I woke up to the sound of a flute. It was a windy sound, like it came out of a piece of bamboo, the respiration of the caster joining the rhythm, forming a smoothing song.
I open my eyes, feeling sore and numb, like if I had swam an entire day, all the muscles hurt, even from the back.
The music stopped as I looked around at the cave we were in. Than all came at once; the battle, the rage, my brother.
I tried to stand but my members gave out under my weight.
" *****! ******,***?"
Someone was talking, and I automatically raised my lips and showed my fangs at him. He stops, his back to the entrance of the cave and to the light, making me able to see only his silhouette.
He then crouches down and lowers his hands to the ground.
"Can understand now?" He says with a strange accent in the Common Language. "Not good with it, but can?"
What? Is he trying to communicate with me? Does anyone in this world would try first things first speak to a dog when they see one? But it didn't end well when I spoke to the humans before, so maybe…
"Nature and Night told, dangerous for magical creatures. We guardians. We save."
"Guardians?" So the Voice of the Night asked for help? How? Maybe they can communicate with each other, like spirits perhaps?
Then who is this in front of me?
He nods, and continues: "We mean no harm. Cure, save."
He points at my wounds, and just then I realize they are clean and bandaged.
"What about my brother? And who are you?"
He approaches slightly, and sits closer to me and in front of the fireplace. Wow, he is an angel or something? He has pointy long ears that bend a little at the end, flat white snowy hair that goes down like a waterfall, framing his face, the hair been pushed out with a bronze diadem on his forehead, full of leafs drawings and branch like design.
He had a gentle smile and a pair of shiny green eyes. He speaks in that strange tongue again, sounding as musical as the flute he played before.
Ding – Elven Tongue 1
"So sorry for my lack of manners, is just very unpleasant for my tongue to utter such barbaric language."
…
Wait, this is the difference between mechanic translation and human translation? Totally the opposite! Some words I can't even understand!
"Answer my questions." I say in his tongue, which surprises him, but he continues:
"Yes, of course, let me clarify then. We elven race are the Guardians of the Forest, at the adult age we pass tests and rituals so that all our kind may hold such title. These days the Voice of Nature warned us about animal smugglers coming and going from this part of the woodlands.
The night before one of our sears voiced that the Voice of the Night asked assistance from the Voice of Nature, as one of its child's were in great danger, and we found you and the smugglers.
However unfortunately I was accountable with the mission to rescue one of the creatures hold in captive as the others deal with the smugglers. I do not know any information of the others magical creatures, forgive me.
So my brother was still missing? Alone in that state in the middle of the forest?
No, I got to go, I have to find him. I try to stand again, but he stands first and says:
"No, you must rest, you were under paralyze effects as well as blood lost, fatigue and hunger, Even if you wish to you won't go far. And don't burden yourself; I presume that one of the others must have already found your brother."
"But you are not sure?"
He looks at me and diverts the eye contact. "No"
Ah, I think I'm going to puke from stress and worry. He should be fine right? He must be.
"If…" He starts, as if thinking carefully on what to say. "If I went out to search for him or any information, would you stay here?"
Yes "No"
Wait, what? He sighs.
"It's impossible to lie in our tongue, little hound." He smiles kindly them, and smoothly goes around the stone he was sitting on and brings me a pot of water and some food; no meat tough, just a strange… fruit?
"What is this?" I ask and start drinking.
"Pepper, Red Chili Burning Pepper, to be more specific, a Hell Hound's favorite."
I raise my eyebrow at that, I mean, my brown spots above my eyes. I go a little closer, and take a sniff out of it.
Wow, it smelled amazing! I take an eager bite, and it burns in my mouth. Delicious! And probably deadly for others!
Licking my lips for the aftertaste I realize that he was staring at me with kind eyes.
"We mean you no harm, really. I'm just preoccupied with your health, so forgive me, I promise that I'll search for your brother as fast as I can."
Forgive? Forgive for… Oh, wait, I'm suddenly getting sleepy, and my limbs feel even more heavy. This time, however, I don't pass out, I simply fall asleep.
~~~~
Next morning I wake up with a comforting height on my back. I open my eyes, happy for the familiar too hot sensation of my brothers body lying beside me, this legs wrapped around me in a tight hug as if I could disappear in his sleep.
Someone poke the fire beside us, and I quickly find a pair of green leafy eyes in the darkness.
"He was already taken care for once I found him, and I though better to bring him here. He hasn't let go off you since the moment I brought him in."
I look back to his sleepy face and almost cry myself to sleep here and there, but couldn't stop myself from shivering slightly. He is alive, we are alive, unharmed, and together again.
I bring him into a closer hug, burying my head on top of his, felling his hearth beat against mine, hearing his sleepy deep breath.
I swallow dry when the thought of almost losing him forever passed my mind.
"I suppose we own your kind a debt for saving us them." I say, not looking up at him and not liking how the words sounded out of my mouth.
"Of course not, it was our mistake that lead to this situation. What guardians would we be if we cannot protect our on forest from intruders? We are the ones who own you an apologize. We are sorry. No… I'm sorry."
