"What's father like?" Repeated Cisse. "Hiassh! Where do I even start?"
…
…
…
SHING-SHING-SHING-TINGG!
With a flash of sparks, two figures within a large foggy forest clearing pressed against one another for a brief moment before splitting apart. Noticeably, of the two figures, one barely reached half the height of the other.
"Not bad, not bad at all, Cy!"
"Really, dad?" came an excited voice from the smaller figure.
"Haha, you don't believe your old man?"
"Well, no, but…."
"But....?" Inquired Dinga.
"I still can't land a hit," replied Cisse.
"Well, duh, experience-wise, I am far ahead," Chukled Dinga.
"…"
"Chin up though, you were able to block all of my attacks today. A little more, and you might be able to start full counter assaults."
Hearing this, Cisse brightened up.
Seeing this, another light chuckle escaped from Dinga.
"Don't forget, though," came Dinga's voice. "If your mom asks where we went…."
"We went to watch some flora and fauna," finished Cisse.
"Very good," approved Dinga. Sure it was a lie, but technically it wasn't. They were surrounded by flora and had seen some fauna on their way here.
"Are we going to continued?" Asked Cisse, excitement filling his voice.
"Nah," began Dinga as he cast a glance at their surroundings. "The fog is starting to grow thicker."
"Awww!" Whined Cisse.
"Yeah, I know, but we've been out here for quite a while. Your mother might get suspicious, and we can't really 'observe' if we can't actually see. And I don't know about you, but I am not trying to have an early funeral," explained Dinga as he and Cisse began to move out.
"Hahaha! Mom won't kill you," giggled little Cisse. "She loves you…right?"
"Haha, here is a life lesson for you, Cy. Love, love is one of the most confusing things you will ever encounter. Rationality gets thrown out the window, and irrationality walks in through the door. When it comes to love, don't assume anything but expect everything."
"Huh!?" tilted little Cisse's head as a mass of curly hair danced along with the tilt.
"I promise it will make more and more sense as you get older," chuckled Dinga.
"Ehh, if you say o." Shrugged Cisse. "Oh right, what's after swordsmanship, father? I want to start learning the theoretical knowledge while my swordsmanship improves."
"Wow, aren't you quite the eager one? Well, I suppose….how about the bo-"
"No! I will never touch a bow or practice bowmanship!" Interrupted Cisse.
"Huh? What's wrong with the bow?"
"Nope, nope, nope, it's art isn't beautiful at all, and all you do is hide or stay back while you throw sharp sti-"
FWIP-FWIP-WHOOOSH!
…
WHOROO-WHISH-CKRRK-WHOROO-WHISH-SNAP!
With the sound of rushing wind, rustling leaves, and breaking branches accompanying him, Cisse's eyes snapped open just as his body broke through a thin branch.
Quickly gathering his bearings, Cisse found a spread of greenish furs stuck to his chest. Looking up, Cisse traced the fur and noted that it was the tail of a greenish primate (monkey-ish) like beast swinging through the foresting, seemingly rushing somewhere with him in tow.
However, after a few moments, Cisse's attention completely shifted as he watched an incoming branch thick enough that he would be severely injured if he collided with at his current speed.
Reacting quickly, using his left hand, Cisse tightly grabbed the beast's tail and pulled.
"EEEE!"
Caught off guard by the sudden downward force, the primate-like beast missed its next branch and began spiraling downward.
As to why Cisse only used one had to pull the beast? It was because the beast pulling him was a Myder. A beast covered in long sticky fur, along with an extendable prehensile tail. Unless if one was significantly strong or unless the Myder was killed, they would be adhered as long as the Myder wished. Nonetheless, along with their sticky fur and tail, other noticeable features of Myders were a singular rectangular eye and an exoskeleton-covered mouth and jaws.
"EEE-EEE-EEEE!"
Scrambling randomly to grab onto something, the Myder screamed and trashed as it plummeted.
SHHK-WOOM-WHOOSH!
Unsheathing a dagger behind his waist. Cisse tightened his grip on the Myder's tail and yanked even harder, pulling the Myder to him before rotating himself atop the Myder as they continued to plummet down into the foggy land below.
"EEEE"-THUCK-SNAP-"EEE"-THUCK-THOOM!
Continuously stabbing the Myder as they broke branches and tore leaves, the duo landed heavily on the forest floor.
"COUGH-COUGH-COUGH-COUGH!"
Releasing a few forceful coughs as he stood, Cisse felt the Myder's tail easily slip from his hand, signaling its death.
"HUAA-HUAA-HUAA-HUAA!"
Breathing heavily, it took a few minutes for Cisse to fully calm down. Looking around him, it quickly dawned on him that he had absolutely no idea where he was.
Cupping his hands around his mouth, just as Cisse was about to call out, he caught himself. In the middle of nowhere, drawing attention to himself wouldn't be the best idea.
However…
HOOM-HOOM-HOOM-.....-CRRSHK-"HUOO!"
Hearing heavy footsteps followed by the sound of breaking bark behind him. Cisse instinctively raised his head all the way back until he could see behind himself. It was then that the warm breath of a five-meter tall Myder fell on him.