[The Bronze Wood] The Hunters Meet. (Miharu)

[Sturlin]

Sturlin laughed at the sight of the wolf cleaning the docile ball of pink skin also known as Mr. Pickles. It was an absolutely adorable sight. Hoping that what a dog likes in a good petting isn't too much different from what a wolf likes he rested his hand on her neck and rubbed the fur and muscle there affectionately.

"You are a large wolf," he said more to himself than to her. His hand rubbed her shoulder blades and worked its way down to scratch her butt experimentally. During his childhood his uncle had owned an old hunting dog who loved to be scratched on the butt. One could never tell which loves were universal.

[Miharu Mindi]

The wolf made a happy little growling noise at the pettings, ceasing her licking of the cat to lay her head on Sturlin's shoulder, the better to enjoy the scritchies. The silver fur was sleek and smooth as silk on the surface, while the underlayer was thick and wooley, better made to protect her against cold.

The wolf glanced up at him with those same golden eyes, another spark of mischief in them - and for a moment she considered shifting back to human form, just to prove to him that it was no different than this one. But she thought better of it, and just gave a few licks to the back of his hand. Men were always so weird; they'd cuddle right up when she had fur, but stayed as far away as possible when she'd skin on. Was there something wrong with her face? Was her nose crooked, or her eyes crossed or something? Jaeden had been the same way.

That thought brought her up short, reminded her of the heartbreak she'd survived in that little foray into being nice to someone. She sighed a little as she shoved up to a stand, padding back over to the trail and then looking back at Sturlin as if to say Come on! You were the one in a hurry to get back.

[Sturlin]

He did very much enjoy the cuddling with her while she was in wolf form, and it is a pity that she resisted the urge to transform. Sturlin's shout of startled surprise would have been heard for miles around. As she stood he gave her one parting scritch along the jawline and then stood himself up to follow her. Reaching out he caught Francis' lead and set off toward camp. Mr. Pickles seemed annoyed that he was no longer the center of attention, but he followed anyway.

What interesting creatures these kelvics were. As he walked he alternated between mentally berating himself for being so awkward when she had stripped, and berating himself for having second thoughts now. It was rather rude to be imagining such things, most especially when the imaginings were about present company. He would have to take greater efforts to curb his baser impulses. Without control well, his father had shown him what happens without control.

While perhaps not magic in the sense that he understood the usage of the word her transformation had still been a mystical sight to behold. In return for her company this evening he would have to give her something, he thought. A token to remind her to return would be just what he had in mind. Calling out ahead so that she could hear he said, "When we return to camp I have a surprise for you, I think."

[Miharu Mindi]

She turned around at the sound of his voice, and halted at that statement. Surprises - they were usually bad. They meant trouble. She ducked her head a little, suddenly suspicious, and in a flash of light she'd shifted again to stand blocking the path, suspicion clear in her eyes.

"What kind of surprise?" she asked carefully, her gaze shockingly intense - but then, she was a Kelvic who'd just shown her true form to someone. It wasn't exactly unheard of for such a thing to result in a collar and a trip to the pits of Ravok.

[Sturlin]

He did not halt or slow. The magician smiled to her and moved into the lead with Francis so that he could guide the way back to the camp, and she could follow. From his time in the woods he had little trouble stepping off the beaten path, though Francis grumped and snorted at the idea of stomping over grass and root and twig in the shadows of the forest. When considering the use of Reimancy he had, in the past, been far more comfortable and confident in himself than when doing any other task. After the accident, he had lost some of that confidence. The success of his recent experiment had returned it and he seemed a little less reserved, and a little less bumbling than before. Unfortunately the information he was considering and the mental preparations he was undergoing made him quite blind to her sudden discomfort.

As he forged ahead through the underbrush with purpose in his stride he spoke to her, either over his shoulder if she had not yet followed or looking at her face if she matched his pace, "You were kind enough to share your gifts with me, it would be rude if I did not do the same for you. I stand by my decision to not teach you or instruct you as to how I do things, but I think you deserve to witness a bit of magic. Do not become overly excited however, what I have in mind involves far less of that 'pew pew pew' noise you utilized earlier."

The ingredients and the formula were already boiling within his mind. Air was out of the question, nothing he could produce with it would be permanent enough to serve as a token for her. Earth was the most suitable element for this task and that was welcome news indeed. He had been practicing earth Reimancy for nearly ten years. His studies as a child had been too erratic and painful for him to achieve the results available to him now were he to study for a further ten years, but the comfort of working with something he had handled since childhood suffused him. Earthen the token shall be then.

