Chapter 10: Ryutai’s Training and Rohan’s Rage

Story by Foxfyre on SoFurry

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#10 of Rohan's Journey


Chapter 10 has arrived, and a new problem awaits. Comment and critic as you please. Don't really have much to say, although if you pay close attention to the time that's passed then you might catch something interesting. Anyway, here it is.

Rohan awoke to Kitara kissing him deeply. After a few moments, Rohan carefully slid Kitara off his chest and stood up, tail wagging slowly back and forth.

"I think that's how you should wake me up from now on Kit." Rohan said.

"Good, so do I." said Kitara, smiling sweetly. Rohan smiled back and went to go find something for breakfast, returning soon after he left.

After a quick breakfast, Ryutai's resonating voice echoed from the back of the cave, "Rohan, we're going to start your training with combinations of elements today." Rohan groaned; his tail stopped wagging and drooped a little as he dreaded the coming weeks of Ryutai's intense training.

"Well, let's get started then." Rohan said, leaving Kitara and Raistlin to their intent observations, both eager to see what he could do.

"Since you're most familiar with it, we'll start with combinations that involve Fire." Ryutai said, "Since it's easier you'll try to make a Fire Whirlwind. Let's see what you can do." A little whirlwind popped up; it was a Fire Whirlwind. Ryutai eyes widened, genuinely surprised that Rohan did it on his first try.

"That was impressive, but let's see how you do on a bolt of Lightning; I'll give you a hint though, use a vacuum." Ryutai said, having trouble hiding the surprise from his voice. Rohan again succeeded on his first try, the thunderclap resonating throughout the came. This time Raistlin, Ryutai, and Kitara's jaws all dropped, Raistlin and Kitara blinking rapidly at the unexpected and extremely bright flash of light. They moved on quickly from there, moving from making dense, rolling Fogs, to the beginning tremors of an Earthquake. Rohan completed almost every task on the first time he tried, although everyone stopped being as surprised after the Lighting.

Rohan completed all of this before it was time for lunch, but he paid a price, he was utterly exhausted and Kitara had to go find the food. Rohan fell into an exhausted sleep almost before he finished, and Kitara gently lay him down.

"He's done for today." Ryutai said, "Actually, he just finished all the rest of the training I had. There is only one more thing he must know, but I'll leave that for tomorrow. He'll probably sleep the rest of the day, so you should find something to do." Kitara just nodded, she was sitting cross-legged with Rohan's head in her lap, gently stroking his muzzle.

"I think I'll just stay here and keep him company." she said.

"As you wish, you're his mate after all." Ryutai said.

Rohan awoke the next morning with a splitting headache, Kitara and him went to the stream he just lay there for a while and let the cool water run over him. When they arrived back at the cave, Rohan felt much better, but was dreading what Ryutai had planned for him today.

"Rohan," said Ryutai, "You finished your training yesterday, so relax." Rohan sighed in relief, plopping to the ground gratefully.

"So what should I do now?" asked Rohan.

"That's something you need to discuss with your mate." Ryutai replied, "I need to tell you one thing before you go."

"What is it?" Rohan asked.

"While I know you don't have a problem with I have to tell you; if you ever lose control of your anger the results will not be pleasant, you may lose control of your power temporarily or it may be something else entirely. I'm not sure exactly what will happen, but I'm sure it won't be good."

"I don't think that'll be too much of a problem." Rohan said.

"It doesn't matter whether you think so or not, I still had to tell you." said Ryutai. Rohan nodded and turned to Kitara.

"Where should we go?" he asked. "Let's go back to my cave, it's a good spot." Kitara suggested.

"Okay," said Rohan, "But let's go to Krynn's cave first. Krynn has great advice, and I think we could use some."

"Fine with me." Kitara said with a shrug.

"I'll lead the way then." Raistlin said, stepping up behind them, making them both jump a little.

"Don't forget your packs." said Ryutai, pointing with a claw to the long-forgotten knapsacks by the cave wall.

"Wow." said Rohan, "I totally forgot about them. I wonder if our armor's okay."

"It's fine, kept all the Water away from it." Ryutai said.

"Thanks Ryutai." Kitara said.

"You're welcome." Ryutai said.

"When should we leave then?" asked Kitara.

"If we leave now, we'll make it back by the beginning of autumn." Raistlin said.

"Well, let's go then." said Rohan, picking up his and Kitara's knapsacks. Kitara took hers and they left The Dragon's Maw behind.

They traveled for almost a month, falling into their old pattern. Raistlin would lead the way; they would stop at nightfall and make camp. They would wake up the next morning and start the cycle again. They arrived at Kitara's cave at nightfall and made their camp there. They stayed there for a couple of nights, taking a well-needed rest. Kitara went hunting that night, as she was sitting, waiting for something to come by. Rohan was following Kitara's trail, wanting to surprise her with what he had caught. Rohan heard dogs barking; then he heard a scream, Kitara's scream. He dropped the deer and leaped into the trees, jumping from tree to tree in a blur of silver fur. He reached Kitara; he saw that she had an arrow sticking from her shoulder. Kitara looked up at Rohan, she had never seen him look like that, his eyes were always kind, no matter what his face showed; but now, his eyes were different. They had no kindness, they held only anger. Rohan burst into silver Fire; he looked towards the still-barking dogs and jumped from the tree. He ran to the dogs, and told them to shut up with a growl; they immediately stopped and ran away with their tails between their legs. Rohan raised his nose and sniffed the wind, he smelled beeswax, and following it he quickly overtook a man with a bow. Rohan slammed the man to the ground, the man didn't get up. Rohan's anger hadn't subsided though, he ran after the smell of the dogs. He arrived at the nearby village he howled out his anger, the sky lit up with Lightning, and the ground began to shake. Lightning struck every house in the village at the same time, causing everything to catch fire. The shaking increased, and buildings began to come apart. The fire that was spreading was now silver, and soon consumed every house. He just stood there, staring at the village that was slowly turning into a massive Fire Whirlwind, he heard screams of the dying before they were lost in the roar of the wind and the flames. It grew larger and larger; soon the village was reduced to nothing but ash. Rohan ran back to Kitara, who was now unconscious, and carried her to her cave; when there he set her down gently and collapsed beside her.

