That day, Glimmerpeak was hit by a cold snap, much to the delight of many of its residents. The weather had been unusually warm that year, or at least mild; giving the impression of a long autumn that had refused to shake off. Regardless of the reason for this anomaly, the only certain thing was that they would not be getting the usual snowfall that year. When it got really cold, the canal of Glimmerpeak Harbor and Silverfinn Fjord would freeze lightly, forming a white layer that only passing ships could break through, unless it got thick enough to require the intervention of icebreakers.

  That day few ships were sailing the canal, mostly tourist boats and ferries going about their usual routine of transporting people along the outer coast of the Kungarsland peninsula. While people were working at the port, others were enjoying a walk in the Little Drop neighborhood, admiring the gray winter sea that was sometimes more pleasant than the summer one. Zirko was too focused on work to enjoy the day, busy dividing the photos of the various animals he had taken into various folders. In his apartment-studio you could only hear the constant clicks of the mouse and the jazz music playing on an old tablet balanced on the desk, on the computer screen the photos scrolled quickly, ending up in various digital cards divided by location and date, while around the desk there were several cups of coffee with some sugar left inside. The siren of a ship distracted him momentarily from his work, he turned towards the window for just a second, before almost immediately resuming what he was doing.

  Zirko Gr?nsten was one of the few trolls living in Glimmerpeak. He had moved there because of his boyfriend's job and that year they would celebrate their fifth anniversary there. If they had had a choice, they wouldn't have settled in a place so close to the sea as Little Drop, it is known that trolls don't like water and tend to stay away from it since their biological structure is similar to that of rock, but the rent had turned out to be convenient and they had been able to save quite a bit of money. Speaking of which, it was a good thing that his dear Beryl's job rewarded him with a good salary, otherwise it would have been hard for both of them to continue living together, since the last two years his job as a photographer had had quite a few ups and downs, especially after some personal problems that he tried not to think about even today. Zirko loved his job, he couldn't imagine himself doing anything else, not after all the hard work he had had to endure to be able to make his dream come true. As one of his mothers jokingly said, it was probably what kept him alive. He stopped for a moment to check his email, which hadn't received any updates in the last three minutes since he'd last looked. He scratched his desk nervously, adding new grooves to the surface. He was expecting a very important communication that day and was constantly checking to see if it had arrived, he'd even lost a night's sleep over it. Working helped distract him, even though he was doing very little at the moment. He reread the encouraging messages his family and his boyfriend had left him that morning, trying to reassure himself with those words that wished him a positive outcome and lots of luck.

  Finally, a new notification. He almost fell off his chair in shock.

  He opened it, the title of the email read “EarthBreath Spontaneous Application Result”. He hesitated for a few minutes before opening it, worried about reading the content. Then he took courage and read the reply.

  [Object: Result of EarthBreath spontaneous application.

  Dear Zirkonio Gr?nsten,

  We are pleased to inform you that, following the selection process, we have decided to offer you the position of photographer at our magazine EarthBreath.

  During the interview and review of your portfolio, we were deeply impressed by the quality and care that characterizes your work. Your creativity, attention to detail and ability to convey an idea in a clear and original way are exactly what we were looking for to strengthen our team.

  In particular, the projects you showed us impressed us with the versatility and depth of your works. It is clear that behind each work there is skill, passion and extraordinary dedication.

  We are thrilled to have you on board and can't wait to start collaborating together to reach new goals and create something unique.

  You will receive further details regarding the contract in the coming days.

  Congratulations again on your journey and the work done so far. We are sure that your experience will be an added value for EarthBreath.

  Best regards.]

  Zirko began to scream with joy: they had hired him!

  He started jumping around the room like a child at Christmas who had just discovered that he had received the toy he had wanted so much. It was not only the hiring itself that was important, but also “who” had hired him was a factor that contributed to making his joy immeasurable: “EarthBreath” was one of the most famous nature magazines in the country, if not in the world. Its way of covering the historical, geographical and cultural aspects of the world was considered unparalleled and gathered readers from all over the globe, who were attracted not only by the contents told inside but also by the photos that embellished each page in a sort of paper art gallery. Zirko had always wanted to work for them, but he had never applied before because he did not consider himself up to the task, but after seeing the positions open for new candidates – including, of course, those of photographer – he had decided to take the risk. A gamble that had paid off handsomely.

