“You sure you don't know where the other two silly pups are at Nosal?” Lem asked as they approached the orchard.

“No father, I haven’t seen them for quite a while, since the crazy fight earlier,” mumbled Nosal as he looked ahead expectantly towards the orderly rows of fruit trees. He was looking for signs of the usual Owlmite sentries, but none were present.

“I never really did get to ask you about that,” spoke Lem before pausing briefly.

Just before the wooden fencing of the orchard, the pair turned left along a well-worn dirt path towards the bronze ranked vegetable plot.

“What did attack the Owlmites?” he asked as he continued to watch his footfalls, to avoid tripping with the enormous pie in his hands.

“Oh father you should have seen it! It was an humongous Wotten lesser-Garuda, and it looked exactly like the one in bestiary that grandfather gave me! It had these green feathers that look like the colour of moss on the tree bark in the woods, and its beak was so orange like-“ spoke Nosal excitedly as he described the beast.

Lem absentminded listened to his son who was talking animatedly before he had to interrupt,

“Wait, wait a moment, you said a lesser-Garuda?”

"Yes father, it was this big!” Nosal shouted with a musk of joy as he jumped in front of Lem with his tiny arms outstretched.

“What the realms...,” Lem mumbled in confusion as he quickly came to a stop to avoid colliding into his son.

“What's wrong father?” asked Nosal with worry at his father’s expression before stepping aside.

“Well it's quite rare to see them so far from the mountains son,” Lem explained as he continued along the dirt path with his son trailing beside him.

“How so?” Nosal questioned.

“Well you see, they are a particularly ferocious type of steel-ranked bird beast and they are quite territorial, so we shouldn’t see them outside of their home range,” Lem explained with a gentle smile before a worried frown creased his face.

"And you boys are lucky not to have been seriously hurt! Speaking off which, swear to me that you silly pups will run and fetch me the next time you run into something so dangerous!" he commanded sternly as he turned back to face his son.

"Yes father," promised Nosal quietly whilst putting on his best "downcast" expression. But out of Lem's sight and below the large pie tray he was holding, the boy secretly crossed his fingers.

"Alright, good," Lem concluded, happy with the promise he had just extracted form his son as they proceeded past the plot and on towards the tree line.

Just before the edge of the woods, a small Rain-mouse scurried out from some weeds and onto their path. But seeing the humongous Capyban approaching it, the poor creature dropped the seed in it’s tiny paws as it stood in fear.

Noticing the tiny critter, Lem stopped.

“Off you go now you wee little thing!” he jokingly shouted at the terrified little creature.

How come they always squirt me, but when it’s father they just stand there all scared? Nosal thought before harumphing with dissatisfaction as the tiny blue thing scooted into the underbrush.

But just as it was about to get back into the safety of the overgrown weeds, a murky sinuous shape lashed out from the very same clump of vegetation that the Rain mouse was headed for. The clear and snake-like attacker was barely bigger than the Rain mouse itself, with a long murky body with its organs and bundles of nerves running along its spines clearly visible as it constricted around its prey. The blue Rain squeaked piteously before the snake like creature quickly dragged it back into the brush, out of sight and to its doom.

“Whoooaaa!” exclaimed Nosal with a musk of surprise.

“You see that Spline go for it?” asked Lem with laughter in his voice.

“Yeah father, it came out of nowhere!” answered Nosal as the pair continued to look at the underbrush where the Rain-mouse was ambushed from. The pair stood there for some time, expecting the Spline to re-emerge but it was long gone.

“That’s nature for you boy,” stated Lem wisely with a few nods at his son. “Come’on let’s get going,” he finished whilst inclining his chin towards their destination.

The pair continued into the small cospe of trees with the shadows cast by the canopy above. The usually raucous cacophony of life that was ever present here, was now quietened by Lem’s Monster calming presence. The walk through the woods was quick and brisk with the annoying weeds and saplings that crowded along the forest floor easily mowed down by Lem’s heavy footfalls. The two pausing as they came upon a clearing that was their destination.

