We enter our Father's cave and see our father sitting on his traditional mat. His straight green hair draped over his shoulders the black tips of his long hair almost touched the floor. His eyes were closed and he was snoring away sitting it up. I look over at my sister and she looks at me and she gives a nod.
"Hay Halo! It's amazing how young our father looks even though he is ....". My Father's ears perk up immediately.
"Stop it right you two I am not going to have you go blabbing about how old I am to the whole world"
"Oh yeah, and who is going to stop us our half-asleep father," My sister says definitely.
"You're the one who called us here you should at least be here to greet us, Chief of the Elvenwolf village," I say as to add salt to the wound.
"You two really shouldn't patronize your poor father" I turn around to see my mother standing in the doorway two the cave. Her ruby red hair with its white tips tied back into a large ponytail. Her golden eyes stared at my father angrily
" And you, you should really take more pride as village chief. What if it was someone other than those two that entered the cave? You would be humiliated. You know how quickly word spreads throughout this village, everyone would know within the hour."
"Calm down mother." As I say this I see a fireball fly past me and almost hit my father except he made a shield just in the nick of time. And the next moment he was gone from his spot on the mat.
"Now calm down my dear I think it would be more embarrassing to have our cave go up in flames due to your temper." He was now behind my mother and petting her ears.
"So did you just call us here to fool around father ?" my sister says aggravated. Suddenly my father looked up with his golden eyes and stopped playing with my mother's ears and stood up.
"Listen up you two, tomorrow you are going on your coming of age journey to the human city for an entire Human year and it is my job as your father to prepare you and your partners for the rough journey ahead. With this being said your mother and I would like to remind you that you are the heirs. To become the chiefs of this village you have to grow as much as you can in that year," my father says with a look of concern in his eyes.
"Yes, Father," we say as we settle into our seats in front of him.
Rin looks up at our father and says;" There are scary humans out there that want to harm both of our races right? Why do we have to go live in a human city for a human year"
"Well, Rin that is actually the reason why everyone has their coming of age ceremony. s It helps you learn how to blend in with human society in case this village everyone has to split up and go into hiding." My father says calmly
" Father is that not the reason why we coexist with the sword-ravens so that we may protect each other and never go have to go into hiding," I say
"That is true but just because we have both our races living together does not mean that we are invincible, the only ones that are truly invincible are the true gods and nobody has ever passed their test to become one so that is that. Now back to the main topic at hand, You four know the number one rule when you go out there right?" My father stares questioningly at us
" yes" we all say in unison.
"Then what is it" my mother pipes in.
"Never reveal what your races are less you are discovered by the False god's church," we say.
" And the second rule," my father says
" Never get involved with nobles or the church"
"Good. Now that is out of the way remember that humans can be greedy and underhanded at times but not all of them are that way. Some of them are kind and generous but you must be able to tell the difference otherwise they might make you into a slave as some have tried to do with other sentient beings such as the elves and dwarves. In fact, the person that is going to help you get into the town is one such person. They and their family have helped our races for centuries and have not once reported us to the church." My father says.
"But father, what if they have decided to turn on us," Halo says with worry.
" Don't worry Halo that is one of the reasons why we have a star-seer. She will tell us beforehand whether or not they have turned." Mother says calmly
"One last piece of advice for you four is to use your own individual skills to get by. Remember the number one rule for human cities is to make money" Father says
"Now you two are dismissed and do not forget to pack your bags before you go to sleep," Father says with a tired look in his eyes. We rise and begin to walk towards the stairs
"Oh and one last thing you two" father says
" Stay safe you guys and remember that no matter what happens, your mother, all your ancestors, and I will always be with you."