It had been about 2 weeks since Lan had joined his new family and already he was proving to be a great help that the family had never thought possible.
The mornings consisted of Lan waking Ethan up. As Ethan put it (never EVER to Lan’s face) the touch of deaths morning kiss from Evil instructor kitty poof. The first morning Lan had woken him before the sun had even thought of rising. Lan had no way of waking Ethan, because he wasn’t about to nuzzle him or waste time. He decided on the quickest approach. After failing to wake him with contacting him with his mind (all that got was disgruntled moans). He launched from the bed post up into a large arch and landed on to his chest with a large cub roar.
After Ethan’s soul returned to his body they headed out into the front. Ethan was about to start running when Lan stopped him. He taught him a bunch of seemingly random movements and had him perform them till Ethan’s body felt warm. Then had him pulling and stretching his body in ways he never had before. After all that Lan took him in to the woods with a rope, small hatchet and an axe from the smithy.
Lan had military experience in his previous life. His military experience was one that he wouldn’t forget no matter how many lives he lived. Lan was sure his instructors were spawned from the deepest pits of torment because that’s all they seemed to know how to give to the soldiers around.
He remembered one soldier that after a range exercise was supposed to be cleaning his weapon. The drill instructor caught him reading a book instead. When he asked why he wasn’t cleaning his weapon, his reply was, ‘I just wasn’t feeling motivated.’ 2 hours later while lying on the floor with sweat coming from every pore in their bodies that soldier admitted he had found his motivation to clean his weapon.
Lan was going to use all this to train Ethan. While they entered the wood the sun was just starting to come out. Lan didn’t lead him far into the woods. He had him gather small logs. All of them were from smaller ones to large ones Ethan could hardly carry. No two sticks were the same and if they couldn’t find one that Lan seemed to need, Ethan found himself chopping a tree or shrub to the size indicated by king kitty.
Little did Ethan know that he would come to hate these logs more than this over baring tiger. After Ethan had gotten all the logs Lan wanted, he had him bring them back to the village just into the clearing. Lan helped a little after Ethan made a small harness for him and tied it to a log. Lan snickered at the fact he had his own “Log puller”. Stupid mouse movies.
Once there Lan had Ethan finish by flipping the largest log he could carry (only by dragging it) twice. It was the words that reached him after that, that had earned the tiger cub his “evil instructor” moniker.
*we will stop here for today. I don’t want to damage your muscles to much being you are still prepubescent* Ethan Stared at the tiger as he went back into the house through his window as if he had just seen a ghost.
He had no idea what prepubescent meant but, he wasn’t going to ask just in case this Evil Instructor decided he wasn’t prepubescent. Those two weeks Ethan Started running, dipping, jumping, and sitting up all with different size logs. Ethan left each morning to do his chores with different parts of his body hurting in ways he never thought possible.
Lan trained as well along with Ethan. His training included him climbing trees or pulling the thick log. Lan even climbed trees with the log. Every morning Lan left hurting just as much as Ethan but never let on how much he was struggling.
Afterward Lan sat in a hidden spot but within sight of the kitchen table and listened to Garth talk to him and answered yes or no questions until Dayton woke up. Even though Lan could only answer the yes or no questions, Garth seemed to get along well with Lan. He would talk with him about his life and other topics. Lan just sat and listened. Ethan would usually join about this time being that he had a huge lead on his chore time and welcomed breakfast. Grandfather always made it for everyone since Lan’s arrival. Garth gave Lan a couple pets every now and then which Lan tolerated.
Lan didn’t mind getting pet. It was oddly soothing in a way. When people scratched parts of his body he found out quickly why animals liked it. It felt like when someone scratches your back and after they started it just feels great. He loathed that he liked it but tolerated it only from certain people and right now that was only from, everyone he knew…
After breakfast Lan would talk with Teela and Daton to get an idea of what they needed from the forest before heading out. Lan was taking these opportunities to embrace his tiger form and trying to track with smell. After the 2 weeks he could name and identify most of the plants in the house with sight and smell. Tracking them after that was almost as easy.
Ethan would ether go out and forage or to his despair have to work in the forge. He was sure that Evil Instructor Kitty Poof was working with his dad on certain days to make his life worse. He wasn’t all the way wrong though. Lan worked with his dad to make sure he wasn’t over working his arm muscles.
