FSE

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The sun rose before us, burning bright as dawn crept over the horizon. Calmon carried me swiftly south, breathing the crisp morning air as the world blurred around us in our race. Lorth was ridden by Jeseia, keeping pace just behind and to the right of me.

We were on our way back south to the lands claimed by the wolves lead by Ornmi, guardian of the two dire wolves we now traveled upon. My training with the felines was now complete, and upon both arms were elbow length gloves in shimmering white material. The gloves were inlaid with golden patterns, signifying that I had been trained by the masters of the feline monks. Around my waist was a kilt made for me by the clan of wolves lead by Granh, my second real contact amongst the breeds. It told all other wolves that I was a friend of the clan.

Jeseia traveled with me at all times, wearing a simple shirt and pants. She wore no markings and yet was well trusted practically everywhere we traveled. Her hair was often left to blow freely in the wind, around her neck a pouch of tokens letting her tap into her abilities as a channeler.

We rode now to the lands of Ornmi before we cut east and return to Granh as promised. When we couldn't decide which path to follow, it was Granh that told us where to take the first steps. We return to rejoin friends we missed for the past months before our journey begins.

There was no road to follow, just our own sense of direction as the miles flew pass. When we'd started this adventure it was merely to train me and realize my own abilities as one of the very very rare channelers of men. As we went down this path, we became more entwined with it. The trek had started as light natured and fun while now it was becoming urgent that we finish this.

We made our way south all day, the cold crisp air giving way to warm winds and a nice calm day before the sun began to settle at our back and fade into dusk. We finally broke and setup a small camp in a small clearing just inside a small set of short trees.

"Calmon, Lorth, you two ran hard today, go get something to eat and drink. We'll be fine here for the evening I think" I smiled over to the two dire wolves as they stretched out a bit from the long run.

The twin dire wolves gruffed at me before darting off into the woods to go hunting, leaving Jes and myself alone for a while. We setup a small camp fire, and relaxed there in the soft grass, eating a bit of dried meat and resting from the hard ride ourselves.

"So how long until we make it back to Granh's do you think it'll take?" I asked over to Jes.

"Probably just another two days or so, but we do need to go a little easier. Don't need to work the boys so hard." She replied, petting a paw idly along my chest.

I chuckled a little and nodded, leaning over to press a soft kiss to her lips and holding the vixen close. "So, what happens now sweetheart?"

"We should get back to Granh, fill him in what's going on. See if he found anything as well, then I think we should head to the dragon fort of Noth'Gnok, it's on the way to my home town. There's a lore keeper there, if we can talk to him, it'll answer a lot of questions." Jeseia replied, starting to mrrr soft and relaxed.

"So tell me about them, why are they the lore keepers?"

"Well, the dragons are a brutish base lot, honorable to a fault with the deeds of their ancestors. Amongst them are a small sect called the lore keepers, It's said that all of them hold in their libraries the knowledge of all events past are written. It's a rare honor to speak with them, and when you do, you need to leave something to get something. They're always looking for more information about things that have happened."

I thought for a moment before giving the vixen a soft squeeze, "What about the foxes? I thought they were mystics and seers and things like that."

"Hehe, not exactly Tan. The clans that I'm from tend to focus on the now and future, they see things as they happen, should happen, and will happen. Not everyone mind you, but the elders and what not all focus on these events. The past, is set in stone and not changeable, so what could is there knowing it?"

I couldn't help but laugh quietly, "Is that why you're always such a free spirit? Not burdened by the past, and not seeing the future?"

Jeseia mock growled at me before rolling over and pinning me down. I just kept chuckling softly, smiling up to the vixen atop me. "Just a question"

"Well, maybe that's it. Maybe I just don't worry much, gives you gray fur after all." Jes replied, settling in comfortably atop me, nestling her muzzle in against my chest.

I rubbed the back of the vixen softly until she fell asleep. I relaxed there and quietly reflected on things, I heard the two wolves bounding in soon after. Calmon and Lorth settled on either side of Jes and me, their muzzles resting lightly atop her frame and hers on mine. There the four of us slept peacefully until morning.

By the time the sun had crested crested the horizon we were already well underway. Soon we were passing into the plains near Ornmi's forested domain. The twins let out a cheerful howl as we drew near and then turned east to head for Granh's camp. The howl from the pair of dire wolves echoed through out the area, letting Ornmi and hers know that we were well and safe. By noon we had reached the base of Torrnal's peak and decided to set up camp there for the day, let the wolves rest.

I started a small fire to enjoy for the evening, calling the wolves over. "Jes and I are going to do some hunting, You two are on your own. We should be back shortly." I looked over to Jes and motioned her over, "Want to go catch something fresh for dinner?"