In the middle of the small glade was a large, ancient Ashwould tree that easily dwarfed all of it’s neighbours and commanded the whole glade to itself. The bark was the same colour as it’s name but was barely visible through the skirting of long wispy trailing branches, that were covered in a thick carpet of pale, green leaves. The ancient tree would have been quite the serene sight to behold, if it was not marred by the pile of bones piled near the entrance of a large dank hole that sat amongst it’s roots. But even with the signs of death, there was no decay for the tree was slowly entwining its roots around the bones as it slowly absorbed the nutrients provided by it’s tenant; a fearsome Homarian Shellwurm and resident Gold ranked Monster, Da’Nittan.

“DA’NITTAN!” shouted NOSAL excitedly as the small boy rushed right into the fearsome skeletal graveyard that was before the frightful hole.

“DA’NITTAN!” he shouted again excitedly, right down into the hole as he stood by it’s entrance. Behind him his father set the pie down just in front of the pile of bones before standing up to wait expectantly.

A fearsome hiss rumbled through the ground they stood on before falling silent once more.

“Eurggh she always does this!” Nosal complained as he started to stamp his foot angrily.

“Huh, I’d take my time too if some annoying little pup like you came calling when I was asleep,” replied Lem before pulling up some fearsome horned skull to use as a makeshift seat.

Nosal continued to call down into the hole before even his father got annoyed at his constant yelling.

“Sit down over here patiently and wait you silly pup!” he ordered his son as he pulled up some unknown ribcage for the boy to use as a seat beside him. The boy in question turned back with his mouth hanging open, but eventually complied with a small grumble of complaint under his breath.

The pair waited, and waited.

“So…. what do you think about being classed?” Lem asked his son who was busy kicking some dirt as he sought to fill the boredom.

“You unlocked anything new? You feelin all big and strong yet?” Lem continued with a smile as his son paused to consider before answering.

“I dunno father …. so far it's just the healing and the talking, but now I see why brother and Dornmit talks about it all the time! It’s so cool to get stronger every day! I can hear better and think faster...,” Nosal replied excitedly with his musk of joy.

“Yeah I know what you mean boy. I still remember when I first classed,” agreed Lem with a small chuckle before letting out a sigh. “Over time the joy you feel will fade when you level slowly like I do at my age boy.”

The two fell into silence as they both considered the effects of being high levelled differently.

“But even I still feel the rush too pup,” spoke Lem with a huge grin as he sniffed his scarred nose absently. His son reflected his own expression as they shared in the small moment.

“So how much better do you feel than you do before you classed?” Lem questioned as he looked off into the sky that was visible around the edges of the crown of the Ashwould tree above.

“To be honest father, I haven’t really checked anything yet. What can I do?” asked Nosal as he went back to kicking some dirt after readjusting his position on his uncomfortable make-shift seat.

“Oh many things pup, you can see how well you can lift things you struggled with before, or see how fast you can run…. Try doing some math problems and see how well you can do bigger sums. OR try begging me for stupid things….. such as a bag of sweets from the Firefly to test your charm,” Lem deadpanned in his deep voice but also with a sly grin on his face.

Nosal smiled at the notion of enjoying some rarely eaten sweets before laughing at his father’s suggestion. His father who sat beside him snorted, before he too joined in with his son in laughter.

“So can I buy some tomorrow after I’ve been to Master Xerneg’s?” Nosal asked hopefully once they had stopped laughing.

“Hahaha…. NOOO!” Lem quickly shouted in reply before laughing at his son’s look of utter misery. “It'll ruin your teeth boy! And I'm sure your master won't heal those! Hahahahaaha-ahh…”

“And what's going to happen to me father? I mean tomorrow, I'm kinda nervous,” Nosal asked seriously once his father calmed down from his supposedly funny trap.

“Me too boy…. I didn't really expect Xerneg to take you like that, to be honest he just upped and done it on his own,” Lem honestly spoke as a look of concern quickly flashed over his smiling face.

Feeling worried at the uncertain day tomorrow, the pair sigh together in the quiet glade.

