Nosal woke up again for the second time that day. This time he felt slightly better after having eaten something. With some newfound energy unlike the weak pup he felt like before, he was able to lift himself off his mattress. The previously bright light of Paeck and Mentor now turned into a soft amber glow.

Noticing that his only piece of clothing was his brown cotton briefs that smelt quite acrid with old sweat, he decided to change. His new attire consisted of grey woolen shorts and his favorite green buttonless vest. It was very comfortable and his preferred outfit of choice around the house, especially during the summer such as now.

Nosal was surprised to be left slightly out of breath and weary after just changing cloths. I must have been sleeping for quite a few days if I feel so tired, he thought.

This muscle atrophy is such a pain….. muscle atrophy? I keep remembering weird things, I must be recalling some of the lessons from the traveling teacher from last summer, he reasoned as he grabbed the fruit bowl on his way out.

Picking on the bunch of firm and succulent Armorgrapes, he popped a few in his mouth as head headed left and down the stairway. The tough skin of the fruits burst easily under his bite and flooded his mouth with the amorous sweet juices of the fruit, leaving Nosal in a happy mood.

“Chopeck is trying to break out again father,” he heard faintly from the bowels of the house as he descend the stairs.

“It’s the fifth time this month! That divine-kissed Mood is really trying my patience,” came his father’s deep reply.

Haha, Chopeck is really up to no good again, Nosal thought to himself with a musk for joy as he turned at the bottom of the stairway and back towards the kitchen. He always wondered how even though they lived big house with large living room with a large cozy fireplace, his family preferred to spend time in the tiny kitchen.

“Hey Father, hey Kano. What’s Chopeck up to this time?” Nosal greeted as he entered the kitchen. He was greeted with the sight of his father and brother in the usual blue suspenders whilst peeling Groundfrits on wooden stools, with the earthy aroma of the tubers filling up the whole kitchen.

“Oh thank the Harvestking you’re feeling better, little Nose,” beamed Kano whilst releasing his musk of joy. “Come help us peel these divine-kissed Groundfrits that we’re going to use in the stew for the Tar’s visit tomorrow and I’ll tell you.”

“Boy you should stop using your musk for every little thing, it makes you look like a child to other Capybans in public,” chided Lem in his deep voice.

Nosal took a spare stool and sat down his fruit bowl beside his brother and grabbed the proffered peeler as he began to help out.

“But I’m only fourteen father. I am still a child!” Joked Kano with a whiny voice.

“I’m no child, I’m an adult with some hairs on my shoulders now,” proclaimed Nosal with defiance in his eyes as he revealed the blonde dusting on his shoulder.

“You boys are absolute idiots,” grumbled Lem before he started to laugh with a musk of joy at his silly children. This prompted the two boys to join in and the small family had to stop work momentarily.

I better just get on with it considering now’s a good time as any, thought Nosal. “So father, you said there was three reasons why saca..” he opened as he tried to broch the subject.

“I did boy,” replied Lem as the mood in room immediately became slightly tenser and more somber at the not-so-slight reminder of Nosal’s situation. “There’s no point in even talking about it until you’ve ate your expensive fruits, tis’ so we can forget the resting issue and to be honest, it’s a bit farfetched anyways,” he continued whilst glaring at Kano who was reaching for the aforementioned fruits.

“OH,” Nosal exclaimed, feeling chastised and releasing the musk of shame. His brother felt even more so for attempting to steal from his healing brother and retracted his outstretched hand.

“It’s fine Nosal, we have all these Groundfrits to peel anyways,” spoke Lem as he gestured towards two tuber filled barrels.

Fruiflies! I hope he doesn’t want it all peeled, thought Nosal whilst asking, “How much are we peeling father?”

“Ha! Worried are we little Nose? Fret not for we are only peeling half a barrel,” chimed in Kano with a large cheeky grin and a musk of joy.

“That’s still a lot though, there’s only six people between us and the Tars, and that’s if Mrs. Tars even comes,” replied Nosal with the last part about the Orc wife of Lok-Tars being at a quiet whisper.

“Oh aye that woman is sure not to come again with how she keeps beating herself up over Gowin..” spoke Lem with his voice trailing off and followed by a silence that showed the damped mood over the family once again.

“A-hem,” coughed Kano as he attempted to clear the air as they silently peeled the Groundfrits. “What father forgot to mention is that we are also making a large farm pudding for Da’Nittan considering its near her birthday!” declared Kano , with the final remarks coming out as a shout along with a musk for joy.

“I never said it was for that stupid land crab’s birthday! It’s because she brought home some Rivetboar horns over the last couple weeks and we should repay the coins that we made off it!” Lem grumbled as he was slightly embarrassed with his scar on his nostril becoming more red with a blush coming on.

Dad never admits how he has a soft spot for Da’Nittan even if he has literally no sway or power over the resident gold ranked Homarian Shellwurm and mum’s old partner, which I’m sure is quite a sore spot for a proud Silver ranked Monster Rancher, thought Nosal but he was smart enough not to voice his opinions. Looking over to his brother he noticed how he was trying to hide a cheeky grin, which Nosal was pretty sure was a mirror of his own.

