“Is that a challenge?” Mav asked, staring into big brown eyes. “You think you’re faster than me, huh?” 

“Mav,” Maren said, voice slightly exasperated, “don’t race the dog.” 

“But he thinks he can beat me! He’s asking for an ass-whoopin’.” 

The lab barked, tail wagging. The other five attached to Mav joined in, yapping and pulling their leashes. Holding them back physically was simple. Mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, all Mav desired was to let them run, and go alongside them. The two Maren had were better behaved, the larger one giving Mav’s rowdy bunch a side-eye, as if it were embarrassed being associated with such ruffians. 

“He’s a dog, Mav,” Maren said, resuming her walk. “He’ll beat you, then you’ll get mopey.” 

Mav got his dogs walking again – or rather, he reigned them in as they leaped forward. “I don’t get mopey.” 

It was a good thing the leashes were attached to a girdle around Mav’s waist, so he could scratch that bothersome itch at the back of his head. 

“Yeah, right. You mope around every time you lose.” 

“What? I don’t lose!” 

“What about our little squat competition the other day?” There was a little gleam in her blue eyes. 

“I... wha– I... I didn’t– th-the ground was uneven! Yeah. How can you expect me to keep squatting without perfect form?” 

“Uh-huh.” Maren smirked. 

They reached the park they’d been aiming for. There was a small playground at its near edge and several acres of open, green space for families to enjoy. It wasn’t a dog park – according to their clients, there wasn’t one in good walking distance – but the dogs were well-behaved enough to let loose and not run away. 

They released the hounds and the pups took off, running around each other, and barking excitedly. Mav removed the girdle, then– 

“Hold it,” Maren said, expanding her tablet. 

“Aw, but–” Mav said. 

“We have to talk shop.” 

“It hasn’t been that long since we visited the temples.” 

They’d reached Yoularnon over an hour ago and found the nearest temple: the Supporters’. Every priest and deacon were preparing to leave for a conference which would discuss their next big festival: Celebration of the Law-Maker. As the Eternal Titan Yandrok – the one who blessed Talam with the law – was a Land-type Titan, the Supporters had to run it. 

So they went to the Autonomous temple, which required a shuttle to the opposite side of the city. Most of their higher-ups were at Mount Ergil, investigating the ancient underground settlement. Only one active deacon was at the temple, though he’d been busy with some students. They didn’t know when he’d be free again. 

That left Mav and Maren to visit Bishops Diego and Jada. Only, they were in separate hospitals on opposite sides of Yoularnon. Maren had decided it best to walk to the nearest hospital, where Bishop Diego stayed, and pick up any job they possibly could along the way. It didn’t take long to find some mothers in their yards, complaining how their normal dog-walker unceremoniously canceled for the day. A quick negotiation for price later and they were eighty credits richer with the guild temporarily eight dogs fuller. 

“It’s not that,” Maren said, checking her tablet. “It’s about finances.” 

“Oh...” 

“It’s good news.” 

“Oh!” 

“That’s better.” Maren smirked. “We could spend two weeks in Colway if we had three thousand credits saved up. After this job, we’ll be about a hundred away from that.” 

“Sweet,” Mav said, glancing back as children’s laughter rang out. Three little kids appeared and were now storming the playground, much noisier than the other children playing on the equipment, their mother walking the playground’s perimeter. “So a couple more small jobs and we’ll be good to go.” 

Maren nodded. “If we can get a few more while making our way to the hospital, we won’t need to worry about credits. And I think I found our next possible clients.” 

Mav followed her gaze to the families in the playground. “Uh, you really think children have that many credits?” 

“Not the kids,” Maren sighed. “Their parents.” 

“Oh... oh!” 

Maren shook her head, but she wore a ghost of a smile. She opened her mouth, but paused when the mother walking the perimeter neared them, head bowed. 

“I’m so sorry to intrude, Blessed Flame Dancer and Honored...” she glanced up, eyes searching Maren, “Wave Leaper.” 

“It’s no intrusion,” Maren said with a smile. “How can we help you?” 

