Ant and Four 11 - Deadnights
by Winter

It had begun to darken when Anita came to pick the boys up. She had told them to prepare for a chilly night, so Four, even though cold wasn't a problem for his robot body, had put on a sweater with a hood. Ant, however, was dressed in his usual shorts and t-shirt, relying on his light-brown wolf fur to keep him warm.

He ran his fingers through his hair, enjoying the way it felt. Earlier that day he had, for the first time ever, visited a hairdresser. A friendly, chatty young woman, who had tried to talk him into getting a blonde dye that would match Four's hair colour. To no avail. Ant had also resisted her pleas to trim his face fur. His hair was shorter now, matching the rest of him. He really liked it, even though Four thought he looked different. That had, after all, been the point.

Anita looked nothing like the respectable business woman they had met a couple of months earlier. Gone was the sober suit-and-tie. Instead, she wore a footside black robe with red trimmings, and she had dark make-up on both eyelids. In Ant's opinion, it made her look like a warlock out of some old fantasy tale.

The invitation to the Deadnight wake had come as a surprise. The Fourtitude had touched down at Wishing Well so that Ant and Four could take Anita up on her offer, to help them sell their toys, as well as rest up after the calamity on the Range. She had been very happy to see them, and while they unloaded most of their shelf-ready stock, she wasted no time to explain about Laya's darkness festivities.

Once every six standard years, she told them, when the sun stood between Laya and the galaxy core and all the moons were down, there would be two nights with only distant, dim stars to brighten the night sky. These were the Deadnights, when barely any light shone to guard the people from the terrors of the dark. It was a time when they gathered around fires, for warmth and comfort and tale-telling. Ant and Four had missed the first Deadnight, but they were invited for the second.

It was a short ride in Anita's electric car from the camping site to the beach, where the river met the sea. There, a large bonfire had already been lit, and people sat in a ring around it. Some on logs, some on plastic beach chairs, and others on blankets draped on the sand. Ant soon lost count, but he felt sure there were at least a hundred people there. Most were adults or teenagers, but there were some children as well. The kids seemed really happy to see them, and soon they were all but drowned in chatter about toys. Ant smiled warmly as he watched Four get dragged away to whatever games were going on.

All while the sun sank below the horizon and the dark blue sky faded to near-black. After so many weeks basking in the brilliance of the core, the lack of light felt almost eerie.

* * * * * *

Ant shook more hands and learned more names over the next hour than he had in all his life. Though he tried his best to remember them all, it was no use. He was still a bit wary to mingle with the teens, and whenever they gravitated towards him, he managed to slip around the bonfire.

There were tables set out with food and drinks, and Ant nibbled on some salty cheese crackers while he chatted with Hal, the friendly book seller from the flea market. He tried a fruit drink that had just enough fizz to tickle his tongue, without making him sneeze. Everywhere, he heard people talk about last night's wake and about the scary stories they had heard, while wondering what new ones or old favourites they would hear tonight.

Part of Ant was thrilled. He did enjoy horror stories, both in books and in films and in radioplays. But, given what had happened not long ago, he slightly dreaded the topic. Stories of violence and death, he did not look forward to. He had seen footage from Lakeview, on telenews programmes, which clearly showed him and Mack running across the square. And then, the explosion. The missile that had almost knocked Ant out, and that had killed Caleb. Apparently it had been shown all over, which made him something of a celebrity. Against his will, because the last thing he wanted was to talk about pirates. Yet, that was what people mostly asked about.

He spotted Four, engrossed in a game the object of which seemed to be yanking sticks out of the sand, only to jab them down someplace else. Every now and then all the kids cheered, though for the life of him, Ant couldn't figure out why. The rules seemed as interchangeable as the teams.

As midnight approached. it was as if all sound died away, aside from the gentle trickle of the river and the occasional pop from the fire. Ant found a seat on one of the logs, and he was soon joined there by Four. The ferry boy was riled up from all the games and all the fun, and could barely sit still. In a low voice, he promised to tell Ant about it later, but right now he couldn't wait to hear the scary stories.

