Fellow Travelers Novels & Stories

I find myself relearning them, not as symbols or omens, but as distant, burning facts. Arthur still wakes before dawn. I still wake when he does, even when I don’t mean to. Old habits echo longer than old power. But when we rise now, there is no rush to become necessary. One morning, weeks into our wandering, we stop near a river wide enough that its far bank feels theoretical. The water is loud, unembarrassed by its own presence. A group of travelers has gathered nearby—merchants, families, a woman with too many books for someone who insists she is not a scholar.

June leaned back. "Guess it's just God throwing a few more companions our way. We used to have a bigger group. People joined, then left. The trip from Crownfall to Fairfield is long, and not everyone can stick it out. Some gave up halfway. Some made it home, found no one left, and just walked off after that. By the time we got here, it was just us." A faint sigh slipped from her. "We haven't met anyone new in over a year." Hayley listened, her eyes drifting over the group again.

But real. "We're getting better," I said, more to myself than him. "We are." Alexei put his arm around me. "Not fast enough. Not cleanly. But better." The first travelers of the day began arriving. A family of wolves crossing from Earth to the old world for a vacation. They'd been part of Seraphina's coalition, and had stayed behind during the evacuation. Now they could visit whenever they wanted, experiencing both worlds. "Morning, Alpha. Maya," the father greeted us, his children bouncing with excitement behind him.

The travelers had only one desire - to get away from this nightmare. The friends drove for several hours before the sight of the city, which harbored the largest nest of the Inquisition, disappeared behind the hills, and the acrid smell of burning flesh stopped wafting through the air. The travelers stopped on the outskirts of the forest. Having moved a little away from the road and hidden from random prying eyes, the friends dismounted. Felix loosened the saddle girth, removed the bridle and allowed his four-legged friend to have a snack. The horse immediately buried his muzzle in the wild alfalfa and, without moving far from the owner, cheerfully crunched the juicy stems.

They shared their dreams, aspirations, and the visions they held for themselves and the world. As they reached the end of their journey for the day, the sun began to set on the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow across the landscape. They found themselves standing on a hilltop, overlooking the cityscape below. It was a moment of reflection and gratitude. Andrea, Alex, and Matthew stood together, united in their shared experiences and the bond they had formed. They acknowledged that their journey was not just about individual growth but also about the collective journey they had embarked on as friends. Their conversations had become the tapestry of their story—a story of courage, resilience

He felt safe and loved, surrounded by his pack, each member united in their shared journey. They ran deeper into the forest, following the natural terrain, heading left along what John assumed was the border line. The lush vegetation, the rustle of leaves, and the earthy scent of the forest surrounded them. They encountered other bears and shifters along the way, which John assumed were part of the border patrol guards, exchanging greetings through a combination of animal sounds and mental links.

It was a journey of expansion, both external and internal, as she discovered the interconnectedness of all beings and the universal threads that bound humanity together. In her travels, Rita encountered souls from all walks of life—warriors, healers, artists, and seekers of truth. Each encounter became an opportunity for mutual learning, growth, and the weaving of a rich tapestry of shared wisdom. Together, they embraced the diversity of their journeys and celebrated the unity that lay at the core of their human experience. The fearless journey was not without its challenges. Rita faced adversity, confronted her

“Please! We mean no harm.” Lydia stopped. Another voice followed. “We are travelers. We lost our way.” Lydia looked at me. I shook my head slightly. Something about them made me uneasy. The first voice came again. “We only need somewhere to stay until morning. The forest is dangerous at night.” Lydia opened the door halfway. I saw five people standing outside. They looked tired. Their clothes were covered in dirt, and each carried a small bag. They appeared to be pack members traveling together.

Then: "The City of Echoes is not what it once was." Silence. Then: "Few who enter return unchanged." The atmosphere shifted. Immediately. Then Ava frowned. Then: "What does that mean?" The traveler smiled. Then: "It means exactly what it sounds like." God. No. Fair. Absolutely not. Reasonable honestly. Then he began walking away. Then Thomas spoke. Then: "Wait." The traveler stopped. Then: "Who are you?" A long silence followed. Then the old man looked back. Then smiled. Then: "A friend."

Eleven wolves with wrong assessments who had been living in Iron Crest Pack their whole lives believing they were less than they were. I felt all of them before they crossed the boundary. I was at the southern boundary when they came out of the tree line. The wagon first — two horses, Sev's requested equipment, loaded with archive boxes that had been carefully packed and padded. Then the wolves, in a loose formation that was not quite a pack formation because they were not quite a pack, eleven people who had traveled together for four days and had formed the specific cautious fellowship of people in the same unexpected circumstance. Then Kaden.