Chapter Two

Calstan smiles as he sets a plate containing a large cooked Ham onto the dining room table. Katerina and Elia take a seat, and the family begins dinner. Outside a large horse sized white furred Dire Wolf, Willow eats a uncooked Ham if her own. Her favorite. The full moon in the sky shining down on the two story home and it's five acres of land all fenced holding in a small garden and a pond with a willow tree. From the table Calstan could see the tree out the window. It was tall and old having lived four generations under the Riveren family's care much like the house and land.

Calstan smiles as a memory surfaces. Back when he and Katerina had been married for two months he went out to sit by the pond. He had just finished fixing a part of the fence that had been broken so he was exhausted. Once he got there however he had noticed a white bundle of fur no larger than that of a raccoon. He approached carefully finding it to be a baby Dire Wolf. It had a cut on its neck and it's paw looked broken. That night he brought the Wolf back to the house and began to nursed it back to health with help from his at the time annoyed Wife. After all of that Calstan named the Dire Wolf Willow, and she became a loyal part of the family.

Calstan smiles at the memory's. Katerina catches where he was looking, and the smile. "Thinking about the day you found Willow?" She smirks knowing the answer already.

Calstan chuckles. "Yeah. That was quite the adventure."

Katerina nods in agreement. "It was. Though that adventure was definitely the easiest one we've been on." Calstan chuckles at the statement.

With that the dinner was rather uneventful aside from Calstan almost chocking on a piece of ham. When the next morning came Calstan was dressed in black, dark brown laced commoner shirt ,and black cloak ready for a visit into town. Holstered on his back was his trusty trident and in his hand was an ancient scroll he placed into a pouch hanging it from his left shoulder.

He then began his walk to the city within the walls of The Kingdom Of Allumar. The journey wasn't a long one only an hour walk by foot. Off in the distance he could see the open gates to the easily 30 meter walls of Allumar. Over the gates were the Allumarian Sigil, a Wolf Skull with a sword behind it representing power. Calstan grimaced remembering how that power came to be. When he arrived the guards smiled letting the local hero in instantly with no questions asked. The streets of Allumar's City were quite lively. People of all shapes and sizes going about their lives from the large Dragonkin to the mischievous Goblinfolk to the cheerful Humans.

Calstan couldn't help but smile seeing the vastly diverse culture and activities the people would take part in. A few people even stopped him asking for an autograph much to his dismay. He loved that people felt safe with him around and that children looked up to him though he wasn't all to enthusiastic about the fame.

Eventually he found his way to a tavern in the town called The Birds Nest. It was a all wooden establishment with a large bronze bird cage that was used to transport mail via ravens, crows, or even owls. Before he entered however he saw a familiar eagle enter the cage. He shrugs it off for the moment deciding to worry about it after checking the job listings inside. With a sigh he pushes the door open to see the vary lively energy in the tavern he chuckles at this knowing that nothing in the place had changed.

"Theirs that Blank Wonder!" A rough voice calls out cheerfully. Calstan smiles looking over to the bar to see an older human man with silver hair and blue eyes.

"Well Seth it take one to spot one." Calstan jabs causing a laugh.

"HA, I may be a Blank but I sure an Wondrous." The man, Seth smiles. "So what can I do fer ya."

"Just looking for some work." Calstan shrugs approaching the counter. "Anything come up?"

"Nah, it's been quiet so far. The only thin I've seen was a small Lockerfish problem up in Kinderwood." Seth explains.

Calstan sighs. "If those things weren't so dangerous I would say they had the stupidest name."

"Heh, well stupid name er not, you can't say it doesn't fit." Seth argues. "Besides someone's already taken that job." Calstan simply sighs once again. "If ya want you could check The Cage fer somethin but I can't make a guarantee."

"Well gotta start somewhere right?" Calstan says leaving with a wave to a set of stairs that led to the cage on the roof.