The townsfolk decided to ignore them for years, and refused to let any of them use any services in town. From then on, Gelmana would teach Akahsha about medicines and some minor witchcraft, but mostly just herbal medications. She taught him common and Sylvan. Salahkah would take Akahsha in the woods and teach him how to hunt. By age seven, Akahsha was exploring the woods by himself. He’d play with the creatures of the Fey, and a few times he’d cross over into the Feywilds, always to be returned home by following his mother’s voice.
The trees around their homestead had a magical barrier that staved the approach of any beasts in the area. People could still come and go, but not so many often did.
When Akahsha was ten years old, he attempted to go back into town. Many of the same kids had seen what his parents had done in the past, and many were afraid of him. Some still attempted to beat up on him, where in he stood up against the bullies. He built up a natural strength from having to fend others off, but it took a toll on his personality. He became less social with kids his age, as they all tried to hurt him in some way. The adults weren’t much better, and the only people who would be nice to any of the Shariz family were all travellers.
One day, an older looking halfling hunter came by the house to find Salahkah. They spoke for a long time, laughing and trading stories of their old hunts. Akahsha watched them from a distance, and tried not to get spotted. He would hope to have friends that he could see from time to time to catch up in this manner; until then, Akahsha hadn’t really had any friends. He played with the Fey creatures, and fought the boys in his village. The same day that Salahkah had a visitor, so too did Akahsha. Her name was Winona, and she was also ten years old. She brought apples from her father’s orchard, and snuck up behind Akahsha while he was behind a tree, hiding from his dad and company.
“What’re you doing, Akahsha?” Winona sheepishly asked.
The boy jumped and panicked, as he was discovered. He held his chest for a second to catch his breath. “I’m watching father and his friend.” He studied the basket for a moment and looked up at her. “What’re you doing, Winona?”
She knelt down beside him and opened the basket and handed him an apple. “I just picked these this morning, and I know you like apples-” and before she could finish, Akahsha had taken the apple and started eating. Winona laughed and Gelmana was standing over his shoulder.
“Akahsha,” Gelmana spoke through gritted teeth, and had a sinister look in her eye. Akahsha looked over his shoulder slowly, still with bits of apple in his mouth. “You swallow, say ‘thank you’, and then you can continue eating. You got that?”
Akahsha swallowed, slowly nodded, turned back to Winona and meekly said “Thank you, Winona.”
Gelmana laughed and ruffled Akahsha’s short hair. “What’re you off to do today, you two?”
Akahsha sighed and looked at Winona. “Well, mother, I was hoping to watch father and his friend.”
She shook her head and knelt down beside him. “Why don’t you visit with Winona since she was nice enough to come all the way over here to see you?” Gelmana winked at Winona who sheepishly looked away.
Akahsha groaned and stood up. “Okay, Winona, but we can’t go too deep into the forest today. The Faeries are having their Festivus, so make sure especially not to trample any flowers today.”
Winona smiled and nodded. “Bye miss Gelmana!”
“See you here soon, little Winona. Don’t travel too far, Akahsha.” Gelmana said with a wave, and they were off.
The two left the Shariz Residence and travelled East. Akahsha could look through the trees and see the creatures dancing through the woods. Their small sizes only bolstered their love for music and dance. Winona could not hear these tunes, nor could she see these creatures. They walked for a half mile before reaching a sizeable lake that the two had come to know; oftentimes they travelled before sunset to watch the sun’s reflection against the water’s shimmery surface. The air blew stronger here, and trees grew close to the water’s edge. The two sat underneath a tall oak tree.
Akahsha knelt by the water and splashed some on his face. He used his father’s bandana to dry his face off before ringing it out and wrapping it around his head again. Winona picked some herbs and placed them in her satchel. They looked at each other and stayed seriously quiet, before bursting out laughing at the random stare-down.
“What’re you looking at?” Winona said, laughing.
“At some weirdo who is laughing at me,” Akahsha replied, and stood.
They stayed quiet and smiling, when out of nowhere a different kind of breeze came and went. Akahsha’s body went ice cold, and he caught a glimpse of a large beast from across the lake’s water. Its massive form, its brown and gray fur hunched over, drinking water from the crystal-clear lake.
