*~ Surion's Room ~*

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2005 11:24 pm

Ala's Journal

Dear Diary

What am I missing just wanting a days break?? I drop off a toddler I pick up a kid! Well I guess that just means it's time to start thinking about his hunt... thats likely to be soon...

~ 1 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:40 am

Torvil's Journal

Dear Journal,

Well... This is erm... New... Surion's a child now... This is surreal... Oh well, you see some and then sometimes they sneak up on you like a weasel... Well I guess this means I should be getting prepared for the hunt... I'll talk to Malkar and get Surion scheduled... I know Jakath is going with his siblings soon... Like... Tomorrow or the next day, I'm not sure which... I don't have to be there, blissfully... Well... I will fill you in how everything goes... Till next...

~ 2 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Lessons with Granpa

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:41 am
Surion woke up a couple mornings after he had grown up with a yawn and a stretch, the sun was barely poking over the cliffs outside, but he had plans. he got up and quickly dressed heading for the kitchen to get a quick meal

Torvil was already mucking around making food, and there was another scent nearby... one Surion would recognize easily...

Surion looked around "Hey dad" he greeted his father as he stopped in the doorway catching the scent

Torvil smiled. "Your grandfather is waiting for you already... He has Jakath with him too..." He chuckled softly as he quickly offered Surion a bowl of meal.

Surion reached taking with it "Yeah I figured Jakath would beat me to the punch" he chuckled and quickly ate

Torvil chuckled. "More along the lines of your grandfather ousting his butt out of bed earlier... Punishment..."

"Pnshmt fr wht" Surion mumbled his mouth full of meal

"The Ramp ordeal..." He said softly, looking out the doorway

Surion swallowed his meal and nodded putting the bowl down on the table empty and bit his lip nervously at the thought of that ramp

Torvil brushed his hair. "It'll be okay... Go out and learn... and have a good time!"

Surion nodded took a deep breath "Yeah.. back later dad, say morning to mum when she gets up" he smiled and turned hurrying out of the cave . he looked around for a moment in the slowly brightening surroundings and then hurried to his grandparent's cave poking his head in the entrance

Korvil was waiting for him in the main room. "I stopped by your house earlier..." He said softly. "As did Jakath, you were still asleep

"Dad told me" he said with a nod walking into the cave and pushing a lock of his dark blue hair over his ear

Korvil chuckled. "Well are you ready to go? It's time to learn..."

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be" he said looking back and forth between cousin and granpa

Korvil nodded and he headed for the door... Jakath on his heels.

Surion joined them walking beside his cousin quickly

Jakath turned and whispered softly. "I hope this isn't bad.. but I'm scared..."

Surion blinked and looked at his cousin "Scared? of what?"

"We have to go down onto the plains..."

Surion came to a dead stop hearing those words "The... plains..."

"Yes... The plains..."

Surion stared silently ahead of him not moving a muscle biting his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood

"Come along Surion..." Korvil said softly.

Surion nodded slowly starting to walk but a lot slower then previously

Korvil walked along, heading straight for the ramp.

Surion was trying to convince himself not to panic, not to freak, that there wouldn't be any more jaguars in the plains below that day

Korvil started to make his way down the ramp, and Jakath followed close beside him.

Surion took hold of his cousin's tunic hem following after them but staying just as close to Jakath as Jakath was to their grandfather

They walked down, and slowly headed out into the plains

Surion moved closer to his cousin and grandfather not desiring to be the end of the line his eyes looking EVERYWHERE and still biting his lip

Jakath pointed out a set of tracks and Korvil started to teach them

Surion refused to stray away from his granpa's side has he taught them about tracks and tracking over half the time his eyes darted from the grass in the plain to tops of the trees

Korvil smiled every time they got one right, and corrected and taught them more when they got one wrong.

By dinner hour Surion had most of them down pat and some close. and had still yet to move more then 2 feet away from his granpa

Korvil started to lead them back towards the cliffs. "You guys did good today..."

Surion smiled his eyes darting around "Thanks" he said he couldn't wait to get back atop the cliffs

Korvil ruffled his hair and smiled.

Surion hurried up the ramp ahead of the others when they got to it stopping only when he got past the top breathing deeply and closing his eyes

Korvil reached him and softly put his hand on his shoulder...

Surion opened his eyes and looked up at his grandfather giving him a rather weak smile

Korvil chuckled and ruffled his hair again, heading for his own cave with the two in tow.

Surion followed after him relieved to be back atop the cliffs, he looked over at his cousin as they walked

Jakath seemed to be going over the things in his head.

Surion watched him for a moment then ahead of them smiling when the entrance tot he cave came into sight

Korvil entered, and Mitizimi already had dinner ready for the three.

"Hi Granma" Surion said when his eyes caught sight of the familiar figure

Mitizimi smiled. "Hello Surion... Come, sit and eat..."

Surion smiled and hurried over climbing into a seat and sitting on his knees to eat "Thankyou"

Mitizimi smiled. "You're a growing boy!" She smiled.

Surion blushed slightly "Just don't try to convince me this will make me grow faster like aunty did with the leaf" he chuckled and dug in

Mitizimi giggled softly, "No... I wouldn't do that to you..."

Surion grinned as he ate, he was hungry having only had breakfast that day.

Mitizimi smiled and kept serving him food as long as he ate.

Surion eventually stopped and sat back rubbing his stomach and letting out a burp "That was good" he said sounding rather content.

Mitizimi giggled and smiled. "Good... Now lets get you home!"

Surion nodded "Kay Granma" he looked towards his grandpa "Thankyou Granpa for teaching me today" he said

Korvil smiled. "It was my pleasure to teach you Surion... Lets get you home... Jakath you as well..."

Surion nodded and hopped down from the chair his tail moving contently behind him

Korvil smiled and stood, as did Jakath, they all headed for the door.

Surion hurried after them happy in the knowledge they weren't headed for the ramp

Korvil smiled and headed towards Surion's house first.

Surion smiled proud of all he had learned as they neared the entrance

Korvil smiled and waited at Surion's cave. "Go on in... And have a good night..."

Surion gave his grandfather a quick hug and waved to Jakath and hurried into the cave "I'm home" he called out

Ala looked up from where she sat reading and smiled "Hi son"

Torvil smiled. "Hey Surion..." He chuckled softly, waving at him as he worked on reading.

Surion smiled "I learned lots today" he informed them

Torvil smiled. "That's good..." he chuckled softly.

Surion looked at them then turned and left the room heading for his own room

Torvil got up and moved to see what he was doing.

Surion lay on his pallet hands behind his head staring at the ceiling biting his lip, he felt a lil disheartened his parents didn't seem to really think him learning had been a big deal

Torvil knelt beside him and brushed his hair. "Hey... I'm proud of you

Surion looked over at him "Thanks dad" he said quietly

Torvil smiled softly. "So... How'd it go?"

"Went down the ramp" he said quietly looking slightly away biting his lip his arms moving around his torso

Torvil brushed his hair and leaned down kissing his head. "I'm proud of you even more..."

Surion sighed "I froze, only went down cause granpa told me to, even then I stayed very close to him"

Torvil chuckled softly. "But you went down didn't you?'

Surion nodded "Yeah"

Torvil smiled. "Then you made some progress..."

Surion smiled weakly "I guess" he sighed and sat up leaning on his knees which he pulled close

Torvil gave him a hug. "I'm very excited you went and learned today..."

Surion smiled "It'll come in handy at some point I'm sure"

Torvil chuckled. "Your hunt... which is soon by the by..."

Surion looked towards him "Yeah?"

Torvil chuckled softly "Yeah..." he murmured softly. "Next few days..."

Surion nodded "Ok dad, I'm sure you'll let me know when"

Torvil chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Course..." He smiled. "You'll have to get up early that day..."

"I already get up early" he said chuckling and shaking his head to settle his hair

Torvil chuckled. "I mean Earrrrrlllly earlyyy..."

"Oh ok" he laughed and stretched

Torvil chuckled. "Tired?"

"Yeah a lil" he admitted

Torvil chuckled. "Go ahead and rest then... No sense staying up and being tired..."

"Thanks dad" he said and flopped back reaching and grabbing his blanket pulling it over himself

Torvil chuckled and kissed his forehead. "Have a good sleep..."

"I will" he murmured as he dozed off

Torvil smiled, and headed out the door.

~ 3 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:41 am

Surion's Scribbles

Dear Jurnal Thing:

I haate the ramp it scarres me, but I wnt down it aneway. Granpa towt me an Jakath how to trak our prey. It was neet to lern, and aftr we had suppr at Granma an Granpa's

~ 4 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:43 am

The Hunt Begins (And 'the Talk')

Dawn... It was the first day of the Hunt... Surion, now a week into childhood, was ready, or at least... Torvil thought he was. It was actually still the day before, the sun had not really yet risen, but it threatened, and Torvil know that soon it would in fact, be true Dawn. He sighed, and moved over to Surion's Pallet, to wake him.

Surion stirred when his father woke him he opened his eyes and noted it was still dark "What dad?" he asked having not been warned that that way was the day

"Today... Is the day you become a man..." He murmured softly, and touched his son's forehead. "Lets go wake your mother, and say our goodbyes..." he murmured softly.

Surion rolled over under the too-small blanket and sat up on his knees stretching "Okay Dad" he said and stood up grabbing the blanket and giving it one more cuddle before tossing it on his pillow and climbed off the pallet

Torvil got up and moved back over to the pallet he and Ala shared on silent feet, he was already in hunter mode, the only difference is there was nothing to hunt here. He moved to her side and knelt, touching his wife's cheek. "Ala..."

"Hmm?" Ala asked wordlessly rolling onto her back stretching

"It's the day..." He murmured softly to her. "The day we leave you... For the Hunt..." He said softly.

Ala sat up holding the sheet against her chest "The hunt?" she blinked the sleep from her eyes "Ok, Hugs and kisses then you go, and be safe, come home to me in one piece... please" The hunt explained a lot, like the night before, ok technically earlier that morning, she'd only been asleep a few hours

Torvil smiled and gave her a kiss and a hug, then a nuzzle and a lick. "I promise to bring him back in once piece... even if he gets chewed into two..." He smirked and kissed her hand. "I'll stick him back together if I have to... Or bring him back for you to..."

