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Leafblade

By: Isaac Coyote

Chapter 5: To Carry the Blade

The warmth of another body confused Tarin when he first woke up that morning. He pressed against it harder, welcoming the comfort it presented. "Rayac..."

"Not last I checked."

Tarin woke up with a start. He found himself staring at someone that wasn't Rayac. It took him a moment to remember his name was Valaren. "Must have been a dream." He lied.

"It must have been a nice dream." Valaren responded, standing up. "It sounds as if the rain is still falling. At least we will have time to enjoy breakfast."

It didn't take long for Valaren to get a fire started and begin cooking. Tarin watched in awe and amazement as Valaren worked. He was very confident in his actions, no movement wasted or over-done. Every single movement had a purpose.

Tarin could not identify the meat that Valaren was cooking, nor could he recall where Valaren had pulled it from. The longer it cooked however, the better it smelled. It smelled strongly of venison, but there was another scent present that confused his nose. It took him a moment to place it, and even then he wasn't sure, but it smelled like Lady Aunair's garden, specifically the far corner where she grew 'spices.' Tarin never knew what she meant by that, but he loved the smell of that corner, and it was making him hungry remembering it.

Valaren held out a small piece of the meat towards Tarin, but just out of his reach. "Can I trust you to let it cool before diving muzzle-first into another burnt tongue?"

Tarin was definitely hungry, and he wanted to just take the meat and start eating it. He, however, was nowhere near as hungry as he had been last night, so he could exercise restraint. "I will wait." He replied after a moment's pause.

Valaren handed the meat over, taking a chunk for himself. "How are you feeling this morning? Do you feel up to travel?"

"I feel fine," Tarin replied too quickly.

"Be honest, pup." Valaren said warningly.

Tarin hesitated. He didn't feel that bad, but he didn't feel fine like he had said. "A little weak," He finally admitted. "I can see again." He said, hoping the good news would distract from the bad.

"We'll start off at a slow pace, then. By tomorrow, you should be fine enough for a steady pace again. We won't lose too much time in the process." That last statement seemed deliberate.

"Can I eat yet?" Tarin asked innocently.

Valaren laughed. "Well, test it out? Does it burn you?" Tarin took a small bite, and while it was still hot, it wasn't hot enough to burn, so he began eating without hesitation.

There was no conversation during the meal. Valaren seemed content letting Tarin concentrate on eating. The meal itself was better than he had expected. It did not compare with the meal Liandra had force-fed him, but he was able to enjoy this one more as he was not rushed to eat it. Tarin ate everything that was given to him and requested more. It wasn't until he had gone through his third helping that Tarin became full enough to satisfy himself. It was a good thing, too, as there was nothing left to eat.

Valaren studied the coyote for a moment, and the gaze made Tarin rather nervous. "You feel better?"

Tarin nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, I was hungry."

"No need to apologize, pup." Valaren replied. "If you were that hungry, then you needed the food." He placed a paw on the side of Tarin's head. Tarin nearly pulled away, but managed to hold still at the last moment. Valaren pulled back one of Tarin's eyelids and studied his eye for a moment. "You seem healthy enough. Perhaps we will push a full pace today. Pack up your things, we're leaving as soon as you're ready."

Tarin hesitated. "But what about..." Before he finished asking the question he realized the answer to the question. He could not hear the rain anymore. It had stopped.

"I'm surprised you didn't notice sooner." Valaren observed. "If you want, give me some of your heavier gear. We can travel faster if you're not as weighted down."

It didn't take Tarin long to pack. He hadn't removed much so there wasn't much to return. Within minutes he was on his feet and ready to go. Valaren was waiting at the entrance of the cave. Tarin stopped a pace away from where the larger canine waited. "I'm ready to go."

"Well, we should be off." Valaren turned out the cave, clearly expecting Tarin to follow. Tarin didn't disappoint.

Tarin wasn't much in a mood for conversation. He didn't know what he could talk with Valaren about. Any topics that he could bring up could eventually be brought back to Tarin's past. Tarin wanted desperately to keep that to himself. He didn't know what Valaren could do in response, but the worst thing Tarin feared was being taken back to the manor if it was discovered he'd ran away. Rayac was correct, his father did technically own him, and by the laws, he could demand his return. Rayac had also said he would not care enough to pursue. Tarin hoped for that to be true.