  “I have to thank the little Halfling; she brought me luck.” He thought, while congratulatory messages from his family continued to arrive on his manaphone.

  He believed in personal commitment more than in good luck, but he liked to think that when you met certain people, they could bring changes to your life, both for better and for worse. Well, Bailey was a person who had brought him positivity. He just had to convince her to open up to him a little more… it was clear as day that the girl was afraid of relating to people.

  Zirko sent her a message to inform her of the news, and a few minutes later she responded, full of exclamation points and happy-face emojis.

  << Does this mean you won't give me photography lessons anymore? >>

  << Forget it, I've gotten a taste for being a professor. And since you're also a great assistant, I plan on taking you around with me again for work. >>

  Another set of happy face emojis, Bailey loved using those figures.

  They both agreed to meet up and celebrate the event, if everything went well, it would have resulted in a celebratory dinner. He turned off the phone and got ready to go to the gym, he had to vent all the excitement of the moment. Before leaving, his eye fell on the newspaper left the day before by his boyfriend, which warned of the presence of a small pack of Kelpies outside Glimmerpeak, most likely out of a dungeon, and to be careful not to get close to the Bl?nkande river. Zirko grimaced; he had never liked those animals.

  §§§§§§

  << Why are you giggling Bailey? Did your boyfriend call you? >>

  << No, a friend of mine shared some good news that he was given. He invited me to celebrate with some of his other friends. >>

  << Is that the troll you told me about? >>

  << Him exactly. >>

  << Ah, then I understand why you're happy… >>

  << You fool, that's not the reason. And anyway, he's gay, so I have no reason to flirt with him. >>

  << Ugh, why are the cute ones always gay? Oh well, let's go to lunch then; at least I'll "console" myself with that. >>

  << Is it already 1:30 pm? >>

  Bailey looked at her watch in surprise, time had flown by. Usually, at work, it was the opposite, and it didn't seem to ever pass, maybe the reason was that she was in a good mood that day.

  Her office had a cafeteria that guaranteed good meals at least a couple of times a week. She and her colleagues at the switchboard would come in later than the rest of the employees, which was a good thing because they could avoid the rush hour queue and get their food right away. There were various options on the menu, that day she opted for a dish of K?ttbullar that she had already tried and enjoyed. . She sat down near one of the windows that looked out onto the office courtyard, a gardener was finishing mowing the lawn, and a few employees were walking along the stone paths to talk on their manaphones or to smoke. The tops of the branches of the hedges that adorned the outside were sticking out from the edge of the window, swaying slightly in the wind. At that moment, a little bird clung to one of the branches, perhaps resting its wings after a long flight, the sun was shining against the rounded shape of the bird, creating a situation that to Bailey seemed like a perfect pose. She took out her phone to take a picture of it; for a moment she was tempted to change her mind and opt instead for the camera. She almost always carried it with her now like a precious heirloom. She knew she didn't have much chance of taking special photos of animals in the city, but even just using it to capture characteristic views of less frequented neighborhoods or the beauty of the sky at various times of the day had turned out to be fun. She could have done it then, but she didn't want people asking her questions and prying into her personal affairs.

  He took aim and waited a few minutes… and then “click”! The picture was taken.

  << Are you still obsessed with that new photography hobby of yours? >> asked her colleague, whose name was Katrina, a blue-eyed cyclops, blonde like her but with a super tanned complexion.

  << It's proving to be… relaxing. >> Bailey replied timidly.

  << And is photographing animals so interesting? >>

  << You can discover many things in this job, it is not as trivial as it seems. >>

  << But I don't know how you go looking for dangerous beasts... I wouldn't do something like that even if they paid me. >>

  “You should try it before you say something like that.”