The two Brownwhisker brothers knew that it was dangerous to mock their father too much for he was easy when it came to doling out the backbreaking chores on the ranch. But sometimes youth brings with it unwise ideas.

“You should just admit that you dote on the beast even if you can’t use your skills on her, considering how it outranks you father,” jibed Kano with a brave face but with a musk of joy followed by fear.

Ignoring the comment, Lem placed his peeler down with the Groundfrit he was holding and turned his large frame towards his youngest. To this sudden action, Kano actually flinched expecting some sharp retort or at least a smack to the back of his head as his father was fond to do.

“Nosal we were talking about how Chopek kept breaking free from his coop lately before you came downstairs,” Lem said in a calm measured tone. He continued, “You are aware that Chitpulkas were my first specialties when I was a Tin ranked Rancher?”

“Yes father,” answered Nosal. Inside, he was a little unsure as to the direction of the conversation. He smelt fear from his brother who was in trepidation, knowing full well his jib at Father was about to come to fruition in one way or another.

“Well it’s because different classes have different skills and passives that come at different times and different levels,” Lem continued as he reached over and grabbed the half-eaten Petrichor tuber and placed it on Nosal’s lap. The tuber looked tiny in Lem’s large hands.

“Finish that first, it’s expensive because it regenerates earthen ma-nan which we Capybans are naturally attuned to and what you will need to cast the saca spell.”

Feeling excited Nosal started to dig into the half-eaten vegetable with renewed vigor. Kano now placed his peeler down, punishment forgotten in lieu of the educational speech his father was beginning.

“Well you see boy, there are many classes that fall into generalised production or combat category, that people of all the races can have depending on their proficiencies or what their hobbies are such as a baker or they can also be inherited from their parents,” Continued Lem as he gestured towards Kano. It was no hidden fact that Kano’s tin ranked Monster Friend class was a direct inheritance from their mother’s Gold ranked version of Monster Companion.

“You remembered what I told you about our growth as Capybans?” question Lem in his deep rumble.

“Wait, yes father…. We have high racial growth in Charisma, Endurance and Vitality and a minor affinity to beasts,” answered Nosal. Divine kissed! He acts like this isn’t some common knowledge to all Capybans.

“Yes, that makes us good Beast Ranchers but not necessarily for monsters like our family,” continued Lem. Knowing full well that his boys knew well the difference between beast and monsters.

Beasts have a tie to the Goddess of wilderness and they generally have a better magical affinity with strong specimens or species producing expensive beast cores that they use to power their spells. Monsters on the other hand are generally more aggressive and stronger with their cores used to passively boost their stats or passive skills. These were basics facts to adventurers; specifically monster hunters, monster tamers or rancher family that dealt with beast and monsters such as the Brownwhiskers.

“You can also become a meatbag for hire and get the snot kicked out of you if your calling gives you a combat class, which would be very unfortunate considering there’s many a race that’s built to fight, and we ain’t one of them,” said Lem solemnly as he regaled his own painful days as a Journey Guard.

“But you are so strong father,” spoke Kano in awe.

“Oh aye, that’s because I have the Monster Rancher as my main class which is quite a rare one indeed, it comes with a lot of growth in strength and Endurance,” replied Lem. “And considering I’m quite high in it, you have to take into consideration that every two main class levels bring your racial Level up by one.” He continued as he reached over for another fruit for his son, whom had forgotten that he was supposed to finish his fruit bowl whilst paying so much attention to the current class lecture.

“Your grandad hated my class since the day I got it on my calling, saying it was a silly production class and that I should’ve had a Merchant class like him,” spoke Lem as he took a brief pause. “Honestly it does make sense considering how we naturally have so much Charisma… haha,” he concluded with a small chuckle to himself that came out as a rumble.

“That would make me quite a strong Capyban indeed if It was my only class,” he continued on with his chin resting on his hand. “You boys know how I did a stint as a caravan guard after I unlocked Journey Guard as my secondary before I settled down aye?” He asked the boys, knowing full well that the old suit of part-plate armour in the living room was a daily reminder.

“Yes father, it’s how you met mam,” the boy chorused, before smiling at how they both echoed each other.

“Tssk cheeky boys, never mind all that! You see that if you manage to have a secondary class, it does give you some stats but your levelling speed becomes slightly hobbled,” stated Lem as removed some lint from his suspenders.

“Also you have to understand that it doesn’t make any gains towards your racial levels which gives you the most points overall.” Lem spoke before taking a brief pause to let it sink in.

The boys sat in silence other than the quiet chewing and peeling in the kitchen, without replying and elicited a laugh from Lem.

“By the Gods, I brought up two Owlmites who only know how to blink and not think!” he joked with a loud booming laugh. The two brothers shared a annoyed look as they waited for their father to calm down.