"That's not one piece" she said and kissed him back and then held an arm towards her son for a hug

Surion moved closer hugging his mother tight and giving her a kiss on the cheek "Love ya Mum" he said softly and then moved away

Ala smiled looking proudly at her son

Torvil chuckled. "Well I'll try..." he murmured. "I really shouldn't promise..." he stood. "Okay... Lets go... We really should beat the sun to the lodge..."

Ala waved to them as they disappeared out the door of the room and then lay down to try and sleep some more

Surion hurried after his dad

Torvil walked quickly, but not too quickly, there were still things he had to tell Surion about the ritual, important things.

Surion caught up and tried to keep pace with his father though he was walking faster then his father was just to keep up since his father's legs were longer

"To start... They're going to ask for your name... To them, you are the nameless..." He murmured softly.

"Nameless why am I the nameless?" he asked curiously

"Because you haven't got a totem yet... And you're dead..."

Surion stared at his father confused but letting it be

Torvil looked down at him. "I'll be dead too... We can't return until you kill the animal that you chose to be your totem, then you will return to with a Trophy, and they will give you a name, and then we will be alive to the Clan again..." He murmured softly, walking along at a slightly slower pace... They had time. "You have no totem, no name, you are the nameless and you are dead to the clan.

"So I get to kill something" he mused looking up a the sky thinking about what was to happen

Torvil nodded. "Yes... With a spear, or a knife... Or your bare hands if need be..." He murmured. "You will get to taste the bloodlust..." he murmured, looking to the slowly brightening sky. "This is what it means to me a man at the cliffs Surion... The ability to kill..."

Surion nodded "What did you kill dad?" he asked quietly after a few minutes

Torvil was silent for a moment. "A Plains Dragon..." He murmured softly.

Surion stopped dead in his tracks "Dad please tell me I don't have to kill a dragon, that'd be HARD!"

Torvil chuckled. "You don't have too..." He murmured softly. "I went Northwest, away from my brothers and father... I bumped into my totem... literally... I lost fingers because of it..." He murmured.

Surion nodded and started walking again "ok, that's a relief" he said honestly relieved at that fact

Torvil chuckled and kept walking. "Oh... You must be silent unless spoken to directly..." He murmured as they started to near the lodge..."

Surion nodded "Silent... ok" he said almost dreading his hunt now, but not showing it as he caught sight of a building looming ahead of them

Torvil chuckled softly. "Don't worry... I think in the end... You'll enjoy this..."

Surion looked up at his father "Why do you say that dad?" he asked curiously

Torvil chuckled. "There is nothing more liberating than a hunt..." He murmured softly. "Nothing more powerful, nothing more rapturing than a hunt... save one thing... But I'll save that talk for when we're out there..."

Surion nodded "Ok dad" he took a deep steadying breath "Guess it's time" he said as they neared

Torvil nodded and entered the lodge. There were a lot of people milling in the outer hall... And Torvil smiled.

Surion followed his father in looking around but he didn't say anything

Torvil headed behind the curtain and was followed by three others. Melania, Korvil, and Malkar. They smiled and looked at the two. "So is Surion ready?" they asked as they all started to strip down.

Surion's face went beat red seeing his aunt and he promptly turned to face a different direction

Melania giggled and the others laughed softly and Torvil poked him with his foot. "When at the cliffs..." He chuckled, already stripping down.

Surion nodded getting undressed but still not facing his aunt, and still rather red in the face and ears

Torvil chuckle grabbed the paint painting himself then Surion, himself he painted in a strange scale like tiger pattern, and Surion he painted in the nameless Tribal mark, the then handed the paint off to others and got Surion and himself a loincloth.

Surion took the cloth looking at himself silently and putting it on rather quickly waiting before slowly turning praying to Visha that his aunt was no longer nude

Melania was just finishing up by tying raven feathers into her hair. She was wearing a small barely covering top and a loincloth, she flashed him a grin. "You won't blush so much when you're older..." Said with a light laugh. Torvil taped the back of Surion's head with the haft of a spear, not hard enough to hurt, but enough to get his attention.

Surion turned around looking up at his father when he felt the tapping

Torvil held out the spear to him, it was short, just a foot longer than Surion. Torvil's had teeth and claws tied onto his,.

Surion took it with a smile looking at it and turning it in his hands

Torvil smiled. "That's your life..." He murmured, grabbing a large and then smaller knife and tying them to his side.

Surion nodded "Kay" he whispered, after all his father had spoken directly to him

Torvil then headed into the next room... It was smoky and smelled of strange herbs. He took a deep breath and smiled. "Ahhh, the cleansing..." He said, sitting down in the open space for them.

Surion wrinkled his nose at the smell for a moment then relaxed and sat down beside his father

Torvil smiled and waited for it to begin.

Surion sat quietly looking around at the others who were already there curious as to see what each of them was painted as

Malkar was painted like a wolf, he also wore a Wolf's skin on his head. Korvil wore A bear's head and was slouched forward painted like a bear. Melania wore Raven feathers in her hair, and was painted like a Raven. And if Surion were to look at Torvil's right hand, he would see the claws of the dragon he had killed, tied onto the back of his hand like a knuckleduster.

Surion thought everything he saw was interesting there were faces he didn't know but he was in fact more interested in his family members over the others

Malkar stood and there was a dead hush. "Stranger... What is your name..." He said, his finger pointing at Surion as he spoke loud and clear.

Surion looked towards the voices "I'm nameless" he said after a moment when he saw that it was in fact he who had been addressed

Malkar nodded. "Do you know why you are here?"

"To earn a name and become a man" he said saying what he thought was a good summary of what he had been told

Malkar nodded and turned again to face him. "Then welcome Nameless, to the first hunt of your life!" He declared, standing talk. "Today, you leave here dead, but you will return to us a Living man... Is your guide here?"

"His guide is here, dead also, ready to again regain his life..." Torvil said loudly.

"Good, then let us pass the cup of sacrifice!" Malkar sat and produced a cup, cutting his hand and filling it with blood, drinking half, he handed it to Korvil, who did the same.

This went on till it skipped Surion and went to Torvil who did the same. He then handed it to Surion. "Drink and become strong..." He murmured.

Surion took the cup from his father and brought it to his lips drinking the contents before lowering it, he wasn't sure what to do with it then so he held it for the time being figuring they'd probably take it from him

Torvil took the cup and passed it back to Malkar. Then Malkar stood again. "Let us evoke Visha, so that the nameless shall know her!" Melania started to chat as she closed her eyes, and soon the ghostly form of Visha appeared. "The Protectors of my Children, why do you call?" "To bring another into our fold, the nameless one over there..." Malkar pointed at Surion. The apparition smiled.

Surion smiled looking up at a figure that to him was very familiar

Visha's ghostly form... Grew solid, and there were gasps. "Today... is a special day..." She said softly.

Surion watched her silently he remembered the time she had taken control of the doll that resembled her he was pretty sure it had been the most recent time he had seen her

Visha knelt down in front of him and she touched his forehead. "You... Are important... Blessed are you, you will make a fine protector..." She murmured and smiled. She then turned to Torvil and did the same to him. "You have done well... My Chosen one... You have started them on the path I want them to walk..." She kissed both their foreheads and walked back to the the center of the circle. "Blessed are my Hunters! Blessed are the protectors of my children!" She said, and then was gone. There was silence in the room.

Surion watched her until she was gone after she was gone he played with the edge of his loincloth waiting to see what was to come

Torvil got to his knee and stood. "Let us go..." He murmured, the others had started to turn their backs to them

There was a momentary flash of light and Visha was swearing. "GAH!" Several people tumbled. "I almost forgot!" She quickly rushed back over to Surion. "You, my little hunter need to chose a direction!"

Surion was just as surprised as the rest as he had started to stand with his father. Regaining his composure he glanced at his father deciding then and there to be similar yet different then his father "North East?" he said with some uncertainty and hoping beyond hope the dragons were in a different direction

Visha smiled and poked his nose. "Good choice..." She murmured and then poofed again. Torvil chuckled and started to walk. "That... was crazy..."

Surion scrambled to his feet grabbing his spear and hurrying after his father

Torvil chuckled and walked out of the lodge, heading for the ramp.

"Why are you laughing dad?" he asked once they were out of the lodge

"That was, I have to say, the most atypical first hunt ever, and the most hilarious too..." He said with a smile.

"What is normal then?" he asked glancing over his shoulder at the lodge

"She would have stayed ghostly and would have asked your direction without the swearing and whatnot..." He chuckled softly, slowly nearing the ramp.

Surion stopped seeing the ramp and froze, he knew he shouldn't be afraid, or least that was what he was trying to convince himself

Torvil stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Surion Asmodeus Rakamash, you will follow me down this ramp, it is your duty, you are a Rakamash, you will do your duty to your people, no matter how paralyzed with fear you are..." Torvil barked, seeing him freeze up.

Surion winced his father never called him by his full name. Gulping and clutching the spear for all it was worth and taking a deep breath he slowly moved towards the ramp

Torvil started to walk down the ramp, slower than he'd liked, he hoped to Visha he would never have to use Surion's full name again... It hurt to say it... in his heart.

Surion followed staying close to his father and looked in all directions as they neared the end of it

Torvil headed towards the tree, which just happened to be NE of the Ramp

Surion refused to not have his father between him and that tree, his eyes continued to move and even look up into the foliage of the tree as they walked

Torvil passed the tree with no incident. It was empty, and Torvil started to run into the thick underbrush, forcing Surion to do the same to keep up. He wanted to get them a good distance out before sunrise, which was swiftly approaching.

Surion's nerves eased as he chased his father into the underbrush just a bit as the ramp and the tree slowly disappeared from sight, it wasn't until they were completely out of sight that he really relaxed though still watching in every direction

Torvil slowed to a walk as the sun came up, going slow and looked around. "Okay... Nearest water is about a mile from here, We'll have to drink our fill there... The nearest game... Is prolly near there as well..." He murmured. "And Surion, it's time you and I had... a talk...

Surion caught up and slowed moving beside his father and looking towards him

Torvil took a deep breath. "Surion, have you ever wondered where you and other children came from?"

Surion blinked "Not really" he admitted "Maybe a tiny bit, but not really..."

Torvil nodded. "Well now's about the time I think you learned... You see Surion, when a Man and a Woman love each other very much...." Torvil went into very in-depth detail about the ins and outs of procreation, and also entered the realm of procreation for pleasure, and the differing levels of that, after about an hour of talking he finally ended. "And that's pretty much it... Any questions?"