  Colleague Katrina didn't seem very convinced, but Bailey didn't try to change her mind, knowing the type.

  One thing was certain: she was truly more serene.

  Since she had been accompanying Zirko on his photo shoots, which had only been a couple of trips, her good mood seemed to gradually return. Even though they had mostly stayed near Glimmerpeak, even a weekend away from home was proving to be a panacea for her physical and mental health, the places she visited had always turned out to be fascinating and she wasn't referring to those usual tourist destinations that everyone knew, but rather to small hidden gems in her region, sometimes better than those famous places that everyone usually aspired to. With that excuse, she learned to know better the territory in which she lived, as well as the art and almost-lost history of her own culture. But try explaining that to someone who, like her colleague, wasn't interested in listening to her.

  “In a way, it’s close to what I wanted to do.” Thought the girl, remembering for a moment her old dream of being a tour guide.

  “By the way, I wonder if I’ll find any job offers…” she thought, still hopeful of being able to see her vocation come true. The switchboard operator job was just a temporary one; she didn't intend to keep it forever, at least not until she found a better offer, and she always hoped it would come soon. In the meantime, as far as Zirko was concerned, she was trying to open up more with him and to pluck up the courage to help him during his trips... but she didn't know how to do it without feeling too nosy.

  << Sorry, there's something I don't understand. >> said the colleague at a certain point.

  << Don't you usually go and take these photos in the middle of nature? >>

  << Yes, that's right. >>

  << But the places you told me you went to aren't exactly "wild". They're all places where one can go for a picnic or to go and relax. It doesn't seem like a very exploratory experience to me. >>

  Bailey paused for a second, weighing the words he had just heard.

  To be honest, she had had the same impression… the places they had visited were certainly beautiful, but none of them had proved to be of the same level as her trip to the unicorn forest. The same story for the wild animals that Zirko had made her photograph in those places, as none of them could be said to be on the same level as the majestic creatures he had immortalized. She doubted that, after the first photo sessions, he had already tired of teaching her the tricks of the job and that he was procrastinating so as not to make her feel bad.

  She could have betrayed a certain insecurity, but she quickly regained her composure so as not to show that she was disturbed by it.

  << It's normal; I still have to get the hang of this job. And then the Dungeons don't open every day. >>

  << You say? Yet, I had read on maginet that there has been an increase in dungeon formations. >>

  << Yes, but none of these are good for my practice. My friend told me and I trust him, I mean, he knows better than me which are the good places to take pictures. >>

  << I think he doesn't want to take you to the dungeons because he's already tired of you. I wonder how much patience he must have to put up with you. >>

  << How funny you are, look I'm dying of laughter. >>

  << And what are you going to do this weekend? Are you going to go out with him again? >>

  << I'm going out with my sister. She wants to spend an afternoon together now that she's finally free from work. >>

  << Won't your photographer friend get jealous if you don't dedicate a weekend to him? >>

  << I can survive if I don't take pictures for once. >>

  In truth, the one who was getting jealous was her sister Amaranta, who was offended by the fact that they had missed several afternoons of shopping, movie nights, and lunches in new restaurants since she had started that hobby.

  She had never seen her seek her attention since usually it was her, like a good little sister, who had followed her to be considered. It was funny when the roles were reversed.

  But even though she was looking forward to spending an afternoon with her big sister, she couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps the troll didn't want her as an assistant anymore.

  §§§§§§

  The next day Bailey was ready for some quality time with her sisters, but as bad luck would have it, the cold virus had decided to hit Amarante hard, forcing her to stay in bed after a much-needed weekend of rest. Bailey offered to be her nurse, or at least help her around the house, but Amaranta categorically refused, telling her that she didn't want her to get sick too. Since the plans had changed, the Halfling decided to make her own plans.

