Ethan is an amazing kid. He took everything I threw at him and more. I wonder if it’s that he is living out here with nothing to distract him and that he must learn these things to survive or if it’s common in this world to learn this quickly. Whatever the case was I knew Ethan was growing a lot stronger. Even more so than I had thought possible.

I had set the logs up to where he could grow and build muscles slowly. Every exercise targeted different muscle groups. Ethan was already lifting (on one side) the log he could hardly drag the first day. It was great that he was making all this progress but something bothered me. I need to know more about myself before I help him anymore.

After I finished eating I went into the woods. I was going to head home and find Mother. I needed to know why I wasn’t growing. I had been in this world for almost 8 months and I had no idea if it was common to be this small or if something else was going on. By my estimate I should be a little bigger.

I had known this from the beginning. That me and brother were growing slow. I knew the growth rate for animals on my home planet but here I think I was growing at one fourth the rate of normal or less. I was still the size of a cat and it bugged me.

I sent a quick thanks to Teela through Daton as I climbed a tree not far from the clearing. I also let him know I would be gone for a few days so there wouldn’t be any worry about me being gone. I chose not to be offended at the wave of relief I felt through the link.

Deciding to leave in the morning I settle down for the night in the upper branches of the tree. I found that after working with my area sense these past two months that I could sleep and still feel things around me. If something got to close it would somehow wake me. I was sure glad to have this ability that night.

Something in the middle of the night started moving straight at me from the village. I opened my eyes and looked out. If I didn’t have night vision I wouldn’t have seen the figure moving slowly through the clearing looking at something on the ground. It took me a moment to figure out what he was looking at… my tracks.

As the realization hit me I knew I needed to move. It would take him a moment to get to me. I climbed about half way down the tree until I had a clear shot out of the tree to another close by. As quietly as I could I launched into the next tree and then quickly found another clearing and did the same thing. After about the fourth jump I figured I was in the clear. I felt him reach were I had been and I watched as he climbed up in to the tree where I had been.

Well I’m glad I made it—my thought process was cut short. I heard something land about 3 trees away. He couldn’t track me up here… could he? It was when the sound came again that I realized something I had thought of earlier. MAGIC.

Cursing myself for a fool that man that had been in the black leather had to be someone who could use magic and he was following me. I abandoned all precepts and started my retreat. Taking a trick from Ethan just doing it better. I pulled out my claws to the right length for this. Leaping from the branch I was on I hit a tree further away and used my claws to lightly scrape and slow my decent, but I didn’t stop there. I leapt from tree to tree not caring if this guy heard me as long as I put distance between him and me.

It had worked the first four jumps I got for free and then he was on me. At the fifth though I was on the ground and gone or so I thought. I had stopped for a moment or two after I couldn’t feel him anymore. As I caught my breath though I felt something come back in to my sense. Mother *&$%#@. This guy needs a hobby. One that doesn’t include chasing me. I wasn’t to tired and I could do this for a while. So I bolted again.

This time however I wasn’t so lucky. He had been moving slowly at first but the moment I started moving he did also. I ran faster and he ran faster. I jumped rocks and over logs and he did to. I even leapt up in to the trees and felt like a nameless ninja from a hidden village but in the end nothing worked to get rid of this bloodhound in black.

After a while I settled into a straight run on the ground no fancy tricks, just running. I knew he couldn’t see me so that only left one explanation. He could feel me like I did him. I knew this forest better than him though… I hoped.

About an half an hour in he started gaining on me. I tried to pull on ahead but my muscles wouldn’t allow me to go any faster. So I just kept going and hoping. As he inched closer I made him earn every step as tree’s whipped past me.

We were about 30 feet away from each other when I felt something up ahead of me and it was coming right at us. I didn’t slow down nor did I fear what was coming. I think the guy in black noticed a little to late though. Mother was here.

She landed in front of me as I darted under her and kept on going. If I had been in my right mind I would have said something witty like “tag your in mother” or “my momma is grrrrreat” but as I reached a hiding place I collapsed. Even after hearing mothers roar and the unmistakable sound of someone crapping their pants as they ran the other way wasn’t enough to keep me from passing out.

