Page 27 of Found in Obscurity

Kit pointedly looked everywhere but at Lorin and his mop while he was cleaning up. As if there was another fox in their vicinity who could have done it.

“I know it was you,” Lorin said, looking at Kit’s tail where the fox had turned his butt to him, seemingly very interested in the shadow of a vase on the wall.

Lorin scoffed, shaking his head as he stood in the middle of the living room. He had no excuses anymore. Nothing else was left to do except maybe unpack. Find a place for his few belongings and make the place feel more…his than it did at the moment. At least temporarily.

The only places left for him to go were the main bedroom and the upstairs area, where Lorin was fairly sure his mother’s magic room was. And that was another can of worms he wasn’t really ready to face.

He had just, somewhat, barely wrapped his head around the fact that his witch heritage wasn’t going anywhere and that there was a strong possibility of him staying in Oak’s Hollow after all. Being submerged into his mother’s magic so deeply didn’t feel like something he could do just yet.

He would. Soon.

But not today.

“So.” He spoke out loud, feeling like Kit should be involved somehow, even if he couldn’t exactly respond. “What do you think we should do today?”

Kit blinked up at him, unmoving.

“Super helpful,” Lorin said. “Thank you.”

He walked around the small space, feeling like he was a game character nobody was interacting with anymore, so he was just wandering, pointlessly, waiting for someone to give him some direction.

Thankfully, his phone rang, and he ran to pick it up when he saw his grandmother’s name flashing on his screen.

“Hey,” he said.

“Are you up and dressed?” she asked, never much for pleasantries.

“I am, yes.”

“Good,” she said. “I called Sandra, she’s the vet in town. She can take a look at your familiar.”

“Kit,” Lorin said. He looked at Kit, who perked up at the sound of his name.

“Sorry?”

“His name is Kit.”

“Oh, you named him,” she said. Lorin didn’t correct her that Kit had sort of named himself. “Kit suits him. Anyway, like I said. Sandra can check him over and make sure he’s healthy since we still don’t know where he came from.”

“Nothing?” he asked.

She hummed. “We have a few communities left to check with, but as far as we can tell, you got yourself a wild one.”

“I didn’t know that was possible.”

“Magic makes everything possible, Lorin. It makes sure what needs to happen, happens. Sandra will be waiting for you in about an hour. Don’t be late. Makes it seem like I raised you wrong.”

“You’re not picking me up?” he asked, eyes widening.

“Did it look like I was a professional chauffeur to you, Lorin?”

“No, Grandma, but—”

“Exactly,” she said, cutting him off. “Because I’m not. There’s a bike out in the shed. I made sure it was working well and had new tires and all before you arrived. You feel free to use that.”

“A bike?” Lorin asked incredulously.

“Think of it as temporary transportation until your private jet is delivered,” she snarked before hanging up on him.