Lunar Heart, Shadow Bound ✓ [when the moon lies]

Ch.22: Kathula Sorcerer?

Note: Underlined bits are Kathula tail sign language.

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Daero approached it and the creature came forward. The glaring yellow eyes turned out to be small round eyes with slit pupils like a lizard. Pinti eased her bristles down when she realized it wasn't hostile. A rumble like a purr came from deep within its chest.

"Don't be afraid. This is just my Faud." Daero held out his paw. The Faud bent its head and pressed its forehead against his paw as Daero rubbed it. "Ryerden," he said, "Thanks to him, I was able to save you."

"I don't like Fauds," Deel pipped up. "I don't trust magick taken form."

"This is a Faud? What is he?" Pinti cocked her head in curiosity, but she kept her distance. She could smell a little lemongrass, just like Daero.

"It's a manifestation of my magick. Sorcerer magick can take the shape of different Fauds depending on the personality of the Sorcerer, simply speaking. All Sorcerers have Fauds. Developed around puberty. Do you know what that is? Although it was different for me. You might have seen Lalina's? Hers is a small orange elephant."

"Orange elephant?" Pinti could vaguely remember seeing something like that, but such little memory details were lost once she discovered the scepter was real.

"Do you want to take a closer look? We rode on him. He's kind, don't worry."

Pinti hesitated and shook her head. Maybe he was kind, but she wasn't ready to trust Daero or his Faud. With a shrug, Daero whispered something to Ryerden who tipped his head back and burst into green and yellow sparkles. The lights converged into a ribbon and swirled inside Daero's body.

"My Lunar marking," Pinti whispered, feeling it warm slightly.

Daero turned and brushed away his bangs to show his Lunar marking had a hint of glow to it. "Like I said, not my magick. Deel's residue. Despite having no training whatsoever, his Shaman powers still exist."

"Yeah. I'm still Shaman of Jurana Clan!" Deel puffed out his chest in pride. "The youngest!"

"So that was true? Your mother gave it to you? Even the youngest passing of duty, traditionally, is sixteen." She frowned. "In normal circumstances, you know."

"Why don't we sit?" Daero pushed Deel and the two of them shuffled back to sit in front of the fire. Pinti took her place back on the dried grasses of the makeshift bed.

"Deel, would you like to tell the story o—"

"You tell, I'm going to bed." Deel yawned. "Way passed my bedtime, goodnight Pinti," he said and disappeared inside Daero's body.

Her stomach grumbled like a growling beast. She licked her shoulder in embarrassment but then Daero's stomach grumbled even louder than hers. He gave a soft chuckle.

"I have something for our stomachs." He smiled and flicked his bangs out of his face. He went to the other side of the fire to retrieve something. "As only a soul, Deel can't eat, but he can still taste. We also like different things."

He was rustling around dried leaves when the scent of mouse made her mouth water. On a giant leaf were four dead mice fresh enough. "You can have this. Here's more water if you need." He set the leaf down with the water pouch and went back to fetch his own mice. At last, he sat near her, but not too close, keeping his distance.

Pinti took a mouse, sniffed it once to make sure of the freshness and bit into the flesh, letting the raw taste fill her mouth. It immediately revived her, and she let out a soft trill, licking her chops. Quickly, she finished it to the bone and tossed the carcass over her left shoulder in the Kathula way of showing it was good prey.