[Miharu Mindi]

Oh. He was going to do magic. Well. His phrasing still sounded suspicious, but he was smiling and happy as if he'd just had a great idea, and didn't really seem as if he'd suddenly decided to slave her. So she just blinked back to the wolf form - they would both be more comfortable with her like that - and padded along behind Francis, keeping her distance lest the big horse decide to kick or something.

When they got back to the camp, she padded over to a bit of jerky that still needed to dry and wolfed it down hungrily, whining a little under her breath at the salty taste of it. Would have been better on a human tongue, but shifting would just make her more ravenous. And she didn't want to have to hunt and bathe again.

Once she'd finished eating, she flopped down to stretch out beside the log where Sturlin liked to sit, looking for all the world like another housepet for his little campsite.

[Sturlin]

Through the rest of the walk back to camp he did seem cheerful, but he may not have done wonders for her worries about his sanity. With his free hand he gestured and occasionally muttered a comment to himself under his breath. "No, no that wouldn't do...perhaps if I were to try clay...marble would be hard to produce...what should it look like?"

As she moved toward the jerky he moved straight to the log where he liked to sit, and sat down. In his distraction he had left Francis untethered, hopefully the horse was comfortable enough with his surroundings that he could resist wandering off. "Oh, are you hungry again?" He said as he looked to her, and then realized that he was a little hungry himself. When his stomach grumbled he reached out and plucked a piece of dry jerky from the rack, munching on it absently.

Looking toward her as she lay next to him he smiled and reached out to scratch between her ears. "I will need a few moments," he said calmly, "to digest this food and to clear my mind of distractions. I do not mean to ignore you, but I must be sure that I am fully prepared before I attempt this. You may do what you like while I rest, but please do not disturb my concentration." With that he closed his eyes and began taking in and releasing deep breaths as he finished eating his jerky.

Once his jerky was finished, a short time later, he took a drink of fresh spring water from his skin and then sat it beside him on the log. The magician straightened his back and let his knees bow outward slightly. Taking his hands he reached out to rest them on his knees and grip them. He continued taking deep and calming breaths as he sought the same oneness he had before conducting his experiment.

As he cleared his mind of all thought he imagined a single candle, and focused his attention on the flickering flame. The flame within his mind consumed all else. He was far from skilled at this technique and his face would flicker with irritation as a twig cracked in the distance or the creak of a swaying branch broke his concentration. It would be almost thirty minutes before he was centered and able to open his eyes.

[Miharu Mindi]

Miharu, confused by his statement and worried about what exactly he might be up to, just nodded and dragged back up to her feet. She didn't need to be here for this, anyway, and better that she didn't distract him.

So she slipped out into the hazy afternoon sunlight and slithered through the woods, sniffing out mice and squirrels to eat. When she couldn't find enough of them, she jogged back to the deer's corpse, barking to dispel the scavenger birds that were always the first to show up. Then she ate her fill, nigh stuffing herself on what little meat remained on the body. By tomorrow she wouldn't be able to return to it, so better to get everything she could from the body now.

She gave Sturlin plenty of time to himself, an entire bell, before she came padding back into the clearing. Golden eyes were curious, and she felt the need for a serious nap coming on, but she was also curious what exactly was in store for her.

[Sturlin]

Of all the elements at a Reimancer's disposal it was the earth that Sturlin admired the most. His father had been most displeased that his talents and interests lay with this element, being one of many who widely consider fire to be the greatest. There was something about the timelessness of rock and stone that appealed to him. Knowledge that what he produced would exist long after he was dead and buried within its loving embrace.

As she returned he nodded to her and smiled, gesturing for her to take her seat nearby and watch what he was about to perform. "Most Reimancers produce effects which appear temporary. Flashes of fire or lightning, a spear of stone which shatters upon impact, a deluge of water which is absorbed by the earth or a shard of ice which melts in the hot sun. When given the opportunity and inclination, however, we can produce lasting objects. These objects are magical only in the loosest sense of the term. Certain magicians can tell that a rock created by me is not natural, for instance, but that does not make it any more extraordinary than the rocks beside it."

He ran his hands over his scalp and face, preparing himself for the release of res. As was his standard when performing magic in any non-threatening situation, he took his time. Cupping his hands together he knitted his brow in concentration and a luminescent black gas began to fill the cupped fingers. It swirled and seemed almost to bubble as he created it. It was not a large amount, but it was enough for Miharu to get a good look at the dark but translucent substance.

[Miharu Mindi]

Miharu padded up beside him at the gesture, having planned on staying at the edge of the clearing but more than willing to get comfortable if he deemed it safe. She flopped down in her previous spot, tongue lolling out a little as she panted - and had been a good jog, and Spring in Syliras was warmer than she was used to.

When the strange black gunk started filling his hands, she did what any pup would do when presented such a thing - she stuck her nose in it, and gave a quick snort.