Surion gulped "Uh, no, not really...." he said it was a LOT of information to digest and he really hadn't expected that talk

Torvil nodded. "It's something all the kids your age here are getting... I don't suspect you'll grow to teenage as fast as them, but I felt that you were old enough to handle the information..." He said softly,.

Surion nodded "Ok... " he loosed his grip on his spear a little, the distance and the talk had taken his mind off his fears of the ramp

Torvil nodded. "Besides, I thought it better you know now, than if you did turn teen on me and weren't ready..." He said softly. "Oh, and remember when I said that only one thing beats the hunt?"

Surion looked back to his father "Yeah I remember" he said quirking a brow at his father

Torvil nodded. "When... When you find someone you really, really love, and you are intimate with them, that intimacy is far better than any hunt..." He murmured. "That's the kind of intimacy your mother and I share..."

Surion stared at his father wide eyed and open mouthed "Did I need to know THAT part?" he squeaked

Torvil chuckled softly. "Surion, when we come back from this hunt you will be a man in the eyes of the cliffs, and in my eyes... Yes, you needed to know that part..." He kept moving through the brush. Going slower now in case game should show itself.

"Okay" he said and REALLY hoped for a change in topics as he slowed as well his eyes looking at everything

Torvil chuckled. "Surion..." He knelt down and pointed at some deer tracks. "Food."

Surion stopped and knelt with him running his finger along the shape of the tracks "Deer right?" he said quietly having been learning some different tracking things with his cousin over the previous week

Torvil nodded. "Yeah, deer, about two days old..." He murmured, looking around. "They're probably not in this area anymore, but keep a look out for me..."

Surion nodded "Ok dad" he said looking off in the direction the tracks led which didn't look like the direction they were going

Torvil nodded. "Out of our way too... Best to keep moving..." He said, rising and heading forwards again,.

Surion stood moving following after his dad once more his eyes keeping a look out

Torvil kept a slow, sweeping pace, he would stop every time he found tracks, but most if not all heading away from where they were heading, and in Torvil's mind, that was good survival skills, more than once he'd seen Dire Wolf tracks.

Surion looked at each set of tracks with his father and got about two thirds of them correct when he tried to identify them

Torvil complimented and congratulated his son with every right track, and corrected him on the ones he got wrong, Torvil could not be prouder of Surion as they moved, the sun starting to peak.

Surion grinned when he was right and nodded when he was corrected , the areas they had passed through had been pretty creature-less thus far

Torvil stopped them near the watering hole and pointed at a large hulking looking Stag. It was huge! It's antlers were very large and it stood about the height of a small car. "Legendary Stag..." He murmured softly. "He will let us drink if we mean no harm... So let us approach slowly..."

Surion nodded keeping his eyes on the stag looking at it in all it's glory as he followed his father

Torvil smiled and walked slowly to the water, he looked up at the stag and put the spear point end down into the ground, kneeling to drink.

Surion copied his father right down to the letter kneeling also to drink from the waterhole

Torvil started to drink, and the Stag let them be, when Torvil was done he stood and pulled his spear from the ground, bowing to the stag. "Thank you, master of these waters..."

Surion copied his father yet again he didn't wanna screw up and he had a feeling in his heart this was not the creature that was to be his totem

Torvil smiled and walked along for a few more hours, he found a small dip and sat down leaning back against the natural wall. "Sit, and rest Surion, we still have a long way to go..." He murmured.

"Kay" Surion said and sat down leaning against the rock beside his father

Torvil ruffled his hair. "I'm proud of you Surion, you're a fine hunter."

Surion chuckled and shook out his hair when his father finished ruffling it "Thanks dad, I have a great teacher and role model"

Torvil chuckled. "You don't mean me do you?" He said softly, semi-serious.

"Course I do, mind you Grampa is a good teacher too considering I remembered a good number of the types of tracks" he grinned

Torvil beamed and pulled him close, ruffling his hair again. "You're a nut you know that... Dad's the best hunter I know..."

Surion giggled and yawned , it'd been a long day and he was getting tired

Torvil smiled and moved his son's head to his lap, brushing his hair. "Get some sleep... We'll be continuing on at night too..."

Surion nodded and closed his eyes falling into a light but restful sleep

Torvil smiled and kept brushing his hair. He wasn't tired... This day must be remembered...

~ 5 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:37 pm

Surion is Attacked by his Totem

Torvil smiled softly as the sun started to set. He softly shook Surion and whispered. "Get up! Get up! It's time to get going again..."

Surion stretched and sat up "Kay dad" he said mid-yawn and shook his head to clear it he wiped the sleep from his eyes and grabbed his spear as he got up

Torvil rolled into a crouch and then started to walk slowly, his eyes darting out into the fading light. "I have a bad feeling..." he murmured, seeing the oddly game-less plain. "Something wrong..."

Surion followed after him holding his spear in his right hand "What's wrong?" he asked he too looked around, he'd never been hunting though and didn't really know much of a difference

"Generally we should have at least run into one herd of game... Maybe two... But no... This is like when the famine was..." He murmured softly.

Surion nodded slowly "does that mean they've moved father away?" he asked quietly staying close to his father

Torvil nodded. "Farther... Or got eaten..." He murmured softly, looking dead north and frowning. "I hope it's not that time of the cycle..." He murmured, still moving into the brush.

Surion nodded as they kept moving north east he kept looking around them listening and watching

Torvil was silent till midnight, then he dropped to his knees and ran his finger over a very fresh track in the dirt. "Deer..." He murmured. "Heading in the way we're going... Probably to the next watering hole..."

Surion crouched beside his father running a finger along the track and then looking ahead of them nodding

"These tracks are about... twenty minutes old... There abouts..." He murmured, and slowly started to move again, his spear at the ready should there be anything else stalking his prey, they needed the food, as they had brought none...

Surion nodded following after his father spear in his right hand and walking silently on the balls of his feet

Torvil stopped near the watering hole, he frowned at the shape of the Dire Wolf that had taken the deer stood at the water, drinking. He looked to Surion. "Is this what you seek? Or should I rid of it and feed us?" He asked.

Surion looked at the wolf and after a few minutes shook his head "My heart tells me this is not the creature I seek as my totem"

Torvil nodded, and then in a flash, dashed out of the bush with his spear. The wolf turned towards the sound, only to yelp loudly as the blade of the spear ripped through it's shoulder as Torvil jumped. It snapped at Torvil, who landed in the water beside it. Torvil growled back and threw his spear hard, lodging it in the wolf's neck. The Wolf let out a gurgle and still went after him, but Torvil dodged and weaved, then Charged the wolf ramming it's side hard with his shoulder and then flipping again, rolling over the wolfs shoulder and pulling out his spear. The Wolf whimpered and tried to stand again, but Torvil quickly cut it's spinal cord and then silenced it with one more stroke.

Surion stayed stalk silent watching the battle until it was over then stood and walked out of the bush as well walking towards his father and the wolf

Torvil was cleaning his spear. He pulled out the large knife and started to skin the wolf.

Surion stood near him and watched his father work he licked his lips the scent of meat reaching his nose

Torvil finished and cut of Surion a large bit of meat.

Surion crouched beside his father planting his spear tip down in the dirt then took the meat eating it, he definitely was hungry he hadn't eaten at all since his father had woken him before the hunt began

Torvil smiled. "We have to eat all of this meat...." He murmured softly.

Surion nodded and kept eating hungrily not worried about the wolf blood on his hands after all there was water right beside them he could wash it off with

Torvil ate and ate, and ate some more, he would cut off huge chunks and just leave them laying for whoever wanted it. When the meat was gone, he broke down the wolf's skeleton and pelt, and started to dig a hole.

Surion washed his hands and drank from the watering hole as his father cleaned up the wolf remains, he stood soon after picking his spear back up and ready to continue

Torvil had dug a six foot hole, or well, was trying to quickly, he grumbled and muttered, working hard, having only gotten so far. He looked to Surion. "Give me a hand, we have to bury these deep... So we can get them later..."

Surion nodded putting the spear back into the ground and moving to help his father get the task done

They finished just as the sun started to rise again, which made Torvil a little mad. He should have been faster, but no matter, they'd make up time now that they'd eaten and drunk. He filled the hole and marked it, then started off, at a run, to the northeast

Surion grabbed his spear and raced off after his father doing his very best to keep up and stay silent even though his legs were not as long as his father's

Torvil darted from brush to brush, and he did not stop running till about noon, where he came to a sudden stop, and knelt, catching his breath.

Surion stopped a few feet away he too crouched his eyes scanned the area catching his own breath

Torvil was looking around and he smiled, "Well Well..." He was fingering a track.

Surion moved closer and looked down at the track he wasn't quite sure what it was

Torvil moved his hand. "Big cat..." He murmured. "I'd say a Dire Plains Jaguar, from the looks of it's size and it's weight..."

"Oh dear Visha..." Surion gulped, it was the one creature he feared above all others. He looked off in the direction the tracks went until he saw that they disappeared into the brush

"In our direction too..." He smiled. "Maybe... this time you won't throw rocks at it..." He smiled and started to move forwards.

Surion nodded and took a deep breath and followed after his father, he prayed to Visha the cat had moved away from their direction further into the brush

Torvil kept his pace slow, and he let his eyes sweep the area. He tried to keep the scent of the cat in his head, but all he could smell right then was a dead deer not that far off...

Surion watched as well, his eyes nervous and he remembered where he'd first seen the Jaguar his grandfather had killed so not only looked around him... but above him

The attack didn't come from above... It came from behind. The Jaguar pounced, raking it's claws into Surion's back and starting to push him down.

Surion cried out landing face first into the ground trying to get out from under the beast, his spear still in his right hand

The Jaguar growled and raked at his back with it's claws then got off, darting into the brush again.

Surion cried out again and with difficulty and a lot of pain rolled spear in hand over to sit up and then get it was his intention to get up

The Jaguar attacked again this time plowing into his front, it's jaws digging into his left armpit. Torvil was already turned around and ready to strike... If Surion cried out for help... Or If Surion went limp...

Surion cried out in pain and brought his legs up under him pushing his feet against the creatures underbelly and tried to get the spear around to a good position to return the attack. It was about then that his gem began to flicker brightly

Torvil smiled and watched his son, but said nothing. The Jaguar hissed and growled as it was starting to get fought back, it yowled and bit down harder, striking out with it's claws at his chest and arms.

Surion screamed both now from pain and determination his free arm finally getting the spear around so the tip was facing away from his thumb and started going after the jaguar with it the gem on his forehead flickering more rapidly as he did

The Jaguar yowled loudly as it was struck biting more and more harder as it thrashed, It kept clawing at Surion with abandon.

