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A Big Advantage

The keep's corridors were a hive of activity as Samuel and Erik made their way down from his rooms and to the large training field set to the back of the castle. Rumor was it that a foreign dignitary was on their way from the large sand wastes to the east, but nothing had been said for certain. No one bothered the pair as they passed underneath the carefully woven banners of the main hall.

"What exactly is the plan, Samuel?" Erik asked, his hand on the hilt of his sword. They'd swung by the armory in preparation for the experiment.

"Simple. I'm gonna etch this bind rune onto myself, and we'll go at it. See what happens."

"'Go at it'? Why don't yah take me to the tavern for a few drinks first, ok otter?" Erik smirked.

Samuel stopped in the middle of the hallway, the parchment scroll he'd carried down from his room grasped in his paw. He could feel the heat of his blush rush across his face as the wolf continued past him, tail wagging contently.

"I- Uh-" The otter stuttered. He shook his head and continued on, rushing to catch up with the wolf before he drew out of sight. While the castle was for the most part plain and laid out in an easy to navigate grid, the back hallways were a network of twisting tunnels, false ends, doors that lead to looping passageways. Samuel had been astonished that the rather average sized keep had contained such a maze. Laura -a fellow apprentice learning to be a scribe- had spent nearly a month teaching him how to navigate, after he'd gotten lost in the backways early in his wardship.

Erik shot him a glance out the side of his eye as Samuel caught up. The otter held the stare, glaring back at those lime green orbs. There was just a depth to them that astonished Samuel. He shook his head again, focusing on the task at hand. He ran a mental checklist of the things he'd need to test the rune.

Ok, first things first. Shave the fur, clean the area. Apply the rune, pat dry with a cloth. Easy enough. He'd then need to wait a few minutes, to make sure his body didn't reject the power that was being forced into it. That happened sometimes, and the aftermath could be -messy...

It'd be fine, probably. He'd made the bind rune himself, he was applying it willingly, and he knew exactly what pure runes had been mixed into it. All things considered, there was very little chance of it going wrong.

The sun had risen high in the sky, burning away the gentle cloud cover they'd enjoyed earlier. Samuel groaned at this. It was much warmer down here, but sometimes he longed for the gray overcast skies of his home. That gentle snowfall that sometimes drifted down from above, even when the skies were clear and it was relatively warm outside.

He wondered if Erik missed it too. While the otter didn't know exactly where he was from, he knew it was somewhere to the north as well. He'd have to ask at some point. It seemed important for some reason.

The two of them walked to the side of the training field, where a tent had been set up over the prep area. A small table and a casket of water were set up just inside, with a ladle at the ready for any waiting trainers to use.

Samuel unrolled the parchment paper, using four small stones he'd brought down from his room to weigh down the corners. This wasn't a time sensitive process, but he needed to make sure he could see all of the page at once. It wasn't uncommon for him to need to review the runes just before applying, to make sure he got everything correct. A line in the wrong place -even a small dash- could upset the entire bind rune. It wouldn't warp the effect and twist him, no, but it would prevent it from working as effectively.

"So, what first?" Erik asked, leaning against one of the tent poles. "Are you going to apply it to yourself, or me?"

Samuel laughed. "Apply it to you? It's a brand-new rune, I don't want to hurt you. Better that I do it to myself. I know how to deal with the after effects if it backfires."

"After effects? Backfires? Samuel, is this safe?" The wolf asked, his voice wavering with concern. The otter was touched by his concern, but he was certain nothing too bad would happen. And if it did- Well, he'd be fine. Probably.

"It's safe, I'm certain of it." He lied. "Besides, I won't draw it too large, and it's only temporary. It's not like I'm tattooing it onto myself."

Erik rubbed his chin like he was considering something. "Samuel, I have a question."

"Ask away." The otter responded, reaching inside the small pouch he'd brought down with him. He pulled out a small razor, then used the ladle to pour water over his arm.

"Bind runes can go on as tattoos, and once the fur grows back it's hard to see them, right?"

"Most of the time, yes. Though if it's particularly big the fur sometimes won't grow back over where the rune is inked. Why?"

