407 CHPT 407: Connections bring Questions...

"STOP IT!"

In the quiet and empty desert his voice rang out along the sanded grounds like a fleeing ghost. Every animal in the area froze for a moment. Breaths heavy and tensions high after witnessing Claude be chased and nipped at by the young Primal.

It seemed he'd finally gotten somewhere with the young embodiment of disaster. In the sudden stillness, the sands torn from the ground and shaken off Claude's cloak fell down around them like snow, reflecting the moons rays in small beams that spun and danced like millions of falling disco balls.

Despite the magical beauty of it, Claude's vision was never split. Neither was the Primal. The young Protartyrannus. Ages ago, it would've been a young T-Rex roaming who knows where-- mindless and untouched by magic. Times had changed. So had the reborn species. But some things remained. He could see it in it's slitted reptilian blue eyes. That difference from the other animals of this world. A feeling of primordial power. He felt it within the Glorian Lion as well-- only not so intense. But a feeling, nonetheless. Call it Beast Tamers intuition if you will.

In fact, he could feel many things sharing between himself and the creature in the stillness. In his mind he found himself thinking of his mental linking to Frosty. That tether, it was building from the Primal. Finally. After spending two weeks together. There was more to the Primal than the hunt.

"Relax..." Claude said in a calm voice.

The Primal let out a crocodilian rumble. The sound almost made Claude smile. Gil made the same noise often.

"C'mon. Work with me." Claude said.

The Bounty Hunter and his twin Hounds watched in the distance.

He found the man's presence reminding him of something. When connecting to an animal-- a creature-- a mythical being. You must speak its language. The same way a man can learn to speak to the wolves through physical actions and body language. Obviously, there was more to it, but he could draw inspiration from the idea.

Sure, he couldn't speak Primal, but he could shift. Not outward communication, but outward similarity.

Claude took a steady deep breath and activated his newly Merged Skill, (Beast Boost). The combination of Beast Trait and Wild Boost.

The magic within churned and intertwined, reaching for-- studying, communicating, copying, the traits of the Primal standing across from him while also empowering them both. It's massive, serrated teeth only a foot away.

Suddenly his eyes mirrored it's own. The outer portions of his skin slowly hardening into black scales that had a glowing green sharp diamond like crust adorning the areas around his elbows, knees, shoulders and even his jawline.... like a secondary armoring. His fingers grew black talons. And his lip began to bleed as all the teeth in his mouth morphed into serrated fangs.

The sand beneath his feet sunk at the sudden increase of his weight. His vision dimmed faintly and the smells around him magnified.

Frosty huffed in discomfort as he watched with everyone else. Claude held out a calming hand to the VanaWarg.

In his peripherals, he could see the Bounty Hunter motioning for him to carry on into the next step. Claude still had trouble understanding how the man was so content with..... well, everything.

He stored the thought at the back of his mind, focusing on the task at hand. The next step. Attention. Boundaries. Movement. Connection. Call/Response. Combat.

He was on Boundaries.

He reached into his cloak, pulling out a hideous smelling slab of Gnoll meat from his secure leather bag.

The Primal's eyes zeroed in on the meat. Claude tried to whistle to grab his attention only to let out a deep chested bellowing sound. Whatever it was, it worked. The Primal was watching him again, turning it's head in interest like a confused puppy.

He motioned for the Primal to approach, "Come on."

THUD! THUD! THUD!

"STOP!" Claude didn't move, holding out a hand to thwart the intimidating approach.

The Primal hesitantly slowed, it's snout touching his scaled hand.

"Reset....." The Bounty Hunter whispered, invested in the process.

Claude nodded in agreement and took a few steps backward. He started over.

THUD!.....THUD!

"Easy.....easy..."

The Primal slowed, beginning to stop it's explosive stomping approach until it was speed walking. Progress. After over a week. Progress.

He held out the meat to the Primal.

SNAP!

WOO!

Claude snatched his hand away just barely as the Primal's massive jaws snapped together over empty air with enough force to ruffle Claude's long hair.

"God damn.... gently." He told the Primal.