“I guess you will be learning all about being a healer boy, he is quite a smart old Hebdican that Xerneg....” Lem quietly added to reassure his son.

“And cook! Canaltia told me, that her sister River-Reed has to cook so much as an apprentice to Xerneg!” complained Nosal at the prospect of himself having to cook so much in the near future.

“I don't even know how to make that many things! He's not gonna be eating our Yesterhay gruel is he?”

To his son’s complaining, Lem rolled his eyes before smiling.

“Don't fret boy, cooking is quite the skill to have even if you’re not classed for it, everybody’s gotta eat, and let me tell you, in my caravanning days, knowing what herbs you can pick to liven up a boiled egg could do wonders for a Capyban who spent his whole day doing nothing but marchin. Realms it can also help make new friends without even using the Charm stat boy!” he explained to his son.

“But Kano and you do all the cooking father, I'm terrible and don't know nothin!” complained Nosal who was still not convinced.

“Hells boy you’re going to be getting a lot of lessons where you're going, just make sure not to burn to much food ehhh? I'm only going to be giving you 15 bronze coppers as allowance per week so make sure you don’t spend it all on burnt food,” Lem retorted, finally annoyed with his son’s whining.

“Oh but I don't want to gooeeww....wait I'm going to get an allowance?” asked Nosal in surprise as he quickly snapped out of his whiny mood.

“Well of course! You don't expect me to send my boy to train under a Grandmaster healer and have him beg for his own meals? Hell’s you’re going to need to buy some paper or even a book to write down all the cooking recipes you’ll be learning! Hah-haha!” joked Lem as he sought to annoy his son further.

As Nosal was about to make a quip in reply, the heavy thumping of armoured feet digging into the soil announced that Da’Nittan had finally woken from her slumber. The sound grew louder and louder from the hole before falling silent.

Then a pair of heavily armoured, obsidian coloured whiskers lazily whipped out from the darkness to taste the air before Da’Nittan crawled into view. First came her formidable claws the size of doors that she held flat to walk through the tunnel, then came her humungous arrow-shaped armoured head. Her alien ebony coloured eyes that sat atop thick stalks gleamed at the sight of her visitors, before she released a low clacking noise with her smaller mouth-pincers in greeting as she dragged the rest of her heavy body from deep within her lair.

When she fully cleared the den, the humongous Wurm laid down flat on the ground as she raised her six squat legs in the air. Then she stretched out her sleepy legs by cracking her joints in a loud pop before she stood up again and raised her claws up straight.

“Hello Da’Nittan! How are you today!” shouted Nosal with a musk of joy before he ran up to hug a huge pincer that was bigger than he was. The Sheelwurm hissed and clacked with pleasure as she gentle shook her pincer that was in Nosal’s happy hug. She then lifted him off his feet to the sound of laughter as she walked over to inspect the pie that she had tasted in the air with her whiskers earlier.

“Happy birthday there Da’Nittan, I reckon it was round about this time of year is it not?” Lem greeted in turn. “The boys suggested making you something for your birthday,” he lied as Da’Nittan clacked happily as she happily caressed the small decoration of herself using her sensitive little mouth-pincers.

Da’Nittan then proceeded to break off the tiny model of herself from the pie before popping it into her complex looking mouth that was full of hinged armour plating and bubbles. The taste of the sugary powdered pie crust elicited another round of happy clacking and hissing noises from the Shellwurm to the joy of the Brownwhiskers.

“No I did not! I was all you! Wait Da’Nittan I have to show you something!” shouted Nosal as he quickly exposed his father, causing the large Capyban to blush heavily. But thankfully the shade of the Ashwould tree was able to conceal Lem’s embarrassment as Nosal released his hold on the claw.

The little boy then proceeded to deftly jump over the elbow joint of the claw and right up against Da’Nittan’s boulder sized head.

She was forced to pause her enjoyment of the delicious Farmpie as she clicked her mouth-pincers in confusion whilst turning her eye-stalks down to better inspect the boy.

“Here let me show you,” Nosal whispers excitedly as he places a small hairy hand on the side of her armoured head before resting his own head against hers.