Valaren seemed to pick up on Tarin's reluctance for conversation and remained silent. The silence wasn't awkward or unnerving. It was more casual than anything else. There were a few times that Valaren appeared to want to say something, but each time he held back before speaking.

The road was empty for most of the travel. They would pass by a traveler every hour or so, but they never gave Valaren or the young coyote a second glance. Most didn't even acknowledge their presence. Tarin was unsure about the travelers, but Valaren seemed unfazed. Tarin decided if Valaren wasn't bothered, then it couldn't be that important.

Valaren's pace was far quicker than Tarin had hoped to keep. Tarin was used to walking around, but he had never carried a sack so heavy before. He refused to admit it was heavy, and he would not ask Valaren to slow down, so all he could do was press on. This resulted in his legs being on the verge of protest when Valaren stopped without warning.

"We're stopping here." Valaren announced suddenly.

Tarin glanced up at the sky nervously. "But it's still daylight. We can cover more ground before sunset."

Valaren chuckled. "We're not stopping to make camp. It is time to eat."

"But, we already ate today," Tarin protested meekly.

"Are you in that much of a hurry that you're willing to skip two meals a day to get there quicker?"

Tarin responded with a confused look. "Two meals?"

Valaren growled to himself. "How many times do you usually eat a day?"

"I usually eat when I first wake up." Tarin explained.

"And that's it?"

Tarin nodded, "Why would I eat more?"

Valaren placed his paw over his eyes. "Now I see why you're so skinny." He muttered quietly. "Just... Just sit there, we'll have a quick meal and be on the road again."

The meal was much simpler, consisting of dried foods Tarin could not identify. It was nowhere near as good as the food from the night before or their breakfast that morning. Tarin, however, was not going to complain. It was food, first off, and it was also much better than the food he had grown accustomed to eating in the manor. It didn't take long to eat, and they were walking again.

Tarin's legs had not had a chance to recover, so Valaren's pace caused Tarin's legs to suffer far quicker. Tarin began to fall behind a little barely an hour after lunch. When he realized he was doing it, he redoubled his efforts before Valaren noticed. The second time he slipped behind, though, he was not as fortunate.

"Come on, pup." Valaren called back to him. "Don't drag your feet."

"Sorry," Tarin apologized. "I saw a new flower." He gestured in a general direction of a group of flowers growing on the side of the road.

The lie wasn't very convincing, but Valaren seemed satisfied. "You can admire the flowers as we walk, alright?"

"Right." Tarin said, jogging to catch up.

The walk continued to drag on his legs, though, and he had to work harder and harder to keep up with Valaren. Despite Tarin's obvious effort to keep moving forward, Valaren remained oblivious to Tarin's suffering. His legs finally reached the breaking point, and they gave out from under him. He barely caught himself with his arms, but his legs would not move without a strong effort on his part.

Valaren was kneeling down beside Tarin before he had hit the ground. "Are you alright, pup?"

"I'm fine." Tarin said, pushing himself to try and stand.

"No, stay down." Valaren growled at himself again. "Should not have made him walk so soon after recovering." He said to himself, in perfect Haetan.

"I'm fine, honest." Tarin replied in equally clear Haetan.

Valaren froze, staring at Tarin for a minute before finding his voice again. "You speak Haetan?" He asked, dropping the Haetan language in the process.

Tarin silently wished he had kept that to himself. "I learned it at a young age."

"You're still at a young age." Valaren pointed out. Before Tarin could respond with much more than a glare, Valaren changed topics again. "Are you tired? Did your legs give out?"

Tarin shook his head. "I caught my foot on a stone." Valaren glanced around, and Tarin did the same. He desperately searched out a stone to scapegoat his problems, but none were in sight. The road was well enough taken care of that there were no stones anywhere on the road itself. "Well, it felt like a stone." He lied, meekly.

"You didn't trip." Valaren countered. "You collapsed, I saw you."

Tarin attempted to regain his feet, and this time Valaren didn't stop him. He didn't need to, Tarin quickly discovered, as his own legs refused to hold his weight, and the weight of his pack. "You were walking too fast." Tarin explained, not sounding accusatory in his response. "I was trying to keep up, that's all."

"You wouldn't agree to taking a rest, would you?"

Tarin pushed himself to his knees, which took far more effort than it should have. "We just rested. I can keep going."

Valaren nodded. "That was what I thought you would say." Valaren stood up, but motioned for Tarin to stay when he started to follow. "This is a very simple solution, really." He grabbed Tarin under the arms and picked him up before Tarin realized what was going on.

