quite a picture you're painting," Jaheira said. Though her tone was light, her eyes were level and serious. "I assume you have no designs on the safety of our tiefling guests tonight?"

"No, of course not," Kagha said fervently. "I would never hurt them now."

"I see." Jaheira paused, considering. "I imagine it's best if you remain in here for now. I want to hear from some of the others who know you before I draw any conclusions. You can rest on the bed, and I'll have one of my people bring in food for you."

"Thank you," Kagha murmured.

Jaheira nodded and left. The door muffled most of the noise from the rest of the inn, but the hum of conversation still made Kagha nauseous. She knew what all of them were talking about: the monster returned to their midst. Shaking her head, Kagha crossed to the bed and curled up on it, her knees drawn to her chest. Her muscles were weak and trembling from her run through the village, and she'd forgone sleep the night before in favor of guarding Arabella. She was exhausted, body and mind.

Without meaning to, Kagha drifted off to sleep, dark thoughts weighing her down and following her into dreams.

Chapter Text

She woke to the sound of a commotion outside her room. The candle had burned out, but she could see a line of light from beneath the door. She heard Arabella's voice yelling, and the sound made her heart contract. Staggering to the door, she yanked it open.

Arabella was standing in the midst of a trio of warriors in armor. All the warriors were blood-spattered and looked as weary as the grave. The tallest of them was a human male with sweat-streaked blond hair. He was reaching for Arabella, palm down as if to touch her shoulder, but Arabella stepped away from him. "You're lying!" she shouted. "It was someone else!"

"I know it's hard, girl," the man said. "But they're gone now, and you have to accept that."

"You're wrong!" Arabella's hands were balled into fists, her eyes burning with rage. "I'll find them myself, if you won't do it. You'll all see!"

She spun on her heel and took off toward the door to the inn. Kagha felt a rush of foreboding. Striding into the main room, she caught the male warrior's attention. "What did you say to her?" she demanded.

The man sighed. "Lansrow and I came across a pair of tiefling bodies in the village. Seems the girl's parents didn't make it very far after the group was attacked."

"You're sure it was them?" Kagha asked shortly.

The man reached into a pocket and withdrew a brass locket. "Was going to show the girl this, only I didn't have time," he said, offering the locket to Kagha.

Kagha took the pendant and saw that the back of it had been engraved with the words, To Komira, my light in the darkness. She shivered. "I need to find Arabella. Before she does something foolish."

"Just a minute."

The command came from a haughty-looking tiefling in a long blue robe. He looked Kagha over as though she were a worm that had crawled into the inn uninvited. "What exactly do you have to do with any of this?"

"Why were you with Arabella?" another demanded. "Did you know her parents had already been killed?"

"Perhaps you had something to do with it," a third tiefling suggested angrily. "You were certainly keen on murdering all of us back in the grove."

"We're wasting time," Kagha said, trying not to let panic get the better of her. Had Arabella managed to make it past the guards at the gate?

"We want answers," the blue-robed tiefling insisted.

"And you'll have them," Kagha assured him, moving towards the door. "As soon as I know Arabella is safe."

"Don't you go near her, witch," a bronze-skinned tiefling cried, reaching out and grabbing her by the arm.

Kagha could delay no longer. She sensed Arabella's presence drawing further away, and dreaded to think what could be happening in the darkness. She needed to move, and fast.

Arms became wings, hair became feathers. In the blink of an eye, she had pulled free of her captor and was soaring out of the inn. Her raven shape was fast, small enough to outmaneuver any hungry vines or shadowy specters. She flew as high as she dared, scanning the ground for movement. There: a small blue-clad figure scrambling over rocks and through bushes with no concern for the path. Kagha dove, tucking her wings in close to her sides. She landed a few feet in front of the girl and regained her elven form, straightening with her arms out to block Arabella's path forward. "Stop, Arabella, please!" she said breathlessly.

"Leave me alone," Arabella yelled, voice harsh with anger and sorrow.

She turned and tried to run in a different direction, but Kagha cut her off, grabbing her wrist. "Let--me--go!" Arabella screamed.

A wave of blinding heat, hot enough to blister, forced Kagha back. "Arabella--"

"Don't even say my name, you snake!" Arabella spat. "You're a liar, an evil demon made to look like a person. I wish I'd never let you near me."

"I know you hate me," Kagha pleaded, "but putting yourself in danger is no way to repay your parents' sacrifice."

"They didn't sacrifice themselves," Arabella answered icily. "You sacrificed them. You drove them out, drove all of us out when we could have been safe. We might still be in the grove if it weren't for you! I wish you were dead! Maybe if you were, mom and pops would still be here and safe instead of lost in the darkness!"