By the time Surion lost all feeling in his left arm his gem had stopped flickering and was glowing brightly through his bangs. he brought the spear at the Jaguars' neck as hard as he could trying to get it in the side of the neck

The Jaguar yowled as the spear pierced the neck, and then suddenly, the Jaguar went limp, and a large gout of blood was forced out around the blade of the spear, and the beast released Surion.

Surion pulled the spear out and brought it back to the neck once more for good measure before passing out

When he would awake he would find the Jaguar laying out ready for him to skin.

Surion didn't wake for several hours the gem on his forehead glowing brightly the entire time, the cuts from the Jaguars claws and the wounds from it's jaws slowly healing and expelling any dirt that may be within them in the process. What was left when he begun to wake again was a red skin from the soreness and a hell of a lot of scars covering most of his front part of his back and most of his upper left arm

Torvil was kneeling beside him, he'd taken his shirt off, and his finger was tracing his son's scars.

"Dad" he said quietly slowly opening his eyes feeling somewhat groggy he didn't even try to move as yet

Torvil chuckled. "I've very proud of you Surion..." He said softly, his finger tracing the larges scar.

"Did I get it" he asked bringing the hand of his good arm to his face wiping the dirt he felt on it off

"Oh you got it..." He smiled softly, brushing Surion's head. "You got it..." He said with a proud voice.

Surion nodded "Thank Visha" then he moved to sit up it wasn't easy one arm feeling weaker then the other and his entire torso feeling rather sore and painful

Torvil nodded and handed Surion the big knife. "Time to claim your trophy... and eat..."

Surion reached for it with his left hand and froze just before taking it, his eyes caught sight of the scars on his arm, he looked down his good hand moving to his chest

Torvil smiled. "You're a man now Surion... Those are your badges of honor..." He murmured.

Surion shook his head "I... I don't want scars" he whispered on the verge of tears

Torvil brushed his hair and smiled. He slipped off his own Shirt and looked at Surion. "Surion... Pay attention..."

Surion looked up at his father his eyes brimming with tears which had yet to spill over

Torvil's body was clear of scars, and then suddenly, full of them

Surion's eyes widened a look of pure confusion and startlement in them

Torvil's scars again vanished. "I can teach you how to hide them..." He said softly.

"How did you do that?" he whispered at the exact same time he spoke and then nodded

Torvil smiled. "Well... You have to focus on them, and pretty much tell them to hide... Everyone of them... But right now... Take care of that totem

Surion nodded using his good hand to wipe the tears from his eyes. He reached for the knife again trying his hardest not to look at the scars on his body. He took it and turned to the beast which had attacked him, or rather the totem which had chosen him, he stared at it for a time, his fear turning to absolute anger, then respect as he pushed the creature over and brought he knife to it's underbelly near the neck, he was going to skin it, he was going to bring back it's pelt as his totem

Torvil smiled at watched him, he could not be any prouder..."

Soon it was done, the entire pelt removed from the beast and laying fur down to dry in the sun. he brought the knife back to the Jaguar and pressed it into the meat cutting two large pieces from it and turned handing one to his father and holding the other

Torvil smiled and waited for Surion to take a bite.

Surion looked at the meat and then tore into it, he wasn't THAT hungry having eaten the wolf with his father but he was a little hungry from the energy his body had used to heal him

Torvil smiled and ate, it was mostly ritual to eat the totem, but it didn't matter. He ate, more because he knew he would need the energy later. when he finished eating, he started to stripped the rest of the carcass and started to disassemble the skeleton.

Surion sat staring and watching the pelt dry as his father dealt with the rest of it the more he stared the more determined be became to learn...

~ 6 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 12:57 am

New Skills & Earned Name

Torvil sat across from him on the other side of the pelt. "Okay... Lets start..." He said softly, closing his eyes.

Surion nodded and looked towards his father

Torvil opened his eyes. "First... Focus on the Scars..."

Surion nodded closing his eyes thinking about the scars

"Once you have them in your mind, once you can see them... Make them vanish..."

Surion tried their visibility wavered but they did not go away

Torvil smiled, he was making progress. "It might help, to learn each one intimately first, know it in your mind..."

Surion nodded and lifted his good hand to his opposite arm running his fingers along a scar his eyes closed getting to 'know' it

Torvil smiled and let him do this, he himself had to keep watch.

Surion kept working at the task a few hours later he'd managed to hide a few of them consistently but turning his mind to others would make hiding the first ones hard, it was obviously going to be a long task.

Torvil smiled. "We've got time..." He said softly to him, as he watched.

Surion nodded and took a break to roll up the now dry pelt and clear his mind and then start again

Torvil smiled and left Surion for long enough to get them some water.

Surion was still working at it the rolled pelt in his lap and he leaned on it as he worked at it by the time his father had returned he had made a little progress. thinking about other scars was no longer making the first ones hidden reappear

Torvil smiled and sat with him, just watching and observing.

Surion had made little progress by the end of the day when he became tired again

Torvil brushed his hair. "Get some sleep..." He murmured.

Surion nodded "Kay dad" he said moving to put the large rolled pelt as a pillow and curled up "Tomorrow..." he told himself determined to succeed, he wouldn't return till he had

Torvil smiled and brushed his hair. "Morrow..." He smiled and tucked his son in, then slowly stood, walking a perimeter around them, making sure nothing would bother Surion as he slept.

Surion slept soundly cuddling into the semi-soft semi-rough fur of the pelt that he'd unrolled just a little of. His gem had finally stopped glowing once again

Torvil kept up his perimeter throughout the night, pacing and walking around his son and his pelt, he knew they would have t head back now, but they could go slowly... They could give Surion time to learn how to hide his marks.

Surion woke a few hours later, even before the sun rose, he sat up and looked rather confused

Torvil chuckled at him, having heard him sit up. "We need to start heading home..." He murmured softly. "But we'll take time..."

Surion nodded "Kay dad" he said and got up rolling the Pelt back up and picking it up he looked around and found his spear and picked that up too

Torvil started walking, the skeleton and parts of the Jaguar he carried along, walking at a slow pace, heading back to where they'd stored the wolf pelt.

Surion was silent as they walked, he himself was trying to work on hiding his scars as he walked his mind was preoccupied on that and waking up too

Torvil smiled and looked back. "It works better if you're still in the beginning..." He murmured. "But soon you'll get it down like breathing..."

Surion looked up at his dad "What?" he asked blinking he hadn't really heard him

Torvil chuckled and turned around. "The scar trick, works better if your still in the beginning, but soon you'll have it down like breathing..."

Surion nodded "Still in the beginning" he repeated quietly. After a while he couldn't keep his focus all on what he was trying to do.. "Dad..." he started

Torvil turned just as they hit the watering hole. "Yes Son?" He asked softly.

"My sleep last night... was... weird" he said quietly, he turned the spear in his hand

"Dreamless?" Torvil asked with a light smirk as he started to unbury the wolf pelt.

Surion nodded "Quiet and... empty" he said he look of confusion returned to his face

Torvil nodded. "It's cause your abilities have manifested... It's better you talk to your mum after this..."

"What... oh.. ok" he said breaking off his question, he thought his dad would know, but apparently he didn't.

Torvil turned and smiled. "I know a little bit if you have a question..."

"What abilities dad? and why does that make my sleep empty and quiet?" he asked

"Your ability to heal, and float, ghost through walls, create energy and control water.... I don't know why they do... I guess it's a trade..."

Surion just stared at his father open mouthed

Torvil smiled and pulled the pelt out. "Thank your mum for that by the way..."

"Ok now I'm even more confused" he mumbled and looked off into the sky trying to regain his concentration to work on his scars again

Torvil chuckled. "Talk to your mum about it then..." he said softly sitting down next tot he water.

Surion nodded and sat down with him, he untucked the very end of the rolled pelt he was carrying and then unrolled the whole thing making sure it didn't go in the water he ran his hand along the fur the memory of what happened helping him regain his concentration

Torvil smiled and tossed the bones of the Jaguar in with the bones of the wolf. He then turned and watched Surion intently, trying to see how he was doing

Surion left his hand on the fur of the pelt and closed his eyes concentrating trying his best to follow his father's instructions

Torvil smiled and watched him, being silent as to not disturb him as he worked, not wanting his son to fail in his task.

Surion's progress was slow and he still seemed to manage to succeed mostly with the scars on his arm very very slowly effecting those on his shoulder

Torvil smiled, and knew that this would take some time... But Surion would get it down, he knew he would. He was happy for his son, very happy... And he hoped one day Surion would come to accept these scars...

Surion opened his eyes a while later looking up a the sky "It chose me didn't it dad, I didn't chose my own totem, it chose me..." he said quietly

Torvil smiled. "Yeah... But then... That seems to happen a lot in this family..."

"First their kind has to scare me, cause me a fear I shouldn't have felt, then it chooses to be what my totem would be... It was fated to be mine from the start wasn't it" he asked

Torvil chuckled. "That is something you must decide for yourself Surion... Fate's a fickle thing... You could have been fated to die by the hand of it for all you know..." He said softly. "All I know, is that we do what we do, and the rest of the world does what it does... Fate, or the lack there off, plays very little into it..."

Surion nodded feeling suddenly chilled by the thought, he pulled the pelt around him using it to get rid of the chill, it wound up putting the front paws over his shoulders and arms

Torvil chuckled. "That's fitting..." He murmured softly, looking at Surion, and moving over, he reached and put the head atop his too. "Yes... Very fitting..."

Surion couldn't help it he laughed "Rawr" he said and looked over at his father

Torvil laughed and flinched playfully. "Oh no, it's going to eat me! Aahhhh!" Then flailed and sat back, exposing the claw on his right hand.

"Ack! the Dragon is gonna get the jaguar!" the silliness was a serious nerve easer

Torvil laughed and flicked the pelt off his son's head, which also knocked the paws off his shoulders. "Hehe... That was fun..." He smiled softly. "Reminds me of the days I used to chase you around the house on all fours... Heck, once I actually chased you around as a real Dragon..."

"I remember dad, that really wasn't all that long ago... I remember I used to squeeze in behind my toybox to get away and try and get you from behind" he said and reached grabbing the pelt again with a smile

Torvil chuckled and smiled. "Feels like forever and a time now..." He murmured softly with a grin. "But then, your birth does two, and that was three months ago..." He sighed and looked up at the sky. "One day... One day you're not going to be with us anymore..."