Jes smiled a bit and nodded, stretching as she stood. We left the twins to the camp, slipping out into the plains to search for small game. The two of us quietly stalked through the brush, out in the distance we heard a pair of wolf howls, the twins having found some dinner of their own.

As we wandered through the brush, we occasionally heard a rabbit spook up and then tear off through the grass. Jeseia shook her head a bit and smiled, "Alright, we've done this your way for a while. My turn"

The vixen slipped off to the side on her own, stalking through the grass before darting off in a rapid run. She easily leapt and pivoted to follow the path of whatever she'd found. She ran for about 20 yards or so before stopping and standing tall to wave me over. "I've got one, he's in his burrow, but I've got him"

I trotted over and smiled at the vixen, giving her a small tickle to the base of her tail. "Alright, you have a hole with what is supposed to be a rabbit inside, now what?"

"Just watch, it's a handy trick to know" She crouched down above the rabbit hole, fingers stretched wide slightly, her dull claws ready. The vixen winked up to me before touching the earth element for a moment, slowly collapsing the burrow. After several minutes the rabbit spooked and darted out from the burrow as it caved in, Jeseia quickly grabbed the darting rodent as it tried to get out. She stood tall and held up the rabbit, kicking as she held its scruff.

"Well, consider me impressed. Very neat trick indeed, Fresh rabbit for dinner?" I teased, motioning back to where we'd left camp. "After you my dear"

The vixen yipped at me cutely once, giving the rabbits head a sharp jerk to break the spine. She started to trot back to camp, exercising her legs a bit while she could. I kept up pace, laughing quietly while watching her tail sway in time with her hips and legs.

It only took us about 20 minutes to reach camp, as we drew close to the fire we heard very deep growling from the trees. Jeseia threw the rabbit over near the fiber and crouched low, drawing a small dagger from her waist. I crept slightly into camp to pick up my staff, motioning for Jeseia to follow behind me.

Inside the trees, following the growls until they echoed all around us. "Calmon, where are you two at?" I called out.

A soft gruff replied to me off to the side while the other voice continued to growl. We slowly worked our way over until the twins were in view. Lorth had something pinned down, just growling down at it.

"Easy boys, what have you found there?"

There pinned beneath Lorth was a reptilian of sorts, a creature I'd never seen before. It didn't appear harmed, just tired and somewhat irritated at being held down.

Jeseia came over, looking at the creature before wuffing softly to Lorth, "Let me see his arm a moment hon." She spoke to the wolf, waiting until its arm was freed. She looked at the shoulder intently a moment before nodding up to me. "Dragon breed, from Nok'Tor. It's an area they've claimed north of my homeland."

"Why are you here dragon?" I asked simply, nodding to Lorth.

The dire wolf slowly released his captive, standing nearby, growling softly at the dragon just in case as it stood back up.

"The foxes came to us, they insisted that we get word to you to head to us as quickly as possible. I opened a portal with their help to come here, where you were going to set up camp. I've been waiting three days for you."

Jeseia nodded softly, perfectly content with the story. "Alright, you've found us. Can you get us to where you need us?"

"In the morning we'll make preparations, I don't think I can take all of us at the same time." He looked squarely at our pair of wolves. "We'll see what we can do in the morning. My name is Gtin'Nor, assistant to the lore-keepers and apprentice mage."

"I'm Tanth.."

"Tanthis of man, I know. And you are Jeseia al'Kendara, pleasure to meet you both in person. I'm sure you have a lot of questions, we'll eat and discuss what we can tonight." Gtin'Nor cut me off, rattling off everything as if well rehearsed.

Jeseia nodded and motioning back to our camp, leaving the dragon breed to walk between us as we made our way back. The wolves flanked us on each side cautiously. We sat around the small camp fire, Jeseia set to cleaning the rabbit for our dinner. While I sized up this unexpected guest.

"Alright, what's so important that a mage would come here and sit around for three days under the assumption that we'd show up?" I asked bluntly.

"The foxes are aloof and flighty, but, when they say something needs to happen it tends to be true. They demanded to see you as soon as possible. The only condition is that you speak to our lore-keepers first, to make sure things go as they must. I made the portal and came here per their instructions."

Jeseia grumbled quietly at the blanket statement of her clan, but let it go at that. The small rabbit sitting on a stick across the fire, starting to cook up nicely. She chipped in, "So, why are you here? Last I was home, you'd rather blow one of us up than speak to us." She growled just slightly.