~~

I told them leaving food out was a bad idea. Mockingly he repeated Datons words. “oh, She puts it somewhere only the cat goes and nothing around the area would come this close its no worry Roth I assure you.” STUPID JERK. He yelled at his friend inside his head.

Whatever it was, it was smart and fast. I had found the plate on the stump and I figured I would surprise Linny in the morning with her favorite Kitty. She is so much cuter than I remember. If I wasn’t married to this job I would want two of her. Just saying. As I found the tree the cat was supposably in, it got weird.

I got to the top and no cat. Nothing. A simple spell told me everything I needed to know, but it seemed the echo of what could have been a cat had just been there. I followed it and it left and went to another tree. What? Is this normal behavior for a cat? Shrugging it off I jumped to the next tree and then to my surprise it had jumped again to another tree.

As I jumped to the next tree though I heard something that made me pause. The unmistakable sound of something hitting tree after tree clawing its way down. There were two things that ran through my mind at this point as I recovered from the initial shock of what was happening. First this was not a BLOODY CAT. The second was this was the reason I was sent ahead to clear the area and make sure nothing was around.

After those realizations passed I was on the move shooting off the tree toward the ground. Amplifying my legs to land I was off after this creature. After chasing it for a bit I decided to stop. With the lead it had I was unlikely to catch it this way. So I activated Predator Sense an ability to detect living things around you. It cost me a little more strength but it was worth it. I locked on to it and waited for it to stop.

Finally it did and I started moving quickly but quietly. Before I hadn’t expected to run in to it and just startled it. Now I could take my time and get in close.

At least that’s what I thought I could do. Drinking my one stamina drink I had with me. I moved closer. Suddenly it was off again moving in a direction I hadn’t expected. It could sense me. This was not my night. I was ready though. At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I want to say this... I was wrong… again.

As I ran after it, it sped up. So I sped up. It took every path I could think of to lose an enemy and then some. Trees, rocks, water this thing was trying to put everything in between me and it. It was clear this thing was in its element and I was the foreigner. If I hadn’t had predator sense locked on to it and nothing else, I would surely have lost it.

After it failed to lose me through leaping through the trees like a tree spirit of the elven forest. It just ran on the ground and I knew this was the final chase. Fortunately I had drank that stamina potion when I did because this thing gave no second chances to catch it.

I ran after it and didn’t give up through the night. After quite some time I started to gain on it. Whatever I was chasing, its stamina was unbelievable. I was running out of steam myself and I knew if this went on much longer, I would have had to give up. Now I just had to keep going.

50 feet ahead I could hear its steps and its heavy breathing. 40 feet I could see feint traces of its movements up ahead. What are you? This one question was what was driving me now just finding out what could drive an Elite of the king to such lengths was worth all this. 30 feet away I heard a large **thud** just up ahead.

As I sprinted to the side around a couple trees that obstructed my view. **ROAR**

I am retiring when I get back! Skidding to a stop all I saw was teeth and an open mouth. I knew this was not my quarry but after seeing the eyes of the fallen creatures that resided in this forest Guardian’s stomach, I no longer cared about my quarry, my mission, or to be honest anything else that didn’t have to do with me getting away from big teeth.

~~

Waking up some time later I was in a place I knew well, our den, and there was a meal waiting for me. I forced down what mother had left for me. Brother was there looking at me like he was trying to figure out something complicated.

After finishing Mother gave me a very thorough bath. Now that I was “clean,” I received a message that was rife with worry. *You hurt?*

*No, I’m not hurt. Thank you for stopping the hunter*

Irritation riddled the thread now. *where you?*

I was in for it now. I had overprotective mother vides going on now. I told her everything that had happened with images of the leviathan and the boy to father tiger’s last words. Once I had finished, she just laid there looking at me.

*you found a bonder?* Her irritation was gone but worry and curiosity now replaced it.

*Bonder?* it sounded weird as I said it but, she wasn’t wrong.

*elder talk, come.* it wasn’t a request. After she heard what had happened she seemed to resolve herself to something.

As I began to move my muscles seemed to revolt. Pushing through the pain I followed mother out in to the open. As we did I noticed something, brother was a little bigger than me. Thinking quickly this was something I needed to know. Boiling it down as best I could I asked* Mother how Brother grow*

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Stopping, she looked at me and then at Brother. She seemed to consider something. *talk elder* without another word she turned back and continued walking through the forest.