She picked up a rock and clumsily threw it at Kagha, who easily avoided it. She threw another, which sailed over Kagha's shoulder and struck something wooden. "Nice shot, kid," came a grating voice.

Kagha gasped and turned around. A wicked-looking dwarf with bluish skin stood atop a nearby boulder, grinning nastily, shield and war axe in hand. He was not alone. Half a dozen armed goblins emerged from the bushes, accompanied by another two duegar and a hobgoblin wielding a pike. They were surrounded. "Didn't think we'd come across this sort of prey," the duegar mused. "Pretty little druid and a horn-headed brat. Thorm might be interested in you, shapeshifter. Might even make you a True Soul, if you're lucky. Not much use for a hellspawn urchin, though." He signaled to the goblin on his right, who raised a crossbow. "Better to put her out of her misery here."

It happened too fast for Kagha to stop it. The bowstring released with a snap, arrow sailing toward Arabella. The girl yelped in pain and Kagha spun just as Arabella fell to her knees, clutching her face. The arrow had opened a deep gash along Arabella's cheekbone, just below her eye.

Something within Kagha snapped just as surely as the bowstring. She turned back to the dwarf, rage pounding in her veins. "You will pay for that," she hissed. Raising her arms, she let power flood her body, imbuing every inch of her. The wild magic begged for a shape and she gave it one, a shape that meant power and safety, protection and vengeance, all melded into a terrifying whole.

Her body lengthened, limbs vanishing as she transformed. Ten feet, twenty, her scales as fiery red as her hair, her fangs growing until they were longer than a man's hand. She heard Arabella yelp, but could not sway her focus from the dwarf. His eyes had gone wide with terror, and she took a moment to relish that fear, to see herself as he saw her: a serpent of legend, thick-bodied and coiled to strike, with slit-pupiled eyes that showed no hint of mercy. She rose above the ambushers, and the world itself seemed to freeze for a second. Then she struck.

The dwarf was her first target, the one who had ordered his lackey to shoot at a defenseless child. Her fangs sank into him as easily as if he were a hunk of raw meat. He shuddered, limbs stiffening as the venom ran through his body, but she did not wait to see how long it took him to die. The archer was her next target. He screamed as she bit down, the sound turning into a series of choked gurgles that soon faded away. Kagha's body was in pain, the remaining assailants who hadn't tried to run frantically striking at her, but she ignored the cuts from their blades. Whatever pain they gave her would be returned tenfold as she sent death through their veins.

She had not counted on the hobgoblin. The pike he wielded meant he could stay further from her lethal fangs, and while the goblins around him wailed with terror, he remained calm and focused. His blade, when he struck, went clean through her body and emerged on the other side, dripping with her blood. The pain was sharp and nearly enough to cast her out of her wild shape. The sight of Arabella cowering at her side kept her focused. If she transformed back now, they would have no chance of survival. Ignoring the pike still embedded within her, Kagha raised her tail and whipped it at the hobgoblin, smashing him against a rock. He twitched once, then lay still.

Her head was pounding, her body begging to return to her native form, but there were still two goblins left. The first was almost a gentle kill, her fangs slipping in and out of the goblin's bony chest without a sound. The second goblin tried to run. She extended her body, towering above him, then let herself fall, her weight trapping him beneath her. Her fangs met his neck, and he grew still.

The woods were suddenly quiet. No rattle of armor, no war cries. Death surrounded her, but it satisfied rather than horrified her. These creatures would not lay a hand on Arabella. No matter what happened now, her girl was safe from them. Her vision blurred, then refocused. Glancing down, she saw that the ground was stained with her blood. The last vestiges of power that had kept her in serpent form dissolved, and she felt herself falling. She struck the ground as an elf, battered and bruised, lacking the strength to so much as turn her head. Her mind drifted, blackness overtaking her. The last thing she saw was a tall figure standing over her.

Chapter Text

Tingling. Darkness, safe like a blanket and warm. Kagha drifted, content to never have to think again. All too soon, though, she felt the pull of the real world. Someone's magic had ahold of her, a white light urging her up and out of stasis. Kagha opened her eyes to find herself staring at the wooden beams of the inn's ceiling. With some difficulty, she turned her head, searching for the source of the white light. A high elf, white-haired but far younger than Jaheira, sat by her bedside. The elf wore the garb and facial markings of a cleric of Selûne. She smiled down at Kagha, her entire presence radiating serenity. "You're awake. I'm glad to see the healing has taken effect."