The green light of his skill envelopes the boy’s hand as he shuts his eyes to greet her with his mind, Hello Da’Nittan.

Hello there Nosal, came the her thoughts in a soft rich female voice in reply as she clacked away in reality. To Nosal’s utter shock, Da’Nittan’s thoughts sounded just like his’s late mother’s actual voice. Whilst he was in surprise, Da’Nittan also paused her chewing as she too, was surprised to hear his thoughts through a mental communication skill.

Oh now this is quite the surprise….you can speak directly to me, similarly to how your mother used to, she replied as she quickly understood the situation.

“You… you sound just like mum,” Nosal stated whilst still transmitting through the link as he opened his eyes to look up at her large ebony eyes. Lem who was watching and waiting on the small exchange opened his mouth, as if to say something before only letting out a sad sigh.

Gowin did tell me that back in the day.... replied Da’Nittan absentmindedly.

But seeing the downcast look on the boy’s face she quickly changed the subject, this is quite the surprise that we can talk now, it has been so dull having no one to talk to! Don't get me wrong, I love it when you boys visit but I wished someone could hear my like Gowin did…. she spoke sadly into Nosal’s mind before realising that she might have upset him again.

But if he was upset that she mentioned her partner who was his mother to him again, he did not show it.

“I’m sorry, I just got this skill yesterday! But now we can talk whenever!” Nosal exclaims loudly before shutting his eyes once more.

I would love that little Nosal, can you thank Lem for this amazing pie? Da’Nittan asks as she gently grabbed up another mouthful of her present.

“Da’Nittan says thanks for the pie father!” Nosal shouts with a smile before the boy quickly shut his eyes and pressed his head against hers.

Oh I have grown bored of eating the beasts in the woods and the boring tubers! she complained to him through the link and causing the boy the laugh out merrily.

I would hate that! He agreed before laughing once more.

Seeing the private conversation between the two going well but having nothing to do, Lem awkwardly sat down on his skull once more as he waited for his son and Da’Nittan to address him.

Mmmmm I really missed cooked food, like having spices with some barbecued meat…. Can you ask him to get me some? Da’Nittan asked through the link as she brushed her whiskers on Lem who sat a pace paces from her.

“Hrmm?” asked Lem as the thick feelers brushed gently on his shoulders.

“She asks if you can give her some spicy barbecued meat Father, she says she misses eating it,” Nosal relays to his father with a huge smile on his face as he hugged onto Da’Nittan head. But his happy expression quickly fell as he added, “she sounds like mum father.”

“I know son. It’s a bonded thing….Can, can you do anything to let me hear her voice?” the normally stoic Lem asked with a sad pleading tone, his old wounds never completely healed.

“I'm sorry father,” was all Nosal could softly say in reply as he released his musk of sadness.

Seeing the loss of her partner still wounded the Capyban she was married to, just as much as it did to her, Da’Nittan clacked her mouth-pincers as she sent a thought to Nosal.

“What?!” was Nosal’s reaction once he heard what she said.

“What did she say?” the still downcast Lem asks his son with a nod of his chin.

“She says you look pathetic when you’re miserable, just like shit-clogged elfish writer and she asks again if you can get her some barbecued meat with spices,” Nosal told him.

“Really she said that?! She still remembers that?” Lem asks happily before he started laughing heavily. Da’Nittan too, began to clacked her both her big pincers and smaller pair as she hissed happily.

“What was that?” Nosal asks the pair in confusion, but received no reply as they shared in some forgotten joke.

“Well I suppose that won't be a problem, heck I should've done something like that sooner with the amount of coin she's made with the scraps she brough back,” Lem states with his mood lifted, but pointedly ignored his protesting son as he address Da’Nittan.

Yeah I remembered how my partner loved to trade the hard parts or the uneatable skin of monsters for shines. I couldn't really talk to anyone and work out what was good and what wasn't. How about you tell me what gets the most shines and I’ll grab some whenever I can, and you can give me some spicy meat or some honey ham? Da’Nittan stated as she began her opening negotiations.

