Lem walked home with a lot more uncertainty than when he left it in the morning. He went to the village to send a letter to his father and that was achieved after a lengthy discussion with the village Headman. The Headman wasn’t able to offer any solutions to his current predicament but suggested that he should accept the refugees anyways.

Lem felt that even with the idea of using the Headman’s power to draft up a contract to soulbind the refugee’s secrecy, it was too much of a risk. He was also sure that it was slightly unethical or at least illegal somehow in the Union and all for some cheese at that, but he wasn’t the best when it came to laws.

He was sure that the Headman really really just wanted him to move ahead with his Tricorn cheese production fantasies. Delm did have a certain frevor to him that Lem had not seen in the Gnorkling before. At one point he thought he saw the Gnorkling froth at the mouth a bit when he started discussing the loans and plans he had for the expansion. It was probably too much for the Gnorkling to mix his cheese with his accountant work, poor Gnorkling, Lem thought as stepped over a large pile of Kaholin dung.

The newest addition to his own pile of worries was what the Headman mentioned at the end of his visit. It was the fact that the kingdom of Ferrikin that he lived in was to hold a census next spring in Charingswin. It was held every four years in kingdoms affiliated to the union. Failure to register classes or members of your household could result in imprisonment. Considering it was Yestersilver right now, he had eight month at best and if the officials were tardy, then ten months.

He thought he could ride it out and just hide his son’s class until he grew to become an independent Capyban. Fruitflys, just with the bonuses from his class, Nosal would be comparable to Gold rankers when he reached steel, Lem thought with saddened pride.

The only option he could think of now was to uproot and move away, but he had friends and his community here. Pancreedy was a non-human village and highly accepting of humanoids of all races, it was the reason he chose to settle here in the first place. Plus the problem wouldn’t go away just because he ran. He would just be facing the same issues somewhere else without the support of neighbors like the Tars.

With a sigh, Lem only hoped that his father would get his message and be able to offer a solution to his dire predicament.

……

Nosal kept lying in the grass as he started to drift out of his shock. His hairs where still tingling all over, particularly the ones running down his nape and along his back.

I just used my first skill! The boy thought with absolute bliss and a musk of joy as he looked at the back of his right hand with the clouds above as a backdrop.

Up above in the sky behind his hand was the underside of a leviathan Dollteeth languidly breaking out from one cloud into another. But currently Nosal paid the creature no heed, for he was absorbed in his own wonders.

“How did I do it?” Nosal spoke to himself as played back the events in his head. I was rubbing Janet, then I talked to her when that green light happened and she talked back in my head, the boy remembered. It has to be me touching her, or do I have to be rubbing? The boy wondered as he refocused back to reality as he propped himself up by his small elbows.

I should see if it works on other Kaholins or its just Janet, the boy queried. I need to standardize the tests with Janet as my control group, he concluded with surety. He didn’t know where the words came from but he knew exactly what it meant. Normally these thoughts would’ve left him feeling uncomfortable or slightly uneasy but right now he was too euphoric at having unlocked his first skill.

And father said I might take forever to unlock my Unsung class, if ever, the boy thought smugly as he approached a blue Kaholin. The grazing monster was so dark that it could pass off as black if not for the lighter blue coloration on the tip of its thorns, that indicated the truly blue nature of its shell.

“Hello Jeeby,” Nosal nervously greeted with a musk of joy, as he approached with his right hand outstretched towards the monster.

Jeeby only placidly lifted her head and cocked it in his direction. She then flicked her large antennae lazily towards Nosal before she resumed her grazing. Seeing that the beast was indifferent towards him, Nosal slipped in between the creature’s large legs like he did with Janet.

First the control, he thought as he rubbed the middle leg joint with his musk of joy. “How are you today Jeeby?” He asked vocally and with his thoughts whilst barely able to remain calm. The hand that was rubbing the Kaholin glowed the same soft green and nearly sent Nosal down on his rear again.

“Good grass, warm day,” came the similar but slightly different chirping sound to Janet’s that brushed upon the sanctuary of his mind as it was accompanied by Jeeby chirping softly in reality.

Nosal was left rubbing the leg stupidly as he was lost for words. It works! He thought as he finally got control of himself again. His hand flashed a soft green again before a short pause.

It glowed once more as Jeeby transmitted her thoughts back. What is work? Dung-smell small hairy one what is work? How is this happening? Came the surprised chirping of Janet’s thoughts as she hissed in real life. At this point the Kaholin had stopped her grazing and walked ahead with care to step around and over the boy with her left set of legs.