“I apologize for eavesdropping, but I overheard that you were looking for clients,” the woman said, looking at her feet. “Please excuse my assumptions, but are you members of Nourishing Fields?” 

Yoularnon’s guild wasn’t as large or well-known as Linick’s Sacred Skies or Westalk’s Radiant Dawn. It was, however, far more recognizable and famous than their little, unofficial, nameless traveling guild. 

“No, actually...” Maren said, then she jutted out her chest and held her hand to it. “We are the first members of Talam’s newest and most exciting guild!” She swung her head to the other side, causing her tails to whip Mav on the shoulder, and planted her hands on her hips. “Behold, as you now see, Talam’s first ever traveling guild!” 

Maren’s little routine never failed to make Mav smile. He also enjoyed the reactions of the citizens, which ranged from polite confusion to amazed excitement; the older usually displaying the former while children had the latter. 

This woman, however, had a completely different reaction. She finally raised her head, her eyes seemingly doing a complicated equation. Which Mav completely understood; sometimes, it felt like solving algebra parsing through what intelligent people like Koda and Maren said. 

“You wouldn’t happen to be the guild that helped Bishops Jada and Diego at Mount Ergil, would you?” the woman said. 

If Maren tried to puff out her chest any more, she’d break her back. “The very same!” 

“I read about that in the news!” The mother then looked flustered and fell to her knees and bowed. “I am unworthy of your presence.” 

“No, please don’t,” Maren said, deflating a little. 

Mav knelt down and gripped the woman’s shoulder. She flinched at his touch. 

“You don’t need to bow,” Mav said. “We were happy to help then, and we’ll help you now if you need it.” 

The woman raised her head, flushed, then cleared her throat. “Actually I do. But it’s not as dire as helping Titans.” 

“Doesn’t matter how large or small,” Mav said. “We’ll help with any request.” 

“Besides, it’s nice to have simpler jobs every now and then.” Maren smiled. 

As did the woman, who rose. “It’s my son’s fifth birthday today.” She turned toward the boy who was beginning to climb up the slide, his two siblings following close behind. “And I didn't have time to pick up the cake. I wanted to have it here... it’s Kenny’s favorite spot. But I can’t just leave them alone to pick up the cake since it’s a fifteen-minute walk away.” 

Mav almost asked if their father could do that, but the only men at the park were either talking to other adults, or playing with different kids. There was a hollowness to the glance the woman gave the ground, betraying an inner emptiness. 

“Give us the address and the order number and we’ll get it done once we drop the dogs back home,” Maren said. 

The woman’s lips trembled. “Bless you. Bless you both. And payment?” 

She’ll ask for... ten credits. Mav nodded. Yeah, as much as she negotiated for each dog. 

“It’s fine,” Maren said with a smile. “Enjoy the day with your kids. That’ll be payment enough.” 

Mav’s mouth actually dropped. 

“I couldn’t possibly accept that,” the woman said. “No, I must pay you something.” 

“How about a small slice of cake, then?” Maren asked. “One for each of us?” 

“You two are too kind.” 

The woman gave Maren the information required to pick up the cake, then left to play with her children who were now on the swings. 

“You can close your mouth now,” Maren said. 

Mav did, with a snap. 

“What?” Maren asked. “I told you I’d try to get better with credits.” 

“Yeah... I just didn’t expect that.” 

“Not everyone needs to be charged, right? Besides, we’re getting some cake out of it. I like cake.” 

Maren tried to hide her face, but her ears were red, as was the bit of cheek Mav could see. Mav’s step became a little lighter. Who’d have thought the near-death-experience of falling into a deep pit would have made things better. 

“Anyway!” Maren shouted. “First things first. This job’s not done yet. These dogs are having the time of their lives, so why are we standing by and watching them?” 

“You told me I couldn’t race them!” Mav said. 

“I said nothing about playing with them.” The gleam was back in her eyes. “But I’ll race you to them.” 

Then, laughing, she took off toward the leaping and bounding dogs. 

And don’t you think you’ll beat me. Laughing, Mav charged after her.