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Night found everyone seated at the tables. Younglings chattering and wondering at what enchantments their armour and weapons would hold. Chris sat with Grev at the edges of firelight. His mind was walking through thick memories of his father Jack and of a world left behind. Some days he still thought that it was all a fevered dream. Months spent here in this new life, training with Grev and Klain were too long and too real for a dream, but it didn't stop him from wishing.

"Your miles away, what's got you looking like a pup that's just had his tail stepped on?" Grev's voice pulled him back to the now.

Chris looked at his mentor and friend. "Memories" He said quietly and released a sigh.

Grev nodded and reached over to pat him on the leg. "If you're going to wander in your memories, try sticking to good ones then. As hard as that can be." Pain flashed through his green eyes.

Chris knew that the war had left Grev not only with scars on his body, but in his soul. Blood and death and heartache, the three horsemen who rode with war. Chris attempted a smile, but he knew it never reached his eyes.

"Aren't you wondering what enchantments you'll get?" Grev asked changing the subject. "Me and Klain spoke to the mages you know. Well, all the trainers gave their thoughts to them on their students to be fair."

"Not really, you've taught me to be patient. I can wait" Chris replied.

Grev laughed, "Taught you a little too well it would seem. You know, I'm proud of you, catching the mages out like that and with Snow too. Ha! Those six bookworms were in a right state of shock, you brought them down a good few pegs. The look on their faces must have been priceless."

"It was at that." Chris felt a warm glow of affection blossom in him, Grev was proud of him. He'd not had that with the Meeko, even Jack. He'd tried to teach his adopted son the art of blacksmithing, but it hadn't been long until they had both realised that he didn't have the aptitude for it.

Now in this strange new life he was the best tracker and stalker except for Grev himself. Grev, Snow, Klain even Skye were his friends and he was accepted as part of the pack. No longer a sore thumb sticking out between a people who had taken him in. In a way he had been orphaned twice he realised and the second time for the better perhaps. Even if it was for a war he knew little of and cared even less for. He would fight this war, if only to protect his new family and friends. The realisation had him reeling for a second.

"Their holding an archery tournament tomorrow, are you going to compete?" Grev rumbled quiestioningly. "You could show this lot up easily with all the training I've given you. You shoot better than all of them and you're not bad with a throwing knife now either."

Chris thought about it for a moment. It was true, he had gotten good with both bow and knife. No-one knew of it thought since he was usually in tutelage with Grev in the forest or with Klain, sometimes both. "No, I think I'll keep it our secret for now. I wouldn't want to steal anyone's thunder. I'm already the little shadow. I don't think I'd like to add any more nicknames."

Grev barked a small laugh. "You are at that, well then. It'll be our secret till you decide to show off."

Two days passed in training and the building excitement between the younglings. The discussed enchantments had become more and more outrageous. Everyone trying to outdo the last, much to the hilarity of all, it had become somewhat of a game. Now in the strong morning light the truth stood glittering before them. Dummies had been set up all over the field, covered in armour and sheathed weapons. If it weren't for the strict discipline that had been hammered into them everyone would by now be swarming over to find their new gear.

As it was names were called out one by one. Chris watched as Snow was guided to his set. He watched his friend get helped into a chainmail vest. Metallic bracers strapped onto his forearms and glinting metal gloves onto his paws. The craftsmanship was amazing. Every piece added onto him seemed almost a part of Snow. Chris watched his friend reverently strap a heavy Warhammer to his back and latching a one handed hammer to his belt along with a dagger and short sword. He watched as Snow reverently took the helmet from his assistants' hands and placed it on his head, his ears poked out through slits in the metal. The shining mask covered him form fittingly like a second metallic skin from muzzle to the back of his head, a veil of chainmail covering his neck.

There was a flash of light and black lines danced over the mask from the eyeholes, rivers of black waving in whorls and spirals and sharp ends over and down his chest, his arms and his legs.

Chris watched in awe, where his friend had stood now stood an armoured fierce Wolven stood, a warrior that would strike fear into anyone.

Chris heard his name called out and saw Klain awaiting him. He followed Klain as he led him to a stand near Snow. "This is yours, try it on" Klain said when Chris hesitated staring at the armoured dummy. Klain huffed in exasperation and loosened the ties on the bracers.