A small gong sounded. Anita stepped out onto an open space between the fire and the sea, together with her wife Keera, the mayor of Wishing Well, who was also wearing a robe. Ant could feel a near-palpable tension, as if everyone were holding their breath. Anita struck the gong again. Once the sound had faded, the mayor began to speak.

"In the old days..." Keera had a nice voice, Ant thought. Deep for a woman, but not as raspy as that of an adult man. "...sunlight and moonlight were said to keep more than just darkness away. In the night, strange beings were known to dwell. Spirits, monsters, evil creatures that preyed on the unwary."

"And during the Deadnights," Anita filled in without missing a beat. Ant smiled. They must have rehearsed this. "When there is very little light to be had, those things were stronger, more real, more terrifying than ever. So the people of old built campfires. Little lights of their own, to safeguard them and hold the dark away."

"And by their fires," the mayor continued, "they would tell each other stories. By naming their fears, they kept them at bay. And that's what we're doing tonight, during the last Deadnight for this cycle."

"Yesternight we heard about the woodroe," Anita said, "a creature of the forest who turns travellers into trees with their magical touch. We heard of sea horrors and dragons and ghosts, and a witch who turned people into glass statues to adorn her castle. What will we hear tonight? That is all up to you."

Silence fell as the two women sat down. Ant wasn't entirely sure what would happen next. Would someone read from a book, or would people make up stories on the spot? He glanced at Four, who shrugged. Then one man stood up, and all eyes turned to him. He was an adult, Ant saw, but still quite young. In the light from the bonfire, his face flushed a bit in that way some humans did when they felt embarrassed.

"I'm... I'm Eric." Someone yelled at him to speak up, so he started over. "My name is Eric. Most of you know me, 'cause I've lived here for a few years now. But I'm originally from New Mérida."

"Remember?" Ant whispered into Four's ear. "That's where I got my passport."

"And where you got drunk," Four smiled. "I didn't have my body then."

"In my home town," Eric went on, "we tell stories about forest spirits. Not like the roe, but scary in other ways..."

* * * * * *

Wood sprites. Tree fairies. Root dwellers. Elves. There were many names for the dangers of the forest. They were said to look like human children, but there were subtle differences. One extra finger, large eyes, pointy ears, or even the lack of a finger. Ant got a bit confused as the man told his tale. These spirits were said to live inside trees, or deep underground. When the moons were down, they came out to dance and play.

And to steal away any human foolish enough to be out and about...

* * * * * *

Next Anita herself stood up, and thanked Eric. His tale had ended with a hole opening up in the bark of a tree, swallowing the poor human wanderer. Some time during the story, Four's little hand had crept into Ant's, and he still held it when Anita started a tale of her own.

"Beneath the surface of the world," she said in a low voice, "lives a race of beings for whom everything is upside-down. They build their houses below regular houses, with the basement on top and going down to the roof. There they live, upside-down as if in mockery of the people above. They even look the same, with one difference.

"Down underground, where it's always dark, they have no need for faces. Instead, they have only pale, stretched skin without eyes and without nose. All they have is a very large mouth.

"Normally," she went on more loudly, and Ant felt Four jump slightly, "humans never meet these under people. But sometimes, things go wrong. Sometimes, you go down into your basement, and discover a door where none has been before. Or maybe the stairs suddenly go further down. Ignore these oddities, and they will eventually fade, follow them and you're never seen again. Only...

"On rare occasions, the under people come up. It can start as faint scraping. Was there a mouse inside your walls? Or did it come from the basement. Or from underneath the basement...

"If it goes away, fine. But weren't the noises just a little bit louder tonight? Tonight, when the moons are down and the night is dark? Soon, the sound becomes knocking. Banging. Until a tear in the floor opens up, and something comes through! And in the morning, all is once again quiet. The under people are gone. But with them, they took the faces of everyone inside the house."

Anita was a very good storyteller, and by the end of her tale Ant was glad to have a hand in his. He had to resist the temptation to check the log he was sitting on, to make sure it was entirely solid. When people applauded the story, he grinned and held out his free hand, so Four could clap it with his own.