We had never left the den before or gone anywhere when I was there so everything beyond this was new to me. There where tree dens every so often. About every 200 meters or so. The trees weren’t all big around like our den only the ones that were dens. Some dens I saw were empty. Others had cubs playing with other mothers and big tiger dads around. After the fourth one, I didn’t see any more.

The one thing I knew now for sure, was I knew nothing about my own species. I had originally thought that we were like regular tigers and there was a staked-out area that father patrolled and we lived in. That no other tigers would enter our territory unless they wanted to fight with him or mom.

I was a moron. This was a Guardian village where they all lived. They all worked together to take care of their area and each other. I saw tigers coming in bringing food and others leaving either to go patrol or hunt more game I assumed.

We reached a tree that was large at the base and had a large looking tiger laying next to its hole. *Elder need you* Mother projected.

*WHAT DO YOU WANT NOW? Cant an old tiger sleep in peace?* After a moment a large tiger came out. His fur was just like all the others but it seemed faded a little. He had more skin hanging down than any other and I knew that this tiger, as big as he was now, used to be much bigger. Probably dwarfing my own father in his prime.

Its eyes looked over all of them but stopped at me. *You are different*

Mother passed by Brother and stood behind me. *My cub. Not yours elder, needs…talk.”

I was floored this was the most I had ever heard mother talk. She had struggled with it but it made sense and got everything out.

*speak little one* he was showing genuine interest to me. All his frustration at having been disturbed was now gone.

*First, my name is Lan. what’s yours?* These few words seemed to spark a fire in the old tiger. His eyes burned and he straightened now examining me more than ever. He looked around also as if he wanted to make sure no one was having a go at him.

*I am Grief. How are you able to talk like the humans?* His large eyes studying me.

*I lived with the humans for many weeks now after my father was killed by the leviathan.*

*I know of that overgrown snake and that a cub had gone missing was this you?* As he continued to talk he seemed to get closer to me with every passing sentence. Curiosity and amusement mixed with genuine interest washed over me in waves.

*Could you calm down a little bit? You’re getting too close and making me uncomfortable.*

*you are the first I have been able to talk to in five years. Lan forgive this old tiger and his excitement.* at his words his emotions seemed to pull back a little though they were still there.

I recounted everything I had to my mother to the elder and as the story went on he went through a carnival of emotions. Interest being the most prevalent one.

*I see why you were brought here. you are bonded to this human boy which the snake was after. Your father did well telling you to stay with him.* Moving over a little he looked down at my brother. *Are you able to talk?*

Brother looked up at the elder and gave the same look he gave me so many times. It screamed that he had no idea what was happening.

*Never mind, I don’t want to know. Judging by your expression I will be met with great disappointment. Lan neither I nor your mother can keep you. You are bonded to a human and that alone forbids us from keeping you. Add in the fact the boy you are bonded with is wanted by the snakes makes this of great importance. * Disappointment was the only emotion that I got from the old tiger now.

*I’m confused about the whole keeping thing. why would you keep me?*

He looked at me with what I assumed was shock. *our species value unique things in ourselves. Strength is a close second. If a Cub is unique a mother may challenge to have another mother’s cub. A father can do the same with another father’s cub. You are like myself. I was once bonded many, many seasons ago. He died and I came to this forest. I taught the tigers here to talk and work together. I have taught my heir, Claw, to lead once I am gone. * The tiger behind the old elder moved and stood at his name.

*I see if I hadn’t been bonded you would have taken me to continue on in your place and judging by your enthusiasm probably provide you with some much needed conversation. * I felt for this old guy. It would be like living and taking care of children with no one to talk to ever.

*With every passing word you grieve this old tiger more. Yes.* His reply left no doubt. It was true through the link I could feel how lonely he was.

*I have 3 questions before I go but I hope I can at least ease your pain a little.* I really felt bad for this old tiger not having people around to talk to.

*if you could help me with that I would answer any number of questions your heart desired.* a spark of hope appeared in the link and I smiled inwardly at the simple solution this old tiger had never thought of.

*why not go find someone to talk to*

Greif’s disappointment started to come back as he answered * because without me I’m sure this place would fall apart*

*You don’t know that for sure. Do you remember when you were young.* I hoped he could see logic.

