Lion's Heart - Ch 2
Lion's Heart
Note: Please let me know if this chapter is inappropriately marked clean. It's kinda difficult to determine. As such, there's not an explicit description of Lek'nor reacting in the beginning.
Chapter 2
As Lek'nor drifted to sleepy awareness, he purred quietly, as the first scent that hit his nose was arousal. He buried his face into the person next to him, and inhaled deeply, feeling his loins stir. He started to grind against the warm flesh, then a familiar scent filtered through his waking mind - his son.
He froze, and held his breath, waiting for Tobias to react. Lek'nor let out a light exhale when Tobias moved forward, still lightly snoring. He then shifed his bulk backwards, feeling his face flush with mortification. How could I do that... My own son? To his dismay, he found he was painfully stretching the fabric of his trousers. He growled under his breath, realizing it'd been almost a week since he'd sought any relief. He sidled out of bed as quietly as possible, and went outside to the back of the house with thick hedges surrounding their private field.
A short while later, he entered the bedroom, still sweaty from his exertions, and studied Tobias as he slept. He was privately glad that his son hadn't noticed his actions earlier. That was the last thing he wanted -- for Tobias to know he preferred males as bed-mates. He rubbed his face, then something occurred to him... What made me react to him like that? Was he dreaming of someone he likes? I haven't seen him courting any females in the village -- he nearly has no friends, yet he's very sociable with most of the young cubs. Is he truly interested in the females? I should ask him.
Lek'nor sighed, and found a clean rag and started wiping the sweat off the front of his pelt. He glanced at his son, and frowned. ... I may have to arrange a marriage for him if he hasn't found a love in two years... He wiped his neck under his beard and long hair, then tossed the rag into the soiled laundry pile.
A selfish thought filtered through Lek'nor's mind: Would it be so terrible if we never found any clues about Tobe's parents? That way I'd still remain his Father... He snarled soundlessly at nothing in particular, as he clenched his fists in sudden anger. No! He has the right to find out about them. I can't be selfish, but.. I want to be. He looked down at his cub - all grown up, but in his eyes, still a small boy of 8.
He shook his head, clearing that image, as Tobias suddenly turned around, and started stirring. The lion crawled onto the bed and laid down by him. He touched Tobias' hair, smoothing it away from the boy's eyes, then smiled as his cub awoke with a slightly confused and groggy expression.
Tobias spoke softly, with questioning eyes. "Father?"
Lek'nor shook his head slightly, trying to keep his face composed with a small smile. "It's nothing. I decided to let you sleep in." He turned around and sat up at the edge of the bed, and exhaled slowly. "We should get some food inside us before we leave, wash up, then prepare."
Tobias yawned, then rubbed his eyes. "Yeah." He rolled upright, and stretched.
Lek'nor glanced at his son, shook his mane and chuckled. "I'll find us some fruit."
* * *
It was early afternoon before they were almost ready to leave. Beron had come over, and given Tobias a small dagger to take with him, with his blessing. Beron stared longingly at Lek'nor, while the lion was packing his gear, then shook his head a bit before anyone noticed, and left. Ten minutes later, Tobias was stuffing a shirt into his pack, when he heard a light knock on the door.
Lek'nor flicked a glance up at the door from the table, while gathering up several maps of the region, then rolling them up and putting them into a large map case. "Would you mind getting that, Tobe?"
Tobe sighed. "Yes, Father." I wonder who it is this time? He left his open pack on the chair and went to open the door, then stepped back in slight surprise at their visitor. He stepped aside, to let the Wolfkin representative, Chi'lah, enter.
Chi'lah's muzzle split into a smile at Tobias, then he strode into the main eating area, carrying a small wooden chest.
Tobias trailed behind the elderly Wolfkin, with a mystified expression.
Lek'nor glanced up, then spoke curiously. "What tidings bring you to our dwelling?"
Chi'lah walked up to the table, and set a small chest down. It was a chest for keeping a few token trinkets in, with a red painted trim around the edges. He rested his hand lightly on it then glanced at both Tobias and Lek'nor. "This. When I was informed yesterday on your plans for a trip, I felt it was necessary to create these - " He opened the lid, and withdrew two wooden pendants. Holding one out to Tobias, and to Lek'nor, he spoke quietly. "These will provide a measure of protection from magical attacks, should you run into any."