And so it went.

They heard tales of a demon who sold people longer lives, but anyone who took the deal spent their every remaining moment in misery. A river dragon, who burrowed into the silt and waited for innocent swimmers to splash by. A troll who kidnapped young children and forced them to dig for gold in his mine.

That last one hit close to home for Ant, and he felt Four lean against him. He gave his friend a one-armed hug, gladly accepting the comfort given.

* * * * * *

By the end of the night, when the eastern sky was beginning to brighten, it was the mayor who stood up. She thanked the lady who had told the troll story, which to Ant's delight had a happy ending. Well, he mused while his tail gave a couple of wags, not so happy for the troll. He was still smiling inwardly about it, when he almost jumped as he heard his name.

"Ant?" He looked up, and saw that many eyes were turned his way. His ears flicked, and his mouth got dry. "Ant, have you got any scary stories to tell? You're new here, and we're curious to get to know you better. You too, Four."

"Uhm..." Ant began, while he ransacked his mind for something. Anything, as long as it had no pirates in it. "I don't..."

"I can try." Four stood up and glanced around. "Ferries don't really have stories, not that I know, but it can still get scary sometimes. When maintenance forgets to clean you up before you're going on duty, or when passengers are mean."

Ant felt relieved. It hadn't been a nice feeling to be put on the spot like that. If only they had warned him in advance. He did have stories to tell. All he needed was a few minutes to find the right words. And thankfully, Four had stepped up. Some people looked puzzled, but those who knew about Four's background were smiling warmly.

"Missing your scheduled arrival can be horrifying, 'cause you never know how people are going to react. Back then I often had my memory wiped, so I don't remember everything, but some things just stick, you know. Once I had to make a detour because a guy decided that he wanted to be let off at his mom's place, rather than his own. It took forever!" Four was pacing back and forth, waving his arms to really hammer home his distress. "So I was late to pick up a bunch of doctor robots. They were awful. One of them zapped my access port! But then I met Ant, and he protects me from bad people now. So, there's a happy ending to my story."

Grinning widely, and with his eyes watering slightly, Ant started clapping his hands. Others joined in, and Four took a bow. When his eyes met Ant's, he was beaming with joy. The two of them shared a brief hug, then Four sat down while Ant stood up. He ran his fingers through his short hair, and cleared his throat.

* * * * * *

"I know this is a night when we're supposed to tell spooky stories," Ant began, feeling antsy from all the eyes that were aimed his way. He swallowed, then cleared his throat again. "Made up ones, I mean. But us wolfs, we don't really have many of those. There is one tale, though, that's kind of half real and half made up. And I lived right in it, so it was on my mind from time to time.

"Some of you know a little of my story, how my people were slaves, made to work hard in dangerous mines. I..." Here, Ant had to pause, and gather his courage before he moved on. A lot of this seemed too personal to share in the open, but at the same time he felt a need for people to know. Know about him, know about the plight of the wolfs. Unconsciously, he reached out with one hand, and immediately Four found it. Smiling, Ant took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "My father died just after I was born, and my mother when I was a pup. They both died in the mines, because the foremen... the slavers... they didn't spend much money on keeping safety equipment mint. It was cheaper to just raise more wolfs, to take the dead ones' place. When it was my turn, I left.

"I fled into the natural tunnels underneath the dome, where I could hide in the dark. If the foremen caught me, I knew they would cut off my tail, to fit me into a rad suit, then send me down the mines. I was eleven years old, standard time." There were gasps and murmurs from the audience, and Four squeezed Ant's hand. "When I got rescued, by the crew of the ship Morning Calm, at first I thought I had been down there for years, but now I think it was,,, I'm not sure, maybe a few months, at most half a standard year. To a kid, it seemed like forever.