*yes*

*your mother had to let you go and leave the den eventually just as mine did. She watched me bravely from far away. If I went to far she brought me back. When I climbed a tree she let me climb even if I was to fall she would have let me so I would learn. Stop holding on to leadership here and let the leader you have chosen lead while you watch if you haven’t already done so. Then go live farther away and let him lead all the way without you but close enough that if he needs your advice he can ask it. Then when everything is in hand and you feel comfortable leaving Claw in charge say your goodbyes and go.*

Nothing moved in the area. Mother was looking at me as was everyone else.

*In all my years even my old friend would never have been able to come up with a way to explain that to me so clearly. You truly are a remarkable cub. Thank you and yes this is something I can do. * At first it was bewilderment I had felt in the link this time but by the end there was nothing but affection and joy. *What is it you wanted to know, Lan?*

*First what is the bond and its effects? Second how do I grow bigger and stronger? I have a feeling I’ll be needing to learn that. My brother was about the same size as me and now he is bigger. Lastly why do we Guardians not eat or attack humans? *

*you are bonded yet you don’t know what it is or does? It truly did just happen to you without you knowing didn’t it.* the surprise in Griefs response said that our situation was very unique. * The bond works both ways. It is a sign of a deep bond between two creatures. It doesn’t have to be humans and animal it can truly be any species, but its more common for smarter beings to make the connection with lesser than smarter with smarter. Once it is made though, it can’t be broken except by death. As your human grows so will you and so will the bond. The bond is unique and will grow differently for each*

Thinking on it some, I came to a conclusion. There is no one answer he could probably give that would be right beyond that, but just in case. *Are any 2 bonds the same?*

*are any two people the same* he chuckled at my question.

* I see * I was a little irritated by this but I don’t think he would lie to me. *and the growing*

*in the woods and all areas there are creatures that humans call monsters. That Stupid snake you had seen was one such creature. Inside them are what the humans call monster cores.* turning he went in to his hole and came out with something in his mouth and dropped it Infront of me. It was a deep yellow jelly thing. *you must eat these to get stronger and bigger. The more you eat the stronger you will get. But I must caution you on two things. First don’t eat one that humans have hardened with their magic. It has bad effects on you and don’t eat one that is stronger than you currently are. It also has bad, effects.* I could see the older tiger shiver a little.

I stared at the thing in front of me *how can I tell if its stronger than me and what do I do if I eat one that is stronger?*

*the easiest answer I can give is, if you can kill it by yourself you can eat it. The other way to tell is looking deep in yourself and feeling your magic. Then feeling the stone’s power. If they are about equal you should be okay. If you eat one that your bonded gives you that is too strong. Run, fight, and use the energy, or magic, your body can’t handle. Otherwise it will hurt. *

*okay. Sounds easy enough* Closing my eyes I looked for anything that might show my strength. It took me a while but I found it. It was a pulsing that seemed to go off at regular intervals with my heart. Opening my eyes I reached out and touched the stone the pulse I found was about the same as mine maybe a little weaker. Assuming this was the reason the elder brought this one I swallowed it whole.

It definitely left a bad taste in my mouth. Yuck.

Note to self: Make sure there is meal or drink nearby to wash the taste out of my mouth.

I felt it as it went into me. There was a small pop and energy flooded through my body. All the aches and pains I had felt before werent gone but it was more than tolerable now. If these things make me grow and make me feel like that I can understand why there are so many walking muscle heads around here.

*make sure you take one of those every time you feel your magic become calm. It should take 2 months or so.* Greif said as he watched me.

*when do I stop eating them?*

*when you feel there is nothing stronger than you.*

Realizing he was serious and not joking I shuddered. Those things were gross and I didn’t want to have to eat them.

Well life isn’t without its difficulties. I thought.

*As for your last question it is simple they taste bad. Worse than goblins which are nasty.* He made a face were he drew back his face in an odd way which I guessed was him trying to show a disgusted face but the mild amusement that slipped through the bond ruined it and I suspected he was trying to have fun with me.

*that’s funny, the one human I ate didn’t taste all that bad but he was truly noisy.* I looked up and away as if I was remembering something.

*Little Lan you are funny, I like you. When you have time, visit the beast people. I will head there once I am done here.*

Something occurred to me then and I couldn’t help but ask.

