Vukasin was not the most boisterous child. He often kept more to himself, entirely contented with listening rather than taking part sometimes. The boy kept to himself and his own business and people seemed to assume that all meant he wasn't listening. Many adults acted like Vuka wasn't there at all and it was in this way that he absorbed a great deal of information.

He knew that it hadn't been long since a war had taken place. His mother and father had taken part and his elder siblings had been present. There was another race, the Obans, who'd wanted to take over the world. People had been hurt. There had been warriors and spies and healers and everyone had worked all together. In the time following his birth, Vukasin himself had not been privy to any sort of racism. He lived in a settlement mostly populated by Shifters but dotted with hybrids and their families as well. Sometimes someone could be heard complaining of some other race but conflict was mostly absent in actuality. Ast was a happy childhood place filled with good memories and fun things to do, not hatred. It was not from within that this new threat loomed, however. It was from the outside.

The youngling had merely been outside minding his own business, lost in thoughts about castles and great warriors and terrible beasts. His gaze didn't shift from the mud at his feet as he perched on a low wall near the village center. People gathered here all the time for business and pleasure and social interaction, so it was not unusual that a small group should wander past and stop nearby.

"I heard they took out a caravan on its way out of Neued and roughed them up real good. I mean, it can't be all of them, but it's scary, isn't it? I mean, we're so close."

Vuka's eyes lifted, but his head remained tilted at the ground. Who'd done what to a caravan, where? 'Neued' sounded familiar. Was it another settlement? He thought it must be. Rather than ask questions, the boy hoped that context clues would serve him.

"If they were coming for Shifters, why haven't they come here?"

A third voice. "Well they know we'd give 'em what-for is why. We could take them out easy."

The first voice. "I really don't think it's as easy as that."

"What, are you afraid of a few Alkidike?

The Alkidike? Why would the Alkidike be attacking caravans? Why would they be after Shifters? Vuka had actually met a few Alkidike in his time, and while they weren't necessarily the most friendly of people but they were nice enough. Well it wouldn't be those Alkidike, would it? No, it'd have to be different ones. Angry ones. But why would they be angry with Shifters? From what Vuka understood, everyone had come together to fight against a common enemy, why would they turn back after the war and clash against each other? It made no sense.

"What did the Shifters do?"

Only now did the small group realize the boy's presence. He was used to it going this way, and if it was like any other time they'd probably just walk away.

"What?" the third voice asked. It belonged to a young man with a sword at his hip.

"What did the Shifters do? If the Alkidike are mad with us, what did we do?"

Third Voice seemed egged-on by the little boy's words and he smiled, shaking his head.

"We didn't do anything, kiddo, that's the best part. They act like we stole their land but we didn't do anything at all. They just don't like us."

"Well, why not?" Vuka asked. He didn't like the way this man was talking, but he could get away a lot quicker than him, he'd bet.

"Well," Third Voice said, coming steadily closer, "It's because they're racist, elitist li--"

"MANNY." Second Voice, a young Shifter with her hair pinned back elegantly. Third Voice stopped and turned back to her, heaving a sigh.

"I wasn't gonna--"

"Come on. Now."

The young man sighed and shook his head. "Just keep an eye out, kid." With that being said, the group reconvened and headed away, deeper into the city. They seemed to continue their chat as they continued on, but they were too far away for Vuka to hear. So the Alkidike were angry, but the Shifters hadn't done anything? That didn't seem quite right. He slipped off of the short wall and headed off toward home. He'd bet Mom and Dad would know what was going on, they always did.

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