Kagha tried to speak, coughed weakly, then croaked, "How long?"

"How long were you out? Three days," the cleric replied. "You must be starving."

Kagha nodded, then froze. "Arabella," she said hoarsely. "Is she alright?"

"The little girl is fine," the cleric assured her. "She's been settling in and reuniting with old friends, from what I hear."

Relief washed over Kagha, coupled with a hollowness she couldn't explain. The cleric rose and went to the door. "I'll have someone bring you food," she said, "and I'll let Jaheira know you're awake. She'll want to see you."

The elf slipped out the door and Kagha closed her eyes. Her body was not in pain, but every bit of her was exhausted. It was a challenge to even shift positions beneath the blankets. She hoped she could shake off the weariness soon, or it would make her plans for leaving much more difficult.

The door opened and Jaheira entered. The elder druid looked Kagha up and down. "So, you've decided to rejoin the land of the living," she remarked. She pushed the door closed and strode over to the bed, her face like a thundercloud. "What in all the hells were you thinking, trying that shape? A 20-foot snake?" She threw her hands in the air. "We're supposed to change into real animals, not fairytale monsters. You should have died even attempting it! Or if you had managed it, you should have died trying to come back to your regular shape! Or if not then, then you should have died during venom reuptake, when your body was flooded with all the leftover poison from your transformation! But no. You're here in front of me, healthy as an ox."

"Well, don't sound too happy about it," Kagha said wryly.

"You think I'm not happy?" Jaheira met her eyes. "You took out an entire raiding party from Moonrise Towers. Who knows how many of my people would have been hurt or killed if you hadn't? You saved the life of a child. And you gave that bard out there something to sing about that isn't horribly depressing. So yes, I'm happy. More than happy, I'm grateful." She rolled her eyes. "But what in the hells were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking," Kagha admitted. "I needed something to scare them, and a wolf wasn't going to be enough. I had to keep them from hurting Arabella." She winced. "Gods, the poor girl is going to be even more terrified of snakes now, isn't she?"

"I think she's just pleased to be alive and in one piece," Jaheira answered. She crossed to the bedside. "You should be pleased as well. Isobel took care to keep your fever low enough that there was no brain damage, and stopped the excess venom from affecting your heart."

"I owe her a great deal," Kagha murmured.

Jaheira nodded, then frowned again and took Kagha's hand, holding it toward the light. "Where did you get this burn? The goblins?"

Kagha shook her head weakly. "Arabella. She has magic." Remembering something, she clutched at Jaheira's hand. "She needs a teacher. You must know a wizard, or even a cleric, in Baldur's Gate who might take her on as an apprentice. She needs to learn the basics right away."

Jaheira tilted her head. "You know enough to teach her the basics, surely."

Kagha laughed humorlessly. "I think she'd rather an actual viper teach her than me. She hates me. She wishes I was dead, and I don't blame her. Perhaps her parents really would be alive if it weren't for me."

Jaheira sighed. "I've gotten threads of your story out of our tiefling guests, but one thing still puzzles me. Why did you do it? Why did you invoke the Rite of Thorns?"

Kagha looked away, unwanted memories rising to the surface. "The shadow druids," she said softly. "They reached out to me, asked to meet me. They sounded so reasonable, and they spoke of fears that I'd had myself but had been afraid to voice. I thought they might know something I didn't. I was afraid that I was missing something, something that might leave us vulnerable. So I met with them." She shivered. "After that first meeting, it was like a piece of me belonged to them. And my fears just kept growing. Things that had seemed a bit worrisome now loomed as enormous threats to me, to those I loved, to everything I knew." She shook her head. "I was a fool and a coward. I nearly got forty people killed, a dozen of them children. By the Oak Father, I nearly murdered Arabella. I am the monster they think me to be."

"How did you escape the shadow druids' control?" Jaheira asked.

"I... remembered myself. Remembered the tenets of our order." Kagha frowned, uncertain. "I'm not sure how I managed to break free of the fear, but I did. I just... didn't want anyone else hurt."

"They underestimated your capacity for love," Jaheira remarked. "Unsurprising. Shadow druids are among the most evil, manipulative creatures in the world. I've heard many stories that begin like yours. I've heard very few where a shadow druid's target breaks free of their control. Silvanus himself must have been with you that day."

Kagha nodded. "But you understand why I have to go. I can't force my presence on these people. I was their enemy, the cause of sleepless nights and gnawing fear. The last thing they need is a woman they hate in their midst."

"And so you would wander in darkness, consumed by guilt, unable to forgive yourself?" Jaheira crossed her arms. "Have you ever considered the good that would come of letting these people forgive you?"

