As they stepped into the small foyer of the house, Alder casually pulling off his boots and socks, Isolda huffed in disgust. The scent of the mud overwhelmed the clean, slightly pine-scented air of the foyer.
Alder made a huffing sound that would have been laughing if his vocal cords worked, and signed, I'll take this outside and get clean then, shall I?
'Yes, you shall,' Isolda sniffed, but nonetheless went outside to a clear patch of fading green concrete and bathed in the sun. Of course, she knew that Alder knew she was watching him anyway, just to make sure he was safe, despite her squinted eyes and lazy sprawl.
Alder glanced over at her as he soaked his legs in the tub of clean water. She blinked her eyes closed and looked away slowly, as though she hadn't just been caught keeping watch on him.
Just faintly, a scent drifted towards her on the breeze. It was musky like dirt and tangy like the bright yellow lemons in the orchard out the back. She ran over the scents she knew in her mind until she recognised the one that currently filled the air. It was Alder's good friend and mentor, Agrona Sidrun. She was an older lady, about ninety years old.
Of course, she wasn't the oldest. Due to the genetic advancements of the Pre-Rebirth Era, humans had a natural immunity to many diseases, and a stronger constitution compared to their ancient world predecessors.
Agrona was a spry lady, really. Her eyes glowed with mischief and knowledge, and her dog link, Penley, was similar, with thin, wiry brown fur. He was seventy-two years old; a fit, muscled dog with a dozen or so pinkish-white scars on him. Despite his age, his muscles rippled beneath his coat like a flag in the breeze.
That wasn't surprising to her. Most humans lived for around three hundred years. They didn't begin to look middle-aged until their hundred and fifties, and due to the complete joining of links, any animal bonded to a human also gained heightened intelligence and an extended life-span to match their human counterparts.
Isolda lay her head on the ground and hoped on all of the rivers on Earth that Penley wouldn't come over and bark, talk and prance. Alder was the one who could put up with that - Isolda just couldn't.
As if he knew what she was thinking - which, she was reminded, he sometimes did, as it was not an uncommon thing for her to accidentally broadcast her thoughts when she was annoyed - he glanced over at her and nodded discretely towards Penley. Isolda sighed and nodded; she got the message. Don't be rude to Penley.
He chuckled through their link, as it would be rude to do so out loud and turned to sign a welcome to Agrona. Agrona greeted him and began speaking quietly. Penley glanced over at Agrona protectively, and upon confirming that she would be fine, approached Isolda.
Isolda mentally braced herself, but she needn't have done so. Penley was serious and grave for once and sat himself down next to her without a bounce, bark or slobber. She was especially thankful for the absence of the latter.
They were silent for a while, watching the serious conversation between Agrona and Alder, and Isolda quickly came to the conclusion that he was going to tell her whatever Agrona was telling Alder.
She huffed and shifted to a warmer spot on the concrete - which was, coincidentally, farther away from Penley, who had sat slightly too close for her comfort - and flickered her ear to the side. Catching the 'what is it' from her, Penley let out a sigh. A moment later, there was a distinctly dog-like niggling in her mind. She accepted the requested mind-link and immediately said, 'Well?'
Penley hesitated. 'I know you have had a hard life, Isolda. Agrona and I know that you and Alder have been through a lot. We don't want to put such stress on you, but we know you can handle yourselves...' he trailed off, giving Isolda the impression he had no idea how to say what he wanted to.
'You know I appreciate straight-forwardness. Whatever you want to say is no doubt a lot simpler than you think,' she 'spoke, giving him an irritated huff.
Right on cue, Alder glanced a warning look at her, barely noticeable. She turned away from him and stood up, pretending to stretch, but really setting out to face away from Alder and make it obvious that she was ignoring him.
Ignoring.
Him.
Penley huffed in his ever dog-like manner, and Isolda had no doubt that Agrona had noticed Alder's warning glance and shared the memory with him out of fond amusement. The pair were stupidly sentimental like that. Well, so was Alder, but she could put up with his sentimentalism.
