If this were recess at my grammar school in W City, the kids would all be egging us on with cries of "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
The world spins as Vedette's bear rolls backward, propelling us both out of the tunnel. Not only that, he's roaring in pain and swiping at me with his claws, which strafe my skin. OUCH!
[Name: [Demos]
[Class: [Journeyman]
[Race: [Common Brown Bear]
[Level: 3/10 [XP 30/100 STATUS: Full
[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 70/100
[Strength: 8
[Defense: 10
[Magic: 7
[Resistance: 8
[Speed: 10
[Charisma: 10
[Luck: 4
[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skilll) [Telepathy(Skill)]
I barely hear a triumphant musical chime announcing that I successfully completed the agility training. Instead, I'm in a rocking and rolling fight for my life.
I didn't start this fight, but I'll finish this.
Kaline is screaming at Vedette. "YOU CHEATED! UNFAIR! I'M TELLING MOM AND DAD!"
Vedette tries to explain, but Kaline is beside herself, grabbing the bear cub and trying to pull him off me. "BLAZE! Stop fighting."
I take advantage of the bear cub being momentarily distracted by Kaline, and I shove him hard enough to get away. I roll sideways and lie there, dazed and out of breath.
The bear cub's piteous whines make me feel a little better. Truthfully, I feel bad for him. Vedette is a horrible master. If I were human, my response would be, "What is your problem?"
Kaline screams for her mother and father, and Tomas steps in to block Kaline from unleashing a preteen's fury on her older sister. The guy sure earns his money.
A memory surfaces. Damon and I fighting each other when I was in high school because he wouldn't leave me alone or let me have privacy. All he wanted was a little attention from his older bro. And all I wanted was to go on a walk in nature by myself.
A game screen pops up, breaking into my reminiscences.
[Congratulations to Beast Tamer Kaline and Beast Blaze! Blaze has successfully completed the First Tier Beginner Agility Training. Potency Pills Eaten: 2. Time: 3 minutes 47 seconds. Average.]
Average? Okay. I'll take average. After all, SOMEBODY interfered in the home stretch. I'll do better next time. Maybe we should do it when Vedette is busy. She's a teenager. Doesn't she have any friends or a social life? Hobbies? What does she do when she's not beast taming?
The game announcements aren't finished.
[Blaze has leveled up! Level 2 Achieved.]
YEAH! I roar until my throat is raw. I caper all over because I've got my second wind. The grass is soft and springy, and the sun has come out. And I leveled up!
[Name: [Blaze]
[Class: [Novice]
[Race: [Common Tiger]
[Level: 2/10 [XP 20/100 STATUS: Full
[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100
[Strength: 4
[Defense: 6
[Magic: 3
[Resistance: 4
[Speed: 5
[Charisma: 12
[Luck: 3
[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skilll) [Telepathy(Skill Not Yet Acquired)]
I've leveled up! This is amazing. I am officially Level 2. Still a noob. Still a cub. But my stats are trending upward. And soon I will have Telepathy. Very, very soon. If I do more agility training.
Striding out in their fancy clothes, Kaline's mother Minette and her A+ Dad immediately praise me and Kaline. A+ Dad Lamant squats down and looks at me when I come to a stop. His gaze holds me in place. It's an invisible force! What is he even?
"This little one has some spunk, by the Spirits," he proclaims. "He took down Vedette's Demos, who is a higher level than he is. He prevailed."
Sulking from her mother's glare, Vedette declares, "Only because Kaline interfered."
Kaline huffs. "Jealousy. Jealousy bites. It bites harder than your furball."
Lamant sounds like a real parent. "Kaline, you must learn to be gracious in victory. Otherwise, you will tarnish your beast's achievement. Blaze shone brightly today. He leveled up. He deserves the finest meal. So does Demos. But before they eat, their tamers must make amends to each other."
Kaline and Vedette eye each other with all the willingness of two children scolded by their father to behave.
"I am sorry," Vedette says, reaching out to clasp her sister's hand.
Minette pats Kaline's shoulder. "She'll accept your apology. Won't you?"
After an eternity, Kaline grips Vedette's hand. "Sorry. And I accept your apology."
They hug it out, a highly awkward sister hug, the kind that takes place under the scrutiny of their parents. It's really a performance.
"Now apologize to Blaze," Kaline insists.
Peeling away from her sister, Vedette approaches me with her hand outstretched. In it is a glistening pill the size of a macadamia nut. A Potency Pill.
Sniffing her hand, I gobble the Potency Pill peace offering.
Meanwhile, Kaline kneels before Demos, who snuffles and sniffs her hand.
Hey. She's MY human.
[I know.]
The thick, growly voice echoes in my head, sounding like a heavy metal song and vibrating in my skull. I look around, my ears twitching, and meet the big brown eyes of Demos.
[Did you just talk to me?]
My voice is stronger than I realized.
His response is swift. [You really are such a kitten.]
[Hey!]
Demos licks Kaline's hand, just to torque me. Her laughter trills out. Awww. She has such a sweet, cheerful laugh. She seems to have forgiven him.
For myself, I'm not so sure. He's still bound to Vedette, and she's locked in this sibling rivalry with Kaline. I have to be loyal to her. She's my human.
Demos growls in my head. [Cease your whining. "My human.' You would think no other beast ever had a human before. Mistress is MY human and she does not deserve your bitterness.
{Then why did she send you to stop me?]
[She did not.]
I wiggle my ears in surprise. [Then it was your idea?]
[For real and for true, it was. Mistress does not fancy making it easier for her sister. So, I did what I thought she would want.]
I can't help a flicker of respect. At the same time, this rivalry between Vedette and Kaline is definitely going to spiral out of control. I've been poisoned and attacked so far.
[Even if they're rivals, we don't have to be.]
I bump noses with him, and he growls low. Almost a pleasant sound.
Vedette exclaims, "Look, Demos is showing chivalry to the kitten!"
"He is NOT a kitten," Kaline shouts.
"He is so! He's so scrawny."
"Your tongue is on fire," Kaline scoffs.
I amble along with Demos toward heaping piles of meat and fish. The aromas' siren lure draw both of us in. I think, [I'll take the meat.]
[No, fish will make your coat silkier.]
[Raw fish, yuck.]
Even though I love sushi, my stomach churns at the idea of consuming raw fishy fish.
[You like sushi too?]
Demos' bright voice stuns me. [You know sushi?]
[Of course, but how did a wildling like you learn about it?]
I improvise. [A lucky feast before Kaline found me. I'll tell you all about it.]
What do you know? I won the competition and possibly made a new friend.
Something nags at me though. [But before we eat, can you tell me how telepathy works between beasts? I clearly have a lot to learn!]