  The Bl?nkande was one of the many rivers that crossed the territory and often in some of its stretches hopeful fishermen would lie in wait, hoping to catch pike, trout and other varieties of fish that inhabited those waters. A few kilometers from the city there was a fishing inlet that in the summer was always crowded with lovers of that sport, while during the winter it remained deserted and rarely did you met someone who, taking advantage of the solitude, appropriated it to transform it into a base for a solitary camping. Bailey liked to go to those places, sometimes just to be on her own, sometimes to start fishing like when she did it with her father. She sat on a wooden bench to enjoy the silence, the wooden cabins where the fishermen lay in wait were covered in webs and near the bank lay the remains of a broken stool that someone had not bothered to throw away. She started texting her sister, exchanging silly jokes and plans for the coming week, as well as a few personal secrets.

  << I'm glad you've started a new hobby. It's been a long time since I've seen you this happy. >> Amaranta had written to her.

  << I hope for you that this is the beginning of a better year. >> she then added.

  Bailey grimaced unconvincedly; it would be the fourth year that they had wished her something like that. But she wouldn't believe it until something actually happened that would really change her life for the better, also because every time she had hoped for it, the opposite happened.

  “Where will the improvement I need come from? From my work or from photography?” she wondered.

  He had been looking for some happiness for so long that she didn't know where to look anymore.

  The words her colleague Katrina had spoken came back to her, which twisted her heart with anxiety at the thought that she, as a person, could be annoying to someone. She didn't pretend to be nice to everyone, but became a burden to someone without knowing why made her feel bad.

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  “Damn Katrina, she does nothing but grumble and complain about everything.” she thought frustratedly.

  “Zirko knows what he’s doing, and he’s certainly not tired of me. Now I’ll call him and ask him for clarification, so I can calm down.”

  Bailey clutched the phone, trying to summon every ounce of courage to make that important call, telling herself that everything would be okay.

  It was at that moment that she received a message from Zirko himself asking where she was. Surprised, she replied with a photo of the place.

  “Do you want to go fishing with me next time?” she asked him jokingly.

  She immediately regretted it, thinking that the message was too stupid.

  And while she was pondering whether to delete it or not, losing track of time, after about twenty minutes, she heard the roar of a motorbike approaching. She hated the noise of big-engine motorbikes; they were annoying and ear-splitting… and she was amazed to discover that it was Zirko who was driving the one that had just arrived.

  << Zirko? What are you doing here? >>

  << I should be the one asking, little crumbs! Are you okay? >>

  Bailey jumped as the troll picked her up, checking her over from head to toe.

  << Of course I'm fine, what kind of question are you asking me? >>

  << Seriously, did you come here because you like to take risks or because you have no clue what's going on? >>

  << …maybe the second option? >>

  Zirko started to say something, but his ears pricked up stiffly and his eyes stared at the surface of the river with an obvious expression of fear. Without another word, he lifted her into his arms, and they took refuge on top of the wooden gazebo erected nearby.

  << Can you stop carrying me around like I'm a bag? You know I can walk too, right? And will you explain to me what's going on? >>

  << Little crumbs, didn't you hear what they said on the news these days? Kelpies are infesting the area. >>

  << Kelpie? I haven't heard of them in a while. >>

  << If you had looked more closely at the papers or the mirrorvision, I assure you that you would have heard a lot about them. The whole area is off-limits until they get those beasties out of the way. >>

  << Well… I didn't know. These days I haven't felt like hearing what was happening in the world. At work they're killing me and at home I just want to relax. >>

  << And thank goodness they had developed an app to report dangers in the area. Luckily, I was in the area for work and you sent me that message so I could find you right away. >>

  Bailey was touched that Zirko had been so concerned about her. She felt like his concern was the same as her sister's since he acted in a very similar way.

  << I bet this is one animal you can't wait to photograph. >> she told him, trying to defuse the situation.

  << On the contrary, for me they don't even deserve a photo, Unfortunately, the magazine asked me to take a couple for an article. I don't like those beasts; they pretend to be "cute and cuddly", but they are huge bastards. And now that they have targeted us, they won't leave us alone any time soon. >>

  “Targeted? I don’t like the sound of it…” thought Bailey.