"Anyway, it was a lot of time to think. And one thing I thought about was the Death Glow. It was a story that wolf pups told, to scare each other. I'm not sure if anyone really believed it, but it's about the light coming off of the ore we mined. A faint brilliance, that can only be seen when all other light is out. I've seen it, from behind a rad screen, while I was training to become a miner. It's a yellowish glow, so faint you're not sure you've seen it at first. But when your eyes get used to the dark, it grows until it's all you can see.

"Us pups, we used to say that it was the souls of dead miners, that made the Death Glow. Their anger, and sorrow, and pain, turned into light. And those dead wolfs, they were mad about the way they died, so they would try to take you with them. Anyone who saw that glow without a rad suit on, they were already dead. If it was the radiation that killed you, or the anger of the wolf souls, didn't matter in the end.

"I thought a lot about those tales, because where I was hiding, it was always dark. I had found a trickle of water, probably leaking from the atmosphere generator, so I could drink, and I had an exit near the storage barns, so I could steal food when I got tired of scraping lichen off the walls. Not that the porridge slop they fed us was much better, but at least it had a bit of salt in it. Then there were the cave ants. They gave me my name, 'cause I was so little, and they kept me company in the tunnels." Another squeeze on his hand. Ant felt so grateful that he wasn't alone anymore. "Sometimes when I went to explore, to see what other hiding places I could find, I couldn't help wonder if I'd see the Glow. Or, if the spirits of the wolfs could see me. If they would chase me through the tunnels, trying to catch me and kill me.

"I knew it was just a story, of course. I knew that the dead, they were gone for good, and the ore was just ore. But it's easy to spook yourself, when it's dark and you're little, and you're alone. Except for the ants." A couple of people chuckled, but most sat in silence. Was he boring them? Well, that didn't matter, because there wasn't much left of his story. "Sometimes, especially when I had been up above, and came back to the dark, I would see lights dance in front of my eyes. Again, I know now that it was my own brain, trying to cope with sensory deprivation. Back then, though, every flash, every swirl of colour, became Death Glow. I thought for sure, many times, that I would die. Sometimes I sat down, leaning against a wall, and I talked to them. To the souls inside the Glow. I asked them if my mom was there, or my dad who I never knew. I asked them to spare me, to tell the other souls that I was very little, and not a threat to them.

"Then, one day, I did see a real glow." More gasps. Another squeeze. "It was a flashlight. I thought for sure that the foremen had found me, and I fought tooth and claw. But the guy was too big, too strong, and he held me until I stopped struggling. For the first time, I saw a human who wasn't wearing a rad suit. He scared me, and I cried a little. But he held me, and his voice was deep and soft as he hushed me, comforted me. His name is Tow, and he is the mechanic aboard the Morning Calm. They had set down to barter for supplies, and instead they found a trade of slave labour.

"When they made an outcry over it, they kind of started a riot. My people rose up against the foremen, and I'm pretty sure they killed them all. I went with the Calm, and that's how I came to be a traveller. I was locked up, hidden, destined for a bad death in the deepest mines, but now I'm free and I can go wherever I want. And I've got the best ever friend." Ant gave the hand in his a light squeeze. He glanced around, then took a deep breath, to finish. "I don't know if the souls of the foremen joined the Death Glow, but I kind of hope so. I know that the dead wolfs would not show them any mercy. In death, or beyond."

He took a small bow, and then his arms were full of Four. The boy almost choked him with his hug, and he whispered soothing words into Ant's ear. But he couldn't hear them, because by then, everyone was applauding. Ears flat against his skull in a wolf blush, he bowed again. Then he was swamped by Four's little friends, who all drowned out each other with their chatter as they hugged both him and Four. Ant recognised many of them now, both from the market and from tonight, but he couldn't remember more than a few names. Four, he felt sure, knew them all.

Grown-ups came to him as well, patting his back or squeezing his shoulder. Thanking him for his story, commiserating his hardships. Anita gave him a long hug.

"I'm so proud of you, my friend," she whispered. "Both for sharing your story, and for... well, surviving it. I know some folks have it bad, but your people... they suffered more than most. I'm so glad they're free now."