The next try, it did not go gently. Nor did it try to after that one. Or the next. It was quite easy to understand. The Primal was hardheaded. It's instincts as strong as it's biteforce.

So was Claude though for that matter.

After about ten minutes of playing cat and mouse, Claude was able to take advantage of the Primal's boredom.

He held the meat out, the Primal waltzed over, slowly leaning forward to smell and inspect the meat before taking it. Aggressively, but Claude still had his hand. Some things simply couldn't be changed.

They stayed that way for a while. With Claude walking around the enclosure, directing and feeding the Primal, teaching the creature what was too close-- too aggressive, when to stop, when to approach. It was still rocky, but loads better than any other day.

And by midnight, the Primal was well past tired. from hours of Mental stimulation and physical labor.

He walked the Primal over to the others. Frosty, the sibling Satyr's-- Canis and Piet, and the Glorian Lion took off like a bomb was headed straight for them.

"Not very nice guys.." Claude said to them as they split.

The Primal ignored the response and plopped down into the sands with it's back to the forested camp.

"Ahh, I wouldn't blame 'em." The Bounty Hunter said from behind him.

"Of course you wouldn't, you were doing the same thing like three days ago." Claude replied, almost laughing at the memory. It felt bizarre for such things to be so comical after everything that had happened. Laughing felt bizarre.

Cassidy shrugged from behind him, "Well partner, I can't grow scales and snake eyes to make the damn thing think I'm momma."

Claude turned to look at Cassidy. In the dark of night, his deep hood still hid his perceptive eyes, but he could see the smile on his stubble lined face. "Is that what you think I did?"

Cassidy turned, allowing his eerie wolf-like yellow eyes to be seen, "That's what I hope you did."

"Right." Claude replied as he turned to give a farewell to the Primal, "Alright. Good work today. We'll get back to it tomorrow, Diamondback."

Naming on the spot should be a System granted Skill at this point.

As he got up, a burst of green lightning and energetic flames radiated off his body, shaping itself into Gil's physical form. He didn't ask for Gil to come out, but he also didn't mind.

Gil landed in the sands and trotted over to the Primal curled up in it's own massive tail. As soon as it reached the creature, Gil began sniffing and letting out growling rumblish noises. Diamondback returned the sounds in it's nearly asleep state. After the two conversed a while longer, Gil snorted to himself and sat beside the creature. Kindred spirits it seemed. The two looked like they'd walked straight out of the deepest circle of hell.

"Hell of a guard dog duo, huh?" Cassidy said from beside him.

"Something like that." Claude nodded to Gil as he headed off to enter the camp. Gil returned the nod as he left.

"Freaky..." Cassidy mumbled.

***

The two entered the camp soon after. Grabbing seats on the wooden benches across from Rollan who sat comfortably by the fire with the coverage of trees and intertwining wooden spikes overhead. The seats made comfortable by the layering of hides and dead long grass patches.

Claude watched Ursula sleep beside him. Her pulse steady in his ears. Her skin rosy and warmed by the fire. She looked at peace.

"How much longer do you think?"

"[I'm not sure. If it truly does have to do with her, Ursine characteristics, it shouldn't be much longer. She can't be hibernating. She didn't eat much. I think it's a post Full Moon slumber..... you know maybe to help her body adjust. I can't say for sure, Claude. I don't know Variants.]" Arne said guiltily.

"Fucking racism... where are the books on Lupines-- scrolls, paintings, anything!" Claude replied, more so thinking to himself than anything.

"[Scattered across the earth... destroyed.... confiscated by the Lupines of Remus. We're at a disadvantage, obviously. But don't let it deter your growth. Be patient. Maybe you can start a new account of things. A new knowledge base, unsullied by petty grievances and prejudice.]"

"Yea I'm kinda busy." Claude replied angrily. As he did, he realized the gazes of many were on him.

Cassidy, Rollan, Piet, Canis, Ma.

"Yo." Claude said awkwardly.