  The girl looked around, trying to figure out where “whoever” had aimed at them. It was then that she realized that there were a pair of strange, opaque, water-like eyes that seemed more dead than alive, peering intently at her.

  << Are they…? >>

  << Yes, exactly them. There's no point in trying to run, they'd catch up with us right away. Let's wait for help, you'll see that they'll solve the problem.>>

  Bailey clung to Zirko's arm as they waited for the rangers to arrive to resolve the problem, remaining perched on the gazebo roof safe from the dangers of the river.

  Bailey didn't know these creatures well, but she knew that they were exactly what Zirko said: dangerous creatures.

  The surface of the river was flat until the Kelpies moved, shaking it slightly. The animals somehow knew that someone was hunting them and for this reason they did not emerge completely, only their heads poking out of the water like a crocodile on alert. The troll was impatient and kept yelling at them to come out and take a picture, insulting them repeatedly. Bailey was surprised to see him so nervous, especially after all the times he had told her that a wildlife photographer must be the patient and quiet type, and she couldn't help but ask him what the real reason was why he disliked Kelpies so much.

  << The first reason is because they are in the water and I am not a great swimmer… >> he began, slightly embarrassed at first. << … And the second is because I almost died once. >> he finished, in a more aggressive tone.

  << Are you serious or are you trolling me? >>

  << I swear on the name of Mother Troll. They were about to drag me into the water by force; I only escaped just by luck. >>

  << How did they do it? You didn't get close, did you? >>

  << Of course not, I kept my distance. It's just that I hadn't considered that they are smart and can do anything just to eat. Unfortunately, being attacked by animals is part of the job. >>

  << Wait, what are you talking about? Can you be attacked? In this job? >>

  << Well, think about when we went looking for unicorns and that elemental came at you, or that time with the Skvaders. Sometimes, a nature photographer can run into these kinds of situations. Didn't I mention that to you? >>

  Baily knew that nature could be risky, but that it was also dangerous for taking pictures… it seemed exaggerated to her. Or maybe she was still too inexperienced on the subject to understand the true gravity of the situation.

  The Kelpies finally decided it was time to emerge.

  The water foamed as the group of five black stallions trotted along the shore, dragging slime and aquatic plants behind them. The Kelpies had a very unusual appearance: although they had the features of a horse, they had larger eyes and were arranged on their faces like those of a toad or a frog, their manes were thin tentacles that moved on their heads of their own accord and what looked like hooves were three stubby webbed "fingers". Their bodies were not covered in hair, their consistency and appearance seemed very similar to those of a jellyfish so much so that if you looked closely, you could see that they were slightly transparent, and it was possible to see their internal organs. The most disturbing part of their appearance was their mouths, which when closed looked the same as that of an equine... but as soon as they opened it, it resembled that of a canine, with many crooked and sharp teeth.

  “My God, it almost looks like they’re smiling… it’s impressive!” thought Bailey.

  Zirko took as many pictures as he could to not miss the best poses, continuing to grumble in the meantime. Bailey clung to him as the five stallions circled the gazebo that in the meantime had chameleonically transformed into realistic horses that, as beautiful as they looked, did not change their disturbing gaze.

  “Good thing they can’t climb.” The girl thought reassuringly.

  From how interested they were, she could bet they would try to do it.

  At a certain point, they began to hear a kind of neighing mixed with another cry, the Kelpies pricked up their ears and slowly began to proceed towards the sound, showing interest. Zirko explained that it was a call emitted by the females during the mating season, a method to be able to bring them back into the dungeon from which they had come out and thus be able to free the area from their presence. He then noticed that some rangers had hidden nearby to control the situation, with special techno-magical weapons in hand to use in case of emergency and walkie-talkies from which they exchanged continuous updates. Bailey was relieved, but before she could think that it was over, something unexpected happened.

  << Hey, what's that guy up to? >>

  No one had noticed that at that crucial moment a person had appeared.

  The guy, a man in his forties dressed like a classic tourist on vacation, with a T-shirt with the name of his hometown written on it, a roomy backpack on his back and a map in his pocket, was standing there with his mouth open in the middle of the street while he recorded what was happening on his phone.