Ant returned the hug, and found that a couple of tears fell from his eyes. During the telling, he had held his emotions in check, but there was something about her touch that set him off. It was the first time a female had hugged him to give comfort, since his mother died, and it brought back memories. Feelings he didn't know he had forgotten. Ant's mother hadn't been keen on showing affections, but he could recall crying in her arms when he was hurt, or when he'd had a bad dream. He could remember her voice. It all came back right then and there, as he sobbed against Anita's shoulder.

A few minutes passed as people settled down again for the last few stories, while the sun began to rise and give colour to the sea and the sky. The next tale was about a vengeful pirate ghost, so Ant filtered it out as best he could. He was sitting on the log again, with Four in his lap. The ferry boy hadn't let go of him since his story ended, and now he was thankful for it. He focused all of his senses on Four. Breathed in his scent, one that had become so dear to him that he felt sure he could pick it out anywhere, any time. Running his fingers slowly up and down Four's back, careful not to trigger his ticklishness, Ant nuzzled Four's hair, and placed kisses on his cheeks and his forehead. And his lips, as Four turned up to meet him. It was a brief, feather-light kiss, and it felt so good. So right. Sweet Four, his best ever friend. Why shouldn't he kiss him?

The last story was about a spaceship, and both boys turned to the teller to listen. He was good, and he kept the audience glued to their seats. In Four's case, Ant's lap. The story followed a small crew, who landed on an abandoned planet, only half brought to life by the worldshaping machines. There, one of them got ill, and his sickness made him angry, irrational. In the end, he attacked the rest of the crew, and everyone he touched became like him. Raging. Dangerous. Contagious.

The waning number of unaffected sneaked through corridors and crew areas, always afraid that they'd be attacked around the next bend, behind the next door. In the end, only one was left, and he locked himself inside the ship's bridge. There, he felt the first stirrings of the rage well up inside him.

"And with nothing else he could do," the storyteller told the hushed crowd, "he set the navigator to fly into the nearest sun. Sacrificing himself, to keep the disease from spreading."

Ant felt a shiver run down his spine. He had been engrossed in the tale, and for it to have a sad ending, chilled him. It was a fitting end, and even though he thought he might have read similar books and seen similar movies, he was impressed. Four hopped off his lap and took up the applause, and Ant joined in. Then the gong struck, as the sun had left the horizon behind. The Deadnights were over.

Some people volunteered to stay until the fire burned down, while others started cleaning up. The kids were yawning and rubbing their eyes, and the youngest were already asleep in the arms of parents or siblings. Ant, Four and Keera all crammed themselves into the backseat of Anita's little car, and she drove them into town. The boys were let off at the Fourtitude, and while the ramp lowered, they waved goodbye. Ant dropped a couple of coins into the money bowl, then went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He was too tired for a shower, and once he had rinsed his mouth he plopped down onto the couch. Again, his arms were soon full.

"It was a great night," Four said, happiness filling his voice. "I loved all the stories, especially yours. It made me cry."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. It was a good story, but I was so sad for you and your people. I'm glad that everything's good now."

"It is. At least for me." He squeezed his friend in a hug. "And I hope the other wolfs are good. That they keep on mining, but safely and without anyone forcing them to. And I really hope none of them's become a pirate."

"You're still not sure about that?"

"No. Maybe. Sometimes. I know what I saw, but I can't be a hundred per cent sure it was a wolf."

"Maybe it was, just not one from the Mining Belt."

"But where could he have come from? As far as I know, there are no other wolfs."

"I dunno." Four turned around so that he was facing Ant. "There were bits of your story I hadn't heard before. About the Death Glow, I mean. And that you got so scared by Tow."

"The Glow is just a kids' fable. As for crying when Tow caught me... well, it's a bit embarrassing."

"I think it's sweet." He gave Ant a brief kiss. "I hope I can meet them some day, your old crewmates."

"Two of them are really nice." Ant chuckled. "The last one is also nice, but in her own way. Often with ouchies involved."

"Did you like my story?"

"Loved it. Though I almost growled when that doctor zapped you. I hope it was the one I bit."