I look at him only to see him bowing, his forehead touching the ground and his long hair cascading sideways.
"The image of a grown man like you bowing isn't good for my conscious."
He gives a little laugh and sit straight again. He puts his hands together in front of him intertwined, supporting his chin while he thought of something.
"I would offer you a safe stay in our kingdom, little hound, but I know from your eyes that's not what you would want."
"We are not pets." He nods.
"Have you… looked at my status?" I frown at that. "Or maybe you aren't able to… I… have appraisal too. I'm Reincarnated too."
The shock makes my chin fall, and I probably had made a dumb face because he gives me another chuckle.
"Don't need to look so surprise now. Do you…remember anything?"
"…Just a few things, nothing that makes any sense."
"Hum, it starts like that, really, just be careful to not… get lost in the memories, you see?"
Yes. "So-so."
"Another thing, as a fellow Reincarnated and a Guardian of the Forest, I must warn you to be careful. I know that is meaningless to say, but I will do nonetheless. You weren't careful on your rescue attempt, and I understand your reasons and I do not question them, but as much as you worry about your brother he too does worry back. Do not treat your life as less important than his… because some wounds can cut so deep that is beyond healing, hum?"
It was too much to take at once, but somehow I understood what he meant and nodded with a scow in return. We spend the rest of the night without speaking again, and ate as my brother woke up.
"Brother- snif- brother- sob- I was sooo worried- snif snif- and soo scared- I missed you brother~~"
And sob sob all the time. But this time I wasn't bothered by it, I missed him as well. "Stop been such a sissy, clean that face up."
"Brother! You meany- sob- hic."
I roll my eyes at him, and seem that he is a little far away from me I smirk with my fangs, and thrown a Fire Ball at his face.
"Aght! Brother!"
I throw another, laughing as I run against a pillar to hide. "What, one week away and already out of shape little brother?!"
He looked shocked, putting a paw on his chest, as a smirk grown on his snout. He aims his fire at me but I dodge, and we tempt faith for a while, my dodge against his aim. He gets tired of missing and jump up at me, aiming at me ears.
I play his game and roll on the ground as he chew my ear as he did when we were mere pups. It seems to always calm him down. I little laugh reminds us that we are not alone as we look embarrassed at the elf.
"Brother, who is that?" He whispers, still on top of me. I push my paws up, taking him off of me, as he completes. "He is so pretty, how can you understand him?"
"He is an elf, you can try and learn his language too."
"Hum, I'll try my best, but can you translate a little for me?"
"Sure."
He jumps, a happier pup than before, and trots closer to the elf that looks at him curiously and kindly.
"Thanks for saving us! You are really pretty!"
His stump tail is wiggling nonstop, as the elf stretches his hand and pat him on the head.
"It was my pleasure little hound. You and your brother will always be welcome in our home, feel free to visit us. On the line, what's your names? Mine generation name is Narwain, and means new sun, and my own name is Aeglos, and means snow. "
"We… actually don't have names." My brother lowers his ears, sad.
"Well…" He stops, as if pondering something important, and asks as if talking with himself: "For elves names have power, plus are very important, and after an almost death experience, it would be like a baptized, seemly reasonable…would you give me the honor to name you both?"
Names?
I didn't give so much importance to things like that, but my brother almost jumped on his lap from happiness…
…And somehow it was like starting our lives anew from the nightmare that this person saved us from. He seemed… fitting for our naming. I nod, and he stands, walking back and forth, looking at us and pondering. First he went to my brother.
"Since you do not have a family name, I will bestow my on on you. Mìnaothon, those whom are always ready for battle. For now on, you will be known as Hunthor, that who holds the hearth of an eagle, heart which can see far beyond what the eyes perceive."
"Hunthor… sounds cool."
"Now you, older brother, protector, will been known as Thilgon, that one which holds the glow of silver in his eyes and soul. May they stay sharp as a swords blade. For your generation name you will be call Palarran, those who walk far."
Thilgon… Thilgon… a name, I have a name…! I didn't feel the need of one until now, but the naming sounded more like a marking, a proof of our existence. It felt great.
"Wait, what is this family and generation name you are talking about?"
"Family name is the one passed down by generations, always the woman side. The generation is the line you are, to indicate you both have the same mother and father. Is a common name between brothers only. And your private name. It is written like this, first the generation name, than your name, than your family name:
Palarran Hunthor Mìnaothon
Palarran Thilgon Mìnaothon"
What a way of complicating things, ugh. But…
"Thank you." He just nods and smiles, as my brother keeps hooping about like a bunny repeating his name over and over.
I roll my eyes at that, smiling warmly.
~~~~~
Elfihe: … and my name was supposed to be difficult?
Author: La~la~laaaa~
Hope is not to confusing the making of the names, though at the moment I thought that was a good idea to give them elven names.
Ha
Haha~
I'll have to write that down all the time you know!
Elfihe: Humf, serves you right.
Author: (இ﹏இ`｡)
Pss, how many of you can write down right now at comments their names without looking? Hihihi
I can't. ༼⌐■ل͟■༽
For those who thought the ML would save them... well, you are not totally wrong, just the MC isn't right, *wink wink*