"Hey, wait. What are you...?"

Valaren stopped in mid-motion. "Do you trust me?" Tarin felt foolish hanging in mid-air like he was, but he didn't have any reason not to trust him, so he nodded. "Very well." He lifted Tarin over his head and placed him on his shoulders, one leg on each side of his head. "With you riding up there, we don't need to stop and you can rest your legs."

Tarin flushed a little. "I'm sorry to make you do this."

"Don't be." Valaren said casually. "How is the view up there?"

Tarin looked around for a moment. He could see much more of the area from his perch. Down the road, Tarin could see a feline in a wagon trudging along towards them. On an impulse he waved, and the feline waved back. Tarin could not believe the sense of joy that simple action had brought him.

"A friend of yours?" Valaren asked, slightly amused.

"No," Tarin admitted. "I've never met him before." Valaren nodded, but did not respond.

The rest of the day passed by more quickly. Tarin, feeling a little more relaxed around Valaren, actually started talking to him. They never touched on anything Tarin wanted to avoid. Most of the conversation involved Tarin seeing something new and asking Valaren what it was. Valaren seemed to be a vast wealth of random knowledge. No matter how obscure something seemed to Tarin, Valaren could talk forever on what he inquired.

The sun was beginning to set when Valaren cut off one of his explanations. "It is getting late." He looked up at Tarin with a slight smirk playing his face. "I presume you want to continue through the night?"

Tarin hesitated. "Can we?" He inquired, half hopeful.

Valaren laughed, "We could, but I would not recommend it." He patted Tarin's legs. "You're legs feel better? Think you could walk?"

Tarin wiggled his legs a bit. The soreness from earlier had gone. "I can walk."

Valaren knelt down and let Tarin climb off him. "Stay close to me, we're going off the road to make camp." Valaren's words were far too serious for Tarin to ignore, so he remained close while they walked.

They walked in silence for several minutes. The trees became thicker as they moved farther from the road. Tarin caught his foot several times on roots sticking out, though he managed to stay on his feet. Valaren seemed to be aware of Tarin's difficulties, though he never looked back. He kept a slow pace, so Tarin never felt rushed, and each time Tarin's foot hit a root, Valaren was always ready to catch him. He never needed to catch Tarin, but his paw was always there if he needed it.

Valaren stopped walking and pointed ahead. "The trees are spread out there. We can fit a small camp inside." Tarin glanced where he pointed. Valaren was right, the trees seemed to be spread out in that area. "I'll teach you how to set up camp. We'll be doing it a lot in the weeks ahead, and it'll go quicker if you help."

Valaren taught Tarin everything he did. He taught him about gathering wood and starting a fire. He showed him hints on how to see a good camping spot from a bad spot. He showed him how to pitch a tent, despite not needing one that night. Tarin tried to keep up, despite Valaren's speeding through the explanation.

After camp was set up, Valaren turned to Tarin. "So, think you could handle that?"

Tarin glanced around the camp, nodding to himself as he took in all the information. "No." Tarin admitted finally, realizing he could only remember half of what Valaren explained.

Valaren smiled warmly at Tarin. "It is not easy the first few times. You'll get it, soon enough." He glanced around the camp. "Keep the fire going. If the fire gets low, add some more wood."

"Where are you going?" Tarin asked nervously.

"To see about getting us some food." Valaren replied. "I'll teach you that one another time. I need you to watch the camp." Tarin didn't want to be left alone. He wasn't completely trusting of Valaren, though he seemed nice enough, but he was his only companion. Valaren leaving meant Tarin was alone. Valaren seemed to understand. "I won't be far, and I will be back soon."

"I will be fine." Tarin replied. "I'll watch the fire."

Valaren nodded, "We're far enough from the road that no one should bother us, but if someone does show up, call for me. I'll be able to hear you." Valaren patted Tarin on the head. Tarin glared at Valaren, but he had already turned his back and never saw it. "And try to stay quiet otherwise. It'll help me a lot."

