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Book: Mother of Wolves (Evalyce Worldshaper Book 1) by J. Aislynn d'Merricksson
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Authors: J. Aislynn d'Merricksson
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very still. Be patient and do not move or you will scare the fish away.
”
Bear nodded and put his tail in the water. He sat very still, waiting patiently. Time passed and Bear fell asleep, waiting for the fish to bite.
Meanwhile Fox had gathered his fish and returned home.
A few hours later Fox returned to the lake, to find Bear still asleep on the ice. His dark fur was white with snow. Fox chuckled to himself and snuck up behind Bear.
“
Bear, Bear! Wake up! I can see a fish on your tail!
”
Bear woke with a fright and felt a sting in his frozen tail.
“
I can feel it! I can feel it!
”
Bear jumped up, expecting to pull a fish out of the lake. Instead he snapped off his beautiful tail. Fox ran away laughing, while Bear bewailed the loss of his wonderful tail. That is why Bears today have only short, stubby tails.
So remember the lesson of Bear and Fox whenever you begin to become too prideful. Remember, too, that quite often cunning is better that brute strength any day!”
Aleister had grown more and more relaxed during Kalla's story and he was now so drowsy he was almost asleep. The magister stirred, and gratitude filtered through the bond, along with a faint echo of the unusual feeling that Kalla couldn't quite place.
“Thank you, milady. You must think me a fool for being scared of the Forest,” he said.
“Not at all. Each of us carries our own fears, magi included,” Kalla replied.
“What could you possibly be scared of? You don't seem afraid of anything,” Aleister muttered sleepily.
“My fears are less tangible, but they are there. I just hide them well.” Kalla sighed softly.
The Keeper of the Forest
Deep Forest, Argoth, Year of the Golden Hart, 2013 CE
They had been wandering the Forest for days now, going in circles and still they had not found the Keeper. The pair had set camp earlier, both dejected by their lack of success. Though it had become a habit for Kalla to tell a story before bed, this night neither were in the mood, and they surrendered to sleep earlier than usual.
Aleister jolted awake, the fine hairs along the back of his neck standing at attention. He glanced around, nervously searching the shield perimeter. As his eyes adjusted he found himself staring into a nightmare face. Glowing eyes barely illuminated a broad, heavy muzzle, topped by a slender, curved blade of bone. He panicked, reaching out to shake Kalla awake.
His touch triggered a fearsome reaction.
The sleeping mage grabbed the front of Aleister's shirt, jerking him down and rolling over to pin him to the ground. In her other hand a short blade glittered in the dim firelight. Aleister yelped, grabbing her hand before she could drive the blade home.
“It's me! Kalla, it's Aleister!” the magister yelled. Though her eyes were open they held no recognition. They were empty and cold as a bleak winter evening, as if no one were home inside. He shuddered, still fighting for control of the blade. To be so small, the mage had great strength. Whether she sensed his fear or heard his words, life slowly returned to her face. She relaxed, lowering the blade.
“Yesss?” Kalla's voice was calm as she pushed away from him, the blade disappearing back to wherever she'd pulled it from. He scrambled away, keeping a wary eye on her.
“What… what was that all about? Why'd you try to kill me?” Aleister swallowed hard, trying to calm his hammering heart.
“Why'd you try to wake me up? Don't you remember me telling you that would be inadvisable?” Indeed, he dimly recalled that warning. He pointed to the shield, still shaky from the encounter. The sabre wolf was still there, pressed against the side. As the Mage turned her attention to it, the bone blade on its muzzle ignited with an eldritch glow. It blinked at her.
Follow.
She heard the words without hearing them. From his expression, so did the magister.
“It wants us to follow it?” he asked. Kalla nodded. They quickly packed up and saddled the vykr, while
”
Bear nodded and put his tail in the water. He sat very still, waiting patiently. Time passed and Bear fell asleep, waiting for the fish to bite.
Meanwhile Fox had gathered his fish and returned home.
A few hours later Fox returned to the lake, to find Bear still asleep on the ice. His dark fur was white with snow. Fox chuckled to himself and snuck up behind Bear.
“
Bear, Bear! Wake up! I can see a fish on your tail!
”
Bear woke with a fright and felt a sting in his frozen tail.
“
I can feel it! I can feel it!
”
Bear jumped up, expecting to pull a fish out of the lake. Instead he snapped off his beautiful tail. Fox ran away laughing, while Bear bewailed the loss of his wonderful tail. That is why Bears today have only short, stubby tails.
So remember the lesson of Bear and Fox whenever you begin to become too prideful. Remember, too, that quite often cunning is better that brute strength any day!”
Aleister had grown more and more relaxed during Kalla's story and he was now so drowsy he was almost asleep. The magister stirred, and gratitude filtered through the bond, along with a faint echo of the unusual feeling that Kalla couldn't quite place.
“Thank you, milady. You must think me a fool for being scared of the Forest,” he said.
“Not at all. Each of us carries our own fears, magi included,” Kalla replied.
“What could you possibly be scared of? You don't seem afraid of anything,” Aleister muttered sleepily.
“My fears are less tangible, but they are there. I just hide them well.” Kalla sighed softly.
The Keeper of the Forest
Deep Forest, Argoth, Year of the Golden Hart, 2013 CE
They had been wandering the Forest for days now, going in circles and still they had not found the Keeper. The pair had set camp earlier, both dejected by their lack of success. Though it had become a habit for Kalla to tell a story before bed, this night neither were in the mood, and they surrendered to sleep earlier than usual.
Aleister jolted awake, the fine hairs along the back of his neck standing at attention. He glanced around, nervously searching the shield perimeter. As his eyes adjusted he found himself staring into a nightmare face. Glowing eyes barely illuminated a broad, heavy muzzle, topped by a slender, curved blade of bone. He panicked, reaching out to shake Kalla awake.
His touch triggered a fearsome reaction.
The sleeping mage grabbed the front of Aleister's shirt, jerking him down and rolling over to pin him to the ground. In her other hand a short blade glittered in the dim firelight. Aleister yelped, grabbing her hand before she could drive the blade home.
“It's me! Kalla, it's Aleister!” the magister yelled. Though her eyes were open they held no recognition. They were empty and cold as a bleak winter evening, as if no one were home inside. He shuddered, still fighting for control of the blade. To be so small, the mage had great strength. Whether she sensed his fear or heard his words, life slowly returned to her face. She relaxed, lowering the blade.
“Yesss?” Kalla's voice was calm as she pushed away from him, the blade disappearing back to wherever she'd pulled it from. He scrambled away, keeping a wary eye on her.
“What… what was that all about? Why'd you try to kill me?” Aleister swallowed hard, trying to calm his hammering heart.
“Why'd you try to wake me up? Don't you remember me telling you that would be inadvisable?” Indeed, he dimly recalled that warning. He pointed to the shield, still shaky from the encounter. The sabre wolf was still there, pressed against the side. As the Mage turned her attention to it, the bone blade on its muzzle ignited with an eldritch glow. It blinked at her.
Follow.
She heard the words without hearing them. From his expression, so did the magister.
“It wants us to follow it?” he asked. Kalla nodded. They quickly packed up and saddled the vykr, while
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