Lek'nor blinked in surprise, and inclined his head in a half-bow. "Thank you. I'll be honored to wear your gift." He took the pendant from the Wolfkin Magus, and slipped it around his neck.
Tobias nodded. "Thank you. I hope we don't need them."
Chi'lah looked expectant as he brought the pendant closer to Tobias, as if waiting for something.
Tobias reached out his hand and touched the pendant's round medallion with his fingertips -
And a soft flare of blue light surrounded the medallion, thus confirming Chi'lah's suspicions.
It startled Tobias into almost dropping the pendant, and then he caught it in his palms. The soft blue glow faded as if it'd never been there.
Lek'nor stepped forward, with a stormy expression. "Explain yourself, Chi'lah! Or I'll..."
Tobias stared at the medallion with a bewilderment.
Chi'lah raised his paws as a sign of surrender, then tried to explain. "I believe that Tobias has a nascent Gift, but there never seemed to be a reason to confirm it - until now. A vision came to me several weeks ago, and it was covered in murkiness except that Tobias was wielding a light spell."
Tobias blinked and snapped his gaze up at the Elder Wolfkin. "What? Me?"
Lek'nor frowned, and stepped closer to his son, then resting his hand on his son's shoulder. "Are you sure?"
The Wolfkin Magus nodded once, and reached inside the chest for a piece of parchment. "To confirm it, Tobias only needs to read and speak this phrase."
Tobias felt nervous. Magic? Me? It can't be. I never thought I could do anything like that. His throat was dry, and he swallowed audibly. His voice caught, then his eyes became cloudy. "Do I have to?"
Chi'lah glanced at him with slight sadness in his eyes, then spoke steadily. "No. You do not. It is a choice. Your talent may very well remain passive and nascent. Enough for you to benefit from simple magics from your amulet, or any magical item you possess." He paused, then continued on, holding the parchment in his hand. "This merely is a spell to summon a wisp of light to you - intended for any beginner apprentice to learn. It will show you the way through dark areas."
Lek'nor squeezed Tobias' shoulder. "It is up to you, son." He was privately at ill-ease, having second thoughts about letting his son try it, but squelched it by putting up a neutral face. As much as I'd keep him from learning Mystik arts, it is up to him. He is an adult, after all...
Tobias looked at his medallion, and then up at Chi'lah. He took a deep breath before speaking. "What would happen if I didn't?"
Chi'lah shrugged. "Who is to say? It is safer to train a Gift, than it is to let it linger, and potentially go rogue. I do not say this to coerce you - far from it. I wish to see your Gift nurtured, but as your Father says - it is your choice." He held the parchment toward Tobias, and spoke again. "This will not make you a fully realized Magus -- only confirm what the spell embedded inside the medallion aligned with your Gift, so you may draw upon it's full effect."
Tobias was quiet, and glanced at his medallion, then put it on without another word. A dim sensation of thrumming spread through his mind, and settled over him. Huh...Me, a magus? Maybe it wouldn't hurt to learn a few things... He spoke with a light sigh after a short bout of silence. "I'll try my best."
Chi'lah nodded, then handed it over to Tobias with an additional remark. "Oh, yes. Hold your left hand out as if you're holding something in your palm. Then try incanting."
Tobias held the parchment in front of him in his right hand, and held his left out as instructed. It felt almost ridiculous, as if he were posing for someone's amusement, but he shoved that aside and focused on the parchment. To his surprise, the words were easy to read, even if he couldn't understand what the words actually meant.
He slowly sounded out the words, and felt a thrum start to stir at the back of his mind, then hesitated halfway through. Tobias closed his eyes, and shook his head, feeling slightly unsettled. Is that how magic feels? Should I finish it, or wait?
Lek'nor leaned forward and spoke quietly. "Tobe? Are you unwell?" When his son didn't reply, he glared at Chi'lah for a second, and growled softly. "What's wrong with him? Is now really the time for him to do this?"