Tarin resisted the urge to yell a response back, despite Valaren being only a few paces away. Instead, he just moved to the fire and sat down. He ran the events of the day through his head. Everything Valaren had said, had done, played inside Tarin's head. Tarin could not understand Valaren. It was hard for Tarin to trust someone he couldn't understand. He didn't have much choice, though. If he left now, he'd be on his own, and he didn't know which way to go. Watching the fire was relaxing, and before Tarin realized what he was doing, he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Liandra watched the road silently as the carriage moved along. There wasn't much light, so she did not have much to see, but she didn't actually see what she was staring at. Her attention was completely on her own thoughts. Rayac and her father had both drifted off to sleep, leaving her alone and awake, with only her thoughts to keep her company.

She ran the events of the past few days through her mind, silently making sure everything went according to plan. Tarin was leaving, a safe distance from the castle, and hopefully the Council. If they ever caught word of the letter, they would send their best men to kill Tarin. Before leaving for the Aunair Manor, Liandra had convinced herself her interest in Tarin's safety was purely political. He was a servant, she was a princess. His life was far less important than hers, or her father's. She needed desperately to hold onto this view in order to keep her plan on track. However, looking into the coyote's terrified eyes as she explained what he needed to do, she realized in that moment that he couldn't do it. He was a scared young pup. She thought this made him the best candidate for the job, but all it did was make her cruel.

She hit the side of the carriage with her fist. She regretted doing that almost immediately. Her paw throbbed from the impact. She probably would have let out a curse if her father hadn't been sleeping right beside her. She wondered how the generals and Council members could so forcefully punch something more solid and not hurt themselves. She was distracting herself, she needed to focus.

Liandra could not let go of the guilt she had for not finding Tarin that night before he fled. She could never admit it to Rayac, but she had been looking for Tarin to reclaim her letter. Years of planning had almost backfired because of her emotions. She could not afford to let them get the best of her, yet she still felt Tarin was not the one for the task. She needed to stop him, yet she was riding in the opposite direction, and not even making a fuss of it. She still could not believe he actually agreed to go. She was convinced he was going to destroy the letter. Rayac must have told him something. She glanced to Rayac. If only he was still awake. She needed to find out what he told Tarin. Maybe she could undo the damage.

This wasn't right. Her father was dying, slowly, and she was trying to save him. Why did the life of a servant suddenly seem more important than a King, or more importantly, her own father? He was young, naïve and innocent. He was going to get himself killed, the letter would be discovered, and then her position would be revealed. All her efforts would go to waste. She had to convince herself of that. Her concern for the young coyote was just to protect her own fur.

It was no use. Every time she thought she convinced herself that she didn't really care about Tarin, memories of him would kill any hope of believing her own lies. He was always so eager to please her and Rayac, and not because he was a servant. She saw it too many times in the years she had known him. He would do little things he knew she liked, without ever having to ask him to; things he thought she liked. Liandra remembered he had never seen the real Princess until he received the letter. Tarin would have to get to know her all over again, as if meeting a new person. A wave of guilt washed over her for all the lies she told him. Reminding herself that it was for his protection did nothing to lessen the guilt.

A bump in the road jostled Liandra out of her train of thought. Rayac stirred across from her. She smiled warmly, genuinely looking forward to someone to talk to, but Rayac just shifted his weight and slipped back into sleep. Men! How could they sleep in such uncomfortable environments? Liandra vowed to place sewing needles in Rayac's bed once they returned to the castle. She shook her head, trying to banish that thought. Where had that come from? She had far more important things to plan than revenge on her betrothed for simply being able to sleep when she was unable.

She looked up at the stars, but it didn't help her mood. She knew traveling at night was dangerous, but they didn't have a choice. They were on a tight schedule. Her father needed to be back in time for his meeting with the Council of Nine. If he missed it, they could very easily decide not to give him his monthly dose of the antidote. Rayac was more than enough protection they needed from common bandits, but there were three other armed men riding on the outside of the carriage, for extra protection. She longed for her bow, but she had to leave that hidden in her room. Not even His Majesty knew of Liandra's archery training. Aside from Krent, her instructor, Rayac was the only other soul who knew. Rayac was the perfect confidant for her. He was patient, willing to listen, and was usually full of good advice. It was almost a pity she couldn't have him.

She was letting herself drift again. She tried to remember where she had left off, but failure convinced her that it was time to concern herself with other things. Dwelling on what was done would do her no good. She couldn't undo what she had set in motion. Tarin was on his way to deliver her letter, and everything she planned centered around his success. It was, however, out of her control, and that was why she couldn't let it go. She had to, though, and focus on what she could.