Seeing her translator not doing his job as he just stood there pouting, she nipped him with her mouth-pincers.

“Hey stop that!” the boy complains as his father watched on with amusement. Seeing how her translator was attempting to escape, Da’Nittan held him gently in a firm grip using the nook of her large claw elbow-joint.

Say it Nosal, she commanded him through the link as Lem continued laughing at his son’s predicament. Seeing no other option, Nosal relayed Da’Nittan’s request to trade animal parts for cured meats and more spicy barbecued meats.

“Oh you don't have to! You’re part of the family and getting you simple foods like that is not even an issue, hell we’re about to have a barbecue soon enough anyways, why don't you come join me and the Tars?” replied Lem with a smile after having heard her request.

The green lady? I haven’t seen her in ages, thought Da’Nittan as Nosal translated for her. The boy was not enjoying the fact that he had relegated into a mouthpiece between two old friends.

“Oh you mean Sarking-Tars? Yeah she’ll be there. BUT, speaking of the monster parts.. if you can catch any more of the Fossorial-Chiroptor and bring the wings intact again like you did last year, that would be great.” Lem replied as he tried to slip in his own request.

What that horrible muscly bat things? It is quite annoying how they screeched awfully whenever they end up in my claws, and they taste so terrible, being all sinew. Not really good eating at all, but I am willing to go track down a den or two, but for at least for a few legs of the many-legged pigs or some sort of cattle, with spices of course, Da’Nittan stated through Nosal as she clacked her pincers happily at the future prospect of delicious meats.

Lem in turn slightly balked at the casual mentioning of hunting a whole “den or two” of the ferocious Chiroptors. He couldn't even imagine the whole village guard doing the same and coming out unscathed, unless both Shade and Gazelle joined such a reckless endeavour. Heck there was probably no adventuring teams able to perform such a task, unless you went to find a gold ranked team to tackle a whole den of the bloodthirsty hulking bat-like fiends.

But Lem started to smile as considered that he would be making nearly a whole gold coin from trading a few of the wings in if she came through with this promise. All for few a silver pieces for the spiced meat she requested!

“Deal! I’ll buy you a whole divine-kissed pig from the cities!” he promised as he shot to his feet with his musk of joy as he extended out a hand.

And don't forget the spices, buy lots of them so I can see which ones I like, Da’Nittan relayed through Nosal as she placed a whisker in his hand and shook it. She still remembered this silly custom of humanoids in sealing deals by shaking.

“That's not going to be a problem at all,” replied Lem with small chuckle as he sat back down on his skull.

So will you come join us? Nosal asks her once they had finished with their own conversation.

I am still slightly sleepy, and I am currently really enjoying this pie, can you thank Lem again from me? It was very kind of him, she asks as she finally dug past the crust and into the fruity filling of the pie.

“Father, she says she’s really enjoying it and she says thank you again,” Nosal relayed to Lem absentmindedly as he enjoyed climbing about on the Shellwurm. The boy had easily slipped from the hold he was in and was now sitting atop the elbow joint and swinging his legs happily, glad that he was now also part of the conversation.

Lem’s face started to colour again as he mumbled “It’s nothing,” whilst looking back up into the sky.

I shall have to nap after this delicious meal, but I’ll come along after dusk, so those crickets don't get scared, Da’Nittan states as she lifts the pie in her huge claws and slowly retreats into her lair.

Oh I did’t even think of that! Alright see you later! Nosal replied to her through the link before swinging his legs over the nook of the elbow joint and jumping down.

“Bye Da’Nittan! See you!” he shouted in farewell as the goliath quickly backed down and disappeared into the darkness of her den with her prize in her enormous pincers.

“What did she say?” Lem asked as he rose back to his feet once more.

“She says she’s coming dad, but after dark so she won't spook the Kaholins, she's going to eat this pie and go grab a nap after this,” answered his son as he begun to skip past the macabre pile of bones and his father, back towards the Ranch.

“Oh that is quite thoughtful of her, I'm sure me and Lok Tara will still be drinking by then,” replied Lem as he started trailing behind his son.