After finishing reading his new skill, Lee tried to sense what type of mana was in the Jackalope fur. Having no reference to what a specific mana type was supposed to feel like, he was just going to have to guess. Instead of running his hands through the fur, he placed his hand on top of it. The only thing I sense is “Natural.” What does that even mean?

Deciding he had an information dealer at hand, he asked Neia. When he looked toward her, he could see the faint hint of a smile. Well, that’s hopefully a good sign. “Neia, do you mind if I ask a question about a skill you might have, I remember you saying that type of information was personal?”

Neia, now sitting still with a lovely smile, replied. “Depends what skill you think I have, what skill are you trying to learn about?”

Lee, thinking this was valid, decided to share. “I just unlocked the skill Mana Sense, but I couldn’t sense what type of mana the fur contains. The only thing it tells me, is the feeling of naturalness. If that’s even a real feeling.”

“The feeling of naturalness... I think I understand what you mean. You are probably talking about the base mana. The natural state of mana.” She was still smiling as she watched around the clearing. “Why don’t you head to sleep, use that fur as a blanket or pillow. One of us will wake you in the morning.”

Having had a long unexpected day, Lee began to set up some type of sleeping arrangements. It was definitely not going to be the most comfortable, but anything was better than the ground. Slowly he began to process all the information he learned. He was thinking about what class and professions he would get, and about how he would have to inevitably fight monsters. Even if all he wanted to do was heal. With his thoughts running rampant, he slowly dozed off into sleep.

========

Neia watched around the clearing until Lee fell asleep. Once he had, she stared at Ruven.

Ruven, knowing this was probably going to happen, started to rise from the log and walk toward the end of the clearing. Neia followed.

“What the fuck did you think you were doing earlier?” Neia asked coldly.

“He has information that could help us and our people. I simply thought…” Ruven began but was interrupted.

“Do not tell me what you were thinking. I am surprised you were thinking in the first place. That is not how we treat people these days. Maybe a few hundred years ago before Thexis, but not now. Not ever again. Now tell me you understand.” Neia practically demanded.

Cold sweat dripped down his back, and Ruven nodded. That apparently wasn’t good enough.

“Tell me.” Neia’s frosty voice whispered.

Ruven immediately answered. “I was not thinking, there was a slip of the tongue. We do not act like common criminals.”

A few moments passed where Ruven basically berated himself for even thinking of talking like that in front of Neia, who was one, if not the strongest magic user in Neldam.

Neia, having known Ruven for the last 150 years, knew well enough that Ruven was not a bad person, sadly it was common for those with power to throw their weight around. Ruven was looking out for our people, but there were ways of getting to the desired outcome that didn't involve threats and what basically amounted to ransom for someone's life.

“We must help him, and he will then help us. I can tell you obviously believe him. He is not from here. There is no way he is from here, just look at him.” They both turned to look at the sleeping form of Lee. “That there!” Pointing to Lee “is basically a child. Tell me you see what I see.”

Ruven just gazed upon the malnourished, gaunt form of Lee sleeping for a few moments. Slowly, he began to feel an emotion. It was an emotion he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Disgust.

Disgust, but not at Lee, at himself. From what he knew of humans, they live anywhere from 60-150 years. 150 being generous because the ones who reach that age are the most powerful among them. He didn't know for sure, but Lee can't be over 30. He basically threatened a child's life, and not just that, he threatened a malnourished, sickly-looking child's life. He quickly turned away and looked at Neia.

Neia was watching Ruven, and happy with the outcome of his observation, she spoke to him gently. “You are not a bad person Ruven, you just couldn’t see what I saw in the moment, only after the fact.”

Ruven looks ashamed, “Thank you for helping me see.” He shuffled off towards the fire once more to add some logs.

Neia followed after him and began another quiet conversation. “Elder Sono will know what to do. He has spoken to humans and knows more about them than anyone else in Neldam.”

“That was a long time ago, I suppose the worst that could happen is that he just stays with us.” Ruven replied.

“He doesn’t even know about us dark elves. Only hearing stories of the wood elves. He can definitely help us. You know why we were sent here to this forest.” Neia spoke even quieter.

Ruven slowly turned to face her. “I am well aware, we are better now.”

Neia nodded, “Yes, but nobody knows that. When he leaves he will talk about us. Then we can rejoin the world.”

“Don’t get your hopes up.” Ruven said as he laid down on the ground, preparing to sleep.

========

After feeling himself shaken, Lee opened his eyes and saw Neia standing above him. “Wake up, we get breakfast then we move.”

After getting out of his makeshift fur sleeping arrangement, he realized that he wasn’t stiff or sore at all. Healer’s Touch might be even better than he had already thought. Thinking about his ability, he realized that had never tried it on another person. Looking towards Neia, Lee asked, “Do you feel sore or stiff anywhere?”

Neia, confused, looked at him, then suddenly came to a realization. “No, having a higher constitution will fix that issue. I haven’t been sore in many many years.”

Lee accepted this as a fact, then looked around their little camp for breakfast. Having not spotted it, he asked. “Where is breakfast?”

Ruven looked at him, to Neia, and then back to him. “We decided you’re coming with us to catch it.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

What?

“I’m sorry I think I misheard you. Where was it?” Lee said.

“You’re coming with us to get it.” replied Ruven.

Lee nodded to himself slowly. “Yeah, my ability that lets me understand language must be broken, because I keep hearing you say that I'm coming with you to get it.”

Ruven just looked at Neia.

Neia at least had the good grace to look apologetic. “Lee, you will eventually be in a situation where combat will start with you around. When that time comes you need to be ready.”

Oh… I’m a fucking liability again.

Understanding what was just said in the nicest way she could put it. Lee slowly asked a question. “Will I have to join in the combat? Or just be near?”