So long as she remained close to the Council, she could control, on a small scale, what information they received. She needed to make sure they never learned of Tarin and his letter. She couldn't expect Rayac's help on this, he was going to be too busy to assist. Military training was like that. As much as her father was well positioned to help, she dared not ask him to jeopardize himself like that. If he got caught in any sort of betrayal, they could end his life without hesitation. She was alone, far more alone than she had been. Liandra let out a small sigh.

Out there, somewhere under the night sky, the most important person in Liandra's life was sleeping, cold, scared and alone, and she could not deny that it was completely her fault.

* * *

Tarin awoke with a start. Before his mind was completely alert again, the thought of watching camp crossed his mind. He sat up quickly, and he felt something move quickly next to him. Quicker than Tarin could perceive, Valaren was on his feet, sword drawn and ready. "What? Who's there?"

Tarin winced, realizing too soon that Tarin's action had disturbed Valaren. "Sorry, I fell asleep."

Valaren glanced down at Tarin. He gave one last glance to the edge of the camp before returning his sword to its sheath. "You've had a rough few days, I expected you to be tired." He said soothingly. "I should have realized how tired. It is not your fault."

"You didn't wake me?" Tarin inquired.

"To serve what point?" Valaren sat down next to Tarin. "Wake you up so you can return to sleep?"

Tarin lowered his eyes meekly. "I was supposed to watch the camp. I failed to follow instructions."

"The camp was fine when I returned." Valaren offered, "As I see it, you were successful."

Tarin's eyes shot up to Valaren. Nothing this man did ever made sense. He offered Tarin help without even knowing him. He was kind towards him, despite Tarin's constant inconveniences. Even now, after Tarin didn't do what he was asked, Valaren wasn't angry. Quite the contrary, he was insisting Tarin did a good job.

Valaren didn't seem to notice, however. He was more intent on the surroundings. "It's still early, but dawn should be on us soon. There is not a point in attempting more sleep." He smiled at Tarin, "If we eat now, we can leave at the break of dawn, and gain some time on our travel."

Tarin pushed himself to his feet. "I'll help." Tarin wanted to be useful, but more than that, if he helped, they could be on the road that much sooner.

The morning meal was more complex than Tarin expected. Not having any experience in the kitchen, each new meal was a complete mystery to Tarin. He wanted to know more, but he had no reference to start inquiries. Instead, he just ate what he was fed, silently wondering what each bite was. It was a stew of some variety, but there was some meat in it he didn't recognize, and it had a uniquely salty taste to it. Or perhaps it was the liquid that made it salty? There were other objects in the stew as well. Could the source of the salty taste be from one of those?

"Are you going to eat it, or are you content with watching it?" Valaren's words cut through Tarin's thought. It caused him to jump a little in surprise, and spill some of his stew onto his leg. He winced and immediately started rubbing at it. He would have spilled more of his food if Valaren hadn't taken the bowl from him quickly. "Everyone around you must be on edge." Valaren stated casually. He gently pushed Tarin's paws away from the spill. He rolled up the leg of his pants and inspected Tarin's leg closely. "Nothing got through the fur," Valaren offered. "You should be more careful."

Tarin lowered his chin. He was constantly embarrassing himself. "I am sorry."

A single finger lifted Tarin's head to look at Valaren. "There is no need to apologize. You did not spill on me, so there is no harm." He handed Tarin his bowl again. "Make sure to get more in your muzzle than on your clothes, and we'll be ready to go." Valaren's tone was warm, and the smile he offered as he spoke made Tarin feel better.

They finished up quickly and was completely ready to depart before dawn. Despite being uneasy about traveling before the sun rose, Valaren agreed there was no reason to delay any longer. The walk back to the road was quicker than Tarin expected, and they were on their way again.

Valaren's pace was slower today. He seemed to be more aware of Tarin's presence today. They walked side by side, like always, but Valaren would occasionally glance down at Tarin, and at any sign of him changing pace, Valaren quickly adjusted. They talked, but infrequently, and it seemed more a reason to break the silence than any real need to communicate.

They walked for a half hour before the sun's light began to illuminate their path. "We left earlier than I predicted." Valaren mused. "I should have realized."

"Why does leaving so early matter?" Tarin asked.

Valaren stopped walking. "Hold still." The usual light-hearted tone Valaren always used was gone. In his voice remained an alert and determined tone that scared Tarin. "Tarin." Valaren continued slowly. "Stay near me. No matter what happens, stay near me. Understand?"