Surion sighed and nodded "Who knows when that'll be" he said and pulled the pelt back over his shoulders the scars on his arm remained hidden, it was the rest he was still working on

Torvil nodded and sighed. "Too soon..." He murmured softly and reached out, ruffling his son's hair. "You're really growing Surion, I'm proud of you... You acted very well yesterday when you took it down..."

"I did? Howso dad" he asked turning his head to look at his father

Torvil smiled. "You could have asked for my help but you didn't... Instead you fought, and you killed it..." He ruffled his hair some more.

Surion giggled "I went on instinct there, I didn't even think of what I was doing, at least I don't remember thinking of them... I just remember wanting the beast to let me go and to live" he said honestly

Torvil smiled. "Pretty much all you have to do Surion, your will to live must be stronger in times like that..." He said softly and looked to the sky. "You'll get better the more you work on it... You'll learn how to strike faster and harder... I feel a little bad, I should have realized the trap..."

"Trap? it was a trap?" Surion looked at the paw of the pelt as he spoke

Torvil nodded. "The Jaguar must have left a kill at the base of it's tree, and we were down wind, so we didn't smell it, it would lure deer into the place... and probably do to them what it did to you..." He smiled softly. "Dire beasts are smarter than other ones... Remember that

Surion nodded "I will dad... " he looked up at the sky once again He felt different, and not cause of the scars on his body either

Torvil smiled softly. "Gold for your thoughts?" He asked his son, who seemed to be off in thinking land.

"Just musing, I feel different, not sure in what way, but it's not... physical" he said his fingers moving to the scars on his chest

Torvil chuckled softly. "You're growing up Surion, becoming more mature..." He smiled and ruffled his hair. "And maybe a few other things too..." He smiled and stretched.

Surion nodded and looked southwest "How long will it take us to get there?"

"Three days if we walk, two if we run, five if we go slow and take frequent stops..." Torvil said softly, following his son's gaze.

"I don't want to return with scars like this... I know you said I'll grow to be proud of them... I'm just not ready to be proud of them yet" he said quietly

Torvil smiled softly and brushed his cheek with his fingers. "I know Surion... I know... There is one scar I'm not proud of tho... would you like to see it?" He asked softly. His face was suddenly very serious.

Surion looked over at him "Ok" he said watching his father

Torvil lifted up his bangs just as the scar started to appear, it showed up and it moved between his eyes, running from the right brow to the left. "I got this... from my brother..."

"Which one?" Surion asked curiously, he knew his dad had a lot of brothers... but didn't know any of them very well

Torvil chuckled weakly. "Mezaru..." He said softly. "One of the two you will never meet..." He said softly.

Surion quirked a brow when his father said this "Why?"

"He's dead..." He said softly, the words barely carrying on the air.

"Oh..." Surion looked at the watering hole not saying anything about the matter

Torvil looked at him. "I'm not proud of this scare... Because I killed an innocent when he gave it to me..." He murmured softly. "I killed Jakath's father..."

"Jakath's father? but.." Surion looked up now he was REALLY confused

Torvil chuckled softly. "Then your aunt committed suicide and started to haunt me... And then I went to the cliffs and brought them both back to life..." He smiled weakly and let the scar vanish.

Surion shook his head slowly "Strange life dad... strange life..."

Torvil chuckled softly. "Yes, your mother and I led a strange life before we had you..." He said softly, looking up at the sky with a soft sigh.

Surion nodded giving half his attention to his father, the rest was to his chest as he ran fingers along the long scars that existed there

Torvil smiled. "Get to know them really well..." He said when he looked back down at his son.

Surion nodded "It'll be harder on the back I think" he said with a nod

Torvil nodded. "Yeah... Those are a pain... I used the pond at the cliffs for that..." He murmured softly.

Surion nodded looking down a the water "I'll get it, I'm sure I will... eventually"

Torvil smiled. "I have faith that you will..." He said softly with a grin. "I did, so you can..."

Surion nodded and smiled as one of the scars slowly disappeared from his chest as he ran his finger over it for about the 10th time

Torvil chuckled softly. "Just keep it up, you'll get it..."

Surion nodded "Love ya dad, thanks for doing this with me" he said softly moving to a different scar

Torvil smiled. "I love you too Surion, and it's no problem... I'm happy I can do this for you..." He said with a smile,.

Surion smiled "When should we get moving again dad" he asked after a few minutes still running his fingers over the scar

Torvil chuckled. "When do you want to start moving, I'm letting you chose the pace back Surion...'

"I wouldn't mind getting out of Dire Jaguar territory" he admitted "I'm not ready to fight another one off right now"

Torvil nodded and slowly rose into a stand, "Then let's go..." He said softly, looking back towards the cliffs.

Surion stood up and pulled his spear from the ground he looked at his pelt "Should I roll this thing back up you think" he mused since it went tot he ground

Torvil chuckled. "As long as you carry it, it doesn't matter.

Surion giggled "Ok I'll leave it like this for now, roll it later" he said pulling the head back up and smiling at his dad "Rawr"

Torvil chuckled and kicked at him a little. "Cute..." He smiled. "I should tell your mother..." He sighed. "But I can't..."

"One day dad, then you can..." he said remembering what he'd heard

Torvil chuckled. "If she hunts..." He said softly. "And she will..." He smiled softly and nodded. "Melania agreed to sponsor her..."

"Then she'll find out eventually" he said holding the spear firmly in his hand

Torvil nodded and headed slowly back towards the cliffs. If Surion so chose, he would go faster.

Surion walked along side his father not saying much of anything now just focusing on tracing the scars and watching where they were going

Torvil smiled and walked, looking up at the sky. "It shall be an interesting returning home..."

"Why is that dad?" Surion asked him softly

Torvil chuckled. "You're bigger, you're older..." He smiled softly. "You're a hunter now..."

"I wanna see Nani when we get back to our home by the shop" he said quietly biting his lip

Torvil chuckled. "Okay..." He said softly. "I'll talk to your mom about it..." He looked over at Surion, reading his face. A suspicions washed over him but he dismissed it. Nahhh... too early for that...

"I like her, I miss her babysitting me" he admitted quietly

Torvil chuckled softly. "It's okay Surion, she's a nice girl... I wouldn't mind it if that like became something else later in life..." He smirked watching the path.

Surion blushed softly glad it was hidden by the head of the pelt. He grew quiet again focusing on the scars.

Torvil chuckled softly and walked along, he started to hum to fill in the silence as it was no longer needed.

Surion opted for semi-slow to return home, about half way through day 3 he thought he had it.. he had used any watering holes they had stopped at to learn his back and now a half a day away from the cliffs all he was doing was practicing KEEPING them hidden, he had already told his father he would show the hunters a the lodge just once if they really wanted to see them, but other then that he wasn't going to show them

Torvil smiled. "That's your choice Surion, it's your body." He said softly. "When and if you feel ready you will..." He said softly as they neared the cliffs, they started to come into view.

Surion nodded and as they grew closer he picked up his speed, he still had the pelt over his shoulders, he liked it there, he had to admit it

Torvil smiled and moved quickly, moving with Surion at the same pace.

Surion looked up at his father and about a 1/2 hour out from the cliffs he began to run the pelt flowed behind him in the wind he caused with it

Torvil laughed and followed after him quickly, moving at the same pace he was. He smiled softly and watched the cliffs, looking for anything in particular.

Surion only paid attention to the area around them and was soon passing the tree the previous Jaguar he had encountered had been in a couple weeks previous

Torvil chuckled and watched the tree, he ran happily and moved quickly, looking about, ready to b-line it for the lodge.

Surion ran up the ramp, he was happy to be home, he ran through the cliffs dodging people, he knew the lodge was their last stop of the hunt and headed towards it

Torvil chuckled and kept up with him as best he could, ducking and weaving through the people as best he could without knocking them over.

Surion seemed to have a better job at that the pelt was over his head as he ran but his size made for easier dodging soon he was pushing the door to the lodge open

Torvil chuckled and soon he was entering the lodge with a smile. Two hunters had attempted to slow Surion to a stop.

Surion stopped and looked up at them their height causing the head of the pelt to fall of his head but he had a hold on the rest of it

They chuckled. "I see the hunter has returned... Go... Go!" The motioned him to the back of the lodge. Torvil smiled and followed after.

Surion passed them smiling now walking instead of running

Torvil chuckled and easily caught up with him now, he walked with him into the back of the lodge, moving to sit where he had the last time.

Surion walked and sat down not saying a word as he did

Malkar was there, still in his wolf skin. He smiled. "So, my fine hunter, what did you bring us?"

"The pelt of a Dire Plains Jaguar" he said pulling it off his shoulders

Malkar smiled. "Then you shall be called He-Who-Slashes-Paws..." Malkar said softly.

Surion smiled , he had a name, a hunter name, and he was happy about it, his hand instinctively went to his upper left arm finding it normal

Torvil smiled. "Do you wish to show them your marks?" He asked.

"He has marks? Please show them to us!" Malkar smiled.

Surion put he pelt in his lap and staring at the fire ahead of him let them show, all of them

Several gasps rose among the crowd, and Malkar looked at him intently. "Much honored are you, Surion He-Who-Slashes-Paws. Your name shall be put into the records as the one who bears many marks..."

Surion looked at his uncle and nodded "They're on my back too" he said since he wasn't exactly facing backwards to any member of the circle

Malkar nodded. "Then it is settled... You may show or hide them as you wish, but you have much honor this day among us!"

"Thankyou" Surion replied and the scars started to slowly fade away again, he looked at the other members of the circle then at his grandfather who had saved him from the last Jaguar he had encountered

Korvil had the biggest, most proudest smile on his face, there were actually a few tears streaming from his eyes.

Surion smiled and pulled the pelt back onto his shoulders he was happy he made his family proud of him

Torvil smiled and started to remove his claw. "Then we shall return to our Cave Elder Malkar, and should you need us, you will summon..."

"Aye, go in peace... Claw-killer, He-Who-Slashes-Paws."

Surion smiled and looked at his Aunt and then his father intending to follow his father's lead

Melania smiled and nodded her head. Torvil had removed his totem and was heading to the other room to put things up.

Surion got up and followed after him stopping beside him when his father stopped

Torvil smiled and put his totem and spear up. "There..." he pointed at the new spot made just for him.

Surion pulled the pelt off and rolled it up and slid it where his father had pointed

Torvil smiled and ruffled his hair. "Lets head home to your mum..." He smiled.

