6. Birthday Gift.

She kept wagging her orange furry tail lazily from side to side, out of habit. Laura watched its movement with curiosity.

Madamme Nira caught Laura staring, and suddenly aware of her wagging tail, held it still.

Nira and Laura were in the crafting room of Nira's shop. Nira was a potions master, and people who once came to her with potion requests, swore by her crafting ability. She was a short plump woman with a jovial face, always ready with a smile and who always seemed to be short of breath. She had short frizzly hair that fell to her shoulders, and a bright orange,long tail attached to her spine. A small mishap involving a human transmutation potion and a rogue fox long ago had left her stuck permanently with this curious extra appendage. It had been difficult at first, but over time Nira had learnt to live with it. She took good care of her tail, always making sure to keep it combed and washed; at times she even seemed proud of it.

"Haven't you gotten used to it by now?" Nira asked Laura as she added some ground herbs to the steaming black cauldron.

"It's not everyday you get to see a fox tailed lady" Laura said with a twinkle of mischief in her eye.

"You have been seeing me everyday for almost seven years dear" Nira mocked a sigh as she started stirring the cauldron, alternating between a wooden and silver spatula at regular intervals.

Laura laughed just as the door bell chimed. The first customer of the day had come in.

"I'll get it", Laura said and gave Nira's tail a quick playful tug before closing the door behind her.

"Hey!" Nira objected, her tail wagging furiously, a motherly smile on her lips.

Nira had found Laura while out picking herbs for a new experimental potion from the forest. Injured, in rags and covered in soot, the girl, who looked barely twelve, moved Nira's heart. Laura at first was unwilling to come near the strange lady with a tail, but with much coaxing Nira managed to take Laura home, and gave her a good bath and some warm food. That had been almost seven years ago. Laura had been living with Nira ever since, being simultaneously a helping hand to an aging Nira in her potions shop, her apprentice, and a daughter she never did have. Laura remembered little of her life before Nira found her, except for her name, vague recollections of a family, and recurring nightmares of being chased by savage beasts with bright eyes through a dark forest.

The potion she was stirring had turned a dark green with parallel purple streaks. It smelt like raw groundnut and milk. Almost done, Nira thought gleefully. She had told Laura it was a bone strengthening potion one of her older clients had asked of her, and Laura wasn't experienced enough in the art of potion crafting to know otherwise. As much as Nira hated lying, this one had to remain a secret, a sweet little surprise for Laura, on the seventh anniversary of the day she had found her. A birthday gift.

***

"Wake up Leo" Scorpi cried, shaking him violently.

Leo slowly opened his eyes. Scorpi had a serious look on her face. Their tent flap was half open and Leo could hear a great buzz of activity outside the tent.

He smiled, and in a quick motion pulled Scorpi down onto the bed beside him and snuggled into her hair, giving her neck a quick peck. He had been married to her for almost a year now, and he still was very much madly in love with her.

"No Leo, I.." Scorpi protested.

Leo placed a finger over her lips. "I know darling" he whispered into her ear, smiling, "It's my birthday, my nineteenth, the day I become part of the Army, and you probably have some huge prank planned for me, but right now, right now I want a bit more love from you." He hugged her closer.

"No Leo, I'm serious" Scorpi said, pushing him away. Leo heard the tinge of panic in her voice. Propping himself up on his elbows Leo looked at Scorpi. She looked scared. This was no prank.

"What happened?" He asked, dread rising in his chest.

"The camp was attacked in the night" a gruff voice said. Leo turned around to see Commander Bradier standing at the tent entrance, in full battle ready armour.

"By who?" asked Leo, getting up from his bed.

"We are not sure" Bradier replied, his voice grave, "The bodies of a few of the guards on duty have been found. From the wound marks on them, we think it may have been a Wolf Rider."

"Father?"

Bradier hesitated for a second, and did not look Leo in the eye when replying.

"We believe the General has been abducted."