Akahsha grabbed Winona and hid behind a tree. Father had warned him of these times, when a beast of unknown variety could come out of nowhere; he’d have to be prepared for the worst. Winona tried to speak up, but Akahsha shushed her and told her that a monster had arrived in the area.
Akahsha peered from around the tree trunk to see the clear image of this beast, which appeared to be part-owl, part-bear. He’d only heard of such a creature, and now he was in the same area as one. They couldn’t be more than 100 feet from it, and they were but children. After it finished drinking the water, it turned its head in the direction of the two kids.
Akahsha moved his head back to a more optimal hiding position, and Winona looked back at Akahsha.
“Is it gone?” She whispered, and Akahsha shook his head slowly.
The two could hear the creature slowly making its way towards them. Winona started to shake in Akahsha’s arms. He held her tighter, and then he could hear the beast sniffing. He knew they had a strong sense of smell. He’d never been face to face with a monster without his father nor mother, and if he ever was, they were smaller and less threatening.
Akahsha knew that the owlbear could smell him, because he could certainly smell the owlbear. Its sniffing turned into a slight growl, and he looked back to see a raised claw. Akahsha pushed Winona away from the tree before he himself was pushed by the breaking of the bark. They both tumbled to the ground, and Akahsha looked up to be face to face with the vicious owlbear. It screeched a deafening roar.
As it screamed in his face, the boy’s eyes flared from a fear that he hadn’t faced before. His body went stiff, as if the inevitable death was found in the black abyss of the owlbear’s large eyes. He turned to Winona, who screamed something that Akahsha’s ears couldn’t register. He pushed himself up and was batted with the back of a paw. He went rolling towards Winona.
Winona helped him to his feet, and they both sprinted into the trees. Akahsha’s hearing was a cacophony of ringing in his ears, and the silence of the brush being stepped on. He wasn’t sure how he could hear it, but it was so faint and distant that it felt like a dream.
As they ran, Akahsha looked over his shoulder and saw the owlbear gaining on them. Their legs grew tired as they went towards the Shariz Residence. Ahead of him, Winona tried to jump over a large stump, but her feet got caught. Akahsha slid to a halt, and the owlbear was right on them.
An arrow flew through the sky and landed in the owlbear’s left eye; the halfling ranger from earlier was on a tree, and fired a succession of arrows. Salahkah ran up to them and picked them up to their feet. He pushed them onwards as he drew his sword, letting its blade droop towards the ground. The owlbear went to strike him, but the volley of arrows hit the body of the beast and it shouted at the halfling. Salahkah shook his head and dug his sword deep into the thing’s shoulder.
Akahsha and Winona kept running until Gelmana appeared from behind a tree in the distance. She jogged up to the two of them and knelt to their level to see the damage. Akahsha’s hearing had finally come back by the time he stopped running, but his incessant breathing and wheezing made it hard to understand her questions.
“Akahshy, you’re hurt. Winona, dear, are you okay?” Winona nodded, and Gelmana’s hands lit with a green magic, and the magic levitated from her hands to his wounded parts of his body. The pain subsided quickly, and he felt as if he hadn’t been hit by the owlbear’s claw.
“Turn around,” Gelmana ordered Akahsha, and Winona could see that a claw-shaped tear had been across his back since the encounter began. Gelmana’s magic created fibers that matched the damaged cloth and fur of Akahsha’s coat and shirt and stitched it shut, to near perfection.
“That’s neat!” Winona awed. She touched the back of his coat, feeling for any scars from the owlbear. “Magic is really useful.”
Gelmana didn’t know why, but she was warmed by this statement. Most of her life she’d been outcast due to her augergarden, and afterwards for her magic..
“I’m glad you think so,” Gelmana stated. “Akahsha, where did this all begin?”
Akahsha gave his side of the story, explaining in great detail of the lake’s location, and the sudden drop in temperature as he saw it at the water.
“Your instincts are coming in quite nicely. You’ll make a fine hunter in no time,” Gelmana smiled wholeheartedly. “Now let’s get you two back to the cabin. I’ve prepared a warm stew for you two.”
The two walked past Gelmana going towards the cabin, and Gelmana looked up with a serious expression towards Salahkah and Maxi Cliffclimber.
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