Kagha stared at her. "I don't understand."

Jaheira sighed. "It hurts to feel guilt. But it hurts to feel resentment too, and suffer the sting of injustice. Without you, those feelings can't be resolved. If you work to earn their forgiveness and trust, they will be able to free themselves from that pain. If you disappear..."

She left the statement hanging. Kagha looked away uncertainly. "Think on it," Jaheira urged. "There is more to life than guilt."

She left, and Kagha rolled onto her side, pulling her knees up to her chest and ignoring the ache in her bones. The idea of staying, of trying to do penance by helping the tieflings and earning their forgiveness, was agonizing. She was proud, she knew as much, and her desire to avoid scorn and pity had already driven her from the grove. But the grove had not had Arabella...

She was lost in her thoughts, and nearly missed it: a sound from by the doorway.

"Russet?"

Kagha tensed and looked slowly over her shoulder, afraid she'd imagined the word. Arabella stood by the half-open door, her hands twisting together nervously as she looked sidelong at Kagha. "Um, can I come in?"

"Of course," Kagha said quickly, heart in her throat.

Arabella shut the door behind her and walked up to the side of the bed. Her eye caught on the mark that her flames had left on Kagha's hand. "Sorry I burned you," she said awkwardly.

Kagha half-smiled. "It's alright. I understand why you did it."

"To be fair, you did teach me that spell," Arabella pointed out. "Even as a wolf, you were a good teacher."

"How else would we have eaten those potatoes?" Kagha answered. "I was hungry too."

"But you never changed back," Arabella said, frowning. "Some stuff would have been easier as an elf, I bet."

"I knew you wouldn't want me near you if you knew who I was," Kagha explained. "I couldn't risk you running off and getting hurt. Better to stay a wolf."

"Why did you care about me?" Arabella asked her searchingly.

Kagha sighed, wincing. "Why does anyone care? I just... do. You were tired and hungry and alone. You needed me. Or so I thought."

Arabella did not answer. Reaching out, she traced a light finger over the thin scar that ran across Kagha's cheek and over the bridge of her nose. "We match," she murmured, gesturing to the healing scar along her own cheekbone.

Kagha held her gaze for a long moment, then looked away. "No," she said numbly. "You got your scar by being brave. It's a warrior's scar."

"How'd you get yours?" Arabella asked innocently.

Kagha hesitated. She had never told anyone the story, not Rath, not even Master Halsin. "When I was much younger, there was a boy who liked me. I... didn't feel the same way. He took my disinterest very personally. One day he cornered me and drew a knife. He said that if he couldn't have me, he'd make sure no one else wanted me. He gave me this scar." She gestured at her face. "He planned to do a great deal more, but Teela saved me. She heard me scream and came to my rescue. The bite she gave him kept him in bed for a month. By that time, I'd learned to carry a knife of my own."

"The snake saved you. Like you saved me," Arabella said thoughtfully.

Kagha nodded. "Teela has always been my protector. My familiar, as wizards might say. She helps guide me."

"Why isn't she here with you now?" Arabella asked.

Kagha paused. "She's... like family. I care for her deeply. I didn't want her to have to wander the darkness. She belongs in the light."

Arabella took her hand and looked at her solemnly. "You're my protector. My guide. And I don't want you to have to wander the darkness either. You belong in the light. With me."

Kagha swallowed hard, her vision blurring with tears. "Arabella, how can you forgive me?" she whispered.

"It's not as hard to forgive when you get to know someone," Arabella answered. "I don't know you much as 'Kagha'. But the 'Russet' I know kept me warm at night, listened to me talk, taught me a spell, helped me find food, and saved me from the shadow monsters." She smiled. "With Russet, I was never scared. Somehow, I don't think I'm going to be scared around the real you anymore either."

Kagha smiled weakly. Unable to stop herself, she pulled Arabella into a hug. To her relief, the girl responded in kind, snuggling against her. "You're gonna stay, right?" Arabella asked, voice muffled by Kagha's shoulder.

"For as long as you want me," Kagha promised.

As they held one another, Kagha felt herself finally begin to relax. The road ahead would be long and often dangerous, but they would have each other. This girl she'd once called "parasite", who now owned more of her heart with every passing hour, would be her salvation. She would teach Arabella the fundamentals of magic, and find the girl a proper sorcerer for a mentor when the time was right. They would make a life together, one different than either of them had expected. And with time, Kagha might even find it in her heart to forgive herself for what she'd done and move on. At the very least, she had someone to focus on, someone to love. At that moment, she wanted nothing else in the world.