Lem finally settled after his laughter slowly died down. “You see boys, I brought it up because secondary classes can be useful to shore up your weaknesses or strengthen the what your already good at,” spoke Lem with a large grin.

But the joyful mood came and was gone like a small bird in the snatching jaws of a cruising Gildronfly in the summer.

“If the Saca spell still works then there can still be complications, due to the third reason I mentioned previously,” he continued. “What I was referring to are Unsung classes, it’s rare and quite powerful but it comes with more trouble than it’s ever worth and I hope to the Gods that you don’t have one.”

“What’s an Unsung class? You never mentioned this when I had my calling,” asked Kano with a frown.

“You pretty much farted and your calling was over without any issues pup, not like Nosal who was out for near a week,” quipped Lem and causing his eldest to release his musk of shame.

“Now if you would let me continue, Unsung classes have extraordinary skills, passives or boons and generally have ridiculous stat growths also. The problem with it is that as soon as someone in power finds out, you get captured and forced to carry out a soul linking Oathbind. After that you’re pretty much a slave for the rest of your life. The other issue is that they won’t unlock in your status until proper perquisites or skills have been used.”

“How do you know so much about these unsung classes father? You never mentioned this before,” whispered Nosal. Realms I’m sure brother will be mouthing off to Dormit-Tar to show off the first thing tomorrow.

“It’s because your mam wasn’t some ordinary adventurer…., she also did a few wee stints together with a Swallow of the Phoenix Dancer,” Lem attempted to whisper, but it came out as a loud proclamation in his deep voice.

“What? A Swallow?! The cool heroes and high classed rogues!” Shouted Kano as he jumped from his stool with a big wiff of his musk of surprise.

“What do you reckon makes for a good Swallow you idiot?” retorted Lem, which caused his son to sit back down for he had no answer.

“Swallows just need to blend in behind enemy territory, they can’t all be dashing human rouges in noble ball suits all the time you silly pup! Swallows come in all forms and shapes, the better to blend in! Hahaha what a silly child!” guffawed Lem.

“Anyways your mam heard a lot of things whilst working with the Swallow, one of them being the legendary Unsung classes,” continued Lem after having finished laughing at the starstruck Kano.

“Here boy, let me show you my page- Sacamin!” Spoke Lem as a brown earthen screen came to be in front of him.

Name:

Lem Brownwhisker

Age:

63

Race:

Cabypaban LV 97 (+3CHA, +2END,+2VIT,+2 FREE STATS PER LV)

Racial trait:

Beastkin affinity (Beasts have a minor affinity towards the holder)

Class :

Monster Rancher LV 71 (+2STR,+2END PER LV)

Skills :

Monster calming presence, LV 40 (MAX)

Pack leader, LV 18

Chitpulka Rancher, LV52

Sowigan Rancher, LV 23

Koholin Rancher, LV 4

Subclass :

Journey Guard LV 45 ( +2STR, +1END,+1VIT,+1RES PER LV, -15 EXP GAIN)

Skills:

Bulwark, LV 31

Taunt, LV 12

Longfoot, LV17

Shield Mastery, LV 15

Heavy Armour Mastery, LV 26

Health:

2420/2420

Stamina:

1077/4310

Mana

87/350

STR:

279

CHA:

294

END:

431

INT:

34

VIT:

242

WIS:

35

DEX:

32

SEN:

20

AGI:

23

RES:

45

PER:

115

LUC:

26

Lem walked over to Nosal then crouched down next to him, to better show him the display whilst ignoring Kano.

“You see here pup, now that I’ve cast it, I’ll be knackered till tomorrow evening and with it just being only Dayim, looks like Kano’s gonna have to finish all the work on the farm tomorrow alone,” he spoke with a wicked grim.

“Nooooooo,” moaned the victim with a musk of sadness.

Nosal giggled at his brother’s predicament as he leaned over onto his father’s arm to better look at the screen. Kano then came over to join on the other side, for a chance to look at their father’s impressive stats was hard to pass up on even if he was being punished.

“If you had the time and the Intelligence to work it out pups, then you will notice how the numbers don’t all add up,” lectured Lem. To this the boys quickly tried to take in the stat numbers with scrunched-up faces and a growing headache from attempting multiple additions, without pencil and paper.

“Don’t bother pups, I’m just saying it because your stats can grow with training or just living normally outside of levelling up,” continued an amused Lem at his son’s attempts at arithmetic.

“So Nosal even without a class it’s not the end of the world,” said Lem gentle towards his youngest with a musk of safety to reassure him.

“But I don’t want to be classless dad,” whined the little boy as his voice started to break.

“I’m not saying you are pup,” said Lem with a large hairy python of an arm wrapping around his boy as his status faded away after he mentally assigned two points into strength.

“You aren’t fully recovered yet so the saca won’t work right now anyways, so you need to rest up and tomorrow you will see your status first thing in the morning, we can walk around the ranch and just relax whilst your brother finishes up on the farm,” he spoke with an evil grin as he sat back down on his stool to continue peeling.

“Yes father,” replied the boys with one sounding hopeful and the other woefully.