Nosal stood there and looked at the Kaholin that turned to face him as he tried to process what happened. My thoughts got shared in the green glow and she heard me in her mind, the boy finally processed as he really looked at the Kaholin that was staring at him as she shifted her legs uneasily and brushed him with her large antennae. He imagined that he was staring right at Jeeby through the weird mishappen black shape that was inside her large compound eyes.

He took a few steps forwards with surety as the much larger Kaholin flinched back in surprise with a high noted chirp. Nosal waited until she was calm again as she lowered her head back towards the boy. That’s when Nosal slowly lifted his hand past the horrifying incisors and once again placed it on the nose plate.

Nosal closed his eyes. He felt the gentle warmth of Paek and Mentor that gentle brushed his fur on his left. He heard the slow wind and the tiny cacophony of sound that was the small creatures living their lives in the field and woods nearby. Further away he heard the lumbering of Kaholins. Most importantly he felt the presence of Jeeby with her earthy smell and the minute hairs of her face on his hand and the connection they shared through touch.

I can hear you, he gently thought as he released his musk of joy.

You can hear me? Came the surprised high pitched chirp of Jeeby’s mind. Nosal then felt Jeeby pull back from his touch and opened his eyes.

The Kaholin in front of him raised her head up high and let out a weird shrill vibrating note which surprised the boy. It was the sound they made when a new Foal was born or they found something particularly interesting in the field.

He then noticed that the rest of the herd stopped their grazing or wherever they were going mid stride. The rest of the herd all around him turned towards them and started walking over towards the pair. Some came at a slow walk whilst others golloped at a small cantor.

Nosal quickly found himself surrounded but he wasn’t afraid at the slightest. He was absolutely filled with joy and wonder with his musk of joy releasing in large amounts as the Kaholins chirped all around him in different tones and pitches.

A loud deep chirp rung out and the noise died down as an opening was created in the wall of large insectoid heads. Through it came Hork the large brown bull of the Kaholin herd. He lumbered to a stop before Nosal and let out a few low chirps. Janet and Jeeby chirped back and they continued to chirp as the rest of the herd chimed in here and there. Nosal only waited patiently as he now knew that those noises they made was actually them talking.

Hork then lowered his enormous head that was nearly as large as Nosal was tall and waited before the boy. Nosal obliged by placing his hand on the thorny nose plate of Hork unlike the smooth female Kaholins.

You speak now dung child? Came the deep chirping of Hork’s mind through the glow of the boy’s hand. This was accompanied by Hork’s low chirping in reality that vibrated in the Capyban boy’s small lungs.

Only now I am able to understand, Nosal replied wordlessly through the use of his skill.

That is green fresh grass, dung child, spoke back Hork with a happy tone to his deep chirping thoughts.

Yes I am so happy! I can talk to you all the time now! Nosal exclaimed back through the link.

That is up to you dung child, some of us do not like to speak so much, such as I, chirped Hork as Nosal felt his voice vibrate through him in reality.

But I want to talk to all of you! Nosal complained back towards Hork in silence. This conversation happened as he felt some other inquisitive antennas brush against him here and there from the rest of the herd.

Do it if you must dung child, but tell the Dung bull that we do not like the dead skin he puts on us when he sends us out to walk pointlessly, Hork rumbled before he lifted his head away from Nosal’s hand, having said his peace.

The dead skin when they walk pointlessly? Dung Bull? Nosal wondered as the crowding herd began to chirp loudly and brush him with their large antennae. If I’m the dung child then Dung bull must be father and it’s the leather! They hate the leather saddles!

He then noticed that the other Kaholins had their huge heads right up against him as they chirped and jostled each other to talk.

Reaching up onto the closest one with a dark green armor, he placed a hand just to the right of its incisor. His hand immediately glowed green.

You able to hear now small dung child? Spoke the chirping mind of the Kaholin mare.

Yes Dewsy! I Can hear you all now! Exclaimed back Nosal through the link whilst releasing his musk of joy. Even through his jubilation he was starting to notice something slightly off with how they addressed him.

Oh my that fresh grass! We can talk all the time now! Spoke Dewsy through the skill with a joyous tone to her chirping thoughts as she made a weird high chirp in reality.

Wait why do you call me dung- Nosal tried to ask before another large head butted Dewsy’s away and broke his contact.