Neia smiled softly at Lee. “You can join if you want to, but I would recommend watching at the start. You can take this just in case, it also looks like you need it. I will need it back at Neldam.” She tosses a leather belt and a small belt knife towards him.

He caught the belt and knife, then wrapped it around his waist. The hospital gown's small cloth waistband didn't hold up well in the forest, it was already starting to fall apart. The constant rubbing up against any bark, twigs, or brush was really doing damage to it. Another day and he would have been showing his bare ass.

“Neldam?” Lee asked.

“The settlement. It is called Neldam. It’s actually a small city. I lied about it being a settlement for security.” Ruven replied while checking his arrows.

Neia, having decided it was time to go, said, “Stay between us just like yesterday, watch closely, and only join after you yell at us. You do not want to randomly throw yourself into the fray. We will go after another Jackalope, but we may encounter something different so be prepared.”

Lee tried to put himself into the mental state required to seek danger willingly. It wasn't working too well as he followed after Neia. Shortly after leaving the clearing, he glanced around to make sure Ruven was behind him. He didn't spot him. Looking up, he saw Ruvan jumping quietly from tree to tree, not making a single sound. Reassured, he continued onwards.

After around thirty minutes, Neia slowed. Lee tensed, then tried to observe his surroundings for danger. After another few seconds, Neia slowly crept through the forest. Trying his best to be quiet, Lee followed along. In his mind, he was a giant beacon of noise stomping through the forest like he owned the place when in reality, he was actually doing fairly well.

Skill Gained!

Skill Name: Stealth.

Skill Description: Stealth is a skill that allows you to avoid detection and move silently more easily. The higher your Dexterity, the more powerful the effects.

Having never been happier to receive a skill, Lee continued following on, trying to be as quiet as possible.

A few minutes later Neia stilled and motioned him over. Lee, heart beating faster than ever, crept up alongside her. She pointed through a gap in the foliage showing Lee a large fat squirrel. Too scared to even use Identify, just in case he alerted the squirrel. He simply studied it. The squirrel was truly fat, easily considered morbidly obese, and about three times larger than an average squirrel on Earth. Its brown fur had rolls of fat underneath going along its ribs, and it almost seemed as if its long bushy tail, which was curved towards the end, had fat stores as well. It had two white strips going from its forehead all the way down its back, each turning to go down its two hind legs.

Neia, once she had waited a few moments, signaled Ruven. He disappeared among the trees. After thirty seconds, Lee heard a faint whistling sound, and as fast as the whistle came, it was gone. An arrow plunged itself directly into the side of the squirrel. Reacting to pain, the squirrel whirled around faster than its obese body would normally indicate and screeched a high-pitched scream.

While covering his ears, Lee continued to watch. Neia moved forward with one of her singular sickle-like swords, etched with plants and animals along its silvery blade. She seemed to glide forward as she attacked. She gracefully sliced down from behind on one of its hind legs, as if she was trying to hamstring it. She was very successful.

The blade carved through the squirrel like a hot knife through butter. Its right leg was slashed down to the bone, leaving a huge gash where all of the fat could be seen. Just as quickly as she came, she was gone. Like a dancer, she avoided the retaliation tail swipe by a mere inch. After retreating to safety, she looked towards Lee in askance.

Hell fucking no.

It was all that went through his mind. He began shaking his head back and forth.

Neia frowned but understood, turned, and then practically glided up to the squirrel, who was now facing her. She moved at a speed he could hardly follow with his eyes. The next moment, the squirrel's head was split in two.

Lee finally took a breath. He hadn't realized he was holding one, but apparently, he had been. While shaking slightly, he walked towards Neia. Ruven appeared from behind a tree from the other side of the small clearing.

“Would you like to loot it?” Neia asked while cleaning her blade along its fur.

Deciding that he would at least do something instead of standing there like a damsel in distress, he laid his hand upon it. He felt a sensation he never knew he could feel, almost like a small muscle never used. Using it, the corpse began to disappear. In its place, a small clay jar, the fur of its body, the fur of its tail, and 4 large steaks appeared on the ground.

Not having anything to store it with, he motioned towards Neia, then he paused. I am so dumb. “I have a way to store items. Would you like me to store these for later? Lee asked.

Ruven looked surprised, but Neia just nodded and gestured toward the pile of loot.

As he was about to activate the one ability he had never used, he remembered he had something else he could store. Checking his one gown pocket, he found a bunch of mushed berries. Great, I can't even use my own abilities wisely. The berries were ruined. He then realized another simple mistake. He never used Identify on the squirrel.

I am a liability…

He was quickly realizing how out of his depth he was. He used Identify on all the newly acquired items and his Jackalope fur.

Jar of squaller fat (Common): A simple clay jar filled with the fat from a squaller. Mostly used in cooking.

Squaller Fur (Common): A simple fur pelt from a squaller. Holds heat well.

Squaller Tail Fur (Uncommon): A small very fluffy pelt from a squaller. Unusually soft.

Squaller Steak (Common): Steak from a squaller, full of marbled fat. Used in cooking.

Mana Infused Jackalope Fur (Uncommon): A simple Jackalope fur pelt that has been infused with Mana. Useful for many things.

Mana infused? That must be special. Lee used his Hidden Cache ability, and before he even realized it, the items he wanted stored were gone. No flashes, no void black hole to suck in items, nothin---Instantly gone.

Shocked, he tried to use Hidden Cache once more to remove an item, and in his mind, he could see a representation of his 1x1x1 foot cube, already almost full. He thought about removing the Jackalope fur, and it was instantly in his hand. No air displacement, no sounds, and no visuals. Instantaneous.

Pretty rattled and emotionally done with the day, he turned to ask Neia or Ruven where they would have breakfast.