We take the almost familiar corridors and road to the training grounds. When we arrive there, everything seems to be set up the same as last time. Isn't this meant as training? Why don't they make it harder? I poke Ava's cheek again to get her attention and ask her.

"First of all," she replies as she brushes my claw away from her face, "stop doing that just to get my attention. You know how to do the poking with your mind, so do that."

She pushes her emotions at me. A slight edge of irritation, some amusement and deep down still that anger which never seems to fade. I've had a lot on my mind and kind of forgot I could do that.

"The training is more for the mages, honestly, so they learn about the capabilities and limitations of their familiars and to see if there is any improvement. Not all of them do as I do with you."

I think she refers to when she clobbered me with her staff. It was a lot of fun and I don't understand why others wouldn't do the same. Then again, some of the familiars are totally unsuitable for it.

Instead of going to the group of females, Ava is heading for the man I've learned to recognize as the dominant male in this part of the territory. She bows her head down, a proper sign of submission, and waits for his permission before speaking.

"Field Master, I ask for my familiar to be excused from the physical tests. He has been injured in his own realm and it does not pay for me to antagonize him needlessly by forcing him into this."

The man she called Field Master coughs for a moment. I am getting better at reading the faces and I suspect he is trying not to laugh. 

"Indeed," the man answers, "Don't 'needlessly' antagonize him. Very well, join your group and inform your attendant."

The way he stresses the word needlessly makes me suspect he knows about my issues on the first of these training days. Ava doesn't reply. Instead she heads off to the other females and briefly explains the situation to the male overseeing them.

The only thing left for me to do is the test with the puzzles. I wait for Ava to give me instructions to fail, but she just tells me to hurry up. Most of the things are simple to solve, especially since I remember them from last time, but one I can't figure out. I think I need to turn knobs to the correct place in the correct order to open five little doors. If I do the wrong order, some doors will open while others close. When all five are open, I can open the door the puzzle is in. After trying for a while I get frustrated and just insert my claws in an opening to keep it open. As I turn a knob, the force of the little door closing is still too strong, so I just rip it out. Behind me I can hear other females commenting on me to Ava.

"He improved so much, you must have trained him hard!", "Well done!" and other such remarks are directed at her.

I can hear her laugh softly. "Once you stop them from trying to solve everything with violence, they're not as stupid as you'd expect," is her reply. "Shame about the last puzzle, no?"

While I feel like I should be insulted, I can't deny that she has a good point. Now comes the hardest part. Instead of walking back, I'm to exaggerate my injury. I brace myself for the rush of emotions I know will come. My instinct tells me to hide my injury, pretend nothing is wrong. Injured beasts are weak, injured beasts are prey. Against the torrent of my instinct I repeat to myself one sentence. Learn to be weak. Learn to be weak. I need to learn to be weak.

The females seem to offer no threat, instead offering their sympathy to Ava for my injury, but I'm acutely aware of the looks the other familiars are giving me. As I reach the gaggle of females one reaches out to me with the words "Oh you poor thing, you look like you're in so much pain".

I don't need the short spike of anger from Ava to tell me what to do. Lashing out with a claw I slap at her hand. Ava stops me from cutting her flesh, but I follow it up with an angry hiss. I'm not to speak where others can overhear us, but this kind of language is universal. To my satisfaction the female almost falls over as she jerks herself back. Ava can touch me, and only her. Grudgingly I concede that the Field Master male would be allowed to touch me too, but not this weak female!

"I'm sorry Joanne, he's a bit skittish with strangers! He got a lot better, but it's still a demon," I hear Ava exclaim. Her concerned tone in sharp contrast with the anger I can sense from her. The event is forgotten as the next familiars take their tests and the group returns to talking about one another's favorites.

It's several boring hours later before the ordeal is over. I climb back on her shoulder with a little effort. As we make our way back to the building, a familiar smelling male stops us. I search my memory where I know the scent from, but to no avail. I think the male knows me too, since he looks at me with anger before addressing Ava.

"Sis, mind if I walk with you?"

I can feel a small tumble of emotions in Ava. There is some annoyance and anger, but some unfamiliar feelings too. If I had to name it, it would be some kind of attachment. A bit like how I like to have to small female imp around to groom me. So she likes him?

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Ava sighs before replying. "Yes Bertholf, you may accompany me to the doors of the dorm."

I think I've heard this Bertholf too, but it still doesn't connect.

"How have you been, Ava? Is everything still alright?" Bertholf asks, a little awkward.

"I'm fine, why do you ask? And please call me Avebella in public. Besides, you only call me Ava when you need something from me." Avebella's tone is colder than before.

Should I call her something else maybe? For now I decide to remain quiet, observing the interaction is more than interesting.

"I'll keep it short, sister. There is a rumor you acquired a large amount of still-berries?"

The male leaves the sentence there, but Ava doesn't reply. As the silent grows she finally responds with a simple "so?".

"well, those are commonly known for when a woman, you know, when she is, eh, expecting or, ah, when she doesn't want to be and, er, well, you know?" Bertholf is clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. "We have to be conscious of our positions."