It was about the second week in that his father looked at him funny.
“What’s wrong Dad?” Ethan ask because his dad was watching him more intently than usual.
“Nothing is wrong just your using that a lot better now and I had thought it would take you another season to get this far.” Daton smile and patted Ethan on the back. He wasn’t wrong. Ethan’s swings were becoming sturdy with the heavy hammer. Usually with each strike the hammer would almost jerk out of Ethan’s grip, but now it was almost a controlled hit.
“Well Evil Instructor has me working hard for 6 days straight.” Ethan hadn’t noticed it before but now that his dad had mentioned it, the hammer did feel a little lighter.
“Dont let Lan hear you call him that. You’ll regret it.” Daton had thought Lan was pushing him a little hard but now rethinking his position. He pulled his almost finished iron from the fire and started working on it.
“Don’t I know it” Ethan laughed but after considering it, his dad was right and he shivered.
“I think I already know the answer to this but I want to hear it from you.” His dad continued working on his piece as he spoke. He finished a couple more hammer strikes before walking his piece to a barrel. As he dipped it in to the oil he asked. “What are you training for?”
Ethan knew his dad and without hesitation told him. “I want to compete in the Guardian Selection.”
With a small smile Daton replied. “And don’t let your mother hear that.”
Smiling back. “ I’ll have to tell her eventually.”
“Wait until you have won the competition and after your surrounded by the instructors leading you to the training site. You might have a chance then.” They laughed about that for a while.
After a while Ethan had a thought and was hesitant to ask. It took a minute but finally he built the courage to ask.
“Do you think I can make it Dad?” Now that Ethan had felt what it was like to train he was a little hesitant to underestimate others and was feeling like he might not be able to make it.
Daton had moved over and was in the middle of putting wood in to the fire. He had stopped when Ethan asked was just looking at him.
“Yes I do. Even if Lan wasn’t working you as hard as he is I think youo could do anything you set your mind to. Your great at foraging and other stuff you just have to put your all in to whatever you want to be.” Ethan felt Better hearing it and his doubts seemed to almost go away.
“Ill do my best to make you pround.” Ethan smiled and then pushed himself to swing his large hammer with more vigor than before. In the end though he couldn’t use it for very long, but progress was progress.
In the evenings when Ethan had returned and there wasn’t much to do in the forge he would spend his time learning letters and numbers from Grandfather. The reading lessons Intrigued Lan enough to sit close by but high enough that Linny couldn’t reach him. This made her mad but she would soon give up and find something to do or get into.
On the days of numbers Lan would try to help Teela by keep track of Linny. Braving the Otherworldly Vice Grip with piggy tails. She would ether pet Lan or carry him around and have him talk with her. ((Secretly Lan enjoyed playing with her.))
It happened about a week in that Lan was prepared to let Linny play with him. As she carried him around the house she suddenly said something that did send a small shiver up his spine.
“you’re a STINKY KITTY”
Now Lan hadn’t had a bath since his birth. Unless you count his mother licking him clean. He knew that this statement was probably true and would gladly take a bath, but receiving a bath from a three year old was NOT OK.
Struggling as best he could his panic had gotten the best of him and he hadn’t thought of trying to call for any help. It wasn’t until everyone heard the unmistakable sound of splashing water that the family noticed Lan had been dropped in to the wash water.
Teela rushed over pail as ever apologizing to Lan for Linny (she still held a small notion that Lan might hurt her children). Lan assured her that it was fine and insisted that he probably needed it. Linny was allowed to wash him then as Teela’s helped. (It was also in this moment that Teela began to truly trust Lan.)
After they had finished cleaning him Lan was a puff ball. Daton did his best to look away as he walked away to hide his laughter. Grandpa and Ethan on the other hand didn’t and laughed openly. Lan decided to be the bigger tiger and let this go. He probably did look ridiculous.
Ethan found that his trips to the forest were far shorter than when he had to go out and look for the plants with his dad. It almost took all the fun out of it. If it wasn’t for the talks that they always had they would have been boring.
Through the bond Lan had found a way to send rudimentary figures to Ethan and was teaching him different ways of fighting. Something that puzzled Ethan the most though was none of it was hitting. All the lessons he had were about grappling and different ways to choke his opponent or break certain parts of the body.