Erik hummed, considering this. "Do you have any?"

Samuel shook his head as he rubbed the water into his fur. He needed to wash away the oils before shaving the small patch on his left forearm where he planned to put the rune. "No, I don't. Not yet at least, and probably never."

He wiped the razor on his shirt, and slowly drew it across a small section of his arm. The thick dense furs fell to the ground, mixing with the mud that had formed from where he'd poured the water.

"Why not? To be able to have a secret weapon that no one can see, it's a big advantage."

The otter laughed. "I'm a scholar Erik, I don't need secret weapons. Besides, having permanent bind runes tattooed onto your skin can drain you, make you feel exhausted if they're not applied properly. It's not a matter of just slapping them on and calling it a day. You need to make sure they're in the right place, and have other bind runes to support them. It's not something you just do lightly."

"So what you're saying is you can't just put a bunch of runes on me and make me be able to fly like an Avalumn?" The wolf chuckled lightly.

Samuel smiled and shook his head. "No, no I could not. I don't know of any bind runes that could make you fly regardless."

He put the razor down and brushed the excess fur off his arm. Glancing over at the paper one more time to make sure he had it memorized, he pulled the small brush and pot of ink from the pouch. With a quick twist of his wrist, he pulled the lid off the ink and dipped the brush in.

Careful to not spread any excess ink around, Samuel put the fine tipped brush to his bare forearm and began to draw in thick, bold lines. He glanced at the paper frequently to check that he had the rune finished. Within a few seconds -barely 20, though it seemed like much longer- the application was finished.

"Pass me the cloth, please." Samuel asked, gesturing to the ink-stained piece of fabric poking from the pouch. Erik took the brush from the otter's paw and swapped it out with the cloth.

Samuel dabbed carefully at rune, taking caution not to smudge the ink. He needed it dry, but blotchy lines would ruin it just as effectively as misshapen ones. He smiled, blowing on it carefully a few times.

"There, all done." He grinned.

Erik leant in and took a look at the otter's exposed forearm. The rune sat there, just a few dark lines against his freshly shaven flesh. "It doesn't look very different. How do you feel?"

Samuel flexed his forearm. The runes that went into the bind rune were supposed to enhance his strength, reflexes, and agility. He didn't feel any stronger as he bounced back and forth from footpaw to footpaw. "Not really?" He said, explaining what the rune was meant to do.

The wolf nodded thoughtfully, then shot out a fist towards the otter's gut. The clenched fist seemed to ripple the air as it rushed towards him. Samuel leaped back with a squeak, bumping into the table as he evaded the hit.

Erik let out a laugh, deep and full of mirth. "Not bad, not bad. Was that what was supposed to happen?"

The otter recovered, stalking towards the wolf. The sudden attack had startled him, but he'd fended it off well enough. "I- I think so? My reflexes do seem a little faster."

Erik lowered his eyes, and grinned at Samuel. "Well in that case-" He said lightly, pulling his sword from his scabbard with one paw, reaching for the rack of blades behind him with the other "-lets try this out." The wolf tossed a shortsword to Samuel.

The wolf lunged forward in an overhand strike, forcing Samuel out into the training field behind him. Samuel caught the sword, and spun to the side, rapidly avoiding the powerful blow. The otter could feel the rune on his forearm grow warm; activated by his sudden movements.

It was time to test something else out.

Erik completed his strike and backed away, raising his guard. Samuel smiled at the opportunity. He dashed forward and swung at the wolf's raised longsword. The blow connected with a sharp swing, and Samuel could feel Erik buckle slightly at the blow. It was working! Though he could feel the rune heating up rapidly as the skin beneath his arm fur began to warm.

That was the thing about certain bind runes, when applied to objects. They drew power from what they were applied to, and unless paired with an energy rune, could rapidly burn themselves up. It usually didn't hurt the user, but it could leave first or second degree burns on and around the area the runes were applied.

Samuel immediately pulled back from the strike, spinning around in a wide circle to hit Erik's other side. He could feel the impact ripple through his arms and body, but he wasn't numbed like usual. That feeling of power. Of speed, agility, and grace; it was exhilarating. Samuel knew he couldn't feel like this all the time, but he could at least enjoy the feeling while it lasted.