To my amazement, Ava is surprised, very amused and very angry at the same time. I hadn't thought that possible. The surprise and amusement come out in laughter, but her expression quickly turns serious and her voice cold and hard.

"Even if I got them for that, it would be none of your business. Anyone who marries me will do so for status and wealth, not for my purity. It's also rich to hear that coming from you, how many did the last one make? Three or four, and that is just what you know of?" I hear her laugh again, louder this time. This close to my ear it's maybe a bit too loud and a soft hiss escapes me which draws the attention of the male Bertholf.

"The berries are for this one." Ava fumbles with a little pouch at her hip and brings one of the tasty berries up.

I had almost forgotten about them! Well, compared to the pill-bugs in the dungeon they're not great, but I'll take anything I can get. Ava pops the berry up in the air with a finger. It would be annoying if it fell on the ground and I'd have to climb down to get it. Tracking the trajectory, I whip out my tongue and try to catch it mid-air. I only succeed in hitting it further away. Before I can climb down, Ava holds up another of the berries for me to eat. I graciously accept her tribute.

"Gal, I don't think you have been properly introduced," Ava begins. "This man is my brother, Bertholf. Remember? He kicked at you when you were just summoned."

That explains why he smelled and sounded a bit familiar and where I heard his name before. Bertholf looks at me with wary eyes. Right now I wouldn't be able to challenge him, I feel, so his caution is undeserved. I would like another chance at shredding the offending leg without Ava interfering. Maybe some other time.

By now we have reached the big doors and part ways with Bertholf. Back in her room, I can finally ask Ava the questions I've been waiting to ask.

"Ava?" I draw her attention.

She ignores me, signalling for the maid that is not Ine. While she changes clothes she continues to ignore me, even when I poke her mentally. I stop when I feel her anger growing and when I receive a mental shove from her. Patiently I wait for her to pay me attention.

Avebella sits down on the chair that is next to the desk and finally looks at me. "Well?" she asks.

I don't really know how to phrase exactly what I want to ask, so I decide to keep it simple. I'm getting a handle on being weak, that leaves one thing. "How can I be stupid?"

Both females in the room stare at me for a moment before they start laughing. I don't think I've seen Ava laugh so much before, it's not unpleasant, but I'd prefer an answer. Just when Ava calms down, the giggling hiccups of the maid start her laughing again. It's starting to be a little irritating, but almost all the anger is now gone from the sensations I get from Ava which I think is a good thing.

When the two have finally calmed down Ava looks at me with a frown. "First of all, I want to know why you want to know this. If you try to pull one on me, I'll make you regret it."

I hesitate a moment. "I get too much attention. Back home," I reluctantly admit.

The frown disappears from Ava's face. "Asking strange questions like just now helps. It almost sounded like you wanted to know how you could be like my brother." She shares a look with the maid. "Which is what we were both thinking." They both start giggling again.

It takes a moment more for her to continue. "A question for you first, why do you call me Ava?"

"It's easier," is my answer.

Ava nods. "That is a good start. Avoid complicated things. If people tell you to do something, act like you don't understand them unless they say it in a simple and easy to understand way." A hint of a smile plays on her lips as she leans back in the chair. "Mess up your speech. You'd be surprised at how many people equal intelligence with being able to talk their language. If go you back to calling me Ara, people will assume you're not good enough to do better."

"Next, be amazed at everything." Ara sits up straight, tilts her head and puts her hands on her cheeks. "Oh my! Are you sure? That is so amazing! How did you do that!"

The voice she uses is not one I've heard from her before, but I may have heard something like that from one of the other females.

After a few more lessons on being stupid, Ara takes me out of the room and into the corridors.

"This is called carpet, this a tapestry, a bust, a landscape painting, a still life and this a portrait. The big painting is a group portrait. Are you listening, Gal?"

Why do humans have so many different words for useless things that are almost the same? I suspect that is not a question I should ask, so I ask something else instead. "Why do I need to know this?"

"Because if I tell you to wait for me in front of the bust of the founder in the main hall, you need to know what a bust is," is the answer.

There is no argument I can bring against that, but this is the most boring lesson I've ever had. We continue our journey through the corridors, occasionally meeting someone. All the time Ara points out new furniture or decorations I should be able to recognize. Arriving in the main hall, she also starts to name furniture from different kind of chairs, benches and tables to lights like a chandelier, a lamp or a candelabra. As useless as it is, I can think of worse ways to spend my time.

Dinner is in a large room somewhere in the building. I'm beginning to think I've not seen enough of the place yet, only small parts of the interior and exterior, and a desire to explore grips me. Unfortunately I have to sit through the humans eating without anything of my own to do or to eat. I can't be bothered to stare down any of the other familiars, I have much thinking to do.

My greatest joy comes at night. Ara tells me to go and explore, but only inside the building. She then adds to only enter the large rooms and corridors and not to open any doors on my own as the smaller rooms are 'private' rooms. I'm not entirely sure what the problem is, but whatever, I get to explore!