Penley, after another huffing chuckle, became serious again. 'It is simple for me, I think. It is a simple thing that has happened, and there will be an explanation behind it. But for you and Alder? I don't want you two to fight again. You fought all the time at La Fratalle...' he stopped himself when she looked away and put a semi-transparent block between their mind-link.
She turned back to look at him after she had made the silence as uncomfortable as she wanted. 'Just tell me what happened, Penley,' Isolda sighed.
The older dog turned to look at her in earnest. It was uncommon for Isolda to ever use his name, and he was, half the time, convinced that she had forgotten it, or didn't even know it.
'Alright then,' he agreed finally, before diving into the story. 'A few days ago, the link patrols reported stone figures walking through the trees. They were able to take them out, but no one has seen the like before. Of course, links have power, but they never attack other link settlements. Ever. So, we don't know what they are.'
He paused to take a centring breath. 'They haven't increased in the last few days, but they find many new ways to avoid the patrols. Luckily, they have a power signature. Not strong enough to be distinguishable, but enough that they can be detected by the patrols even if they aren't visible.'
Isolda perked up. This was the sort of thing she craved. The mystery, the peculiarity. 'Are they accurately detectable or do patrols simply know they are within range?' she questioned the older link with a casualty belying her curiosity.
'The latter,' Penley answered. 'Some of them got to town last night and attacked one of the outlying houses. Luckily, they were awake, but we were sent out to warn you and the others to come into town until this is over.'
Isolda scowled. 'I do not wish to move out. Town is much too loud and busy. Too many people.' Penley gave her a knowing look.
Truthfully, she cared about the home she and Alder had made. Her mother had died just after she had weaned off milk, leaving her and her siblings to fend for themselves. When Isolda had bonded, she brought her siblings to Alder's home. Too, when they ran away from the link-haters, her siblings went on the run with the link-pair. Knowing that it would be dangerous for them to hang around her without a link for themselves, she and Alder escorted them to one of the central link towns where they settled in, and themselves went to one of the outer, more isolated towns.
She and Alder had built the house and filled it with things that reminded them of home, which was, for both of them, Alder's childhood home, no matter how briefly Isolda had been in it.
Isolda directed her gaze towards a trail of unknowing ants and gave a soft growl. Penley sighed again. He was sighing a lot; it was quite unusual. 'I know you do not wish to leave, Isolda, but it is necessary. You must. The golems come closer to town every day. It speaks of something ominous.'
Isolda turned to him. 'Then do something else about it! Build walls and reinforce them with the strongarm vines. Send out patrols in pairs, trade for emergency teleport crystals. You know that a link-pair in the next town can imbue crystals with various powers.'
'I know, Isolda, but it will not be safe for those on the outskirts until the walls are complete,' Penley argued gently.
'Then put some night patrols on the outskirts. Don't make people abandon their homes. You know that they live on the outskirts for a reason. You and Agrona can make it happen,' Isolda reasoned firmly, her tail flicking with agitation.
As though sensing her turmoil, Alder walked over with Agrona and sat down next to Isolda. What do you think? he signed, also signalling that this would be an open conversation. Consequently, when Agrona requested the mind-link, she did not refuse, and neither did Penley when Alder did the same.
'We should stay, but help build up walls, lay some power traps. I do not wish to run away if it isn't necessary,' Isolda answered, for his benefit, and to show Penley that she would not back down on this.
Alder smiled affectionately and scratched under her neck on the soft, white fur. She growled at being made to look even less threatening but allowed the contact anyway. Penley and Agrona shared a look and smiled at the pair - the tall, dark-haired Alder, who was as gentle as a butterfly, and the light, ginger-furred Isolda, as cynical and gruff as she was small and cute.
Opening her eyes after a few seconds of enjoyment, she flicked her tail at Alder's side. He made a huffing sound and removed his hand with one last pat.
'I agree with Isolda. I do not wish to leave my home. It is precious to me,' he mind-spoke.
Agrona nodded and smiled dimly, her eyes filled with affection and wisdom. "I suspected this would be your answer," she told them, her young voice filled with resonance and power. "That is why Penley and I already discussed another possibility - one only you two could create." She chuckled.
'What is it?' Isolda demanded, staring piercingly up at one of the village leaders.
Agrona and Penley shared a look.