Nosal identified the new brownish mare to be Gally before he placed his hand upon the exoskeleton of her face as Dewsy chirped in irritation.

You speak now tiny dung? Came the excited chirping thoughts of Dally through his skill.

Yes I do Gally! Now why do you all call me dung child? Nosal thought back quickly in question whilst a frown formed on his face.

Why its because you and your herd play with dung every day? It’s not natural but you and yours are harmless enough, replied back the mare with a amused tone to her thoughts as she started to make a weird hissing nose that Nosal couldn’t quite pin down. It wasn’t the usual annoyed hiss of a protective mare with the pitch being slightly higher.

The dung child talks and the first thing he wonders is why we call his herd the dung people! Came Dewsy’s thoughts through the link whilst she chirped to the rest of the Kaholins surrounding them.

The rest of the Kaholins backed off slightly before waving their antennae wildly and making the same weird hissing noise. Some at the back even backtracked from the circle before circling about with their legs kicking out randomly.

Are they laughing? Nosal thought with amusement and a musk of joy. He was unaware that his question passed through the link to Dewsy.

Of course dung child we are feeling the brushing of the long grass on the molted underbelly! Came Dewsy’s thoughts as she too backed away from Nosal. She then started to run about with her legs kicking wildly as she hissed in that weird tone.

“You’re laughing! Your all laughing at me because I’m the dung child!” Nosal shouted in joy as he too started laughing and skipping about wildly. He would run by a Kaholin and kick his legs out erratically as he laughed. This would illicit the weird happy jerking gallops from the Kaholin as it hissed hysterically.

To any that observed the proceedings they would see a tiny hairy Capyban boy who was caked in mud and wearing only a blue pair of suspenders as he chased the markedly larger Kaholins about. The boy was madly laughing out in a clear note that cut through the air as he would randomly stop to perform some random kicks. The Kaholin herd that surrounded the child were hissing weirdly and would prance about and around the boy and they too would kick about erratically.

A large brown Kaholin Bull stood apart from the frolicking herd as he viewed the joyous mood of his herd. He lazily waved his antennae as he lowered his head down to graze on some grass, content that his family were all so happy playing with the dung child.

….

Nosal spent most of his morning and early lunch playing with the Kaholins and greeting each and every one in turn. But even as a seemingly inexhaustible child he eventually grew tired, especially with the Sacamin penalty still in place on his stamina. So with a big wave and many a hug, the boy declared his goodbyes and headed back to the house for lunch. His dung collection duties now long forgotten.

Nosal made his way through the housing stables before he paused as he was about to walk past the paddocked foal and mare.

Should I use my skill to say hello? He wondered.

He was already taking a step towards the paddock before he stopped. Nah father says they are too dangerous when they have a baby, it’s the maternal instincts….. Maternal instincts…. That’s exactly the word. He concluded without questioning where the word came from.

“Bye guys I’l see you tomorrow! I’m hungry so I have to go now,” the boy made his excuses to the pair with a wave as he left the stables.

He gave a big heaving push and only managed to close the stable door slightly. So Nosal gave up because he was tired and hungry. The boy then turned back towards the house and continued on to grab some Yesterhay.

Across from him was Kano who was just closing the gate beside the Poplar tree. His brother had a few random strands of grass about his fur and looking slightly disheveled.

“Where have you been little Nose?” Kano asked his little brother with a slight yawn.

“With the Kaholins, I was collecting the dung,” Nosal replied with a smile and musk of joy at the memory of his brother getting chased by the Owlmites, but mainly because of what he was about to say.

“I didn’t finish it thou, I had a break and we played after I talked with my skill,” he smugly declared with a musk of joy.

Kano walked slowly over whilst picking out some stray bits of grass from his fur.

“Well I had the worst time in the vegetable patch with the Owlmites this morning, them little fruitflys chased me!” He told Nosal without really listening to his brother.

“I had to run away from them and got hit by the bronze one, here I’ve got a divine kissed bruise to show you for it,” he continued as he turned around to show the shoulder to his brother.

Seeing over his shoulder that his little brother wasn’t even looking at his bruise, Kano turned back.

Nosal just stood there with a frown.

“What’s wrong little nose? You not still mad about the mud are you? Just go clean up and it’l be gone ok, and don’t tell father,” Kano teased in a grating tone.

“I said.” Nosal spoke through gritted teeth and a musk of anger at his annoying brother who wasn’t paying him the proper attention.

“I spoke with them with my skill,” He declared.

