I awoke, groggy, I was lying in my master’s tent, as temporary residences go, it wasn’t that bad, far better than my own thrown together hovel, I looked at my hands, normal, i sighed with relief and managed to prop myself up.
A man and a woman slept beside my makeshift bed, a massive white tiger lay on the ground beside the woman, saddled, a large re-curve bow lent against the beast, it’s yellow eyes watched the boy, emotionless. The man slept in full armour, he was young, but had a silver longsword in a sheath, an indication of his rank of strike leader. He snored softly, and shifted slightly, ‘bad dreams,’ I though.
My master entered the tent, and looked towards me, “You saved that man,” I nodded, remembering nothing, but I felt obliged to agree, I knew I had saved the man, just not how, or when, “And that lady saved you,” The lady stirred and opened her eyes, at the sound of my master’s voice, she looked towards me, “She is high priestess of the All God.”
“Greetings lady of all,” I whispered, “Blessings of Hroth, god of magic upon you.” I lowered my eyes and drew a single rune in the air, silver it shun, and slowly it travelled towards her, resting upon her heart. The lady looked towards my master, and he bowed and exited the room.
“Greetings to you, young mage,” She spoke softly, her grey eyes drifted to meet mine, “Blessings of the All God upon you,” Her hands clasped and a soft light shun upon me, she nudged the man beside her, who awoke, startled, his hand upon his blade, “Relax Yarron, we are not under siege this night.”
His hand drifted away from his blade and he relaxed, “Thank the gods,” He whispered and his blue eyes met my own, “Jesus kid, you look in bad shape.”
I did, but I didn’t notice, my magic was back, and it was sheltering me from the tiredness I should have felt, “How long was I...”
“About three days we didn’t think you’d make it.” The lady whispered softly, “Utoth and I had a bet.”
“And you lost.” The tiger stated bluntly, “you owe me fresh meet for a week.”
“I suppose I do...” The lady looked thoughtful for a moment, “Yes I can arrange it, even though we are in a war.”
The tiger chortled, “After the war then, Lady. Anyway, to business, we were sent to find the boy mage, and we have, now let us get on with this.” The tiger shook himself, and stood.
The Lady sighed and mounted the Tiger, her legs swung over and with one hand she swung me up behind her.
“I don’t particularly want to miss this.” The man called ‘Yarron’ said, and smiled, he touched a charm around his neck and a large wolf appeared in the corner of the room, saddled. He mounted the wolf, “Lead on, Lady.”
The lady kicked the tiger gently, “Do you have to do that?” He replied.
“Sorry, I’m a creature of habit.” The lady laughed as the tiger cursed her under his breath.
“I’ll creature of habit you!” Although whispered, it was clear to all in the room, what he had said, I and Yarron broke out in laughter, although they were fighting, I realised they had been friends for a long time. The tiger loped out of the room, a strange movement, as I was use to a horse, Yarron followed on his wolf.
“You always have to call me at the most inconvenient time doncha?” The wolf whispered softly. It was clear that no others in the small party could understand the wolf, “Just cause’ I’m spirit bound doesn’t mean I don’t have a family to care for.” The wolf grumbled as he carted the man up the hillside. I looked back at the wolf, “Gah, now that kid’s staring at me, what a bore, Humans” He whispered with distain, my brow creased in anger, “Wait a minute, can you understand me child?”
The wolf stared at me for a moment before I nodded, “Gah! I knew it, a mage! Jeez, you wouldn’t be able to change me back would you?” My brow creased in confusion.
“We’re nearly at the king’s tent!” Yarron called out and I looked down from the large hill, soldiers and archers and militia alike were camped here, war calling out to all who could fight, my heart sank, as I watched the injured carried to the first aid tent. The wolf saw I was distracted and looked towards the ground, it let out an audible sigh, but Yarron didn’t notice.
We arrived at the king’s tent, which was actually smaller than my master’s, I dismounted the tiger at a signal from the lady, and strode towards the tent, the wolf followed me and pushed against my hand with his nose, my hand burned and I yelped in pain, an emblem was burnt into my flesh, “Call to me, you with the blessing of the animals.
The wolf disappeared, in a flash of bright darkness, leaving nothing but scorched earth, Yarron walked past me, into the tent, apparently oblivious to what happened, “No one every sees or hears what Wolf does, I can, but I never say anything, no one will be able to see that emblem either, it’s the blessing of the animals.” Utoth whispered to me as he wandered past me into the tent, they lady stayed outside for a moment, watching the activities of the victorious soldiers, she turned, and saw I was watching her, she smiled, and as she walked inside the king’s tent, she put her hand around my waist, and led me inside.
“Ahh,” The king sighed, “There is the young mage I’ve heard so much about.” The king looked at me, he knew I was only eighteen, and I had come into my magical inheritance at the age of fifteen, “Priestess and Yarron as well! This was unexpected!”
I turned to the priestess, “Why does no one know your name?”
“Hush child, I gave my name to the all god, now stand, and listen to the king.” The whispered to me, and turned me around to face the king, he smiled at me.
“You three... Err, four” He rephrased at a growl from Utoth, “Will be travelling overland to one of our neighbouring countries, Kennh.”
My eyes widened and I stared at the man, he was crazy, Kennh was deserted, a black country, known only for the dead, and a but-load of necromancers, the former home of the neo-lupine race of half human half wolves, they were driven away.
“No, don’t you even try to say no,” The king snickered, “if you do, you will be branded as traitors to our country, now go, I want to see everything you own out of this camp by morning.”
“Our purpose?” Yarron asked.
“To find where our former allies, the neo-lupine race of old, went. And why.”