"What is..." Tarin attempted to ask.

"Understand?" Valaren cut off. He was deadly serious.

Tarin nodded slowly. "Yes."

The sudden tension in the air made Tarin all too alert to the complete lack of sound around them. Not a single chirp of a bird or rustling of a bush could cut through the silence. Valaren took one slow step forward, followed by another. Tarin kept just a quarter step behind him. "I would suggest you let us pass." Valaren called out. Tarin could not see any reason for him to call out like that. "I will not harm you if you let my son and I pass, but you would do best not to cross swords with me."

Silence was the initial response to Valaren's call. Tarin waited in silence, watching to see what happened. When it seemed clear nothing would happen, Tarin opened his mouth to speak, only to get cut off by the sound of something impacting behind him. Spinning around, Tarin saw a raccoon standing behind them, with a short blade, possibly a dagger in paw. He was clearly adult, but he stood shorter than Valaren by a decent margin. He wore a faded yellow tunic and a pair of brown pants. His clothes seemed worn, yet still remarkably clean. He had a belt on, with a belt pouch attached to his left side. "Not much of a find if you ask me." He spoke, staring at Tarin intently.

"We haven't had much in the last month." A female voice from the opposite side called out. Tarin chanced a glance in her direction, and saw a panther standing in front of Valaren. She was tall enough to stare Valaren in the eye, and she wore a shirt cut low, exposing her rather well-developed body as much as possible while still remaining decent, if that could be called decent. The sleeves went from her wrists up her arms, but cut short of her shoulders by a good paw's length. She had a pair of tight-fitting breeches as well. In her paw, she held a sword of similar design to the one Tarin had on his hip. She winked at Tarin when she saw him looking. "The little one won't be much, but the mutt should be enough on his own."

Valaren let out a growl at her words. "I gave you fair enough warning. You would do best to not cross swords with me."

The raccoon laughed. "There's two of us, and only one of you. Unless you expect the runt to hold his own."

Tarin reached for his sword, but Valaren placed a paw on his shoulder, halting his action mid-reach. "I do not need my son's help in dispatching you. I do not enjoy killing, especially those weaker than myself. This is my last warning. Let us pass, bandits, or I will have to cut my way through."

Tarin could not understand what happened next. He was fully aware of himself, and yet, he could not control his actions. The moment Valaren mentioned bandits, the sword was in his paw and he was charging at the raccoon. He thought he heard Valaren say something, but his ears could not quite make it out. Tarin lunged desperately at the raccoon, who easily dodged his attack. Tarin did not halt his assault though the raccoon had no difficulty dodging and blocking his attacks. Tarin's sword skills were horrendous, at best, but his rage-fueled assault was far too quick for his opponent to counter-attack at any point.

This continued for what seemed like an eternity. Each miss added fuel to the already burning inferno inside Tarin, and it kept him going. However, each miss only seemed to make the next attack all the more futile. Anger taking over, Tarin had to land a blow, and he extended himself too far to ensure a hit. The raccoon deflected the strike simply and lunged a counter at Tarin's chest. Tarin's raw speed alone saved him, but all he was able to do was take the dagger, blade first, into his sword-paw. He managed to wrench away just right so the raccoon lost his grip on the dagger, but the impact forced him to drop his sword. The raccoon kicked Tarin quickly, knocking him to the ground.

"So full of fire, this one." The raccoon muttered. He reached down and picked up Tarin's dropped sword. "Fire's like that need to be extinguished." He lifted the sword over his head, blade aimed down at Tarin. "Farewell."

From behind Tarin, a sword suddenly impaled itself into the raccoon's chest. He stumbled backwards away from the wounded coyote. Tarin rolled onto his side so he could see where it came from. Valaren, now unarmed, was facing off against the panther. From the sheer determination on her face, Tarin got the impression she was losing. Valaren's lack of a weapon did not seem to alter this, either. She took calculated swings at Valaren, each one seeming well thought out, yet Valaren simply deflected each swing with a paw. She only took a few swings before she retreated just out of arms reach. It was fairly obvious how futile her efforts were becoming. "You were not boasting, mutt."

Valaren glared at her dangerously. "It is not too late. You can withdraw and save your friend."

She glanced quickly towards her downed companion. It was clear she did not trust Valaren long enough to look. "Why should you care about our well-being?"