"Did you bite a doctor?" Four giggled. "They're made of metal."

"My poor teeth know that, now. It was after I got shot." He felt small fingers run through his chest fur, finding his scar. "I was kind of dizzy, and when something stabs me with a needle I usually bite it. Not sure if it was a doctor or a nurse, but I hope it was him."

"You're silly sometimes."

"I'm your Ant, silly is included in the package."

"You're a package?" Four grinned. "With shiny paper and strings in a bow?"

"If you like."

"I like." A happy sigh. "I like a lot."

They fell silent, and Ant began to drowse away. Four lay still in his arms, and he thought the ferry boy had gone to sleep. Then, just as Ant's mind began to drift, he felt a squirm. At first he ignored it, but it returned. Opening his eyes, he gave a light squeeze.

"Can't sleep?"

"No..."

"What's wrong?"

"Please don't think I'm silly, though I know you will anyway." Four fell silent for a little while, then he sighed. "Would you... would you check to see that there isn't a house underneath us?"

"The under people?" Four nodded. "That was a scary tale. All right, I'll go."

"You're laughing at me, aren't you? On the inside."

"No, I'm not."

"I'm not scared, honestly! It's just... I wanna be sure. I know we haven't been parked here very long, but they might be quick builders. They might have an upside-down Fourtitude all done and ready down there." When Ant climbed over him to stand up, Four let out a squeal. "Wait! Where are you going?"

"To check the ship."

"Don't go! What if they really are there? I don't want them to steal your pretty face."

"Good point." Ant sat down again. "You go."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You're a robot, so maybe they'll leave you alone."

"You're teasing me, aren't you?" A fist thumped against Ant's arm. "Bad Ant!"

"Come on, let's go together."

"I lied earlier, I really am scared."

"It was just a story."

"But what if it wasn't? Can both of us not go, and still check?"

"Use your external cameras."

"That's right!" Four clapped his hands. "You're quite clever. For a furry growly wolf-thing."

The viewscreen came on, and screen Four met them with bed hair and wearing a dark blue nightcap, adorned with little stars and moons. He grinned at them, then was replaced with camera feeds from all corners of the ferry. Four half hid behind Ant, in case something scary would jump out, but all was quiet. Underneath the Fourtitude, all they could see was grass. Satisfied, the two Fours waved at each other, then the screen shut off. Four pushed Ant until he lay down, then tucked them both in.

"I feel much better now."

"Good." Ant gave him a hug. "But then again, if the under people really do live below the ground, we wouldn't be able to see them from up here. Not until they come through."

There was a long silence, which in the end was interrupted by an exasperated sigh. Almost a groan.

"Ant..." Four began in a stern voice, but he couldn't hold back a giggle. "Sometimes, you can be a real meanie."

* * * * * *

They stayed on Laya for nearly a month. Ant's soles healed quickly, and his ankle soon after. His hearing took a bit longer, but eventually the last of the ringing faded, and he thought he could hear as well as ever. What he really enjoyed, was the peace. Some people had been curious about him after the story he told, and even more after the news clip from the Range aired again. Apparently, the pirates had stayed active, though nowhere near as bad as in Lakeview, and old stories resurfaced. Including the mysterious, inhuman creature that had been seen running across the square. Some news articles stated that he died in the explosion, while others claimed that he had been seen leaving with the pirates.

Thankfully the people of Wishing Well mostly respected his wish, not to talk about the pirates at all. He did, however, regale some of the more persistent ones with tales of the Mining Belt, or of his life with Four. Anita and Hal, in particular, became close friends, and Ant enjoyed spending time with them. Especially while Four was off somewhere with his youthful posse.

The ferry boy was also asked to tell his story, and not just by kids. Adults, too, were interested in his journey from machine to person. The young ones adored him. Not only did he often play with them, and always had an ear to hear what was on their minds, but they loved showing him new stuff. Four found most things fascinating, even more so when having fun was involved. Not long ago, fun had been an alien concept to him, now he was like a kid himself. And Ant wouldn't have it any other way. At night, waiting to fall asleep, Four would tell him about his day, and his happy chatter was like a soothing balm for Ant's mind.