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“aren’t you going to teach me how to hit someone? Like this.” Ethan hit his own stomach and red liquid that could almost be mistaken for blood came out. This particular berry seemed to flower in winter unaffected by the cold and would form berries in the spring.
Lan rolled his eyes and ignored Ethan’s immaturity.
*Not right now. With your build it would be better to get in close. Bring your opponent to the ground and fight him there. If you get into a fight that’s where you should take it. A word of caution though when doing these. If your opponent stops struggling, LET GO and make sure he is ok. I am only teaching you this because I know this is a harsh world. With these attacks you can kill someone very easily.* At this Ethan frowned a little while whiping the berry juice from his chin.
Lan had made him repeat that he would let go at the beginning and end of every lesson.
Two weeks of this and Lan took a break to work on something else.
* I want to ask you something.* with a moments hesitation Lan thought about how to word this. He would on occasion take tangents and work on lessons he felt would make Ethan a better person. *If you have a friend with a secret and he wont tell you till you swear you wont tell anyone what do you do?*
Ethan stopped looking around the woods for a moment and thought about this. Lan’s questions always seemed to be more than they appeared. After a long while he was stumped and went for the obvious answer. “I swear?”
*why?*
“because, he asked me to?”
Amused Lan replied. * why should you swear. Is not your word alone good enough? You see anyone that is trying to make you swear anything is trying to imply that your word isn’t good enough. You should tell them that you swearing isn’t going to make any difference. Ether your word is good enough to say you wont tell or its not.*
It was a little hard for Ethan to understand but after a moment he realized Lan was right. If someone wants you to swear it’s to imply that your word on something is less than if you swear.
After some more discussion on it Lan brought them back to the exercise they were attempting.
“I don’t want to it makes no sense” this came out as a frustrated pout. Ethan was showing his age a little.
*Try it* Lan was now busy practicing jumping from tree to tree ignoring the pout and not giving him an option.
“I told you, I don’t know how. If I knew how I would do it.” Lan was trying to get Ethan to contact him through the bond.
*We have already confirmed you can feel where I am and I can talk to you over a huge distance. It would only make sense that you can do the same. Feel that connection and grab hold of it and just think what you want to say. Stop and try it with your eyes closed first. That will help.*
Ethan did as instructed. He stopped by a tree and sat on the ground leaning up against it. His previous attempts were fruitless feeling were Lan was, was easy but talking through the bond was difficult at best.
He felt Lan above him somewhere in the trees. It was like a small thread was in the blackness of space around him. He reached out and to his surprise he touched it. A feeling came through Eagerness and a sense of straining. It was weird and alien to him. He was afraid of going further.
*don’t be afraid Ethan I’m here*
Ethan’s eyes shot open and he was even more afraid of this now. “could you feel what I was feeling just now?” he asked already knowing the answer.
*I always can. I don’t let go of our contact while out here. what you felt is how I talk to you and your dad*
Realizing this for the first time Ethan figured he needed to do this otherwise he would be at a disadvantage. Now that he had done it once he reached out and grabbed the thread and his vision was blurry. Then his vision slowly cleared and he could see… himself sitting against the tree
*Is that me?* he asked already knowing the answer.
Lan wasn’t moving and Ethan could feel alarm and unease coming from him.
*it is* Lan didn’t Like having someone in his head looking through his eyes he could barely feel it but it was there just a feeling of Ethan using his eyes.
Ethan Let go of the link a bit and his vision was back to normal him just sitting against the tree with his eyes closed. *can you still hear me*
*yes I can. Do me a favor and open your eyes and look up.*
As he did there was a sense of someone watching through his eyes and it made Ethan want to blink his eyes more.
“AH HEY DON’T DO THAT. Its weird.” Ethan quickly shut his eyes and was rubbing them like that was all he needed to do to make it stop.
*Ill agree that its an unpleasant feeling but not without its uses* Lan could see this coming in handy in a number of ways. *Lets head home. Now that you can do this we will practice it at least twice a week to see its limits.*
Even though he groaned about it Ethan knew Lan was right. They should build and work to discover everything they could about their bond. At once Ethan started practicing talking with the bond and they hadn’t made it 100 ft before he seemed to have mastered it while walking.