Surion nodded "Kay dad" he looked over his shoulder briefly looking back towards what remained of the circle

They were talking in a low voice, something about "Time and policy, we need the backing of..."

Surion blinked and then turned to leave to head home

Torvil smiled and headed home looking down at Surion. "So... How do you feel?

"Different, tired, excited, a mix of feelings really" he said as they walked

Torvil chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Welcome to man-hood Surion, you'll feel like that for the rest of your life..." He smiled and patted his back, rolling his head and letting out a sigh. "And when you find the woman you'll spend the rest of your life with... It'll only get worse..."

Surion nodded the tips of his ears turning pink "Yeah" he paused for a few "Why was Grampa crying?"

Torvil chuckled. "Adults will do that when they're extremely proud, especially older ones..." He murmured softly, he noted the coloring of Surion's ears but decided to leave it be... When the time was right, he would tell him.

"So Grampa was proud, was it cause what animal?" he asked quietly

Torvil chuckled. "Most likely..." He smiled and ruffled his hair some more.

"Ack" Surion laughed and shook his hair out when his father's hand left his head

Torvil laughed. "You're no fun you know that? Your hair is supposed to stay ruffled!"

"Then why do you straighten yours every time yours gets ruffled" he stuck his tongue out t his father

Torvil chuckled. "Cause I'm a neat freak and I preen..." He smirked.

"So don't give me a hard time" Surion laughed his eyes lit upon his Aunt Mikiri's cave as then grew close to the caves

Torvil smiled and nodded his head. "Go on ahead... You know the way home right?"

"Yeah it's up there" he said pointing towards the cave with a small smile

Torvil smiled and nodded. "Good... I'll see you there when you're done..." He smiled.

Surion nodded and parted directions with his father and slipped into the entrance of the cave silently he wanted to see if he could possibly be quiet enough not to be noticed

It would be hard for him not to be, as a male, very tall and looking a lot like Jakath was watching the door. "Oh! Surion!"

Surion blinked 'not again' he thought to himself his face fell "Hi" he said seeing his cousin, there were times he wished he wasn't at the cliffs

Jakath's smile fell and he walked over to Surion. "Hey..." he said kneeling down. "So I see you made it back in one piece..." His tone said, that no matter the size, Surion was an equal.

"Barely but yeah" he said looking at his cousin, he should have known that he should have expected Jakath to have grown by the time he returned

Jakath smiled and nodded his head. "Well Kalia got stole from you, but I don't think you really mind..." He chuckled softly. "And erm... I'm waiting for Janie to get here... She's erm... late for our wedding..." He blushed.

"I should go" Surion said biting his lip he had hoped to visit with his cousin, but didn't seem possible if his cousin was getting married that day

Jakath shook his head. "Nah, it's okay..." he said softly. "She was supposed to be here two hours ago... I don't think she's going to make it today..."

Surion looked at the floor loosing a little control over his arm for a brief moment as he felt ... unsure and upset with himself

Jakath's eyes went wide and he gasped. "Surion! You... You have honor marks!" He murmured. He sat down and smiled. "Tell me how you got them!"

"I have more then those" he said putting his hand on his arm "Am I allowed to talk about my hunt's details?" he wasn't sure he figured his cousin would know

Jakath nodded. "With another hunter yeah... It's erm... like sharing your most inner thoughts tho, it's supposed to be between hunters that really trust each other..."

Surion blinked "When did you go on a hunt?" he couldn't remember that fact

"Just a little before you did..." He chuckled softly. "But I didn't go all that far and I was back fast..."

Surion laughed softly "Obviously since I didn't even know you went" he looked around he didn't really want to talk about it in the middle of the doorway though

Jakath nodded. "Here, lets go to my room..." He smiled.

Surion nodded and headed for his cousin's room and he sat on his bed when he got there

Jakath sat down on it too and smiled. "So..."

Surion took a deep breath and started telling his cousin about the hunt, even mentioned freezing at the top of the ramp, eventually he got to the part of the attack and pulled off his top when he did, he paused to catch his breath he hadn't quite finished the story, nor revealed the scars yet

Jakath was on hung on his every word, he was leaning forward, enraptured by the story.

catching his breath he finished the last of the story including at the end why it took so long for them to return, he hadn't told his 'name' yet but stopping talking he glanced at the closed door and biting his lip revealed the scars in a wave of un-hiding

Jakath gasped softly and smiled. "Wow..." He murmured in a whisper. It was amazing.

Surion took a deep breath and the let it out as he let his cousin look at him from all angles before hiding them again slowly

Jakath smiled. "You have much honor Surion..."

"I have scars, Scars I wouldn't have had so many of if I had been a better hunter and smelt the Jaguar's presence" he said quietly

Jakath bit his lip. "Surion, the fact that you have the scars means that even with that disadvantage you beat the Jaguar. You are a good hunter. A hunter who has scars is a hunter who has bested his enemy..."

"If he hadn't gotten off of me I have a feeling dad would have been the one to best him" Surion said shaking his head

Jakath moved closer to his cousin and touched his shoulder. "Surion... The Jaguar got off you for a reason, it was prolly cause he couldn't get you right on the back..."

Surion nodded "possible..." he pulled his top back on "All I know is I managed to kill him, and I brought back his entire pelt"

Jakath smiled and patted his shoulder again. "And you are a hunter now, you're a man now Surion..."

Surion smiled "Yeah, a hunter, a man, and a named... did you hear about the start of the hunt?" he asked having only really started from leaving the lodge when he told the story of his hunt

Jakath nodded. "Every hunter did... It's a big... to do..." he smiled softly.

Surion chuckled "She's a nice lady, used to make me laugh when I was little"

Jakath chuckled. "I'm sure she is... But I heard she was swearing when she came back..." He smirked.

"She was, she forgot to ask what direction I was gonna go... I should probably head home... you are expecting your mate-to-be, I'm sure mom is worried about me... and I'm tired" he said standing up

Jakath nodded slowly. "Okay Surion, hope to see you soon!" He said softly.

Surion nodded and got to Jakath's door "What's your name?" he asked turning back

"Fang-Striker..." He said softly. "Totem... Viper..."

"He-Who-Slashes-Paws.. " he replied and headed out of the cave, soon walking very silently into his own family's cave, he could hear his father talking to his mom

"It was... well it was amazing that's all I can tell you..." Torvil was saying. "I got him back in all one piece though..."

Surion walked silently up behind his mother

Ala was staring at Torvil "And that's all you can tell me, where is he??"

Torvil chuckled. "Well my hunter to be... why don't you use your nose?"

Ala quirked a brow "My nose? you want me to search the cliffs when you can just tell me?" she hadn't sniffed

Torvil chuckled. "Just... Use your nose love..." He smirked. "Trust me..."

Ala stared at him for a full minute then sighed and sniffed and did an about face her hair flying

Surion looked up at his mom with a small wave

Torvil couldn't help but laugh. "Told you..." He said with a big smile.

"Surion!" she gasped

before Surion could blink he was wrapped in a huge huge and was looking over his mother's shoulder at his father an expression of 'help' on his face

Torvil chuckled. "Love... He's turning blue..." He murmured walking over and brushing her hair.

Ala blushed and let go of Surion "Sorry"

Surion gasped for air "it.. ok.." he said and tried to stifle a yawn

Torvil chuckled softly and brushed her hair and then ruffled Surion. "Looks like someone could use some sleep..." He smiled. "But then it's up to you Surion..."

Surion nodded "I'm tired, tomorrow I need to talk to you about abilities" he said and gave his mom a quick hug and disappeared

Ala turned again, this time on her husband giving him a very questioning look

"Lets just say he had a rough time... and now he's all the more like you love..." He tapped his gem and made a 'glow' noise.

Ala's eyes went wide "They started to manifest??"

Torvil nodded. "Yeah... He had his first dreamless sleep..." He said.

Ala shook her head it was just too much to digest "I think I need sleep" she said slowly heading for their room still shaking her head

Torvil moved with her and pulled her into a hug. "Not without me you're not..."

Ala giggled "I missed you" she said softly hugging and kissing him

Torvil purred and kissed her back. "I missed you too... and I need a bath... But the bath can wait..." He smiled, pulling her closer and moving towards the pallet. "I didn't sleep that whole trip... and I'm exhausted..."

"You didn't sleep? is that what all hunts are like?... wait you probably can't tell me that" she sighed and moved with him

Torvil kissed her cheek. "I can tell you it depends on the hunter..." He murmured softly.

Ala nodded and pulled away from him to crawl into their pallet

Torvil slid in next to her and pulled her close. "Ugh..." He murmured softly. "I missed this so much..."

"Same" she said softly cuddling close to him ignoring his scent

Torvil purred and nuzzled her softly closing his eyes. "Mmmm... sleep..."

Ala purred softly and nodded closing her eyes and dozing off

Torvil joined her a few seconds later.

~ 7 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 1:04 am

Surion's Scribbles

Dear Jurnal Thing:

He hoo slashez paws... I finishd it. My hunt is ovre I got my totum. I had to lern to hide my skars that i got too. I dident want skars If i had lissend bettur i wuld hav got the jagwar. Insted he got me, but I got himm in end so all is gud. I thinke I will slepe in tumoro, nite jurnal

~ 8 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 8:53 pm

Ala's Journal

Dear Diary

They are back, Thank Visha. I was very worried about them Couse I dont know what happened out there. Maybe once I become a hunter too I can find out, I get the feeling something major happened, it's usually a major thing that causes the powers to begin to manifest, for me it was an accident. I wish I could know, but thats for the future...

~ 9 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 11:14 pm

Torvil's Journal

Dear Journal,

He-Who-Slashes-Paws... My son has a name now... My son is a man by right! I do not know if you notice journal, but I do not use normal ink in you today... No... I use my own blood to inscribe this moment down into you forever. I do not think I could be prouder of Surion than I am this day! So much has happened, that I think that several of your pages will be required to recount it all...

To start... Surion did an amazing thing... He was pinned and he killed the beast, that in and of itself was amazing beyond all reasoning... I wasn't worried at all of course... He is after all, MY son... ( Okay, I'll admit it... I was about ready to wet myself when the Jaguar got a hold of him... ) He had more Scars from that one beast than mine gave me... Granted I lost fingers... But this isn't about me... This is about Surion... Surion He-Who-Slashes-Paws Asmodeus Rakamash... That has a nice ring to it doesn't it?