  The guy was speaking in a low voice in his own language, they couldn't understand what he was saying but it was obvious that the Kelpies were involved.

  The rangers stationed there tried to tell him to go away, but the tourist ignored them all to continue recording his special travel memory, not realizing the gravity of the situation. The forest rangers, who were distinguished by their emerald green uniforms on which their corps crest was sewn in gold thread, came out of their hiding places and tried to persuade the tourist to leave, but with the language barrier in between (and the Kelpies that could attack at any moment) it was practically useless and the man continued straight towards the beasts, with his hand outstretched to touch them.

  << That idiot! He wants to touch them! >> Zirko exclaimed.

  << Of course he wants to do it! Anyone wants to touch them! No one doesn't fall for it! >>

  << We must help him somehow! Can't we just pull him away? >>

  << And risk pissing off those beasts? That's the worst move you can make. When you take away their food, they go berserk. >>

  << Actually, it would bother me too, if someone took my dinner away from under my nose... >>

  << Little crumbs, it doesn't just bother them… they get angry like chimeras. >>

  Suddenly the man was within reach of one of the monsters, who let him touch his muzzle with a sort of expression of fake sweetness. It was at that moment that the tentacled mane wrapped itself around the tourist's arm who began to scream and kick, while the beast allowed itself a sort of victorious grin. He dragged him towards the river while the others of the pack followed him hungrily, the rangers tried to intervene and it was then that the creatures reacted, trying to bite or kick, resuming their true appearance. The soldiers of nature resorted to their weapons, a kind of long sticks on whose claw-like tip was set a stone that emitted electricity, to defend themselves and try to save the victim. The stones, with specific commands, emitted a strong light that irritated the delicate eyes of the Kelpies who neighed in annoyance, but, despite this, this was not enough to make them flee. In the meantime, someone had asked for support, but who knew how long it would take for help to arrive.

  Zirko couldn't sit idly by. He had to do something, too.

  Bailey hadn't noticed, but the troll had a hunting knife with him, and it was thanks to that, as well as a huge amount of luck, that he was able to cut off the mane of the beast that leaped into the air, wet and soft, like a handful of seaweed. The Kelpie's cry of pain was sharp, but that was not enough to make the photographer pity him, who continued to consider it aberrant. The water horse kicked and neighed furiously, his fake hooves stamped on the ground leaving very deep furrows, threatening to attack Zirko several times who, even though he was in a dangerous position, did not try to escape.

  << What the hell are you doing?! Get back here! >> Bailey yelled at him impatiently.

  << I can't. I'm challenging him. >> he replied, without shouting.

  << What do you mean challenge him?! Are you crazy?! >>

  << No, I'm just trying to survive. If I run away, he'll definitely kill me. This way, I'm showing that I'm not afraid of them. >>

  Studying animals before photographing them had allowed Zirko to learn a lot about their behavior. Among the many information acquired, he had memorized that it was possible to survive predator attacks if you avoided sudden movements and turning your back, which would have been interpreted as a sign of weakness. Staring them in the eye to demonstrate supremacy was a behavior that occurred in the animal kingdom itself; you could almost say it was the first act of challenge to see who between the two "contenders" was superior. Who would have ever said that one day he would find himself putting that advice into practice? Luckily it was proving effective, the Kelpie was posing threateningly but never attacked him directly, perceiving the act of intimidation towards them through the fixed gaze.

  This could go on for so long, the troll had only one way to get out of this mess in one piece.

  Slowly he took his camera and activated the flash, cautiously he pointed the lens at the creature and when he was sure it was staring at him, he pressed the shutter. The light, much brighter than that emitted by the rangers' sticks and closer to the beast's eyes, sent it into a tailspin, it was so disturbed that it fell backwards to the ground moaning as if it had been impaled or something, its body changing from that of a horse to its real one in continuous succession. The other members of the pack were taken by surprise and ran away by throwing themselves into the river, thus abandoning their disoriented companion to it fate. Only then did Zirko run away, returning to the gazebo and leaving the rangers to finish the job, now that there was only one Kelpie left to manage. The worst was over.

