Chương 28: Chapter 27: Dune Felis

The embrace faded over the minutes, like morning mist when the sun begins to climb the sky, and with it, Kaela's tears finally ceased. As they pulled apart, the girl wiped the remaining moisture from her forearm with a sharp, rough gesture, as if wanting to erase not only the tears but also the evidence of that momentary crack in her fortitude. She then looked at Selena with slightly swollen eyes, her reddened eyelids still betraying the storm that had just passed. Selena smiled at her.

It was a small, warm smile, offered without words. And that smile, simple and direct, found an echo on Kaela's lips, which slowly curved into a more relaxed, more authentic expression, as if Selena's gesture had reminded her that she was not alone in the world. They both sat for a moment. The ground was dry, warmed by the sun that was already beginning to make its appearance, and the sparse grass growing at the edge of the path offered a precarious but sufficient seat. They talked of everything and nothing.

They spoke of the slow pace of the merchants already beginning to set up their stalls; of the clouds swirling on the horizon like an omen of rain; of the tics of the old bread seller at the market, that thin man with trembling hands who, every time he sold a loaf, touched the hard penny five times before tucking it into his pouch, as if he needed to reassure himself over and over that the coin was real, that the deal was not a dream.

It was in the midst of this light chatter, while the conversation flowed with the naturalness of a stream between stones, that a question sprouted from Selena's lips without prior warning, without the usual calculation she applied to every word. —Do you know what a Dune Felis is? Kaela raised a single eyebrow in that gesture that was already so characteristic of her, a mixture of curiosity and skepticism that Selena had learned to recognize and appreciate. —Where did you hear about it?

The question hung in the air, awaiting an answer. Selena held her gaze, measuring her words with care. —At the market— she said at last. —A merchant mentioned it as excellent leather. He was talking to someone else. Kaela nodded slowly, as if the explanation were sufficient, as if in her world, references to exotic hides in market conversations were an everyday occurrence. Then, adopting the tone of one informing a child about the wonders and dangers of the world, she began to speak. —The Dune Felis…

— she paused, savoring the words. —I'm sure you've seen one. They appear on the reverse of the Crowns, though I don't think that does them do justice. Godopos, the master tanner, used to say it's a large feline. Like one of those chelokrans that pull the grain carts in the market. It's furry, slender, and faster than the wind. Selena listened intently, letting Kaela's words paint images in her mind.

—It has enormous claws and long fangs— Kaela continued, accompanying her words with a hand gesture, mimicking imaginary talons. —And they're razor-sharp. They have whiskers as long as thorns, and their eyes... when they hunt, their pupils become a vertical line, thin as a needle. She made a dramatic pause, recalling the lessons of her master. —It takes several men, the best hunters, to even try to catch one. Because besides being agile, it is as stealthy as a shadow. And it usually...

— she lowered her voice to a whisper, as if sharing a forbidden secret —... eats the hunters before they can catch it. Like a tiger, Selena thought. Or bigger. Her head throbbed, and the images her mind evoked had the texture of documentaries seen in another life, of books on exotic animals leafed through in libraries that no longer existed. But here, in this world, those creatures were real threats, beasts of flesh and bone that lurked in the dunes and devoured men. This story has been stolen from Royal Road.

If you read it on Amazon, please report it —An interesting animal— she said aloud. —I suppose that's why its pelt is so expensive. It must be every tanner's dream. Kaela nodded fervently. —It is— She sighed deeply, a sigh that seemed to come from deep within her, dragging along years of unfulfilled longings. —Just a scrap of its hide sells for more than ten Silver Crowns. Can you believe it? Silver.

She sighed again, and this time her eyes drifted to the horizon, to that distant point where dreams blur with reality. —I could eat for at least six months with just one silver piece. I could even pay for a small house, or a room of my own. Selena watched her as longing reflected in her eyes like water in a mirror. But in her own head, another voice spoke. A cold, calculating voice, the voice of the man from Earth who still inhabited some corner of her being. I was swindled. The conclusion was inescapable.

The Dune Felis bag she had sold for one Silver Crown and two coppers was actually worth more than ten Silver Crowns. A fortune. Money for months or a year of food, for a roof of her own, to not depend on temporary shelters and the charity of strangers. Her ignorance of this world's truth was also a vulnerability. One more in the long list of weaknesses she had carried since waking up in this foreign body.

That merchant, with his professional smile and his seemingly generous offer, had seen her as easy prey and had not hesitated to take advantage. She sighed heavily. The sound must have betrayed something in her state of mind, because Kaela turned her gaze back to her, a silent question in her eyes. Selena composed herself, forcing a smile that wasn't entirely fake. —Don't worry— she said, her voice sounding lighter than she felt. —I'm just sighing, imagining what it would be like in person.

It must be quite a sight, a huge, fierce, and powerful animal. Can you imagine? She laughed softly, with a sound that aimed to be carefree and almost succeeded. —Maybe they will charge a Silver Crown just to see it. Kaela laughed with her, a brief but genuine chuckle. —One in a cage instead of putting it to use— she laughed again, shaking her head. —Selena, it's expensive because its leather is cut-resistant, and the fur repels water naturally.

She made a thoughtful gesture, frowning as she searched the corners of her apprentice's memory. —I remember hearing that armor made from its hide is more expensive than steel plates, or those made of chitin. If I remember correctly, the master said they could cost up to ten Gold Crowns. —She whistled softly, as if she herself couldn't believe it. —It's an absurd price. I couldn't even imagine that much money together. Felis leather armor. Selena chewed on the words, letting the concept settle in her mind.

—I suppose so— she said at last. —At least the animal can defend itself. Kaela nodded distractedly, her gaze lost again in the coming and going of the street. The bustle of the market grew around them, oblivious to their conversations, their revelations, and their losses. Selena watched her for a moment and then, without thinking, without the usual filter, another question was born from her lips. —Do you miss being a tanner? Kaela didn't answer immediately.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if the question had taken her to an uncomfortable place, a territory of contradictory emotions she preferred not to visit. When she spoke, her voice had a different texture, more reflective, more honest. —I hated being a tanner— She paused, clarifying, —Well... not exactly. I didn't hate creating things with leather. That... I liked that. Giving shape to something, seeing how your hands could transform a dead skin into something useful, even beautiful.

She fell silent for a moment, and Selena waited. —I hated everything else— Kaela continued, and that hint of bitterness Selena already knew crept into her voice. —The master. The pungent smell of the environment that gets into your clothes, your skin, your lungs, until you dream about it. The low wages. I earned even less than I did cleaning fish. She closed her eyes, as if wanting to block out not only the light but also the memories. —Though staying wasn't much better.

I know a boy who is already thirty years old and the guild still won't accept him as a master. Only money could fix everything. If you had enough to buy your position, to pay the fees, to... — she opened her eyes and looked at Selena directly. —Do you miss your work? The question took her by surprise. It wasn't the first time someone had asked about her past, but it was the first time someone had done it with such naturalness, with that absence of judgment that only true interest can grant.

Selena remained silent for a moment. Words swirled in her head, searching for a shape, an exit, a way to tell the truth without telling it all. —I don't remember it completely, Kaela— she said at last, her voice sounding more fragile than she would have liked. —But I remember that what I liked most were letters. Writing. She smiled. It was a fragile smile, one laden with the truth of another world, of a life that perhaps only existed now in dreams and in the glimmers of a glass desk under eternal rain.

A smile that spoke of losses she couldn't even name, of a craft she had loved and that was now only an echo in the distance.