Surion also learned how to hide the scars the beast marked him with... That makes him all the much more honorable in my eyes. He did not want the scars, and I cannot blame him... When I was his age... I didn't want them either... Granted... Mine were from... Never mind... Again, this is not about me, my story is not the one I should be telling... Surion... Surion did well in his lessons of that technique! Much better than I have seen many do... Even myself I have to admit. He has amazing stamina... I think he is blessed, coming from the two regenerating lines that he does. I would not fault him though, for enjoying his mother's powers... None of mine are worth having anyway... Burdens that lot of them... Especially the Demon at times... But enough... This was not meant to turn into a rant, this was meant to imortilize my Son's amazing acheivement!

I think that the future is bright for Surion... He is a strong man, and he will grow into an even finer one as time goes by. I have much faith in him, much knowledge of my other Son as well... We do not raise bad men in this family, and, even though his middle name's namesake can be a pain at times... I know he is not a bad man... And I hope that one day I can introduce Surion to him...

***

Pardon the long break Journal... My ink well went empty and I had to refill it... Anyway, returning to what I was saying before... I hope one day to introduce Surion to Asmodeus... I do not know when... Probably not until he has become a teen... I fear that now... Ala would pitch a fit beyond all imagination... I would not blame her, or spite her for it either. Asmodeus has wronged us... But... I have forgiven him... And I still consider him my friend... I know Ala does not like him... But he was the man I chose Surion to share a name with... I trust him with my life... My families life... Yes... He has his faults and his quirks.... But he isn't a bad man... and I hope that one day he and Ala can make amends... But I will not hold my breath for it... But yes... Surion will grow into a fine man...

I just know he will...

~ 10 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:09 am

The Morning After They Return

*Splash* the sounds of Surion almost nearly literally jumping the spring for a bath the morning after they returned could be heard through parts of the cave

Torvil chuckled softly and opened an eye. "I should join him..." He murmured softly, slowly starting to roll out of bed so he could get up and bathe.

Ala rolled in her sleep as he got up a small smile on her face as she was happy he was back

Torvil chuckled and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead as he got up and headed for the bath, stripping down as he went.

Surion hummed quietly to himself not listening for anyone's approach he was playing with the water in a way he never had before

Torvil stilled his chuckles as he walked in on silent feet. He slid into the water, and watched his son play.

The waters moved and Surion looked up "Oh dad hi" he said with green eyes looking at him "This is .... different"

Torvil chuckled. "Yeah..." he murmured sinking a little into the water. "I really can't do much with water... Tho... I have this odd affinity with Blood. I don't know why..." He chuckled softly and sank a little more in the water. "Your mother would be the best to teach you..."

Surion nodded "Yeah guess I'll have to talk to her at some point soon" he mused and returned to cleaning up. "So what am I going to get from you" he asked curiously

Torvil chuckled. "The ability to have many children very quickly, a high metabolism, strength, perhaps wings and a tail... Oh! And a Demon that's more a pain in the butt than it's worth..." Torvil said as he floated on his back now.

Surion stared at him "Ok I think I like Mom's stuff that I inherited erm... better" he dunked under the water

Torvil sighed. "Most of them do..." Torvil murmured softly looking up at the roof. He knew what was going to come next... That moment when he would think, deep down, that it would have been better if Ala had found someone else...

Surion surfaced and shook the water from his hair and smiled looking at his father "What?" he asked curiously seeing his father staring at the ceiling

Torvil shook his head. "Nothing..." His voice was stolid and flat, and a bit hollow, but then, he hand these instances few and far between, and thankfully, the last one had not been around Surion.

"If you say so dad" Surion said quietly and headed out of the springs, he'd learned if his father wanted to tell him something he would

"Surion..." Torvil spoke softly slowly looking towards him. "Sometimes I wonder... What it would be like if you'd had a different father... If all of my children had had different fathers..." He sighed and looked away. "Sometimes... I think... It would have been better..."

"If I had a different dad I wouldn't be the person I am, none of us would, you are a wonderful father, you care and that's what matters" he said looking over his shoulder towards his dad

Torvil was shaking. "Yeah... But... I give you useless blood..." He murmured and slowly sank back into the water, his hair starting to billow up around him.

Surion stared at his father and shook his head grabbing a towel he went to his parents room and woke his mom "Dad's being weird in the bath mom" was his way of waking her

Ala sat up "Weird... k..." she yawned and headed for the spring as Surion disappeared into his room

Torvil was sitting in the water, stewing. He was useless to his child, at least as far as genetics were concerned... He gave them nothing but useless bloodlines...

"Surion said you are being weird" she said sitting on the edge of the spring

Torvil slid out of the water a little. "I'm useless to him... My Blood is useless to him... I don't give him anything useful at all, nothing like your line..." He sank into the water again.

Ala rolled her eyes her eyes turning green as she pushed the water aside "Stop being silly"

Torvil looked up at her. "I'm not..." He said softly. "Surion pretty much said it himself... He likes your bloodline abilities better... What use are mine neh? All I gave him was the ability to have a horde of children, the inability to get fat no matter how much he eats, perhaps wings later, and a demon that's going to haunt him for the rest of his natural life, which is going to be decently long..."

Ala crossed her arms "He's a kid Torvil, some things interest a kid more then others. Give him time..."

Torvil sighed and shrugged, sitting down on the now empty bottom of the pool. "Yeah... Yeah..." He murmured softly. "Though it seems that most of our children seek your abilities out more than mine..." He sighed. "Hell, they all take after you anyway..." He said even softer. "Which I think is better... I mean... Meh..." he brushed his hair. "Who wants white hair when you're a kid right?"

"Ok that's enough Torvil" she said shaking her head and getting up , her eyes shifted normal as the water fell back atop of him and she turned to walk away to let him sulk on his own for a while

Torvil let the water collapse on him and he sighed, stewing more... And more... and more... It got a lot worse before it got better. Torvil had a Semi-delicate Ego, and it was easily damaged, it didn't help that he'd spent most of his life having his ego abused. He slowly crawled out of the water and dried off, then went to go find some clothes.

Ala had crawled back into bed and gone back to sleep, she hadn't slept much during their absence

Surion himself was walking through the market looking at stuff

Torvil got dressed and headed out, unconsciously following his son. Jakath was also in the market... Looking for toys...

Surion wasn't looking at toys, he was in fact at that time looking at spears and knives

Jakath walked behind him. "Two booths down offer better deals..." He said, looking down at him.

Surion turned and looked up "Jakath" he said then looked towards the other booth "Thanks Jakath" he said he didn't actually have any money , he'd just been looking "Whatcha doing?" he asked

"Looking for toys..." He said softly, already perusing a both that was in eye shot. "Gotta keep the kids appeased..."

"Kids?" Surion looked at him, a questioning look in his eyes

"Yeah... Janie was late because she was pregnant... Erm... My fault... Now I have four kids to take care off and entertain..."

Surion looked at the ground "Oh" he bit his lip

Jakath nodded. "Yeah... That's pretty much what I said too... When I found out..."

Surion nodded "I guess... I should let you get to your... family"

Jakath shook his head. "I'm shopping right now, I've got time..." He said firmly.

Surion felt so odd around his cousin "Okay" he looked at the knives with not exactly full interest

Jakath smiled and looked them over. "Meh... Still better two over..." He muttered. Torvil entered the market, still following his son without thought.

Surion nodded and wandered two booths over looking at the weapons on display

The weapons were actually of higher quality and much cheaper. Jakath smiled. "Yeah... We tend to get all our stuff here... Helps when you have the Hunter's discount too..." He chuckled. Torvil was two booths away, browsing.

Surion nodded "Yeah that would help, though being broke doesn't... Dad was being... weird this morning, so I couldn't ask for anything"

Jakath blinked. "Torvil was being weird? How so?" He asked softly, not noticing him just a few feet away.

"He seems to think it'd be better if someone else was my dad, and my sibling's dad... which is kinda dumb..." Surion said running a finger along the blade of a spear

Jakath nodded. "Yeah... That is kinda odd..." He murmured not noticing that Torvil was closer still. "I wonder what brought that on..."

"I said I liked the abilities mom gave me better... That doesn't mean I don't like what he might have given me... Just I mean, what am I going to do with the ability to make a whack of kids, I'm still a kid myself, I'm not like you Jakath, I'm not going to grow like you, it's gonna be a long time before I can use that... but the healing I did on the hunt and then playing with the water this morning in the bath, those I can use now as I learn them"

"Well... I don't know too much about it... My mom's really hush when it comes to talk about your dad... She refuses to talk about anything that happened before what she calls, 'The end of the Dark Ages...' It's weird... She gets all quiet and defensive about it..." he sighed. "As for the whole Whack of kids bit... Yeah I can understand that.. There's not alot we Dragonics can do... I mean... Torvil taught the council that we can do a lot... like Alchemy and stuff... But... No one's tried..."

"I wanna try that at some point, Alchemy sound interesting... but am I ready for that is the question..." he said taking the spear in his hand to look at it better

"You are... Just about..." Torvil finally broke the silence. "Your Brother started at your age... Much to my chargin, and to the walls destruction..."

Surion spun surprised "Dad!, how long have you been standing there?" he said completely surprised

"About since... oh... 'I said I...' " Torvil admitted, perusing a section of pipes, looking them over.

Surion looked at the ground "Oh" he bit his lip his tail drooping a bit not having intended on being overheard

Torvil nodded. "It's alright, I understand now..." He said softly. "I can't blame you for feeling that way... I kinda want to apologize for how I was acting... I have a very easily bruiseable ego..."

Surion nodded "It's ok dad" he said still staring at the ground fidgeting with the spear in his hands

Torvil sighed. "No, it's not okay... you don't even know why it's that way, but that's a story for later... Like the spear?"

Surion looked at the spear and nodded "Yeah" he admitted but moved to put it back

Torvil shook his head. "Keep it..." He walked over to the booth and reached into his pocket, tossing the price of claw on the table.

Surion blinked and watched his father pay for the weapon "Thanks" he said holding it more firmly in his grasp

Torvil nodded and smiled. "I'm gonna hang out around here for a bit.... You're free to stay here or go with Jakath or go on your own..." He said slowly starting to wander to the next booth, but not before putting about ten claw into Surion's hand.

Surion nodded pocketing the claw "Thanks dad" he said and looked towards his cousin.. or at least see if Jakath was even still there

Jakath was there, waiting with a smile. "You wanna hang with me or go your own way, I'm good either..." He chuckled.