Day by day the destruction of Lakeview, and the death of Caleb, became more bearable. Though he would probably never return to the Ant he had been, he was getting closer. He laughed more freely, and the moments when his face fell and his eyes locked on to nothing, became fewer and further apart. And he and Four made toys, at a nearly furious pace. The first batch they displayed in Anita's store sold out quickly, and while they filled up again, Ant also managed to finish the commissions he had taken during their first visit.

Including the elusive duck pond. Tinkering with sensors and micro-cameras, he finally got all the ducks to behave, as they quacked around the pond and went to ride down the slide. A very pleased father was able to present it to a very happy child. He finished the bridge as well. Four painted his clay stone bricks to look absolutely real, including lichen growing on them, and he made Ant really happy with the way he did the water. It had swirls and eddies, and little fish swimming near the surface. Ant even made tiny clay sculptures of himself, climbing on the outside of the bridge, and Four, sitting on a patch of grass with his sun hat on. It was not for sale, but he let Anita display it, to show off their skills and possibly garner more commissions.

Wishing Well, more and more, looked like a place where Ant might be able to settle down some day. Where he could build a house for himself and Four. Where he could live out his days without stress and worries. But not yet. Because, even though he was far from bored with his life there, his restless feet were beginning to itch. Before the month was up, he was feeling that urge again. The urge to see, feel, taste, smell, go to new places and experience new things. He made the rounds to his local friends, and while they were sad to see him go, most admitted that they had seen it coming.

The last person he told, was Four.

* * * * * *

"Leaving?" Four's face fell. "Why would you be leaving?"

"I'm not really sure," Ant sighed. They were on their way home, after a day in town. The sun had gone down, but two of Laya's moons provided more than enough light. "But I need to do something. I'm going nuts, just staying here."

"Is it... is it something I d-did?"

"No, Four, not at all." Closing his eyes, Ant leaned against his friend. He had been fearing this, the tears that now flowed down the ferry boy's cheeks. "I want to travel, that's all. I'm not made to sit still."

"But... but can't I go with you?"

"You're happy here, Four. I've seen you when you're playing with the kids, and you've made so many friends."

"So have you."

"Yeah, I know. But I can't stay, and I can't take you away from all this." He made a sweeping gesture with his hand. The Fourtitude was parked on top of a small hill just where the town ended, and from the ramp they could see almost all of Wishing Well. "Not when it's... so much on a whim."

"Where would you go?" It was barely even a whisper. "And how?"

"Don't know where, and I figured I could walk to the nearest spaceport. Or hitch a ride." Ant put an arm around Four's shoulders. "Or you could give me a lift, if you're not too mad at me."

"I'm not mad, I'm sad. I don't want you to go."

"I'll come back."

"You've never gone back before. Well, except here, but that was just because we needed to recover."

"I'll have you to come back to."

"I wanna go with you."

"Four, you've been building a life here. All I've been doing is making toys."

"With me." Four turned toward Ant, and placed one hand on his chest. "Please! I wanna be with you."

"What about everyone else here?"

"I'll miss them. But I'll be with you, so I won't mind too much." He leaned against Ant, fingers tracing his scar. "Don't... don't you want me anymore?"

"Of course I do. But I'm your friend, and I have to think about what's best for you."

"No. No, you don't get to do that!" Four backed away, and he stomped his foot angrily. "I decide what's best for me, and that's you!"

"But what if I never can?"

"Can, what?"

"Settle down." Ant sighed, and he felt his eyes sting. "After... after Lakeview, I felt so jittery. Like all I wanted to do was run and hide. It was getting better, but now it's coming back. I need to move. I need to do new things."

"Then we do them together."

"You'd give up everything for me?"

"Silly Ant." Four closed the distance, and wrapped his arms around Ant's neck. "I'm not giving up anything. I know I'd never be happy without you."

"You're... you're so sweet."

"I'm your friend, Ant," he whispered. "Above all else, I'm your friend. Your Four."

