It was hard to tell who looked more surprised - the Ursa guard or Aeturnis, they both stared at the speaker. Even Aeturnis, unable to meet anyone's gaze, was unable to tear hers away from the creature before her. She had not seen the driver, or indeed the driven, of the painted wagon.
Gracefully seated on the driver's bench was the most bizarre Furrae that Aeturnis had ever seen. She had seen birds, of course, the small winged creatures that flitted for crumbs cast from her hands - but she had never seen an Avian.
Large, kindly, dark eyes peered at her over a fearsome looking beak, open in a semblance of a grin. The Avian's head feathers swept back into a long plume, the feathers tufted. Her arms were not arms at all, but wings, huge powerful wings with hands set upon their wrists, the fingers long and exquisitely graceful.
"The girl is coming to Eriwyn with me," the Avian repeated. "You have inspected my ticket and found it valid - you have inspected my wagon and found my wares and companions to be acceptable - therefore, the girl shall join me and we shall pass. Together."
The Ursa looked fit to protest.
"I would do so if I were you." Another, somewhat harder, voice cautioned, "it does not pay to anger Madame Zufraia."
It was the second time Aeturnis's jaw had almost dropped to the ground - for the voice had not come from the wagon - but from the beast that drew it. Not a mere beast of burden, she realised, seeing his muscular chest and crossed arms - an Ungutaur. Long curved horns swept back from his handsome, yet alien, face, his skin and fur as black as pitch. He stamped one foot.
Madame Zufraia cocked her head on one side. "Farleigh is quite correct," she said. "Now, kindly let us pass on our way, the girl with us."
There was something in her tone, that and the narrowing of the Sable-taur's eyes, the guard's resolve broke and he dropped Aeturnis roughly to the ground.
"You want to go to Eriwyn?" He rumbled, "then be my guest. Pass and may Elysia be with you."
Aeturnis was not about to wait around for him to change his mind, the Skunk looked close to objecting, she jumped into the wagon and sat, eyes downcast. The Ursa rose the bar, muttering to each other and Farleigh passed safely through.
For better or worse - she was on her way to Eriwyn.
The Boundary was receeding into the distance before Madame Zufraia spoke. She turned her large, dark eyes to Aeturnis and the Aardwolf shrunk beneath the power in her gaze.
"So, you travel to Eriwyn."
Aeturnis attempted a smile, despite the fear. "Yes, thank you for helping me, Madame Zufraia. If you would like, I can walk from here."
The Avian threw her head back and laughed. "Walk? Foolish kit - if you walk, you will be on this road until doomsday. And that," a dark cloud flitted over her face, "I'm afraid to say, may not be too far away."
A cold chill spasmed down Aeturnis's spine and it was not bourne by the weather, which was mild. Was the Avian joking?
"Anyway," she continued, as though she had not just spoken of impending doom. "I have been rude, and have not introduced our little crew properly. We are 'Mysanthropi'." She paused for a moment, placing her odd hand beneath Aeturnis's chin and forcing the girl's eyes to meet her own. "Such pretty eyes," she cooed, "'tis a shame not to let the world see them."
Aeturnis shook beneath her hand. "I'm suh-sorry," she whispered.
"No matter, we are Mysanthropi, travelling performers. Freaks," she added, grinning wickedly. "Much like you child."
"I'm... I'm not a freak." Aeturnis tried to look away, but Madam Zufraia's grip was firm. "I'm a Huvryss."
She had a musical laughter, did the Avian. "Nor are Farleigh and I Freaks either - across the seas we are perfectly ordinary, normal boring beings. But you, my child, are special. For the blood of Hyenadae and Canidae flows in your veins. And you have been marked." Her other hand delicately outlined the strange horseshoe shaped fur-mark on Aeturnis's forehead. "You are blessed with the sight, yes?"
"Cursed." Her voice was barely audible, but Madam Zufraia heard regardless.
"A curse and a bless both, it depends what way you come upon it." She glanced over her shoulder for a moment and a smile danced on her lips. "Farleigh, I believe it is time for you to rest - I must introduce Aeturnis to the rest of the Crew."
"Huh-how do you know my name?"
"The Madam has the Sight too," a voice piped up from inside the wagon. "She can read ye fortune in yer hand."
Farleigh stopped, turning his humanoid torso about to regard them. Sweat glistened on the thin black hair of his chest. "Well," he said, "make your introductions so we can move along - I haven't got all day. Where's my waterflask?"
"Strapped to ye hip - where it always is," the voice came from inside the wagon again, ripe with mirth.
Farleigh threw back his head and laughed a rich rumble of a laugh. "Oh but it is empty, send the boy to fill another one."
A low grumble emitted from the mysterious voice.
"I heard that!" Farleigh exclaimed, "now fetch me some water or we'll have you pulling this thing!" A passing zebu Driver stared for a moment and the Sable crossed his arms and held his chin high. "What are you staring at?" He demanded. "Never seen an Ungutaur before?"
With a mutter, the fellow traveller urged his tiny merchant cart onwards.
A moment later a slight, untidy figure emerged from the wagon, sweeping back a tousled mane of wild black hair with a grimy paw, revealing a vulpine muzzle beneath. "Who's the girl?" He demanded. "Is she the one ye spoke of, Madam Zufraia?"
"Yes, she is. Have you forgotten your manners? Greet her formally."
The boy held out his hand, glanced at it for a moment and realised it was dirty, spat on it and wiped it on his trousers. He proferred it to her once more, frowned as he realised what he had just done and quickly stuck it into his pocket. "Hi," he said, quirking his head on one side so that his hair fell in his face, "I'm Chesterton Warren, like the rabbits. But e'ryone calls me Chaz, who're ye?"
Aeturnis shyly met his gaze. His bright blue eyes shone with mischief from beneath tousled locks. Well... he seemed friendly enough. Almost too friendly - but if he was travelling with these odd beings, he was hardly going to regard her as a freak, was he just?
"I'm Aeturnis," she said, "Aeturnis Christie."
"I'm sorry to hear about ye mother," Chaz said. "She was truly a remarkable woman."
Madam Zufraia thwapped him up the back of the head, mussing his hair even further. "Chaz..." she growled, albeit musically.
"What?" He exclaimed, and then realised. "Oh, sorry miss, didna mean to offend ye."
"Are you fetching me my water boy?" Farleigh demanded.
"Oh, sorry Far." He didn't sound sorry in the slightest. "Only Miss," he continued, "sometimes I can see into the past. It ain't no great talent or nothing, but it can be useful." He scrambled off the wagon to take Farleigh's waterbag from the Sable's hand.
"Anyway," was that amusement detectable in Madam Zufraia's voice? "That was Chaz. But you can call him Chesterton if ever he offends you. Our gallant driver is Farleigh, do not let him offend you, he's got a kind heart."
"Hey, I resent that!"
"And now you've met almost all of our merry band."
"Hey, you forgot me," came a very small voice.
"Patience, Rose," said the Avian reaching into the caravan with one hand, a moment later she held it up to Aeturnis. Standing on her palm was a tiny Mouse, pure white but with startling green eyes. The Mouse waved one minute paw.
"Hi, I'm Rose," she said, doing a little bobbing curtsey. "Welcome to Mysanthropi."