While walking back Ethan asked Lan something.
*Can you see in the dark?*
*like, night vision yes how do you think I hunted at night and avoided traps?*
*Cause you’re a predator of the wood and can kill almost anything you wanted. The thing is I can see in the dark to… like see as in how you called it night vision.* Ethan was hesitant to say this but he was worried about it.
Extreme curiosity washed over Ethan as Lan asked *where did you learn that?*
*I didn’t. After the Leviathan attack I had a fever that made me sleep for three days. I hadn’t noticed it at first but when I did, I didn’t know what to do. So you’re the first person I’ve told.*
In the last part of the message Lan felt Ethans hesitance and shame in not telling anyone. * You have a right to some privacy. Don’t feel ashamed about not coming forward with something like this right away. Its only natural you would be scared just like you were when you felt the mind touch and my emotions for the first time. I have things I’m holding back from you till you are older and can handle it. You and me will figure these things out together just keep trusting in me and I will you.*
Ethan felt a little better after talking with Lan about him seeing in the dark. Then something Lan said struck him.
*hey wait a minute you have things you haven’t told me? Like what?*
*there is so much I have no idea where to begin… ah I know the capital of Oregon is Salem not Portland like most people think* This statement made a wave of happiness hit Ethan and he had no idea why.
*uhhhhhh where is Oregon* Ethan asked feeling really confused.
*that also some people don’t know* Lan’s reply didn’t help.
*is it in the Elvan realm?*
*Just chalk it up to you not being old enough and let it be. I’ll explain when your older. * Lan was regretting having said anything.
*What’s “chalk” mean* Ethan could feel the annoyance begin to slip into the thread.
I’m going to have to watch my earth phrases otherwise I’m going to be having a lot of these conversations. Although teaching them to him shouldn’t be too bad, then I can as least speak freely with him. * It means to leave something alone and let the matter be, in a way.*
*okay* By the time they hit the clearing Ethan was talking as if he too was born with this gift.
Looking at the village from the clearing, something was off. The village was not quiet. It looked like ants swarming an ant hill. People were rushing from place to place and there was a sense of panic. Few people were working on the new construction houses for new families that had already started to arrive. Daton was standing out front talking to a man in black leather armor.
After seeing all the commotion happening Lan decided to hold back. *I’ll wait until nighttime to come back. If you find out what is happening let me know.*
*I will.* Ethan replied as he left Lan.
Once Ethan left the tree line he soon reached Daton. He could hear a bit of their conversation. “… Guardian selection”
“Don’t let Teela hear. She will have a fit and probably ruin that year by dragging all the contestant’s home by their ears.” Ethan knew at once who this Guardian was. His “uncle” Roth. Roth was like Daton in height and age. His build on the other hand was more solid in every way. There was an air of danger to the way he carried himself. Like every movement was practiced and honed to a fine art. His hazel eyes showed years of service to the kingdom. Almost nothing escaped this man’s notice. His hair was a golden blond that gleamed brightly in the days light.
“UNCLE ROTH!” sprinting at the man Ethan jumped at him. To anyone watching they would have thought Ethan was tackling a man from the back. Ethan however, knew what was about to happen and loved it. As Ethan was in the air Roth ducked down low and as Ethan had reached a certain point four things happened almost simultaneously. Ethan’s legs reached his uncle. Roth shot his arms up and grabbed Ethan under his arms and behind his back. Without losing much forward momentum Ethan was flipped over Roth as he stood still holding Ethan up so as not to let him get hurt.
“You know you are getting a little big for that don’t you?” Roth had a stern look on his face as he looked down at his friend’s son. Ethan was taken aback and doubting his actions. It wasn’t until he saw a small smirk appear on his uncle’s face that he realized he’d been playing.
Still feeling the sting of being fooled, Ethan heard his mothers voice come to his defense. “He is awfully sorry Roth he must not have been aware that you, a mighty war horse, had grown so weak and feeble that playing with children had become to much for you. You might want to talk to your superiors about being ready for retirement. I do have a question though Roth, if you would be so kind to answer. Who was it that taught him to do such a thing in the first place even against his own Mothers wishes?”