"My Four." Ant tightened the hug, and breathed in Four's scent. "Are you sure you can cope with being a space drifter?"

"Yup." He leaned back, and grinned. "Besides, someone's got to look out for you. Make sure you don't go 'round growling at people all the time."

"I don't growl at people."

"Sometimes, you do. Remember those guys who made fun of Joey and Izza? I was gonna help them, but you solved it by being big and growly."

"That was different, those jerks deserved to be growled at. If they hadn't run away, I would've bit them."

"You're such a hero." Four giggled. "The kids all love you, even though you look funny and you smell like a pet dog."

"You're so bad."

"And you love it." Four squealed, and ducked away when Ant tried to grab him. There was a brief chase, which ended with the two of them sitting on the ramp. "We don't have to go right away, do we?"

"No. But I don't think I can stall for too long."

"I just wanna say goodbye to my friends, and maybe fill up with supplies."

"I kinda forgot about supplies."

"See? You do need me."

* * * * * *

Ant had half feared some kind of street party, with the whole town involved, when Anita suggested a farewell feast. Luckily, for him at least, only his and Four's closest friends were invited. Which included all the kids who were part of Four's posse. Hal was there, of course, and Keera. And some of the people Ant had come to know when he and Four made commissioned toys.

The feast turned out to be grilled food. Hal had a large contraption in his back yard, where all kinds of stuff was cooked over hot coals. The smells were like nothing Ant had experienced, and his nose twitched constantly. Much to the amusement of everyone, including Four. Ant made a show of huffing and growling, whenever someone burst into laughter, but in reality he didn't mind much. After all, the best thing about making toys was to make people happy. And now, he made them happy by looking silly, as he tried to inhale each and every new scent.

He did, however, steer clear from tasting any of the meat Hal cooked, even though much of it smelled nice. Having grown up on porridge back in the Mining Belt, he had at first been appalled when the Morning Calm crew offered him a bit of cow. Later, as he learned more about different customs around the galaxy, he relaxed a bit. He still couldn't convince himself to try it, though.

All of which didn't really matter, because he soon found that grilled roots and vegetables and mushrooms had a charry, smoky flavour to them, and were beyond yummy. Especially slathered with sweet-and-spicy grill sauce, an old family recipe of Hal's.

There were a few tears, in the end. As much as he wanted to leave, Ant knew that he would miss Wishing Well. It had been nice to be able to walk down main street without double takes and heads turning. Wherever he and Four went next, all of that would be back.

The robot boy cried even more, and though he did promise his friends that he would come back, Ant could hear in his voice that Four didn't believe it. Last to say goodbye was little Joey, the youngest of the posse, who had taken to Four as a big brother. Even Ant, with his sensitive wolf ears, couldn't hear what the two of them whispered to each others, while Four kneeled by the boy's wheelchair, and hugged him tightly.

There was a sombre mood on board, when the Fourtitude finally took off, and steered out of Laya's star system.

* * * * * *

"How about this one?" Four asked, as he pressed a couple of buttons on the datapad. An image of a dark green world, interspersed with streaks of blue, appeared in the air above it. "Extanea is a world rich with forests, with very little salty seas but lots of sweet water lakes and rivers."

"Sounds good. What do you think?"

"We could go camping. In a tent. And build a fire to cook our food on."

"Inside the tent?"

"Noo!" Four rolled his eyes. Something he had, no doubt, picked up from his young friends. "First we cook, then we sit around the fire and sing songs and tell stories and roast marshmallows. Then we put it out. Then we sleep in the tent."

"Marshmallows are pretty much only sugar, they're gonna burn."

"Not if we're careful. Jonas and Tony told me about it. They melt and get all gooey."

"All right. Let's go!"

"Aye aye, captain!" Four jumped to attention, and pointed at his viewscreen counterpart. "Rudder ten degrees starboard, helmsman."

Screen Four saluted, then gave way to a field of stars. The now familiar blur showed that the engines had kicked in.

The Fourtitude was under way again.