Fulmine takes them to a park area and they see Fleur and Oceano at the far edge watching someone hurrying along a path. F: "They prefer to hunt out here and chase rather than find."
B: "Oddities seem to run in the family."
F: "You can say that again." One of the two shadows moves over to the person on the path and walks next to them. The person collapses and is caught, and the other shadow goes over to join the first. F: "Oceano is a sleep inducer." She starts moving and they follow. They're finished by the time they get there and Fleur is still holding the boy they caught, healing the tiny cut on his wrist where she drank from him. Oceano is leaning against a lamp post watching her, but when he sees Glade and Brock he starts growling. Fulmine growls for a few seconds and he stops. "Behave." He looks down and Fulmine looks at him. He watches the boy and lets him wake slowly, and Fleur takes over to keep him calm and stop him remembering anything. After a minute he wanders off, ignoring the creatures around him. Fleur stands next to Oceano and waits for someone to talk. Oceano's eyes are glowing, not much, but enough to show how he feels about Brock and Glade being there. B: "How you two doing?"
Fl: "We're fine. You?"
B: "I'm good."
G: "I have nothing to complain about."
Fl: "Good."
B: "I just wanted to see you, it's been so long." Glade nudges him to remind him of what he wanted to know. "Is it true your eyes glow pink?" She smiles.
"Yeah, they do. I got my name from cherry flowers, so they're cherry flower pink." Brock looks around and sees someone else walking, trying to see a path away from them so they don't have to walk across the damp grass. B: "Do you mind?"
F: "Go ahead."
O: "No."
F: "Tough."
O: "This is why we want to leave."
F: "Go ahead. This is my territory, not his."
O: "Can't we ask again? Tell them why we want to go."
F: "No. You know we can't, so stop asking me."
G: "What is this problem?"
F: "We asked our elder if they could go and their answer was no."
G: "I could ask for you. Teach me and I will tell them your problems."
F: "Thank you. I don't think you'll get a different answer but it's worth a try."
G: "Who did you ask?"
F: "Avalbane."
G: "Ferox would possibly be more sympathetic to this."
F: "Possibly. Uh." She looks at Fleur and Oceano and he starts wandering away. "She said that six years old is nowhere near old enough to leave me, but I said that it's a lot worse to have them stay. He's aggressive, impulsive, argumentative, and when I went away Fleur said he changed completely, because the guy she knew before he started reacting to others, including me."
"I understand."
"Thank you."
"It is not something you did, it is just how he is."
"If I'd said no-"
"Fleur would have hated you."
"Yeah."
"You did not have much choice."
"She threatened to do it herself because he loved her already. I did it when she was two and they were mates the instant he opened his eyes."
"I will ask as soon as possible."
"Thanks."
Brock wanders back a few minutes later and Glade starts wandering home. "Are we going then?"
"Yes." When he gets home he tries to contact Ferox to ask, but can't get an answer yet. By the time Brock wants to leave it's already light so he can't go anywhere for a while. He rests on the sofa till sunset. Glade gets his answer in the day, and decides that he should tell Fulmine properly instead of telling her by thought.
Rachel comes over early that evening and sees Brock leaving. He nods but doesn't stop to talk. Glade goes out to go find Fulmine and sees her. "Good evening Rachel."
"Hi. Are you busy? I don't mind."
"You can come with me if you like. I need to find Fulmine."
"Ok."
"Are you sure? It is not only Fulmine I will see. Fleur and Oceano will be there."
"Four of you?"
"Yes."
"I don't think so."
"I will be back later."
"I can wait." He nods, and walks away. "Wait." He stops and looks round.
"I'll drive, you just tell me which way.
She parks outside a house and a woman comes out. He nods, and she runs to him and hugs him, and starts crying. A man and another woman appear at the door, and the man's eyes glow blue, and he growls faintly. Rachel stays in the car and watches. The first woman says something to the other two and they hug. Glade talks for a minute, then gets back in the car. "What was all that about?"
"Fulmine asked an elder if they could get their own territory and it was refused, I asked a different elder and they were accepted."
"That's nice."
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