Maybe The Dead
Warning: Contains talk of abuse, and heavily implied sexual assault/rape
porch of the house -notably out of earshot of Baya’s room. He was at this point, her main confidante and info broker. If there was anyone with information she could trust, it would be him.
“You brought me out here for this?” Meritt hissed. “Mute, this is crazy!”
“So you don’t know.”
“Why would he be Baya’s family?!”
“Well he can’t be her sapling, or she’d let him live here. So perhaps he’s the sapling of a sibling.”
Meritt stared at her, bewildered. “A… sapling?”
Blueten ignored him. She started pacing up and down the porch. Her tiny minion scrambled to keep hold of her shoulder. “He must live in the Weeping Isles. He’s Soundless but newly so. Sometimes he slips.”
“…How? Are you still not Soundless?”
“The Isles have plenty of crabs, that’s likely why he sometimes gifts them to us.”
“What?”
“He’s the one leaving us gifts by our doors. Please keep up, Meritt.”
“Wait-”
“He’s very likely poor. Blueberries are free, they’re everywhere. He must be using his share of the raid money for something else. Probably on supplies to keep the storage box full. Melon juice and nectar are staples from The Grove. They cost more so we don’t get them as often.”
“O-Okay hold on.”
“So he’s poor. Is that why Baya took him in? Perhaps as a favour to a sibling? Or is he from a broken home? Did she actually see potential in him? He seems to fit it.”
“Mute!” She felt Meritt’s hand grab her arm, stopping her mid-pace. “Can you please slow down? I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
She turned, stared him dead in the eye and said, “They’re too alike.”
“They’re… too alike?” Meritt repeated.
“Yes. Baya and Tora Zollun. They have the same postures, behaviours, and a very similar skill set. Admittedly, he hasn’t picked up on Baya’s trademark poisons, but he otherwise seems to be copying her moves. She brought him in and he’s a sapling, so I assume he must be family. Why else would you bring in someone so young?”
“Tora’s not a sapling!” Meritt scoffed but then looked uncertain. “Wh-why do you
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