"I wanna see my sister I was slowly kinda heading that way anyways, uhm I don't want to keep you too long from your family either" Surion said biting the side of his lip

Jakath nodded. "Okay... Well I'm kinda going in the opposite direction, so I'll catch you later okay?

Surion nodded "Congrats Jakath" he said softly and then gave his cousin a wave as he kept moving through the market and then eventually out of the market and along the path towards his sister's cave

Vina was out of the cave for once, airing out clothing.

Surion walked up quietly behind her and stood there silently watching her from about 4 feet behind her

Vina turned around and saw him, smiling. "Hello Surion..." She said happily, before picking up a shirt that was neither hers or Joman's and handing it up.

"Hi Vina" Surion said with a smile he didn't really pay much attention tot he clothing "How are you?"

"I'm okay... Been better... Had birth..." She smiled softly, rubbing her stomach. "Dad... erm.. well... he was wrong for once..."

Surion nodded slowly "Oh ok" he said perplexed to say the least

"He said I couldn't have anymore..." She smiled at her little half brother.

Surion nodded "Ok Vina congrats" he gave her a small smile and fidgeted with the spear

Vina giggled and nodded. "Yeah... Their out with their fathers right now..." She smiled and went back to airing clothes. "It's good to see you again..."

Surion smiled "Likewise Vina" he said his left hand holding the spear his right resting on his upper left arm. "Vina.... Jakath says you are trying to get some stuff passed that has to deal with other kinds of peoples"

Vina nodded. "Yeah... It's not right that the cliffs is barred to non Dragonics... Hell Getting Joman and Malcolm in here was hell..." She sighed.

Surion nodded "Yeah, it is..." he agreed softly "What are you trying to get passed exactly... if you are allowed to tell"

"Surion, I'm an Elder on the council, I can say whatever I please about the things I wish to pass, unless it's sealed to the council, and this is not... I want to make it so that the Cliffs are open to anyone who wish to travel here... Mind, they have to enter on foot... And technology kept to a minimum, I don't want Culture shock

"I hope you manage it... In the future I might have someone special I want to introduce to family" he said with a nod

Vina smiled. "I'll try my best Surion... It's an uphill battle but with the help of Malkar we just might make it..." She smiled and put up another shirt. She sighed. "I just hope it's soon..."

Surion nodded "Yeah, though I myself aren't in a rush... I'm just a kid"

Vina giggled. "I know Surion, but the sooner the better you know..." She smiled and hung up another shirt.

Surion nodded "What else have you been up to?" he asked after searching for questions and things to talk about

Vina smiled. "Not much really..." She said softly. "Just being a mother, a wife, a lover, and an elder..." She smiled softly and then thought for a moment. "Wait right here!" She skittered into the house and came out with a large bag of claw. "Give this too mom and dad, tell them they won the pot... If they don't understand, tell them the stage..."

Surion stared at her as he took it... "Pot?" now he was confused

Vina giggled and poked his nose. "I'll tell you when you're older, maybe you might even participate..." She grinned,

Surion looked down at the bag "Errr ok, Uhm I should go I suppose, I don't really want to carry this all day..." he said

Vina giggled. "Okay..." She ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead. "You have a fun stay alright, and thanks for visiting..." she smiled and went back to airing her laundry

Surion nodded and wandered back through the cliffs till he got back home

Torvil was wondering around the cave, he'd seem to have gotten better, there was a ghost of a smile on his face now

"Uhm dad?" Surion said leaning the spear against the wall as he entered

Torvil turned and looked at him. "Hey Surion.

"Uhm this is from Vina... said you won the pot... or something like that" he said holding the bag up his other hand scratching his head

Torvil chuckled and smirked. "heh... That's cute... I wondered if she took a shot at it...." He smirked and tossed the bag in the claw-cove and smiled

Surion stared at him confused as all heck

"Remember our talk we hand on the hunt..." Torvil chuckled.

Surion nodded "Yeah I do" he said the tips of his ears a lil pink at that reminder

"It's a sport here at the cliffs..." he chuckled softly and tossed his hair, brushing it.

"Er ok......" Surion shook his head he didn't even WANT to think about that

Torvil chuckled. "But enough of that... I was wondering if you wanted to hear the story of why I've got such and easily bruised ego..."

"Ok dad" he said and sat down on the couch to listen

Torvil joined him. "It started when I was born... at that time... My kind weren't accepted... Being shorter and having white hair was a sign of weakness..." He said softly.

Surion blinked "It was?" he asked looking at his father's hair and thinking of his mother's

Torvil chuckled softly. "yeah it was..." he smiled weakly. "From the day I was born till the day I left the cliffs, I was beaten, abused, neglected, and otherwise harassed..." He murmured. "I lived wherever I could find a place that I wasn't going to get hurt or chased out...

Surion wrapped his arms around his legs glad such was not the case for him

Torvil smiled. "That changed... After I did some things..." He said softly. "But then... That was a long time ago..."

Surion nodded slowly listening to his father's story

"It was after you aunt committed suicide... Yeah I know... It's weird... The perks of learning a little necromancy... Nearly killed me bringing her back..." He murmured.

Surion's eyes went wide and he stared open mouthed at his father

Torvil tilted his head. "Did the same for your brother not to long ago..." he murmured. "Did it to Malkar too..." he said softly.

Surion nodded "I see" he said with a nod watching his fathers movements

Torvil leaned back and looked up at the roof. "You can thank the man that bears your middle name..." He murmured softly. "He was present at your birth, you've yet to meet him tho... I was kinda hoping he'd be your god-father... but your mother hates him..."

Surion tipped his head "he was? I haven't? you did? she does?" he wasn't even sure he'd HEARD of another person who's name was Asmodeus

Torvil chuckled. "Asmodeus Grims, head of the second Tier of the Troublesome spirits division, Married to Dia, your mother's best friend..." he chuckled softly. "And your god mum..."

"Ok part of that made no sense and I'm not even going to try to fathom it" he said, he didn't remember the trip to the hidden city as an infant

Torvil chuckled. "He's married to your god-mum that's really all you need to know... Oh and that Your mother hates him with a passion, and I'm kinda sad to say it's not a mutual feeling..."

Surion nodded "Ok"

Torvil let out a sigh. "Maybe I can sneak in a meeting between the two of you..." He murmured.

Surion nodded slightly, he didn't know what the issues were and had no intentions to pry

Torvil let out a sigh. "It would be kinda nice..." he smiled softly.

"Kay dad" Surion said. "Dad how much longer are we staying at the cliffs?"

Torvil shrugged. "I don't know... Your mom's kinda the one deciding that... I'd say a little longer... Why?

"Kinda weird here now" he said quietly looking at the floor

Torvil sighed. "Yeah I know Surion, they're growing faster than you, and in a month your cousin's kids will be doing what he's doing..."

Surion nodded without saying anything vocally

Torvil sighed. "Your brothers and sisters were like that too..." He said. "You're I guess you could say, the lucky one..."

"No I'm not" he mumbled and got up heading for his room

Torvil sighed and got up, following him on silent feet, a skill one needed for many things here at the cliffs, though he knew that Surion probably knew he was following.

Surion wandered into his room, he was aware of his father but said nothing as he lay down on his head pulling his red and black blanket over his head his legs sticking out the end as he wrapped his arms around his pillow

Torvil sat down beside him and started to rub his back. "Surion..." He said softly. "I know it must be hard..."

"How would you know you didn't have everyone growing up around you and leaving you behind" he mumbled

Torvil sighed. "No... But then none of them would even give me the time of day anyway..." He said softly rubbing his son's back. "I know it's hard.... But soon... Soon you'll be older again..."

Surion didn't reply to his father's words

Torvil sighed and just kept rubbing his back then sighed again. "Alright... I get the message... I'll leave you alone..." He sighed and slowly stated to stand.

Surion had actually fallen asleep under the blanket

Torvil headed out into the living room, and flopped on the couch, he'd not know that his son had fallen asleep, and was slightly hurt by his silence, but it would pass..

~ 11 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:10 am

Surion's Scribbles

Dear Jurnal Thing:

Why dos dad hav to be ackting weerd? I like mum's powrs better but that dont meen I dont like his at som time too.

~ 12 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:10 am

Ala's Journal

Dear Diary

Does he have to be rash? Must he think Surion hates those abilities right away? *sigh* But I suppose he's always been rather touchy about what he can do.

~ 13 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:54 pm

Torvil's Journal

Dear Journal,

Is it bad that I feel really stupid right now? Of course Surion isn't going to like my bloodlines abilities, they're nothing special or cool... They're just... Blah... Quite Blah indeed...

~ 14 ~

 

[Sur Journal]

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 8:54 pm

Sur & Mom talk about Kerrsalian abilities

Surion sat on the ledge overlooking the cliffs he was thinking about everything he had gone through in the previous week and a bit.

Ala walked up from behind and sat down beside her son and handed him a glass of citris juice, "Claw or Gold for your thoughts?" she asked him

He looked up at her "Just thinking about everything thats happened, including the hunt..." he said

Ala nodded not prying for info of the hunt "Your father said your abilities manifested while you were away"

Surion paused and nodded "Yeah, healing, I needed it I guess"

Ala nodded "That would be how they often do that. Mine began to manifest when I fell from the top of a slide as a young girl. Healing is just one of hte abilities you can expect to show up"

Surion looked at her "Dad said the abilities are why my nights are empty and quiet when I'm asleep, unlike they used to be"

"When we gain something new we lose something, in the case of our abilities manifesting as Kerrsalians we lose our ability to dream on our own." She explained "Other things you can expect or hope to expect to become manifested to you is the ability to float..."

"Float? but you dont float" he interupted her

Ala chuckled "No I don't... now, but I used to, before my body took the change which gave me my wings. I held the ability for a couple days... then lost it, like the exchange for powers and dreams" she explained "But also you may also see the ability to control water, energy and possibly even ghost walls"

Surion nodded "Will I have to give anything else up for these new abilities?" he asked his mum

Ala shook her head "You already have Surion... I'm going to take you to see your Aunt Kalyai after we get home. She is a Wisen Apprentice, she'd be better able to teach you and train you in the use of these powers, I only learned by trial and error..."

"Ok mum, I would rather learn from you though..." He said looking at her

"I know Surion, I can teach you basics, but I'd like you to see Kal anyways, she can help"

Surion nodded "Kay..." he looked back out over the cliffs

Ala watched him for a moment then got up and walked back into the cave.

~ 15 ~