Chapter 160 - 161: The City Tour

Chapter 160: Chapter 161: The City Tour

They walked through the streets with the kind of leisurely pace that came from having nowhere in particular to be and nothing in particular to do, and the city around them was busy and loud and alive with the kind of energy that only came from a place where people were living their lives and pursuing their dreams and trying to make something of themselves.

Daniel walked in front with his hands in his pockets and his expression calm and his eyes curious as they moved over the buildings and the people and the stalls that lined the streets like colorful invitations to spend money he didn’t have.

Fluffy walked beside him small and quick and quiet as a shadow, her ears twitching at every sound and her nose twitching at every smell and her tail swaying gently behind her.

Cheeky walked behind him with her cloak pulled low and her hood covering her ears, hiding in the way she always did around strangers but also smiling in the way she did when she felt safe despite her caution.

Mittens walked beside Cheeky nervous and scared but present, her cat ears flat and her tail still and her eyes wide as she took in the sights and sounds of a city she had never imagined she would ever see.

Daniel looked around at the buildings and the people and the stalls and saw a city that was nice and busy and prosperous, and he smiled a warm and genuine smile.

"Let’s see what this city has to offer," he said.

They walked for a few minutes and passed a bakery where the smell of fresh bread filled the air and made Fluffy’s nose twitch and her mouth water with the kind of desperate hunger that came from smelling something delicious and knowing you couldn’t have it.

"Master," she said with her voice small and hopeful. "Fluffy smells food."

Daniel nodded. "I know."

"Fluffy is hungry."

"I know."

"Can Fluffy have food?"

Daniel shook his head. "We don’t have money."

Fluffy’s ears drooped with disappointment. "No money?"

"No money."

"But Fluffy is hungry."

"I know. But we can’t buy anything."

Fluffy’s tail drooped and her ears flattened against her head. "Okay."

Daniel looked at her with her sad face and her drooping ears and her tucked tail, and he felt a pang of guilt that he couldn’t ignore, and he sighed and reached into his pocket and pulled out a single copper coin.

"I have one copper," he said.

Fluffy’s eyes lit up with hope. "One copper?"

"Yes."

"Can Fluffy have it?"

Daniel thought about it for a moment and then nodded. "Okay. But you can only buy one thing."

Fluffy nodded eagerly with her tail wagging and her ears perking up. "Fluffy will buy one thing!"

She ran toward the bakery and stopped in front of the counter and looked at the bread and the pastries and the cakes with the kind of wide-eyed wonder that made Daniel’s chest ache.

She pointed at a small loaf of bread. "That one!"

The baker looked at her with her rabbit ears and her small form and her eager eyes. "That’s one copper," he said.

Fluffy handed him the coin and he handed her the bread, and she hugged it to her chest and ran back to Daniel with the kind of joy that made everything else seem small.

"Fluffy got bread!" she shouted.

Daniel smiled. "Good job."

Fluffy broke the bread into pieces and handed one to Daniel and one to Cheeky and one to Mittens with the kind of generous spirit that made Daniel proud.

"Fluffy shares," she said.

Daniel looked at her with her smiling face and her kind eyes and her generous heart. "Thank you," he said.

Fluffy nodded. "Fluffy is good rabbit folk."

"Yes," Daniel said. "You are."

They walked further and passed a blacksmith where the sound of hammering echoed through the streets and sparks flew and metal clanged with the kind of rhythmic intensity that spoke of skill and strength and years of practice.

Cheeky stopped and looked at the blacksmith and his forge and his anvil and his tools with fascination in her eyes.

Daniel noticed. "You like blacksmithing?"

Cheeky nodded with her voice quiet but eager. "I... I’ve always been interested. Metal is my talent. I want to learn more about it."

Daniel nodded. "Maybe you can apprentice here. After we join the guild."

Cheeky’s eyes lit up with hope. "Really?"

"Really."

She smiled a real and happy smile. "Thank you," she said.

Daniel smiled. "You’re welcome."

They walked further and passed a fountain that was large and beautiful and made of white stone with water spraying from the top and sparkling in the sunlight like scattered diamonds.

Mittens stopped and looked at the fountain and the water and the sparkles with amazement in her eyes.

Daniel noticed. "You like the fountain?"

Mittens nodded with her voice soft and full of wonder. "It’s... it’s beautiful."

"Yes. It is."

She looked at him with her eyes wide and her voice trembling. "I’ve never seen anything like this. I was a slave my whole life. I never got to see beautiful things."

Daniel looked at her with her sad face and her wet eyes and her trembling body. "You’re not a slave anymore," he said.

She blinked with confusion. "What?"

"You’re not a slave. You’re free."

"I... I know. But sometimes I forget."

Daniel smiled a warm and gentle smile. "Then I’ll remind you. Every day if I have to."

Mittens stared at him with her eyes wet and her heart full. "Thank you," she whispered.

Daniel nodded. "You’re welcome."

They walked further and passed a crowd that was large and gathered around something with cheering and shouting and the kind of excitement that came from watching something spectacular.

Daniel stopped and looked at the crowd and what they were watching and saw a man who was juggling fire and breathing flames and doing tricks that made the crowd gasp and clap and throw coins.

Fluffy’s eyes widened with wonder. "Fire!"

Daniel nodded. "Fire."

"It’s pretty!"

"It is."

Fluffy watched with her tail wagging and her ears perked up. "Fluffy wants to do that," she said.

Daniel looked at her. "You want to juggle fire?"

"Yes!"

"You’re a rabbit folk. You’re made of fur. You’ll catch on fire."

Fluffy thought about it. "Fluffy will be careful."

"No."

"Fluffy will be very careful."

"No."

"Fluffy will be extremely careful."

"No."

Fluffy’s ears drooped. "Okay."

Daniel patted her head. "You can do other things. Safer things."

Fluffy nodded. "Okay."

They walked further and the sun was setting and the sky was orange and the clouds were pink and the stars were appearing, and Daniel looked at the sky and the time and the others.

"We should head back," he said.

They nodded and turned and started walking back with the kind of tired satisfaction that came from a day well spent.

They reached the inn and the others were waiting at a table eating and talking, and Daniel walked in with Fluffy and Cheeky and Mittens following close behind.

Paul looked up. "You’re back."

Daniel nodded. "We’re back."

"Did you see the city?"

"We did."

"Is it nice?"

"It is."

Paul nodded. "Good."

Lily walked toward them with a smile on her face and a tray in her hands. "Welcome back," she said. "I made some food. It’s not much. But it’s warm."

Daniel looked at the tray and the food and the kindness. "Thank you," he said.

Lily nodded. "You’re welcome."

She set the tray down and gestured at the table. "Sit. Eat. You must be hungry."

They sat down and started eating and talking and laughing, and the food was simple but good and warm and filling.

Daniel looked at his team and his family and his friends with warmth in his chest. "Tomorrow," he said. "We start preparing for the exam."

They nodded with determination in their eyes.

Daniel looked at the fire and the flames and the light. "Tomorrow," he repeated. "We get stronger."