Rohan awoke at noon, and immediately sat up. He found that Raistlin was nudging him.

"Rohan, you must do something for Kitara, I can't do anything else." he said, looking worried. Rohan looked at her, the arrow was still in her shoulder, but the fur wasn't covered in blood so he figured Raistlin had done what he could.

Rohan gingerly pulled on the arrow and it moved a little, 'Shit, it's barbed.' he thought. Rohan conjured some Water from the air; he cooled it down and kept it around her wound. After a couple of minutes and he figured it was numbed a little, he quickly pulled the arrow out, causing Kitara to gasp even though she wasn't awake. The blood flowed anew, but Rohan used his training with Ryutai to stop it, just like he would with Water. Kitara sank back into a deeper sleep, and Rohan fell back into a sleep of his own, now that Kitara was taken care of. Raistlin lay down at the entrance, keeping guard, wondering what Rohan had done to make himself so tired.

Rohan was woken up by Raistlin at noon again; Raistlin had gathered some food for them. Rohan didn't care that it was raw; he ate it anyway, leaving his muzzle blood-stained. Rohan checked on Kitara, she was sleeping fitfully and but she didn't have infection or a fever, thanks to being a demon. Had she been human she probably would be very sick or maybe dead, as it was she would just sleep for a few days, she wouldn't even have a scar; demons were extremely hard to kill if allowed to get away. Rohan kept a close watch on her, making sure she was comfortable whenever he was awake.

Kitara woke up on the third day; Rohan had a bowl of water and a hunk of deer waiting. She quickly made them disappear, when she finished Rohan pulled her into a kiss, not stopping for a few minutes.

"Wow." said Kitara when it ended.

"We'll leave tomorrow if you think you're up to it." Rohan said.

"I'll be fine in the morning." she said. They spent the rest of day quietly, Kitara was in Rohan's arms, usually asleep, when she wasn't she would talk quietly with him.

The next day Raistlin roused them both at dawn; they quickly got their packs and left. At midday they passed the village, or what was left of it. They all stopped and stared. The village was gone, almost the only thing left was blackened ground; not even the grass was left. They walked through the village, the only building they could identify was the blacksmith's, which was because only his furnace had survived the fire, although it had cracked and fallen from the quake.

"What did you do?!" Kitara said spinning to face Rohan.

"I...I don't know." Rohan said, his face ashen. (No pun intended)

"What do you mean you don't know?!!" yelled Kitara.

"I don't remember doing this." said Rohan like a small child being scolded, "I know it had to be me, but I don't remember it." Kitara just glared at him.

"Can we please leave? I don't like it here." Rohan said uncomfortably. They left, but Kitara wasn't going to talk to him, and he knew it.

They traveled another week, Rohan as a human, and Kitara and Raistlin as wolves, following him beside the trail, through the marshes. They reached the next village after another week, staying outside it and all of them camping as wolves. Kitara was still mad at Rohan but they were talking at least. They slept next to each other that night, something they hadn't done for some time. They passed a large group of men outside the village the next day; Rohan changed into a human and walked up to them.

"Where are you going with so many people and all those weapons?" Rohan asked to what he guessed to be the leader, since he was the only one without anyone marching beside him.

"We're going to kill a demon." the man replied.

"A demon? Where?" asked Rohan concernedly.

"Up near the Dragon's Teeth." the man said, "A man and his son were out hunting when the village was attacked, they're the only survivors. They said that a when they were almost to the village when it happened. They heard a blood-curdling howl, the sky lit up with lightning and the ground began to shake. The village began to burn in a silver fire, obviously the work of a demon. They said that after the fires started the ground began to shake more and the fires began to swirl. Apparently, the whole village became a swirling tornado of fire. We're going to find that demon that annihilated the village and kill it."

"Good luck." said Rohan, "I hope you find that demon."

"Right, let's go!" the man said to his men, and they resumed their marching. Rohan rejoined Kitara and Raistlin and they continued on.

By the time they had arrived at Krynn's cave Kitara was back to her normal self, mostly, she and Rohan both still avoided the subject of the village. Rohan and Kitara entered the cave and were swarmed by the young wolves that had once been cubs; Raistlin neatly avoided them and went to greet the other wolves. Rohan and Kitara played with them for awhile but Krynn arrived and they stopped.

"Well Rohan, in a few months you seem to have gotten a mate." Krynn said.

"Yes, this is Kitara." Rohan said, introducing her.

"Kitara, a beautiful name for a beautiful wolf." said Krynn.

"Krynn, can I talk to you?" asked Rohan.

"Of course, but wouldn't you like somewhere a little more...private?" Krynn asked.

"Yeah, we need that for sure." Rohan replied.

"Then come with me." Krynn said.

End of Chapter 10. Uh-oh, how's this going to work out? Will it work out? I won't tell. *evil laughter*