The elderly Wolfkin raised his paw and spoke reassuringly. "Lek'nor, Please relax. Tobias is fine - it's his Gift that's stirring in his mind - It can unsettle most people during their first time."
Lek'nor bared his teeth at Chi'lah, then forced himself to let go of his son, and step backwards. "If anything goes wrong..."
Chi'lah nodded sagely. "I know how you feel. I have a den of children too."
Lek'nor grumbled, his eyes still flashing with protectiveness at his son, and then nodded.
Tobias blinked, hearing all this, and looked at his Father. "Please, don't worry. It just caught me off guard." He frowned at the Magus, and waved the parchment slightly. "So, that feeling is normal?"
Chi'lah nodded once. "Yes. All Magi feel this ... humming... at the back of their head when they start drawing on the Gift, and it's something that we all become accustomed to."
Tobias took a deep breath, then spoke the words again, from the beginning holding his left hand out in a cupping position. The thrumming grew again, as he reached the end of the spell, then he felt his perception twist and blur into a new shape, then snap back to normal.
He heard his Father gasp in slight wonder, and glanced at his left hand, then opened his mouth in an "o". He held a golden yellow spherical flame in his palm - barely touching his skin, yet giving off no warmth. He raised his hand, watching in fascination as the sphere of light followed his hand without winking out or burning his hand.
After a few fun minutes of playing with the light, Tobias sighed and looked at Chi'lah with a raised eyebrow. "...So...How do you get rid of this light?" He held out the light sphere toward the Wolfkin Magus.
Chi'lah chuckled and spoke one word, "Dulah."
Tobias blinked as the light vanished, as if it'd never been there. He flexed his hand in slight wonderment, puzzled as to why he was so nervous. Magic doesn't seem altogether that bad.
The Wolfkin Magus spoke again, returning to his trinket box. "Keep that parchment - Consider it a gift from me to you to serve you well on your travels. If you are still interested in being an apprentice, I'll take you on." He reached inside the box, and drew out another scrolled up piece of parchment. He stepped back toward Tobias with seriousness in his eyes, and held it out just out of reach. "This, however, is more valuable."
Lek'nor frowned as his mind struggled to process the rapid inflow of information. Apprentice? A valuable spell?
Tobias had rolled up the parchment a second ago, and stared at the second one with mixed curiosity and trepidtation. "...What is it?"
Chi'lah spoke earnestly. "It's a spell to heal injury. Minor injuries, at least. I would appreciate if you return it to me when you complete your trip."
Lek'nor knitted his brows together in confusion at the implication. "This should be a safe journey. I don't anticipate us running into anything we can't handle..."
The Magus nodded at the Lionkin. "it can't hurt to be prepared. And I believe Tobias will be able to use it - he just needs the right mindset for weaving his Gift into this spell."
Tobias stared at the Wolfkin. "What mindset?"
Chi'lah shook his head. "It is difficult to explain. Heart is the key. Not just your Gift. And now I must take my leave. I wish you luck on finding information, Tobias. Lek'nor." He handed the scroll to Tobias, who took it without another word. The Wolfkin went back to his trinket chest, closed it, and then strode past Tobias and left.
Tobias' head was spinning slightly with the new information, and he looked at the two scrolls in his hand, then at his Father.
He couldn't read his Father's expression. Tobias watched him turn back to his maps silently. I guess he's not happy about me being able to do this. I wonder why? He went to his pack, and stashed the scrolls in it.
Lek'nor shoved the maps into a leather-covered map case, muttering quietly, and then took a deep breath. "That's everything, I think."
Both of them were at the town limits within ten minutes.
Tobias scritched his stubbly chin, and took one last look behind him, trying to memorize the place.
Lek'nor paused, glancing at him. His eyes softened at the wistful expression Tobias wore. "This will always be your home, no matter what we find. Come on, son. Let's get started. We've taken too long today, as it is."
Tobias appeared not to be listening, then exhaled lightly. He smiled at his Father, then nodded.
Both exited their village, and headed south.
[TBC]