Teela had a look of superiority because she knew she held the high ground in this. Roth, in the past, had always told her it wouldn’t be to much trouble. That if he was to weak to play with kids he wasn’t fit for duty.
Roth was now the one with a sour look on his face and was pouting a little. Under his breath Ethan could just hear him say something to his father. “If wars could be fought with words your wife would be the one id send to conquer the world.”
“What was that Roth something about me you want to share” Roth never had known when to shut up even when Daton and he were younger. It had gotten Daton and himself into more troublesome encounters than ether cared to count.
If Teela hadn’t been there the father and son duo might have smiled, but they knew better and just stepped to the side a few paces leaving Roth to his fate. It was at this moment Roth knew he’d messed up.
Sometime later in their house the husk of a man once called Roth sat at their table eating supper. After supper Roth watched Teela prepare an extra plate and take it outside.
“Its nice to have you back Uncle Roth.” Having broken his train of thought all Ethan got was a weak smile. Ignoring his uncles hesitance to speak, he asked “how long are you here to stay?”
“actually I’m here on official business. The king is coming here to look around.” This reply shocked Ethan. “the leviathan that nearly killed you is a big deal.”
“oh so that’s why everyone was rushing around today.” Ethan replied.
“Yes. Where is your mother taking—”
“KITTY WHERE ARE YOU” Cut off by a loud Linny searching for Lan. Daton picked her up and told her Lan was probably outside eating mice. A quick look was all it took for Ethan to understand what was to be said about Lan.
“Oh, uh Mom made that food for the cat. It’s a outside cat what hangs around and Mom doesn’t want it to starve.” Replied Ethan nervously.
“its dangerous to leave food out where animals can get it she should know better than that.” Roth looked incredulous as he thought about everything that was happening.
Daton chimed in “She puts it somewhere only the cat goes and nothing around the area would come this close its no worry Roth I assure you. When was it you said the king would be here?”
Still thinking this was all odd Roth decided to let it go for now. “Tomorrow if all goes well. With the Prince along you have to account for… unexpected circumstances.”
“Son like father?” asked Daton
“that and then some.” Roth had an exasperated tone. “Almost makes our time in the city look tame.”
“that sounds exciting, at least he is making his guard earn their pay” Grandfather jumped in.
“wouldn’t want the ‘King’s Claws’ to get fat and lazy now would we?”
“Trust me they earn it and more. When he isn’t running around after his lessons getting into trouble with being in the lower city. He is picking fights with other noble kids. He even has stated more than once he plans to fight in the Guardian Selection.”
Teela had just walked in at this point and upon hearing it she had on a sour face. “Stupidity that’s all that is. Bunch of adults standing around watching a bunch of boys pound on each other for the “high honor” of being the Kings personal lap dogs.”
“you realize I’m sitting right here don’t you” This wasn’t the first time he had heard this from Teela. He knew all to well she hated the idea of war and all that came with it. “if it wasn’t for me and those soldiers these lands might have been overrun by now.”
Looking like she couldn’t care less she decided to throw a bone to the lap dog. “ yes I know about the accomplishments of the Guardians. They are good warriors.” These words seemed to settle Roth down a little. “but a little diplomacy would probably do better.”
It was always like this when Ethan was younger. His mother was one in a 1000 people who saw violence as a stupid senseless act. She knew all to well not every kingdom could be reasoned with but she truly hated bloodshed. Ethan was sure this is why she became an Herbalist.
*I take it by the plate of food, I’ll be sleeping outside.* the message from Lan startled Ethan.
Grabbing the connection Ethan replied *It might be best to not to return for a few days. The king is coming to take a look around.*
There was a long pause and curiosity seeped into the bond. Lan surely wanted to see the king but after a moment of thinking realized it would be extremely unwise for him to be around with so many elites around. As confident as he was, he was sure if magic came in to play his luck would probably run out.
*I’ll go do something I’ve been putting off then. If you need me, contact me.*
*I will.*
*oh and you had your rest day yesterday. No slacking, just because I’m not here doesn’t mean I won’t be checking in. I can still see if you are working and doing the right thing and judging by your shock I know I was right to mention this.* As the connection faded Ethan felt mild amusement.
I’m glad my mom doesn’t have this connection with me… but this is almost as bad. Just the thought of his mother having this connection made him feel ill.