Ma smiled and blinked rapidly, suddenly her usual ethereal high cheekboned face was full of blue skinned personality, "You know.... wolf-man, you'd enjoy your food a bit more if you actually ate it. Instead of gawking at the sleeping beauty."

Cassidy choked on his food, "Oh she's got jokes now..... well that's just lovely."

"Wha-- I'm not gawking. I'm thinking."

Rollan tossed him a cooked slab of meat, "Sometimes,.....uhhhh less is more, Monsieur. Think less sometimes, no?"

Ma nodded. The young Satyr seated beside her copied her head movements, not really knowing what they meant but interested, nonetheless.

"....Hell no." Claude replied to Rollan. Piet snorted in agreement as he sat beside him, while puffing out his buffed chest in agreement.

Rollan shook his head in disappointment, "That is why you're so stressed, hm? That right there."

Claude took a bite out of the meat before handing a piece to Piet, "For sure.... defintely not because of...."

He trailed off. The others quieted, understanding what he was referring to. The wounds were scarring over, but a rawness remained. Shown in their discomfort at the memory.

Cassidy looked around as he chewed his food, his twin Hounds lapping up the fatty juices falling from his chin. His southern likability and social charisma demanded no moments of discomfort.

"Well. Look on the bright side brothers and sisters...." As he said sisters he winked at the Banshee. She smiled and bowed her head, "We made it. We made it like craftsmen on a Monday morning. And, I'll be damned.... this the first night without any problems. We're getting through it, ya'll. Just think about the good."

Claude considered Cassidy's words. He was right. It was the first night where they weren't fighting or worrying about human sightings in the desert. It was..... calm.

The last two weeks had gone by in a blur of survival, shock and combat. But today, he could sit in the moment. He could feel everything attempting to hit him all at once. They'd really gone to war with Demons. Been attacked by giant magical Dinosaurs and mentally deranged giant HellSlaying Serpents. The Detective that once stalked him for what he was had been changed into a Demon Shifter of sorts. He now called a Banshee, two Satyr's and a Bounty Hunter allies. Rollan was an Elf..... a buff Elf.

What the hell.

"[Now would be the time.]" Arne seemingly responded to his thoughts. "[But try to remain calm. Take in the rarity of it.]"

Claude took a deep breath as everyone ate in silence.

"Erhm...."

Their eyes were on him once more.

"Since.... tonight is so calm. I think now's the time we discuss..... well everything."

Rollan nodded, "Go on..."

He was really going to make Claude say it.

"Well... Rollan. You're an Elf.... with a System. How? How did you get like this? What was that power? Wh--"

Rollan held up a slender fingered hand, "I am not an Elf, Monsieur."

Claude's eyes narrowed, "Is that right?"

"Oui, that's right, Monsieur."

"Then Liam wasn't either?"

"Nope." Rollan replied in between bites of his food.

"Well color me confused." Cassidy mumbled.

"Confusion is quite a nice color, young Hunter." Ma mumbled as if she were far away. The young Satyr beside her nodded, using his newly attained communication skills.

"Explain. If not as what you are, then as my Teacher." Claude said. He felt like he was back with Fenrir, trying to remain in his favor for his own benefits.

Rollan rolled his knobby shoulders from beneath his robe and took off his blindfold. His Elven ears stood out clearly on his balding head. But his cloudy white eyes were what drew Claude's attention. They watched him with a perception he couldn't imagine.

"We are not Elves. No. Not entirely at least, hm? Me and Liam-- to put it simply, are Half-Elves." Rollan explained.

Cassidy went serious for a moment as he regarded Rollan. Something about him changed in that moment.

Claude peeled his eyes from Cassidy, "How does that happen-- I thought.... Well, I don't know what to think anymore, actually."

Rollan nodded in understanding, "It's simple. There's only one reason I exist and it's because of them."

"Who?"

Rollan raised his swordcane faster than the eye could see and held it in the direction of Cassidy.

WOO!

The flames spiraled and flickered at the speed of the movement. Cassidy's hands flew to the crossbows at his hip. His Hounds growled defensively.

"Me and Liam were born and bred as weapons for the Humans."