"Things have changed, the lore-keepers are keeping quiet for now, looking at the archives and tomes they tuck away. The foxes are spending more time looking into the future while we look into the past. Day by day, our clans weaken, our strongest mages go missing without a trace. We've taken to a truce as it were with your clan Jeseia, trying to prepare for whatever they see coming." He hissed back, nodding a little as he thought.

"What're we going to do tomorrow?" I asked, poking a little at dinner to be.

"I'll try to make a portal strong enough to take us all back to my city. From there, I'll escort you to Noth'Gnok, they have the largest lore archive stored there. Plus, it's close to Jeseia's village. Once I get you to her village, You'll be on your own. I don't know what happens after you get there."

Jeseia tore off a leg from the rabbit and handed it over to me, taking the other rear quarter for herself. I quietly ate the meat, thinking on this news as I did. "So what happened that's so important? So you've lost a few clan members?" I asked

"More than that, storms of a magical nature tearing through our lands. Mages powers reacting violently with the surroundings. We've had several die invoking simple powers, some just disappear in the night and are never seen again. There's stories of things like this in the lore archives, but I wasn't privy to the details." Gtin'Nor replied, hissing softly as he spoke.

"Alright, tomorrow then. Calmon, Lorth, I know you two want to get some sleep, but I need you two to keep watch tonight." I called up to the wolves, receiving a soft gruff from each in reply.

I finished up my bit of rabbit and nodded to Jes, motioning to the bedroll. "I'll keep first watch foxy, See you in a few hours"

She whined at me quietly but nodding, not trusting our new companion either. She curled up close to the fire and dozed off, leaving me and the pair of wolves to keep the dragon breed company.

"An apprentice mage can open a portal for himself, show me." I asked, wanting to do something other than sit and stare at the dragon ahead of me.

"Very well, I'll open a very small one, perhaps you will be able to assist me." He hissed back to me, smirking as far as I could tell.

Lorth and Calmon growled just a moment as Gtin'Nor stood, watching him carefully. I stood close by, relaxing my mind and feeling out the elemental forces around me to find out how his magic worked.

He traced a small symbol in the air, meaning nothing to me, and began to pull on the magics around us. I could feel the elements being drawn into him, like a void being filled. It wasn't a pleasant feeling at all, but it appeared to work for him. He worked without spirit to bind the forces together, manipulating just the raw elemental energies. Water and air were focusing everything while fire seemed to fuel it. Earth was the trick, it seemed to anchor here and there at the same time.

Gtin'Nor slipped his hand into the small hole in the air before him, showing it pass unharmed through the portal before he drew it back. "It is no small feat to tear a hole in reality."

I nodded slightly, drawing upon the forces through me, channeling them with delicate guidance into a similar method. I used air and water to sense out to Torrnal's Peak, where I could clearly see it in my mind. I touched the earth there, steeling myself to that mountain top. I again used water and air, letting it trickle along my arm and hand, drawing an arch from earth to the top of my reach and back down to form a barrier. With myself anchored here and to the peak, and a distinct barrier for my channeling, I poured fire into the opening. I reached out for the touch of earth linking me to the peak with fire through the air and water barrier. I felted a push back, like walking upstream. Suddenly, without much warning the back pressure released and I could cleared see the peak as if it was a few steps ahead of me.

"I think this'll do, but how do we test it?" I asked, inwardly grinning as the dragon just stared at me and the portal I'd formed. I tossed a small clump of dirt through and watched it land and break apart on the mountain top.

"If we can see there, and that dirt made it through safely, It should work fine. I'm impressed. It took me years to learn how to even create the smallest opening across a room."

I nodded a bit, more confident that I could help get us to wherever Gtin'Nor needed to go. I guided the fire away from the portal to starting bring it down. As soon as it released from the earthen anchor on Torrnal's peak, I felt everything snap back. There was a rather harsh backlash of energy as everything settled back to normal, the rush knocked me back a few feet into the trunk of a tree. My portal tore itself apart until everything was back to normal.

"What happened?" I asked of the reptile as I slowly stood back up.

"The portal closed, it happens every time. Usually you're on the other end though and it's not a problem. Just be more careful next time." He hissed back at me with the slightest hint of a laugh. "I'm going to get some sleep. We'll leave in the morning." With that, he slipped off and leaned against a small tree to rest. I motioned to Calmon to keep an eye on him before slipping over to gently wake Jeseia.

"I'm afraid it's your turn sweety, He just went to sleep, should be nice and quiet." I whispered to her, even as I snuggled in against her back and stole a little bit of the warmed straw mat. The vixen whined at me quietly but nodded and slowly worked her way up onto her feet to stand near the fire to keep warm while I caught some sleep. Tomorrow would prove a very interesting day indeed.