"Is it not enough that I care?" Valaren countered. "My son and I are just traveling to the castle. We do not wish harm upon either of you." Valaren started to make a slow pace towards Tarin without lowering his guard. "Withdraw and save your friend, while you can."

The tension was thick as the panther stared Valaren down. At first she remained stationary, but when it seemed Valaren was making no aggressive moves towards her, she put her sword away. "I do not understand you."

"Sometimes, that is the way it needs to be." Valaren offered as an explanation. He knelt down next to his pack where he must have dropped it during the fight. He produced a small wrapped object and held it in front of him. "Apply this to the wound when you remove the sword. It will slow the bleeding." When the female panther glanced at him, he tossed it to her.

"And what of your son?"

Valaren lowered his eyes to look at Tarin. There was concern in his eyes, but something else was present as well. It was something that terrified the coyote. "He and I have some things to discuss. He has a hard lesson he needs to learn from this."

The laugh that responded was cold. "I believe I would not like to be around for this lesson."

Valaren helped Tarin to his feet, careful of the paw with the dagger still inside. "Get your friend to shelter. Wounded or not, guard will not take pity on you."

"And your sword?"

Valaren shook his head. "I will require the return of my son's blade, but I believe your friend needs my sword more than I do right now." The raccoon laughed at Valaren's words. It was the first sign that he was still alive. "Consider it an even trade for the dagger my son seems so fond of holding on to."

"Why are you helping us, stranger?" The panther inquired.

Valaren shrugged. "Is it not enough that I want to help?" Valaren patted Tarin on the shoulder once. "And I am not a stranger, not anymore. My name is Valaren Leafblade, and this is my son, Tarin."

The panther hesitated. "Dani." She knelt down and placed a paw on her raccoon friend's shoulder. "This is Horris." She slid her arm behind his back. Her other paw took Tarin's sword from her friend's grip. "This is going to hurt like hell, Horris, but we need to move."

"So long as I don't need to eat your cooking, I'll be fine." Horris replied as Dani helped him to his feet.

Dani chose to ignore him. "I will remember that name, Valaren Leafblade." She tossed the sword to Valaren, who caught it easily, before she turned and helped Horris deeper into the forest.

As soon as they were out of sight, Valaren turned on Tarin. "Are you alright? Let me see your paw."

Tarin held up his wounded paw and let Valaren investigate it. Valaren knelt down to get a better look. In the same motion, he sheathed Tarin's sword again, without having to look. "I do not know what came over me. I am sorry." Tarin apologized.

"Finally," Valaren commented, giving Tarin a warming smile, "a proper reason to apologize." Tarin attempted to pull his paw back, but Valaren held on tight. "Not so fast. I am not done."

"You told them I was your son," Tarin stated. "Why?"

"It was simpler that way." Valaren replied, sounding distracted. "A man traveling with his son is nothing worth noting. A man traveling with a pup of no relation would cause a stir. It is a good disguise, unless you object, I'd like to keep it, a little longer at least."

Tarin stared at Valaren. He wanted to pretend to be Tarin's father? Tarin could not remember having a real father. His real father died before he could remember, and the closest thing to a real father he had was Lord Aunair, and he did not want to think of him as a father. It was only a lie, Tarin reminded himself. Valaren wasn't his father. Valaren could never be his father. It was just how it worked.

"I am going to pull the dagger out," Valaren stated, reaching into his pack again, "and it's going to hurt. Do you need to sit down?" Tarin shook his head, but he did not trust his voice to reply. "Very well. Close your eyes."

Tarin closed his eyes tightly. In the next moment, a ripping sensation, accompanied by a sharp pain, radiated from his paw. A sudden pressure on his paw caused him to wince slightly, and when he opened his eyes to see, Valaren was wrapping something tightly around his paw. "Am I going to be alright?"

"You were very lucky." Valaren replied. "It was not as bad as it could have been. You should recover in a few weeks."

From the pain in his hand, he didn't feel very lucky. "I have never been stabbed before."

"Are we in agreement you don't want to do it again?" Valaren asked bluntly. Tarin stared at the older canine in shock for a moment before he started laughing. "Well, I am never worrying about your spirit again." He flashed Tarin a grin before standing, picking up his pack in the same smooth motion. "As for the sword." Valaren continued. "I am unarmed, and you are in no condition, or skill to be wielding that sword." He extended a paw. "I will leave the choice up to you, but it would be better for me to take your sword, until you can wield it properly at least."