  The next hour was a busy one, with ambulances, police, and the Rangers gathered on the riverbank, writing down the whole story. With all that commotion, no other creature would have dared to approach, and that was fine with Bailey, especially now that she was able to come down from her shelter. Even though they told her she could relax, she couldn't help but stare at the water in fear, and that anxiety would probably stay with her for a long time to come.

  << Look on the bright side, now you know how to defend yourself from a Kelpie, if you get attacked again. >>

  << Thank you, but I hope I don't have to repeat the experience. >>

  << Yes, there are two of us…. Did I tell you I hate Kelpies? >>

  << At least five times with this one. >>

  Bailey looked at the photo Zirko had taken of the animal. Even though it had been taken only to disorient it with the flash, it had still come out a good photo… even if it was a disturbing close-up of the beast’s scowling face.

  << What will become of that Kelpie? Will they put him down? >> she asked the troll, after the animal had been loaded into a van and driven away.

  << I don't think so. As monstrous as it is, it ultimately acted this way because it is it nature. It is more likely that they will scold the tourist for being so careless. >>

  << I wonder if he will keep the video, after the scare he got. >>

  << Look, I've seen enough stupid people in my life to say that they might even try something like that again. Unfortunately, it is common for some people to try to take pictures and videos of wild animals, without considering their safety. >>

  << A nature photographer, on the other hand; try to take that into account. >>

  << Yes, that's exactly it. It's not just for their own safety, but also to respect nature. After all, we are the ones who are invading their territory. >>

  Bailey thought very carefully about those words, finding them very profound.

  “Respect for nature” … was certainly an important aspect to take into account. She admitted that she had not considered such a thing in the few trips she had made with Zirko, perhaps because she had not yet really immersed herself in the nature aspect of the work and had limited herself to watching from the side what he did with the same eye as a spectator watching television.

  “Admit it Bailey, you were more of a tourist than a photographer.” She thought to herself.

  “Do you really want to learn this job? Then it’s time to get involved.”

  << Zirko… do you think I'm good at photography? >>

  << Well, yes. I told you that you have a good aesthetic sense. >>

  << No, seriously. Do you really think I can do this? >>

  << In what sense? >>

  << I'm really interested in this thing, but you haven't taken me to the dungeons anymore in search of fantastic creatures to immortalize with the camera. So far, we've gone to normal places, where we've only seen birds, rabbits, even mice... although dungeons have appeared left and right, and I want to know why you don't take me there, even though you say I'm good with photos. >>

  Bailey didn't dare to look the troll in the face as she confided her thoughts, but she felt the weight of it and because of it her hands were shaking.

  << Bailey, I'm not taking you to dungeons because they are dangerous places, and you are still very inexperienced. >> the troll replied, after a few minutes of silence.

  The girl jumped when he called her name, now accustomed to being called little crumbs.

  << Don't take it personally. I'm not belittling you, but we all have to take it one step at a time when we start something new. If I took you straight to another dungeon, I would certainly put you in danger, while instead I want to get you used to the outdoors first. I told you in the first lesson too: you have to learn one step at a time. >>

  << So… it's for security reasons. >>

  << Sure, that's what I care about the most. I also didn't go on expeditions to places I wasn't used to at the beginning, I had to do some apprenticeship before I could venture into the wild nature. >>

  << So you started in the countryside too? >>

  << No, more underground, but that's because I was used to it. Anyway, I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I waited to make sure you were ready for longer journeys first. >>

  << I… I’m sorry. I thought you didn’t consider me suitable. >>

  << And it's also my fault for not having explained my intentions before. But promise me that you'll tell me if there's something that doesn't make sense to you, rather than keeping it inside.>>

  << I wasn't holding anything back. >>

  << Little one, you are good with photos but not so good at hiding emotions. So I repeat: talk to me when you need to confide. >>