At the second hideout, Moon settled into a quiet corner and addressed the group.
"I need silence for the next few hours. No disturbances unless it's an emergency."
Nobody questioned it. The team had learned by now that when Moon asked for quiet, something important was happening. They spread out across the shelter, some eating, some resting, some tending to their equipment. Conversations dropped to whispers, then to nothing.
Mirage lay beside Moon, his large white body curled against the stone wall. The team had gotten to know the horse over the past two days. They had seen him fight, seen him carry Moon across the island, seen the doppelganger split from his body and charge into battle. Nobody was suspicious. To them, Mirage was simply a powerful beast companion, and that was all they needed to know.
Moon didn't return him to the beast taming space. Having Mirage close felt good.
He closed his eyes and turned his focus to his inner body.
