She went straight home after the fireworks extravaganza. The children were outside, chasing each other around a table, in full fox form. As soon as Ali saw Sienna, she transformed back to human form, with the exception of her ears and tail.

"Mama." She screamed, leaping into Sienna’s arms. "Mama, did you see the rainbow?"

Sienna nodded. "I did baby and it was very pretty. Did you behave for grandma?"

Ali looked at Mrs. Miller, with a wide grin. She nodded eagerly. "I was a good cub. I helped grandma dry the vegetables. And I helped aunt Cyra pack the honey and fruits for the guests."

"She means she ate and looked on while aunt Cyra and others worked." Eli reported.

Ali hissed at him.

Unperturbed, Eli added, "She has also learned to hiss from that white snake Mija. It is not proper for a fox to hiss." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"Don’t tell me what to do." Ali said, and then buried her head in Sienna’s neck. Her arms wrapped tightly around her mother’s neck. "Mama, Eli is annoying me again."

Sienna rubbed Ali’s back, wondering how the two had quickly gone from playing together to find each other annoying."

Before she could play mediator or the job she liked to think she was paid for by her husband, Soren ran up to her with a paper in his hand. "Sister, my admission letter to the Glory academy has arrived." On his heels was Corven Junior, lugging the package from the school which Soren had left behind.

"I am never going to school without mama." Ali declared, cheeks puffed in indignation.

Sienna patted the little one’s back. "In that case, you are never going to school at all."

"Yay!!" Ali clapped her hands.

Mrs. Miller snorted. "For both your sakes, I hope you don’t repeat that around Elias." Her hands opened the package. Her eyes gleamed with excitement.

Meanwhile, the other teenagers lugged in more packages from the academy, as equally excited as Soren.

Eli perched on the edge of the chair, eyes focused like a wise man who knew it all. He jabbed a finger at the brochure. "Uncle Soren is a falcon, I think he should take Combat Arts and Tactical Transformation as his top major. That way, he can qualify for jobs for the fox vanguard in future. That is one step away from royal guard or king’s personal guard. The classes are pretty easy."

Sienna raised an eyebrow. "You have never taken a high school class in your life Eli. How do you know if it is easy?"

"I don’t need to," he retorted proudly. "I already know everything. Like Astral Mathematics, you just count the stars until you get bored. But, it is a major you need if you hope to be a priest someday. Easy."

Soren groaned. "My excitement is now filled with dread because every decision I make will determine my future."

Corven Junior whispered, "Pressure, pressure, pressure."

Soren shoved his cousin away with one hand.

The holo brochure shimmered open, projecting images of school buildings and training areas. Ali gasped, tightening her grips around Sienna’s neck. "Look mama, they have a big kitchen with a lot of meat and fruit. Can we go and eat there?"

Sienna chuckled. "Sure, but only if you go to school there. But it will be a few years before you qualify so for now, ask your uncle to sneak you a fruit or two."

Eli leaned closer, squinting at the holographic text. "They teach cosmetic technology 101. Uncle Soren should skip that and take Natural Ecology 104. It is very vital that you know your environment or it will kill you." His eyes gleamed. "Ooh, and Dragon riding 101."

"There is dragon riding." Kroton said, from behind grandpa Corven’s back.

"There should be." Eli insisted. "I will write to the dean."

Sienna scoffed. "With what authority?"

Everyone laughed. Whether he had authority or not, the boy would be writing to the dean.

Adjusting her shawl, grandma Byra peered at the brochure with sharp eyes. "I see they have Cultural Heritage and Mythic studies. I took that when I was your age. It started out like fun but the we had to memorize the traditional songs of every tribe until our throats cracked. I hope you kids have string lungs."

Grandpa Corven snorted, "Bah. Heritage is fine, but Astral Navigation is the real test. I chartered hyperspace routes with nothing but instinct and a broken compass. These children today have holograms to guide them. Too easy. If you make this your major Soren, you will qualify to take the course on piloting in future. Easy pay."

"A political course is better." Cyra pitched in. "He could become a courtier in future. It will give our two cubs Ali and Eli an extra backer in the king’s inner circle in future."

Sienna laughed. "Maybe he should just take dance. I focused on arts and dance and I almost succeeded."

Soren winced. "I am already overwhelmed. Do I really need to master politics, math, astral navigation, combat, dance and heritage all at once?"

Grandma Byra tapped the packet. "Yes. Otherwise you will end up like your uncle Christo who failed diplomacy and insulted the falcon tribe three times in one sentence."

The kids sniggered.

Sienna almost asked what Paris, her father had studied. But she held back. What did it matter anyway? If he had studied anything, it was probably the art of seduction.

Mrs. Miller unfolded the uniform from its wrapping: A midnight-blue shirt with silver trim, form fitting black trousers a belt and black fur cloak embroidered with the academy crest.

Suri squealed, tugging at the cloak. "It’s so soft mama. And shiny!"

Sienna bumped her brother with her hip. "Wow Soren, you are going to look like a prince. No wonder everyone wants to this academy, the uniforms are worth it."

Grandpa Corven cleared his throat. "He is not supposed to look like a prince, he is supposed to look like a student and a soldier in one. The uniform is not just cloth, it is responsibility sealed into every seam."

Soren held the cloak up, uncertain. It suddenly felt heavy. As if donning it would mean stepping into something bigger than him.