Realization dawned on Kano as he jumped back in surprise. “WHAT! WHAT SKILL! SHOW ME!” He happily shouted as he released a musk for joy with both his hands on Nosal’s shoulders.

“No, I’ll show you after lunch, I’m hungry,” Nosal said petulantly as he released a musk of joy himself at his brother’s reaction.

“What? You unlocked a unsung skill and you want to make me wait? Just show me already you little fruitfly!” Exclaimed Kano with a mixture of annoyance and joy for his little brother.

“No I won’t you asshat, I’m hungry,” declared Nosal with his nose upturned as he marched into the kitchen.

“You divine kissed blinker!” Kano exclaimed with a musk of annoyance as he followed Nosal into the house.

“Show me! Or at least tell me little nose!” He demanded of the small boy who was grabbing a handful of Yesterhay.

Nosal ignored him and went to a stool beside the small dining table and sat down. The boy then slowly turned towards his brother who stood there shaking with excitement.

“Maybe if you say sorry and be my slave for a day,” Nosal sniveled down his nose. Ha! That’l teach him, he thought smugly.

Kano only stood there perplexed for awhile before his eyes crossed in annoyance. He then stormed across the kitchen towards his smaller sibling and smacked him right on the ear. It wasn’t hard enough to illicit crying, but enough to shake a lot of the mud free from Nosal’s fur.

“Owwwwwwweeee! What was that for! I’m going to tell Faaaatheerrrieiee! *hic *sniff” Nosal shouted at Nosal as he dropped most of his Yesterhay everywhere.

“Stop pretending to cry and JUST TELL ME YOUR FUCKING SKILL NOSAL!” Shouted Kano with a musk of anger.

“*Hic Don’t speak to me like that, *sniffle father says not to use the F word,” Nosal whispered with a musk of fear as he was cowed by his angry brother who loomed over him.

“Nosal this isn’t a Divine kissed joke! Father said that Unsungs get made into slaves! You have to tell us everything so we know what to do! You want to be a slave?” Kano lectured his brother as he released his musk of anger.

“*Hic I don’t wanna, *Hic” whispered the boy as tears rimmed his eyes for real this time.

“Look *tsssk little Nose I didn’t mean to make you sad ok, but its not a game, you have to tell us so we can help you,” Kano spoke in a softer tone and a musk of sorrow as he realized that he scared his little brother. Tears rimmed his own eyes as he felt terrible for how he just acted at the little boy who flinched away from him.

“I can, *sniff I can talk to the Kaholins when I touch them, this *sniff this green light comes up,” Nosal spoke as he tried not to cry. Why’s brother got to be so mean all the time today? He angrily thought.

“So it’s an active, ok , but you’ve still got the Sacamin panelty on your mana pool….. Nosal how many times did you use the skill,” Kano half talked to himself before he asked Nosal as he paced about the kitchen.

“All morning,” Nosal answered as he finally controlled himself, not seeing his brother this serious before.

Kano immediately stopped pacing about and turned to Nosal.

“OK…. Now Nosal, and how many did you talk with?” Kano asked in a weird voice.

“All of them,” Nosal answered with a musk of fear for he didn’t understanding as to why his brother was acting all weird. He talks with Dittat all the time and that’s not weird, he thought.

“Divine kissed Nosal!” Kano exclaimed before he went to the Groundfrit barrel and leaned on it with one hand on his chin.

“Why? And stop trying to look like you’re thinking like father does,” Nosal whined at Kano.

“Well Kano you see how a tamer like me can talk to his bonded partner yeah?” Kano asked with a smirk and musk of joy at getting caught trying to act cool whilst he lectured his brother.

Of course, Nosal thought whilst he nodded in affirmation.

“We can only talk with our partners and it costs us Ma-nan to do it every time, just a little bit, but you did it with the Kaholins all morning when you have just a leg of your ma-nan pool, so you did it without using ma-nan at all,” Kano explained as his eyes widened in wonder at the possibilities.

“Is it really good?” Nosal asked with his musk of joy and his voice perking up as he got caught up in his brother’s infectious mood.

“Nosal if I’m correct in thinking about how your Unsung skill works, then you can talk to any monster without being bonded at no cost AND it’s only one of three skills so far,” Kano explained with a huge smile on his face.

“Whooaaa,” Nosal exclaimed with his musk of joy and a smile mirroring his brother’s.

“Whoa indeed Nosal, Whoa indeed,” replied Kano.