They were made of leather and as black as his fur. Chris felt them tingle against his skin when they were tied on. He felt each piece resonate with him as they were attached. He was a bit ruffled and embarrassment flared when he was asked to strip off his dusty trousers to put on the leather armoured pants, knowing full well that the pack would be making comments, especially the girls. He'd heard there whispers when Snow and others had had to do the same. Faced with little choice he did it as fast as he possibly could. Finally Klain handed him a black helm. Chris took it in shaking paws and placed it on his head, the leather felt cool against him and the smell of it's newness filled his nose. He felt the armour on him stir as if it were alive and writhing. He looked down in at himself, clothed in black leather.

"Well aren't you a sight, now then. Here's your weapons."

Klain handed him a bandolier with six throwing knives, Chris put it on laying it over his shoulder so it crossed his chest, the knife handles sticking out horizontally and easy to reach. He placed a dagger in the sheath on his belt and then hooked the bow over his other shoulder. Klain then handed him long broad cloth. "These are your real weapons, to fight with in the way I've trained you." A smile was spread across his face as he took Chris's paws and wound them tight. Klain helped him do the same with another set of the strange black cloth around his hind-paws.

He felt a vibration run through him and a humming filled his bones. The wrappings seemed to tighten and form a part of him, hugging his form. The leather armour shifted and moulded itself to him completely. He felt strangely complete, like missing parts of him had come home and naked as if he were standing there in just his fur.

Klain clapped him on the shoulder "Now then, since your all dressed. How about we go do some training?"

"Now concentrate, call one back to you. Not all of them mind or you'll have yourself stuck full of holes." Klain said "Just focus on one of them and then call out to it and don't you go asking me how. The magic should have showed you and written itself searing across your brain when they bonded to you."

Ah, so that's the problem Chris thought, The magic should have hardwired it's instructions to my brain, but you all don't know that it wouldn't work. Now here he was, trying to do something that he should know how already. His secret ability only known to a few, his small blessing was now also a bit of a curse.

Chris cleared his mind and focused on one of the six throwing knives stuck in the stump across the clearing. He called out in his mind Return, but nothing happened. He called out any and every instruction he could think of. Frustrated his emotions boiling he huffed an angry sigh. "I can't do it! It's not working and I don't know about any instructions to make it come to me. No magic told me how to do it!"

"Calm down, clear your mind again and relax like I taught you. Getting angry won't help. Now breathe and then try again." Klain said with a stony face.

Chris did as he was told and found his inner centre, let the anger sink into him. He focused again on one of the knives and reached out a paw to it. He let his need for it flow through him.

The knife juddered slightly. Ok, almost got it then he thought elatedly. So thinking at it isn't going to work, but it seems feeling at it will. Again he called out to it, rushing a feeling of need into the call and saturating it. Suddenly all six knives juddered and pulled out of the stump spinning through the air toward him. Quickly he flung himself from their path.

"I told you only one! Not all six!" Klain said between laughs. "Well then, you can practice on that later. Let's try out that bow of yours?"

Chris groaned inwardly, it had already taken most of the day throwing and staring at the knives to get them to come back. He said nothing and bent to pick them up and slotted them back into the bandolier. They were well made knives, perfectly balanced, but nothing fancy. He retrieved the bow from where he had leaned it against a tree along with a full quiver of arrows and lay down the bandolier. He marvelled at it for a moment. It was made from a dark wood, near on black, polished to a smooth finish. He felt as if he should be able to see the stars in it if he stared long enough.

"Any idea how this will work?" Chris asked hopefully.

"No, the bow was Grevs' suggestion along with the knives. He only told me that the knives would be enchanted to return to you. I don't have an idea about the bow." Klain said.

O just great Chris thought to himself as he knocked an arrow and took aim at the stump. Again he sought the centre in himself and the stump seamed to leap in his vision. He placed the arrow and the bow in the right position where he felt they were screaming out to be, then loosed.

The arrow whistled through the air and buried itself in the stump, no accompanying magic or flash.

He tried again and again until the quiver was near empty.

"I guess I'll have to let Grev have the pleasure of guiding you how to use that bow." Klain sighed.

Chris leaned the bow and quiver against a tree again.

"How about we see what my bindings can do?" Chris could hear the suppressed excitement in Klains voice. He'd been wondering when he'd find out what the strange cloth bindings wrapped around his paws were for and with unsuppressed excitement replied. "Yes!"