"Just do as I say," The elder casually said.
Realizing that nothing bad will happen hearing the elder's suggestion, Lander pricked his hand, "Hey there little wolf, come and drink my blood."
Hearing his word, the wolf happily licked the blood from Lander's hand. Upon tasting it, the cub glowed brightly and it's fur radiated an even more dazzling white glow.
"Impossible! NO! This is impossible unless.." The elder exclaimed astonished.
"You should let it drink more of you're blood." He continued as he was expecting something.
Then Lander pierced his arm making more blood come out. The cub excitedly licked Lander's arm without hesitation.
Seeing that nothing happened the elder then sighed, "I thought you have the blood of a druid tamer. Guess I'm wrong."
"But you are lucky that the cub evolved into a Rank D beast." The elder continued and went towards Lander healing him.
"Congratulations for having a Rank D beast mount despite being an outcast. You are truly an amazing outcast." The elder congratulated him.
"I don't understand elder? Please enlighten me." Lander said as he bowed towards the elder.
"I don't have to explain to you as you will understand sooner," then he turned his back facing the entrance of the cave.
Seeing the elder not having the desire to explain things, "Elder, can I have the oppurtunity to know you're name?"
Hearing Lander asking for the elder's name, Yan Yan got scared and quicly kowtowed again in front of the elder, "Please spare my big brother for asking you're name Great Baron."
Lander was bewildered by Yan Yan's action he thought to himself, 'Is it wrong to ask for someone's name?'
Then he heard the elder, "Don't worry! I am not those kind of man who has the power and doesn't know how to respect humans, even the outcasts."
"Bobby's the name," The elder spoke as he strode towards the cave.
"Wait! Elder, please have this as my thank you." Lander opened his bag and grabbed a bar of chocolate - tobleron and handed it to the elder.
"What is this?" Asked the elder inspecting the odd shape of the chocolate wrapped in a box.
"It is a snack elder, you can have a bite." Upon hearing Lander's word the elder took a bite without even removing the box.
Lander faced palm looking at the dumb elder. Then he told him to remove the box before eating what's inside it.
"This snack is so good. Sweet! Delicious! Say, young man do you have more?" The elder looked at Lander as he asked for more.
"Apparently, I only have three boxes of it left." Then Lander gave another box to the elder and decided to gave the other box to Yan Yan later.
"I didn't expect you to have a good snack. I guess you do not owe me anything now. Oh and by the way, you should never let others see you're tattoo." Then the elder left.
When the elder left, Lander sat with exhaustion and felt asleep. Yan Yan on the other hand sighed when the elder left and looked at Lander with praise at the same time he saw him like an idiot. She didn't expect him to bring back a great Baron and also he acted like an idiot in front of him.
When dawn came, Lander suddenly woke up as he felt threatened. "We have to leave or else that King Kong will come back again."
"King Kong? Whose King Kong?" Yan Yan asked with knitted brows.
"That ape who kidnapped me," Lander said as he hurriedly packed their stuff.
"Kidnap?" Yan Yan asked again, this time she was more puzzled.
"Nevermind, let's just go." Lander said not explaining.
Then the two of them left followed by the three wolves, "Master, I will follow you!"
"Master? Whose your master?" Lander looked at Yan Yan while asking.
"Huh?" Yan Yan looked at him perplexed.
"Didn't you just say anything?" Lander asked bewildered.
Yan Yan shook her head. "Master it's me, the little wolf you were calling."
Then Lanter looked at the little wolf with knitted brows, "You can speak? How the hell can an animal speak?"
"Master, I can't speak. But my father told me that I have accepted you as my master by drinking your blood. And you're blood was attached to my soul and we can never be separated unless one of us will be killed. We are bounded by that pact. And only by blood can we communicate through our minds." The cub explained.
"What?" Lander blurted out. Then he thought, 'Is this why Elder Bobby congratulated me?'
"Big brother, whom are you talking to?" Yan Yan asked.
"Nothing! And call me manong or inuy-a," Lander said as he was still unsure of the rapid things he was learning.
"Manong? Inuy-a?" Yan Yan asked then she thought, 'Perhaps, his name. Sounded weird.'
"Let's just go," Lander urged as he was processing how he was able to communicate with the little wolf and the thing about the blood and soul.
"Master wait, I have to say goodbye to my parents." The cub said as it faced it's parents.
The wolves growled then the alpha and the white wolf went towards Lander and bowed. Lander looked at them with pity, "You know what little wolf, you'd better accompany you're parents. You can forget about the pact."
"Master, as a beast bounded by a pact. It is an honor and our duty to be with our master. That is according to my father. My mother also told me that I can grow stronger if I accompany you." The cub explained.
"Perhaps, this is the rule of this world," Lander said as he looked at the alpha and the white wolf. He patted their heads, "I didn't mean this to happen. I only followed Elder Bobby's words. But do not worry, I will take care of your little wolf and make him stronger!"
The two wolves, as if they understand his words kowtowed and ran away. From a distance they stopped, looked back and howled. The cub also howled as if saying goodbye to it's parents.
Lander sighed, "From now on you're name will be Grey."
Then he looked at Yan Yan, "Yan Yan, this is Grey our buddy and Grey this is Yan Yan."
Yan Yan patted Grey's head and smiled, "Hi Grey!"
Grey loved his name and wiggled it's tail as it enjoyed being patted by Yan Yan.
After Grey's parents went away, they continued their journey towards the Sunny Village and arrived before sunset. They were exhausted for a day's travel and Lander wanted to find a place where they could rest. He was stunned to see that the village was actually like a village during the medieval era and he was not used to it. But he had to cope up and learn things slowly for him to be reunited with his uncle and cousin. He also remebered to cover his tattoo so he did by wrapping a cloth around his hand.
They meandered on the streets of Sunny Village. and asked around where they can have a place to stay. Upon asking one of the vendors in the market, Lander learned that there was an inn not far from them but it costs hundred bronzes for one room.
Learning that the money they use are not paper bills, he got upset but he has to accept the reality. Knowing that they had no money, he asked the vendor where he could earn money the fastest. The vendor told him about the fighting competition where in the winner can receive a lot of money. So he asked where this competition was being held.
Upon recieving the direction to the fighting competition, Lander thanked the vendor and despite being exhausted, he has to enlist his name in this competition to earn money for them to have a good place to rest.
**
Author's Note:
Manung/Manong - An Ilocano term for Elder Brother or Big Brother
Inuy-a - A kankana-ey term for Elder Borther or Big Brother