*I apologize for asking this Grief but before we go I wanted to know, How old are you and how old do we get?* It was an odd question but with the slowed growth I just wanted to make sure.

He tilted his head as he replied. *uhm I don’t think we get much older than humans. About 350 years was my father before he passed on but that was a fight to the death.*

Oh just 350… WAIT. Humans get to be 350 YEARS. No, he has to be messing with me. I hadn’t felt any amusement in his reply and nothing in the way he turned signaling the end to our meeting showed he was lying.

As I looked back after leaving I came to a decision. I liked Grief and I knew I would bring Ethan with me to meet him. Partly because I felt bad for him but also because I knew Grief would most likely be able to teach us more about our bond.

My Mother lead me back to the den. She sat in her spot near the entrance while brother began to run around as if nothing had changed, chasing bugs or stray dust.

I spoke first not holding back now that my mother knew I could talk I didn’t see any reason to.

*I told them I would be back in a couple of days so…*

Mother tilted her head at me and a small bit of sadness leaked through as she said

*so you must go?*

*no, I said I could be gone for a couple of days.*

The sadness was still there but a hint of amusement seemed to be there as well. *you slept* and an image of the sun going and falling then rising again showed in my mind.

I’d pushed my body too hard and my recovery time wasn’t just a couple of hours. I had slept for an entire day and night.

*I will stay until tonight and then leave.* I remember in my previous life how hard it is for a mothers or fathers to let go of her children. Leaving for college or anywhere on their own. I wanted to make this easier on her.

I asked her to wait here and I left in to the forest. It took me some time because it seemed creatures of this forest knew that there were predators around so there was no prey remotely close to our den. Where’s the app for this.

I found smaller things after a bit but I knew it wasn’t good enough. Finally, after being gone for I’m sure about an hour, I found something bigger with my life sense. It was farther ahead and before I got too, close I climbed up into the trees as skillfully and quietly as I could while making my way over to my target.

It was a buck and I couldn’t sense anything around. I got as low as I could in the tree and waited. A small gust of wind blew past me and the deer’s head came up to test for anything suspect. This is what I had been waiting for.

To be honest, I really hadn’t thought this one through. After about 30 minutes of pulling and tugging, I could barely move this deer after killing it. A boar was about my limit. After some time my Mother did show up beside me and all I could feel from her was amusement.

*still to young*

Brother seemed to think all this was great fun as he played at trying to swipe at mothers tail as we walked back. Once we arrived and ate mother left the rest outside the tree as brother tried to pounce on me. Long story short, he may have been a little bigger, but I still could whoop him. He retreated back and started chewing on a bone trying to get the marrow out.

By the time the sun was going down I had my second bath from mother and I had a question for her. *Mother do you have a name?*

*no name* she looked at me quizzically.

*can I give you and brother one?*

Mother seemed to think about this for a moment and her feelings were to complicated to understand at first then they cleared and she landed on something close to happy. *yes.*

I felt a small connection to her for all she had done for me. I wanted to at least leave her with an identity of her own. I thought of my own mother’s name but that would be to easy. Finally one seemed to just click and the more I thought about it the the more I liked it. *How about Opal.*

*Opal* she seemed to toss the name around in her head a bit. *is good*

My mother’s name in this world was Opal. Brother was still chewing on the bone near the entrance but soon notice me looking at him. I hardly had any doubt what I would name him. What else do you name someone who annoys you and almost all others. *You my brother will be named Russell.*

Yeah, I know it doesn’t make much sense but at the end of the day I couldn’t name him Sid like a loveable cartoon character we all know. That would be mean, and I would feel bad. Maybe next time.

The tilt of his head and his next word seemed to confirm he understood *Russell.* Honestly I was surprised to hear his voice ring in my head. It was the first time I had heard him speak and judging by my mother’s emotions, it was her first time as well. She felt proud and I know it could have been directed at both of us but I’ll give this one to him.

*yes, you are Russell.*

There was a slight emotion that reached me from him but as soon as I felt it, it was gone. He went back to chewing the bone as if it didn’t matter. Well at least Mother liked her name. I turned to her and did my best to convey affection toward her as I told her goodbye. She walked me a ways and then I was on my own again.