The Non-Human Society

Chapter Ten - Vim - A Cloak For a Fox

      "Is this the capital?" Lomi asked as we left the port.

"No. Just a large city. There's a larger town, on the coast, a few weeks from here. It even has walls," I said. Great gates and walls were becoming more and more common, thanks to the advancements the humans have made and their general numbers... but most cities were still without.

Lomi walked closely next to me and not just because she was wary of the many people on the road. She was now very conscious of not just her surroundings, but herself.

Luckily she was a small child, and it was still windy. No one would find her odd quirk of constantly checking her hat to be strange.

"This way," I guided Lomi to an alley, and made sure to account how many people were on the streets.

Not many. It was already getting cold enough that people were choosing to stay indoors even during the middle of the day.

The boat ride had been uneventful. Lomi and I had to take refuge inside the boats small cabin, alongside the captain and other workers. Not because the weather was that bad, but because they would have found it odd if we hadn't.

No human father would let their young daughter stand out in a near-blizzard willingly.

Because of that, Lomi had more than enough time to brood over what had occurred this morning. Since we had sat in silence together for most the trip. 

Although I knew she'd not forget it, anytime soon, she was young enough to not let it completely tarnish this once in a lifetime trip for her.

"Ho there!" A man greeted us as we passed him. He was bundled up in a larger jacket, which reminded me this was a good place and time to get one for Lomi.

Glancing at her as she studied the buildings we passed, I took note of her hat. It was a little too big for her, thus why it had fallen off so easily.

Yes. Something better was in order. Not just because it was winter, either.

"It is getting cold," Lomi noted, staring at a group of people down the path. They were huddled together, talking about something. Most were wearing cloaks, or large jackets. A few even had things wrapped around their necks and head, to better protect themselves from the chill.

"If only you had fur," I said to her.

She smiled up at me, as if it was a joke she's heard before. One that reminded her of a happy moment.

A gust blew by, causing a nearby sign to creak loudly. Its metal hinges had probably begun to ice over, based off the sound.

The sign told me it was some kind of paper store. Maybe books. But books were still something only the wealthy could afford. Most humans were illiterate, and the common book was still something that took great effort to produce. They were made by hand still.

I knew it'd not be long until that all changed. I knew soon it'd all be different.

"Look, a statue!" Lomi grabbed my hand, to get my attention.

Walking into the center of the city, I allowed Lomi to study the large whale that had at one time lived in the lake.

The people here wouldn't remember, but that whale had been far larger than this statue. So large that it had nearly poisoned the whole lake upon its death, its carcass taking far too long to decay.

But why would they remember? They remembered the legends. The stories. But never what their actions wrought. I knew if I brushed aside the snow and ice, I'd eventually find a plaque that told the story of the ship of sailors who captured the great fish. How the city had only survived the harsh winter thanks to its meat and oil. But I knew it, and the entire town, would never remember the many years after that they suffered from a lack of fish, afterwards.