System Break

The forest grew larger to our eyes and I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of fondness. I relished coming home and picked up the pace unconsciously. Demon bird swooped down and showed me that I'd left my companions behind and then he landed on a branch above me.

"Hello demon bird," I said as we waited.

He tilted his head to the side and viewed me with an eye. He'd grown during our trip and I had no idea when he would stop. He was the size of a vulture and looked like he was one of their cousins.

His feathers were black and various shades of grey which made his bright red exoskeleton surrounding his head stand out. Beneath it his eyes were pitch black and there was a black oval shaped gem which could pass for a third eye wedged into his exoskeleton on top of his head.

"You're too big for my pouch now," I said with a laugh and he cocked his head. I held out my hand and he dropped down sticking his claws into my arm. It hurt but it was bearable. I pet him as my friends arrived. We all carried packs full of skins and qi cores and a couple of them thumped onto the ground.

"Holy crap he's big now," Ailen said.

Demon bird always stayed near our camp at night, but it was pitch black and it was the first time in a while we'd seen him up close during the day. 

Demon bird shared his plans with me, and I laughed.

"What's funny?" Ailen asked.

"Demon bird is going to sweep the plains and eat carrion we left behind from all the monsters we killed over the last few weeks."

"Eww," Sakaala said. "He doesn't care if its weeks old gizzards?"

I shook my head. "Let's go." And we ran through the forest for the rest of the day and into the early evening. When we approached the glade, I could hear growling.

I glanced at Gisael who tilted her head. "Bear," she said. "Did you have children?"

I laughed. "Not unless you popped them out when I wasn't looking."

She bared her teeth at me then moved to investigate. She didn't seem concerned and I followed.

Reyas followed and the twins peeled off because they were more tired than curious. They worked themselves to the bone with all the running and qi exercises.

Two bundles of fur were locked in an embrace. They rolled and bit each other as they fought, but there was no blood. They were the size of a large dog, but I realised they were cubs.

"Ancient Kodiaks," Gisael said.

"They're babies," I said.

She shook her head. "They are a mystical breed. There was one in our old forest."

"How big do they grow?"

She used my terminology. "Magic goat size."

Reyas put a hand on my shoulder and peered at them from behind me.

"Damn," I said. 

They stopped brawling and four eyes focused on us. Their snouts lifted into the air and sniffed, then they approached. They were covered in dark brown fur, but there were streaks of lighter brown on one of them. Their eyes were black, and intelligence shone from within.

The darker one sniffed my crotch and behind. I was glad for my holy leathers. The yetis had left their mark, but they still kept out the curious wet nose. The lighter Kodiak sniffed Gisael and then Reyas.

They caught a whiff of our packs and the dark one greedily tried to claw it from my back. "Hey," I growled and the dark one jumped back. I startled it.

"This is not for you," I said sternly. It dipped its head as if it was a scolded child.

I hefted the packs and headed to the glade. Mother was waiting when we approached the willow.

"You return," she said and smiled warmly. Gisael hugged her and I tipped my head.

"Mother," Reyas greeted and dropped a pack brimming with qi cores next to the tree. Gisael and I did the same.

She beamed. "Good. The bears are greedy, they eat much."

I tilted my head to look back in the direction of the bears. "They eat qi?"

Mother nodded. "They consume qi, nectar and anything they think smells nice."

I opened my qi sight and search for them. They were on their bellies watching us from outside the glade. Their qi pathways were magnificent. After seeing the magic goat, I wasn't surprised. 

"They look expensive," I said.

Mother smiled. "They are precious and will serve us well."

"So, they're like an investment?"

She pursed her lips. "I think I know what you mean. Yes. But it is the same with you and everything in the forest. We take and we give."

I turned back to look at Mother. "We're not staying long. We'll head south to meet with the Dokkalfar again and then to the tournament. Is everything good?"

She approached me and touched my mask, then she reached down and grabbed my hand. She inspected it, feeling the joints, and then running her hands up my arm. "This is a question for Talila and her guardians. But I think the answer will be yes."

"She has help?"

Mother nodded and felt my other hand.

"Good," I said and waited patiently for her to finish. 

"The wood has taken to you. I am pleased."

I raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying there was a chance the willow wood would have been rejected, or worse?"

She smiled serenely as if there was nothing to fear. "One knows not what will happen at all times."

I laughed. "I think I'm beginning to understand your riddles."

She met my stare and leaned close. "You are one of us even when you are not."

"Nice try," I said and stifled a yawn.

"You must rest," she said, "Visit with Talila and the artisans tomorrow."

We gave our respects. Gisael grabbed my hand and led me back to our tent which was thankfully untouched by curious bears.

The pair lay outside our tent but there was no show for them. I was asleep within a minute of my head hitting the furs.

I was woken by the hustle and bustle of the people in the morning. Reyas was draped across me and Gisael had departed. I slowly extricated myself from the naked soft flesh, grabbed my mask and crawled out of the tent.

My spear harness and its contents were missing. I looked up into the trees and figured the broken ebony spears were already with Paphyra. 

I heard the foliage rustle and a bear jumped me licking my face before I could push it off. I held it at arm's length with one hand and put my mask on with the other. New best feature of scary antler helmet; Bear licking defence capability.

It was the dark bear again. In the light the other seemed almost blonde, but the one who loved me was a deeper brown that I was.

"Let me guess, you're the boy one and blondie is a girl."

The bear headbutted my chest in a playful way. 

"I take that as a yes."

He backed up a couple of steps and stared at me. He sniffed the air and shook his head.

I opened my qi sight and was amazed with his qi streams. Compared to him I was a stick figure. His had thousands of pathways spreading out from his core and it was already a larger core than mine.

He made a whining growl sound and when his mouth was open a thick stream of qi travelled from his core, out his mouth and towards me. I had a déjà vu experience recalling the day I found Demon bird.

I reached out to him with my qi and he made a happy yapping sound. When our streams touched there was a flash and it formed a single stream connecting his core to mine.

I could feel him, understand him as he could me. He was like a child, his thoughts were of food, fighting and a burgeoning curiosity.

"No, you can't come with me," I said and laughed. He wanted to come on our next adventure. "You need to grow up."

He whined.

Reyas crawled out of the tent and kissed my shoulder. "Can it understand you?"

"It's a he," I said. "Our cores connected like Demon bird."

And my mind was suddenly overwhelmed. I had both demon bird and the Kodiak in my head. They talked to each other through me. It was like being surrounded by ten old ladies at a card game.

"Hold on," I said and held up my hand. Thankfully they quieted. "Okay out," I said, and they left my mind. I turned to face Reyas. "I don't know if I can get used to that. They just shared with each other using me like an echo chamber."

She put her arms around my neck and hugged me from behind making soothing noises. Her nose wrinkled and she said, "You smell like bear."

I laughed and dragged her back into the tent. Her naked breasts pressed against my back woke the dragon.