Erik blocked one more blow, then pulled back again. With a pant, he nodded towards Samuel, dashing forward again. A series of quick and light blows followed. He was focusing on speed, not strength. The light from the sun caught his blade as it darted around, forcing Samuel to keep his guard up at all times. He's not holding back, is he?

With a kick of dust, the wolf backed off, circling to the side. Samuel stayed rooted in place, turning slowly to watch for the next attack. When it never came, he started advancing himself, spinning the sword in slow, careful arcs.

"Getting cocky now, are we?" Erik shouted.

Samuel dashed forward, his legs moving faster than they'd ever before. He wasn't going to win a race against anyone any time soon, but it thrilled the otter to be moving at this speed on land for once. He leapt at Erik, bringing his sword down in an overhead arc.

The rune on his forearm burned intensely for a moment, then died out.

The otter's sword connected weakly with Erik's raised defense, sending a jolt of pain through his weakened body. No, not weakened, just no longer enhanced by the bind rune. Samuel was thrown to the ground as Erik pushed back, pressing forward towards him.

"Samuel? Samuel!" Erik shouted. He threw his longsword to the side as he rushed towards the otter. "Are you ok? Talk to me?"

Samuel's head was spinning. The strength and speed he'd so relished before had fled him as quickly as morning dew on a hot summer's day. Everything seemed dull and deafened as he grabbed the back of his head. Had he always been this slow? This clumsy?

Strong arms reached behind him, pulling him to his feet. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" Erik said over and over again.

The otter coughed a bit as his vision began to clear and return to normal. Slowly, he was starting to feel more like himself. "Erik, I'm fine. Just a little stunned."

The pair limped over to the barrel and ladle. Despite Samuel's protests that he could walk just fine, Erik kept tight hold of the otter's shoulders. It was comforting -in a strange way- to have someone care for him this strongly.

Samuel sighed. A few minutes and several ladles full of cold water, and he was starting to feel much better; though that weakened feeling in his muscles still remained.

It's probably just a synergistic reaction. He thought, staring out at the field where they'd been fighting just a few minutes before. The intensity of the rune, plus the combat. Yeah, that's it.

"How are you feeling?" Erik asked, sticking close to his side. "Do you need another drink?"

"I'm fine, but thank you. I'm just sore, really."

Erik held out his paw. "Come on, let's get you back to your rooms."

Samuel took it, letting the wolf's strong arm pull him to his feet. He stood shakily for a moment, till Erik put his arm underneath his shoulders. The wolf had to slouch down to reach him, even though Samuel was taller than most otters.

Can't look weak, can't look weak. Samuel panickedly thought for a moment. The feeling passed however, and he realized exactly how tired he was. There was no way he was going to make it up two flights of stairs, and through the labyrinth that was the keep on his own. Better to have a friend do it, at least.

Just a friend? That same little voice in the back of his head said.

Samuel ignored it, letting Erik help him towards the door back into the keep.

"Wait-" Samuel panted. "Let's stick to the side hallways, I don't want people to see me like this."

Erik paused, staring down at the otter with a look of confusion for just a moment. "Ok, ok, I get it. Let's go."

The pair worked their way through the back corridors, taking hidden staircases only used by servants most of the time. On several occasions, Samuel had to summon balls of light to guide their path, as the torches that lit the main halls and corridors of the keep hadn't been ignited in these out of the way passages.

Eventually, the sight of the plain wooden door that led to Samuel's chambers greeted them like an old friend. He fished the key out of his pocket, and the two of them stumbled inside.

"There we go." Erik said gently, lowering Samuel onto one of the chains. "Are you ok? I can get a bath, or some food-"

Samuel waved his paw, cutting the wolf off. "I'm fine, I swear." He said, putting a paw to his forehead.

Erik leaned in close, looking at the otter. "Did you hit your head? Are you-"

Samuel stared at the wolf just in front of him. Erik was close enough that he could smell him, the scent of dirt, and sweat, with just an underlying hint of moss, and pine. And his muzzle- So close, just right there...

Samuel leaned in and kissed the wolf.