Tarin stared at Valaren's paw. He did not disagree with Valaren's offer, it just seemed so personal, giving away the sword that Rayac had entrusted with him. Maybe it was better, but he didn't want to just give in. "I..." he hesitated, not sure whether it was worth it to ask. "I will get it back, correct?"

"As soon as you ask for it again," Valaren replied. Tarin nodded, and attempted to unbuckle the sword belt, failing mostly due to his inoperable paw. Valaren, attempting to resist smirking, finally knelt down and assisted Tarin in removing the sword. Once it was removed, and replaced on Valaren's hip, the older canine placed a paw on Tarin's shoulder. "We should get moving, we're losing daylight."

Tarin and Valaren started walking. A thought crossed Tarin's mind, and though he debated on ignoring it, he decided to voice it instead. "Valaren?"

Valaren slowed his pace to allow the young coyote to catch up, but he didn't stop. "What is it?"

"They were going to kill us." Tarin started.

"They were going to rob us," Valaren corrected, "They weren't going to kill us if they didn't have to."

Tarin ignored the correction. "The one, Horris?" He hesitated until Valaren's nod confirmed he remembered the name accurately. "He almost killed me."

"You were brash and careless, and you have absolutely no skill with the sword." Valaren offered. "By that alone, you should be dead."

"You saved me."

Valaren didn't immediately respond. Tarin wasn't sure if what he said was good or bad, and he was almost ready to retract it when Valaren spoke. "I promised you, the first night, that I would protect you, that no one would harm you as long as I am here." He turned his head to look at Tarin. "I failed in that, but you are still alive. That is the most important part. Allow me the chance to make up for my error."

"It is not your fault I was injured."

Valaren shook his head. "I can read the skill of a swordsman simply by observing them. I have never been wrong before you."

"Me?"

"The sword rests so well with you, as if you were born with it." Valaren explained, "When I asked if you could use it, you did not boast about being skilled. I figured you at least knew how to wield it. When you did not admit to being new either, I over-estimated your ability."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I am trying to figure out where I made a mistake." Valaren offered. "I think best out loud." He scratched his chin. "I thought you would be able to handle yourself against him. That lapse in judgment almost killed you."

This was taking them away from the question Tarin wanted to ask. "You let them live." Tarin commented.

"It is too easy to kill." Valaren responded. "So few in this world overlook the value of life." He glanced down at Tarin. "I can take a life to protect those close to me, but I prefer making sure it is my last option before I take it. All other roads can be traveled and discovered to be the wrong path, but the moment you leap from the cliff, you cannot return to the top."

Tarin wasn't sure if he understood exactly what Valaren was trying to say, but he nodded anyway. "Will they come after us again?"

"I do not believe so." Valaren mused. "I think they are grateful to be alive. Horris will live, I am certain of that. He may not wish to, for a few weeks, but he will survive." Valaren stopped walking suddenly. "Now that I think about it, pup. Would you care to explain why you attacked Horris so adamantly?"

Tarin stopped in his tracks, but did not look back at Valaren. "I..." He took in a breath, then let it out. "I am not ready to talk about it."

Valaren nodded. "I am here to help. You can tell me anything, you can trust me." Tarin turned to respond, but Valaren held up his paw. "And I can trust you to tell me when you are ready."

Tarin nodded slowly. "Thank you."

Travel continued smoothly. They walked from sun up until sunset, resting while the world was dark only to be back on their feet the next day. Thanks to his injured paw, Tarin simply watched as Valaren set up camp each night and restored it each morning. Any time Tarin attempted to help, he would get scolded by Valaren, though it really didn't feel like a scolding. He always had a smile when he would do it, and his voice, while sounding serious, still had an amused tone to it.

Conversation picked up since their run in with the bandits. While they still didn't talk about Tarin's past, they seemed more open to discuss each other. Tarin admitted to not having been away from home, which Valaren accepted as an explanation for most of his actions. Valaren was a traveler, never staying in one place for too long. Tarin tried to get information as to why, but Valaren simply stated that he had too many things to keep an eye on to stay still for too long.

Tarin was enjoying himself so much, he stopped paying attention to the days. So long as they traveled when it was light, and relaxed when the sun was gone, Tarin no longer stressed over it. Just after dawn on the fifth day since leaving Aunair Manor that Tarin caught his first glimpse of the wonderful city of Alshaer.